Naruto: Itachi's Story, Vol. 1: Daylight

by Takashi Yano

Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult

Paperback

Reviews

[Hilda · Rating 3 out of 5]

I cry when I think about how he was just a kid

[Wan Shi · Rating 4 out of 5]

The first volume of the Itachi novel

Honestly, it was good. Pretty good, I liked it.

You get to read about Itachi’s story and how it plays out from the beginning of his first academy introduction to when he’s promoted to Anbu

How I feel about the character Itachi is another matter though.

The book itself is insightful and does paint a very interesting but very disturbing picture of Itachi that leads me to believe he’s much more of a tragic character than I realized, and my only conclusion is that he hated himself for being powerless to change the course of the events that would play out for his clan but having just enough power to gain the recognition of the village’s higher ups and execute the order that would eventually lead to spilling senseless violence and death and blood that Itachi himself hated for anyone.

[Solomon Baltazar · Rating 5 out of 5]

The story of Itachi is told in such beautiful detail and his feelings can be felt so lively that it's hard not to like this book. The details give it so much life and it makes you really understand what drives him to move forward and do what he has to. Beautifully written without any unnecessary details, it feels like the authors painted such a majestic portrait of one of the best characters in anime history!

[Nina|| Goes Reading · Rating 4 out of 5]

Itachi’s Story: Daylight offers a short, crisp, yet information-rich look into Itachi’s childhood, the neglect of the Uchiha clan by the village, and how that deep rooted resentment was born. One thing I really appreciated was how the book showed that Itachi wasn’t just a born prodigy he trained relentlessly, worked hard, and pushed himself to become strong, which added realism and depth to his character. However, I didn’t like how the story subtly encourages sympathy toward Itachi as a hero. While his trauma and broken childhood are undeniable, his story should be viewed as a case study of systemic failure, village negligence, and generational hatred, rather than glorification. Overall it’s a solid 4 star read, especially for readers who find Itachi intriguing and want to understand his mindset, childhood, and journey more deeply.

[kkchanisagirl · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this volume. It was so cute to follow little Itachi and to see where his motivations came from before Sasuke was born, and then the impact being an older brother had on him! Loved to read from his pov and get more insight into his character than what the manga reveals!

[Roberto · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not so different than what we saw on anime, it’s almost the same but written instead of drew

[Joseph · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fun origin story for one of the less popular characters

[Kyle Petitt · Rating 2 out of 5]

The Naruto light novels are just not that good if we’re being honest. Still going to read the sequel though.

[Titus · Rating 5 out of 5]

Surprisingly good. I look forward to Midnight and Kakashi’s story.