Itachi vs Madara: Uchiha Showdown

The Uchiha clan produced two of the greatest shinobi in history—and fans have argued for years about which one was truly superior.

Itachi Uchiha: the prodigy who graduated the academy at 7, awakened his Sharingan at 8, became an ANBU captain at 13, and massacred his entire clan to prevent a coup. His genjutsu was legendary, his intelligence was unmatched, and he did it all while secretly dying of a terminal illness.

Madara Uchiha: the co-founder of Konoha who battled Hashirama for the right to shape the ninja world. His power was so overwhelming that just his name inspired fear centuries later. He fought the Five Kage simultaneously and called it boring.

Could Itachi, the genius who planned everything, actually defeat Madara, the monster who fought gods? Let’s break it down.

Itachi Uchiha: Powers and Abilities

Key Abilities

Mangekyo Sharingan: Itachi’s evolved Sharingan grants access to three legendary techniques:

– Tsukuyomi: A genjutsu that traps targets in an illusory world where Itachi controls space, time, and mass. Seconds feel like days of torture

– Amaterasu: Black flames that burn anything Itachi looks at, cannot be extinguished by normal means, and burn until the target is completely destroyed

– Susanoo: A chakra construct that serves as ultimate defense and offense, wielding the legendary Totsuka Blade and Yata Mirror

Totsuka Blade: A spiritual weapon that seals anything it pierces into an eternal genjutsu world
Yata Mirror: A shield that changes its nature to reflect any attack, stated to make Susanoo “invincible”
Genius Intellect: Itachi’s mind is his greatest weapon. He planned years ahead, manipulated multiple factions, and had contingencies for contingencies
Clone Feints: His use of crow clones for substitution and genjutsu is masterful

Best Feats

Defeating Orochimaru instantly: One of the Sannin was trapped in Tsukuyomi and mentally broken in a moment
Beating Sasuke while terminally ill: Controlled the entire fight while dying, choosing the exact moment to die
Sealing Nagato: Used Totsuka Blade on a Rinnegan user controlling multiple bodies
Breaking Kabuto’s Edo Tensei: Found the flaw in a jutsu that controlled him and exploited it while technically dead
Matching Sasuke’s Kirin: Survived a lightning-fast natural lightning attack through Susanoo
Psychological warfare mastery: Manipulated Danzo, Tobi, Konoha leadership, and Sasuke all simultaneously for years

Itachi’s reputation exceeds his screen time. He’s consistently portrayed as one of the most dangerous individuals in the series despite limited actual combat.

Madara Uchiha: Powers and Abilities

Key Abilities

Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan: Madara’s eyes never degrade, giving him permanent access to his Mangekyo abilities without going blind
Perfect Susanoo: A full-body Susanoo that rivals Tailed Beasts in size, wielding dual swords capable of cleaving mountains
Rinnegan (Edo Tensei/Revived): The ultimate dojutsu granting:

– All Six Paths techniques

– Limbo: Border Jail (invisible clones in a parallel dimension)

– Dimensional manipulation

– Absorption of all ninjutsu

Kurama Control: Can use Sharingan genjutsu to control the Nine-Tailed Fox
Ten-Tails Jinchuriki Form: God-level power including Truthseeker Orbs and near-infinite chakra
Fire Style Mastery: Village-destroying scale fire techniques

Best Feats

Fighting Hashirama evenly: Battled the God of Shinobi across decades
Defeating the Five Kage simultaneously: Treated five Kage-level opponents as a minor annoyance while holding back
Dropping meteors: Casually summoned celestial objects to crush an army
Tanking Eight Gates Guy: Survived the Night Guy attack that warped space
Controlling the Nine-Tails: Bent Kurama to his will and armored it with Susanoo
Surviving death: Planned for decades after his “death” and orchestrated the entire Fourth War

For full analysis of Madara at different power levels, see our Madara vs Hashirama: Ultimate Rivalry article.

Battle Analysis

Speed

Edge: Madara (significantly)

Itachi is fast—absolutely. His reactions are exceptional for a Mangekyo user, and he can track high-speed combat.

But Madara operates at a different tier. He kept pace with Hashirama in their prime, blitzed multiple Kage simultaneously, and his Rinnegan version moved fast enough that even enhanced shinobi couldn’t perceive him.

The gap isn’t small. Madara’s speed feats consistently exceed Itachi’s by a significant margin. In a direct exchange, Madara lands hits first.

Strength/Attack Power

Edge: Madara (massively)

This isn’t close.

