Board Thread:Versus Debates/@comment-26636534-20160221124823/@comment-24163532-20160311163754

@Ninja of War

It actually isn't a charge up, its just dramatic Uchiha bs. Itachi does not need to close his eyes to enter Mangekyo, this is shown during his confrontation with the Uchihas who were interrogating him about Shisui's death and Sasuke was able to get a glimpse of it, chapter 223. Itachi doesn't need to close his eyes to use Tsukuyomi, yet he does it when he switches from Sharingan to Mangekyo, just as he did with Amaterasu in that brief run with Kisame, and even if that was a charge up (which it isn't) it was like a second since Kisame was cut off mid sentence. Either way, Jiraiya has no counter to save his giant toads and the giant toads cannot escape the Sharingans fast tracking, then escape the flames of Amaterasu.

Likely rundown on how the fight transpires using what we know about Itachi's fight with Sasuke and Jiraiya's with Pein:

Since Jiraiya did not summon three giant toads against 6 peins even when he needed help against them, or the summonings, I highly doubt he would against Itachi. It's likely he would use his intel about Itachi's Genjutsu and try to avoid eye contact like most who fight him do. But since he does know a little about Amaterasu, he might also suspect it as a possible outcome. However, he does not know everything about it, he might know the flames but as for cast time and etc he does not know and if he was able to catch a glimpse of Itachi using it, he would come around the conclusion that the flames are fast, but one glimpse wouldn't give him all the info needed and he'd have to test speculations before fully coming up with a theory on how to beat it, since his sealing takes time to write, then perform. Jiraiya might not even try Sage Mode since he clearly underestimates Itachi. He didn't against him when even Kisame was present. Therefore its safe to assume he wouldn't and feel his abilities are sufficient which would be a huge mistake. There are plenty of ways Itachi could do this, he could go for Genjutsu through Eye Contact which would be highly difficult to do, or use the Demonic Illusions where eye contact is not needed, which would be a lot easier. As Jiraiya is trapped in Genjutsu, Itachi can kill him on the spot before/or if he breaks out. I can see that as a possible outcome. Another is Itachi closes his eye, being all dramatic emo like, goes Mangekyo, tracks Jiraiyas movements with the Sharingan, then fires a flame of Amaterasu at Jiraiya, which would hit him instantly unless he escapes the Sharingans visual prowess, which is unlikely. The flames could be as intense as it was against the toad stomach and a headshot would end it. I believe Demonic Illusions are a high possibility in what Itachi would do, or Amaterasu since he clearly used it on Orochimaru while going all out to kill him, showing us what Itachi would do to kill a Sannin.