Among the many many openings and endings tied to the Naruto anime, one discovered close to the collection’ finish stands out among the many relaxation.
Whereas it could function a bevy of the present’s forged and characters, it doesn’t have glimpses of fights to return or tragic scenes of despair. There aren’t set items that includes terrain getting torn aside by over-the-top strategies, and there’s not an oz. of foreshadowing for an upcoming villain. As an alternative, the forged is proven going to Ichiraku Ramen to take pleasure in meals with each other; both as buddies celebrating a job nicely accomplished, lovers having fun with a date, or remoted village pariahs keen to flee the rain.
This glimpse on the extra low-key and relaxed points of the characters’ lives is a welcome break from the story’s shift towards continuous fights in its conclusion. Extra vital, although, is the truth that it highlights the character who facilitates all of this, and hints at simply how vital to the broader world and narrative he really is.
I’m speaking, in fact, about Teuchi; higher often called the Ichiraku Ramen Man.
Although he might by no means play a large function within the story, he is a continuing fixture among the many residents of the Hidden Leaf Village. His store is a gathering place for the hungry, and an oasis amidst the infinite energy creep of recent villains and evil organizations.
This doesn’t change because the collection goes on both. Regardless of the many headcanons that exist whereby he’s a dormant grasp Shinobi on par with the Sage of Six Paths, he’s formally only a regular man who runs a restaurant in a village inhabited by supernaturally-gifted warriors. He boasts neither the rank of the village’s extra prestigious elders or the ability to change the material of actuality with historical arts handed down over millennia. As an alternative, he seeks solely to supply a service to the hard-working Shinobi of his house city.
And within the grand scheme of issues, that is what makes him stand out. He has no grasp plan he’s placing collectively behind the scenes, and isn’t working a selected angle by being sort to the folks round him. He’s a caring and thoughtful supplier, and can supply a heat bowl of ramen to whoever finds their manner into his store. Which could not appear to be probably the most spectacular feat; or at the very least, not till one stops and thinks concerning the enormity of this reality, particularly given the trials endured by the collection’ fundamental character.
When Naruto begins, the titular protagonist is hated by most everybody round him. Those who’re keen to provide him real consideration and compassion are restricted to say the least, and he spends most of his time appearing out for consideration or weathering the insults of the village’s residents who despise him on account of his housing the 9-Tailed Fox spirit. He has few locations the place he feels really welcomed and completely happy, and a kind of places simply so occurs to be Ichiraku Ramen.
A part of this is because of the truth that he loves ramen and is rewarded with it by his mentor Iruka, however because the aforementioned ending theme reveals, it’s additionally due to Teuchi. When others handled him like rubbish for even being alive, the Ichiraku Ramen Man handled him the identical manner he would anybody else. He provided the Hyperactive Knuckleheaded Ninja within the making a spot the place he could possibly be handled with heat and kindness, and welcomed him again time and again as time went on.
He gave Naruto a spot the place he may really feel like an individual, and did so with out ever belittling him or making him really feel like a criminal offense towards the broader world. This was all whereas by no means being a fundamental character or receiving specific credit score for doing in order nicely. For all the eye different characters obtain with reference to seeing previous their biases and supporting Naruto in his adventures, few of them are as constantly compassionate towards Naruto, and particularly earlier than he proves his price with a slew of spectacular feats.
One may even argue his kindness and function in Naruto’s life are a giant motive he was in a position to attain the heights he does. And not using a place to really feel welcomed and wished, his journey would have been that rather more tough, and should have even ended lengthy earlier than he managed to turn out to be the Hokage of the leaf village.
Truthfully, that’s form of the entire level of Teuchi’s character, and serves to impart an vital message — be keen to be sort. Nobody can ever make sure of what somebody goes by or what they’ll turn out to be, and the distinction could possibly be made with a small gesture of acceptance and understanding.
So right here’s to Teuchi the Ichiraku Ramen Man. Although he might not have been an omnipotent character ready within the wings, he nonetheless proved himself to be one of the worthwhile folks within the collection. Might his store stand everlasting among the many Village Hidden within the Leaves, and should it proceed to supply a spot for even probably the most disastrous Shinobi to really feel welcomed with open arms.
