Naruto: How Itachi Uchiha's illness stopped him from becoming the strongest ninja

He was one of the most powerful, if not the most powerful, ninjas in Naruto, but illness prevented him from reaching even greater heights.
In the world of Naruto, one of the most popular pieces of Japanese anime that is viewed by millions around the world, some characters are so tragic and complicated that they remain on the mind long after their final scenes. One of them is Itachi Uchiha—a stoic mastermind forced to shoulder unbearable secrets and unbearable burdens.
Initially, audiences thought Itachi was truly the monster he seemed to be – a merciless foe who killed his entire clan. Yet as the tale unfolded, we discovered the tragic reality underneath it all: Itachi was not evil. He was a hero who had to make unspeakable decisions. Now, there were several factors along the way. One thing that gets lost in the wave of history and sort of love affair with the man was this silent disease that robbed him of his strength. Itachi wasn't sick, Itachi is one of the all-time strongest ninjas in anime history.
Young Itachi was a true ninja prodigy
Even as a young child, Itachi was well beyond the maturity of his peers. By the age of 7, he was well on his way to thinking like a Hokage (the leader of the Hidden Leaf Village). At 8, he became the first of his clan ever to unlock the powerful Sharingan, an advanced clan-based ninja ability. At just 11 years of age, he earned the rank of the youngest ANBU Captain, a rank reserved for the most elite ninjas.
His abilities just got more honed after training with the legendary Shisui Uchiha, another legendary teacher and master ninja to boot. With the horrific pain of that loss, Itachi opened the
Mangekyo Sharingan
, allowing him to wield deadly new powers like Amaterasu (black flames that burn endlessly) and Tsukuyomi (a soul-shattering jutsu).
With these powers, not even an elite ninja reincarnated from the dead like Orochimaru could perform. Itachi didn't just outplay his opponents—he wrecked them.
The illness that held back a legend
Behind the scenes, Itachi was gradually succumbing to death.
Naruto never goes into specifics about the disease, we can all agree that it was deadly. As Itachi fought throughout his run in the series, he was fighting on more than one front. He was fighting for his life. He could frequently be found spitting up blood, and his bruising energy levels were a constant drain. His physical condition led him to become partially blind as a result of overextending the use of his Mangekyo Sharingan.
Even in this compromised condition, Itachi was still effortlessly defeating high-level characters such as Kakashi Hatake. In his climactic fight with his brother Sasuke, Itachi was all but blind and very sickly. He still managed to perform and even retrieve victory.
Itachi could've been stronger than Madara and Sasuke
It's a question posed by countless Naruto fans over the years: What if Itachi had survived longer? The answer should be obvious—he would have achieved a whole new orbit of power.
Characters like Sasuke, Madara and even Naruto per se became strong in their adult years. Itachi died young in his early 20s. Given more time, and improved health, Itachi could have achieved the Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan, eliminating the risk of blindness and providing him even greater power.
He would have had the potential to access the Six Paths power, a unique power to few in the series that could have made him more intimidating. In summary, Itachi's potential was never fully realized. His illness stunted his development long before he died.
Itachi's legacy lives on in Naruto
Despite dying young,
Itachi Uchiha
still stands as one of Naruto's most revered and adored characters. Through his actions, he defined the future of the Hidden Leaf Village and set in motion various events that would lead to some of the biggest story arcs in Naruto and Naruto: Naruto Uzumaki—part one & Naruto Shippuden.
From child prodigy, to misunderstood villain, to
tragic hero
— we encourage you to watch as his convoluted journey turns him into one of the most interesting
anime characters
around. While his terminal illness deprived him of physical strength, he never lost the strength of his heart.
Itachi needed more time for this final piece
Itachi Uchiha wasn't simply a strong ninja—he was a narrative embodiment of sacrifice, love, and concealed suffering. Had he not been afflicted with a disability we can only describe as a mysterious anime illness, he would have easily turned into one of the most powerful anime characters ever.
Fans continue to argue to this day about how far he would've gone, and that's what makes his story so legendary.
Check out our list of the
latest Hindi
,
English
,
Tamil
,
Telugu
,
Malayalam
, and
Kannada movies
. Don't miss our picks for the
best Hindi movies
,
best Tamil movies,
and
best Telugu films
.

