ItaSasu

The Couple

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The Couple

ItaSasu (イタサス ItaSasu) is the term used to refer to the romantic relationship between Itachi Uchiha  and Sasuke Uchiha.

Their Relationship

Part I

Search for Tsunade Arc

When Sasuke approached to Kakashi at the dumpling shop, Itachi was surprised by Sasuke's appearance saying that he'd grown up. When Sasuke arrived at Kakashi's house to see him, he found his teacher in a coma. Nobody in the room was willing to tell Sasuke of what had happened, Aoba soon arrived and let slip that Itachi had returned to the village in search of Naruto.

Itachi choking Sasuke.

Determined to find Itachi, Sasuke tracks Naruto down and finds his brother. As Itachi and Kisame confronted Naruto, Itachi is confronted by Sasuke before Jiraiya arrives and Itachi learns that the Toad Sage told Kakashi about Akatsuki. Sasuke then attacked Itachi but Itachi easily deflected the attack and disabled Sasuke by breaking his wrist. Itachi then uses his Mangekyō Sharingan on Sasuke, which reaffirms Sasuke's desire to get stronger. Sasuke then fell into the same Tsukuyomi-induced coma as Kakashi.

Sasuke Recovery Mission Arc

Sasuke's childhood.

During the fight between Sasuke and Naruto at the Valley of the End, Sasuke remember his childhood and his reasons for becoming obsessed with power. Sasuke's childhood was spent living in Itachi's shadow. Being the prodigy of the clan, Itachi received all the attention from their father, leaving Sasuke to live his life trying to earn his father's recognition.

Itachi poked on Sasuke's forehead when they were young.

Itachi, aware of Sasuke's efforts, did what he could to redirect some of their father's attention to Sasuke, but saw little success. In time, the members of the Uchiha clan began to suspect Itachi of being a murderer, and Itachi started openly attacking and disrespecting the clan. Itachi's standing in the clan began to falter due to his apparent turning against them. As such, Sasuke's father started taking a more active interest in Sasuke's development. As Sasuke and his father spent more time together, his father told him not to follow in Itachi's footsteps, the former prodigy having lost the clan's confidence. With his father's recognition, Sasuke put even more time into his training, determined to become better than Itachi.

As Sasuke's remembrance of his childhood draws to a close, Sasuke returned home from the Ninja Academy one day to find all the members of the Uchiha clan murdered. Upon finding his parents' bodies, Sasuke discovered Itachi to be responsible for the massacre. Using his Mangekyō Sharingan, Itachi showed Sasuke their parents' deaths, causing Sasuke to run with fright. Itachi stopped him, telling him that he wasn't worth killing. As Itachi left, he informed Sasuke that if he wanted to take revenge for the clan, he would need to get stronger. To help Sasuke gain the strongest ability of the Uchiha, Itachi tells Sasuke the requirements to obtain his own Mangekyō Sharingan: He must kill his closest friend. With that, Itachi left, leaving Sasuke to build a hate for his brother. Resolving to get stronger, Sasuke decided he would do whatever was necessary to kill Itachi.

Part II

Itachi Pursuit Mission Arc

As Sasuke defeated Orochimaru, Itachi sensed something odd yet assured Kisame that it was nothing. Itachi and Kisame later met with the rest of Akatsuki. There, they discovered that Sasuke, after being trained by Orochimaru for two and a half years, had killed his teacher. After the fight between Sasuke and Deidara is over, Zetsu informed the Akatsuki that Sasuke had been killed by Deidara's C0. However, though asked by Kisame if he was troubled by his brother's death, Itachi remarked that Sasuke is still alive.

Fated Battle Between Brothers Arc

After Sasuke recovering from his wounds, Sasuke and his team, Hebi, continues onto one of Akatsuki's lairs, where Sasuke finds a crow clone of Itachi which expresses admiration over Sasuke's growth in power and tells him they will have their battle at the Uchiha Hideout. Once inside the Hideout, Itachi and Sasuke met face-to-face and, while exchanging genjutsu, had a conversation about Madara Uchiha, and Itachi's "true" motives of wanting to take Sasuke's eyes. When Sasuke managed to escape Itachi's Tsukuyomi, much to Itachi's surprise, due to his immense mastery of the Sharingan, the genjutsu battle ended and the ninjutsu battle began. With Zetsu witnessing the battle, Itachi appears somewhat weaker to dodge some of the simplest attacks from Sasuke and even coughs blood.

