Kakashi Gaiden is a small six-part spinoff manga based on the popular manga Naruto, by Masashi Kishimoto. Kishimoto published the miniseries in place of the regular Naruto storyline in Shonen Jump, which last through chapters 239-244. The Gaiden acts as an intermission between the end of the first Naruto arc and the brand-new story arc, which skips ahead about 3 years into the future

The story surrounds a 12 year-old Kakashi Hatake, who embarks on a mission with his team, which includes another boy, named Obito Uchiha, a medical kunoichi named Rin, and their teacher, the future 4th Hokage (Yondaime). They were first seen in the team portrait from flashbacks at the conclusion of the Chunnin Exam arc.

This arc answers many questions about Kakashi’s past. It is learned how Kakashi receives his Sharingan, the identity of Obito, and when Kakashi became a Jounin. It also gives a first glimpse of who the Yondaime was, when he was still alive.

The Characters

Below are some of the important characters seen in the Kakashi Gaiden.

	Kakashi Hatake At the beginning of the Kakashi Gaiden, Kakashi, 12 years old, has just become a Jounin as he has shown that he is a powerful ninja.. Kakashi is like Sasuke because he is a fairly serious guy and does not respect his male teammate because of the belief that he is weak. The relationship of Kakashi and Obito, at the beginning of the Kakashi Gaiden, is like that of Sasuke and Naruto.

	Obito Uchiha During the Kakashi Gaiden, Obito is a 12-year old Genin. Obito is like Naruto Uzumaku. He not only looks similar to him, but he acts similar to him. Like Naruto, Obito is goofy and not respected, initially at least, by his other male teammate. Also like Naruto though, he is ready to put his life on the line for his teammates without hesitation. Obito carries the blood of an Uchiha and has the power of the Sharingan within him. He does not actually awaken the Sharingan, though, until Kakashi gets hurt in an attempt to save Obito from a Rock Ninja.

	Rin During the Kakashi Gaiden, Rin is a 12-year old Genin and is the kunoichi of the team. She is in soem ways like Sakura. Rin likes Kakashi like Sakura likes Sasuke and sort of ignores Obito the same way Sakura does to Naruto. She has the power to heal others as she is a medical ninja and is the one who took Obito’s Sharingan eye and implanted it into Kakashi.

	The future 4th Hokage, Yondaime During the Kakashi Gaiden, he is a Jounin and the sensei of Kakashi, Obito, and Rin. Not yet Hokage, he was referred to as ?Konoha’s Yellow Flash? because of his yellow hair and amazing speed.