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Learn with AIFact CheckingText to SpeechAI Summary

Related Articles

Mint

10 hours ago

• Mint

The rise of matcha bars in India

Gift this article In the past year, there's been a proliferation of boba tea brands and matcha bars. Looking at the global adoption of these teas, we're a bit late to the party but are certainly catching up. About a year ago, I wrote on the changing styles of tea, and Anne-Frédérique Dayraut, a tea promoter in France, had talked about how matcha, boba and chai are almost dissociated from tea, as standalone beverages. Still, the tea world can lay claim to this popularity, especially given that these are teas one enjoys out of home, lend themselves to customising, and are hence attractive to a new generation of tea drinkers. In the past year, there's been a proliferation of boba tea brands and matcha bars. Looking at the global adoption of these teas, we're a bit late to the party but are certainly catching up. About a year ago, I wrote on the changing styles of tea, and Anne-Frédérique Dayraut, a tea promoter in France, had talked about how matcha, boba and chai are almost dissociated from tea, as standalone beverages. Still, the tea world can lay claim to this popularity, especially given that these are teas one enjoys out of home, lend themselves to customising, and are hence attractive to a new generation of tea drinkers. I decided to visit the newest entrant in Bengaluru, Got Tea, a matcha and bubble tea bar that has opened in Kalyan Nagar, after seeing a lot of traction in their National Capital Region outlets. What was fascinating was to see matcha and bubble tea, two very different tea styles with different origins, converge to become a single beverage that is especially popular with 18-25-year olds. Also read: How to unlock umami from matcha YuSung Eo, one of Got Tea's three founders who's originally from Korea, says when they launched their first outlet in 2020 in Delhi, it was more about boba. Matcha has now taken centre stage and in the past nine months, he is seeing a big boost in interest and sales globally. Matcha is a tea that was traditionally about Japanese tea ceremony, with flavours quite different from the average tea. Yet that hasn't come in the way of this current surge in popularity. For so long, one spoke of its acquired flavours of umami and bitterness. And of course, it's not an inexpensive tea. So to see the demand surge with a global shortage is reason enough to take notice of it. The Japan Times reported in February that matcha production saw a threefold increase from 2010 to 2023, and that in the last five years, it has reached a 'tipping point", with over half of matcha from Japan exported. Its popularity is owed to its increased association with wellness (high antioxidants and also high caffeine), but perhaps also to its sheer versatility—finding its way into cooking and baking, as hot or cold, with or without milk. And of course, the vibrant green colour. The noise around matcha is growing louder, especially on Instagram. YuSung spoke of offering an authentic experience, sourcing premium grade matcha from Shizuoka and not skimping on how much matcha they use. He speaks of 'guiding" customers to navigate the matcha flavours, and a campaign to promote matcha that includes matcha workshops for tea enthusiasts (so far invitee-only, but soon open to public). It seems to be working—a lesson here for Indian speciality tea makers, on how to create a market for their teas. I had a matcha lemonade with coconut jelly, not the right choice for a windy day. I wished I had opted for a hot latte instead. But that's the thing—with so many matcha bars, pop-ups and options across the country offering access to the tea, returning to try another matcha has gotten so easy. Also read: India's very own tea ceremony Tea Nanny is a fortnightly series on the world of tea. Aravinda Anantharaman is a tea drinker, writer and editor. She posts @AravindaAnanth1. Topics You May Be Interested In

Pink Villa

13 hours ago

• Pink Villa

Weekly Top Korean News: BTS hints at 2026 comeback, THE BOYZ removes Ju Haknyeon, V and Jungkook prep for new projects, more