Itachi poked Sasuke's forehead.

During the battle after Sasuke uses kirin on Itachi, Itachi managed to survive by using his Susanoo to defend himself. With Kirin having expended all of Sasuke's chakra, Orochimaru gained control and reappeared through his Eight Branches Technique. Itachi, however, seal Orochimaru away with Susanoo, removing the cursed seal from Sasuke's body. As Itachi began to weaken, the Susanoo started to fade and Sasuke saw an opportunity to strike. This was in vain, as Susanoo was still able to protect Itachi with the Yata Mirror.

"I'm sorry, Sasuke....there won't be next time."

His last option gone, Sasuke was pushed against a wall as Itachi stumbled closer to him, seemingly reaching for Sasuke's eyes. However, he instead poked Sasuke's forehead which something Itachi would regularly do to Sasuke when they were younger and smiled before saying, "I'm sorry, Sasuke… …there won't be next time" before he finally succumbed to his illness and died. Shocked and exhausted, Sasuke too passes out, albeit with a smile due to the accomplishment of his lifelong mission.

Sasuke wakes up in a cave in the care of Tobi, who quickly reveals himself to be Madara Uchiha. As Tobi tries to befriend Sasuke by removing his mask and revealing his Sharingan, Sasuke's left eye reacts to Tobi's Sharingan and triggers Itachi's Mangekyō Sharingan which castes Amaterasu, setting the masked man on fire, causing him to retreat into the darkness of the cave. After dispelling the black flames with ease, an unscathed and masked Tobi appears again and begins to muse about how Itachi never ceased to amaze him. As Sasuke asks what he was talking about, Tobi reveals that Itachi had most likely implanted a one-shot Amaterasu in Sasuke's eye to attack if and when he saw Tobi's Sharingan. As Sasuke complains that he is making no sense, Tobi makes startling revelations that it had been to protect him, and, when Sasuke still didn't believe him, Tobi said how it must all sound crazy, but assured him that he was telling the truth, and introduced himself as the man who had helped Itachi to slaughter the entire Uchiha clan.

Sasuke cried for the loss of Itachi.

Tobi reveals to Sasuke the "truth" of Itachi: that he killed his clan by orders from Konoha, how he joined Akatsuki to keep an eye on the organisation from the inside to keep his village and his brother safe, and that everything he had done was to make sure Sasuke grew strong.

Sasuke awakens his Mangekyō Sharingan due to Itachi's death.

Remembering his childhood of how Itachi really was a kind, good brother, Sasuke cries over the memories of his beloved older brother and he developed his own Mangekyō Sharingan. He then renamed his team name from Hebi to Taka and vowed he would destroy Konoha for the suffer they made to Itachi.

Sasuke remembers Itachi shedding tears before leaving.

Later, while looking at the moon, Sasuke remembers the time after the Uchiha Massacre. Sasuke remember the moment before he passed out, he saw Itachi looked upon him with tears in his eyes as he leaves. Tobi offers to give him Itachi's eyes to help him increase his strength but Sasuke refuses because his goals differ from Itachi's.

Pain's Assault Arc

Before heading out to capture Killer B, Sasuke and Tobi had a private conversation in which Sasuke announced he planned to destroy the village and kill all the residents to avenge Itachi. When asked why he would go against Itachi's wish for him to return to the village and protect it, Sasuke said the grief of losing his brother and the anger at the residents for being ignorant of the sacrifice Itachi made to give them peace made it impossible for him to abide by his brother's wish.

Five Kage Summit Arc

While fighting Danzo, the true conspirator of the Uchiha Massacre, Sasuke used deadly force on him into confessing, and when he called Itachi a traitor for revealing such a secret, Sasuke became enraged and tried many ways to kill Danzo. Throughout it all, Sasuke's hatred increased as he lashed out at Danzo for forcing Itachi to kill his own family on the excuse it was for the village's sake.

