Although not one of the principal protagonists, Kakashi Hatake was nevertheless one of the best and most beloved characters from Masahi Kishimoto’s Naruto franchise. The guy had a very specific approach to life and because of his great relationship with the protagonist trio, Kakashi has become a fan-favorite character and many are wondering whether he is an Uchiha or not and how he got his Sharingan in the series.
Kakashi Hatake is not an Uchiha. He is, rather, a member of another famous clan – the Hatake Clan. Although only two members of the clan are known as of today, the clan is still one of the more famous ones; its heirloom is the White Light Chakra Sabre technique. As for Kakashi obtaining the Sharingan, he received it during the Third Shinobi World War from Obito Uchiha as a replacement for the left eye he’d lost shortly beforehand.
The rest of this article is going to focus on Kakashi Hatake, his family history and his experience with the Sharingan. You’re going to find out whether he is related to the Uchiha Clan and how this fact ties into the fact that he possessed the Sharingan. Kakashi Hatake’s importance for the series is difficult to overstate, which is why he definitely deserves a solo article.
Is Kakashi from the Uchiha Clan?
Kakashi is the only son of Sakumo Hatake, also known as “The White Fang of Konoha”. He is a member of the Hatake Clan. His mother, it seems, died very young. The Hatake Clan is one of the many clans residing in Konoha’s Hidden Village. Its only known members are renowned ninjas: the White Fang of Konoha, and his son Kakashi the Copy Ninja.
The latter later became the Sixth Hokage, after the end of the Fourth Shinobi Great War. The clan had at least one heritage: the White Chakra Saber, which produced white chakra when wielded.
Kakashi is known from a young age as an immensely talented prodigy, considered by many to be the best of his generation. He had received top marks and had shown an innate aptitude for the ninja arts. This allowed him to be the first to graduate at the age of five, and then become a Chunin at age six.
For this, he had to take the Chunnin Exams, where his team had to fight against Guy, Ebisu and Genma Shiranui, in the Forest of Death, where Guy launches the attack, hitting Obito’s face. Still, it is unknown how this match turned out; it is only known that Kakashi continued until he reached the finals, where he had to fight against Guy, who previously defeated Obito, where Kakashi won and became a Chunin.
Despite his own success, his father fell from grace after choosing to save his companions instead of completing an important mission, causing the people of Konoha to despise him; even the companions he saved scorned him for not completing the mission, and did not thank him for saving their lives.
Disgraced, Sakumo took his own life after a deep depression and a decline in his abilities caused Kakashi to strictly follow the ninja code. After graduating, Kakashi teamed up with Obito Uchiha and Rin, under the leadership of his Jōnin, Minato, the future Hokage.
Kakashi’s relationship with Obito and Rin was noted to be very similar to that of Sasuke’s relationship with Naruto and Sakura, respectively, as he is known as the uncaring genius who shared a complicated relationship with his teammates, who later it developed into a close friendship. In later years, Kakashi was assigned by his teacher, Minato Namikaze, to carry out a mission that could turn the war in favor of Konoha.
As you can see, Kakashi Hatake was not a member of the Uchiha Clan, but of a separate clan – the Hatake Clan. Now, despite that, he was in contact with members of the Uchiha Clan and they would, as you are about to see in the next section, going to play an important role in his evolution as a shinobi.
How did Kakashi get his Sharingan?
His Sharingan is a gift from his old friend Obito Uchiha, which allows him to copy any jutsu, see through any Genjutsu, perform genjutsu, and predict the opponent’s moves. However, because Kakashi has no Uchiha blood, he cannot deactivate the Dojutsu, and he loses a large amount of Chakra when using it.
Generally, Kakashi keeps his Sharingan covered while he is not in a battle, keeping it at rest. Because of this, Kakashi only uses it in a situation where he thinks it is necessary to use it. Despite his handicap with the Sharingan, he is very good at using it; Itachi Uchiha, a true heir to the Sharingan, recognized that Kakashi’s ability to use the Sharingan is far superior to that of the true users and heirs of it.
For his great mastery, he has received praise from other expert users, such as Obito and Sasuke, who acknowledged that despite being a borrowed power, he has completely mastered it. Throughout the series, Kakashi has gotten better at using it. This Dojutsu allows him to understand, capture or copy any type of Ninjutsu, Genjutsu, and Taijutsu and use these techniques as if they were his own.
Kakashi became an expert with this ability, being recognized worldwide as “The Copy Ninja”; He is said to have copied over a thousand techniques, and his arsenal continued to grow throughout the series. Thanks to this, he can use techniques from many different elements, such as water, earth, fire and lightning.
Another ability Kakashi gains is the ability to perform high-level Genjutsu until he convinces the brain that it is real. Along with this ability, he can also hypnotize anyone with just eye contact, making others do what he wants and lose their will. Combining these two abilities, Kakashi can copy his opponent’s techniques without knowing he is doing it and making believe that the user of the sharingan can “read the future” and “read minds”.
With both of these abilities, Kakashi also proved to be an expert, as he demonstrates in his fight against Zabuza. Kakashi has shown over time, the power to improve his Sharingan, since when he implanted it, he had two blades and at the beginning of the series, he had three. Also, Kakashi has been able to extend the amount of time he can use the Sharingan.
In the first part, he could only use it in a battle for a short time. In his fight against Zabuza, he demonstrates the ability to copy a large number of seals in just a few seconds, however, he collapsed very quickly, having to spend a week without moving.
By the time of the Chūnin Exams, Kakashi was able to use it throughout the Invasion of Konoha; Barely showing signs of tiredness, and in his fight with Itachi, his level was high enough to recognize that he was more skilled at using it than other users. In the second part, it is seen that he can use it for a whole day, as he demonstrated when he fought Naruto and Sakura.
He also demonstrates increased skill in seal formation and a large number of techniques in a few seconds. During the Fourth Shinobi World War, Madara stole Kakashi’s Sharingan. Immediately afterward, his left eye was restored by Naruto. Afterward, he returned it to Obito, who died with both eyes.
However, thanks to the Kamui, he managed to return briefly, entering Kakashi’s subconscious in the form of Chakra, causing him to manifest the Sharingan in both eyes and thanks to this, he could use his full potential, which increased even more thanks to the Power of the Six Paths of Obito. After the Uchiha left for the Pure World, the Sharingan disappeared from Kakashi’s eyes.
How did the Uchiha feel about Kakashi?
Kakashi was held in high regard by most of the characters in the Naruto franchise. Despite his laid-back demeanor, he was an extremely skilled shinobi and that is why people respected him. Now, the Uchicha aren’t really known as the friendliest guys out there and Kakashi did possess their family heirloom despite not being part of their family which is, in the “How to be an Uchiha Handbook” practically blasphemous.
Still, no member of the Uchiha clan seemed to hold a grudge against Kakashi. Most of the were either neutral towards the fact or even praised Kakashi for his skills; the only one to have ever said anything against Kakashi having Obito’s Sharingan was Sasuke, but that was only during his chaotic phase, when he hated everyone, so Kakashi was simply not an exception.
What if Kakshi were an Uchiha?
We don’t really know what to tell you here, honestly. This is such a hypothetical question that we don’t really know what to say. If Kakashi were, indeed, an Uchiha, he would probably know more techniques, as he would have those techniques that are inherent to the Uchiha clan. On the other hand, we honestly doubt that his personality would’ve been any different.
