ANBU "Roots" and Itachi
I was just browsing through the NarutoFan forums when I came across an interesting theory concerning Sai. Kimimaro Sama suggested that ANBU roots members were brainwashed into becoming incredible ninja, with limited to no emotion. (See thread here.) Sai finds it difficult to express human emotion, he's obviously -- severely -- emotionally and socially challenged. But from what we've seen of him so far, and from what we can tell, he's also a very good ninja.
If Danzou, the old man with Sai, was really as hardcore a warmonger as he's suggested to be, then he may have created ANBU roots to create the perfect ninja -- ninja without emotion, who would do as they're told, kill without hesitation, and get the mission completed at all costs. Very inhumane. Very effective. Perfect.
Now factor Itachi into that. Danzou is old, and there's bad history with him and Sandaime, so he's certainly been around for a while. He could have been working with ANBU roots while Itachi was in ANBU -- only ten years previously.
For a long time, fans have wondered what happened to Itachi. There was always family tension, but it's specifically commented that after entering ANBU he began acting strangely. If he was being brutally conditioned into the "perfect ninja," then that would severely affect his behavior, and possibly his sanity and connection with reality. Such brainwashing would require a lot of work, and take weeks or possibly months to "complete." It would also be incredibly awful. Imagine what would need to be done, to be shown and experienced, to be brainwashed into being emotionless, caring for nothing other than being great ninja at all costs to the destruction of your soul.
And thus, we have a very simple, very effective, possible reason for Itachi's abrupt disconnection from his clan, from his morals, and from the village.
If Danzou, the old man with Sai, was really as hardcore a warmonger as he's suggested to be, then he may have created ANBU roots to create the perfect ninja -- ninja without emotion, who would do as they're told, kill without hesitation, and get the mission completed at all costs. Very inhumane. Very effective. Perfect.
Now factor Itachi into that. Danzou is old, and there's bad history with him and Sandaime, so he's certainly been around for a while. He could have been working with ANBU roots while Itachi was in ANBU -- only ten years previously.
For a long time, fans have wondered what happened to Itachi. There was always family tension, but it's specifically commented that after entering ANBU he began acting strangely. If he was being brutally conditioned into the "perfect ninja," then that would severely affect his behavior, and possibly his sanity and connection with reality. Such brainwashing would require a lot of work, and take weeks or possibly months to "complete." It would also be incredibly awful. Imagine what would need to be done, to be shown and experienced, to be brainwashed into being emotionless, caring for nothing other than being great ninja at all costs to the destruction of your soul.
And thus, we have a very simple, very effective, possible reason for Itachi's abrupt disconnection from his clan, from his morals, and from the village.