After succeeding in killing Danzo and being confronted by Sakura and Kakashi, who tried to reason with Sasuke into giving up his hatred and vengeance, Sasuke angrily shouted bringing Itachi and his clan back would make him stop. Seeing Kakashi possess the Sharingan and say there is nore to life than his clan only made Sasuke more enraged and eager to kill his former comrades. Hearing Kakashi ask him to remember the fun times of laughing with his friends, Sasuke retorted that Itachi sacrificed his life for the village and he can only think of their laughs as a mockery of Itachi's memory.

After the battle, Sasuke tells Tobi to have Itachi's eyes transplanted into him in order to cure his deteriorating eye sight and give him the power to kill Naruto. After the procedure, Sasuke says he can feel himself getting stronger because he feels Itachi.

Fourth Shinobi World War: Countdown Arc

Young Itachi and infant Sasuke.

Kushina tells Naruto the history of her, Minato and the Nine-Tails attack on Konoha. In the past, Itachi was only four and Sasuke was just an infact. During the Nine-Tails' attack on Konoha, Itachi was left alone in the house to take care of his infant brother, Sasuke and promised to protect him no matter what.

Fourth Shinobi World War: Climax Arc

Sasuke joins forces with Itachi to defeat Kabuto.

After being reanimated and meeting with Naruto, Itachi asks of Sasuke's whereabouts and is shocked to learn not only did Sasuke learn the truth about the massacre but he works for Akatsuki and plots to destroy the village. When Naruto explains that Itachi is partially to blame for how Sasuke turned out due to manipulating him rather than being honest with him, Itachi agrees but feels that only Naruto can change Sasuke and he was always cautious in case Sasuke ever did turn against the village by planning to use a genjutsu on him to remind him of his loyalty for Konoha.

When Itachi is on his way to stop Kabuto's technique, Itachi encountered Sasuke but pressed on. This caused Sasuke to chase him down and attempt to catch him with a hand of his Susanoo, but Itachi deflected this with one of his own. Bombarded by a flurry of questions from Sasuke, Itachi said he spared Sasuke at the massacre because of Sasuke's childhood innocence and his own desire to eventually be judged for his actions by a fellow Uchiha. Expressing his regret about the path Sasuke had chosen and partially blaming himself, he resolved to talk no further, which led Sasuke to retort that Itachi was still running away from him even in death. Itachi broke his silence to refute this, stating that he was not running away but going to stop the Summoning: Impure World Reincarnation technique. Itachi attempted to prevent Sasuke from following by using a flock of summoned crows to obscure Sasuke's vision. Sasuke manages not to lose sight of Itachi and follows him right to Kabuto's location. Kabuto tried to persuade Sasuke to his side to help him defeat Itachi but failed. When Sasuke joined forces with Itachi, Itachi promised his brother that he would speak to him once Kabuto was defeated.

As Kabuto's Sage Art: White Rage Technique is initiated, Itachi and Sasuke was both deafened and blinded in pain. Realising that Sasuke can't maintain his Susanoo, Itachi protect Sasuke from Kabuto's advance. Kabuto tries to implant doubt and mistrust amongst the two brothers, but Sasuke doesn't fall for them and attempts to hit him with his Chidori Sharp Spear, but fails.

As Kabuto tells them that a mismatched pair like them could never defeat him, Itachi retorted by asking if Sasuke remembered the time they dealt with a giant boar. Sasuke then affirmed that he did and they remembered their past about the times when they go on a mission to catch a wild boar. They decided to defeated Kabuto by going with an attack pattern that they had used in their youth against a wild boar. In the past, Sasuke was wielding a bow and was told by Itachi not to hit any vital points. However, Sasuke missed the boar completely. Eventually they defeated the boar and Sasuke apologised for being so off, Itachi responded by telling him that he needed to train more. In the present, Itachi launched his Yasaka Magatama at the area surrounding Kabuto to prevent his escape, providing Sasuke is able to hit Kabuto's snake-tail with his arrow, effectively pinning Kabuto to the ceiling of the cave. As Itachi returns to Sasuke, Itachi tells Sasuke that beating a giant pig like that was probably no problem for him now, to which Sasuke smiles and replies that dealing with the snake before them was the more pressing issue.

