Naruto's Original Plans for Itachi Resurface

Naruto has been around for well over a decade, so it is hard to imagine the story being anything [...]

By Megan Peters

Naruto has been around for well over a decade, so it is hard to imagine the story being anything other than what we know it to be. Back in the day, creator Masashi Kishimoto had to scrap some plans he had for the series. Those ideas have come to light over the years, but one of the most radical changes came for a surprising Uchiha. After all, Itachi was going to be different at first in more ways than one.

Over on Twitter, a little-known fact about Itachi resurfaced thanks to the page Dan's Naruto Facts. It was there fans got to see the original design for Itachi and pick up new details about the character's scrapped role.

As you can see below, the design for Itachi is very different; In fact, you would not even recognize the man if you were not told it was Itachi. The character design sees the Uchiha wearing a beanie that is kept in place with a Hidden Leaf headband.

Naturally, Itachi is also shirtless in this sketch as he has his shirt tied around his waist. The rest of the look wraps up with some baggy pants and armored gloves on both hands.

This relaxed look is very different from anything Itachi ever wore. It is loud in a way the Uchiha would frown upon, but one design element was kept. Both this original design and the final give Itachi lines underneath his eyes, so there's at least that.

As for what Itachi was meant to do in this original draft, well - you would be surprised. Kishimoto did have the ninja killing his entire clan at first but instead made him a loyal ninja. The report says Itachi was the leader of an assassination unit within the Hidden Leaf which gave him command over 70 specialized fighters.

Which version of Itachi do you prefer the most...? Let me know in the comments or hit me up on Twitter @MeganPetersCB to talk all things comics and anime!

Originally created by Masashi Kishimoto for Shueisha's Weekly Shonen Jump in 1999, Naruto follows a young ninja, with a sealed demon within him, that wishes to become the leader of his home village. The series ran for 700 chapters overall, and was adapted into an anime series by Studio Pierrot and Aniplex that ran from 2002 to 2017. The series was popular enough to warrant a sequel, Boruto: Naruto Next Generations which is set several years after the events of the original Naruto story and features the children of many of its key characters such as Naruto and Hinata.

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