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As one of the seasoned mangaka in the shonen genre, Masashi Kishimoto isn’t appreciated enough. This is especially true for his impeccable writing of villains along with greyscale characters in his ninja seriesNaruto.
Be it Nagato Uzumaki or Obito Uchiha, Kishimoto redefined antagonists. This extends to his writing of Itachi Uchiha albeit the character’s biggest mistake during the clan massacre.
Apart from being one of the child prodigies, the clan killer made a huge mistake in the series. With fans pointing to the detail in a Reddit post, it circles back to the problem of plotholes in the series.
On top of that, it highlights the problematic portrayal and glorification of child soldiers by Konohagakure. This also ties well with the ever-present symbol of prodigies and their intelligence.
Itachi’s biggest mistake during the Uchiha clan Massacre
Before killing off his clan,Itachi Uchihawas hailed and regarded as a prodigy. Be it genjutsu or ninjutsu, he excelled in his feats as a Konohagakure shinobi. But that is not all considering his unwavering loyalty toward his village in the series.
Unfortunately, it was this very loyalty that led the village leaders to exploit him as a pawn. TheUchiha Clan Massacreis the worst thing that Konoha ever did to its citizens. But that is not the end of it considering the village’s flawed policies and laws.
Throughout the series, Konohagakure is portrayed as a village harnessing bravery and glory. In doing so, the village sacrificed numerous innocent lives and its citizens. Afalse sense of patriotismis instilled into the citizens via the indoctrination of the “will of fire”.
Uchihas were no exception to this considering their treatment by the Second Hokage and Danzo. For centuries, the clan was sidelined by its village despite its contributions. And while it was eventually killed off, there were several pitfalls following the event.
Instead of Jiraiya or Minato, Masashi Kishimoto’s Next Naruto Spinoff Should be on Konoha’s Most Ignored But Devastatingly Powerful Clan
While Itachi killed his clan, he failed to safeguard the Sharingan as most Redditorspointed out.
While he failed to safeguard Sharingan, it didn’t absolve the village leaders of their responsibility. Although he was a prodigy and a skilled killer, he was a 13-year-old child. Most fans overlook this detail in their criticism of the character.
And while Konoha was blessed with geniuses, it did little to protect them and ensure normalcy. This is especially true for the twisted sense of belonging and bravado instilled in child soldiers.
Preferential treatment of child prodigies in Masashi Kishimoto’s series
One of the recurring themes inMasashi Kishimoto’sseries is child prodigies and soldiers. The Konohagakure shinobi are subjected to brutalities and perils at an early age. From ANBU to Chunin exams, the ninjas carrying out suicidal missions are as young as 14.
Moreover, it isn’t merely the age but the added pressure that Kishimoto brings out in his series. The societal expectations along with the trauma and perils of war are overbearing for most characters. Of late, Konoha’s involvement and perpetration of atrocities have been pointed out by several fans.
The ideas of loyalty and bravado are flawed and warped in every sense. Be it the Uchiha clan or the Hyuga clan, the child prodigies were treated differently. In Tobirama’s case, there’s blatant bias considering his indifference toward the Uchihas.
Conversely, the Uchihas were wiped off under the garb of a “possible coup” which further demonized them. To make matters worse, Danzo’s experiments were diabolical and highlighted unprecedented hate. It underlines the grossdehumanization of clansin the manner of fashioning the Sharingan arm.
Put Some Damn Respect on His Name: Kishimoto Should’ve Treated Naruto’s Strongest Non-Konoha Kage a Lot Better
In retrospect, Kishimoto laid out the darker aspects of the shinobi world through his series. From clan hierarchies to genocide, the series is nothing short of a masterpiece in its portrayal of realism.
Narutois available for streaming on Crunchyroll. The manga is available for reading on Viz Media.
Himanshi Jeswani
Anime Writer
Articles Published :993
Himanshi Jeswani is an anime writer at Fandomwire, with her work spanning over 900 articles. Her articles cover shojo, shonen, seinen, and all things beyond. Her interests, however, aren’t limited to simply anime. She has a penchant for exploring different genres of manga, be it horror, yanki, music, and food. She brings out her specialization and expertise in the performing arts through her articles. As a writer, she strives to bridge the gap between the viewers and the medium itself. To her, anime is a revolutionary medium that is capable of creating communities and stories after all.
