The Beginning
Kakashi is the son of Sakumo Hatake, a genius renowned as "Konoha's White Fang". Not much is known of his mother other than that she died at a young age. Sakumo fell into disgrace after choosing to save his comrades rather than complete an important mission, which caused the nation and the village to suffer a great loss. Dishonoured, Sakumo took his own life after suffering a deep depression and drop in his skills; this experience made Kakashi determined to lead his life strictly by the ninja code. Hailed as a prodigy, because of his great intelligence, skill, and aptitude, at five years old he graduated from the Academy in a single year at the top of his class, eventually joining a team alongside Obito Uchiha and Rin Nohara under Minato Namikaze's command.
He later became part of a one-sided rivalry with Might Guy. In the anime, Guy first approached Kakashi while he was reading, quickly announced his desire to challenge the prodigy. While initially Kakashi was completely indifferent to the overzealous Guy's request, Guy continued to follow Kakashi around and challenge him. Eventually, Kakashi gave in to Guy's request, beating Guy in every challenge, including various forms of marksmanship, taijutsu combat, and even physical comparison. Despite these losses, Guy became only more determined to defeat Kakashi. Seemingly warming up to Guy, he continued to accept Guy's various challenges (including eating contests and Rock, Paper, Scissors), ultimately giving Kakashi a record of 49 wins and 50 losses.
A year later, Kakashi became chunin after facing and defeating Might Guy during the third stage of the Chunin Exams.
Third Shinobi World War
Soon after becoming a jonin, Kakashi was assigned to lead his team-mates Obito and Rin on a mission that would benefit Konoha in the ongoing Third Shinobi World War. They were to destroy Kannabi Bridge, which was being used by Iwagakure forces to move into Kusagakure. This would also be Konoha's first huge offensive move in the war. On their way to the bridge, Rin was kidnapped by two Iwagakure ninja named Kakko and Taiseki. Obito immediately suggested that they rescue her, but Kakashi disagreed on the basis that they needed to complete their mission, opting not to make the same mistake his father did in his mission.
Obito would not hear of it and stubbornly left to save Rin, but not before mentioning that he believed Kakashi's father, the White Fang, was a true hero. Shortly after parting ways, Kakashi reflected on Obito's words and Rin's prior kindness. He realised that his father was not wrong after all, which prompted him to join Obito in the rescue effort. Kakashi arrived in time to save Obito from Taiseki, using his father's blade to combat him. Despite the two-to-one disadvantage, the more experienced Taiseki was able to attack and damage Kakashi's left eye, who took the blow that was intended for Obito, giving him a permanent scar and blinding his left eye.
Obito's will to protect his comrades caused his Sharingan to awaken, and he used it to kill Taiseki. After finding Rin and defeating Kakko with Obito's help, Kakashi freed Rin from the genjutsu before their opponent attempted to trap them in a cave-in. While trying to escape, Kakashi was hit by a rock, which he didn't notice because of his bandaged eye, causing him to fall. Obito pushed Kakashi out of the path of a falling boulder, he himself getting crushed beneath it instead. Knowing he was dying, Obito requested his Sharingan be a belated present to Kakashi and instructed Rin to implant his left Sharingan into Kakashi's damaged eye. Rin complied, and as soon as the surgery was completed Kakashi used his new Sharingan to perfect his Chidori and kill Kakko. He then returned to Obito to see if there was anything he could do for him, but alongside Rin was forced to leave him. With the help of Minato, they ultimately completed their mission, allowing them to mourn Obito's supposed death.
Later, in the anime, Kakashi and Rin's team was given Might Guy as a replacement. It was during this mission that Kakashi and Guy found true trust and teamwork with each other, and where Kakashi famously split a lightning bolt with his Chidori, giving birth to its new name Lightning Cutter Later, during another mission, Kakashi met a young girl named Hanare of the Jomae Village who was lost. He taught her about how the clouds can help her find her way and find her teacher.
Some time after the events at Kannabi Bridge, Rin was taken captive by Kirigakure. Kakashi was able to rescue her, but not before she was forcibly made the jinchuriki of the Three-Tails. While returning to the vilage, they were ambushed by jonin and ANBU-level Kiri shinobi. Rin, who knew about Kirigakure's plan to unleash the beast on Konoha, begged Kakashi to kill her. After he refused, Rin waited for Kakashi to attack, and intentionally got in Kakashi's path, culminating in a tearful Kakashi piercing through Rin's chest with his Lightning Cutter. Shortly afterwards, Kakashi and Obito — who witnessed it from behind the scenes — developed their fully-matured Sharingan and subsequently awakened the Mangekyo Sharingan at precisely the same time. Exhausted and overwhelmed with sorrow, Kakashi lost consciousness as Obito took his rage out on the Kirigakure ninja, slaughtering them all. Though Kakashi technically was the one who killed Rin, Obito left him alive, and he was later found by Konoha reinforcements.
Post-War
After the conclusion of the war, Kakashi would often visit Rin and Obito's respective graves in the Konoha Cemetery and the Memorial Stone. On one such occasion, he visited Rin's grave and told her that their sensei's son would be born soon and left to go to the stone, unaware that Obito overheard him from afar and used that information to free the Nine-Tails and have the tailed beast ravage their village. During the Nine-Tails' attack on Konoha, Kakashi and the rest of his peers were barred from participating in defending the village by Kurenai Yuhi's father and other senior shinobi for their own safety as the younger generation.
Over the years, Kakashi became well-known amongst all the Five Great Shinobi Countries for the extensive use of his Sharingan, gaining him a reputation as "the man who has copied over a thousand techniques", hence his nickname. Kakashi eventually joined the Konoha ANBU, and also served as a mentor to Yamato whose codename was "Tenzo" at that time.
He later left for unknown reasons, but maintained strong connections with the ANBU. Kakashi eventually became a team leader, and tested many genin. As the Third Hokage told Iruka Umino, Kakashi had never passed any of them due to their inability to live up to his expectations of working as a team.
In the anime, he once had a mission where Iruka, his team-mate at the time, was injured and became an instructor at the Academy. When Iruka was having doubts at being assigned to be the home room teacher of Naruto Uzumaki, Kakashi served to remind him of his real reasons for wanting the post in the first place.
