Naruto: Why Itachi used to keep his left hand out? Explained

Being regarded as the prodigy of the Uchiha clan in Naruto, Itachi Uchiha was a force to be reckoned with. Despite having minimal screentime, Itachi’s character retained a considerable fan following worldwide. Even at a young age, he was skilled enough to inflict terror upon jonin-level shinobis.

Though Itachi is mostly loved for his exceptional feats, fans also admire his character design. Out of the 12 Akatsuki members, he was the only individual who looked impressive in the organization’s signature cloak. However, the only aspect that made him look distinctive was how he sported the cloak, where he sometimes used to unbutton it to mid-chest so that he could rest his left arm there.

Though there have been many explanations regarding his unusual stance, let’s understand the actual reason behind why he would display his left hand out of his cloak.

Disclaimer: This article contains heavy spoilers of Naruto. All external media in this article are the property of their respective owners, and Sportskeeda claims no ownership of the same.

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Exploring the reason behind why Itachi often kept his left hand hanging out of his cloak in Naruto

Naruto contains several plot holes that often leave fans scratching their heads. One of the perplexing mysteries in the series is regarding Itachi, who has been hailed as a legendary Uchiha clan member in his lifetime. Oftentimes, fans have noticed that Itachi keeps his left hand resting partially outside his cloak.

As the creator of the series, Masashi Kishimoto hasn’t given an answer to this. However, several dedicated fans of the series have come up with multiple hypotheses. One theory suggests that since he contracted a terminal illness after exhausting the limits of his Mangekyo Sharingan, it caused his left hand a lot of pain. So, he used his cloak to rest his hand like an arm sling, as it relieved him from the pain he was experiencing.

Another fanmade theory claims that Itachi intentionally kept his hand inside to gain the upper hand in battle. The Uchiha belonged to the group of genius shinobis, such as Minato Namikaze and Haku, who can perform a one-handed seal without breaking a sweat. While fighting Kakashi Hatake, Itachi held three shurikens in his right hand and subsequently performed a Water Release Technique with his left hand.

One common theory that most fans have agreed with has references to samurai lore. During the medieval times in Japan (1185-1868), ronins, who were samurai without a master, used to wear only one sleeve to show their disgrace and shame to the public. Since Itachi murdered all of his Uchiha brethren, leaving his younger brother as the sole survivor, he came to be known as the traitor of Konoha and the betrayer of his own clan.

Itachi’s father, Fugaku Uchiha, was also his teacher and mentor, and by committing patricide, the son bore a great deal of shame on himself. He kept his hand like that to showcase that he had no master, no family, and no home.

The rest of the fandom believes that this is just a fashion statement to make his character look more charismatic and appealing. Even Masashi Kishimoto once revealed that he liked Itachi’s character more than other Akatsuki members due to his meticulously crafted design and his rich and detailed backstory.