Jiraiya (Naruto)

Jiraiya
Naruto character
First appearance	Naruto manga chapter 90 Naruto anime episode 52
Created by	Masashi Kishimoto
Voiced by	Japanese Hōchū Ōtsuka Tōru Nara (as a child) English David Lodge Brad MacDonald (as a child) Richard Cansino (Naruto: Ultimate Ninja)

Jiraiya (自来也) is a fictional character in the Naruto universe created by Masashi Kishimoto. Introduced in the first half of the manga, Jiraiya appears as a perverted old man who the lead character, Naruto Uzumaki, refers to as “Pervy Sage” (エロ仙人, Ero-Sennin). However, it is established that he was a student of Hiruzen Sarutobi and one of the Sannin- The Three Legendary Ninja, along with Orochimaru and Lady Tsunade.

Creation and conter of the same name from Jiraiya Gōketsu Monogatari (児雷也豪傑物語, “The Tale of the Gallant Jiraiya”). Masashi Kishimoto originally planned to draw Jiraiya with a different design and with a different style of hair. He also intended for Jiraiya to summon toads that were of a similar size to humans. However, this idea was deemed a failure. During an interview, he comments that, of the student-teacher relationships in Naruto, Jiraiya and Naruto’s is the one he likes the most.

Jiraiya grew up in the village of Konohagakure under the tutelage of the Hiruzen Sarutobi. As he grew older, Jiraiya and his two teammates, Orochimaru and Tsunade, collectively became known as the “Legendary Sannin” (伝説の三忍, Densetsu no Sannin) owing to their exemplary ninja abilities allowing them to endure a fight against Hanzou the Salamander during the Second Shinobi War. As a child, bragging about his exploits, Jiraiya made many attempts to either woo women or spy on them while they bathe in the hot springs. His interest in women has on occasion been his downfall as nearly got himself killed while spying on Tsunade whom he had feelings for. However, he has been able to use his peeping jutsu to good use during reconnaissance and stealth missions.

For most of his adult life, though loyal to Konoha, Jiraiya periodically leaves his hometown to explore the world. Once such trip had him discover Mount Myōboku, where he learned Senjutsu from the Great Toad Sage who told him a prophecy he would someday have a student who can save the world or destroy it. During his time with the toads, he trained in senjutsu and became known as the Toad Sage (蝦蟇仙人, Gama Sennin). In the aftermath of the Second Shinobi War, where he and his teammates became known as the Sannin, Jiraiya meets an orphan named Nagato, taking him and his friends Konan and Yahiko under his wing. But soon after leaving his students, Jiraiya is devastated to learn they have all been killed by Hanzou. Jiraiya also became a mentor to Minato Namikaze, Naruto’s father and the Fourth Hokage, after becoming a jōnin and told his student of the Great Toad Sage’s prophecy. Soon after, after poor sales of his “autobiography” The Tale of the Gutsy Ninja, Jiraiya learns that he is to become godfather to Minato’s son, named “Naruto” after the protagonist in his book in the hopes that the child would grow up to be like Jiraiya. Though his talents and dedication to the village lead to him being offered the position of Hokage, Jiraiya thought his inability to keep Orochimaru from becoming a criminal made him feel unworthy of the responsibility as he resolved to instead keep an eye on both him and the Akatsuki. While traveling, Jiraiya wrote his experiences in love, particularly those with Tsunade, in his Make Out (イチャイチャ, Icha Icha) series of novels which have become a best seller and earned him vast wealth.

Across the Naruto world Jiraiya is known as the “Toad Sage” (蝦蟇仙人, Gama Sennin) as the result of training under the Great Toad Sage to obtain Senjutsu, enabling him to summon toads as allies during battle. If need be, he can also summon parts of toads, on one occasion blanketing an area with a toad’s esophagus to immobilize and trap an opponent. In the second half of the series, around the time of his death, Jiraiya reveals many toad-themed Senjutsu moves including his Sage Mode” though he expressed not wanting to assume the state as it makes him toad-like and unappealing to girls. While toads make up the bulk of his ninja abilities, Jiraiya displays a variety of miscellaneous talents throughout the series. He can breathe fire, create swamps to immobilize enemies, and grow and sharpen his hair for both offensive and defensive purposes. He was taught how to use the Rasengan by Minato, which Jiraiya in turn teaches to Minato’s son, Uzumaki Naruto, shortly after his introduction. At various times in the series Jiraiya has been shown to be knowledgeable with seals. This expertise most commonly comes to light in relation to Kurama as Jiraiya was entrusted with a key by Minato that enables him to influence the seal as he constantly tries to help Naruto gain control of the Tailed Beast. Jiraiya can also seal Itachi’s Amaterasu. Though he usually doesn’t show it, he is also skilled at taijutsu.

