Kakashi vs Itachi: Battle of the Geniuses

Two prodigies. Two Sharingan users. Two of the most calculating minds in shinobi history. Kakashi Hatake and Itachi Uchiha represent the pinnacle of what ninja genius looks like—graduates at impossible ages, ANBU captains before others finished academy training, and reputations that made entire villages nervous.

Their brief encounter in Part 1 showed a massive gap: Itachi put Kakashi in a coma with Tsukuyomi. But Kakashi grew. Developed Kamui. Became War Arc Kakashi with all the experience and power-ups that entails. So let’s analyze the real question: which version of each character wins, and what would a fight between equals actually look like?

Kakashi Hatake: Powers & Abilities

Key Abilities

Kakashi earned the name “Copy Ninja” by using his Sharingan to memorize over a thousand techniques. But his true strength lies in tactical genius—the ability to analyze, adapt, and outthink opponents rather than simply overpower them.

Sharingan Mastery: Despite not being an Uchiha, Kakashi achieved exceptional proficiency with his transplanted eye. He can track high-speed movement, see through genjutsu, predict attacks, and copy techniques he witnesses. His control rivals natural users.

Kamui: Kakashi’s Mangekyo Sharingan technique warps targeted objects or spaces into a pocket dimension. He can create intangible spaces that attacks pass through, warp away body parts from enemies, or send entire techniques into the void. This is arguably the most broken ability in the entire series.

Raikiri/Lightning Blade: An assassination technique so precise it earned its name from “cutting lightning.” Kakashi’s chakra nature is lightning, and this concentrated attack can pierce almost any defense. He’s developed numerous variants including Lightning Beast Running Jutsu and Lightning Clone.

Jutsu Arsenal: With over a thousand copied techniques spanning all five chakra natures, Kakashi has a tool for virtually every situation. Water Dragon, Earth Wall, Fire Ball—he’s seen it, copied it, and optimized it.

Tactical Genius: Perhaps Kakashi’s greatest weapon is his mind. He reads patterns mid-battle, develops counters on the fly, and sets traps within traps. Against Pain, he deduced the secret of the Deva Path with minimal information while actively fighting.

Eight Gates: Kakashi can open at least one gate, boosting his physical capabilities significantly when needed.

Best Feats

Deduced Pain’s Five Second interval and nearly exploited it
Used Kamui to warp away Deidara’s arms mid-explosion
Kept pace with and damaged Obito during their Kamui dimension battle
Protected the entire Shinobi Alliance from Juubi’s Tailed Beast Bomb using Kamui
Copied Water Dragon Jutsu after seeing it once and cast it simultaneously
Survived extended combat in the Fourth Shinobi War against multiple S-rank threats
Briefly held Six Paths powers and matched Kaguya alongside Team 7

Itachi Uchiha: Powers & Abilities

Key Abilities

Itachi was called a once-in-a-generation genius even among Uchiha. He awakened Sharingan impossibly early, achieved Mangekyo through tragedy, and mastered abilities that most shinobi couldn’t comprehend.

Tsukuyomi: Itachi’s left eye casts the most powerful genjutsu in existence. Victims are trapped in an alternate reality where Itachi controls space, time, and perception. He can make seconds feel like days of torture. This technique broke Kakashi’s mind completely in their first encounter.

Amaterasu: His right eye generates black flames that burn anything, cannot be extinguished by water or conventional means, and persist until the target is completely consumed. These flames burn at the temperature of the sun.

Susanoo: Itachi’s ultimate defense and offense manifests as a spectral warrior. His variant wields the Totsuka Blade (which seals anything it stabs) and the Yata Mirror (which reflects all attacks). These legendary artifacts make his Susanoo arguably the most hax version in the series.

Genjutsu Mastery: Beyond Tsukuyomi, Itachi excels at subtle genjutsu that opponents don’t notice. He can trap people with a finger movement or eye contact, layering illusions within illusions.

Izanami: An Uchiha forbidden technique that traps opponents in an infinite time loop, forcing them to accept their fate. It costs an eye permanently but is effectively inescapable.

Crow Clone and Manipulation: Itachi’s crows serve as distractions, genjutsu conduits, and even carriers for implanted techniques like the Kotoamatsukami he placed in Naruto.

