Tag: meta

assuming there was no massacre what would the dynamics be like if itachi married Sasuke if Sasuke were a girl?

[[ I’ve been asked this question before, and while I love me some Itasasu (genderbent or not), the fact of the matter is that a marriage between Itachi and Sasuke wouldn’t happen, even if they were both opposite sexes.

Itachi would marry Izumi. Sasuke could pick whoever she wanted. 

While a degree of incest is necessary to keep something like a bloodline clan running, the Uchiha is big enough in numbers and genetic diversity that they wouldn’t immediately turn to direct siblings. 

Itachi marrying Sasuke would be a very last ditch resort only if their numbers were very few and it was impossible or incredibly difficult to regain their members via non-clan births. They would start with half-Uchiha before making direct siblings be forced to continue the bloodline. ]]

itachi-maru:

The more I think about it the more the idea of Hokage!Itachi seems wrong to me. I know that it’s an idea that’s been tossed around a lot but I don’t think that Itachi even enjoyed being a shinobi, 

If he’d had the chance to develop and act upon his pacifism then he might have made a really great advisor though

[[ I… I’m sorry but you’re wrong. Specifically about this: 

“

I don’t think that Itachi even enjoyed being a shinobi,

“

Itachi is a shinobi because both his parents are and he knows that being a shinobi is the only way to make change in the world, because you need power/skill to do it. He never says he hates/dislikes being a shinobi, just that he dislikes killing and people fighting each other to the death.

I agree he’d be an excellent adviser and you’re free to like/dislike the idea of Itachi being Hokage but he specifically wanted to be Hokage because the Hokage is the only one capable of enacting law. An adviser can’t pass laws and is subject to the whim of their Hokage. ]]

Do you think itachi and sasuke can grow a beard?

[[ Mmm, I’d say this one is partly up to personal interpretation. 

But let me list some things and you can take away what you want from it–?

As for my answer, I really have two opinions on this? On the one hand, I believe they do grow facial hair but like East Asian men (as they seem to heavily resemble/be modeled after), the hair is really thin, doesn’t grow fast, and can be shaved off with ease. 

Then I just think no they can’t because Kishi didn’t want to have to deal with it and wouldn’t think facial hair would add any quality to their appearance/doesn’t need to show age via facial hair, so it’s just because he didn’t feel like it. 

So one in-universe reason and one out-of-universe design reason.

As for the other stuff– there are lots of men in Naruto with facial hair. Some didn’t start out with it and some have it in later designs (Chojuro and Kiba and Shikamaru as just three examples of facial hair in later designs). 

Some have it because it shows a certain type of character design (A, Darui, Ohnoki), etc. 

I’ve seen background Uchiha in the  manga panels with facial hair, so in-universe it’s perfectly possible Uchiha can grow facial hair, I just don’t try to think on it too deep because it’s likely mainly a design thing. Even Fugaku didn’t have facial hair. 

If you want to see really nice art of Uchiha with facial hair, I’d recommend @renamon15, their art is really nice :3 ]]

staginstasis replied to your post:
Why do people think it’s cool to be anti-Itachi?…

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?? ]]

And defending Sasuke? He’s the Naruto equivalent of a terrorist and wanted to murder all the people in Konoha because of his brother’s sacrifice. So even though it’s fictional you support such a character because ????

kinqpein:

Naruto never tried to destroy Konoha, so where did you get the equivalence of a terrorist?

I defend Sasuke because throughout the entire Naruto / Naruto Shippuden and now in Boruto, Sasuke’s feelings were never understood. He was crying out for help, and not even Naruto reached to him. Naruto wanted recognition for his own selfish reasons, Sasuke was never shown the true encasing of someone trying to truly understand his personal feelings.

Itachi; Repeated the massacre of his entire family in a genjutsu to feed his hatred.
Sakura; Wanted him to love her for the literal only reason because she loved him.
Naruto; Wanted recognition that he was stronger and better than Sasuke.
Kakashi; Told him to get over what he went through.
Orichimaru; Wanted Sasuke for his genes and body.

And the list continues.
Sasuke’s path wavered from Konoha’s upbringing because he was slowly learning that being around all of them not only was he not getting any stronger, but none of them truly understood how he felt. And they were not trying to.

Naruto; I understand you because we are both alone. So that means I know what you’re going through.

