Summary
Kakashi is one ofNaruto’s most feared and respected characters, mainly because of his actionsin the Third Shinobi World War, which earned him the moniker “Friend-Killer.” Throughout the series, fans see Kakashi’s evolution as a character and a leader as the circumstances around him shape his path.
He startedhis ninja journey with Obito and Rinunder the tutelage of Minato Namikaze, so it is only right that he was the one to lead and train Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura’s Team 7. Despite appearing cold and detached, he deeply cares about his students and strives to positively impact their lives.
Kakashi’s First Real Experience Of Leadership Was During The Third Shinobi World War
Where Everything Changed For Kakashi Hatake
Kakashi’s perception of responsibility had been warped from a very young age due to the circumstances surrounding his father’s suicide. Choosing the safety of his teammates over the completion of their mission and the dire consequence of that choice on the safety of the Land of Fire caused Sakumo to be vilified by the whole village, including those whose lives he saved. This stuck with Kakashi, and he promised himself not to make the same mistake his father did.
Promoted to jonin at the ripeage of twelve, Kakashi was assigned to lead Team Minato on a mission integral to the success of the Hidden Leaf Village in the Third Ninja World War, as Minato was to be away because his strength and expertise were needed on the frontlines. When Rin was abducted by the enemy, Kakashi elected to abandon her and proceed to the mission, but it was the interjection of Obito with that iconic quote that made him realize that one’s comrades are worth more than gold. However, this realization was short-lived, as he was forced to kill Rin down the line to prevent a bigger catastrophe from occurring.
His Time At The Anbu Is Not Reflective Of The Man He Became
His Dark Past
After becoming the Hokage, Minato assigned Kakashi to the Anbu in an attempt to bring him out of his shell following the loss of his only two friends. This did not help the way he thought it would, as Kakashi quickly rose up the ladder to become the leader of his squad, Team Ro, but this was mainly due to the ruthlessness he demonstrated on the combat field.
He spared no one and was feared by his comrades and subordinates, as they believed that he would also kill them if it came down to it. So much so that before his first mission with Kakashi, Itachi was warned by the other members of the Anbu to keep his distance, as he might be in danger,but Itachi saw through hisice-cold demeanor. He was later assigned to look after the pregnant Kushina so as to experience the beauties of life, and this began to change him in ways Minato hoped it would, with Kakashi becoming more compassionate and less depressed as a result.
The Strength Of A Team Lies In Their Ability To Work Together
The Copy Ninja’s Challenge
Following the relief of his Anbu duties, Kakashi was to become the leaderof the genin teams, but none of them were able to pass the infamous bell test of teamwork that Minato had taught him in his younger days. He was assigned to the new Team 7 to keep an eye on the jinchuriki Naruto and Sasuke, who recently lost everything.
He also administered the bell test to them, and despite their refusing to work together, the compassion Sasuke and Sakura showed Naruto despite being told not to do so was enough for him to give them a pass. Since then, teamwork has been a main staple in any mission Team 7 has embarked on, and they have achieved a lot by sticking to that principle, even going up againstthe mighty progenitor of chakraand winning.
Team 7 Would Not Be Where They Are Now Without His Influence
The Able And Loving Sensei
Kakashi played a decent role in training both Naruto and Sasuke in their early days, especially Sasuke, who needed help learning how to use his Sharingan. Kakashi, being the last known member of the Leaf Village with a Sharingan, was entrusted with Sasuke after the annihilation of his clan to keep him on the right path and train him to master its use. Notably, he taught Sasuke the Chidori and helped greatly improve his speed and reflexes through the use of Might Guy and Rock Lee’s movements. He, alongside Yamato, are known for their involvement in Naruto’screation of the Rasenshuriken, which was needed to take Naruto to the next stage and topple Kakuzu, who was one of the strongest members of the Akatsuki at the time.
Although Kakashi is one of the strongest characters inNaruto, and many expected him to rise to the status of Hokage, which he did, the Sage of Six Paths acknowledged that his greatest strength lies in his ability to lead and teach. After all, he was responsible for mentoring the three ninjas that werevital in defeating Kaguya Otsutsuki, while also playing a major role in that battle and landing an attack on her himself.
