Jiraiya (also known as ‘Toad Sage’ and ‘Pervy Sage’) died in episode 133 of ‘Naruto Shippūden’, titled “The Tale of Jiraiya the Gallant”.
Naruto did not find out that Jiraiya had died until episode 152 of the same series, titled “Somber News”.
Jiraiya was 54 years old when he died, and unlike many other characters, he was not resurrected. Also learn in what episode does Neji die.
Who Was Jiraiya?
Jiraiya, alongside Orochimaru and Tsunade, was one of Konohagakure’s Sannin. The Sannin were the three most renowned and legendary ninjas of Konohagakure, and Jiraiya very much deserved that title.
He had incredible ninja skill, and was also a big peeping-tom (it’s thanks to this pervy pastime that he got the nickname ‘Pervy Sage’!).
After Jiraiya graduated from the Ninja Academy, he was quickly teamed with Orochimaru and Tsunade, to be trained by Hiruzen Sarutobi. It was this training that enabled his ninja skills to blossom, alongside a close friendship with Orochimaru and a very close friendship with Tsunade.
After Jiraiya discovered Mount Myōboku and trained under Fukasaku (who especially trained him in senjutsu), Fukasaku made a prediction about Jiraiya. He predicted that Jiraiya would travel the world and meet the ‘Child of the Prophecy’; a student of Jiraiya’s that would either save the world or destroy it – depending on Jiraiya’s guidance.
Did Jiraiya Meet The ‘Child of The Prophecy’?
While leading his own team of genin, Jiraiya suspected that one of them, Minato Namikaze, might be the Child of the Prophecy. He became Minato’s mentor and in time, Minato became Konoha’s Fourth Hokage after Jiraiya declined the position.
While all this was happening though, Jiraiya still found time to pursue his passion for writing. He wrote a book named ‘The Tale of the Utterly Gutsy Shinobi’, and an adult series called ‘Icha Icha’. He had Tsunade to thank for a lot of the inspiration behind ‘Icha Icha’, as the books were based on his personal experiences with love – especially Tsunade’s rejections!
He dedicated ‘The Tale of the Utterly Gutsy Shinobi’ to Nagato, an orphan under his guidance who Jiraiya also suspected may be the Child of the Prophecy.
Minato greatly enjoyed The Tale of the Utterly Gutsy Shinobi and found the book’s main character, Naruto, to be much like Jiraiya. Because of this, he decided to name his soon-to-be-born son Naruto, and Jiraiya was to be his godfather. Jiraiya was not a fan of the idea at first, but this bond paved the way for the parental figure he would later be for Naruto.
What Did Jiraiya Look Like?
Jiraiya was a tall, well-built man. He had fair skin and waist-length, spiky white hair with two bangs framing his face. He had a red line under each eye that extended further down his face as he aged, a tattoo on his left palm, and a scar on his chest. When older, he developed creases at the corner of his mouth and wart alongside his nose.
He wore an outfit of a short green kimono and matching pants, mesh armour, hand guards, a black belt, wooden sandals and a red haori.
Finally, he wore a horned forehead protector, signifying his affiliation with Mount Myōboku.
What Was Jiraiya Like?
Jiraiya was a jovial person, always up for a joke or a laugh – even at his own expense! He was indeed a very pervy person, constantly peeping on female characters by using his ‘Transparent Escape’ technique. This technique almost got him killed by Tsunade at one point – a moment he definitely never forgot!
How Did Jiraiya Die?
Jiraiya died during a mission to find out more information about the Akatsuki. The Akatsuki leader Pain detected him and summoned the Six Paths of Pain to stop him, resulting in a battle between the two of them.
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Jiraiya died after being impaled by a number of black chakra rods, but not before finding out that Pain was actually his old student, Nagato. After realizing this, Jiraiya bravely spent his final moments coding a message for Naruto to leave him clues as to Pain’s true identity.
Why Wasn’t Jiraiya Resurrected?
Many other characters in the series have been resurrected, but Jiraiya was not. This is thought to be because when Nagato used the Outer Path technique (also known as Gedo: Rinne Tensei) to revive the citizens of Konoha, Jiraiya’s body was at the bottom of the ocean. The technique requires a body to work, and so Jiraiya could not be revived.
What is Jiraiya’s Legacy?
For all his jokes and games, Jiraiya was a key figure in Naruto’s life and he cared hugely about the boy. His final moments were dedicated to helping Naruto identify Pain, and when Naruto found out about his death he was deeply depressed.
Jiraiya’s legacy lives on in Naruto’s journey, and also in the new manga Boruto.