Noticing the strong teamwork between the two brothers, Kabuto admits that he is surprised by it. Sasuke explains that he merely wants to know the truth from Itachi's own mouth. Realising that Sasuke is now aware of Itachi's secret past, Kabuto mocks Sasuke for trying to get the truth from Itachi when he has been lying to his younger brother all his life. Kabuto goes on to say it is foolish that Sasuke is helping Itachi when their personal goals are so different; Itachi's being to protect Konoha while Sasuke wants to destroy it. Pointing out that he and Sasuke share similar goals of destroying Konoha, Kabuto again tries to persuade Sasuke to join him. Ultimately, Itachi tells Sasuke not to listen as Kabuto is an even better liar than him. Itachi then admits to Konoha's dark side, but still firmly considers himself a Konoha ninja, greatly shocking Sasuke. Admitting to his own faults for how Sasuke turned out, Itachi promises to tell him something important after the battle, which he intends to finish with "Izanami", the partner technique to "Izanagi".

Anticipating Kabuto's next attack, Itachi used his Susanoo to protect Sasuke, but was himself incapacitated. As Kabuto moved to rewrite the talisman in Itachi's head, Sasuke encircled them both with a ring of Amaterasu, cancelling out Kabuto's technique through the flames intense heat. After his recovery, Itachi apologised to his brother, and then turned his attention to Kabuto and told him that though Kabuto was very different from himself, he could sympathise because in the past, he too couldn't appreciate his true self nor his limitations.

Sasuke protect Itachi from Kabuto.

As Kabuto attempts to reassert his control on Itachi again with his seal, Sasuke intervenes, launching his sword at Kabuto and then using his Susanoo in an attempt to capture him, forcing Kabuto to retreat. Sasuke then launches a fireball at Kabuto, only for Kabuto to easily counter it with a powerful water stream. As Kabuto then redirects his attention to Itachi, Sasuke rushes to his brother's side, where Itachi tells him once again to stay close to him. Sasuke then watches as Kabuto and Itachi seem to repeatedly clash in the same manner. It is then realised that Itachi's Izanami has finally taken effect, forcing Kabuto to repeat the same series of events with the same outcome every time. Taking the opportunity to question his brother about the technique, Itachi explained the mechanism behind Izanami and when he used it. Seemingly angered when Itachi told him why he used a technique that could be cancelled by the victim, Sasuke listens as Itachi explained his reasons for doing so, before Itachi tells him that he would be stopping the Impure World Reincarnation. Voicing his apprehension at first when he hears this, as it meant that Itachi would also be stopped once the technique was cancelled, Sasuke reacts angrily to Itachi's statement that he was proud to be able to protect his village and claiming that after all the village had done to Itachi, there was no way he could forgive them.

"I will love you forever."

Resigned to the fact that he could not change his brother's mind, Sasuke told Itachi that it was because he remembered his time with Itachi that he would not give up his vendetta against Konoha and in the same manner that Itachi strived to protect it, he would destroy it. With that, he wished his brother farewell before he noticed Itachi walking towards him with his hand aimed to poke Sasuke's forehead as he always did in their youth. Itachi then explains to Sasuke that what Danzō and Tobi had told him had been the truth: he had been given the choice to either die along with his clan or to kill the Uchiha, protecting the village and Sasuke. Itachi reaches Sasuke and puts his hand on the back of Sasuke's head and his forehead on his, telling him that he knows that he can't change Sasuke's mind, but no matter what path he chose, he would love Sasuke forever. Sasuke then watches as his brother's soul is released from the Impure World Reincarnation, leaving him with Kabuto. When Itachi removed to the afterlife, Sasuke started to question himself what is a clan, village and shinobi was.

Sasuke's answer.

After Hashirama finishes his story about him, Madara and the village, Sasuke thought of Itachi when he made his decision weather to destroy the village or to protect it. Sasuke decided to follow Itachi's will to protect the village and declare to the Hokages that he won't let his village and his brother to be wasted.

