Jiraiya, Tsunade, and Orochimaru, the Three Legendary Sannin, have real-world origins. Jiraiya Goketsu Monogatari is Japanese folklore that has been a source of inspiration for the trio. It was recorded around 200 years ago in the 1800s and used to be a sought-after series of 43 novels completed by four different authors.
Jiraiya’s Story in the Folklore
Jiraiya Goketsu Monogatari recounts the story of a giant snake that was determined to take over Japan. But, to achieve its goals, it needed to take the Tsukikage clan under its control. The Tsukikage clan was crucial since it was one of three clans of the Echigo province apart from Ogata and Matsuura. Its geographic location gave the ruler a substantial strategic advantage over the other two clans, so the giant snake wished to have it under its control as soon as possible. One day Lord Tsukikage was attacked by a snake spirit, but surprisingly a boy named Orochimaru saved him. Lord Tsukikage was so grateful that he adopted the child unknown to the fact the snake spirit possessed him.
The whole attack was planned out by the snake spirit, who was now the adopted son of Lord Tsukikage. He cunningly manipulated the Lord into killing all his children. Orochimaru was the; therefore, the only successor left, and he eventually gained control of the government. He then set his eyes on the next task, which was to get the powerful seals in possession of the Matsuura and Ogata clans. He manipulated the Lord Tsukikage again into believing that the two clans were planning a coup and ultimately forced them to give up their seals. Once he got what he wanted, he wiped the Matsuura and Ogata clans and threw Jiraiya and Tsunade, the two successors, off a cliff.
However, Senso Dojin, a hermit, saved and raised them. Tsunade and Jiraiya went on to learn slug and toad magic, respectively, which was crucial for them to defeat Orochimaru. However, they needed Nakirimaru, a special sword, to defeat Orochimaru because his snake magic was too powerful. Once they found the sword, they got the better of Orochimaru and reestablished the Matsuura and Ogata clans. Jiraiya and Tsunade eventually married each other, and everyone lived happily ever after.
Influence of Folklore on Jiraiya’s Character
Orochimaru, Tsunade, and Jiraiya are regarded as the greatest ninja of all time. Jiraiya has the most obvious influence of folklore. He was also called the toad hermit and was in love with Tsunade, just like in the folklore. Even Jiraiya called himself the Toad Sage, and although he was well-known for his toad techniques, he knew several other ninjutsu. Just like his folkloric counterpart, Jiraiya in Naruto was also a loyal friend and a courageous fighter.
Although there are several similarities, Jiraiya never really expressed his feelings for Tsunade in Naruto. While they get married in the folklore, Jiraiya never tried to have a relationship with her and only wanted to protect her in Naruto. However, Jiraiya has the same dedication to love and support Tsunade in Naruto as well as in folklore. So, even though the characters are not the same, one can see how the 200-year-old folklore inspired Naruto’s characters.
Jessica Williams is a creative person who has been writing blogs and articles about cybersecurity. She writes about the latest updates regarding office setup and how it can improve the work experience of users. She articles have been published in many popular e-magazines, blogs, and websites like McAfee.com/activate.
Read Official Blog Post - Naruto: The folklore that inspired the character of Jiraiya
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