Kakashi is the son of Hatake Sakumo, a genius Shinobi famously known as “The White Fang of Konoha.” Kakashi idolized his father deeply. In fact, the people of Konoha also held great respect for Sakumo, whom they considered even more powerful than the Three Legendary Sannin of Konoha.

However, tragedy struck Sakumo’s life. While leading a secret mission to infiltrate enemy territory, Sakumo faced a critical dilemma: to complete the mission for the benefit of Konoha or to save his comrades whose lives were at stake. According to Shinobi rules, failing a mission is a severe offense. Yet, Sakumo chose to abandon the mission in order to save his comrades.

Sakumo’s decision brought significant consequences. Both the Village of Konoha and the Land of Fire suffered considerable losses. Ironically, the villagers, including the very comrades Sakumo saved, turned on him with scorn and ridicule. The immense social pressure led Sakumo into a deep depression, eventually driving him to take his own life.

From that moment on, Kakashi, who once admired his father, underwent a drastic change. He no longer felt pride in his father’s legacy and vowed to always adhere to every Shinobi rule. His father’s death marked the beginning of a shift in Kakashi’s principles, earning him a reputation as an uncompromising rule follower. Kakashi grew to resent his father and no longer saw him as a role model.

However, Kakashi’s life journey didn’t end there. His worldview continued to evolve, transforming him from a strict adherent to rules into someone who valued compassion and humanity above rigid regulations.

The reasons behind Kakashi Hatake’s transformation will be explained in the following discussion.

1. Kakashi Hatake: The Rule-Abiding Boy

Young Kakashi was a boy obsessed with following Shinobi rules. He firmly believed in the principle that “a Shinobi who breaks the rules and regulations is scum.” Because of this, Kakashi always prioritized the success of the mission above all else.

Even when his teammates were injured or left behind in enemy territory, Kakashi chose to ignore them and stay focused on completing the mission. His attitude often led to conflicts with his teammates and superiors, who viewed him as cold and unfeeling.

During the Third Great Shinobi War, the Third Hokage, Hiruzen, assigned Minato’s team to destroy the Kannabi Bridge, which the Shinobi of Iwagakure were using to send reinforcements. However, their departure was delayed because Obito had not arrived at the team’s meeting point. When Obito finally showed up late, Kakashi immediately scolded him and lectured him on the importance of following Shinobi rules.

Kakashi was highly knowledgeable about the rules in the Shinobi Codebook. When Obito was attacked by enemies and needed Minato’s help, Kakashi was annoyed by Obito’s excuse that his lack of awareness was due to his eyes being watery from dust. In a firm tone, Kakashi cited Article 25 of the Shinobi Code, which states that Shinobi must never shed tears.

Minato then divided the team into two groups. Kakashi’s team, consisting of himself, Rin, and Obito, was tasked with infiltrating enemy lines to destroy the Kannabi Bridge. Once the mission was complete, they were ordered to retreat immediately. Meanwhile, Minato took on the enemy alone, diverting their attention to ensure Kakashi’s team could carry out their mission smoothly.

However, Kakashi found himself facing a situation similar to the one his father, Sakumo, had once encountered. He faced a significant dilemma—continue the mission to secure victory for Konoha or save their teammate Rin, who had been kidnapped by Iwagakure Shinobi. Without hesitation, Kakashi chose to proceed with the mission, abandoning Rin.

This decision infuriated Obito. He scolded Kakashi harshly for abandoning their comrade. In response, Kakashi reminded Obito of the rule in the Shinobi Code, which stated that a Shinobi must be willing to sacrifice their comrades for the success of the mission.

Despite being reminded of the rules, Obito chose to defy orders and rescue Rin. Obito even declared that he viewed Sakumo Hatake, Kakashi’s father, as a true hero. Obito acknowledged that a Shinobi who breaks the rules is scum, but to him, a Shinobi who abandons their comrades is worse than scum.

Obito’s words struck a chord with Kakashi. For the first time, Kakashi began to question the principles he had always held onto so rigidly. Ultimately, he decided to repent and no longer blindly follow the rules in the Shinobi Code. Kakashi joined Obito in the mission to rescue Rin from the Iwagakure Shinobi.

This decision marked a turning point in Kakashi’s life, transforming him from a rigid rule follower into a Shinobi who valued compassion and camaraderie above all else.