Jiraiya is one of the legendary Sannin ninjas in the manga and anime series Naruto. He is known for his perverted nature and his signature toad summonings in battle. However, Jiraiya also had a softer caring side and acted as a mentor to the protagonist Naruto Uzumaki. One of the biggest mysteries around Jiraiya is the identity of his mysterious copy who appears during the Fourth Great Ninja War.
Who was Jiraiya?
Jiraiya was one of the three Legendary Sannin of the Hidden Leaf Village in Naruto. He was on a team with Tsunade and Orochimaru and they were trained by the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi. Jiraiya was known for his perverted nature and he was often seen peeping on women and writing erotic fiction novels. However, he was also an extremely powerful ninja and Sage who utilized toad summonings in battle. His signature moves included the Rasengan and the ability to enter Sage Mode.
Later in his life, Jiraiya took on the role of mentor to Naruto Uzumaki, the protagonist of the series. He saw Naruto’s potential and took him on as an apprentice, teaching him many important skills including how to utilize the Nine-Tailed Fox’s chakra. Jiraiya cared deeply for Naruto and believed he was the Child of Prophecy who would bring peace to the ninja world. Tragically, Jiraiya was killed in battle against Pain while trying to obtain information to help Naruto.
When did Jiraiya’s copy appear?
Jiraiya’s mysterious copy first appeared during the Fourth Great Ninja War arc of Naruto Shippuden. At this point in the story, Kabuto Yakushi had performed the Impure World Reincarnation forbidden jutsu to resurrect many powerful deceased ninjas to fight on behalf of the Akatsuki. Among the resurrected ninjas was a perfect copy of Jiraiya, including all of his abilities and memories.
Jiraiya’s copy emerged on the battlefield to the shock of Naruto and the Allied Shinobi Forces. Seeing his former mentor back from the dead was emotional for Naruto. Initially, it was unclear if this version of Jiraiya was the real one resurrected or some sort of advanced clone. But it soon became evident that it was only a copy created through the reanimation jutsu.
What abilities did Jiraiya’s copy have?
The copy of Jiraiya summoned through Impure World Reincarnation demonstrated all the same abilities and powers that the original Jiraiya possessed while alive. This included:
- Proficient use of ninjutsu, genjutsu, and taijutsu
- Ability to summon large toads such as Gamabunta for battle
- Utilization of the Rasengan technique
- Sage Mode to enhance his abilities even further
- Knowledge of many other advanced jutsu from his time as a Sannin and Leaf ninja
In addition to having all of Jiraiya’s intrinsic skills, the reanimated copy also gained the standard enhancements from the Impure World Reincarnation technique. This included unlimited stamina and regenerative healing making it nearly invincible in one on one combat.
How did Naruto react to seeing Jiraiya’s copy?
When Jiraiya’s copy first appeared on the battlefield, Naruto was both shocked and overjoyed to see his former master again. However, he quickly realized that this was not the real Jiraiya revived, but only an advanced reanimated clone. This realization deeply saddened Naruto, who had hoped to speak with Jiraiya one more time. Witnessing the clone use his mentor’s abilities against him also enraged Naruto.
However, Naruto did not let his emotions compromise the war effort. He steeled his resolve to fight against this twisted usage of his beloved teacher. When called upon, Naruto cooperated with allied forces to seal away the revived Jiraiya copy. As painful as it was, he understood that this was only a shadow of the real Jiraiya, who would not want his abilities used for evil.
Who was controlling Jiraiya’s copy?
The one who reanimated and controlled the copy of Jiraiya through the Impure World Reincarnation technique was Kabuto Yakushi. An orphan found on a battlefield, Kabuto was recruited by Sasori of the Red Sand to become a spy. Later, he became Orochimaru’s right-hand man and a high-ranking servant of the Akatsuki. After integrating some of Orochimaru’s remains into himself, Kabuto gained the ability to perform Impure World Reincarnation summoning many deceased ninjas to fight for him.
