Im not anti itachi or anything but I do honestly think he was a more interesting villain �� thats just how I am though. Not a fan of redemption archs it just seems like a cop out to make a bad character and then back pedal like that. Gimmi some good villains who are actually bad!!!!

[[ Here’s the thing though, and while it isn’t my intent to argue with you, you’ve used a line of logic that I see frequently from anti-itachi people, basically the idea that he was “always” presented as a villain. Itachi was a shitty, questionable villain to begin with, and I couldn’t see this until I started re-watching/re-reading. Hell, Itachi’s English voice actor was able to tell that Itachi was never truly evil, and he actually got a lot of emails trying to prove him wrong until the literal canon proved him right. 

There was no “back pedaling” done with Itachi, it was always there, and too many people ignored it and are choosing to ignore it now. 

This is highlighted first in the official episode he appears in. For someone who supposedly killed his clan on a complete whim, he openly states he doesn’t want to fight Asuma and Kurenai. Asuma even calls him out on it! It’s weird! You’re a highly wanted murderer, why are you acting as if you have mercy, etc?? And Kisame complains multiple times that Itachi just doesn’t let him fight/kill people and how his methods attract too much attention. Itachi wants to be low key, stealthy, and avoids hurting people, preferring Genjutsu instead. 

Sasuke in the hotel? Well, we can’t apply Classic™ Abuser logic here, because an abuser seeks to isolate their target and will willingly chase them. Itachi’s not chasing anyone. While Sasuke is 100% NOT at fault for what happened to him here, Itachi would have never hurt Sasuke like this had Sasuke not shown up. Again– I’m NOT placing blame on Sasuke for showing up, but it is important to recognize that Itachi didn’t come here with the intent of hurting Sasuke further. Wrong place, wrong time, and he was forced to “prove” he was still a villain in Sasuke’s eyes. 

And no one noticed how fishy the flashbacks were, during the VOTE fight? How there was clearly some tension going on between Itachi and his Father, how Itachi immediately drops to his knees and begs for forgiveness when he realizes Sasuke’s witnessed him showing actual murderous intent. That’s a huge fuckin’ deal. 

It’s another sign that we DON’T know the real reason the massacre happened– something is UP with Itachi and eventually we will get to find out. 

Criticize Itachi for treating Sasuke as a thing to protect, criticize him for his plan to get Sasuke to kill him and be a hero, criticize him for the multiple times he’s used genjutsu to make him relive his trauma, etc. But please don’t pretend he was better off as a “true villain”, or that the reveal was “out of nowhere”/”not hinted at” or “backpedaling.” The signs were always there. 

There isn’t a shortage of villains in Naruto who are actually bad people– why does Itachi need to be one of them?? ]]