Great to hear. Because as I've been mulling over ITachi's role in Akatsuki, I swear I can't think of one supposed 'good' thing he did. In fact, just by being in Akatsuki, he would have had to continue being the mass-murdering type of guy he was when he killed his family, just now he'd be doing it for the Akatsuki. Kisame wouldn't have let him hang around too long if he wasn't a vicious, heartless killer. So he must have continued his crime spree in Akatsuki.
What I mean is it's not like he joined Akatsuki be abstained from truly being like them. No, he would still have blood on his hands from whatever crimes he committed for them. He didn't just stop killing after he wiped out his family.
I honestly don't believe Kishimoto planned out Itachi's whole story when he first created him. It's not like Snape's story from HP where everything falls into place at the end and makes you go "aha!". No there were too many holes with "the truth of Itachi" such as him being a loving brother when he literally ruined Sasuke's life. He was the most useless spy ever and did more harm than good. I truly believe that Kishi asspulled his story so that Sasuke could have an excuse to still be the villain..and maybe to please Itachi fans who always wanted him to be "good".
I think you're right. I don't think Kishi planned out Itachi's story. (But hell, you can look at the end of the manga to see just how good is story-planning skills are!!) Itachi's not at all like Snape. Snape was reacting to terrible situations; Itachi was actually causing them. In fact, Itachi would be more like Voldemort (but again, without the good explanation as to why he does what he does!). And yeah, Sasuke went out of his way to attack and mentally torture Sasuke. He showed him no secret compassion or hidden moments of mercy. Itachi was ruthless. It still just feels like that when Kishimoto decided to continue the story with Tobi, he waved a magic 'plot twist' wand, and suddenly Itachi was good. With no explanation at all.
I honestly thought Itatchi worked better as a villain. Kishi's attempts to make him good felt a bit contrived. And the fact that we don't know how exactly he helped the leaf is just proof of that :/
I agree, I like Itachi better as a villain. But it's crazy that in one of my fanfics where I write him as a villain, readers will say Itachi's too harsh or they wished he were good like in the manga, things like that. And I have to remind them that I'm actually writing Itachi just like he was portrayed in the manga. Cruel and manipulative. But because Kishimoto said he was good, people look at him like he's a saint or martyr. But I don't think Itachi is ever actually shown to be good. Not once. At least, not while he was alive.
I don't. He's a mass-murdering asshole. He may be polite and wear a peaceful demeanor but that doesn't cover up his hypocrisy and bloody history.
This is so true. The peaceful aspect came about only after his death. He may have given Naruto his jutsu, but at the time the motives for doing so were unclear. Itachi had tried to kill Tobi doing the same thing with Itachi (implanting a jutsu that would go off at the appropriate time), so there was no reason to believe that Itachi wouldn't use the same trick on Naruto.
Come to think of it...did Naruto ever use that jutsu to save or subdue Sasuke in a moment of need? Did that whole 'crow down the throat' thing ever get resolved or show it had a big purpose, like Itachi was making it out to be?