Introduction Arc
Although later earning status as a jonin-sensei, Kakashi developed a reputation throughout the academy for having exceedingly high standards on who he would train, thus every potential genin team he was assigned to failed in every survival training exam that he proctored while using a bell test, requiring the three of them to obtain at least one bell that he keeps on his waist. With only two bells available and three genin present, his students believed the test to be a competition against each other and so they worked independently in the attempt to take a bell. In the anime, when he learned that of his next potential Team 7 — which consisted of Naruto Uzumaki, Sasuke Uchiha, and Sakura Haruno — he decided to spy on them a bit to better understand their natures.
Each of the young ninja try their own methods to getting a bell, only for Kakashi to easily defeat them. After Team 7 failed their test, Kakashi was quick to express his displeasure at their performance and that true goal was team-work. After explaining the importance of team-work and seeing how ashamed they were at their performance, Kakashi decided to give Team 7 one more chance to act as a team, and let them take a break for lunch. However, Naruto, having earlier tried to steal their lunches, was forbidden to eat with a severe penalty for anybody feeding him. When he watches Sasuke and Sakura giving Naruto their food to have him in peak condition from afar, Kakashi immediately confronted them while feigning anger. Delighted as they defiantly stand up to him on the grounds that they are a team, Kakashi passes them on the ground they placed loyalty amongst comrades first.
It was later revealed that Kakashi was chosen specifically by Hiruzen Sarutobi to be the leader of Team 7 because of Naruto and Sasuke. Kakashi's duty in addition to training the team was also to keep the Nine-Tails in Naruto contained, and to ensure Sasuke does not tread a dark path, since they had similar traits that would allow Kakashi to better understand him.
Later, in the anime, upon returning from another mission, Kakashi and his team noticed an ANBU team bringing a tied-up beautiful woman who appeared to be a street performer to the village. When Inoichi Yamanaka probed her mind to learn the truth of her identity, it was revealed that she was Hanare from the Jomae Village on a mission to acquire Konoha secrets. It was also revealed that she knew Kakashi from back when he was a child. Deciding that Kakashi would have the best chance of finding out her true goals. Kakashi decided to let her walk about freely within the village while he escorted her. While walking through the village, Hanare seemed to genuinely enjoy the atmosphere of it, and also seemed drawn to Kakashi, blushing when he looked at her for too long. As Kakashi began to get Hanare to open up about herself, revealing how she met Kakashi and what he meant to her, Kakashi's students, who were spying came crashing out of the tree, landing on Kakashi and Hanare. This caused the two adults to accidentally kiss, and Kakashi to reveal his Sharingan.
After collecting himself, he demanded for the three to explain themselves. Naruto responded first by presenting a bouquet of flowers a congratulations as the three believed Kakashi was dating Hanare. The adults smiled to each other at the kids misunderstanding. Later, Konoha received word that the Jomae Village had captured a Konoha ninja and demanded an exchange for Hanare. At the exchange, a trap was set, forcing both sides to engage in battle. Kakashi went after Hanare. Upon cornering her, Kakashi revealed that he knows Hanare has a special mind reading technique that lets her look into an individual's mind, even the user's own, without hand seals and used it to read Inoichi's mind while he probed her, meaning she intentionally got taken captive. Kakashi realised this when his Sharingan was accidentally revealed and copied her technique. Hanare then revealed that she used her technique to erase the information she gained. Saying that she enjoyed her time in Konoha so much like the home she never had and the blessing of Kakashi's students for her, she couldn't betray that new-found trust. Refusing to kill her, Kakashi chose to let her go.
Later in the anime, a young but promising ninja named Sabiru proposed a new defence system for the village. Kakashi was one of the guards for the meeting that including the both the Land of Fire and Konoha council. While everyone admired Sabiru's intellect and ambition, Kakashi and the Third Hokage had their suspicions about him. Later, as the council was about to vote to pass Sabiru's proposal, they were interrupted by Kisuke Maboroshi, an ANBU who suspected Sabiru of treason. When it was discovered that Kisuke had in fact died recently, making this man an impostor, he retreated. It was revealed to Naruto, working in league with the spirit of Kisuke. Having talked to Kakashi, the two worked together and tricked Sabiru into confessing his crimes. Before they could take him in, he was killed by an unknown assailant.
During another mission in the anime, Team 7 was assigned to retrieve a golden statue stolen by bandits. To balance his plan for an ambush, Kakashi decided to go solo while his students attacked from a separate location. Naruto and Sasuke accidentally became stuck together by the bandit's leader, Jako's, liquid chakra, but managed to unite their efforts and get the statue back, despite it being seriously damaged. Kakashi however noted that they could probably melt and reforge it. While Naruto and Sasuke continued to bicker at their predicament lasting for another two to three days, Kakashi smiled to himself at how far thier bond has come despite their differences.
Land of Waves Arc
After completing a number of easy D-rank missions, Team 7, at Naruto's insistence get assigned a somewhat more difficult C-rank task of escorting the bridge-builder Tazuna to the Land of Waves. Noticing they were about to be ambushed en route by the Demon Brothers, Kakashi faked his death to determine if their target was his team or Tazuna. Easily defeated them upon seeing them attempt to kill the bridge builder, Kakashi realised that Tazuna has not been completely honest of the mission and threatens Tazuna to tell them the truth. After hearing Tazuna's goal to build a bridge to free his country from the tyranny of Gato, despite the mission now being more of an A-rank or B-rank, Kakashi decides for his group to remain until the bridge was complete.
Upon arriving in the Land of Waves, Team 7 was attacked by Zabuza Momochi, a missing-nin of Kirigakure and former Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist member who is under Gato's employment. Despite his Sharingan, combined with his need to protect his students from the more experienced ninja, Kakashi finds himself trapped in a water prison. Luckily, Naruto and Sasuke orchestrate a gambit to free him. From there, using both his Sharingan and psychological warfare, Kakashi placed Zabuza at a disadvantage until a young Kirigakure hunter-nin named Haku stepped in and appeared to kill Zabuza before dragging him away for disposal. While forced to recuperate from his Sharingan overuse, Kakashi realises that Haku might have faked Zabuza's death to save him, deciding to train Team 7 in perfecting their chakra control for a week until they can resume bodyguard duty.
