[Anime-only] Shippuden Episode 137 Discussion

[Cub-Sama]

Originally Posted by monir

Everything seems to hint at Itachi isn't the same Itachi who came out as the "chosen one" of the Uchiha clan.

Well he is half blind by now and he has only used 5 techniques:

Sharingan genjutsu
Kage Bunshin
Tsuyokomi
Fireball
Amaterasu

Despite the fact he can use suiton, taijutsu and more katon effectively, he is only using his MS techniques and drains massive amounts of chakra and he cant kill Sasuke otherwise he cant steal his eyes (I'm assuming they have to be alive). He is skipping the guns and going straight to nukes hoping it wont destroy the target which could make him seem less impressive than a fight where the basics are used like Zabuza and Haku vs Team 7

[monir]

The going-blind part is clear. The curse of awaking mangekyou-sharingan is that the eyes are sealing themselves (ninja words for going blind) every time he uses them. The solution to getting those mangekyou sharingan at a permanent awaken state (curing the going-blind part) is to take another pair of eyes that have mangekyou sharingan. But Sasuke doesn't have mangekyou sharingan, and yet Itachi still wants them? Does he really fear going-blind that much? How is going blind affecting with his agility which was pretty obvious to the other Akatsuki member?

I agree with you that he is indeed going straight for the nukes instead of working his opponent which seems to tell us something is amiss about him. Something is lacking. Question is, what? The anime team has done a very good job at giving the correct impression a first time viewer should form after watching the episode about Itachi. He is not as impressive this time around.

[JustRob]

He's not impressive for a reason. Also, I don't think Eternal Mangekyou Sharingan can be gained by getting your brother's eyes if they're not in Mangekyou State yet; this isn't a plothole. Sasuke doesn't know about this.

So why is Itachi trying to get Sasuke's eyes while he knows they're useless to him? Is there another reason he wants to fight Sasuke so badly?

[Cub-Sama]

Originally Posted by monir

How is going blind affecting with his agility which was pretty obvious to the other Akatsuki member?

An explaination is that he couldnt see it to react until it was a bit too late, its like noticing something coming at you from a blind spot, by the time you notice the most you can do is narrowly avoid it.

I agree with you that he is indeed going straight for the nukes instead of working his opponent which seems to tell us something is amiss about him. Something is lacking. Question is, what?

Maybe he doesnt have enough time, maybe he is desperate which is effecting his judgement, making him act hastily and recklessly. The Itachi from the Kakashi encounter would've ended this time ago and be on his way home with a new set of eyes

[neshru]

Originally Posted by JustRob

So why is Itachi trying to get Sasuke's eyes while he knows they're useless to him? Is there another reason he wants to fight Sasuke so badly?

He's going blind and he wants a new pair of eyes, even if that would mean losing his mangekyou?

[monir]

Originally Posted by Cub-Sama

Maybe he doesnt have enough time, maybe he is desperate which is effecting his judgement, making him act hastily and recklessly.

Sharingan's ultimate advantage is about predicting. Itachi's got mangekyou sharingan which gives him a few step above the ultimate advantage...?? And yet he couldn't dodge those shuriken? Like that Akatsuki observed, something is wrong here.

The Itachi from the Kakashi encounter would've ended this time ago and be on his way home with a new set of eyes

Exactly my thought as well. May be I'm underestimating Sasuke here, but Itachi fought Kakashi, Gai, two other unknown, and had exchanged brief pleasantries with Ero Sennin ... all at the same period of time and still made his get away. That's the Itachi with purple nail polish is lacking here. What happened?

Can't wait for more episodes.

Originally Posted by neshru

He's going blind and he wants a new pair of eyes, even if that would mean losing his mangekyou?

Exactly. And it also looks like it is dangerous posing these questions. Some manga readers are having hard time keeping it in as you can see with all these hints.

Come on, manga readers. Get a clue. As the opening post states, NO hints.

[JustRob]

^ Was just messing around, trying to keep it exciting for the non-manga readers

[monir]

Originally Posted by JustRob

^ Was just messing around, trying to keep it exciting for the non-manga readers

Please don't. It never ends well.

[Cub-Sama]

Originally Posted by monir

Sharingan's ultimate advantage is about predicting. Itachi's got mangekyou sharingan which gives him a few step above the ultimate advantage...?? And yet he couldn't dodge those shuriken? Like that Akatsuki observed, something is wrong here.

