What exactly makes someone a true fan? Most fans of any series like to think of themselves as real fans of the show/manga/character they support. The line that separates true fan from the casual fan is not clear. Lots of fans consider themselves true fans if they watch every episode or read every chapter of the series. Some find true fandom as unwavering support for the character they love. Ultimately, being a true fan is in the eye of the beholder.

So, for the sake of this list, take true fan as someone who knows those tiny details about a character that the most casual person would forget. This definition helps lay out the case for powers that Naruto character, Kakashi Hatake, has that only real fans know about. Kakashi is a staple fandom pick for the coolest anime character. Many find the character design and his skill set to be so amazing that fans of the manga and show cannot help but like him. Kakashi seems to have this secret ability to instantly become a viewer's favorite character when they see him. So, what separates the casual Kakashi fan from the true fans? Well, Screen Rant would argue it's the knowledge fans have about his powers and weaknesses.

For the sake of this list, powers are being defined as any jutsu or technique Kakashi is seen using in either the anime or manga. Weaknesses are identified as any characteristic that allows opponents to gain leverage over Kakashi in battle. Weaknesses will be clarified in the entry’s header, so unless stated, all other entries are powers. These are powers that only true fans know about, so expect the obscure ones that fans may just see Kakashi use in rare instances, or that casual fans easily forget about. The same goes for weaknesses, but, honestly, it can be argued that most casual Naruto fans forget Kakashi has any flaws at all. Again, it needs to be emphasized that being a true fan is in the eye of the beholder, so keep that in mind as this list goes on.

The groundwork is done. Now it is time to get into Naruto: 15 Powers Kakashi Has That Only True Fans Know About (And 5 Weaknesses).

Six Paths Chakra

Naruto Hagoromo

The Six Paths Chakra originated in Hagoromo Otsutsuki and gave the wielder great strength. The chakra is mysterious in its exact functions, but it primarily works as a power-up. The chakra strengthens the user and is incredibly complicated to obtain. Not many characters wield it during the entire run of the series.

However, real fans remember that Kakashi is one of those characters. Kakashi briefly receives some of the Six Paths Chakra and power from Obito’s spirit. This allows his lightning release to change color due to the intensity of the chakra. It is unclear just how much of the chakra was given to Kakashi at that moment, but only some will remember him as one of the wielders of that incredible strength.

Eye Mind Reading

This entry is complicated, so to start one has to clarify this power. The Eye Mind Reading technique is basically what it sounds like; a shinobi is able to enter their opponent's mind by locking eyes with them. While in the opponent's mind, the shinobi can restore or remove information at will. It’s a technique perfect for espionage.

Only two ninjas are capable of using it, and one of them is Kakashi. The power is just discussed in an anime arc, and, in fact, Kakashi is never shown actually using it. Hanare, the other shinobi who can use the power, tells Kakashi to use the technique her and that is the only clue viewers are given to this ability. The most casual fan would never know Kakashi can infiltrate minds like this.

Weakness: Stamina

Here is the first weakness in this list. This entry is likely one of the more controversial, again, some fans might see this as apparent. However, the fact that Kakashi has low stamina is lost on some of the more casual fans.

Kakashi is not an Uzumaki, and he is not Sasuke, so in comparison, his stamina is way lower. He is capable of performing some incredible jutsu, and his taijutsu talent is off the chart. Still, the significant weakness Kakashi is overcoming is the fact he does not have the stamina depth that some of the most active characters do. This prevents Kakashi from lasting long into battles at full strength like Naruto and Sasuke are capable of doing. However, Kakashi makes up for this by using his Anbu training to finish off an opponent before his stamina wears out (usually).

Shadow of the Dancing Leaf

Say what? This entry is not a joke. Kakashi is actually capable of performing the Shadow of the Dancing Leaf, a move popularized by Rock Lee. The move involves positioning oneself behind an airborne opponent. The move is not harmful to an opponent, but it can be combined into a more fatal combination.

What the move does highlight is Kakashi’s incredible knack for Taijutsu. Taijutsu takes a lot of talent and speed to master any number of its more complex jutsus. Kakashi’s ability to perform the Shadow of the Dancing Leaf implies that many other jutsu are within his reach (and some may even appear later in this list).

Peregrine Falcon Drop

Peregrine Falcon Drop Used By Sasuke In Naruto Chunin Exams

The Peregrine Falcon Drop is an iconic move of Sasuke Uchiha early on in the series. However, it only appears in the anime mostly and goes unnamed. The various video games gave the move a name based on a North American falcon. The technique basically involves the shinobi grabbing their opponent mid-air and driving them down to the ground in a pile driver like stance.

Sasuke is the only character shown doing this in the manga, but the anime shows a few other characters making the move as well. Kakashi is one of these characters, and he does it as well as Sasuke it seems. Since he only uses it in the filler arc, only true Kakashi fans likely remember this as part of his skill set.