Once at the bridge, Kakashi's suspicions are confirmed when Team 7 is confronted by Zabuza and Haku. While their wards battle, Kakashi once more battles Zabuza as he learned to counter him with his Hiding in Mist Technique to keep him from falling prey to Kakashi's Sharingan. In response, Kakashi summons his ninken underground to locate and pin down Zabuza to finish him off with a Lightning Cutter. However, Haku uses himself as a human shield and took the fatal blow intended for Zabuza. But despite Haku's sacrifice, Kakashi had the upper hand until Gato and his crew arrive to wipe out everyone. After seeing the gravely wounded Zabuza managing to kill Gato, Kakashi used his Multiple Shadow Clone Technique to scare the other criminals. As Zabuza died, he asked Kakashi to bring his body beside Haku's before he passed away. As Naruto tells Kakashi Haku was born in a "snowy village", Kakashi believes Zabuza really will go to where Haku has gone. Kakashi buried them alongside each other before returning to Konoha with Team 7, as the bridge is completed.
Chunin Exam Arc
Feeling his students were ready, Kakashi entered Team 7 in the Chunin Exams, despite some initial disapproval from other elite ninja. After Sasuke was branded with the Cursed Seal of Heaven by Orochimaru during the exam's second phase, unable to remove it, Kakashi used the Evil Sealing Method to try and prevent its usage. Following the preliminary matches, Kakashi decided to personally train Sasuke for a month after realising how much Orochimaru desired Sasuke from his subordinate Kabuto Yakushi attempting to abduct him. Kakashi tried to reinforce Sasuke’s self-worth and value for his friends by teaching him how to use Chidori as a deterrent against the cursed seal. As the training also involved taijutsu training copied from Rock Lee to better condition Sasuke's body for the Chidori, Kakashi runs late in delivering Sasuke to his final round match.
Invasion of Konoha Arc
When Sunagakure and Otogakure's invasion of Konoha began during Sasuke's match, Kakashi released a genjutsu along with Might Guy and Sakura, and helped repel the invaders along with Guy. They ended up having several contests to see who could defeat the most Suna and Oto-nin, although Guy usually won. When he noticed that Sasuke was going after Gaara, Kakashi sent Naruto, Sakura, Shikamaru Nara, and Pakkun to stop him and bring him back. After defeating several Suna and Oto-nin, he is briefly seen with Guy, Aoba and Kurenai. After the failed Invasion, he attends Hiruzen's funeral, mourning his loss, he listens to Iruka's words at the funeral and thinks how sad it would be if the Third Hokage had died for nothing.
Search of Tsunade Arc
Shortly after the invasion was prevented, Kakashi comes to the aid of Asuma Sarutobi and Kurenai Yuhi when they nearly got killed by Itachi Uchiha and Kisame Hoshigaki when they arrived to the village. Having learned of Akatsuki from Jiraiya, Kakashi was able to hold his own against Itachi for a short while until falling to his opponent's Tsukuyomi. Severely weakened by the technique, Kakashi confirmed that Itachi and Kisame are after Naruto before losing consciousness. Before they could take him, Kakashi is saved by Guy's arrival with the Akatsuki members driven off. Kakashi was left in a coma after what happened, and was not revived until Tsunade returned to the village. Immediately after recovering, he was sent on a new mission.
In the anime, one of his missions was survey the Valley of Judgement for an eye medical plant as Orochimaru might be interested in it for his dojutsu research. Later, Kakashi and Guy discovered Naruto, Sakura, and Neji looked for the said plant to aid Hinata's eye recovery. When the genin were attacked by the inhabited people, Kakashi and Guy acted, driving them away. Afterwards, Kakashi stated that there was no point pursing the plant as the people of this valley have spent countless years there to the point they have lost their eyesight. The Konoha ninja then returned home.
In another mission, to further strengthen the new alliance between the Konoha and Sunagakure, Kakashi's team joined a Suna ninja team that included Gaara, who Kakashi noticed seemed much calmer than before. On their way to the mission, they were attacked by a group of Suna ninja determined to kill Gaara as they still deemed him a danger. While understanding their views, Kakashi did not agree with them and attacked. After defeating these enemies, Kakashi and his team made their way to their to destroy a group of bandit's stronghold, which was a success.
Later in the anime, Team 7 went on a mission with Team 10 to rescue the granddaughter of a Village Headman who was kidnapped by a cunning bandits leader named Baji. After being taken to the entrance cave of Baji's headquarters by a former member named Tofu and told of its basic structure, it was decided between Kakashi and Shikamaru to have only the jonin enter while the genin stay behind. However, it was later revealed to be a deception of Shikamaru's, who cleverly manipulated his and the other genins' way into the stronghold, systematically taking down Baji and his forces. Once reuniting with Kakashi and Asuma, Kakashi congratulated Shikamaru for his effective plan.
Later, Tsunade assigns Team 7 a mission to locate and discover the plans of a missing-nin named Sadai. However, Kakashi and Tsunade noted that ever since Naruto defeated Gaara whereas Sasuke failed, Sasuke has been feeling inferior to him, leading to greater turmoil between them. It was decided that Kakashi would take Sasuke alone for this mission while Naruto and Sakura were sent to escort Naho, a young girl who is a relative of the Fire Daimyo. Later, Kakashi and Sasuke found and infiltrated Sadai's base where they learned he planned to kidnap Naho. With Pakkun's help they were able to find Naruto and Sakura's trail, but not before they were taken captive by Sadai's gang. With the scents mixed up, Kakashi summoned another ninken and split up with Sasuke following Pakkun. Sasuke ended up finding Sadai first. Kakashi arrived in time to stop Sasuke from beating an already defeated Sadai to death, reminding Sasuke they should bring him back for questioning. Still steaming, Sasuke left the team and returned to the village, much to Kakashi annoyance.