Birth of the Ten-Tails' Jinchūriki Arc

Sasuke remembering his resolve.

After Madara stabbed Sasuke in the chest with his own blade and left him on the ground to die, Sasuke struggles to remain alive by remembering his resolve to honour his brother's sacrifice. When Kabuto was reviving Sasuke, he mentioned that Itachi wanted to protect Sasuke even after his death.

Kaguya Ōtsutsuki Strikes

After arriving in the Valley of the End to have their final battle, Sasuke replies to Naruto's questions on his desire for revolution and what he thinks of a Hokage. Sasuke explains that he sees the Hokage as an individual who is willing to take on all the hatred of the world and use it to keep the nations unified by tracking and killing any threat from the shadows. Sasuke further states he feels Itachi is the "true Hokage" due to his actions of protecting the village from the shadows while being branded as a criminal.

When Naruto points out this is still against Itachi's wish, Sasuke replies while he respects and accepts his brother's wish, he feels Itachi made an error in sparing him and not maintaining peace in the world properly, hence Sasuke wanting to ignite a revolution. To do this, Sasuke decides to cut off his past with Itachi and kill Naruto, whom he says will be the last person he kills in Itachi's honor.

Ultimately, after being defeated by Naruto and admitting to always being jealous of the latter, Sasuke says he saw Naruto mirroring Itachi by getting ahead of him. Deciding to return to the village and reuniting with his former comrades, Sasuke fully embraces Itachi's wish for him to return to and protect the village, and takes up Itachi's habit of protecting it from the shadow.

Evidence

• Itachi and Sasuke's childhood together was happy and their flashbacks showed them being very close.
• Itachi often poked Sasuke on the forehead as an act of affection.
• According from Tobi, Itachi killed everybody in his clan but the only person that Itachi couldn't kill is Sasuke.
• Itachi opted to kill the Uchiha clan in order to protect Sasuke from harm.
• Mourning the death of his brother, Sasuke awakened his Mangekyō Sharingan due to Itachi's death.
• After knowing the truth about Itachi, Sasuke loved his brother so much that he wanted to take revenge on Konoha because he felt Itachi's life was more precious than the village.
• According to Kabuto, Itachi wanted to protect Sasuke, even after his death.
• Itachi felt so guilty for lying to Sasuke and turning him into a criminal that he said he didn't need forgiveness and he would love Sasuke no matter what he did from now onwards.
• Sasuke's admiration and affection for his brother remained so strong that he named his daughter Sarada after Itachi and takes up Itachi's habit of poking on the forehead.

Quotes

Itachi to Sasuke - Chapter 220:

• "Forgive me Sasuke… maybe next time."

Itachi to Sasuke - Chapter 221:

• "Being the best isn't all it's made out to be. When you're strong, you become arrogant and withdrawn. Even if what you sought after was your dream."

Itachi to Sasuke - Chapter 221:

• "You and I are flesh and blood. I'm always going to be there for you, even if it's only as an obstacle for you to overcome. Even if you do hate me. That's what big brothers are for."

Itachi to Sasuke - Chapter 225:

• "There is no value in killing the likes of you… My foolish brother… If you want to kill me… curse me! Hate me! And live a long and unsightly life… Run away… run away… and cling to your wretched life."

Itachi to Sasuke - Chapter 385:

• "People live their lives bound by what they accept as correct and true. That's how they define "reality". But what does it mean to be "correct" or "true"? Merely vague concepts… their "reality" may all be a mirage. Can we consider them to simply be living in their own world, shaped by their beliefs?"

Tobi to Sasuke about Itachi - Chapter 401:

• "Itachi killed friends, his superior, his lover, his father and his mother.... but the person who couldn't bring himself to kill.... was his little brother. Crying his blood tears, he killed his emotions, exterminated his kinsman to for the sake of his village.... but he couldn't kill you. Do you understand why? To him your life as more important than the village. He was trying to give you more power. Up until the moment of his death....no, even in his dying breath.... he let you defeat him.... and take revenge for the Uchiha clan to turn you into a hero in the eyes of Konoha....disease was eating away at him from the inside, and he knew his time as short. He pumped himself full of all kind of medicine to keep himself alive.... all for his beloved little brother.... and so he could fight you.... and die at your feet."