Kamui

Fans are a few years removed from the series finale and with that time goes memories. Even the most faithful fan might forget one or two skills their favorite shinobi possesses. With that logic, only true fans likely remember Kakashi mastering Kamui and the techniques associated with it.

Kakashi initially has difficult accurately using this Mangekyo Sharingan technique, because it requires incredible accuracy. Kakashi is shown slowly mastering this technique, and once he does, it becomes a notable shinobi along a long list of users. The move allows him to move things through space and time. It can be used for both attacking and defensive purposes making it a special trick up Kakashi’s sleeve.

Weakness: Strict 

Rin Had A Crush On Her Teammate Kakashi in Naruto Shippuden

Not everyone read the Kakashi Gaiden story arc. That fact will shock the biggest Kakashi fans, but some may fan likely skipped the story because they were confused about its purpose. It’s unfortunate, but it’s true. With some casual fans missing that arc, only the true fans know of a critical weakness young Kakashi had growing up.

The truth is Kakashi feared that breaking with the shinobi way and its rules could lead to his passing. Kakashi’s father committed suicide after dishonoring his name by not following the way of the shinobi, and that moment instilled fear in Kakashi. When he was young, his inability to bend the rules of the shinobi made him difficult to work with. The same stubbornness to the regulations put his friends in danger and caused a lot of grief for Kakashi down the road. That strict rule following was an exploitable weakness Kakashi had growing up that was shown in the Gaiden arc.

Multiple Earth-Style Wall

Earth Style Wall In Naruto Manga

The Earth-Style Wall jutsu is a technique associated with the earth release. It forms a barricade or wall that separates the shinobi from their opponent. The third Hokage used this technique to shield himself from huge offensive attacks and slow his opponent. However, Kakashi is shown using this technique differently and to a great extent.

Kakashi can use multiple Earth-Style Walls to layer his defense or reinforce the captive shell around his opponent. Generally speaking, fans only ever see the copy cat ninja use this technique as a capturing move to seal his opponent within the strong walls.

Rasengan

When Minato Namikaze creates the Rasengan technique he likely never imagined just how famous the move would become in the fictional world’s lore. It took Minato years to craft this unheralded A-rank technique and every person who masters the technique has struggled the same.

Kakashi is the forgotten master of the Rasengan. He learned it through his Sharingan and tried to infuse it with his lightning release. The pairing never worked and its argued that this is why Kakashi created the Chidori. Though Kakashi shows an infinity for his incredible Lightning Blade, true fans remember that Kakashi is more than capable of using the Rasengan.

Eight Gates

Performing the Shadow of the Dancing Leaf (mentioned earlier) is usually the precursor to a much more powerful move (keep waiting it’s coming soon). To access that kind of power takes incredible strength. A strength not many shinobi possess.

Luckily, Kakashi is able to open the first of the Eight Gates, The Gate of Opening. This ability allows Kakashi to perform more powerful taijutsu moves and strike his opponent with more speed and strength. This detail is quickly forgotten because Kakashi is only seen opening this gate less than a handful of times in the series. However, real fans know that Kakashi can wield this power just as well as Rock Lee and Might Guy.

Great Fireball Technique

Kakashi is more similar to the Uchiha clan then most of his fans would care to admit. He is shown performing a number of the most popular Uchiha patented jutsu and techniques in the anime. Throughout some filler arcs, Kakashi displays talents usually reserved for the Uchiha clan.

For instance, Kakashi is shown using the Great Fireball technique popularized by the Uchiha clan. The clan already has an affinity for the fire release, and this is one of their more powerful techniques derived from it. Being that Kakashi is the copy cat ninja and consider remarkably gifted in the shinobi way, it is not hard to see how he learned this jutsu throughout his life. In fact, it leaves many of the true fans wondering just how many jutsu he knows.

Weakness: Sharingan

Kakashi’s greatest strength is his Sharingan gifted to him by Obito. The Sharingan drains the user of chakra, and that is why Uchiha’s can stop the Kekkei Genkai when they need to. However, Kakashi is not an Uchiha and, therefore, the Sharingan constantly drains his chakra.

This makes the Sharingan an equal weakness as it is a strength. Kakashi is not able to stop his Sharingan from working, so to make up for that he covers that eye. This means Kakashi usually fights with only one eye, which makes his skills even more impressive when you think about it. When he does decide to use Sharingan, it will drain him and leave him exhausted for a while. The power is a double edge sword Kakashi learns to deal with throughout the series, but casual fans forget the drawback to using it.

Purple Electricity

Kakashi holding a ball of lightning to perform the Chidori in Naruto

Kakashi spent a lot of his life in the Anbu as a leader and dangerous assassin. Part of what made him so dangerous was his the Lightning Cutter, or Chidori, that gave off the sound of a thousand birds. It was a dangerous technique disguised under the sound of birds that allowed him to eliminate targets quickly and without notice.