Sasuke Retrieval Arc
Before setting out on his mission, Kakashi stops a battle between Naruto and Sasuke. Learning that Sasuke had relapsed into desiring revenge, Kakashi lectures the youth that the Chidori was designed to protect friends — not attack them. Despite encouraging Sasuke to place greater importance on friendship, Kakashi learned upon his return that his student has defected and a squad of genin, led by Shikamaru, has been sent out to retrieve him and deal with Orochimaru’s Sound Four. Ignoring the fact that he had a new mission, Kakashi rushed out to track down Sasuke and the retrieval team. Using his ninken, Kakashi was able to locate a defeated Naruto, with Sasuke long gone. Unable to pursue Sasuke because of a fresh rainfall and due to Naruto's current condition, Kakashi took Naruto back to the village to recover, saddened that he failed to help his students.
Kazekage Rescue Arc
With Team 7 effectively dissolved, Kakashi spent the two and half years further enhancing and refining his abilities to prepare for the inevitable battle with Akatsuki. After Naruto's return to the village, Kakashi was given, by Naruto, the newest edition to the Icha-Icha series. Later, Kakashi had Naruto and Sakura take another bell test, with the real objective being to actually capture the bells, to see how much they have improved. When they were unable to get close enough to Kakashi to each take a bell, Naruto and Sakura resorted to trying to spoil the plot of the most recent Icha-Icha novel, throwing Kakashi off guard and allowing them to take the bells.
When word reached Konoha that Gaara had been kidnapped by Akatsuki, Team Kakashi was sent to rescue Gaara. Upon arrival in Sunagakure, they are teamed with Chiyo before following Akatsuki's trail. Along the way, they encountered Itachi. Kakashi was able to fight on even grounds in this battle, but noted that Itachi's performance wasn't what it was the last time they met. With a well-timed manoeuvre, Kakashi was able to trick and restrain Itachi, giving Naruto the opening needed to finish the fight with his Big Ball Rasengan. Afterwards, they discovered that the Itachi was only a lookalike. They then met up with Team Guy, which was sent as back-up to Team Kakashi, outside an Akatsuki lair. Because there is a barrier over the entrance, Team Guy went to take down the barrier. This allowed Team Kakashi to infiltrate the lair, where they found Sasori, Deidara and Gaara.
Deidara flew off with Gaara's body, with Naruto and Kakashi in pursuit, leaving Sasori to Sakura and Chiyo. While pursuing Deidara, Kakashi tried to use his new Mangekyo Sharingan and its Kamui ability in an attempt to remove his head, but his aim was poor and he was only able to sever an arm. Nevertheless, Naruto was able to retrieve Gaara. With Naruto successful, Deidara tried to use a Suicide Bombing Clone to escape. Kakashi used Kamui again to get rid of the explosion, saving Team Guy, who was nearby. Chiyo gives her life to revive Gaara and they return home. Because he used Kamui too much, Guy prompted to carry Kakashi on his back, to the disgust of the rest of the two teams except for Lee who offered to do the same with Neji. Afterwards Kakashi is left bed-ridden for a week.
Sasuke and Sai Arc
Kakashi, a bit disorientated, was brought back to Konohagakure by Guy and rushed to the hospital to recover from the strain of using his Mangekyo Sharingan. Ordered bed rest for at least a week, Yamato, a former ANBU ally, goes in his stead as Team Kakashi's leader to capture Sasori's spy. Before the mission began, Kakashi learned the horror that awaited if Naruto was allowed to reach the fourth-tail of the Nine-Tails chakra cloak; Jiraiya had received a near-fatal blow to the chest during training with Naruto in that form. He was later hooked up to an IV, complaining that he wanted to eat solid foods.
Hidan and Kakuzu Arc
After resuming training with Naruto, Kakashi revealed that this training was to allow Naruto to combine his Wind chakra with his Rasengan to create a brand new technique attempted by the Fourth Hokage; to demonstrate his point, Kakashi showed Naruto that he could perform the Rasengan as well, but couldn't add his Lightning chakra to it. Upon hearing that Asuma Sarutobi had been killed in a battle with Akatsuki, Kakashi decided to lead Team 10 in avenging him, as Naruto had already advanced in his training beyond needing Kakashi's assistance. He left Yamato in charge of overseeing Naruto's training, and had Shikamaru work with him on the plan of attack.
When they located Akatsuki members Hidan and Kakuzu, Shikamaru distracted the two, giving Kakashi an opportunity to hit Kakuzu with a Lightning Cutter. Although successful, it turned out that Kakuzu had a total of five hearts, one of which (the earth heart) Kakashi had already destroyed. Realising that the Akatsuki duo were seemingly unstoppable when together, the team decided to separate them, with Kakashi handing a capsule filled with Kakuzu's blood to Shikamaru and the latter leading Hidan away. Kakashi later escaped Kakuzu's counterattack, when Hidan inadvertently destroyed his partner's water heart with his curse technique.
While Hidan fell to Shikamaru, Kakuzu intended on taking Kakashi's and the remaining members of Team 10's hearts to replace the ones he lost, with three hearts remaining intact. In the nick of time, Naruto and the rest of Team Kakashi came to their aid. Using his new Wind Release: Rasenshuriken, Naruto was able to crack Kakuzu's fire and wind hearts, leaving Kakuzu defeated. This gave Kakashi the opportunity to finally finish the Akatsuki member off with another Lightning Cutter. As Kakuzu wondered how he could have been defeated by the likes of them, Kakashi told him before killing him how the next generation will always surpass the current one. Kakashi along with Yamato are later summoned to Kakuzu's autopsy by Tsunade who labels Naruto's new technique as a kinjutsu and orders that he never uses it again because of the detrimental side-effects. Afterwards Kakashi finds Naruto at Ramen Ichiraku and ends up having to feed him his noodles. As Kakashi attempts to tell him what Tsunade says, Naruto interrupts him telling him not to stop him from progressing.
Itachi Pursuit Arc
When word of Orochimaru's defeat at the hands of Sasuke reached Konoha, Kakashi tried to make another attempt at retrieving Sasuke. He assembled the members of Team Kakashi and Team Kurenai (minus Kurenai) into an Eight Man Squad, and set out to locate either Sasuke or his brother, Itachi. Kiba and Naruto were eventually able to find Sasuke's location, and the team gave chase, only to be delayed by Tobi. Their efforts to attack Tobi all proved futile because of Tobi's unique teleporting technique. It was not until Zetsu reported to Tobi that Sasuke had killed Itachi that they were able to continue their pursuit. Before Tobi disappeared, Kakashi noticed, to his shock, a Sharingan on Tobi. Despite the team's haste, Tobi got to Sasuke first and, having lost the trail, were forced to return home.