Itachi’s strongest attack is probably an enhanced Amaterasu or his Susanoo’s Totsuka Blade. These are deadly but localized—they affect single targets or small areas.

Madara’s Perfect Susanoo cleaves mountains. His fire techniques threaten villages. His meteors are… meteors. At Ten-Tails level, his attacks operate at continental scale with Truthseeker Orbs that negate all ninjutsu.

Itachi’s attacks are precision instruments. Madara’s are weapons of mass destruction. The scale difference is enormous.

Durability

Edge: Madara (overwhelmingly)

Itachi’s durability is actually his weakest stat. His terminal illness meant his body was failing throughout Shippuden. Even healthy, he’s still a normal human enhanced by chakra—powerful, but not supernaturally durable.

Madara tanked Eight Gates Might Guy—an attack that warped space-time and was stated to potentially kill him if not for regeneration. He survived his Perfect Susanoo being shattered and kept fighting. His Edo Tensei form was literally immortal.

In terms of how much damage each can take, Madara wins by such a margin that the comparison is almost meaningless.

Genjutsu

Edge: Itachi (in direct confrontation)

This is Itachi’s domain of superiority—but it’s not as decisive as fans think.

Itachi’s Genjutsu:

Tsukuyomi: The most powerful single genjutsu in the series, requiring Mangekyo Sharingan or higher to break
Extensive experience in layered genjutsu techniques
Can cast genjutsu through eye contact, clone feints, or even fingers

Madara’s Genjutsu Resistance:

Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan provides strong resistance
Has experience fighting other Uchiha genjutsu users
Rinnegan is stated to see through all genjutsu
Controlled the Nine-Tails through genjutsu himself—understands the art

Here’s the problem: Madara likely can’t be affected by Tsukuyomi.

Tsukuyomi requires eye contact. Against an Eternal Mangekyo user (let alone a Rinnegan user), eye contact means Madara is also attempting genjutsu. This creates a clash.

In genjutsu clashes, the stronger visual prowess wins. Madara’s Eternal Mangekyo doesn’t degrade. His Rinnegan exceeds all Mangekyo abilities. In a direct genjutsu battle, Madara’s eyes win.

Itachi’s genjutsu is the best in a world where Madara exists—but against Madara specifically, it’s countered.

Susanoo

Edge: Madara (significantly)

Itachi’s Susanoo has two legendary items: Totsuka Blade and Yata Mirror. The databook calls this combination “invincible.”

However, Itachi’s Susanoo is incomplete. He never achieved the full-body Perfect Susanoo that Madara (and later Sasuke) displays. His Susanoo is smaller, less durable, and drains his already limited chakra reserves.

Madara’s Perfect Susanoo is the size of mountains. It cleaves geography. Multiple of them couldn’t damage Hashirama’s wood constructs, but they still operated at bijuu-scale destruction.

The Totsuka Blade COULD theoretically seal Madara if it hit him. But that requires:

Itachi’s Susanoo being able to reach Madara’s Susanoo

The blade piercing through Madara’s defenses

Madara not simply destroying Itachi’s smaller Susanoo first

The size and power difference makes this extremely difficult.

Special Abilities/Hax

Edge: Madara (at peak levels)

Itachi’s Hax:

Totsuka Blade seals anything it pierces
Yata Mirror reflects all attacks (supposedly)
Izanami can trap targets in time loops

Madara’s Hax:

Limbo: Border Jail creates invisible clones
Rinnegan absorbs all ninjutsu
Truthseeker Orbs negate techniques and erase matter
Can regenerate from almost any damage

At Mangekyo vs Mangekyo level, Itachi’s hax are competitive. The Totsuka Blade is a fight-ender if it lands.

At Rinnegan or Ten-Tails level, Madara’s hax exceed Itachi’s entirely. Limbo clones that Itachi can’t perceive, absorption that negates Amaterasu, regeneration that makes the Totsuka Blade’s sealing irrelevant (he’d regenerate before being fully sealed).

The Critical Questions

Can Totsuka Blade Seal Madara?

Theoretically yes, practically no.

The Totsuka Blade seals anything it pierces. If it hits Madara’s body directly, he should be sealed into the blade’s genjutsu dimension.

However:

Itachi’s Susanoo is slower and smaller than Madara’s

Madara’s Perfect Susanoo provides a defensive barrier Itachi’s attacks likely can’t breach

At Rinnegan level, Madara has Limbo clones that could intercept the blade

Madara’s combat speed exceeds Itachi’s—he’d likely dodge or counter

For the Totsuka Blade to work, Itachi needs to get close to Madara’s actual body while bypassing Susanoo, Limbo clones, and Madara’s own reactions. This is exceptionally difficult.

