is a
fictional characterA character is the representation of a person in a narrative or dramatic work of art . Derived from the ancient Greek word kharaktêr through its Latin transcription character, the earliest use in English, in this sense, dates from the Restoration, although it became widely used after its...
in the
Narutois an ongoing Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Masashi Kishimoto. The plot tells the story of Naruto Uzumaki, an adolescent ninja who constantly searches for recognition and aspires to become a Hokage, the ninja in his village that is acknowledged as the leader and the strongest of...
mangaManga consist of comics and print cartoons , in the Japanese language and conforming to the style developed in Japan in the late 20th century...
and
animeis animation originating in Japan. The world outside Japan regards anime as "Japanese animation". Anime originated about 1917.Anime, like manga , has a large audience in Japan and high recognition throughout the world...
series created by
Masashi Kishimotois a Japanese manga artist, well known for creating the manga series Naruto. His younger twin brother, Seishi Kishimoto, is also a manga artist and creator of the manga series 666 Satan and Blazer Drive.- Works :...
. Kishimoto originally planned to introduce Kakashi in the manga to the series' titular character,
Naruto Uzumakiis a fictional character in the anime and manga franchise Naruto created by Masashi Kishimoto. Naruto is the main protagonist and titular character of the series. When creating Naruto, Kishimoto wished to keep the character "simple and stupid", while giving him many attributes of Son Goku, the main...
, early on, but pushed back this meeting so that Naruto's teammates could be better developed.
In the story, Kakashi is the leader and teacher of Team 7, consisting of the series' primary characters,
Sasuke Uchihais a fictional character in the Naruto manga and anime series created by Masashi Kishimoto. He was created as a rival and foil to the series' titular character, Naruto Uzumaki...
,
Sakura Harunois a fictional character in the Naruto manga and anime series created by Masashi Kishimoto. Sakura has become the series' female lead, although she was not immediately intended for the role...
, and
Naruto Uzumakiis a fictional character in the anime and manga franchise Naruto created by Masashi Kishimoto. Naruto is the main protagonist and titular character of the series. When creating Naruto, Kishimoto wished to keep the character "simple and stupid", while giving him many attributes of Son Goku, the main...
. He is initially portrayed as a detached and apathetic figure, but as the series progresses, his loyalty to his friends and students becomes increasingly apparent. Kakashi's past has been extensively explored in the series, resulting in a
gaidenis a Japanese-language word with two distinct meanings, depending on the way it is represented in Japanese text or speech. The first meaning, "side story" or "tale", is used to refer to an anecdote or supplementary biography of a person...
being devoted to his past experiences. Kakashi has appeared in several pieces of
Naruto media, including three of the four featured films in the series, all of the original video animations, and several video games.
Numerous anime and manga publications have praised and criticized Kakashi's character. Although he has been noted to be an echo of similar detached
shōnenrefers to manga marketed to a male audience roughly between the ages of 10 and 18. Examples include Dragon Ball, Saint Seiya, Rurouni Kenshin, InuYasha, Yu Yu Hakusho, Flame of Recca, Naruto, Bleach, Detective Conan, One Piece, Yu-Gi-Oh and Fullmetal Alchemist....
characters, the
dualityDuality may refer to:In philosophy, logic, and psychology:* Dualism, a twofold division in several spiritual, religious, and philosophical doctrines* Dualism , where the body and mind are considered to be irreducibly distinct...
of Kakashi's apathetic and serious sides have been praised. Kakashi's popularity has been noted by reviewers; T.H.E.M. Anime Reviews commented that the series could simply be renamed "Kakashi." Kakashi has been highly popular with the
Naruto reader base, placing high in several popularity polls. Merchandise based on Kakashi has also been released, including key chains and plush dolls.