Best Feats

Massacred the entire Uchiha clan in one night (with Obito’s help)
Joined Akatsuki and remained undefeated against all members
Defeated Deidara using genjutsu alone without revealing Mangekyo abilities
Sealed Orochimaru permanently with Totsuka Blade
Broke out of Kabuto’s Edo Tensei control through pre-planned crow genjutsu
Used Izanami to save Sasuke from Kabuto despite being dead
Casually incapacitated Kakashi, Kurenai, and Asuma without trying

Battle Analysis

Speed

Kakashi demonstrated impressive combat speed throughout the war arc, keeping pace with Obito and reacting to attacks that threatened the entire alliance. His Kamui activation speed improved dramatically with experience.

Itachi blitzed multiple jonin simultaneously and moved fast enough that even Sharingan users struggled to track him. His finger genjutsu caught Naruto despite Nine-Tails enhanced reflexes.

Edge: Roughly Even — Both operate at elite jonin speed with their Sharingan providing enhanced perception. Neither consistently blitzes the other.

Power

Kakashi’s Raikiri is an assassination technique—extremely lethal but lacking area damage. Kamui provides reality-warping utility more than raw power. His thousand techniques give options but not overwhelming force.

Itachi’s Amaterasu burns indefinitely, and his Susanoo with legendary artifacts represents immense power. The Totsuka Blade doesn’t just kill—it seals forever. The Yata Mirror negates return attacks.

Edge: Itachi — The Susanoo with its legendary weapons represents a higher power ceiling. Amaterasu also threatens Kakashi’s Kamui since warping flames still leaves flames.

Durability

Kakashi has solid ninja durability but no special defenses. He relies on substitution, evasion, and tactical positioning rather than tanking hits.

Itachi has Susanoo as a nearly impenetrable defense, especially with Yata Mirror. However, maintaining Susanoo drains him rapidly, and his body is chronically ill (pre-death) or has Edo Tensei limiters (post-death).

Edge: Itachi — Susanoo simply outclasses anything Kakashi can deploy defensively. Even a partial Susanoo ribcage blocks most attacks.

Hax/Special Abilities

Kakashi’s Kamui is top-tier hax. Warping attacks, becoming intangible, sniping body parts from range—it counters almost anything. The dimension itself offers tactical retreats.

Itachi’s Tsukuyomi oneshots anyone without Mangekyo to break it. Totsuka Blade seals anything it touches. Izanami ignores all stats. Genjutsu layering means escaping one illusion might land you in another.

Edge: Itachi — More hax abilities, and his counter to Kamui (Susanoo) works, while Kakashi’s counter to Tsukuyomi requires either avoiding eye contact or having his own Mangekyo—which he does, but Itachi’s genjutsu mastery extends beyond Tsukuyomi.

The Verdict: Who Wins?

Itachi Uchiha wins. The gap has closed, but Itachi’s toolkit is simply more suited for 1v1 combat.

Let’s be clear about what changed: War Arc Kakashi isn’t the same person Itachi hospitalized in Part 1. Kamui evolved from an exhausting technique that knocked him out to a refined tool he could use multiple times per battle. His stamina improved. His tactical mind sharpened against god-tier opponents.

But here’s the problem: Itachi’s counter-play is stronger.

Kamui requires visual focus on a target. Itachi’s genjutsu activates through eye contact. The moment Kakashi looks at Itachi to warp him, he’s vulnerable to genjutsu. Yes, Kakashi’s Sharingan provides some resistance, but Itachi’s genjutsu mastery is explicitly superior—he layers illusions so seamlessly that breaking one puts you in another.

If Kakashi avoids eye contact entirely, he loses much of Kamui’s offensive capability. He’d be fighting half-blind against a genius who exploits every opening.

The Susanoo factor also matters. Even if Kakashi lands a Kamui snipe, Itachi can manifest Susanoo faster than Kamui activates. The Yata Mirror reflects techniques. The Totsuka Blade threatens to seal Kakashi permanently.

Could Kakashi win? With perfect play, extreme caution, and some luck—maybe. If he opens with full power Kamui and catches Itachi before Susanoo activates, he could warp away something critical. But Itachi’s crow clones and genjutsu layers make “perfect play” nearly impossible.

The most likely scenario: Itachi lands a subtle genjutsu that Kakashi doesn’t immediately notice. By the time Kakashi realizes something’s wrong, he’s lost initiative. From there, Itachi controls the pace until Susanoo or Tsukuyomi ends it.

Winner: Itachi Uchiha (High Difficulty)

Kakashi closed the gap from “complete mismatch” to “competitive loss.” That’s growth. But Itachi’s combination of superior genjutsu, legendary weapons, and eyes that counter eyes gives him the edge. The Copy Ninja loses to the one shinobi who mastered what Kakashi could only borrow.