A Special Mission

With a mission wrapped up early and the day free, Naruto proposes the group finally uncover what lies behind Kakashi's mask. Sakura waves off the idea until Sasuke shows interest, then reminds them of their long string of failures; even the photo Naruto hopes exists turns up only masked shots when she checks. A passing stranger named Sukea, having eavesdropped, suggests Kakashi's ninja registration portrait should show him bare-faced. Introducing himself as a photographer chasing a big scoop, Sukea attaches himself to the plan.

That night the four break into a classified records vault and even locate the registration photo, only for Anbu to seize them before they can peek. Scolded by the Third Hokage the next day, Sukea tries to pin the blame on Team 7, who call him out, and he counters by offering to snap Kakashi's face while he eats. The children point out that meals always seem to get interrupted, and sure enough Naruto's dango offer collapses when Kiba's Akamaru pounces on some pigeons; every one of Sukea's photos ends up blocked by a bird, the dog, or drifting leaves.

Teams 8 and 10 join the effort. Hinata lures Kakashi to a supposedly drowned woman, actually a drugged Naruto in disguise, hoping to force mouth-to-mouth, but Kakashi opts to carry the victim to the hospital. Choji, Shino's insects, and Shikamaru's shadow each try to immobilize him, and Ino's mind switch fails when a frog leaps into her jutsu. Team Guy's antics send Tenten tripping into Shikamaru, breaking his hold, and Kakashi vanishes, having been a shadow clone the whole time.

Sukea says his goodbyes as the real Kakashi watches alongside a Team Guy that also turns out to be transformed shadow clones. When the actual Guy later asks Sukea whether they have met before, Sukea denies it, yet Guy walks off certain he recognizes the man. Back in his apartment, Sukea peels away his makeup and hair to reveal he was Kakashi all along, then heads for the shower reflecting that his team's coordination has clearly sharpened and that he will not manage a stunt like this many more times.

This filler episode of Shippuden adapts the omake The Real True Face published in the Fu no Sho databook. It aired in Japan on 28 July 2016 and in English on 4 December 2018, with Blood Circulator as the opening theme and Pino and Amelie as the ending. Kakashi's Sukea design nods to his late friend Rin Nohara through its hair, makeup, and eyes, and the same disguise resurfaces later in the Boruto anime. The registration form notably omits his Sharingan while keeping the scar.