I dont think the prediction thing happens when he is in MS mode because I have never seen Itachi predict movements when he has his MS on, only when he has the normal sharingan. Also it isnt prediction as Kakashi explained it is reading the slightest muscle movement etc...and either mimicking or reacting to make it seem as if they predicted the moves, the sharingan gives enhanced perception but tainting it by killing the person closest to you gives you the power that you seek but takes away the perception you gained.

Kind of like poetic justice

[JustRob]

Originally Posted by monir

Please don't. It never ends well.

Alright, sorry. You're right, it's no fun like that.

[monir]

Originally Posted by JustRob

Alright, sorry. You're right, it's no fun like that.

Thanks! I know its a very difficult adjustment to make for any manga readers when they want to participate in the anime threads. Some are good at it and some are terrible at it.

Originally Posted by cub-sama

I dont think the prediction thing happens when he is in MS mode because I have never seen Itachi predict movements when he has his MS on, only when he has the normal sharingan. Also it isnt prediction as Kakashi explained it is reading the slightest muscle movement etc...and either mimicking or reacting to make it seem as if they predicted the moves, the sharingan gives enhanced perception but tainting it by killing the person closest to you gives you the power that you seek but takes away the perception you gained.

Kind of like poetic justice

hmmm... that's a very interesting way to put it. You might have something there. Indeed Sharingan was explained in that way in the Kakashi-Zabuza arc and was enhanced in the Sasuke-Haku fight. I suppose prediction is the wrong term to explain the advantage. Perhaps, anticipation is a better terminology to describe the trait inherited by a sharingan user where they capture even the slightest of body's natural movement such as a twitch. I also find it baffling that a mangekyou sharingan would lose the greatest benefit of having a sharingan.

[ZGoten]

Itachi´s eye bleeding looks just so damn cool.
Also, "Kore wa ore no genjutsu da." I can´t stop saying it. :O

[Cub-Sama]

Originally Posted by monir

I also find it baffling that a mangekyou sharingan would lose the greatest benefit of having a sharingan.

As Sasuke said it is the price they pay for gaining power over the kyuubi and the 2 most powerful techniques. Also I think that when he turns off the MS and turns on the normal sharingan he has enhanced perception but not as good as it would've been if he never had the MS in the first place.

So it is like he has vision so bad he needs glasses to see but with sharingan it is like his vision is better but when he puts MS back on he is straining his eyes

[Ryuken]

One other thing was that he did close his right eye once he was sure that he had got Sasuke with the flames as if not to really engulf him in it, he could have continued, but I suppose he wouldn't have if he truly wanted the eyes.

[snipped]

[AuroraFlash]

Originally Posted by kitten320

Very good episode... but damn... is the next episode the last one of their fights? 0_0
That was too quick!

And big lol at Tsunade in the special

That was advertisement, wasn't it?

[kitten320]

Originally Posted by AuroraFlash

That was advertisement, wasn't it?

That would be second one then

The first one I remeber was when Shizune kicked the shit out of Naruto

[AuroraFlash]

Originally Posted by Cub-Sama

I dont think the prediction thing happens when he is in MS mode because I have never seen Itachi predict movements when he has his MS on, only when he has the normal sharingan. Also it isnt prediction as Kakashi explained it is reading the slightest muscle movement etc...and either mimicking or reacting to make it seem as if they predicted the moves, the sharingan gives enhanced perception but tainting it by killing the person closest to you gives you the power that you seek but takes away the perception you gained.

Kind of like poetic justice

Not to forget it takes everything in the end. You'll lose all of your power and curse the moment you needed and desired the MS.
Sharingan itself is good enough. Sharingan is a useful tool, but you need individual powers - unless you gain the EMS.
MS is no way to go. You put your life on a line at nothing than a whim. Everyone loses power by aging, but by using the simple MS, you accelerate the process of losing power by a hundredfold.

I think Itachi lost the dots in one eye already. They vanished after he had used Amaterasu. The eye was full of veins already and bleeded heavily. Sasuke's better off without the Mangekyo Sharingan.

[Alchemist007]

In the preview Itachi looks like a zombie haha.

[AuroraFlash]

Originally Posted by Alchemist007

In the preview Itachi looks like a zombie haha.

Maybe that's the reason why he has this cold impression on his face. He simply can't move a single muscle in his face because he's a zombie and that's also the reason he doesn't care for his bleeding eyes or burned skin. Haven't you ever asked yourself why he moves so strange and kind of rarely uses his arms? =)

[Alchemist007]

Did he go blind in the right eye already in this ep? It's not normal eye but the sharingan swirlies aren't there.