Special Edition: Itachi Uchiha & Kakashi Hatake Anbu Ver. Look Up Figure 11cm

During their overlapping time in Konoha's Anbu Black Ops, Kakashi Hatake and Itachi Uchiha developed a professional yet complex relationship marked by both mutual respect and underlying tensions.

A skilled Anbu operative, Kakashi was a mentor figure and team leader who quickly recognized the younger Itachi's talents. Despite Itachi's young age, he displayed an unparalleled level of skill that impressed Kakashi. He appreciated Itachi's strategic thinking, his refined skills, and especially his ability to remain calm under pressure, even during the most deadly missions. Itachi's discipline and focus, combined with his Sharingan mastery, matched Kakashi's own perfectionist work ethic.

On the other hand, Itachi admired Kakashi's experience and pragmatic approach, and saw him as an example of a shinobi who puts duty above personal feelings. Kakashi's fame as the "Copy Ninja" and his own use of the Sharingan reinforced this admiration. At the same time, Itachi was acutely aware of Kakashi's emotional detachment, a trait he recognized as a reflection of his own internal conflicts.

Their relationship, however, was also affected by the political tensions in the village. While Kakashi remained primarily loyal to the Hokage's leadership, Itachi found himself in a difficult position as a spy between the Uchiha clan and Konoha. Kakashi, familiar with personal losses and moral dilemmas, seemed to have an instinctive empathy for Itachi's struggles. Despite this, their partnership remained professional, with little room for personal expression, as was typical of the secretive nature of the Anbu.

While their interactions in the Anbu were largely formal and mission-oriented, they reflected a subtle dynamic of mutual recognition of each other's pain and responsibilities. Kakashi's experience and Itachi's strategic genius made them a deadly duo in the field, but their respectful relationship was ultimately overshadowed by the tragedy of Itachi's choices and the secrets he was forced to keep.

After Itachi's departure from the Anbu and the subsequent Uchiha clan assassination, Kakashi was left with a mixture of respect and incomprehension for Itachi's decisions, further reinforcing his complex feelings about Itachi as a shinobi and a person.