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I don't recall the Fourth Hokage crying or even displaying any emotion at all
with regard to the death of two of his students. Does he not really care about
them?


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2021-07-12T20:09:28.350
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question
naruto
Does the Fourth Hokage really care about his students?


This question requires an in-depth analysis of the Fourth Hokage Minato
Namikaze, as well as some of the world building in _Naruto_. First off, is it
true Minato is unemotional with regards to the death of two of his students? I
believe so. Obito dies in Episode 120 of _Naruto Shippuden_ , _Kakashi
Chronicles: A Boy's Life on the Battlefield: Part 2_. Kakashi and Rin both cry
in this episode (though Rin does wipe away her tears and sets a determined
mien when she does the eye transplant surgery). But Minato is not shown crying
at all. In fact, this was about as emotional as I could find while watching
him talk to Kakashi:

> [![Minato doesn't care about
> Obito](https://i.stack.imgur.com/WzbSb.png)](https://i.stack.imgur.com/WzbSb.png)

I'll grant him that this is after Rin told him, and Kakashi has been
unconscious for a while, but on the other hand look what Rin's doing right
now:

> [![Rin staring up at
> stars](https://i.stack.imgur.com/v7d8K.png)](https://i.stack.imgur.com/v7d8K.png)

It seems like she's staring up the stars, probably trying to hold in tears.
Obito's death is still affecting her.

At this point, I think it's important to note something that a lot of us
sometimes forget watching _Naruto Shippuden_ : the values of the Ninja World.
In episode 18 of the original _Naruto_ series, _The Weapons Known as Shinobi_
, Sakura gives us Rule 25 of the Ways of the Shinobi:

> "A Shinobi must never show his true feelings under any circumstances, no
> matter what... The mission always comes first. A Ninja must have the
> strength of character never to shed any tears..."

This is a value, and an ideal, that is taught **even** during the time Naruto
and his classmates live in. It's so often disregarded and treated as something
bad by the story, but **this** is **taught** in the Ninja Academy and is a
value currently held in the world **right now**. As such, it was undoubtedly a
value during the time of Kakashi and Minato, and probably **even more so**.
This is what both Minato and Rin are aspiring to in the scene in episode 120
of _Shippuden_. In my opinion, Minato is the perfect ninja, one who
exemplifies the values a ninja is supposed to have, and this is one of the
reasons he was made Hokage at such a young age (in addition to his tremendous
strength and great track record, obviously). (Note that I don't believe these
are actually good values to have, but I like world building and such, so I
like when things make sense and I don't like it when basically everyone in the
world is against the supposed values that exist in that world)

In episode 349 of _Naruto Shippuden_ , _Shadow of the ANBU Black Ops: A Mask
that Hides the Heart_ we see a bit of the aftermath of Rin's death. Kakashi is
obviously still torn up by it, but it really doesn't seem like Minato is. But
more importantly, in this same episode we also see Minato interact with his
wife, Kushina, and he's like a different character, capable of joking and
laughing. It honestly seems the only time Minato shows any emotion is with
regard to his family, Kushina and Naruto, as this is the only time we really
see him with animate feelings. I believe this is an example of
compartmentalization--Minato keeps his family life separate from his life as a
ninja. From
[Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Compartmentalization_\(psychology\)),

> Compartmentalization is a subconscious psychological defense mechanism used
> to avoid cognitive dissonance, or the mental discomfort and anxiety caused
> by a person having conflicting values, cognitions, emotions, beliefs, etc.
> within themselves.  
>  Compartmentalization allows these conflicting ideas to co-exist by
> inhibiting direct or explicit acknowledgement and interaction between
> separate compartmentalized self-states.  
> ...  
>  Conflicting social identities may be dealt with by compartmentalizing them
> and dealing with each only in a context-dependent way.

And relevant and helpful for understanding, from this
[blog](https://www.insightsts.com/blog/are-you-disconnecting-or-
compartmentalizing):

> Are there benefits to compartmentalization? Absolutely! Certain necessary
> professions would cease to exist without this tool. For example, a
> firefighter may have a family that depends on them at home, but they must
> rush into life-threatening situations without hesitation to do their job.
> Being able to compartmentalize those two realities allows them to perform
> under intense pressure. Most of us, gratefully, are not asked to run into
> burning buildings in our daily lives.

In the same episode, we're given hints that Minato hasn't exactly been
attentive to Kakashi, who is deeply troubled over Rin's death. Perhaps it's
understandable, since Minato has just become Hokage, but it is Guy who has to
come to him and basically say, "Hey, something is seriously wrong with
Kakashi." I think Minato was probably aware to some degree, since he secretly
sent Guy on Kakashi's mission as backup, but there's still a lack of emotion
in his face (he does smile as he reassures Guy, saying to leave everything to
him, but when he turns around to stare out the window, he just frowns), and
it's also pretty clear he hasn't done much to help Kakashi, his one surviving
student, up to this point.

Minato's solution to Kakashi's problem is also quite troubling. He assigns him
to the ANBU Black Ops directly under him, to be his guard. First off, this is
still quite self-serving. Earlier in the episode, Orochimaru and Danzo are
scheming and say this:

> **Orochimaru** : The Third Hokage intends to use Minato as a puppet and keep
> ruling the Hidden Leaf.  
>  **Danzo** : As this rate, the Hidden Leaf has no future.

I personally think concern of a puppet ruler has merit since Minato is still
young, and because he is the perfect obedient Shinobi, but the story has
generally taken the stance that Danzo is wrong about everything, so it can
perhaps be dismissed as not pointing to anything in his character. On the
other hand, it does show that Minato has enemies opposed to him ruling. And
this is part of the reason he wants Kakashi as his right hand. Minato tells
Kakashi:

> Some in the village think I'm not qualified for the position and oppose me.
> I came here today... to assign you to the ANBU under my direct control.

Kakashi is someone Minato can trust, and though I have no doubt Minato
believes this will help Kakashi, this is also to help himself. But there's
another troubling thing about this as a solution to Kakashi's grief. It's in
the title of the episode: "A Mask that Hides the Heart". In other words,
Minato's solution is to get Kakashi to quash his emotions further. Though this
is very inline with Minato's character and the Ninja World, as I've
established, it probably isn't healthy for Kakashi.

Minato only shows his vulnerable side to his family. He truly loves Naruto and
Kushina. He cares about his students, but it's very different: the face he
shows to Kushina is very different from the one he shows to Kakashi, Rin, and
Obito. Though he may appear unemotional towards their deaths, he does care
about his students, as he is shown willing to go out of his way to help them,
but in the Ninja World he acts and behaves as a Ninja, and that means no tears
and no emotion.


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2021-07-12T20:09:28.350
64197
2021-07-12T20:09:28.350
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