Kakashi vs Obito – Who is Stronger?

It was the ultimate battle we didn’t even know we wanted to see. As it so happens, however, it turned out to be one of the single greatest fights in all of Naruto. In some ways, the fight seems to intimate who the winner is – however, there’s a catch that makes this less decisive than you would think. So let’s get into what we know in the Kakashi vs Obito matchup and decide who is strongest.

warning – spoilers ahead

1. They are equally strong with Kamui

One of the things that makes Kakashi and Obito such a great matchup is that they both possess one of the strongest jutsu in all of Naruto – Kamui. This gift is unique to Obito’s Sharingan, and it enables him to pass in and out of his own unique dimension that lies outside of space and time. This jutsu throws a lot of people off, as it appears to those watching that Obito is simply able to become invulnearable, almost like a ghost.

Of course, that’s not really what is going on. And once Kakashi realizes this, he’s able to nullify Obito’s one great advantage.

The fact that Kakashi seems about on par with Obito in regards to his use of Kamui really points to Kakashi’s own greater strength and genius. Kakashi is not an Uchiha, and as it’s been shown time and time again, it takes a lot more chakra for a non bloodline Uchiha to use the Sharingan than someone who aquires the ability through birth.

2. Kakashi Can Use All Five Chakra Natures

Much discussion around Kakashi has to do with his use of the Sharingan eye. However, we don’t often discuss the fact that at a young age, Kakashi is gifted enough to have mastered the five chakra natures, meaning he is well-adept at using them. Most ninja only ever master a single chakra nature. Obito, for example, seems to lack a particularly wide range of chakra natures, relying largely on the Uchiha’s signature fire release.

Technically having the Rinnegan gives Obito access to the five chakra natures as well, but we don’t see Obito use the Rinnegan much. He acquires it really late in the game and only uses the Outer Path. This implies that while he has the raw aptitude to use a wide variety of jutsu, he hasn’t applied himself to its use the way Kakashi has.

3. Obito Has Better Chakra Stamina

Running out of chakra doesn’t seem to be much of an issue for Obito. This is due, in part, to the fact that he isn’t being constantly worn down by not being an Uchiha using the Sharingan. However, by the time the war arc rolls around in Naruto, Kakashi seems to have gained mastery over his chakra reserves, no longer getting depleted by using his Sharingan as he did in the earlier episodes. However, it’s doubtful that he will ever reach the same kind of physical control over the Sharingan as Obito has naturally. Obito had it by birth.

4. Kakashi is a Shade Better at Taijutsu

When Kakashi fights Obito as a kid, he’s out of Obito’s league. Obito is able to hang with him, but Kakashi has the upper-hand the whole time. By the time adult Obito and Adult Kakashi face-off, we see that Obito has largely closed the gap. However, Kakashi is still better at Taijutsu.

Sure, Obito needs Kakashi to near-fatally wound him. But that doesn’t take away the fact that Kakashi had the upper hand during their entire duel.

This is also in spite the fact that Obito can actually regenerate himself due to Hashirama’s cells being in his body.

5. Kakashi’s Chidori is Unmatched

Lightening blade, or Chidori, is undoubtedly one of the strongest technqieus in all of Naruto. And Kakashi invented it. When he was a kid. Obito may be power mad, and posess an incredibly strong will, but he is not a great inventor of jutsu. At the end of the day, he just isn’t a natural born genius like Kakashi, having to work hard to get ahead.

Lightning blade may seem like a relatively simple jutsu, but time and time again it proves itself to be Kakashi’s greatest tool in his arsenal. There’s a reason Kakashi used it to beat Obito (yeah, we know Obito needed to get hit, but it still seemed like a win to us).

Final Verdict

Obito is a strong ninja. One of the strongest. His will power takes him much farther than Kakashi has ever and will ever go because Kakashi just wouldn’t be seeking out forbidden, powerful jutsu to conquer the world in the first place.

With his Six Paths Senjutsu as Jinchuriki of the incomplete 10 tails, Obito reaches heights Kakashi never reaches. However, without it, Kakashi seems to be ahead of Obito in almost every other way. Additionally, Kakashi’s ability to nullify the massive advantage that is Kamui massively levels the playing field in a way no other ninja can boast when facing Obito (except maybe Minato whose teleportation technique seems on par).

With everything said and done, we’re going to give the upper hand to Kakashi.

Not convinced? Watch the full Kakashi vs Obito fight and decide for yourself!