Naruto is a story that is perfect for children. It has themes of friendship, affection, and kindness. At the very beginning, we have wars and the massacre of the Uchiha clan. What if this was an example of a darker reality?
Hidden beneath the battles and struggles for growth was a much darker message that pointed to the core issue, one that showcases the hypocrisy of how history defines its heroes and villains.
This can be clearly seen from the comparison between Minato Namikaze and Itachi Uchiha. Why does Itachi get so much hate? Even Obito was forgiven, so why not Itachi who did what he had to for the greater good? Let us delve into and understand the roles of Minato and Itachi and why they became famous (or infamous).
The paradox of heroes and villains
From the beginning of the series, it can be seen that the Uchiha clan’s massacre was blamed solely on Itachi Uchiha. The viewers and the members of the Hidden Leaf Village all pointed their hate at Itachi. The same with Sasuke, Itachi’s brother.
Itachi is loathsome, definitely. But there are other characters in the series that were on somewhat of the same level of atrocities committed. There are many members in the Akatsuki, for instance, yet the hatred seems to be diverted towards Itachi.
Just because he was a member of the Konoha, related to Sasuke, Itachi is being held to a higher degree of responsibility compared to others.It might be true that Itachi committed genocide, including his parents, friends, and his lover.
Comment
byu/KodoqBesar from discussion
inNaruto
But if he hadn’t done so, there probably might not have been a Konoha to live in. He was under orders from Danzo and the Third Hokage to eliminate the Uchiha clan, who had grown way too ambitious for their own good. Regardless of Itachi’s choice, blood would have flowed like rivers in Konoha.
Minato, on the other hand, was revered as the Fourth Hokage, his image carved onto the mountain of Hokages, and his story used to inspire many youths in the village. Don’t you find this ironic? The society in Naruto both despises and honors murderers.
Good and evil are not always black and white
Minato was no less of a killer than Itachi. In fact, there are few that can compare to the number of ninjas that Minato dropped in his lifetime. He was known for his slaughter of countless enemies during the Third Great Ninja War. Yet, he is remembered as a hero and a noble leader who protected Konoha.
Whereas Itachi, on the other hand, was in somewhat of a similar circumstance. They both committed mass murder under orders from the village’s leadership, but only Itachi was labeled a traitor and a terrorist.
Comment
byu/KodoqBesar from discussion
inNaruto
The only difference between the two is that one killed outsiders, while the other killed his own people. In real-world conflicts, who becomes the hero or the villain is not black and white.
It is a gray area and history is dictated by the one who is the victor. That is how many leaders came into power and are now glorified despite their many atrocious acts. Looking at the bigger picture, Konoha itself may be the true antagonist of the story.
Naruto: Shippuden is available for streaming on Crunchyroll. The manga is available for reading on Shueisha’s Manga Plus app.
This post belongs to FandomWire and first appeared on FandomWire
