Humpday Husbandos: Kakashi Hatake (Naruto)
The best mentors are those who let their students be themselves, and that’s something Kakashi Hatake from Naruto managed very well. With three strong personalities to guide from the start of the show, everyone’s favourite masked ninja has his work cut out for him — but he manages to not only teach them, but also protect his students from the ridiculous dangers they run into.
On top of that, he is somehow able to be the hottest guy in a series already full of hot guys, so it only seems right that we give Kakashi the solo spotlight with this week’s husbando review.
Who is Kakashi Hatake?
The famous Copy-Ninja from the village hidden in the leaves, Kakashi is a man shrouded in mystery. With his trusty mask and the latest copy of his favourite smut to read, he might seem like he isn’t taking things seriously, but that is only because doesn’t always need to. With talent to spare in nearly every aspect of being a ninja in the Naruto world, he is a formidable combatant and ally, depending on which side you happen to be on.
Kakashi’s personal distaste for responsibility doesn’t stop him from becoming one of the most relied upon characters in the series, eventually rising to the role of Hokage after the climax of Naruto. It makes sense, as he was always the one who previous Hokage looked to for advice and when they needed someone who could handle almost any mission they threw at him. Because of this, he is on friendly terms with just about everyone in the village, including Might Guy, who has a very one-sided rivalry with Kakashi. Because no anime character is ever complete without a rival.
Why we love him
He was wearing a mask before it was cool, something we can all respect. Kakashi’s face is never revealed during the series, something that becomes a bit of a running gag as his students attempt to catch him with his guard down. If you can’t see his face, how will we know when he is getting serious, you ask? That’s where the Sharingan comes in.
The parting gift from a childhood friend, Kakashi possesses the secret weapon of the Uchiha clan, allowing him to perfectly mimic and recreate any technique he has seen even once. When Kakashi uncovers his Sharingan eye, that’s how you know he is finally starting to take the fight seriously. Though his limited stamina doesn’t allow him to use it for long periods of time, it is usually plenty of time for him to end the fight.
Why you’ll love him
Kakashi is one of the best mentors in anime history, teaching his students as best he can while still allowing them to develop their own styles and personalities. He doesn’t stifle them or try to impose his will upon them, knowing that they will only succeed in the world if they do it on their own terms. On top of that, he is an effortlessly cool character, with just the right amount of mystery to not give away everything but not so much that we never get to know him.
He is also one of the best fighters in the series, rivalling those with more supernatural sources of energy and power. His strength comes from always working smarter than everyone around him, finding a creative, outside-the-box solution to the many problems that are thrust upon the team.
Looking to catch up with this classic anime? Every episode (along with the infamous filler episodes) and movie are available to stream on Funimation.
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