Invasion of Pain Arc
Kakashi was present in Tsunade's office where Fukasaku told the room at large, including Naruto, that Jiraiya was killed by the leader of the Akatsuki. Kakashi left Naruto alone to mourn for his loss but later helped the decoders decipher Jiraiya's message using a clue from the latest Icha-Icha instalment, much to Kakashi's extreme discomfort and Shikamaru's embarrassment. While Naruto left the village to learn senjutsu, Kakashi prepared himself for an Akatsuki attack.
When Akatsuki's leader, Pain, attacked Konoha in search of Naruto, Kakashi confronted Pain's Deva Path, after realising that the initial attack was a diversion. He saved Iruka Umino from certain death, but was overpowered by the Deva Path's gravitational-manipulation techniques, repelling all of Kakashi's attacks. When the Asura Path arrived to help the Deva Path, Kakashi was forced on the defensive until he got reinforcements from Choji and Choza Akimichi. After figuring out the Deva Path's powers, Kakashi devised a plan, and used Choji and Choza's help to take down the Deva Path. They almost succeeded, but the Asura Path uses itself as shield, allowing the Deva Path to counter, defeating them all. Noting that Kakashi was too great a threat to be left alive, the Deva Path sends a nail flying towards the Copy Ninja, seemingly killing him.
Believing them all to be dead, the Deva Path left. When he came to, Kakashi sent Choji to tell Tsunade about the Deva Path's abilities. But as Choji left, the still-active Asura Path launched a missile at him. Despite knowing that he was almost out of chakra, and would likely die if he used the Mangekyo Sharingan again, Kakashi used Kamui to dispose of the missile and save Choji. Having expended the last of his chakra, Kakashi died, and his soul left his body. He lamented on how he failed to protect Rin and soon found himself at a campfire with his deceased father, Sakumo, to whom he tells his life story upon request from his father.
During Pain's destruction of Konoha, Kakashi's body was protected by one of Katsuyu's divisions. After finishing the recount of his life, he stated that he finally understood why his father had chosen to save his friends and was now proud of him for it. Their conversation was halted when a ray of light beamed down upon Kakashi, as a result of Nagato's Samsara of Heavenly Life Technique. Before seeing his son depart, Sakumo thanked Kakashi, and declared that he would now be able to join his wife. Kakashi then woke up in the Konoha battlefield, with Choji shocked. As Kakashi wondered what happened, a Katsuyu division explained to him the series of events that had occurred. After the invasion came to an end, Kakashi fetched Naruto and brought him back to a massive welcoming party at Konoha. There, he complimented Naruto on finally achieving his goal to be accepted and appreciated by the whole village.
Five Kage Summit Arc
When news reaches Konoha of Sasuke's actions in the Land of Lightning, Naruto asks Kakashi and Yamato to take him to the Land of Iron so that he can ask the Fourth Raikage to forgive Sasuke. Before leaving, Kakashi asks Sai to keep their departure a secret from Danzo, the acting Hokage while Tsunade is in a coma. They locate the Raikage, but Naruto is unable to convince him. During their stay at a motel in the Land of Iron, Tobi confronts Naruto. Having expected him, Kakashi and Yamato attack him. Knowing the attacks will have no effect, Tobi tells them about Sasuke's motivations, the Sage of the Six Paths, the Uchiha clan, and the truth of Itachi. Kakashi then asks what Tobi's own motives are, but receives only the answer of "to be complete" before Tobi disappears.
Sai and Sakura follow Naruto to the Land of Iron and Sakura tells Naruto that she loves him and Kakashi watches on in disappointment and stops an angered Yamato from interrupting, trusting Naruto to handle it. Kakashi suspects that this is not the real reason they came, which is confirmed by one of Sai's ink clones. Sakura, as agreed upon by the other members of the Konoha 11, is going to kill Sasuke before he involves Konoha in a future war in any way possible. Knowing that she is no match for Sasuke and possibly understanding that he is most likely the only one who can reason with her in her current mental state, Kakashi prepares to follow her. At that moment, Gaara arrives and tells them about the start of the Fourth Shinobi World War and Danzo's actions at the Kage Summit. He adds that the other Kage would prefer if Kakashi were the Hokage. When Gaara leaves, the ink clone guides Kakashi to Sakura.
The ink clone disperses en route when Sakura neutralises the real Sai. Kakashi finds her in time to stop Sasuke from killing her and tells her that, as Sasuke's teacher, he will be the one to kill him. Kakashi makes one final attempt to draw Sasuke away from a life of vengeance, but Sasuke menacingly responds by saying that only by bringing his entire clan back would he stop. Kakashi tells Sakura to leave with Karin while he fights Sasuke, and contemplated his feelings being the same as the Third Hokage's with Orochimaru. Their fight soon led off the bridge they were on and Kakashi receives an attack from Sasuke's Susanoo. Kakashi is forced to use Kamui to divert the attack, which leaves him unable to protect Sakura when she rejoins the fight. Naruto arrives in time to save her, and furious at Sasuke's mercilessness, Kakashi tries to finish him off. Naruto halts Kakashi in order to speak with Sasuke, who gloats about having killed Danzo. Tobi and Zetsu soon arrive and Kakashi, at Naruto's request, allows them to leave with Sasuke without incident. Kakashi tries to take out Tobi with Kamui, but Tobi tells him that the technique won't work on him. Tobi teleports away taking Sasuke, and Zetsu leaves then as well. Kakashi collects Karin, believing she may have useful information, and revives Sai and Sakura's other escorts before going home.
Confining the Jinchuriki Arc
Upon returning to Konoha, Kakashi brings Karin to Ibiki for questioning. Kakashi spoke with Koharu Utatane and Homura Mitokado about all that had occurred. While reluctant to become Hokage, he agreed to their decision to make him Hokage the Allied Shinobi Forces would need a Kage from each of the Five Nations and Kakashi already had full trust and respect from the other Kages. In the anime, word quickly spread about Kakashi being appointed the Sixth Hokage. Happy for his long-time friend and rival, Guy challenged him to a race, which resulted in Kakashi's 50th win over Guy. Soon afterwards, Kakashi was taken to the Stone Carvers of the Hokage Monument to make a replica of his face to carve his likeness on the monument.
