Obi-Wan Kenobi and Kakashi are two of the wisest, strongest characters in Star Wars and Naruto, respectively. They also share a lot of common ground, like their insistence on living by their peoples’ respective codes. This can make them overly strict at times.
The two also possess an array of powers that, when combined with their experience, have made them among the most dangerous duelists in their respective series. Because of this, you might be wondering who would win in a duel: Obi-Wan Kenobi or Kakashi.
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Who is Obi-Wan Kenobi?
Born in 57 BBY, Obi-Wan Kenobi was a Jedi Master we met in A New Hope, which took place in 0 BBY. Kenobi had a wise persona by the time he asked Luke Skywalker to join him on a mission to Alderaan; a far cry from the naive character he was 32 years prior in The Phantom Menace.
In A New Hope, Obi-Wan took part in a duel with Darth Vader. And although he lost that duel, Kenobi allowed Vader to defeat him. Throughout The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi, he returned as a Force ghost, helping to guide Luke’s quest to become a Jedi.
We later met Kenobi during the Prequel Trilogy in 32 BBY, when he served as Qui-Gon Jinn’s Padawan. He met Anakin Skywalker that year. And given Qui-Gon’s death soon after, Obi-Wan took it upon himself to train Anakin.
The two, however, had a rocky relationship, and it culminated in 19 BBY, during the events of Revenge of the Sith.
Skywalker adopted his alter-ego, Darth Vader, and fell to the dark side. The two dueled until Obi-Wan took the high ground. Vader could have given up, but his subsequent attack forced Kenobi to sever his former apprentice’s arm and legs.
For the next 10 years, Kenobi believed Vader was dead, until the Third Sister told him otherwise. Kenobi, whose Force powers had dwindled by 9 BBY, faced a set of trials that eventually led to the recovery of his powers and a showdown with Vader.
Once again, he defeated his former apprentice. During that duel, Vader stated that he himself had killed Anakin, not Kenobi, leaving Obi-Wan to believe the Sith Lord was fully immersed in the dark side. Therefore, Obi-Wan admitted his old apprentice was, in fact, dead.
Who is Kakashi Hatake?
Kakashi Hatake was initially ardent about following rules, and he ridiculed anyone who stepped out of line in the slightest. This didn’t make him the most likable guy, but when his teammate, Obito Uchiha, suffered fatal injuries in a battle, Kakashi’s personality changed.
While he became more reserved and minimalist, there were times where he would regain his serious demeanor, like when he became the teacher of Team 7.
During his early days with the team, Kakashi instantly rebuilt his reputation for being a strict, to-the-point individual. We saw this when he challenged the team’s members to take a bell from his belt, which prompted Naruto to stand up to and battle Kakashi.
Kakashi won, and it prompted other members of Team 7 to try and take the bell, but the teacher defeated the entire group.
He explained that if they worked as a team, they had a better chance of snagging the bells. This immediately showed us Kakashi Hatake’s wisdom, and he gave them a chance to try again after lunch.
Kakashi further drove this point home when he allowed the entire team except for Naruto to eat their lunch, warning them they would fail if they gave Naruto food. Sasuke and Sakura disobeyed, believing everyone on the team needed their strength if they were to beat Kakashi.
Instead of failing the team, he passed them, as Sasuke and Sakura’s gesture displayed teamwork.
Obi-Wan vs. Kakashi: Side-by-Side Comparison
Obi-Wan Kenobi’s Powers
Obi-Wan Kenobi had an array of powers. He mastered Soresu, also called Form III. This defense-first tactic allowed him to stave off heavy offensive strikes with ease.
Kenobi also possessed a high dueling IQ, which led to him defeating the likes of Maul and Darth Vader on several occasions.
He could also use the Force to heighten his athletic ability. This allowed him to run faster, jump higher, and even perform remarkable acrobatics when he needed to.
He displayed a sharp and studious mind, which allowed him to continually build upon his dueling ability. Obi-Wan’s fighting ability went beyond the lightsaber, and he was skilled in hand to hand combat, and with using blasters.
That said, if given the choice, Obi-Wan would refrain from the blaster, which he frowned upon as “uncivilized.”
Kenobi was also gifted in telekinesis, which let him use the Force push and Force pull. We saw this occur multiple times when he dueled Darth Vader in 9 BBY. His Jedi Mind Trick allowed him to control weaker minds.