Tobi to Sasuke about Itachi - Chapter 401:

• "To protect peace in Konoha, and most importantly; Uchiha Sasuke.... yourself.... he traded his pride for disgrace.... and your love for your hated.... He left the name of "Uchiha" to you and deceived you all the way to the end...."

Sasuke to Itachi - Chapter 402:

• "That's okay… Just as long as we can be together sometimes."

Itachi last words to Sasuke - Chapter 402:

• "I'm sorry, Sasuke… …there won't be next time"

Itachi to an infant Sasuke - Chapter 502:

• "Don't cry, Sasuke. Your big brother is here to protect you, no matter what happens."

Sasuke to Itachi - Chapter 588:

• "I can forgive you… But I can never forgive Konoha!!"

Sasuke to Itachi - Chpater 589:

• "I guess anything I say now would be pointless… When I saw you… I decided to follow you here to confirm whether or not what Danzō and Tobi told me was true or not. But that wasn't the only reason… When I'm with you I remember the way it used to be. I remember time spent with the brother that I looked up to… that I loved. That's why… The closer I get to you… The more I'm able to recall what those days felt like… And the more I'm able to understand you. The more I'm able to hate Konoha for the suffering they put you through. In fact, it's becoming even stronger than before. I do understand what you want me to do. It's probably because you're my older brother that you feel the need to put me on the right path. But it's probably because I'm your younger brother that I'll never stop, no matter what you say. As you'll always exist to protect the village… so will I to destroy it. Goodbye… brother."

Itachi to Tobi - Chapter 590:

• "I'll help you get revenge on the Uchiha...but you must not lay a hand on the village...and...on Sasuke."

Itachi to Sasuke - Chapter 590:

• "I always lied to you, telling you to forgive me. I always kept you far away, with my own hands...I didn't want...to involve you...but now I think...that maybe you would have been able to change our father, mother...the Uchiha...if I had faced you from the start...tried to see things from your points of view and talked with you about the truth...but I failed, and no matter what I say now, it still won't reach you."

Itachi last words to Sasuke after reincarnation - Chapter 590:

• "Even if you never forgive me...no matter what you decided to do from now on...I will always love you."

Sasuke to Hokages about his answer after he make his decision - Chapter 627:

• "I'm going to the battlefield. I won't let this village..and my brother..be wasted!"

Kabuto to Orochimaru and Team Taka about Itachi - Chapter 667:

• "Itachi wanted to protect Sasuke-kun, even after his death..."

Databooks

Databook 3 (Uchiha Sasuke's Profile):

• "Revenge is accomplished. Yet the only things Sasuke earned from it are a harsh truth and his brother's sorrowful love... Remorse, loss, desolation—the feelings that fill up his heart turn into drops and fall from his eyes. His brother's back, which he thought he had surpassed, grows dim far away, beyond the tears. When he eventually realizes that he will never again be able to reach him, the wishes left by his dearest person appear in his eyes....!"

Trivia

• Up until his marriage to Sakura and the birth of his daughter, Itachi was the person Sasuke loved the most.
• Sasuke spent a large portion of his life being influenced by Itachi's actions, leading him to care less about others.
• Sasuke named his daughter, Sarada, after Itachi in his honor, as the dakuten "da" from Sarada's name is from the katakana "ta" in Itachi's name.

Among the Fans

The ItaSasu fandom didn't really take off until 2004 when Itachi was introduced in the anime. When Itachi was introduced into the series, both fans and non-fans commented on the manner in his scenes with Sasuke . It is supported due to the brother's close relationship and how Itachi has always protected Sasuke, despite becoming a wanted criminal, which would later lead to Sasuke's personal development throughout the series. It is a rival couple to SasuNaru, OroSasu, and OroIta.

External Links

• Mutsumix fan site: http://www.kcc.zaq.ne.jp/mutsumix/hajime.html
• ItaSasu fan club: http://itasasu-fanclub.deviantart.com/