Akatsuki Members as War Justifications

The beauty of anime is really in the details, to some it might just seem as cartoons but for the open minds, there is so much hidden in the details. Here is an interesting twist in the popular anime Naruto you might have missed, for those who might not know the Akatsuki were the main villain group the heroes were fighting against and throughout the series they had to take them down one after the other. The writer of this show didn’t just create a villain group made up of thugs out for violence, he put much more thought into their character than you might have realized.

Their ultimate goal like every other villain group was world domination and each of them represented a reason for war. Lets go through each one of them and see how they embodied that.

1. Pain (Nagato) — Ends Justify the Means (Vengeance)

He wants to achieve peace by inflicting massive pain on the world, thinking suffering will create understanding and true peace. He went through a lot of suffering himself right from his childhood and so he had a great appreciation for peace, so he was trying to emulate that same experience to everyone in the world thinking they’ll all end up like him. In a certain sense he was vengeful

Justification for war: Peace through overwhelming force — “The end justifies the means.”

2. Itachi Uchiha — Ultimate Patriotism

Sacrificed his own clan, reputation, and life for the sake of the village. So many wars have already happened in the world because of patriotism, to protect themselves people are willing to go and destroy others.

Justification for war: National security and blind loyalty — “I will bear the burden so others don’t have to.”

3. Deidara — Terrorism

Uses violence as a form of expression and disruption. Believes art is an explosion — sudden and impactful. I think this one doesn’t need much explanation, the fire works speaks for themselves, he was a terrorist, ready to cause destruction just to pass a message.

Justification for war: Terror as a political and artistic weapon — “Shock and awe.”

4. Sasori — Dictatorship / Control

Turns humans into lifeless puppets; controls everything with no regard for individuality or emotion. He controlled hundreds of puppets he sent into battle, he manipulated people into spying for him and conquered whole cities just to prove his strength.

Justification for war: Total control, dehumanization — “Order above freedom.”

5. Hidan — Religious Extremism

Kills in the name of Jashin, with a fanatical devotion to ritual and dogma.

Justification for war: Holy war — “Violence as divine will.”

6. Kakuzu — Greed / War Economy

Fights for money, sells violence to the highest bidder. Ready to offer his services to the highest bidder and was responsible for the contracts of the whole organization, war is also a business machine. War is also a fight for economic resources and power and kakuzu represented this so well.

Justification for war: Profit — “War is business.”

7. Kisame — Corruption & Brutality of Power

Believes in a world without lies, but his solution is violent suppression and absolute strength. He was betrayed by the government in which he believed and now views the world as just being full of lies, he didn’t have a precise reason to fight but just didn’t trust any government anymore.

Justification for war: Authoritarianism and disillusionment — “Truth through fear.”

8. Konan — Loyalty to a Cause

Remains devoted to Nagato’s vision, even after seeing its flaws. Blind loyalty has its fair share of the blame if we are going to be honest, even when we disagree with certain decisions, we go along with them because of our loyalty either to a person, nation or entity even if it means going to war at the end.

Justification for war: Loyalty and duty over morality — “My cause above all else.”

9. Zetsu — Manipulation

Secretly orchestrates the Akatsuki’s goals to revive Kaguya. He was sneaky, manipulating everyone from the shadows and kept up his mask till the very end until his goal was achieved.

Justification for war: Hidden agendas — “Control history to control the future.”

10. Tobi / Obito — Nihilism & Despair

Starts a war because he no longer believes reality is worth saving. Wants to trap everyone in a dream world.

Justification for war: Escapism through force — “A fake dream is better than a cruel reality.”

11. Madara Uchiha — Utopian Fascism

Wants to create a perfect world with no conflict or death, but by removing free will through the Infinite Tsukuyomi.

Justification for war: “Perfect peace through total control — no pain, no choice.”

Conclusion

The show couldn’t real build up on these characters because they were the villain so they just had limited screen time but we go to see these traits in their words and actions. This wasn’t just a villain group coordinating to attack the heroes, rather, they each had very unique personalities and motivations. This was by far one of the most iconic villain groups undoubtedly

Thanks for reading ☺️