During the Fourth Great Ninja War, Kabuto resurrected many of the most powerful ninja in history to fight on behalf of the Akatsuki in their battle against the Allied Shinobi Forces. Jiraiya was among these reanimated ninja, forced to fight against his homeland and comrades against his will. Kabuto retained full control over the summoned Jiraiya copy and could enhance its abilities even further during battle.
Did the copy have any of Jiraiya’s memories or emotions?
As a reanimated clone summoned through Impure World Reincarnation, the Jiraiya copy contained all of the original’s memories and experiences up until the point of his death. This allowed the clone to demonstrate all of Jiraiya’s learned abilities and skills. However, Kabuto remained in full control over the copy’s actions and speech. So while it had memories, the clone could not act on its own free will or experience emotions beyond what it was commanded to do.
This was demonstrated when the copy confronted Naruto on the battlefield. While it recalled Naruto and its history as his mentor, the copy remained focused on attacking Naruto and could not ignore Kabuto’s commands or express its true feelings. So while it mimicked Jiraiya very closely, ultimately it was only an echo of the real person completely bound to its summoner’s will.
How was the Jiraiya copy defeated?
Due to the enhancements of Impure World Reincarnation, the reanimated copy of Jiraiya could not be traditionally defeated or killed in battle. Even dismembering or fatally wounding the clone would only temporarily incapacitate it until the body regenerated. However, there were a few methods the Allied Shinobi Forces discovered to stop the rampage of the reanimated ninjas.
One method was to physically restrain the reanimated body and then perform the Sealing Jutsu: Tiger Vision Staring Bullet. This allowed the target to be sealed away into a scroll, immobilizing them. When confronted with the Jiraiya copy, Naruto and Killer B used this combination of restraining and sealing to trap the clone, ending its summoning.
The reanimated ninjas could also be defeated if the user who performed Impure World Reincarnation was defeated, breaking their spell over the summoned copies. This is ultimately how the Jiraiya copy met its end after Kabuto was convinced by Itachi Uchiha to release the jutsu.
Was any intel gained from Jiraiya’s copy?
Despite being only a shadow of the original, the Allied Shinobi Forces were able to gain some valuable intelligence from their encounter with Jiraiya’s reanimated copy:
- They learned the full capabilities of Impure World Reincarnation and how great a threat the reanimated ninjas posed.
- Studying the clone allowed them to discover countermeasures such as sealing techniques that could contain the reanimated fighters.
- It provided insight into Kabuto’s location and control over the technique that was useful in ultimately defeating him.
- They gained deeper understanding of Jiraiya’s abilities and fighting style by seeing the clone in action.
So while only a shadow, the Jiraiya copy provided key intelligence that helped the Allied Forces gain advantage in the war against the Akatsuki. They were able to adapt battle strategies based on knowledge from these forced confrontations with former friends.
Could the real Jiraiya ever be resurrected?
Theoretically, it is possible the real Jiraiya himself could be brought back with Impure World Reincarnation or another resurrection technique. However, there are some key barriers:
- His body was lost in the ocean during his battle with Pain, leaving no intact DNA.
- The only ones capable of Impure World Reincarnation have been defeated or reformed.
- Current Kages have classified the technique as forbidden.
- It would go against Jiraiya’s acceptance of his death and the afterlife he found.
Jiraiya’s spirit has likely passed on into the afterlife, making resurrection impossible. Bringing him back against his will could also corrupt his personality. Some possibilities like finding DNA samples or secret apprentices learning his techniques persist, but Jiraiya’s return seems very unlikely at this point in the story.
Conclusion
The mysterious copy of Jiraiya that appeared during the Fourth Great Ninja War provided an emotional moment for Naruto and showed the incredible power of Kabuto’s Impure World Reincarnation technique. Though only a shadow of Jiraiya himself, the clone provided valuable intelligence that helped turn the tide against the Akatsuki. While the real Jiraiya is unlikely to ever be fully resurrected, his powerful legacy lives on through his teachings to Naruto and the legends of his deeds as a Sannin.