Although primarily known for its epic battles and endearing characters, the extensive list of heartbreaking relationships that brought more than one viewer to tears.

Still, none of these love stories were as heartbreaking for fans as the one between Itachi Uchiha, one of the most popular characters in the series, and his childhood friend Izumi. Unlike most other tragic couples in the show, whose lives were destroyed at the hands of others, Sasuke’s brother was forced to kill his lover, not before giving her one final tear-inducing gift.

Izumi and Itachi Were the Uchiha Clan’s Cutest Couple

Their Love Story Could Have Been One for the Ages

Despite not many fans being aware of her existence, as she did not play a major role in the series, Izumi Uchiha was one of the most important people in the world for Itachi. Before being recognized as one of the series's geniuses, Sasuke’s brother was a regular Academy student, learning with other children his age how to be a ninja. Among his classmates was Izumi, a cheerful girl who quickly developed a crush on the boy for his intelligence and strength. At first, their relationship was strained, as Itachi would act cold and detached from her.

After many attempts from Izumi, the duo became close friends, with the boy demonstrating a special interest in her Sharingan, a skill that he had yet to develop. As they grew up, and Itachi began rising in the ranks, their meetings became few and far between, but each was significant and special. Itachi was never able to fully correspond Izumi’s feelings, as he was never properly taught about love as a child. Woefully, their relationship could never develop, as the Uchiha Clan’s coup against Konoha forced Itachi to make a drastic decision.

On the night of the Uchiha Massacre, one of the darkest moments in the franchise, Itachi infiltrated his family’s compound, hoping to kill them all and prevent an all-out war from destroying Konoha. His first victim was Izumi, one of the few people in the clan with whom he still had a deep connection. Itachi selected her to make her death as painless as possible, as well as to rid himself of any hesitation about his mission. Their love story ended that night, with Izumi dying in Itachi’s arms, smiling.

Itachi Proved His Love for Izumi With One Final Gift

The Man Cursed Himself to a Life of Loneliness and Pain

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According to the Itachi Shinden novel, when the titular character entered Izumi’s home to kill her, he did so knowing that he did not wish for her to suffer. As such, as soon as they laid eyes on each other, he activated his unique ninja eye technique, the Mangekyo Sharingan, making her enter a hallucination. Nonetheless, unlike other times in which Itachi used this technique against others, he did not torment her for hours. Instead, he gave Izumi a thoughtful but heartbreaking gift: a lifetime together. The dream began with Itachi and Izumi growing together.

Shortly after, the man proposed to her, with both enjoying their time as husband and wife. After a few years, their children were born, leading Itachi to take a break from his arduous missions and help his partner raise their kids. The illusion continued, with Izumi seeing herself grow old with the love of her life until her time on Earth came to an end after seventy years together. Once the illusion came to an end, a tired Itachi ran to catch his secret lover before she hit the ground.

Izumi had a few seconds before ing away for real, as her brain had stopped functioning properly due to Itachi’s technique. Before leaving the planet behind, the woman looked at her lover and thanked him for giving her the happy life she always dreamed of. Itachi, on the other hand, was forced to carry not only the guilt of killing one of his closest friends but also the pain of not being able to live the life he envisioned for her.

The Anime Robbed the Couple From This Bittersweet Ending

​​​​​​​In the Show, Obito Is Izumi’s Killer

One of the reasons why not many fans are aware of how Itachi’s love story truly ended is because of the anime series. While working on the adaptation of Masashi Kishimoto’s manga, Studio Pierrot altered the story to better fit their idea, causing several big differences between the books and the show. One of these changes was Izumi not dying at the hands of Itachi, but Obito, who helped Sasuke’s brother with his mission. In the anime version of the Uchiha Massacre, Izumi runs into the masked man, who is killing all the clan’s women and children.

She tries to stop him, fighting briefly against him, although she is quickly overpowered by the imposing villain. Izumi never had a chance against Obito, who was one of the strongest characters in the show at the time, making her defeat that much more tragic. Once she is captured, the show heavily implies that the masked man ended her life with a kunai. This change robbed fans of one of the most beautiful but tragic endings in the franchise, completely ignoring how significant Izumi was to Itachi’s story.

Itachi Did Truly Love Izumi

​​​​​​​While the Story Never States This, It Does Hint at His Feelings

Although the original manga and novels never confirmed that Itachi did have feelings for Izumi, it did hint several times at this being the case. One of the biggest pieces of evidence for this hypothesis comes from chapter #401 of the manga, in which Obito talks about the man and his mission to save Konoha. While listing the people Itachi was willing to sacrifice, the masked man mentions a lover, making it appear as if Itachi did hold feelings for Izumi. If this was indeed the truth, their final moments together would become several times more heartbreaking.

Itachi Uchiha will likely remain one of Naruto’s most tragic characters, having suffered more than any human should have. Nonetheless, he is also among the most beloved, and having a spin-off series about his adventures that would delve deeper into his love story would be greatly appreciated by fans.