Later, he accompanied the Konoha Council to a meeting hall with the Fire Daimyo and his delegation. Despite a unanimous vote for Kakashi, moments before he was officially declared the Sixth Hokage, news reached them of Tsunade waking up, ending the proceedings. Later, while Tsunade was recovering, Kakashi spoke with her and thanked her for waking up in time, noting he was not cut out for the position of Hokage.
Shinobi World War Arc
Kakashi was later appointed as commander of the Allied Shinobi Forces' Third Division. As he and the other generals stood over their battalions he urged Gaara as the Regimental Commander to say a few words to them. As two ninja on the brink of infighting began to bicker, Kakashi watched on noting that he had a feeling something like this would happen and as Gaara parted them and spoke to the masses Kakashi noticed the change in atmosphere around the ninja.
Later on while Kakashi was with his division, he saw the ambush squad set off a red flare. He then ordered his division to go to the Surprise Attack Division. They arrive in the nick of time and save Sai, Omoi, and Zaji from danger. Much to Sakura and his surprise, they find Zabuza and Haku amongst the enemy ranks. Zabuza and Haku ask how Naruto is doing, and Kakashi remarks that Naruto has become an admirable shinobi. However, their reunion is cut short when Kabuto strengthens his grip on the resurrected shinobi, completely eradicating their personalities. Before completing losing control of themselves, Haku and Zabuza pleaded for Kakashi to stop them, with Kakashi agreeing as he revealed his Sharingan. As Zabuza used the Hiding in Mist Technique, Kakashi orders his squad into a Manji Formation around the sensor ninja. When Kakashi's division is about to mount a counter-attack, he watches in exasperation as the previous generation of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist is summoned to the battlefield. As the swordsmen begin to thin the division's numbers, Kakashi comes up with a plan to neutralise the Hiding in Mist Technique used by Zabuza. He tries to impale Zabuza with a Lightning Cutter, only for Haku to take the blow. Zabuza then seizes the opportunity to attack the immobile Kakashi.
Kakashi narrowly dodges the strike with only a shallow wound, which fully regenerates Zabuza's Kubikiribocho, while Haku was bisected at the waist. As Kakashi reflects on how this situation was just like their last battle, he remembers how Zabuza and Haku taught Naruto an important lesson in bonds. Kakashi openly thanked them for being Naruto's first opponents. Also remembering how Kakashi had grown to respect and like the two rogue ninja, Kakashi became determined to free them from their undead prison in respect for the way they chose to die. Kakashi then ordered his men to prepare the strategy again as Kakashi charged forward, using his Lightning Cutter to destroy Zabuza's sword-wielding arm and stab him through the chest. Kakashi's team then used special bounds to trap them, also causing the mist to dispel. Openly voicing his anger at how someone could toy with the dead, stating that he will going on a rampage as he picks up Kubikiribocho to use.
On the next day, Kakashi and his division resume the battle against the remaining Mist Swordsmen. In the anime, he defeated Jinin Akebino, giving his team time to seal him. Later, he encountered Jinpachi Munashi and Kushimaru Kuriarare toying with members of Kakashi's division. While able to save some of them, he soon found himself cornered by the two swordsmen. Might Guy than arrived to aid Kakashi. Taking advantage of the swordmen's lack of teamwork, they were able to hold them off until the sealing team arrived to subdue them.
Later, Kakashi faces Fuguki Suikazan. He cuts down the Mist Swordsman by imbuing the Kubikiribocho with lightning, allowing Sai to seal Fuguki inside of his drawing. After noticing more White Zetsu Army clones arriving, he tells Guy who wanted them to take them down all at once that they also had reinforcements after seeing Naruto's clone arrive on the battlefield. After dealing with the remaining Mist Swordsmen, Kakashi and Guy head on to save Naruto from being captured by Tobi. Attacking him once he materialised, Kakashi was able to retrieve Naruto before Tobi could warp him away.
Smiling at his pupil, he tells him that he couldn't sit idly by while his student overexerts himself. Deciphering the information Naruto had spewed out, he watches on as the Five-Tails charges at Tobi and theorises that Tobi did not have perfect control of the beasts before telling Naruto to stay focused. As the beasts charge at them, Kakashi tells Guy that they needed to decipher which beast used which of the Six Paths of Pain's abilities. Activating his Lightning Cutter, he and Guy confront the beasts head on, he is shocked to see that they aren't using these abilities. He and Guy later watch in shock as Tobi, after congratulating Kakashi on his observation skills, causes Utakata and Roshi to fully transform. As the Six-Tails attacks breathing out a corrosive gas, Kakashi warns Guy not to touch the substance it spewed at all.
As they retreat, Guy alerts him to Naruto's predicament. Telling Guy that they weren't able to leave to free Naruto from Son Goku's jaws as they were being pressured from all sides, he creates a shadow clone and assumes the Manji Formation. Entrusting their backs to one another, Kakashi and his clone charges forward with the Lightning Transmission technique, severing the chakra arms. Kakashi prepares for another onslaught of attacks as the beasts confront him head-on. As Naruto succeeds in releasing Son from Tobi's control, both Kakashi and Guy look on shocked as the now fully-transformed jinchuriki bear down on them.
As the situation becomes dire, Kakashi decides that he would warp away the five Tailed Beast Balls that were aimed at them, but Guy tells him that there was no way he had enough strength for that. Kakashi also declines Guy's decision to use the eighth gate, stating he would die after opening it. Both men are rescued however by Naruto who deflects the attacks with such speed that Kakashi momentarily believes him to be his former teacher Minato. Absorbed into Kurama's chakra as Naruto transforms, both men watch on at the battle between the beasts ensue watching in horror as the five opposing beasts later combine a Tailed Beast Ball, and Naruto attempts to counter with his own.
