Kakashi Hatake is one of the most iconic and complex characters in anime and manga series Naruto, created by Masashi Kishimoto. Here is the most complete description of this character, covering his background, personality, abilities, character development, and influence in the story.
Background
Name: Kakashi Hatake (はたけカカシ, Hatake Kakashi)
Nickname:
- Kakashi si Sharingan (写輪眼のカカシ, Sharingan no Kakashi)
- Ninja Penutup Desa Konoha (木ノ葉隠れの忍, Konohagakure no Shinobi)
- Hokage Keenam (六代目火影, Rokudaime Hokage)
Kakashi Hatake is a legendary ninja from the village of Konohagakure (Hidden Leaf Village) in the world Naruto. He was first introduced as the sensei (teacher) of Team 7, consisting of Naruto Uzumaki, Sasuke Uchiha, and Sakura Haruno. Kakashi is the son of Sakumo Hatake, a famous ninja nicknamed " White Fang of Konoha” (Konoha no Kiba). However, Kakashi's life was filled with tragedy since childhood, which shaped his personality and outlook on the world.
Kakashi lost his father as a child after Sakumo committed suicide due to village insults due to his failure in a mission to save his comrades. This event made Kakashi initially very rigid and fixated on ninja rules. However, the deaths of his close friends, especially Obito Uchiha, changed his perspective on the importance of teamwork and emotional bonding.
Appearance
Kakashi is known for his distinctive and mysterious appearance:
- Hair: Silver, messy, and slightly tilted to the left.
- Headband: He always wears a Konoha headband that covers his left eye (where the Sharingan is located).
- Mask: His face is always covered in a dark blue cloth mask that reveals only one eye, adding to his mysterious aura.
- Eyes: The right eye is black, while the left eye (which is covered by a headband) is a Sharingan inherited by Obito Uchiha.
- Clothing: He usually wears the standard Konoha ninja uniform, which is a green vest (flak jacket), dark blue clothes, and gloves. When he became Hokage, he wore a Hokage robe with a more formal design.
Kakashi's appearance, which always covers his face, becomes a running gag in this series, as other characters (and fans) are often curious about his true face. Her face was finally revealed in a special episode (Naruto Shippuden episode 469), showing that he has a handsome face with a small mole on his chin.
Personality
Kakashi is a complex character with a layered personality:
- Calm and relaxing: Kakashi often looks relaxed, even in crisis situations. He is often late for meetings and often reads adult romance novels (Icha Icha Paradise works of Jiraiya), which became his hallmark. This relaxed attitude often upsets others (especially Naruto), but is actually Kakashi's way of covering up his trauma and grief.
- Smart and analytical: Kakashi is an accomplished tactician with extraordinary intelligence. He is able to quickly analyze the combat situation and devise an effective strategy.
- Loyal and caring: Although initially seemingly indifferent, Kakashi cares deeply for his students and friends. He is willing to risk his life to protect them, reflecting the values he learned from Obito about the importance of teammates.
- Trauma and loneliness: Kakashi has a lost past (his father, Obito, Rin, and his teacher Minato). This makes him tend to maintain an emotional distance from others at the beginning of the story, although he slowly opens up thanks to his interactions with Team 7.
- Veiled Humor: Kakashi often uses dry humor or subtle innuendo, especially when teasing his students or when dealing with awkward situations.
Abilities and skills
Kakashi is one of the strongest Ninjas in Konoha, known as an all-rounder ninja with various abilities:
- Sharingan:
Kakashi obtained the Sharingan eye from Obito Uchiha after his death. Although not a member of the Uchiha Clan, Kakashi mastered the Sharingan very well, allowing him to:- Reads and copies the opponent's techniques (hence the nickname "copy Ninja").
- See movement at high speed.
- Using genjutsu (illusion).
However, since he is not an Uchiha, the use of the Sharingan drains his chakra and stamina so much that he often closes his left eye to conserve energy.
