Is Kabuto Yakushi Immortal? Why Itachi and Sasuke Couldn't Kill Him in Naruto

In the world of Naruto, Kabuto Yakushi may not be eternally immortal, but his mastery of powerful jutsus makes him an incredibly challenging opponent. While Itachi Uchiha and Sasuke Uchiha (Sasuke hereafter) possess formidable skills, they find it difficult to take Kabuto down due to the intricate mechanics of his techniques and his strategic mindset. This analysis explores the reasons behind their inability to kill Kabuto, focusing on Edo Tensei, his healing abilities, and his strategic mind.

Understanding Kabuto Yakushi

Kabuto Yakushi is known for his diverse skill set and the possession of several powerful abilities. He particularly excels in his knowledge of reviving and controlling ninja through the Edo Tensei Reanimation Jutsu. This jutsu allows Kabuto to summon deceased shinobi, providing him with access to a formidable range of skills and abilities. Additionally, his healing abilities play a crucial role in his survival. His experimentation with Sage mode and medical ninjutsu grants him rapid healing, making it extremely challenging for his opponents to defeat him by simply damaging him.

Kabuto's Challenges Against Itachi and Sasuke

When Itachi and Sasuke face Kabuto, they encounter a multitude of challenges:

Edo Tensei

Edo Tensei is the primary reason Kabuto remains formidable. He can summon powerful shinobi, including himself and other legendary figures. Even when they manage to damage him, he can potentially resurrect them or use their abilities against his opponents. This cyclic revival keeps Kabuto at the forefront of the battle, making it extremely difficult for Itachi and Sasuke to secure a decisive victory.

Healing Abilities

Another significant factor is Kabuto's enhanced healing. His medical ninjutsu and experience with Sage mode allow him to recover quickly from injuries. This ability makes it challenging for Itachi and Sasuke to deal a final blow to Kabuto. Even if they injure him severely, he can recover and continue the fight, maintaining a strategic balance in the battle.

Strategic Mind

It is important to recognize that Kabuto's strategic mind plays a critical role. He is highly intelligent and manipulative, using tactics that often outsmart his opponents. Direct confrontation with him is not as effective as finding ways to counter his abilities and tactics. Itachi, in particular, devises a strategic plan to trap Kabuto using the Izanami technique, which forces Kabuto into an infinite loop of his own choices, ultimately rendering him unable to continue fighting.

Why Itachi and Sasuke Couldn't Kill Him

It is often mistakenly believed that Itachi and Sasuke couldn't kill Kabuto because of his immortality. However, the truth is more nuanced:

Edo Tensei Mechanics

Edo Tensei is a jutsu that requires the caster to willingly release it. If the caster dies, the summoned shinobi remain active unless they are sealed or bound. It is only possible to seal or bind them, but this is not a permanent solution. Once Izanami is used, the victim falls into an infinite loop that ends only when the victim acknowledges the results of their actions and reflects on their errors. By the time Kabuto emerges from the Izanami, he has made necessary changes, such as ceasing valuable research and collaboration with Orochimaru, making it unnecessary to kill him.

Conclusion

Understanding the intricacies of Edo Tensei and Izanami jutsus, combined with Kabuto's strategic mind, helps explain why Itachi and Sasuke couldn't kill him. Instead of focusing on Kabuto's immortality, it is essential to appreciate the multifaceted challenges his techniques present. This intricate understanding of the characters in the Naruto universe makes for compelling storytelling and strategy.