Kakashi Hatake has to be one of the more interesting characters in Naruto, just for the simple fact that he has such a mysterious past. A past that inevitably ties directly into the death of Naruto's parents and the eventual final attack on Konaha by Obito and Madara Uchiha.
From the beginning, Kakashi's brilliance in battle is unquestioned and his strategic mindset is almost unparalleled by any of the other powerful shinobi of his time.
10 Triumphant Victory: Kakashi Vs Gozu
Kakashi has had many battles with the minions of the rogue Konoha shinobi, Orochimaru. During one of his missions, he along with Hinata and Kiba face off against Team Guren, who are under direct orders to take them out.
Gozu, one of the stronger members of the group takes on Kakashi for himself. His overwhelming strength and speed at first are too much for Kakashi but as the battle goes on, Kakashi finally devises a plan to even the odds, forcing an injured Gozu to retreat.
9 Humiliating Defeat: Kakashi Vs Minato
Minato Namikaze was the Shinobi instructed to teach Kakashi the ninja ways. During their training process, Kakashi keeps failing to overtake his master no matter which strategy he tries.
Eventually, he decides to let his companions be defeated in the trial before taking on Minato for himself. In the end, Minato's speed and quick thinking outpace Kakashi's strategies. While he comes closer than ever to beating Minato, he still finds he has a lot to learn about being a shinobi.
8 Triumphant Victory: Kakashi Vs Kakuzu
Akatsuki members are known as some of the stronger characters in Naruto. In fact, some like Kakuzu, Pain, and Sasori even claim to be immortal if not proclaiming themselves to be a god.
So, when Kakashi and Team 10 tried to take on Hidan and Kakuzu by themselves, it looked like it was going to be a suicide mission. However, after a prolonged fight with many turns, Kakashi helped destroy Kakuzu's final heart, before ending his life personally.
7 Humiliating Defeat: Kakashi Vs Itachi
When Kisame and Itachi take a trip to Konoha in search of Naruto, they are met by Kakashi, Asuma, and Kurenai. Kisame wishes to attack Kakashi head-on but Itachi stops him saying that they are too evenly matched. Instead, Itachi decides to use his Sharingan as a tool to imprison Kakashi.
He manages to do so but the resilient Kakashi, who also has his own Sharingan is able to withstand the imprisonment and torture within his own mind. Though, he is still no match for Itachi.
6 Triumphant Victory: Kakashi Vs Zabuzu
Zabuzu Momochi Demon of the Hidden Mist obtained his name by killing over 100 graduates at the Kirigakure Academy before leaving to join the mythical Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist.
His ability to create a thick fog during his battles made him a deadly foe for Kakashi but after allowing Zabuzu to injure him twice, Kakashi used ninja dogs to track the smell of his blood on Zabuzu's weapon in order to find him. After the fog cleared, Kakashi used his speed to overwhelm Zabuzu.
5 Humiliating Defeat: Kakashi Vs Pain
Pain considers himself to be a god and to a certain extent he does have powers that surpass even the greatest of shinobi but as Kakashi found out for himself, even a god can bleed.
When Pain comes looking for Naruto, he begins destroying Konoha as a way of luring him out. He is met by Kakashi who tries his best to defend himself against Pain's Deva and Asura Path. However, in the end, Kakashi is just too over-matched and is almost killed by Pain.
4 Triumphant Victory: Kakashi Vs Obito
Obito and Kakashi have a long history together. Sadly, the once optimistic Obito fell from grace and instead chose a life of destruction, rather than peace. During his fight with Kakashi in the Kamui Dimension, the two ninja's seemed surprisingly equal.
While Kakashi does come out on top during this battle, it is partly because Obito needed Kakashi's Lightning Blade to hit him to break Madara's control over him. So it is still considered a win, even though, the outcome is still in doubt.
3 Humiliating Defeat: Kakashi Vs Hidan
Before his battle with Kakuzu, Kakashi faced off with the other Akatsuki member present, Hidan. Hidan was a powerful shinobi with some voodoo-like attacks.
Kakashi was the smarter of the two, using his strategies to help counter Hidan's attacks but Hidan's persistent, fast-moving attacks began to slowly wear Kakashi down. Realizing that it was only a matter of time before he was killed, Kakashi chose to momentarily regroup with his team, until they could form a strategy on how to defeat the Akatsuki members.
2 Triumphant Victory: Kakashi vs Sasuke
Kakashi might have a Sharingan like the Uchiha but it pales in comparison to Sasuke's usage of his own Sharingan. When Sakura goes off to kill Sasuke, she finds herself overpowered and about to meet her death.
Luckily, Kakashi made it there in time to save her from her former friend. Kakashi and Sasuke do battle and Kakashi is able to hold his own in many ways. After Naruto shows up the two begin their attack on Sasuke who is forced to make a quick retreat with Obito.
1 Humiliating Defeat: Kakashi Vs Kiri-Nin
Kakashi, Obito, and Rin were on the same team and the closest of friends. Before Obito's death, he had Kakashi swear that he would protect Rin from harm, it was a promise Kakashi was unable to keep. When Kirigakure kidnapped Rin, placing a sealed Three-Tails in her body,
Kakashi managed to rescue her from the Kiri-nin but during the battle, Rin stepped in front of his attack, killing herself. The trauma brought out Kakashi's Mangekyō Sharingan causing him to pass out. When he awoke the Kiri-nin were dead.