Following one year of the events of the end of the manga, Naruto: Kakashi’s Story details the history of KaKashi’s reign as Hokage. As Kakashi prepares for his first duties as Hokage, he is thrust into a mission to travel to the Land of Waves in order to save a group of hostages from a cold-hearted antagonist. It should be noted that this is a novelization, not an new manga entry.

Naruto: Kakashi’s Story is an 2015 novel by Masashi Kishimoto, it is published and licensed by Viz Media. It is currently available in digital and print format in English.

Kakashi Hatake gets his own arc in Kakashi’s Story.

Being one of the fan favorite characters throughout the long-running Naruto series, it’s quite ironic that so little is known about Kakashi. It wasn’t until we were near the closing moments of the franchise that we learned some detailed history of his past, sure there were bits and pieces explored throughout the series, but not really enough to piece the character together. It took 15 years for us to even get a view of Kakashi’s mask less face, however in Kakashi’s Story we get a glimpse into the mind of Kakashi Hatake as he heads to the Land of Waves in his own arc as Hokage.

THE GOOD: Kakashi getting some much needed spotlight is always refreshing, he’s one of the few fan favorites who haven’t truly been explored throughout the franchise’s run. While not exactly opening up more details on Kakashi’s history, this single arc does a great job of exploring the character’s mind as he’s faced with a hostage situation in the Land of Waves. As Kakashi deals with the aforementioned situation, around the time of the mission’s end he gains a bit of perspective on being Hokage, and comes to a consensus with villain Kahyo.

THE BAD: Fans of the series may be disappointed by the lack of art work.

OVERALL THOUGHTS: Despite a lack of artwork, Kakashi’s Story is a great novel that provides a more inside look into the character Kakashi Hatake. Seeing how Kakashi would perform without the sharingan, would have been great if illustrated, but for a manga novelization, Kakashi’s Story is ultimately a fantastic spin on Kakashi Hatake. Otaku Dome gives Kakashi’s Story an 75 out of 100.