Jiraiya makes only sporadic appearances for most of the series, returning to Konoha after long absences to report on information he has learned during his travels. Initially this information concerns Orochimaru’s continued efforts to destroy Konoha, though as the series progresses he also begins reporting on the criminal organization, Akatsuki. During some of his returns Jiraiya takes the time to train Naruto, teaching him his own signature abilities, and how to control Kurama. After Naruto’s flawed attempt to retrieve Sasuke, Jiraiya decides to take the boy for a few years of training to make him strong enough to bring Sasuke back and to protect himself from the Akatsuki .

In Part II, after entrusting Naruto with the key to Kurama’s seal, Jiraiya begins investigating the Akatsuki’s leader Pain. In the course of his investigation leads him to battle Pain, recognizing him to be Nagato as he tries to kill his student to prevent the world’s destruction before being overwhelmed by the Six Paths. At the battle’s conclusion, thinking back throughout his life, Jiraiya realizes that Naruto was actually the boy foretold in the prophecy. Due to this, and remembering that it was his first novel that inspired Minato to name his son after the book’s protagonist, Jiraiya mustered the strength to get up and write one last message. Before succumbing to his fatal wounds, Jiraiya sends the secret behind Nagato’s Paths of Pain, along with a disabled Animal Path, to Naruto and the rest of Konoha to give them an edge. He then dies without regret as he sinks into the sea; knowing that he did all he could for the future hero of the world.

Jiraiya is a playable character in most Naruto video games, including the Clash of Ninja series and the Ultimate Ninja series, as well as Path of the Ninja series. In the first game of the Ultimate Ninja, he only appears as a support to Naruto during his special techniques. In the Path of the Ninja RPG series he is a character who can be spoken to, for information and support. Since Ultimate Ninja 2, he is an available character and has been given variations of the Rasengan, fire techniques, and toads summoning techniques; in Path of the Ninja 2 he is not only a character in the storyline, but a “secret” acquirable character, that can be added to your team as a fully active member. Jiraiya not only has his commonly known jutsus such as Rasengan - Spiral Chakra Sphere and Needle Jizo (protective hair spikes), but the ability to summon any toad to fight in place of the team, thereby gaining the use of all the toads’ special attacks and jutsus, like Tongue Whip, and Giant Blade. Naruto Shippūden: Gekitou Ninja Taisen EX marks the first appearance of Jiraiya in a video game set in Part II, with the second one being Naruto Shippūden: Narutimate Accel. Jiraiya only appears in the third original video animation, but he does not take a big role. Jiraiya makes an appearance so far in only two Naruto films, Naruto Shippūden 2: Bonds and Naruto Shippūden 3: Inheritors of the Will of Fire.

Jiraiya has appeared in several of the main Shōnen Jump popularity polls. In the second and third he ranked in the top ten. In the fourth poll he ranked at 11th. In the last poll conducted in 2011, Jiraiya was placed 16th. Merchandise based on Jiraiya has also been released, including key chains, action figures, and his headband.

Several reviewers for manga, anime, video games, and other related media have provided praise and criticism on Jiraiya’s character. Matt Shingleton praised the character as the greatest character Masashi Kishimoto has ever created in this series. They note that besides the fact he fills the comical pervert archetype he is one of the strongest characters in the series and just about everything about him is rough and unpredictable. Davey Jones remarked Jiraiya’s training with Naruto as good comic relief and noted how similar both of these characters are. Justin Rich also praises Jiraiya’s introduction in the series noting him to be a very funny character. Jason Van Horn of IGN commented on his relationships with Naruto Uzumaki that “they share so much in common”.

Media related to Jiraiya (Naruto) at Wikimedia Commons