- Mangekyo Sharingan:
Kakashi opens the Mangekyo Sharingan after the trauma of Rin's death. With Mangekyo, he can use the technique Kamui, which allows him to move objects (or himself) to other dimensions. This technique is very powerful but also very draining Chakra, even causing extreme fatigue or damage to his eyes. - Chidori / Raikiri:
Kakashi is the creator of the technique Chidori (also known as Raikiri or "lightning sword"). This technique involves concentrating the Lightning Chakra in the hand to create a very fast and deadly attack. However, this technique initially has a drawback in that its straight movements make the user vulnerable to counterattacks, which are then overcome with the help of the Sharingan. - Versatile Capabilities:
Kakashi is said to have copied over a thousand techniques, including the elements of Fire, Water, Earth, Wind, and lightning. He is also proficient in taijutsu (hand-to-hand combat), kenjutsu (sword techniques), and genjutsu. - Ninja Dog (Ninken):
Kakashi has eight ninja dogs that can be summoned to assist in missions, such as tracking, attacking, or sending messages. Pakkun, a small dog with a hoarse voice, is the one that appears most often. - Tactical Intelligence:
Kakashi is known as one of the smartest ninja in Konoha. He is able to strategize in the midst of battle and exploit the opponent's weaknesses effectively.
Character Development
Kakashi's journey in Naruto and Naruto Shippuden showed significant progress:
- Minato's childhood and team: As a child, Kakashi was a genius who graduated from the Ninja Academy at the age of 5 and became a Jonin at the age of 12. However, he is very rigid and obsessed with rules. Obito and Rin's deaths changed his outlook, teaching him to value teamwork.
- A Sensei Of Team 7: Kakashi becomes a patient but firm mentor to Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura. He teaches them the importance of cooperation through the famous Bell test, in which he emphasizes that “those who break the rules are trash, but those who leave their friends are worse than trash.”
- The Fourth Ninja World War: Kakashi plays a large role in this war, facing powerful enemies such as Obito (who turns out to still be alive as Tobi) and Madara Uchiha. He also loses his Sharingan after Obito gives both of his Mangekyo eyes for a short time, allowing Kakashi to use Susanoo perfect.
- The Sixth Hokage: After the war, Kakashi was appointed the Sixth Hokage, replacing Tsunade. He led Konoha wisely before handing over the post to Naruto as the Seventh Hokage.
- Passover-Naruto: Inside Boruto: Naruto Next Generations, Kakashi retired from the position of Hokage and lived a more relaxed life, although he was still involved in certain missions and served as an advisor.
Relationships with other characters
- Obito Uchiha: His childhood friend and rival. Obito's death (which turned out to be faked) and his Sharingan legacy greatly influenced Kakashi's life. Their conflict in the fourth Ninja World War became one of the biggest emotional moments in the story.
- Rin Nohara: Another member of Minato's team, whom Kakashi and Obito like. Rin's death by Kakashi's hands (albeit unintentionally) becomes a major trauma for her.
- Minato Namikaze: Kakashi's teacher and the Fourth Hokage, whom Kakashi greatly respects.
- Team 7: Kakashi has a close relationship with Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura. He became a father figure to Naruto, a mentor to Sasuke, and a support to Sakura.
- Guy Might: Kakashi's eternal Rival and close friend. Their humorous rivalries (such as the Rock-Paper-Scissors challenge) became one of the comedic elements in the series.
Influence in stories and fans
Kakashi is one of the most popular characters in Naruto because of his interesting combination of strength, intelligence and personality. He has often ranked highly in character popularity polls in Japan and the world. His mask, relaxed demeanor, and tragic past make him relatable and likeable to fans.
Kakashi also became a symbol of core values Naruto, namely teamwork, sacrifice, and resilience in the face of adversity. His role as a wise sensei and Ninja loyal to his village made him a role model for other characters and fans.
Interesting Facts
- Kakashi never married or had children in the official story, despite fan speculation about his personal life.
- She loves novels Icha Icha Paradise, which became the source of jokes in the series.
- Kakashi is one of the few characters who remains relevant from beginning to end of the story Naruto.
- In Boruto, he looks more relaxed and travels a lot for missions or enjoys his retirement.
Conclusion
Kakashi Hatake is a character rich in emotional depth, amazing abilities, and strong progression throughout the story Naruto. From a traumatized genius ninja to a compassionate sensei and eventually Hokage, Kakashi represents a journey from loneliness to acceptance and courage to protect those he loves. With his mysterious appearance, dry humor, and dedication to Konoha, Kakashi remains one of the most iconic characters in the anime world.
