Naruto is a legendary shonen action series featuring some of anime's most iconic and lovable characters ranging from the knuckleheaded hero Naruto Uzumaki to the antihero Sasuke Uchiha to the coolest anime mentor of all, Kakashi Hatake the copycat ninja himself. He's been a big hit with Naruto ever since his introduction early in the series.
Kakashi isn't a perfect character. He used to be far too strict about duty and cared little for friendship, and he also failed to prevent Sasuke from abandoning the Hidden Leaf Village and Team 7. But even so, Kakashi is a tough, cool, and simply outstanding character to watch in Naruto, and there's plenty to like about him as a person and as a ninja.
10 Kakashi Changed His Mind About Friendship For The Better
In his youth as a child prodigy ninja, Kakashi Hatake was all about duty and strict adherence to the rules. He was motivated by his father Sakumo's failure in a mission, and not even Kakashi's teammate Obito Uchiha could convince Kakashi to bend the rules for a friend's sake.
Later, Obito seemingly died in a cave-in, and Kakashi received his left Sharingan eye. In honor of Obito's memory, Kakashi now says that while rule-breakers are scum, those who abandon their friends are even lower than scum.
9 Kakashi Honors Obito's Memory Constantly
Although Obito Uchiha didn't truly die that fateful day, Kakashi certainly thought he had, and Kakashi has been in mourning ever since. Kakashi has said and done many things with Obito's memory in mind, including his stance on friendship vs duty.
Kakashi takes good care of the Sharingan eye he received from Obito, and he also visits Obito's grave every day, even if that means being late for meetings or other events. His habit of being chronically late is something he picked up from Obito, though Team 7's members find it annoying.
8 Kakashi Can Copy Almost Any Jutsu
Although Sharingan users cannot copy kekkei genkai such as Haku's ice mirrors or Kimimaro's bone-based techniques, most other ninjutsu are fair game. Kakashi is renowned across the land for being the copycat ninja who has imitated one thousand different jutsu.
Kakashi does this less and less often in Naruto, but it's still highly impressive that he has copied such a staggering variety of jutsu of all different elements, including water release, earth release, and more.
7 Kakashi Understands The Bell Test's True Purpose
One of Naruto's first challenges was to take the "bell test" which involved trying to steal a pair of small bells from Kakashi on an open battlefield near the forest. The rules stated that only a Team 7 member who claims a bell can pass, and the lone loser will be sent back to the academy for more training.
That was a lie, but the bell test did encourage Naruto, Sakura, and Sasuke to understand the true risks and priorities of being a shinobi. They were expected to act as a team and get the bells, even if it meant "sacrificing" one teammate. It's a tough but vital lesson, and Kakashi taught it well.
6 Kakashi Is Such A Good Sport
Usually, Kakashi has a calm and aloof personality, kind of like a kuudere anime character. But he also has an agreeable attitude when he's in the mood, especially in terms of his best friend, the taijutsu master Might Guy. It's one of Naruto's best side plots.
Kakashi doesn't return Might Guy's sense of rivalry, but he is a great sport about competing with Might Guy in different contests from athletic feats to rock-paper-scissors and anything else that Guy can come up with. It's fun having a rival who's always game for a contest.
5 Kakashi Has Endured Many Losses Without Mentally Breaking
Naruto Uzumaki and Sasuke Uchiha each thought they had it worse than anyone, what with them being orphans who are misunderstood by the people around them. Then Kakashi Hatake put all that into perspective with his own personal tragedies.
Kakashi has lost many people: his old mentor Minato Namikaze, his father, his teammates Rin and Obito, and more. He has endured repeated personal losses in a life defined by violence and grief, but none of that ever broke his spirits. Despite these tragedies, Kakashi is a kind and hopeful person, setting a great example for all.
4 Kakashi Keeps Inventing Cool Jutsu
The combat system in Naruto is about more than throwing shuriken or learning jutsu from a field manual. Many shinobi have invented their own jutsu, including bizarre forbidden ninjutsu, and Kakashi is a pioneer of jutsu as well. His Lightening Blade is a prime example.
Kakashi once failed to learn the Rasengan technique, so he made up for it by inventing the electric Lightning Blade move instead, a devastating close-range jutsu. This is the jutsu that Sasuke later imitated with his Chidori technique.
3 Kakashi Is Hokage Material
It takes a lot to become the Hokage, the leader, and ultimate protector of the Hidden Leaf Village. Any Hokage must be a wise, powerful, and selfless leader who will do anything, even at the cost of their own life, for the sake of the village and its people. Hiruzen Sarutobi died fighting Orochimaru, and Tsunade had more than a little paperwork to deal with.
Naruto eventually became Hokage as well, but his mentor Kakashi beat him there. After Tsunade left office, Kakashi became the 6th Hokage, and he ruled with a fair hand until it was Naruto's time to assume that position. Even if Kakashi's tenure was unremarkable, just qualifying as Hokage is incredible.
2 Kakashi Was Charmingly Mysterious For A Time
By now, Naruto fans have learned pretty much all they ever wanted to know about Kakashi Hatake, including his full face under that famous blue mask. But early on, Kakashi was presented as a mysterious and slightly strange character who was reluctant to tell his genin charges, or even the viewers, much about himself.
This cool aura of mystery made Kakashi even cooler, and fans had fun slowly learning more and more about him and his backstory. It was fascinating to see him raise his forehead protector to reveal an unexpected Sharingan, for example, and fans later learned all about Kakashi's backstory with Obito.
1 Kakashi Faces Powerful Foes Without Fear
As expected, the shonen star Naruto Uzumaki repeatedly faced each story arc's most powerful foes, from Gaara during the chunin exam arc to battling the Six Paths of Pain and even princess Kaguya Otsutuki herself. And Kakashi Hatake does this almost as often.
When the powerhouse Itachi Uchiha returned, Kakashi faced him directly so Kurenai and Asuma wouldn't have to. Later on, Kakashi also helped take the fight to Tobi/Obito during the Fourth Great Shinobi War, and he also dueled Zabuza Momochi early on to keep his genin charges out of harm's way.