Kakashi Hatake was the Jonin leader of Team 7 in Naruto. Being one of the main characters in the series, Kakashi had great responsibility thrust on his shoulders from the very beginning. With time, his role grew even more profound and in the Fourth Great Ninja War, Kakashi helped save the world by playing a huge part in defeating Kaguya Otsutsuki.
After the war's conclusion, he ended up becoming the Sixth Hokage of the village and reigned for quite a while until Naruto was finally ready to take the position. Kakashi's time as Hokage was widely considered to be successful and he remains to be one of the best Kage in the story for various reasons.
7 Smarter Than Shikamaru
-8.jpg?q=50&fit=crop&w=1500&dpr=1.5)
Kakashi is one of the smartest characters in the Naruto world. In battle, he was always one step ahead of whoever he was fighting. He is known to be a master tactician and his opinions are widely respected by everyone.
Even outside of battle, he's known to be incredibly smart, and according to Naruto, he's got an IQ greater, or at the very least equal, to that of Shikamaru. These are qualities that a Kage requires and out of all that have graced this position over the years, Kakashi remains to be the best when it comes to smartness.
6 Knows When To Be Ruthless
Although Kakashi is quite a gentle person, he knows when to be ruthless as well. This is what separates him from the likes of Naruto, who are, at times, known to be a bit too kind even to their enemies. Kakashi knows when to be kind and forgiving, but he also knows when to show his ruthless side and take action.
Anyone threatening the village or its people will certainly not be spared by him. This side of Kakashi certainly played a part in making him one of the best Hokage to ever live in the Naruto world.
5 Kakashi Is Strong
All the Hokage in Naruto are strong and Kakashi is no exception to that. Even as a Jonin, he was exceptionally powerful and put fear into his enemies with his mere presence. With time, he continued to grow stronger and by the Fourth Great Ninja War, Kakashi was strong enough to trade blows with the likes of Obito Uchiha and even the Ten-Tails.
In the fight against Kaguya, Kakashi's power jumped to the next level and he was able to fight on an equal footing with her momentarily. Although Kakashi lost his eye in the war, he has continued to train since and has grown tremendously strong. While certainly not the strongest of Kage, Kakashi ranks among the very best, for sure.
4 Most Peaceful Hokage Reign
Hashirama Senju created Konoha with the aim of achieving peace and protecting children from dying in wars. Despite creating the village and establishing himself as the Hokage, he failed to accomplish all his goals. Just like him, most of his successors failed to achieve peace as well, until the 4th Great Ninja War finally saw all nations collaborate.
Kakashi Hatake's time as the Sixth Hokage saw the world remain largely at peace. It goes without saying that his time as Kage was the most peaceful out of all the known Kage in the village's history. Even his successor, Naruto Uzumaki, couldn't maintain peace as the likes of the Otsutsuki and Kara started their attacks soon after.
3 Respected By Everyone
Kakashi is one of the most well-respected characters in the ninja world. Not only is he held in high regard in Konoha but he's also held in legendary light across all the shinobi Nations. This is evident from the various instances where just a glimpse of his face told people that he was Konoha's Copy Ninja.
In the Fourth Great Ninja War, he commanded a large section of the shinobi alliance and his various strategies helped save countless lives. As the Sixth Hokage, his opinions were always held in high regard even by the Kage of other villages. It wouldn't be a stretch to say that he was the most influential figure in the world during his time as the Hokage of his village.
2 Raised The Next Generation
Kakashi, just like any other Jonin leader, was assigned a shinobi team. What makes him special, however, is the fact that he raised the most important team in the entire series. Both Naruto and Sasuke combined to save the world during the Fourth Great Ninja War and the one to guide them on the right path was Kakashi.
This was something even Hagoromo Otsutsuki, the Sage of Six Paths, gave him huge credit for. It goes without saying that Kakashi raised the next generation right and whatever peace the world enjoys today is largely down to him.
1 Saved The World
Just like Naruto and Sasuke, Kakashi is one of the saviors of the shinobi world. While he didn't play a massive role in the war initially, towards the end, his contribution was crucial. Kakashi not only helped Obito but also fought against Kaguya Otsutsuki.
When he unlocked the power of the double Mangekyo Sharingan, he was able to trade blows with the strongest character in the entire universe. If that wasn't enough, Kakashi also injured her and opened up the path for Naruto and Sasuke to finally seal her away. His contribution towards saving the world is massive.