KakaGai
| Pairing | |
|---|---|
| Pairing: | Hatake Kakashi x Maito Gai |
| Alternative name(s): | KakaGai, kkg |
| Gender category: | yaoi |
| Fandom: | Naruto |
| Canonical?: | Maybe |
| Prevalence: | Common |
| Archives: | |
| Other: | |
| Click here for related articles on Fanlore. | |
KakaGai is the smushname for the yaoi ship Kakashi x Gai from the shonen series Naruto.
Canon
Kakashi and Gai are both ninja in Konoha from the same generation who teach Team 7 and Team Gai, respectively. They've known each other since they were children, and by the time Naruto takes place in are "Eternal Rivals". At the end of Naruto and into the sequel Boruto, Kakashi and Gai were seen discussing each other's plans after Kakashi's stepping down as Hokage while sitting at an outdoor cafe patio, waiting for Mirai. Fans also cite the fact that Gai can be serious with Kakashi and Kakashi can be serious with Gai as a reason for shipping them.
Fandom
KakaGai wasn't very popular when Naruto was big and coming out for the first time, but has seen a recent surge in popularity. Many people have said that they only picked up the ship after returning to the series as adults.[1] Several tumblr users have talked about why KakaIru was popular back in the day but KakaGai is gaining traction now:
[kakashienthusiast]
i know some of the more veteran naruto fans tell me that kakagai is a relatively recent phenomenon bc yall werent ready for it in 2003 or whatever but im not blinded by the past and its wild to me that its not the most popular kakashi ship bc its so damn obvious[2]
[aprldaze's tags]
#people say its about gai not being conventionally attractive but lbr it’s about perceived masculinity and femininity #gai visually = a buff hunk #so of course if ur shipping based on fetish ur not gonna pair kakashi with him #& risk emasculating the coolest hottest always in control hatake #instead you’ll find a character who’s visually thin & attractive = i.e. ideal femininity #& even then strip away canon masculine traits… like their temper… to uphold the masculinity of your favorite character #& like there is some great kakairu content out there!! #but overall the ship’s popularity esp over kkg is based upon society being more comfortable w/ relationships they can code as masc & femme #esp relationships where masc dominates femme #kakagai #srry just thinking about gender today[3]
[acircleoflight]
yes, this. Also, so much of fandom’s insistence on Kakashi always being portrayed as mysterious, cool, sexy and hyper-masculine just confuses me. Like, have any of you actually seen the show/read the manga?
#also kakagai as a ship did exist in 2003 #but it was basically just me shipping them and being sad and bitter that no one else did[4]
Common tropes
- Challenges — Gai and Kakashi canonically keep track of their challenges, so they often do challenges in fanworks.
- Curtain fic & other domestics
- Secret Marriage
- Adopting Uzumaki Naruto
Awards
The pairing was an entry in the first MLM Ship Bracket Tournament in 2023.
Fanworks
Fanfiction
- Break In The Routine by Maldoror_Chant
- Good Lives by jibrailis
- Family's Just Another Word For Something Left To Lose by Chrononautical
- Sex Education by Surreptitious Chi
- Just a Little Crazy by midnightdiddle for eleventyteen in yaoi_challenge (2005)
Fanart
- devising some devious plan probably
- Kakashi & Gai on a double date with Kurenai & Asuma pls!!!
- I got 2 nart hcs and they're both kinda contradictory
- img for the kakagai zine @thezinezone
- untitled
- forgot to post my drawing i did for @thezinezone‘s eternal rivals zine
Other
- Brain expansion meme
- Lunchbox WIP
- Eternal Rivals![1] a KakaGai zine
- DEAR RIVAL - a kakagai fanmix
- Never Alone - KakaGai Week 2015 (an AMV)
External Links
- Hatake Kakashi/Maito Gai | Might Guy
- KakaGai on the Naruto Couple wiki.
- #kakagai on twitter
- kakagai on wattpad
- kakagai on 8tracks
- kakagai on playmoss
- gaikaka on livejournal
References
- ^ Example: Anonymous asked: When did you start ship Kakagai? (archive)
- ^ i know some of the more veteran naruto fans tell me that kakagai is a relatively recent phenomenon bc yall werent ready for it in 2003 or whatever (archive), Jul 16th, 2018
- ^ tags by aprldaze (archive), July 16th, 2018.
- ^ acircleoflight, July 17th, 2018.
| Naruto | |
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