Back

The Secrets of the Mangekyō Sharingan

EpisodeEp. 131

The last of Sasuke's childhood memory surfaces: the night Itachi slaughtered the Uchiha and set his brother on a path of vengeance. Back in the present, that same lesson drives Sasuke to declare he must kill his closest friend.

Japanese Airdate: April 20, 2005
English Airdate: January 12, 2008
Opening Song: No Boy, No Cry
Ending Song: Lost Words
Text Size

Summary

As his recollection of boyhood reaches its end, Sasuke remembers coming back from the Ninja Academy to a home where every member of the Uchiha clan lay dead. Standing over his parents' bodies, he learned that Itachi had carried out the slaughter. His brother trapped him in the Mangekyo Sharingan and forced him to watch their parents die again, sending the terrified boy fleeing. Itachi halted him, coldly saying he was not even worth killing.

Text Size

Key Events

Before departing, Itachi told Sasuke that revenge for the clan would demand real strength, and he spelled out how the Uchiha's greatest power is obtained, that one must slay the person closest to them. Left alone to nurse his hatred, Sasuke swore he would do whatever it took to end his brother's life. In the present, his duel with Naruto resumes, and Sasuke names Naruto as that dearest friend, insisting he must kill him to gain the power needed to strike down Itachi.

Text Size

Notes

In the manga, an unseen voice warns Sasuke not to enter before he finds Fugaku and Mikoto's corpses, a line absent from the anime, leaving the speaker unknown. Much of the footage is recycled from episode 84, with one telling change: the earlier version did not show Itachi's eyes shifting into the Mangekyo Sharingan during Tsukuyomi, because Masashi Kishimoto had not yet designed it, whereas this episode does depict the change. The installment adapts chapters 224 and 225.

Share this resource

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the secrets of the Mangekyo Sharingan?

In this episode, Itachi tells Sasuke that the Uchiha clan's greatest power, the Mangekyo Sharingan, is obtained by slaying the person closest to oneself. He reveals this before departing after having already killed the entire Uchiha clan.

What does Sasuke remember about the night Itachi killed the Uchiha clan?

Sasuke remembers coming home from the Ninja Academy to find every member of the Uchiha clan dead, including his parents. Itachi trapped him in the Mangekyo Sharingan and forced him to watch their parents die again before telling him he was not even worth killing.

Why does Sasuke insist he must kill Naruto during their duel?

Sasuke names Naruto as his closest friend, and because Itachi told him that killing the person closest to him is required to awaken the Uchiha's ultimate power, Sasuke insists he must kill Naruto to gain the strength needed to strike down Itachi.

What changed between this episode and its earlier version showing Itachi's Mangekyo Sharingan?

Much of this episode's footage is recycled from episode 84, but this version depicts Itachi's eyes shifting into the Mangekyo Sharingan during Tsukuyomi, which the earlier episode did not show because Masashi Kishimoto had not yet designed it.

What manga chapters does this episode adapt?

This episode, part of the Sasuke Recovery Mission arc, adapts chapters 224 and 225 of the Naruto manga.

Sources & Information

Looking for more on The Secrets of the Mangekyō Sharingan? The Naruto Wiki on Fandom has a dedicated page with community notes.

View on Fandom

This content is original writing by Daddy Jim Headquarters based on the Naruto anime series, manga, and official materials. Episode and chapter references are cited where applicable.

Rights holders

All rights belong to their respective owners.

Character and scene imagery on this site is original artwork by Daddy Jim Headquarters, not screenshots or licensed imagery. Official cover art is used on three types of pages for editorial commentary:

  • Movie pages: theatrical posters and key visuals, credited to Studio Pierrot and Toho.
  • Game pages: official box art for the Naruto: Ultimate Ninja Storm games, credited to Bandai Namco.
  • Manga chapter pages: Jump Comics volume covers, credited to Shueisha and Masashi Kishimoto.

Help Us Keep This Wiki Accurate

Daddy Jim Headquarters maintains this encyclopedia. If you spot an error, a translation issue, or something that doesn't look right, let us know.