Creation and conception
Masashi Kishimoto originally intended for Kakashi to debut in the second chapter of the
Naruto manga, appearing prior to the other members of Team 7. This Kakashi was designed as a laid back, affected, skilled
ninjaA was a covert agent or mercenary of feudal Japan specializing in unorthodox arts of war. The functions of the ninja included espionage, sabotage, infiltration, assassination, as well as open combat in certain situations. The underhanded tactics of the ninja were contrasted with the samurai, who...
that ended his sentences with the polite "
de gozaru" in the Japanese versions of the series. After speaking with his editor, Kishimoto pushed this debut back, allowing him to better develop Kakashi and the rest of Team 7. Despite this, Kakashi retains many of his original personality traits, being easygoing, unfazed by the actions of others, and appearing to be half-asleep. Kishimoto feels that this makes Kakashi a compelling leader and helps to keep the diverse members of Team 7 unified. Because he acts as a link between the other main characters of the series, Kakashi is rarely featured prominently in promotional artwork, instead appearing in the background while his students are the focus of the scene.
When deciding upon Kakashi's name, Kishimoto considered a number of possibilities: Kuwa (クワ, "
hoeHoe may refer to:* Hoe , a hand tool used in gardening* Hoe , a Korean dish of raw fish* Plymouth Hoe* Hoe, Norfolk, a village in Norfolk, England...
"), Kama (カマ, "
scytheA scythe is an agricultural hand tool for mowing grass or reaping crops. It was largely replaced by horse-drawn and then tractor machinery, but is still used in some areas of Europe and Asia.- Structure:...
"), Botan (ボタン, "
peonyPeony or paeony is a name for plants in the genus Paeonia, the only genus in the flowering plant family Paeoniaceae. They are native to Asia, southern Europe and western North America. Boundaries between species are not clear and estimates of the number of species range from 25 to 40...
"), Enoki (エノキ, a nettle tree), and Kakashi (カカシ, "
scarecrowA scarecrow is a device – traditionally a human figure or mannequin dressed in old clothes – placed in fields by farmers to discourage birds such as crows from disturbing and feeding on recently cast seed and growing crops.-History:...
"). He eventually decided upon Kakashi, and remains glad that he did to this day. In keeping with the meaning of his name, scarecrows are occasionally used to represent Kakashi; Naruto, for example, uses a scarecrow that is dressed like Kakashi to help him train for a combat test between the two. Likewise, scarecrows are at times added to the background of scenes in which Kakashi appears, as is the case with the cover of the
Naruto manga volume three.
Background
Kakashi's background goes unexplored for the first part of the series, not being shown in any detail until
Kakashi Gaiden, a six chapter series that divides the gap between Part I and II of the manga. During Kakashi's youth, his father, a ninja who was highly revered in Konohagakure, abandoned a mission crucial to the village in order to save the lives of his teammates. Disgraced by the villagers and those he had saved because of the repercussions the village suffered, Kakashi's father committed suicide. Wishing to avoid his father's dishonor, Kakashi adopted the philosophy that the success of a mission must always come first, becoming humorless and by-the-book in the process.
In later years Kakashi was assigned by his teacher, Minato Namikaze, to lead a mission that would turn the war going on at the time in Konoha's favor. When his teammate, Rin, was captured by enemy ninja, Kakashi elected to leave her behind and finish the mission. His other teammate, Obito Uchiha, rejected this alternative, stating that those who abandon their mission are trash but those who abandon their teammates are worse than trash and that Kakashi's father had done the right thing by saving his teammates. Touched by Obito's words, Kakashi joined him in a rescue effort, though his left eye became damaged in the ensuing battle. After finding Rin and preparing to escape, an enemy-induced cave-in crushed Obito's right half. With his dying wish and the possibility of enemy reinforcements, Obito urged his teammates to leave and finish the mission. Before leaving, Obito had Rin implant his newly acquired Sharingan into Kakashi's damaged eye socket as a gift. His new eye in place, Kakashi fled with Rin as the cave collapsed, eventually completing their mission and forever mourning Obito's death.
Personality
Obito's death greatly changed Kakashi, as he adopted many of Obito's traits and philosophies. Most recurring of these is his concept of teamwork: when first forming Team 7, Kakashi gauges their abilities with a bell test in which the three must capture the two bells he keeps on his person. Only by working as a team, regardless of the fact that there aren't enough bells for each of them, are Naruto, Sakura, and Sasuke able to pass, instilling in them the concept of teamwork early on. Kakashi continues to further this philosophy for the duration of
Part I upon
Sasuke Uchihais a fictional character in the Naruto manga and anime series created by Masashi Kishimoto. He was created as a rival and foil to the series' titular character, Naruto Uzumaki...
