Naruto: Was the Ramen Guy a secret Shinobi?

Naruto introduced a huge array of characters over the course of the series, which meant that not every character got their chance to shine under the spotlight or receive adequate screen time.

There are quite a few side characters who may not have influenced the plot heavily but became a favorite among fans. One such character is Teuchi, the owner of Ichiraku Ramen. The fanbase loves him unanimously and there have been several discussions revolving around this character.

Naruto fans appreciate his kind demeanor. He was one of the first people to behave nicely with the protagonist when the entire village ostracized him.

A good chunk of the fanbase have often wondered if he was secretly a shinobi. Since the show did not explore his past, this article will be speculative in nature as it explores fan theories that have attempted to piece together his past from the available information.

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Naruto: Did Teuchi partake in missions as a shinobi in the past?

Teuchi, the owner of Ichiraku Ramen, has fed some of the most powerful shinobis in the series. He watched characters like Naruto grow up while living a satisfactory life doing what he loves.

Teuchi is passionate about cooking and making ramen. His approach to cooking reveals that he takes his job very seriously. While he may be a sweet, laid-back person most of the time, he focuses on cooking to the best of his abilities when it comes to work. He also tries improve his skills further, which is seen when he guides his daughter.

Some Naruto fans wanted to know more about this character and they attempted to theorize about his past to that end. They have been wondering if Teuchi was a shinobi before he opened the ramen store. There is a good chance that he was a shinobi inded since he witnessed war when he was a child.

While he might not have wanted to become a strong shinobi or a Hokage, circumstances could have forced him to adopt the role. He could have been a citizen of Konohagakure who dreamt of opening a ramen store but had to become a shinobi for a short period of time.

Picture of Teuchi and Team Jiraiya, in which the student on the extreme left resembles the Ramen store owner (Images via Masashi Kishimoto/Shueisha, Naruto)

He could have been a chunin, and there is an interesting theory making rounds on the internet in respect to this idea. The series might have given the audience an easter egg which can prove that Teuchi was a shinobi. When we look at Team Jiraiya’s picture, there is only one known member, but the person on the extreme left could be Teuchi when he was young. This could also serve as an explanation as to why he believed in Naruto when no one else believed in him.

While this is a long shot, there is a sliver of a chance that this is true and that Teuchi was a shinobi. Not only was he a shinobi, he could also have been Minato’s teammate when they graduated from the academy.