Board Thread:Versus Debates/@comment-31338621-20190129080042/@comment-9782468-20190208151044

@James, even going by strictly the fights yous showed, 3/5 isn't a go-to. Go-to implies that they do this almost all the time, and 60%is not almost all the time. It's one tactic that Minato has, but it's not for sure going to be his starting point. Not only that, he doesn't use that method against one opponent usually (TTJ Obito was a TTJ and a different kind of opponent). Minato protected Kakashi from the initial kunai attack, but after that Kakashi had time to kill a bunch of clones on his own, plenty of time for the fastest Shinobi alive to get his kunai out. But he didn't. Either way, with your interpretation or mine, 60% isn't a go-to. A majority, maybe. But with the sample size only being 5, even that's dubious.

Minao is a sensor type, which automatically makes him a better sensor than non-sensor types. Placing the hand on the ground isn't a hard prerequisite to sensing; in fact, his hand hits the ground just saving Kakashi. For taijutsu users, hands on the ground isn't uncommon. Also, Kakashi reacted to Itachi's clone explosion (getting hit only to protect Kurenai). Minato is faster and has the tech (FTG) to get out of there in time.

Susanoo is a massive drain on Itachi's chakra. If Minato teleports it away, he's essentially taking away at least half of his chakra. That's the advantage. Itachi can just confure another one sure, but then it gets teleported away with more of his chakra gone (I'm oversimplifying the scenario obviously, but there's your explanation).

He's notice his Sharingan and not look into his eyes. What is this point? Itachi doesn't usually open up with "Sharingan Genjutsu." He did against Deidara. He might've started against Sasuke. But Kakashi? No. Kurenai? No.

Nagato sensed build up from Itachi's eyes. So not irrelevant. The only time I've seen Itachi use Tsukuyomi while definitively keeping his eyes open was as an Edo Tensei.

Okay let's dissect your argument to @Ninja. Point by point.

I agree with the throwing of the kunai. Itachi could stop that attack.

He uses the technique against high level opponents when he can.

I agree that the scenario downplayed Itachi, but (I'm not speaking for @Ninja, I'm just telling you my interpretation of his post) I think the scenario was just a way to show that it's very easy to just give out a scenario where your favourite will win. In a lot of this threads like this, there's downplaying and overrating on both sides. I'm not the arbitrator of who's overrating and underrating, but neither are you. Just remember that in the process of defending your opinion, don't be so closed off to arguments that your opinion can't be changed even in light of a fact or idea that hadn't occurred to you. Again though, Itachi was downplayed in the scenario given imo too. But I think that was purposeful.

Minato will see Itachi's eyes and realize he shouldn't look there. Again, Itachi doesn't always start with Sharingan Genjutsu.

@BrainBRand, huh. Well, those other Itachi vs Minato threads that I've looked range from like a year ago to a few years. So I didn't know the majority shifted.

I'd chalk that up to hype for Naruto dying down. I explained this in another thread but I'll say it again here:

The issue with Itachi threads in general is the introduction of Itachi's abilities. Every time Itachi was in a major fight, Kishi revealed some power of his in a dramatic and epic way. SO the viewers were like "holy crap this guy is so freaking powerful and skilled."

And at those points in the series, he easily was one of the most powerful and skilled.

But then Itachi died, and the series kept going. It moved forward and suffered from power creep, so everyone kept getting more and more stupidly powerful.

The power level of the characters being used kept rising. But no one got the same dramatic ability reveals like Itachi did. No one's power was such an epic revelation. They were shown and they were cool, but it wasn't like before.

So I think that people still remember the epicness of Itachi's abilities being introduced, and confuse the epicness of the presentation with the actual feats he's shown.

Is Itachi insanely formidable? Yes. Is Itachi still one of the most formidable people in the verse to this day? Most certainly. However, people tend to overrate his abilities to match the awe felt when we first learned of his abilities.

If you're saying people aren't supporting Itachi as much anymore, I think it's just the hype around him is dying. It doesn't mean he isn't easily one of the most skilled and powerful characters produced in the series.