, whose drive to get stronger causes him to slowly turn against his friends and teammates. Though Kakashi frequently reminds Sasuke of the importance of teamwork and tries to show him how strength can be found in friendship, he is unable to get through to him before the latter's defection from Konoha.
Kakashi keeps his personal life separate from his interactions with his students, only going so far as to say that he has a number of hobbies and dreams that are "none of [their] business". He also states that everyone precious to him is dead. What is known of Kakashi's personal life is that he spends much of his free time at a memorial site where Obito's name is engraved. He tends to lose track of time when he is there, and is frequently late to his appointments as a result (another trait adopted from Obito). Similarly, Kakashi constantly keeps the lower half of his face covered, and thus the appearance of his face remains a mystery. Episode 101 of the anime, an
omakemeans extra or bonus in Japanese. Its primary meaning is general and widespread. In USA, the term is most often used in a narrow sense by anime fans to describe special features on DVD releases: deleted scenes, interviews with the actors, "the making of" documentary clips, outtakes, amusing...
episode dedicated to Team 7's efforts to unmask Kakashi, implies he is quite handsome, as two employees from the Ichiraku
ramenis a Japanese noodle dish that originated in China. It is served in a meat- or fish-based broth, often flavored with soy or miso, and uses toppings such as , , kamaboko, green onions and even corn...
shop (male and female) are left awestruck after he briefly removes his mask to eat (although a distraction prevents Team 7 and the viewer from seeing his face). In another omake included with the third
Naruto databook, his own pack of dogs struggles with remembering what he looks like: each remembers him as having a completely different face and, after they finally agree about what he looks like, they realize that their description was entirely wrong.
One pastime that Kakashi makes no attempt to hide from even his students is his fondness for the series of erotic novels. The books, detailing the author's (
Jiraiyais a fictional character in the Naruto universe created by Masashi Kishimoto.- Creation and conception :Jiraiya is named after the character of the same name from Jiraiya Goketsu Monogatari . The Jiraiya in this story excelled in summoning a giant toad and toad magic...
) experiences in love, are runaway best-sellers within the
Naruto world. When asked more specifically about the contents of the books, Masashi Kishimoto explained that Narutos target demographic was not old enough for him to disclose the details of the plot. Kakashi is usually seen reading one of the books during events that do not require his complete attention, such as his early conversations and training sessions with Team 7. Naruto has on occasion used Kakashi's attachment to the books against him; he threatens to spoil the ending of the latest installment in the series, forcing Kakashi to shut his eyes and cover his ears to avoid learning the secret and leaving him off guard in the process.
Abilities
The Sharingan given to him by Obito is a sticking point to Kakashi's fame in the Naruto world. Granting him the ability to
mimicBiological mimicry occurs when a group of organisms, the mimics, have evolved to share common perceived characteristics with another group, the models, through the selective action of a signal-receiver or dupe. Collectively this is known as a mimicry complex. The model is usually another species...
the movements and
jutsuIn the anime and manga series Naruto by Masashi Kishimoto, a refers to the supernatural abilities ninja can use. The series occurs in a fictional universe in which different countries fight for power using ninja soldiers. The Naruto storyline follows a group of young ninja from the village of...
of others, the Sharingan gives him an edge in battle by allowing him to turn his opponent's abilities against them. This has allowed him to add over one thousand different attacks to his repertoire, leading to his nickname of . Because the Sharingan only naturally occurs in those of Uchiha lineage, and because his is always active, Kakashi depletes his energy quickly when using it and so must cover it with his headband during his daily activities. During the gap in time between Part I and
II of the series, Kakashi develops a Mangekyo Sharingan through unknown means. With it he can perform a jutsu called , which sends any targeted object to another dimension. Because performing this ability requires extended bed rest afterwards, Kakashi avoids using it unless absolutely necessary.