Can Amaterasu Hurt Madara?

Not meaningfully.

At Mangekyo level, Madara could potentially be harmed by Amaterasu—though he’d likely just remove the affected body part or let his immense chakra reserves resist it.

At Rinnegan level, he can simply absorb Amaterasu since it’s a ninjutsu technique.

At Ten-Tails level, his regeneration makes Amaterasu damage irrelevant.

Can Madara Overcome Yata Mirror?

Yes.

The databook states Yata Mirror reflects “all attacks.” But this is likely hyperbole, similar to how Itachi’s Susanoo is called “invincible.”

Madara’s Perfect Susanoo swings mountain-cutting swords. His Rinnegan techniques are conceptually different from direct attacks. Truthseeker Orbs operate at a level that likely exceeds the Yata Mirror’s defensive matrix.

The Yata Mirror might block some attacks, but Madara has too many attack vectors for a single shield to protect against.

The Verdict: Who Wins?

Winner: Madara (decisively)

This is not close. Itachi fans often cite his intelligence and hax as equalizers, but they’re not sufficient against the gap in raw power.

Why Madara Wins:

Power gap is too large: Madara fought the God of Shinobi to a draw, defeated five Kage simultaneously, and nearly became a god himself. Itachi, while strong, operates at a lower tier.

Itachi’s body fails him: Even if Itachi had the tools to compete, his illness limited his stamina severely. Madara could simply outlast him.

Genjutsu doesn’t work: Madara’s EMS and especially his Rinnegan counter Itachi’s primary advantage. Tsukuyomi won’t land on someone who can match or exceed its visual prowess.

Susanoo mismatch: Itachi’s incomplete Susanoo can’t compete with Madara’s Perfect Susanoo. The size and power difference means Madara can simply overwhelm Itachi’s defenses.

Rinnegan negates everything: Even if Itachi lands an Amaterasu, Madara absorbs it. Even if Itachi uses Yata Mirror, Madara has techniques it can’t block. The Rinnegan provides too many counters.

Could Itachi Win Under Any Circumstances?

Extremely unlikely, but theoretically possible.

If we assume:

Healthy Itachi with no illness
Madara without Rinnegan (just EMS)
Itachi landing Totsuka Blade on Madara’s actual body through superior tactics

…then Itachi has a slim chance. The Totsuka Blade IS a fight-ender. If everything goes perfectly for Itachi, it’s not literally impossible.

But this requires so many conditions going Itachi’s way that it’s not a realistic outcome. In any fair fight with standard conditions, Madara wins.

Scenario: EMS Madara vs Healthy Itachi

Winner: Madara (7/10)

Without the Rinnegan, Madara loses ninjutsu absorption and Limbo. Itachi’s genjutsu has a slightly better chance. If Itachi lands Totsuka Blade, he wins.

But Madara’s Perfect Susanoo, superior speed, and vastly greater chakra reserves still give him decisive advantages. Itachi would need significant luck or tactical surprises.

Scenario: Rinnegan Madara vs Itachi

Winner: Madara (9.5/10)

The Rinnegan counters everything Itachi has. Amaterasu is absorbed. Genjutsu is seen through. Limbo clones provide defense Itachi can’t perceive. This is a stomp.

Scenario: Ten-Tails Madara vs Itachi

Winner: Madara (10/10)

This isn’t a fight. Ten-Tails Madara fought Six Paths Naruto and Sasuke. Itachi would be vaporized before perceiving the attack.

Final Thoughts

The “Could Itachi beat Madara?” debate is beloved among Naruto fans, but the answer is clear once you analyze it objectively: no, he couldn’t.

Itachi is a genius. His planning, his genjutsu, his efficiency—all S-tier. In many matchups, these advantages carry him to victory against superior raw power.

But Madara isn’t just stronger than Itachi. He’s so much stronger that Itachi’s advantages become irrelevant. You can’t plan around someone who drops meteors. You can’t genjutsu someone whose eyes exceed yours. You can’t defend against Perfect Susanoo with an incomplete version.

Itachi fans point to statements like Itachi “always having a plan.” But Madara had his own plan—one that spanned decades, manipulated multiple wars, and nearly achieved godhood. If we’re comparing intelligence, Madara’s long game arguably exceeds Itachi’s.

The Uchiha clan produced many legends. Itachi and Madara are both among the greatest. But in a fight between them, the co-founder who battled gods crushes the prodigy who was always limited by his own mortality.

Respect to both. Victory to Madara.