Itachi Uchiha

Itachi Uchiha

Itachi Uchiha is a missing-nin from Konohagakure, and a prominent member of Akatsuki, partnered with Kisame Hoshigaki. He is Sasuke Uchiha's older brother.

Itachi is relatively popular among many fans of Naruto, often having ranked in the top ten in Shonen Jump magazine's popularity polls since his introduction. He was first ranked in the third character popularity poll ranked in 11th place. He was ranked 9th place during the fourth popularity poll, and 6th place in the fifth popularity poll. During the sixth popularity poll, he again was ranked in 11th place. In the last poll, he was ranked in 5th place.

Itachi was born into the Uchiha clan and was praised by all as the best of his generation - a genius above all others. Even by the standards of the battle-adept Uchiha clan, Itachi's prowess far outshined all others. However, not even his family, friends, or teachers could understand him. When he was only 4, Itachi had already witnessed countless lives lost due to the Third Great Shinobi World War, which emotionally traumatized him and turned him into a pacifist. At age 7, he graduated from the Ninja Academy at the top of his class after only one year, mastered the Sharingan at age 8, passed the Chunin Exams at age 10, and became ANBU Captain at age 13. According to Madara Uchiha, Itachi also had a lover, whom he killed during the Uchiha clan massacre.

He was praised highly by his father, who saw the family's future in Itachi, hence neglecting his other son - Itachi's younger brother, Sasuke. However, during this time Itachi showed great affection towards his little brother, Sasuke, and even encouraged his father to come to the Academy when Sasuke was enrolled, something their dad had otherwise forgotten, by saying that he would not go to an important mission, that would establish Itachi a place in the ANBU ranks, otherwise.