Sasuke literally told Naruto that he had no idea what he went through and Naruto kept pushing onto him that he did for the simple fact they were both alone, but even then Sasuke had Itachi, but it didn’t excuse the fact that Naruto wasn’t trying to understand Sasuke’s agony, he was only forcing onto him to acknowledge him. “I know you’re bad but I’m worse” sort of feel.
I defend Sasuke because everything he has ever said was twisted in some form that were never his intended meanings or is taken completely out of context that creates something entirely different. When Sasuke said “I want to be Hokage” during the war, Naruto took it as him acting as a rival, once again, not Sasuke’s intentions. He wasn’t saying “I want to be noticed” he was saying “I want to change this. I want there to be something better.” However Naruto being the selfish prick he is decided to make it about him once again, proving his dominance which Sasuke gave no literal fucks about.
Sasuke throughout the entire series is the number one misunderstood and misinterpreted character. He says one thing, means that one thing and people construe it as another. When I see Sasuke now he seems dead inside. No part of him is living anymore.

But what do people expect? They ignored his feelings, they ignored his rejections, they ignored his dismissals, everything about Sasuke was washed under a rug, nothing about him truly matters as long as Sakura can have his dick and Naruto can say he’s stronger than him. Sasuke can lose everyone that’s ever mattered to him (his entire clan and his cherished brother) and it’s all okay when Naruto proclaims he’s going to become Hokage. How does any of that change how Sasuke feels? How does any of that repent for the fact that Sasuke’s family is still gone? Exactly. As long as Naruto and Sakura get what they want from him, who gives a fuck about how Sasuke feels? How Sasuke has ever felt?
I defend Sasuke because when he was going through his darkness it was HIS fault for wanting revenge. It was HIS fault for being hurt that no one bothered to understand him without making it seem like they had it worse. It was HIS fault for distancing himself from people that were selfish. It was HIS fault that his brother left him to bare the agony of the lone standing Uchiha.
Everything became Sasuke’s fault in the end, that’s why he goes on his redemption journey. He can’t forgive himself nor can he come to terms with how things are.
I defend Sasuke because after all this time, people still blame him.

Going off the train of thought that sasuke ia miserable with sakura and she basically harassed him into submission, how would that affect the way itachi treated and thought of her? Also assuming he was some how alive or reanimated to see it

[[ If Itachi was alive, I don’t think it’d ever happen. (Sasuke and Sakura getting together, that is.) 

Part of why Sasuke was able to be harassed into eventually giving up and accepting a relationship is because he’s isolated from people who would help back him up or demand he be given his space. Taka isn’t traveling with him, Itachi is gone, etc. And if we’re going to believe that Karin is aiding Sakura (as the whole timeline during the pregnancy is unclear), Karin is actively working against Sasuke being able to say no. In Sasuke’s novel, Karin makes comments about Sakura not having anything of Sasuke to remember him by in his absence, and knows she has feelings for him (which is why she gets her the copy of the team photo). 

If you introduced Itachi into the situation, that by itself would just help Sasuke’s self esteem by loads. He would prioritize Itachi and traveling with him,and would definitely not be as susceptible to Sakura’s stalking/harassment simply because he’s got his brother to think about. 

If Itachi could see it was at a level that it was actively interfering with Sasuke’s life and it was crystal clear Sasuke did not want the attention, he would try to coax her to go home, gently.

Itach’s the kind of person who would think it was admirable that Sakura and Naruto never gave up on Sasuke, no matter what he did. He does think this for a very long time. But since this situation is post Edo-Tensei and post-war, Itachi would eventually realize that Sasuke can choose who he is and isn’t friends with, and that just because Sakura loves him, she isn’t owed any of his time or attention (just like Itachi realized just because he did what he did to protect Sasuke, it doesn’t mean he’s owed an ounce of Sasuke’s forgiveness or time.) That’s a very important lesson for Itachi to learn, not just for how he interacts with Sasuke, but for how he sees others interacting with Sasuke.

He would never  be mean or cruel about it. But once Sasuke’s firm on not wanting Sakura’s attention, Itachi would act as his backup so Sasuke can’t be cornered into it. He still thinks it’s nice Sakura has feelings for him, but the nicest thing Sakura can do for Sasuke is actually wait. Maybe one day he’ll return her feelings, Itachi wouldn’t mind, as long as it was purely Sasuke’s decision without any pressure put on him. Maybe he won’t! That’s not Itachi’s decision to make. It’s up to Sasuke. 

But– if you mean being reanimated long after they were together and had Sarada, it’d be too late.