However, the Sharingan is a big reason that the technique works. So, after the Fourth Shinobi World War, Kakashi loses his Sharingan and most change the way he uses this technique. The purple Electricity, or Violet Bolt, is the new lightning release that Kakashi comes up with to replace his Lightning Cutter. Many fans likely forget about this power as it is only seen in the anime.  

Strong Fist

This entry is a tad misleading and needs some clarification. First off, Strong Fist is a fighting style likened to the Hyuga Gentle Fist. In fact, fans consider it the exact opposite of Gentle Fist style. Fans also consider it a style familiar only to Lee and Guy, technically, Kakashi does not use their Strong Fist style.

Kakashi is actually pulling from the Strong Fist style to match it with his own taijutsu. What he uses from the Strong Fist comes from his Sharingan and what he learns through Guy. Kakashi does not commonly practice the fighting style but instead uses it to pull off specific techniques. Still, it hints to true fans that the power to use the Strong Fist style is within his reach.

Weakness: Icha Icha

Kakashi Reading In Naruto

Is this entry cheating? No, the truth is Icha Icha, and its complete volumes of work are one of Kakashi’s weaknesses. Kakashi is not filled with many vices but enjoying this...questionable material is one of them.

The question comes in whether only real fans know this, and the truth is they might. Sure, Naruto definitely exploits the weakness in the second bell test, but casual fans may not study it that profoundly and see it as a complete weakness. True fans know that if a character knows more about Icha Icha and can exploit it, then they may have the upper hand over Kakashi for at least a moment.

Sharingan Genjutsu

Kakashi With The Mangekyo Sharingan In Both Eyes

Unlocking the Mangekyo Sharingan gives Kakashi a wealth of abilities. Some of which he does not discover till later in his life. Kakashi opens the Mangekyo Sharingan when Rin passes away, and he is unaware of most of the abilities it has until later in his life when he crosses paths with Obito again.

One of these abilities is to cast a genjutsu against an opponent when they look into his eye. The enemy is locked in a genjutsu that varies from caster to caster. The Sharingan genjutsu ability allows Kakashi to knock enemies out and keep them locked in a painful hallucination. Kakashi is not shown using this much, but true fans know he is capable of handling this power.

Front Lotus

Finally, the Shadow of the Dancing Leaf and the Eight Gates come together to compliment this entry. Viewers know that the Shadow of the Dancing Leaf is used by Lee to begin to perform the Front Lotus. However, the Front Lotus takes a lot of strength and speed that require the user to unlock the first gate.

Kakashi is only shown performing the Front Lotus in the anime, but fans seem him unlock the first gate in the manga as well. The fact he is able to perform this move means he is at least capable of matching taijutsu skill with Might Guy at a basic level (that all changes when Guy opens more gates obviously). It’s a subtle power boost and move set that only the most attentive Kakashi fan knows he can do.

Hidden Mist Jutsu

This entry is the last of the anime only entries. However, this one feels evident to anyone who knows Kakashi’s ability. True fans know that Kakashi is capable of mimicking hand signs thanks to the Sharingan. This means that his encounter with Zabuza Momochi would give him this ability already. The anime did not need to show fans what they already knew.

The biggest Kakashi fans will argue that any jutsu performed against Kakashi while he is using the Sharingan becomes Kakashi’s jutsu now too. The evidence is here, in fact, Kakashi is shown replicating the Zabuza’s Hidden Mist Jutsu later in the anime. Showing Kakashi performing this after that fight helps support the theory and would lead many fans to suspect the copy cat ninja has way more jutsu up his sleeve than what is seen.

Weakness: Chakra Reserves

Kakashi's Chakra Paper in Naruto

This entry is eerily similar to stamina, but the two are already closely related. Stamina comes from chakra, but one can wear out of stamina before their chakra reserves run low. Kakashi just happens to have a problem with both, at least in comparison to the best.

The truth is, compared to other Jonin, Kakashi is not actually low on chakra reserves. In fact, he has a pretty high capability. The weakness comes when battling the best villains in the series. Kakashi does not match up to the strongest and most gifted of legendary shinobi. So, while Kakashi is no slouch in the chakra reserves department, he does not match up against the best of the best. That makes this a weakness and his true fans know that (even if some will not admit it).

Susanoo

Kakashis Susanoo in Naruto Shippuden

Every once in a while, fans will debate which character has the best Susanoo. They will argue based on look, power, wielder, but the will likely leave one character and their Susanoo out of the discussion. Honestly, Kakashi has one of the best designed Susanoo, but the casual fan just forgets he has one.

Kakashi only unlocks the ability to cast his complete body Susanoo when he gains the double Mangekyou Sharingan with the help of Obito. His Susanoo is only seen for a brief time but made an impression on the biggest fans. Over the years, some fans forget that Kakashi wielded his own Susanoo and many fans forget just how incredible the Susanoo looked. The light blue color with a vertical mark across its left eye is incredible. Kakashi’s most faithful fans will always defend this power and remind fans he is capable of creating the avatar.

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