Itachi Uchiha stands at the top of the long list of ever-loving characters with a hurtful backstory. Itachi is one of the most famous characters in the anime world with an epic fan following. His sacrifice, his love for his village, and the twist of him being the hero instead of a villain changed the story in a better way. Itachi Uchiha was an Anbu Captain and a shinobi from Konohagakure’s Uchiha clan. After murdering his whole clan and sparing only his younger brother, Sasuke, he went on to become an international criminal. He afterward joined Akatsuki, an international criminal organization.
However, his epic backstory was initially too generic. The story was changed because the creator of the series Masashi Kishimoto never planned to give him such an amazing backstory that would make him a fan-favorite.
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Itachi’s Initial Backstory was too Generic
Itachi was calm and perceptive from a young age, displaying significant maturity for his age and expertise in how to deal with any scenario. However, when Itachi Uchiha is first referenced by Sasuke Uchiha in the manga, Masashi Kishimoto had not thought out the character’s past. His only thought was to blame Itachi for some horrible deed that would make Sasuke want to murder him. However, when Itachi was presented, Kishimoto got the notion to make Itachi Konoha’s secret spy who killed his kin on their orders. Which later was written into his story.
However, Kishimoto claimed that Itachi was originally envisaged as the leader of Konoha’s Special Assassination and Tactical Squad, dubbed the Itachi Squad, which would have been a 70-man force organized into four teams specializing in assassination and other illegal operations.
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Itachi’s Original Appearance and Design was Also Changed
Itachi is frequently seen wearing the distinctive all-black Akatsuki robes, which are decorated with various crimson clouds. Itachi’s trademark red eyes are immediately noticeable, and the way he wears the robe as a sling for one arm instantly makes him look like a warrior. Masashi Kishimoto revealed what Itachi Uchiha’s initial design may have looked like from the start, and it’s a very different character. Kishimoto gives fans a glimpse of Itachi Uchiha’s initial incarnation in the Fourth Naruto Guidebook. Itachi was depicted in Kishimoto’s original preliminary sketch with a bandana-style forehead protector, a skin-tight t-shirt, gloves, a coat tied around his waist, and various scars, including an x-shaped scar on his chin.
Itachi’s initial character design and appearance were changed during the release of the series, and it was for the better of the character. If Kishimoto had followed his initial storyline and appearance, fans would not have gotten the epic, savage, and lovable character Itachi is today.
