Kakashi wears a mask for several reasons, primarily related to his character design, mystery, and some cultural anime humor. The creator, Masashi Kishimoto, intended the mask to enhance Kakashi's mystique and to make him look more like a traditional ninja, which adds to his enigmatic persona. Additionally, within the story, one humorous in-universe explanation is that Kakashi wears the mask to hide his frequent nosebleeds caused by reading an adult novel series ("Icha Icha" books by Jiraiya), as nosebleeds in anime often symbolize sexual arousal. Other theories, such as hiding his face to avoid shame connected to his father's past or to conceal a mole, have been discussed but are less supported because Kakashi wore a mask even as a child, before those events. The mask also serves as a distinct visual trait to differentiate Kakashi from other characters, given the similar facial designs in the series. In summary, the mask represents mystery, ninja tradition, and an amusing character quirk, making Kakashi one of the most recognizable and popular characters in Naruto.