Although most of Kakashi's abilities were acquired with his Sharingan, he has two abilities he developed by himself. Lightning Blade, a collection of lightning chakra in one's hand, was created by Kakashi in his youth. By rushing at the enemy and thrusting the Lightning Blade into his target, he can kill most opponents with one strike. He was not able to effectively utilize the Lightning Blade until gaining his Sharingan, as regular eyes experience a tunnel-vision effect when using it and thus leave the user open to
counterattackA counterattack is a military battlefield tactic used by some or all of a defending force against their attackers. The general objective is to negate or thwart the advantage gained by the enemy in attack and the specific objectives are usually to regain lost ground or to destroy attacking enemy...
. In Part II he displays other lightning-based abilities, such as a clone that can act in his place and paralyze what it comes into contact with, but it is unclear if these are his own creations.
His second unique ability is the pack of eight he is able to summon to his side. The dogs are capable of talking. Each one has a
henohenomohejiHenohenomoheji or hehenonomoheji is a face drawn by Japanese schoolchildren using hiragana characters....
on his back, a face used on
scarecrowA scarecrow is a device – traditionally a human figure or mannequin dressed in old clothes – placed in fields by farmers to discourage birds such as crows from disturbing and feeding on recently cast seed and growing crops.-History:...
s. He primarily uses them for tracking purposes, sending them out to find and if necessary pin down a target until he arrives. Because of his proficiency and well-roundedness with ninja abilities, Kakashi is noted to be an obvious candidate for the position of Hokage, the protector of Konoha, should the position ever become vacant.
Plot overview
Kakashi's role in the series predominately consists of his time with Team 7, leading them on missions and training them to improve their ninja abilities. He takes a special interest in Sasuke Uchiha during Part I, who he trains exclusively in an attempt to steer him away from
Orochimaruis a fictional character from the Naruto universe created by Masashi Kishimoto and developed into a media franchise, which consists of a series of manga, anime, soundtracks, OVAs, movies, video games, and other collectibles...
, an enemy to Konoha. His efforts prove unsuccessful when Sasuke defects from Konoha at the end of Part I. Naruto and Sakura also part ways at this time, leaving Kakashi's tutelage to train under new teachers. Two-and-a-half years later in Part II, Kakashi reforms Team 7 with Naruto, Sakura, Sai, and Yamato. He assists and leads the new Team 7 in their continued efforts to find and retrieve Sasuke, but with each attempt Sasuke has eluded them. Because his students are now capable of taking care of themselves, Kakashi takes a more active role in the battles that go on during the series, particularly those with the criminal organization Akatsuki. When the Akatsuki leader, Pain, invades Konoha, Kakashi engages him in battle but he is defeated and killed. However, after his confrontation with Naruto, Pain decides to use all of his remaining power to revive those killed in the battle at Konoha, including Kakashi.
Appearances in other media
Kakashi has made several appearances outside of the Naruto anime and manga. He is in three of the featured films in the series: in the first movie he battles Nadare Rouga and later defeats him, in the third Kakashi battles the hired ninja Ishidate, whom he fights to a standstill, and he later acts as a distraction for his team by battling the minister Shabadaba's soldiers, and in the
fourth Naruto movie, is a 2007 film directed by Hajime Kamegaki and written by Junki Takegami. It is the fourth movie in the Naruto movie series. It was released on DVD in Japan on April 23, 2008, it's expected to be released in America Fall 2009; Viz Media announced that the film has already been dubbed. The US DVD...
Kakashi fights against a large group of stone soldiers. He is also present in all three of the original video animations produced for the series, helping Naruto and Konohamaru to find a four leaf clover in the first original video animation, joining his team in escorting a ninja named Shibuki to his village in the second, and participating in a tournament in the third.
