The most mysterious characters in the series

Summary

• The Naruto series has mysterious characters like Teuchi, Dan, Kushimaru, and Kisame that raise questions about their origins.
• Characters like Teuchi and the First Raikage lack detailed backgrounds despite their pivotal roles in the series.
• Itachi and Madara kept fans guessing about their true motives and kept them a secret until major things happened in the series.

Ninjas have always been characterized as mysterious, but some characters in Naruto series takes it to a whole new level. When an individual tries to cover their tracks and hide their true motives, it inevitably makes viewers want to know more, even if the answers don't arrive until several hundred episodes or chapters later. On the other hand, not every secret inside Naruto this regarding her characters was resolved even many years after the official conclusion of the manga.

Masashi Kishimoto, author Narutohe's proven time and time again that he's been a master at creating a mysterious character before delivering a satisfying payoff that allows viewers to see them in a different light. Nevertheless, it was definitely not the case for everyone, and some still carry a lot of unanswered questions.

8 Teuchi

Little is known about one of Naruto's closest companions

• First appearance: Episode 2

Fans may remember Teuchi as ramen who always provides Naruto with his favorite food whenever he visits. Despite seemingly being one of Naruto's closest companions and practically the only person who didn't scold him for his possession of Kurama as a child, almost nothing is known about Teuchi.

It's clear that 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. Even more strangely, at a time when the entire village was adamant about hating Naruto, Teuchi was the only one who took him on, suggesting that he might not even know about the Nine Tails. Either way, even with tidbits of information dropped here and there, much of Teuchi's life and outlook on the world are still mysteries that fans have pondered over for years.

7 Dan Kato

Dan's absurdly powerful spirit transformation technique raises a lot of questions

• First appearance: Shippuden Episode 129

Dan Kato was Tsunade's former lover who had the same dream as Naruto; to one day become Hokage so he can protect his village from harm. Unfortunately, however, Dan became embroiled in the Second Great Ninja War, where he is said to have killed countless shinobi, primarily with his Spirit Transmutation Technique.

There are a lot of rather unusual Jutsu that appear Narutobut this has always left fans confused because the way it works basically allows Dan to one-shot anyone he's capable of possessing, possibly even the Kage. None of Dan's other powers were shown before his eventual demise in the war, but the question that remains to this day is how strong was Dan in reality? And was he more than strong enough to become Hokage?

6 A (First Raikage)

The First Raikage doesn't get nearly as much screen time as the other Kage

• First appearance: Shippuden Episode 369

Many of the past Kage will shine during the final arc of the series, but not much information has been given about A, the first Raikage, beyond a simple flashback. When fans briefly see A, he is discussing matters with the other Kage, where he is seen crossing the land of the Yotsuki Clan, while mocking Hashirama for bowing his head, claiming that this is not the mark of a “Permanent Leader”.

It was clear that he was a stern diplomat who could have easily stood up to the second Kage, but this is the only glimpse fans will get of this intriguing individual whose journey to becoming the first of his kind remains unexplained. There is also no mention of how A came to found the land of Kumo or his abilities that made him an extremely formidable shinobi.

5 Kushimaru Kuriarare

Why is Kushimaru still wearing the Anbu mask? And why did he murder his own sensei?

• First appearance: Shippuden Episode 265

Kushimaru was a member of the Seven Mist Swordsmen, that much is clear, though the rest of his background is unexplained, including why he chose to kill his own sensei. While this particular act of cruelty is mentioned in the anime, it raises the question of what made Kushimaru become so violent, but another point of interest is why he appears to be wearing the mask of an Anbu belonging to the Mist Village.

This simple piece of decoration suggests that Kushimaru was once a member of the Anbu, but chose to continue wearing the mask even after becoming a swordsman, perhaps as a way to mock his former group. Though Kishimoto never goes into depth with Kushimaro's backstory, making him one of the most mysterious swordsmen of the Seven Hidden Swordsmen of the Mist.

4 Kisame Hoshigaki

Kisame's shark appearance has always left fans confused

• First appearance: Episode 81

Kisame's story from the Seven Mist Swordsman series is well known Naruto fans, but one thing that is still quite mysterious is why the dangerous Akatsuki member has a shark-like appearance. No exact reason is ever given in the series, although there are many theories. One to which some fans from Boruto aired series is that the cause is Kisama's sword Samehada, which may have had an effect on Kisama's appearance, as it did with Shizuma in Borutowho is also a member of the Hoshigaki clan.

Others claim it may have something to do with Kisama'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 creature. It's a question that may never be answered, but one that certainly adds a lot of intrigue to Kisame's character and origins.

3 Hidan

Hidan's religion devoted to Jashin has been shrouded in mystery throughout Shippuden

• First appearance: Shippuden Episode 71

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

Some fans believed that Jashin was a figment of Hidan's imagination and that he used the Kekkei Genkai technique, which simply turned his body into a living voodoo doll. It's also still unclear if Hidan died after Shikamaru buried him, or if he somehow managed to claw his way out to continue his bloodthirsty rampage.

2 Madara Uchiha

A man whose true motives and power remained a mystery for most of the series

• First appearance: Shippuden Episode 322

For the most part Naruto series, Madara is referred to as some kind of mythical god-like being who once upon a time roamed the ninja world. The man who ruled the Uchiha clan and was able to go toe-to-toe with the First Hokage has his name sprinkled many times throughout the story, making the audience wonder who he really was, what his grand plan was. and if he was as powerful as some 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 Madara mystery has sparked more than a few online debates Naruto it still came out week after week, which is why its eventual reveal is considered the highlight of the series.

1 Itachi Uchiha

Ever since Itachi first appeared on screen, fans have been guessing what he really does

• First appearance: Episode 81

Itachi is a character that has had fans guessing about his true motives ever since he appeared on screen and randomly attacked Sasuke. Although it is mentioned in the beginning of the series that Itachi wiped out his entire clan, leaving only Sasuke alive, it was always clear that there was much more to the story than Sasuke thought.

As a result, Itachi's true goals remained a mystery throughout Part 1 and for most of it Shippudenwhich was only 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, even if it traumatized him at the same time. That being said, Itachi definitely did a commendable job of hiding his reasons for the betrayal, even taking it with him to the grave.