Excuse me while I complain about Kakashi becoming Hokage...
I'm sure I've shared my opinion here and there a couple of times but re-reading the battle with Kaguya and some discussions about Kakashi after the war has rekindled my dislike for the idea.
First of all, Obito states that Kakashi would become the Sixth Hokage as if it was a definite fact. If Tsunade had died then it would have made sense because someone would need to become Hokage after the war and Kakashi is the only logical choice left. There were even some close calls such as when she ran out of chakra fighting Madara or had exhausted herself healing the other Kages while leaving her wound unattended. It would have been a very fitting death for the manga's best medic.
Problem is the Fifth Hokage isn't dead.
Even her age isn't a major obstacle because we've seen other Kages at least as old she is such as the Third Hokage, Third Tsuchikage and First Mizukage. However she would have an excuse for her biological age being a factor because Creation Rebirth shortens her natural lifespan, something which she used quite recklessly in the war. Even if Tsunade had survived the war, she could have been too worn down to stay in office - perhaps even dying in the next few years - which would have been a well explained reason for her to pass on the torch. Kakashi's eventual promotion could even have been pre-planned like if Tsunade had taken him aside before the war and said that even if she survived, she was planning to step down because her body wouldn't be able to handle it anymore.
However, Tsunade is still alive and kicking more than a decade later. There's not the slightest hint that she's physically impaired by her age, and has even gone out of her way to look even younger than before (which I assume is purely vanity now that she's gotten even older) and better looking than her fellow Kages. So even though it should look like her Creation Rebirth had an impact, what we see implies otherwise.
Not that Kakashi was much better off as he admitted that his Sharingan had lost most of its eyesight by the final stages of the war, so he was always going to be handicapped himself in the end.
And wouldn't it be better to keep their current Hokage in charge to guide the village after such a major upheaval in the world order? Jiraiya once advised Tsunade not to go to Ame because changing leaders so soon would lead to instability; it hasn't been so long since that time that the idea wouldn't still apply. Tsunade was also the Hokage that directly fought and bled alongside the other Kages during the war, even saving their lives when they were defeated, which is an experience that Kakashi wouldn't have with them.
Kishimoto tries to help justify his decision by using the Sage of Six Paths to big up Kakashi but, having looked back at the battle with Kaguya, it sounds really forced. Hagoromo never witnessed the fight himself so his statements fall flat regardless.
He certainly didn't do any leading as it was practically everyone else who took charge, came up with plans to deal with Kaguya and did the heavy lifting while he sat back and watched. The one thing he did try to do - sacrifice himself to protect Naruto - was handled by Obito anyway. Even "being Obito's friend" was something Naruto displayed more of, even if I dislike it. Kakashi honestly couldn't do anything until Obito gave him the Sharingan again.
This is the time when Kakashi's leadership skills and intelligence were all he had to offer and were what he needed to display more than ever to prove his worth for the future. But he didn't.
But, of course, the real kicker is that Kakashi doesn't have his Sharingan anymore.
Some excuse it by saying that we don't know how Kakashi might have developed after the war. But, honestly, I think it would need to be a really drastic change for Kakashi to become equal to how strong he was during the war.
The Sharingan has been a critical part of Kakashi's fighting style for the vast majority of his career and he's had it for more than half of his life. The loss of the Sharingan means he can't see chakra, copy jutsu, cast visual genjutsu, track movement and predict movement. I don't believe that "no Sharingan = no Raikiri" like some but I do think that he can't draw out its full power anymore, as he cannot charge at his target at full speed without being dangerously open to counterattack.
The novels even made a poor attempt to compensate for this with Kakashi inventing a purple lightning jutsu to make up for not being able to use the Raikiri. Which is no different from learning any lightning jutsu and doesn't solve the root problem that he "can't" use his signature jutsu anymore.
Most importantly, he can no longer use Kamui. In my opinion, that space-time ninjutsu is essentially what put Kakashi on an even playing field with other kage-level shinobi in the first place instead of someone who could just put up a good fight. The sole benefit of losing his Sharingan was that he won't use up his chakra as fast which is a poor consolation prize. Honestly, it's a lot like when Sasori was resurrected without any of his puppets or his puppet body which made him seem pitiful in comparison to what we know he could do.
In short, I don't believe that Kakashi after the war is good enough to honestly be considered kage-level in fighting ability. He's just fortunate that the conclusion of the Fourth Great Shinobi War was the beginning of a new era for the shinobi world where, ideally, Kages wouldn't need to be as powerful as they used to be.
It all seemed worse when I realised that there was another, far more ideal position for him: Jounin Commander of Konoha. Unlike Tsunade, Shikaku had died which opened a job vacancy that needed filling. Instead of being a Hokage that doesn't match up to his predecessors or colleagues, Kakashi could have been the perfect Jounin Commander. And I know I would prefer an epilogue with a young adult Naruto being appointed as the Sixth Hokage by Tsunade.
Welp, I'm glad to get that off my chest. Agree? Disagree? Don't care either way?
