On the set of the film, Brittany Murphy nervously told director Robert Allan Ackerman that she had only ever been cast to be "either cute or crazy" and would not be able to deliver anything else. In response, they developed a code where he would say either "C1" or "C2." "C1" was "cute" and "C2" was "crazy," and Ackerman would say to her, "Too much C2, too much C1."
The film marked a milestone in the evolution of American depictions of Japan in popular culture. It was shot in Japan with Japanese characters, who spoke Japanese rather than broken or accented English.
There is a restaurant in El Cajon, California called "The Ramen Girl," and it pays tribute to the film and actress Brittany Murphy with their menu item "Tribute," which is their version of "Abby's Goddess Ramen" featuring their House Broth with Shio, Bamboo Shoots, Bell Peppers, Roasted Tomatoes, Corn, Cilantro and Black Garlic Oil. Update: As of March 2018, they no longer offer the item.
The Grand Master in this film was played by Tsutomu Yamasaki, the same actor who starred as Goro in Tampopo (1985), a film also about a noodle shop in Japan.
The shooting for the film was particularly difficult for Brittany Murphy, as she at times arrived hours late to set and expressed constant anxiety about her appearance and reputation.