Naruto: Here Is When Itachi Died in the Manga & Anime! (Chapter & Episode)

Regarding Naruto characters, Itachi Uchiha is one of the best and most interesting characters in the whole series. Not only is Itachi’s story one of the best, but his importance for the story’s development and Sasuke’s character development is pivotal. Now, Itachi was involved in a fair share of controversial and puzzling moments. However, his death still remains one of the most important moments in the plot of Naruto, especially since Itachi had the privilege of dying twice in the series. In this article, we will explain Itachi’s deaths in the series, as you will find out when exactly he died.

Itachi’s first death was his “true” and permanent death

The first time Itachi died was in Episode 138 of Naruto: Shippuden (“The End”), and was adapted from Chapter 393 of the manga (“My Eyes…!!”). Here is what happened:

After searching for him, Sasuke finally finds Itachi. A fight ensues, and Itachi dies unexpectedly after a tough fight, shortly before his victory over Sasuke. Tobi later tells Sasuke that Itachi planned to die at Sasuke’s hand from the beginning and that a serious illness had long afflicted him. In this final encounter with his younger brother, Itachi transferred all his eye techniques to Sasuke so that he now has the Mangekyou Sharingan.

As Tobi later explains to Sasuke, Itachi was always careful to protect his younger brother; transferring all of his doujutsu to Sasuke was an attempt to keep Tobi away from him. Tobi also explains that Itachi only became Sasuke’s target because of an order from Konohagakure. Itachi was supposed to kill all the Uchihas because they were planning a revolution at that point and wanted to subjugate Konoha. Tobi tells Sasuke that his brother was with the ANBUs to inform the Uchiha clan of what the Konoha government was planning.

In reality, the opposite was the case, and Itachi reported everything about the Uchiha clan’s plans to the Third Hokage. Tobi explains that when Itachi was just four, he witnessed a horrific battle scene in the Third Shinobi World War and that it triggered a trauma in him that caused Itachi to hate war and violence and always strive to bring peace, which is why he decided to wipe out the Uchiha clan with Tobi.

Tobi then throws the fact at Sasuke that Sasuke would have had no chance against Itachi if he had really wanted to kill him. Tobi also says that before and even after his death, Itachi only tried to protect his little brother and give him more strength. Itachi had also intended for Sasuke to be accepted by the village and celebrated as a hero once Sasuke defeated him.

Itachi’s “died” the second time shortly after being reincarnated

The second time Itachi died was in Episode 339 of Naruto: Shippuden (“I Will Love You Always”), which adapted Chapter 590 of the manga (“I Will Love You Forever”). Here is what happened:

Kabuto Yakushi, who teams up with Tobi, used Kuchiyose: Edo Tensei to revive Itachi, Sasori, Nagato, Kakuzu, and Deidara as a testament to his strength. However, like the others, Itachi is not actually alive but is controlled by Kabuto.

When the Fourth Shinobi World War breaks out against the alliance of the five great shinobi villages, Itachi sets off alongside Kakuzu and Nagato. After a break at a shrine and a discussion about Nagato’s role in Tobi’s plan, they march on and, after a while, encounter Naruto and Killer B. Surprised by Naruto’s growth and the fact that he has the Kyuubi’s chakra under control, Itachi wants to ask him something, but suddenly attacks the two with Katon: Goukakyuu no Jutsu.

When he asks Naruto to keep the truth about the Uchiha clan and his secret, the Uchiha’s honor is in danger, so he leaves it to him to take care of Sasuke. He then fights against Bee. After a few more attacks, he jumps at Nagato’s summons. He activates his Mangekyou Sharingan, whereupon the crow that Itachi placed in him during their last conversation comes out of Naruto’s mouth, which Naruto is visibly unhappy about. This breaks Kabuto’s control over Itachi, and he fights Nagato alongside Naruto and B.

He will later join forces with Sasuke, and the two of them will fight together to defeat Kabuto, after which the technique that kept him alive in the first place stops working, and Itachi, once again, “died” (although he wasn’t even alive in the first place).

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