I'm sure I've shared my opinion here and there a couple of times but re-reading the battle with Kaguya and some discussions about Kakashi after the war has rekindled my dislike for the idea.
First of all, Obito states that Kakashi would become the Sixth Hokage as if it was a definite fact. If Tsunade had died then it would have made sense because someone would need to become Hokage after the war and Kakashi is the only logical choice left. There were even some close calls such as when she ran out of chakra fighting Madara or had exhausted herself healing the other Kages while leaving her wound unattended. It would have been a very fitting death for the manga's best medic.
Problem is the Fifth Hokage isn't dead.
Even her age isn't a major obstacle because we've seen other Kages at least as old she is such as the Third Hokage, Third Tsuchikage and First Mizukage. However she would have an excuse for her biological age being a factor because Creation Rebirth shortens her natural lifespan, something which she used quite recklessly in the war. Even if Tsunade had survived the war, she could have been too worn down to stay in office - perhaps even dying in the next few years - which would have been a well explained reason for her to pass on the torch. Kakashi's eventual promotion could even have been pre-planned like if Tsunade had taken him aside before the war and said that even if she survived, she was planning to step down because her body wouldn't be able to handle it anymore.
However, Tsunade is still alive and kicking more than a decade later. There's not the slightest hint that she's physically impaired by her age, and has even gone out of her way to look even younger than before (which I assume is purely vanity now that she's gotten even older) and better looking than her fellow Kages. So even though it should look like her Creation Rebirth had an impact, what we see implies otherwise.
Not that Kakashi was much better off as he admitted that his Sharingan had lost most of its eyesight by the final stages of the war, so he was always going to be handicapped himself in the end.
And wouldn't it be better to keep their current Hokage in charge to guide the village after such a major upheaval in the world order? Jiraiya once advised Tsunade not to go to Ame because changing leaders so soon would lead to instability; it hasn't been so long since that time that the idea wouldn't still apply. Tsunade was also the Hokage that directly fought and bled alongside the other Kages during the war, even saving their lives when they were defeated, which is an experience that Kakashi wouldn't have with them.
Kishimoto tries to help justify his decision by using the Sage of Six Paths to big up Kakashi but, having looked back at the battle with Kaguya, it sounds really forced. Hagoromo never witnessed the fight himself so his statements fall flat regardless.
He certainly didn't do any leading as it was practically everyone else who took charge, came up with plans to deal with Kaguya and did the heavy lifting while he sat back and watched. The one thing he did try to do - sacrifice himself to protect Naruto - was handled by Obito anyway. Even "being Obito's friend" was something Naruto displayed more of, even if I dislike it. Kakashi honestly couldn't do anything until Obito gave him the Sharingan again.
This is the time when Kakashi's leadership skills and intelligence were all he had to offer and were what he needed to display more than ever to prove his worth for the future. But he didn't.
But, of course, the real kicker is that Kakashi doesn't have his Sharingan anymore.
Some excuse it by saying that we don't know how Kakashi might have developed after the war. But, honestly, I think it would need to be a really drastic change for Kakashi to become equal to how strong he was during the war.
The Sharingan has been a critical part of Kakashi's fighting style for the vast majority of his career and he's had it for more than half of his life. The loss of the Sharingan means he can't see chakra, copy jutsu, cast visual genjutsu, track movement and predict movement. I don't believe that "no Sharingan = no Raikiri" like some but I do think that he can't draw out its full power anymore, as he cannot charge at his target at full speed without being dangerously open to counterattack.
The novels even made a poor attempt to compensate for this with Kakashi inventing a purple lightning jutsu to make up for not being able to use the Raikiri. Which is no different from learning any lightning jutsu and doesn't solve the root problem that he "can't" use his signature jutsu anymore.
Most importantly, he can no longer use Kamui. In my opinion, that space-time ninjutsu is essentially what put Kakashi on an even playing field with other kage-level shinobi in the first place instead of someone who could just put up a good fight. The sole benefit of losing his Sharingan was that he won't use up his chakra as fast which is a poor consolation prize. Honestly, it's a lot like when Sasori was resurrected without any of his puppets or his puppet body which made him seem pitiful in comparison to what we know he could do.
In short, I don't believe that Kakashi after the war is good enough to honestly be considered kage-level in fighting ability. He's just fortunate that the conclusion of the Fourth Great Shinobi War was the beginning of a new era for the shinobi world where, ideally, Kages wouldn't need to be as powerful as they used to be.
It all seemed worse when I realised that there was another, far more ideal position for him: Jounin Commander of Konoha. Unlike Tsunade, Shikaku had died which opened a job vacancy that needed filling. Instead of being a Hokage that doesn't match up to his predecessors or colleagues, Kakashi could have been the perfect Jounin Commander. And I know I would prefer an epilogue with a young adult Naruto being appointed as the Sixth Hokage by Tsunade.
Welp, I'm glad to get that off my chest. Agree? Disagree? Don't care either way?
