What does Kakashi look like without his fabled mask, and how was the secret in the Naruto anime series finally revealed? The protagonist of Masashi Kishimoto’s Naruto story, young ninja Naruto Uzumaki, strives to become the next Hokage, yet he could never have accomplished this goal on his own. Sasuke, Sakura, and other Team 7 members train with Naruto under the supervision of the “Copy Ninja” and eventual Sixth Hokage, Kakashi Hatake, who is a major figure all the way through the series. Kakashi’s tenure as Hokage isn’t discussed in length, but he plays a crucial part in the conflict with Kaguya Otsutsuki and is prominently featured in the excessive amount of filler that is crammed onto the end of Naruto: Shippuden. Kakashi is given some screen time in the Boruto: Naruto Next Generations sequel series.
In addition to his unmatched fighting abilities and capable leadership, Kakashi Hatake from Naruto is well-known for a few amusing running jokes. He enjoys reading pornographic fiction, is often late, and has a special rivalry with Might Guy. The mystery surrounding Kakashi’s looks when he is not wearing his mask is another. The characters of Team 7 observe early on in the original Naruto anime that they never see their sensei without his distinctive mask, and they spend the entire episode attempting to catch Kakashi out to see what is hidden beneath. Team 7 tried increasingly desperate methods to watch Kakashi eat or shower, but they were never able to determine if he was hiding his embarrassingly wide lips or buck-teeth.
After well over 500 episodes, Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura try once more to find the answer to their most pressing query: what does Kakashi look like without his mask? This time, the trio enlists the aid of members of other teams, including Hinata and Shikamaru, as well as a photographer by the name of Sukea who overheard their plan and offered to assist in documenting Kakashi’s disclosure. Sukea departs from the children for the day and heads back to his flat after multiple unsuccessful attempts to capture their sensei unmasking. Once in a secure location, the “camera” progressively removes his mask to show that he has been Kakashi all along, having staged a complex team-building activity to capitalise on his students’ curiosity. Viewers finally get their first look at Kakashi without his mask as Sukea vanishes and Kakashi appears.
Why Kakashi Without His Mask Was Disappointing
The reveal was a little disappointing compared to what Naruto’s core cast of ninjas had been anticipating because the only interesting aspect Kakashi’s mask concealed was a small mole on his chin. It’s not made clear whether Kakashi’s refusal to disclose his entire face is due to the mole or if the birthmark has nothing to do with it at all. However, from the perspective of the audience, the first time Kakashi’s face was shown was arguably a good use of filler episodes. Although the Sukea story was another lighthearted, enjoyable adventure, the climax of the Naruto anime was hampered by an interminable stream of unimportant non-canon material. However, the disclosure of Kakashi’s face at least offered some suspense for long-time Naruto anime watchers.
Having said that, there are occasions when there is no satisfying way to wrap up a protracted TV joke. Some would argue, for instance, that the episode merited more attention and that Kakashi’s identity reveal ought to have been included in a more significant plot thread. Others, on the other hand, could fervently contend that the disclosure shouldn’t have taken place at all and that Naruto should have kept Team 7 and the public in suspense about what Kakashi really looked like until his death.
Why Naruto Waited So Long To Show Kakashi’s Face Without His Mask
Throughout Naruto, the query “what does Kakashi look like under his mask” was probably more intriguing than the resolution. Probably because it wasn’t relevant to the plot of the series and instead served as a fun running joke for viewers, this announcement was postponed until close to the end of Naruto. Since Kakashi’s genuine face is unsurprising or uncommon, the mystery would have been solved if Kakashi’s identity had been known earlier in the narrative. However, this would not have added any new suspense. Naruto got the maximum mileage out of the mystery by delaying it for nearly 500 episodes, which is likely why it was always going to seem disappointing.
Some people try to find content, Harshit feels content finds him. Always active on social media, following trends and writing about Entertainment News that is through is his passion. He's Mass Communication Post-graduate who binge-watches every single Movie and Series out there.