Kakashi is a playable character in nearly all
Naruto video games, including the
Clash of Ninja seriesThe Naruto: Clash of Ninja series, known in Japan as , is a series of 3D cel-shaded fighting games based on the popular manga and anime series Naruto by Masashi Kishimoto. They are developed by Eighting and published by D3 Publisher and Tomy. Various installments of the series have appeared on both...
and the
Ultimate Ninja seriesThe Naruto: Ultimate Ninja series, known in Japan as the series, is a series of 3-D fighting games, based on the popular manga and anime series Naruto by Masashi Kishimoto, for the PlayStation 2. They were developed by CyberConnect2 and published by Namco Bandai...
. In some games, he is able to use his Sharingan in combat, often as a different character with the ability activated, and in other games, he is available in his ANBU attire. Naruto Shippūden: Gekitou Ninja Taisen EX
marks the first appearance of Kakashi in a video game set in Part II, with the second one being Naruto Shippūden: Narutimate Accel
.
Reception
Kakashi has ranked within the top five characters in every official Shonen JumpShōnen Jump or Shonen Jump may refer to:*Weekly Shōnen Jump, a Japanese manga anthology magazine published by Shueisha since 1968*Monthly Shōnen Jump, a sister publication of Weekly Shōnen Jump, published since 1970...
popularity poll, acquiring the first position as the most popular character several times. In the most recent poll, he ranked second, with Sasuke Uchiha acquiring the top position. There has not been another official poll since the poll as of 2006. In the Anime Awards 2006 from
About.comAbout.com is an online source for original information and advice. It is written in English, and is aimed primarily at North Americans. It is owned by The New York Times Company....
, Kakashi won in the category "Best Supporting Male Character". He was also a nominee during the first "Nickelodeon Magazine Comics Awards" in the category "Best Hair in Comics", losing to Calvin from
Calvin and HobbesCalvin and Hobbes was a syndicated comic strip written and illustrated by Bill Watterson. It follows the humorous antics of Calvin, an imaginative six-year old boy, and Hobbes, his energetic and sardonic stuffed tiger. The pair are named after John Calvin, a 16th-century French Reformation...
. In an interview,
Dave WittenbergDavid Richard Paul Wittenberg is a prolific South African American video game and anime voice actor with nearly one hundred titles to his credit. While Wittenberg was born in a hospital in South Africa, he was primarily raised in Boston...
, who does the
voice actingVoice acting is the art of providing voices for animated characters and radio and audio dramas and comedy, doing voice-overs in radio and television commercials, audio dramas, dubbed foreign language films, video games, puppet shows, and amusement rides.Performers are called voice actors,...
for Kakashi in the English
dubDubbing is the post-production process of recording and replacing voices on a motion picture or television soundtrack subsequent to the original shooting schedule. The term most commonly refers to the substitution of the voices of the actors shown on the screen by those of different performers, who...
, comments that he feels he is similar to the character since he tends to have one eye open at a time and he becomes angry if he is interrupted while reading. He also added that what he likes most about Kakashi is his relation with his students, noting him to be a very nice person. Merchandise based on Kakashi's character has also been released, including plush dolls, key chains, and a limited edition figurine.
Several publications for manga, anime, video games, and other related media have provided praise and criticism on Kakashi's character.
IGNIGN is a multimedia news and reviews website that focuses heavily on video games...
noted the duality of Kakashi's serious persona in combat and his laid back, apathetic countenance when dealing with his students, but accepted that he is one of the most popular characters in the series. They also commented that Kakashi is one of the more popular characters they have seen
cosplay, short for "costume roleplay", is a fan labor type of performance art in which participants don costumes and accessories to represent a specific character or idea. Characters are often drawn from popular fiction in Japan, Taiwan, South Korea, China, and the Philippines. Favorite sources include...
ed at anime conventions. Active Anime celebrated Kakashi's abilities, noting that he fell into the overall theme of characters hiding detailed personalities and secrets. T.H.E.M. Anime Reviews derided Kakashi as a stereotypical "Man of Mystery" seen in other shōnen manga, but praised him as being much more interesting than the three main characters, and felt that for all intents and purposes, the show could be renamed simply "Kakashi". Mania Entertainment's Dani Moure likes how Kakashi fits into Team 7 due to the fact he is a "hilarious character in that sometimes he doesn't seem all that bothered about things and yet is so masterful of his craft."