Ten-Tails Revival Arc
After Naruto's Tailed Beast Mode was cancelled, Kakashi stands alongside Guy, who uncharacteristically says that he felt old seeing Naruto come so far which somewhat shocks Kakashi. Kakashi then tells him that their youth wasn't over just yet which seemingly gets Guy back to his old self. He is later seen mobilised beside Might Guy, Naruto Uzumaki and Killer B in his full Eight-Tails form preparing to assault Tobi and the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path. Launching an attack with his shadow clone, Kakashi called to Guy who followed up with an attack followed by B and Naruto, the latter of which continued to taunt Tobi despite his advisement against it.
While Naruto and Guy battle Tobi, Kakashi focuses on the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path. Kakashi then tries to use Kamui on the the statue to remove it's head, however the statue seems to have nullified the attack which confuses Kakashi. He then infuses a kunai with Lightning Release and calls out to B to launch him. Launching across the battlefield, Kakashi easily cuts through a rock that separated him from Naruto and launches the kunai at Tobi who becomes intangible and kicks the kunai towards Naruto. Kakashi uses Kamui once again to warp away the kunai. Regrouping as the last attack seemingly fails to land, the shinobi wonder how they were going to defeat Tobi.
Noticing the slight crack in Tobi's mask, Kakashi denies the fact that it was made by Naruto's last attack, and noted that the crack was too sharp to have been made by an impact like that. Realising what had made the gash in the mask, Kakashi called out to his comrades to aid him in testing his hypothesis. Climbing into B's hand the three shinobi are launched across the battlefield, and after Guy and Naruto respectively attacked Tobi, just before the masked man phased through Naruto's Rasengan, Kakashi used Kamui to send the Rasengan to the other dimension. Tobi's right arm was then subsequently hit by an unseen attack at which time Kakashi declared that his hypothesis was right and realised that Tobi was not using two separate techniques to warp himself away and another to phase, but one single technique.
Obliging Guy's request to tell them his analysis in the simplest way possible, Kakashi explains what occurred that Tobi only intangible by transferring part of himself into the other dimension where Kakashi sends whatever he targets with Kamui to. But as this other dimension is pointed out as a link between his Sharingan and their enemy's, Kakashi questioned Tobi as to where exactly he got the eye from. However, Kakashi is horrified upon hearing Tobi's answer of obtaining his Sharingan from Kannabi Bridge during the previous war. Kakashi is at a loss for words, in a daze thinking of his former comrade, Guy attempts to snap him out of it while Naruto charges at Tobi in his Tailed Beast Mode. After hearing Naruto's speech, Kakashi rallied back and readied a new strategy that requires him to time the few remaining Kamui he can use. Charging forward as Naruto created a shadow clone to attack Tobi, Kakashi seemingly warped away the dispelled clone's Rasengan before collapsing from the strain with his eye bleeding. In reality, however, Kakashi warped Naruto's clone into the other dimension, allowing his student's clone to catch Tobi off guard and shatter his mask.
Kakashi is left completely stunned as he looks on to see that behind the shattered mask, is his childhood friend Obito Uchiha. When Kakashi questions him as to how he survived, Obito avoids his question but explains the reason for his plans; Kakashi's failure to protect Rin, causing Obito to hate "this useless reality", an answer that only caused Kakashi to sink further in depression. After the attack launched by Obito is thwarted by Naruto, they are soon joined by the reincarnated Madara. Shocked by this, they silently watched the Uchiha pair converse amongst themselves, and Kakashi expressed surprise at the fact Madara knew about Obito's Eye of the Moon Plan. While Madara started his confrontation with Naruto and Killer B, Kakashi and Guy prepared to confront their former comrade. Taking advantage of this, Kakashi proceeded to ask Obito why he teamed up with someone like Madara.
Interrupted by the clash between Naruto and Madara, Kakashi again posed the question to Obito. However, his former friend told him that there was nothing more to be said between them, and that the only thing left to do was to have their final fight. Hurling shuriken out of the other dimension, Kakashi blocked Obito's barrage with an earth wall until Obito phased through the wall holding one of the shuriken and stabbed it into Kakashi's left leg. Kakashi's persistence to ask why Obito was doing this only led his former friend to retort that he is trash that does not shut up, and warped Kakashi away to the other dimension. Remembering Obito's words of those who abandon friends being even worse than trash, Kakashi could not believe that the hero he looked up to had forsaken his previous beliefs and used his Kamui to warp himself back from the other world.
Kakashi admits that he is trash for failing to protect Rin as promised, but questions Obito if Rin was related to his new ideals before getting kicked in the face and slashed with Obito's two held shuriken. Calling Obito one of Konoha's heroes while imploring him to not end up like him, Kakashi is told by his former friend that they are both trash because they survived the worthlessness of this reality. Obito prepared to finish Kakashi off before Naruto's shadow clone intercepted Obito's right-hand shuriken, declaring that he would protect his friends with his life. Remembering the exact same words he said to Team 7, Kakashi regained his will to fight and used his Lightning Cutter to destroy Obito's other shuriken. He then proclaimed that he remembered what Obito taught him in the past, and that now he would protect Naruto.
Weakened from his injuries and overusing his Mangeyko Sharingan, Kakashi falls to his knees in exhaustion. Obito again attempts to warp Kakashi to the other dimension, but is stopped by Naruto. After Kurama temporarily switches places with Naruto, it grabs Kakashi, and throws him towards Obito, who successfully warps him away. With no time to complain, Naruto attacks Obito while Kakashi, who Kurama had supplied with chakra when it threw him, attacked Obito's materialised body parts in the other dimension. Warping himself back to the real world, Kakashi looks on as a giant Tailed Beast Ball was fired by B and Naruto at the statue. Kakashi contemplated whether the statue had really been destroyed, but it was later revealed to have successfully become the Ten-Tails.
As Madara and Obito connect themselves to the Ten-Tails by way of tendrils being inserted, Kurama grabs Kakashi and Guy in its mouth to restore their chakra. Kurama, understanding the true nature behind the Ten-Tails, begins giving instructions to how they should have the might beast. When Kakashi notes that Kurama is acting like a captain, it thinks Kakashi has a problem with it, but the jonin merely replies that he actually likes it. Kakashi's kindness to Kurama is shortly enjoyed as the Ten-Tails shows remarkable speed, quickly overwhelming Kakashi and his team. Following Kurama's advice, Kakashi uses Kamui to teleport Gyuki in front of the Ten-Tails, who launches a point-blank Tailed Beast Ball at the resurrected demon.
