The Most Mysterious Characters In The Series

Summary

• The Naruto series has mysterious characters like Teuchi, Dan, Kushimaru, and Kisame, raising questions about their backgrounds.
• Characters like Teuchi and the First Raikage lack detailed backgrounds despite pivotal roles in the series.
• Itachi and Madara had fans guessing their true motives, keeping them mysterious until crucial reveals in the series.

Ninjas have always been characterized as being mysterious, but some characters in the Naruto series take this to a whole new level. When an individual tries to cover their tracks and hide their real motives, it inevitably makes viewers want to learn more, even if the answers will only arrive after a few hundred episodes or chapters. On the other hand, not every mystery within Naruto that concerns its characters has been solved, even many years after the manga’s official conclusion.

Masashi Kishimoto, the author of Naruto, proved time and time again he was a master at building up a mysterious character before delivering a satisfying payoff that allows viewers to see them in a different light. Still, this certainly wasn’t the case for everyone, with some continuing to harbor plenty of unanswered questions to this very day.

8 Teuchi

Barely Anything Is Known About One Of Naruto’s Closest Companions

• First Appearance: Episode 2

Fans might remember Teuchi as the ramen guy who always provides Naruto with his favorite meal any time he pays him a visit. Despite seemingly being one of Naruto’s closest companions and virtually the only person to not scold him when he was a child due to his possession of Kurama, there’s barely anything known about Teuchi.

What is clear is he decided to become a chef long before Naruto was born, but why he was so adamant about becoming a ramen chef specifically is anyone’s guess. What’s more bizarre is how, at a time when the entire village was adamant about hating Naruto, Teuchi was the only one who would take him in, implying maybe he didn’t even know about the Nine Tails at all. Either way, while bits of info have been dropped here and there, much of Teuchi’s life, and his outlook on the world, are still mysteries fans have been pondering for many years.

7 Dan Kato

Dan’s Absurdly Strong Spirit Transformation Technique Raises A Lot Of Questions

• First Appearance: Shippuden Episode 129

Dan Kato was a former lover of Tsunade’s who held the same dream as Naruto; to one day become the Hokage so he could protect his village from harm. Unfortunately, though, Dan got wrapped up in the Second Great Ninja War where it is said he killed countless shinobi, primarily with his Spirit Transformation Technique.

There are plenty of rather unusual Jutsu that show up in Naruto, but this one has always left fans puzzled since the way it works essentially allows Dan to one-shot anyone he is able to possess, presumably even Kage. None of Dan’s other abilities are shown before his eventual demise in the war, but the question that is still asked to this day is how strong really was Dan? And was he more than strong enough to become Hokage?

6 A (First Raikage)

The First Raikage Doesn’t Receive Anywhere Near As Much Screentime As Other Kage

• First Appearance: Shippuden Episode 369

Many of the past Kage get their moments to shine during the final arc of the series, but there was never much info given about A, the first Raikage, outside of a simple flashback. When fans do get to see A for a brief moment, he is discussing matters with the other Kage where he can be seen passing land to the Yotsuki clan, while also mocking Hashirama for bowing his head, claiming this was not a sign of a “Lasting leader”.

Clearly, he was a stern diplomat who could easily stand up to the other Kage, but this is the only glimpse fans get to see of this intriguing individual whose journey to becoming the first of his kind remains unexplained. There’s also no mention of how A came to found the land of Kumo, or his abilities, which made him an extremely formidable shinobi.

5 Kushimaru Kuriarare

Why Does Kushimaru Still Wear An Anbu Mask? And Why Did He Murder His Own Sensei?

• First Appearance: Shippuden Episode 265

Kushimaru was a member of the Seven Mist Swordsman, that much is clear, though the rest of his background is unexplained, including why he decided to kill his own sensei. While this particular act of cruelty is mentioned in the anime, it begs the question of what drove Kushimaru to become so violent, but another intriguing point is why he seems to be wearing an Anbu mask belonging to the Mist village.

This simple piece of decoration implies Kushimaru was once a member of the Anbu, yet decided to continue wearing the mask even when he became a swordsman, maybe as a way to mock his former group. Again though, Kishimoto never goes in-depth with Kushimaru’s backstory, making him one of the most mysterious of the Seven Hidden Mist Swordsmen.

4 Kisame Hoshigaki

Kisame’s Shark-Like Appearance Has Always Left Fans Puzzled

• First Appearance: Episode 81

Kisame’s backstory as a part of the Seven Mist Swordsmen is well-known by Naruto fans, but one thing that is still pretty puzzling is why the dangerous Akatsuki member possesses a shark-like appearance. No exact reason is ever given in the series, though there have been many theories. One that some fans have clung to since the Boruto series aired is that the cause is Kisame’s sword, Samehada, which may have had an influence on Kisame’s appearance, just as it did with Shizuma in Boruto, who is also a member of the Hoshigaki clan.

Others claim it might have something to do with Kisame’s initiation into the Seven Swordsmen, or he was simply so obsessed with sharks that he found a way to mutate his body into a humanoid version of the aquatic animal. It’s a question that may never be answered, but which certainly adds a lot of intrigue to Kisame’s character and his origins.

3 Hidan

Hidan’s Religion Devoted To Jashin Was Shrouded In Mystery For The Entirety Of Shippuden

• First Appearance: Shippuden Episode 71

Hidan is such a strange character that he almost feels ripped out of a different show entirely. The most obvious oddity about Hidan is the god he worships, known as Lord Jashin, who Hidan will make sacrifices to in order to gain immortality. However, who this Jashin actually is, and whether other people followed him, was a mystery for many years until the Boruto series expanded on it a little more through the character of Ryuki.

Some fans theorized Jashin was a figment of Hidan’s imagination and that he was using a Kekkei Genkai technique that simply turns his body into a living voodoo doll. It’s also still unclear whether Hidan met his death after Shikamaru buried him, or if he somehow managed to crawl out to continue his bloodthirsty rampage.

2 Madara Uchiha

A Man Whose True Motives And Strength Remained A Mystery For Much Of The Series

• First Appearance: Shippuden Episode 322

For much of the Naruto series, Madara is talked about as some sort of mythical god-like being who once roamed the ninja world long ago. The man who ruled the Uchiha clan, and was capable of going toe-to-toe with the First Hokage, has his name sprinkled throughout the story numerous times, keeping viewers wondering who he really was, what his grand plan was going to be, and if he was as powerful as some had claimed.

As a result, he remained a mysterious ancient figure for hundreds of episodes, until he was finally resurrected during the Fourth Great Ninja War and revealed his plan for the Infinite Tsukuyomi. The mystery of Madara sparked more than a few online debates when Naruto was still coming out week to week, which is why his eventual reveal is seen as such a highlight of the series.

1 Itachi Uchiha

Itachi Had Fans Guessing What He Was Really Up To From The Moment He First Appeared On Screen

• First Appearance: Episode 81

Itachi is a character who had fans guessing about his true motives from the moment he appeared on screen to randomly attack Sasuke. Though it is mentioned early on in the series that Itachi wiped out his entire clan, leaving only Sasuke alive, it was always clear there was much more to this story than Sasuke had been led to believe.

As a result, Itachi’s true goals were left a mystery for the entirety of part 1, and for most of Shippuden, only being revealed after his fateful confrontation with Sasuke. The reason Itachi betrayed his clan was to prevent another Great Ninja War from breaking out and to protect his younger brother, albeit also traumatizing him at the same time. That being said, Itachi certainly did a commendable job at hiding the reasons for the betrayal, even taking it with him to the grave.