Kakashi Hatake’s Powers
Kakashi also had a fair share of powers, and Sharingan may have been his most distinguishing power feature. Residing in his left eye, it allowed him to mimic any move that he saw. Sharingan also allowed him to see opponents make moves before they happened.
Theoretically, this allowed Kakashi to hang with any opponent, regardless of their speed. As the series progressed, the eye only grew stronger.
Kakashi’s six paths chakra gave him an immediate power up, which could match his power with any opponent’s. He also engaged in eye-mind reading, which Kakashi used to read anyone’s mind if he made eye contact.
Shadow of a dancing leaf let Kakashi mimic a flying opponent from behind, and it required immense speed to maximize. He combined this power with his peregrine falcon drop, basically piledriving an opponent from the air and toward the ground.
Kamui may have been Kakashi’s most complicated power. But since it allowed him to move objects through time and space, it’s something he used to ultimately win duels. He also bent earth to his will, allowing him to place an earthen barrier between himself and an opponent.
Gate of opening was another strength of Kakashi’s, as it increased his strength and speed when on the attack. Kakashi also cast a Genjutsu when an opponent locked eyes with him. This let Kakashi lock an opponent into a frightening hallucination.
Obi-Wan Kenobi’s Weaknesses
Obi-Wan showed us that he was prone to losing his Force powers between 19 BBY and 9 BBY. This indicates that in a duel, if something adversely affects his state of mind, it could also negatively affect his Force connection.
We saw how weak Obi-Wan became when he almost failed to save Leia from falling to a certain death in 9 BBY. Much of these weaknesses dealt with what Obi-Wan had experienced during the Prequel Trilogy.
It started in 32 BBY with his master, Qui-Gon Jinn, getting killed. Then came the Clone Wars 10 years later, where Obi-Wan fought as a general. Finally, Order 66 came and nearly wiped out the Jedi. To make matters worse, his own apprentice helped carry out the order.
Overall, Obi-Wan’s state of mind needed to remain crisp in any duel that he would fight. If he let his past get to him, then everything from his dueling ability to his Force wielding became stagnant.
Kakashi Hatake’s Weaknesses
Stamina may be Kakashi’s biggest weakness, meaning he needed to make quick work of an opponent to avoid prolonging a battle. If the battle lasted too long, Kakashi wouldn’t be winning any duels.
He also had a Sheringan, which sometimes served as a strength. However, using it too often zapped his stamina even faster. Therefore, you could often see him fighting with just one eye exposed.
While Kakashi’s chakra reserves were not low, they rarely matched up to his strongest opponents. This spelled trouble if he was facing someone with an immense talent or skill-set.
Comparison Table
| Obi-Wan Kenobi | Kakashi | |
| Weapon of Choice | Lightsaber, the Force | Sharingan |
| Top Power | Soresu | Mimicking opponents |
| Primary Weakness | State of mind | Stamina |
Who Wins?
For this one, there is no debate. Obi-Wan Kenobi would defeat Kakashi in a duel here. The main reason is that Obi-Wan’s lightsaber form, Soresu, is defense-based, meaning he can systematically target Kakashi’s stamina.
Since Kakashi’s Sheringan acts as a strength in that he could mimic Kenobi for a time, it also causes him to wear down even faster. While he could cancel this strength out by covering his left eye and using other techniques, Obi-Wan’s Soresu would eventually wear Kakashi down.
Conclusion
Obi-Wan Kenobi and Kakashi are two of the more powerful individuals in their respective franchises. Kenobi saw many victories against powerful Sith Lords, while Kakashi’s array of powers made him a threat to anyone he faced.
While Kenobi’s state of mind was a weakness, it was also a strength when he had it under control. Kakashi’s greatest weakness, his stamina, meant that to win any duel against the best, he would need to quickly end it.
Given Kenobi’s mastery of Soresu, this would not be possible. Soresu is a defense-first lightsaber form that can wear down opponents who possess a high-octane approach in battle.
Sion Fawkes has been covering Star Wars since January 2022, expanding his expertise in Star Wars Canon, Legends, and MCU. When not writing, you can find Sion in the gym or running trails. He also likes watching sports and listening to audiobooks.