After deflecting the attack back at Gyuki, the Ten-Tails attempts to attack Naruto and Kakashi with its tail, but Naruto throws Kakashi out of the way in time. Landing in the safety of Kurama, Kurama later dematerialises, and Kakashi falls to the ground. Kakashi finds himself weakened from transporting Gyuki with his Kamui. Stressing the importance of Naruto's life to the war effort, Kakashi finds relief as all divisions of the Allied Shinobi Forces assemble at the battlefield, and Sakura begins to heal him.
Reeling from an attack from a newly evolved Ten-Tails, Kakashi is asked by Shikaku for information regarding his fights with the enemy prior to the Allied Shinobi Forces arrival, but Kakashi is forced to cut contact and attempts to use Kamui against the Ten-Tails. Realising he couldn't use it in time, ordering another to use an Earth Release technique to make the ground underneath the beast uneven, Kakashi is shocked to see the Ten-Tails massive firing distance with a Tailed Beast Ball. Kakashi and Sakura later narrowly avoid one of the wooden stakes that was fired by the Ten-Tails. He later watched on in horror as Neji sacrificed himself to protect Naruto and Hinata from the projectiles, and attempted to chide Obito for degrading Naruto, but was cut off by the former's tirade, in which he pointed out that Kakashi should know that nothing but loneliness was at the end of the path Naruto had chosen to take. He would later affirm that promising to protect loved ones could become a curse, if they were unable to fulfil that promise. Understanding this, Naruto still agreed to keep Neji in his heart and to carry on his will, stating that to do otherwise would be to truly killing Neji.
After receiving chakra from Naruto, resulting in a chakra cloak, Kakashi thought back to his conversation with Shikaku and the feats he was able to accomplish the first time Kurama gave him chakra. He later charged towards, and attacked the Ten-Tails alongside the other empowered members of the Alliance. Ultimately, the Allied Shinobi Forces manage to separate Obito and Madara from the Ten-Tails, which causes the massive demon to start going berserk. As Kakashi prepares to warp it away, he is intercepted by Obito. The two men end up warping to Kamui's dimension but not before Kakashi called out to Naruto, telling him to handle things there.
Upon arriving, Kakashi reacts first and strikes with his Lightning Cutter, only to hesitate and stop at the last moment, much to Obito's shock. Realising that Kakashi is still plagued by guilt and hope for Obito reforming, the fallen Uchiha begins mocking Kakashi. Kakashi begs Obito to accept that things don't have to be this way, as in many ways the man Obito once was now lives in Naruto. Obito then stood up, phasing through Kakashi's Lightning Cutter. He then revealed that he knew all along the circumstances of Rin dying. That just like how he didn't blame Kakashi for Rin's death, she and Kakashi weren't the reason for him starting this war. Obito tells Kakashi to forget about his guilt as there is nothing left of the man Kakashi once fought alongside, emphasising this from a genjutsu of a gaping hole where his heart should be.
Appealing to Kakashi's happier memories from their childhood, Obito emphasises that the illusion world can give Kakashi back that lost time, creating an illusion of child Obito and Rin, which Kakashi quickly strikes down. Kakashi defiantly refuses Obito's offer of a dream world, saying that illusions will never heal one's pain. While admitting that the real world can be cruel at times, the support of one's friends can ease the pain and rejecting your friends will only add to the pain. Obito scoffed at Kakashi's words, saying that attachments like that are the source of one's pain. Kakashi however reminds Obito of the lesson he once taught Kakashi: One who abandons their friends are worse than trash. As Obito was taken aback by these words, Kakashi declared that he will force these feelings back on Obito, even if he refuses.
Their battle then raged on, with them challenging each other with various genjutsu tactics, constantly ending in a stalemate. Finally deciding to fight for real, Kakashi and Obito as a last sign of respect between former allies performed a challenge salute. The two clashed, almost mirroring a sparring match from their youth. While Obito managed to pierce Kakashi's shoulder with a black rod, Kakashi impaled Obito through the chest, winning the fight. While Obito admitted losing, he laughingly said Kakashi would lose the war before returning to the normal world.
Heavily fatigued from his battle against Obito, Kakashi remained in the Kamui dimension to suture his wounds before returning to the battlefield. As he began to catch his breath, he thinks over all that has transpired with the new dark Obito, coming to the conclusion that Obito has not truly relinquished the Will of Fire, but rather pushed it aside and his meeting with Naruto has caused him to gain conflicted emotions. Suddenly, Kakashi begins to see and hear what Obito does through their matching pair of Sharingan eyes. Seeing Obito's continued turmoil, Kakashi notes that Obito could have overcome this hole in his heart if he let his friends fill it with their feelings.
Once recovered, Kakashi teleported back to the battlefield, poised over a defeated Obito. Believing that Obito was his responsibility, Kakashi lunged his kunai at Obito, only for the reincarnated Minato to stop him. While Kakashi was shocked by the appearance of his late sensei, the Fourth Hokage explained that Naruto's persistence has gotten through to Obito. Accepting his inner pain, Obito admits that Rin was the only good thing in his life and losing her only left him in misery. Madara's plan seemed the only sensible choice left in Obito's mind. Kakashi admits that he doesn't know for sure if Naruto's views are anymore right and that maybe Madara's isn't completely wrong, shocking Obito. While sympathising with Obito's personal pain of Rin's death along with his other loved ones, Kakashi insists that Naruto's views are at least less likely to fail because his goals naturally draws more people to aid him.
After learning from Minato that Obito will survive, Kakashi prepares to join the battle against Madara. As Kakashi's words fully reach Obito, the now-reformed Uchiha admits to understanding why Nagato betrayed him to aid Naruto. Deciding to follow from Nagato's example, Obito resolves as a true act of atonement for his mistakes sacrifice his life to revive all the fallen shinobi with Samsara of Heavenly Life Technique. Not wanting his childhood friend to die, Kakashi begs him to instead dedicate his life to making amends, to which Obito said would be the "easy" path, no longer feeling worthy to ever see Rin again. As he begins to finish the technique, the Black Zetsu emerges from the ground, possessing Obito and forces him to revive Madara, much to Kakashi's and Minato's shock.