By this time there’s nothing he can really observe that would make him act. It’s already happened, and unless something drastic happens, he really has no reason to assume that Sakura chased Sasuke into submission. He would just be under the impression that they fell in love and married and had a child, even if it is unfortunate that Sasuke’s work keeps him away from his family for years at a time. Without Sakura’s behavior during that blank period to go off of, he just thinks that Sakura’s love for him paid off and that what they have is good. This is just something that can’t be helped without drastic intervention. ]]

Hi! Is kurenai as good at genjutsu as Itachi? I’ve heard this on this site before but this site also tends to be wrong about a lot of things. Is this true?

[[ The short of it is: It’s not true. Kurenai’s genjutsu is vastly inferior to Itachi’s. Itachi is a natural Dojutsu user, and Itachi has also been extensively training his Genjutsu since he awakened his Sharingan. Kurenai lost the genjutsu battle badly to Itachi. This is canon, it literally happens on the pages.

The slightly longer version with the hot take is: Trying to argue that the fight wasn’t fair because Itachi is an Uchiha is pointless. So we have to dumb Itachi down and baby Kurenai so she feels good about herself? She was fighting an S-rank criminal and she knows he’s an Uchiha. She put out her very best and it wasn’t enough. Don’t baby Kurenai, they’re just on two different levels. Fights with good guys V bad guys aren’t supposed to be fair, realistic fights aren’t always fair anyways. Kakashi lost to Itachi too, are we going to argue that Kakashi is written badly/written unfairly/got shafted, etc?

The part of it that’s me going on a tangent is: We honestly need to stop acting as if a female character is “written badly” or “poorly” when she doesn’t have canon-shattering strength and abilities. All this does is create a ridiculous expectation that women characters are only defined by their strength and abilities. She’s a well respected and powerful Jonin on her own, she trained a team of skilled trackers, and she raised Mirai with the help of her team and stayed a single mother, and she overcame a Father who was misogynistic. 

Kurenai is a great character, and the people who try to argue her genjutsu is or “should be” just as powerful as Itachi’s are insanely jealous of Itachi and are overlooking the rest of her character. ]]

Is Itachi’s perception of Sasuke faithful and accurate or does he project things onto that as well?

[[ Oh, you sweet summer child… 

For a majority of the series, Itachi does project onto Sasuke. HEAVILY. I’ve discussed it before, I can’t remember exact posts, though. But no, Itachi’s perception/image of Sasuke is NOT faithful, and that is the problem with their dynamic for the longest time. It’s only when saying his final goodbyes to Sasuke that he relinquishes the ideas he has. That he allows Sasuke to be himself. 

For the longest time, Itachi sees Sasuke as a person to protect. Someone who cannot handle certain information, someone who must be guided on a path. It isn’t in Sasuke’s actual nature to be a violent person, yet Itachi wants to keep him locked on the path of vengeance and hatred. Sasuke innately cares about people, and Itachi tries to basically beat that out of him. Itachi has what I’m gonna call an “inner Sasuke”, aka the way he sees Sasuke. This is what he projects upon the real Sasuke. Itachi’s whole plan… dying as a villain, having Sasuke return to the village and play house, etc, that all depended on his inner Sasuke. 

(this actually causes a lot of trouble when viewed as a ship, because Itachi’s inner Sasuke is very dominant and humiliates Itachi, which is what he thinks he deserves, but the real Sasuke is not so domineering and would rather not hurt him if he can help it.)

He admits during his goodbyes that he didn’t treat Sasuke as an equal. As his own person. It’s only then that he really, truly does. ]]

Heyy, I once saw a post saying that those Itasasu fics where Itachi rapes Sasuke are believable, cos since Itachi HAS used Tsukuyomi on his brother as a form of psychological torture to convince him that he was a monster, it wouldn’t be far-fetched to say that he would use sexual torture as well. Do you have any thoughts on this?

[[ Uhhh no. I don’t think Itachi actually raping Sasuke is believable at all. Itachi has never had sex in canon, I doubt– even if he was presenting himself as a monster to Sasuke, that he would ever cross the line into anything like molestation/sexual assault.

He has used Tsukuyomi to explicitly remind Sasuke of the thing he’s done, which is kill their parents/clan and leave him abandoned on his own. This has absolutely nothing to do with sex at all. 

The fics are “believeable” if you’re into rape fics/portraying Itachi as a sexual predator. I don’t mind rape in fiction at all, and I don’t care if people write it, but it’s ridiculous to try to claim it in any sort of canon analysis, because Itachi would not cross that line. Let’s just leave it as the fetish material it is. ]]