Who is Fugaku Uchiha?

In the era of the Third Great Ninja War, Fugaku was feared all across the Five Great Nations. He had gathered fame with the nickname Wicked Eye Fugaku. In the final days of the war, he took Itachi Uchiha, his four year old son, to the battlefield. Itachi witnessed mountains of corpses on the battlefield. Fugaku wanted Itachi to see the reality of life as a shinobi and the cruel world they lived in. In the anime, it was stated that he awakened his Mangekyo Sharingan after he witnessed the death of his close friend on the battlefield. He chose to hide the fact that he had acquired the legendary Dojutsu, because he believed that this would only give birth to more cruelty.

In the aftermath of the Nine-Tailed Fox’s attack on the village, the Uchiha clan was accused of pulling the strings behind the scenes. Danzo Shimura, an elder of the village, proposed to restructure the village after the destruction, and forced the higher-ups to relocate the Uchiha Clan further away from the village. This event caused a rift between the clan and the village. The Uchiha Clan started planning a coup d'état to overthrow the current leadership of the village.

After Itachi had been promoted to an Anbu, Fugaku made him a spy of the clan. However, Itachi would betray his clan by serving as a double agent. After the death of Shisui Uchiha, Itachi burst into anger and lost his faith in the clan. After falling out with Itachi, Fugaku shifted his focus towards his youngest son, Sasuke Uchiha, and started overseeing his training.

Fugaku took Itachi to the Naka Shrine after one of their clan meetings. There he showed Itachi the Uchiha Stone Tablet which had been passed down from generation to generation within the Uchiha Clan. He revealed that the tablet held secrets to a better world, but one required evolved Sharingan to read it. Knowing that his son was a pacifist, he expressed his desire to end this battle without any bloodshed or death of any kind. In the anime, it was stated that Fugaku feared that if he had informed the clan about his Mangekyo Sharingan, they might have forced him to extract the Kyubi from the Jinchuriki, Naruto Uzumaki, and attack the village.

During the Uchiha Clan Massacre, when Itachi went to confront his parents, Fugaku and Mikoto did not resist. In their final moments, they told Itachi that even though their views did not match, they were still proud of him and they asked Itachi to promise he would take care of his younger brother, Sasuke, before killing them.

Fugaku was one of the strongest shinobi and a genius of his era. During the Third Great Shinobi War, shinobi used to tremble at the mention of his name on the battlefield. He was feared across the Great Five Nations with the nickname, Wicked Eye Fugaku. His strength and skills as a shinobi were comparable to Minato Namikaze, the Yellow Flash of the Leaf. He was even considered a prime candidate for the position of Fourth Hokage.

As an Uchiha, Fugaku possessed a strong chakra and an affinity for Fire Release. He was one of the few members of the Uchiha clan who could perform the clan’s signature jutsu, Great Fireball Jutsu, to a massive size.

In the anime, Fugaku was the wielder of both Sharingan and the Mangekyo Sharingan. Although very little is known about the capabilities of his Mangekyo Sharingan, he was confident he could control the Nine-Tailed Fox with it.

1. To Itachi - Do not fear. This is the path you have chosen. Compared to you, our pain will be over in an instant. Even though our philosophies may differ, I am still proud of you. You truly are a kind child.
2. To Itachi - Itachi, just promise me that you will take care of Sasuke.
3. To Sasuke - I will say one thing… From now on walk your own path, not in the footsteps of your brother.

Q. Was Fugaku Uchiha evil?

A. No, Fugaku Uchiha was not evil. He was a kind man with a great feeling of responsibility for his clan's interests and well-being. He always wanted to preserve peace in the village. He desired that the rift between the Uchiha Clan and the village be resolved peacefully and without bloodshed.

Q. Was Fugaku Uchiha strong?

A. Yes, Fugaku was one of the strongest shinobi of his era. His skills as a shinobi were comparable to Minato Namikage, the Fourth Hokage. He was even considered a prime candidate for the position of Fourth Hokage.

Q. Why didn’t Fugaku stop Itachi?

A. Fugaku clearly stated that he did not want to engage in a deathmatch with his own son, and decided to sacrifice himself instead. In his final words, he told Itachi that even though their philosophies may differ from each other, he was still proud of him.