This week in K-entertainment brought a storm of headlines, from legal battles and shocking admissions to potential collaborations and long-awaited reunions. Former THE BOYZ member Ju Haknyeon has challenged his agency's claims about his exit. Meanwhile, BTS' V teased a mysterious project that has fans screaming Squid Game. And Jungkook might just be cooking up another hit with DJ Snake. Also, ex-NCT Taeil admitted to serious charges, and BTS' comeback timeline remains unclear. Read on to get all the deets. Ju claims forced exit from THE BOYZ Ju Haknyeon, former member of THE BOYZ, has broken his silence to share his version of the events surrounding his sudden departure from the group. In a detailed Instagram post, he claimed he never agreed to terminate his contract with ONE HUNDRED and called the agency's decision one-sided. He also denied any involvement in 'illegal activity.' He rejected reports that linked him to such allegations following his meeting with former Japanese actress Asuka Kirara. Ju expressed emotional distress over being branded unfairly and announced plans for legal action against media outlets spreading false claims. He vowed to fight for accountability. Meanwhile, ONE HUNDRED has responded, stating that Ju is distorting facts and insisting their decision was based on valid grounds. Is BTS' V joining Squid Game 3? BTS' V, also known as Kim Taehyung, recently held a Weverse livestream where he hinted at a mysterious new project he's been working on since his military discharge. Though he downplayed its importance, fans believe it could be something major, possibly a cameo in Squid Game Season 3. Theories gained momentum due to his past appearance in a Squid Game costume and his friendships with lead actors Lee Jung Jae and Im Siwan. Others suspect a solo music release or even a brand launch might be on the horizon. For now, fans eagerly await V's next move, hoping to see 'actor Taehyung' return to screens in a big way. Jungkook x DJ Snake: New collab soon? On June 16, BTS' Jungkook was spotted heading to the U.S. It sparked buzz among fans, especially after French DJ and producer DJ Snake revealed he's also in New York. Their unexpected overlap fueled speculation of a second collaboration, following their 2023 track Please Don't Change from Jungkook's debut album GOLDEN. DJ Snake's interaction with fans online, including liking a tweet about Jungkook being in NYC, added to the excitement. While nothing is confirmed, fans believe they might be working on a new track or planning a surprise performance. Many also speculate Jungkook's second solo album or world tour could be in the works ahead of BTS' full reunion in 2026. Ex-NCT's Taeil admits to charges Former NCT member Moon Taeil is facing serious legal consequences after admitting to misconduct involving an intoxicated foreign woman, alongside two others. During the first trial on June 18, all three defendants confessed to the charges. The prosecution has demanded a 7-year prison sentence for each, citing KakaoTalk messages that suggested the act was premeditated. These messages included discussions about moving the victim and preventing her from falling asleep. The victim's side has also requested a 10-year employment ban for Taeil. While the defense claimed the crime was unintentional and highlighted Taeil's surrender and settlement with the victim, the court is expected to deliver its final verdict on July 10, 2025. BTS comeback in 2026? BTS has officially completed military service as a full group, with SUGA being the last member discharged on June 21. And recently, a report from The Korea Herald claimed BTS was planning a full-group comeback in March 2026. It cites insiders who detailed a mid-March album release aligned with other HYBE group schedules. It was also alleged that BELIFT LAB's ENHYPEN had shifted their release to January to avoid overlapping with BTS. However, BIGHIT MUSIC has stepped in to clarify the rumors. In a statement, the agency stated that no final decision has been made regarding BTS' comeback timeline. They dismissed the comeback reports as unconfirmed. Fans continue to await official updates. NewJeans loses appeal In a significant setback for NewJeans, the Seoul High Court has rejected the group's appeal to lift restrictions on independent activities outside of ADOR. The decision upholds a previous injunction that grants ADOR full control over NewJeans' promotions, music production, and collaborations. It effectively banned the group from operating under their NJZ brand without agency approval. The legal dispute stems from broken trust between the members and ADOR, with the girls' side confirming reconciliation is no longer possible. The next court hearing over their exclusive contract dispute is set for July 24, 2025.

Hans India

17 hours ago

• Hans India

Anupam Kher breaks down the ‘richness' of Kashmiri cuisine

Mumbai: Veteran actor Anupam Kher, who is gearing up for the release of his upcoming film 'Metro... In Dino', is lavishing praise on the cuisine of his homeland, Kashmir. The actor recently spoke with IANS in the run-up to the film's release, and recollected the time when he introduced actor Vinay Pathak to the Kashmiri cuisine during the shooting of 'Khosla Ka Ghosla', an earlier story which was published by IANS. Walking down the memory lane, Anupam shared how it all happened. He told IANS, 'I introduced Vinay to Kashmiri food, and he said, 'Kashmiri food is like this?' I said, 'Yes'. I introduced the cuisine to him, and I was very happy. Because he thought it must be something else. I read a lot about it recently that Vinay Pathak spoke about the incident. It was just somebody introducing me to Japanese food, a long time back'. He further mentioned, 'The richness of Kashmiri food is that there is no tomato, no onion and no garlic in it. And yet it is the tastiest cuisine. But that way India is a very rich country in terms of food. After every 500 km, you get new food. Gujarati, Marathi and different kinds of thaalis'. Earlier, Vinay had told IANS, 'I remember, Anupam introduced me to Kashmiri food for the first time. I am a vegetarian, so I thought, Kashmiri food is not for me. He told me, 'You're in for a treat. We will take you to a place'. And, he introduced me to a place in Delhi for Kashmiri cuisine. And, I fell in love with Kashmiri cuisine. We used to leave the game to give our shots. Sometimes we would play 20 questions. Anupam taught us 3-4 new games'. Presented by Gulshan Kumar & T-Series presents, in association with Anurag Basu Productions Pvt. Ltd., 'Metro In Dino' is produced by Bhushan Kumar, Krishan Kumar, Anurag Basu, and Taani Basu. The film is set to arrive in cinemas on July 4, 2025.