Naruto Shippuden · Tale of Jiraiya the Gallant

Jiraiya decides to investigate the Akatsuki leader on his own and slips into the Hidden Rain Village, where it never stops raining. The episodes look back on his youth and the war orphans he once trained. He faces Konan and then Pain, who has the Rinnegan. With Sage Mode and help from the toads Fukasaku and Shima, Jiraiya figures out that Pain is six bodies at once, and recognizes a former student among them. Mortally wounded, he carves a code onto Fukasaku's back before sinking into the lake. The toad escapes with the message for Konoha.

1. ReferenceThe title is the folktale's

   "The Tale of Jiraiya the Gallant" is basically a translation of "Jiraiya Gōketsu Monogatari," the Japanese folktale Kishimoto drew Jiraiya, Tsunade and Orochimaru from.

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2. Behind the scenesNaruto came from a book

   Jiraiya's first book has a hero named Naruto. This arc shows that's where our Naruto's name came from. In 2010, Shueisha actually published the book, "Tales of a Gutsy Ninja."

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3. SetupThe message on the toad's back

   Before he sinks, Jiraiya writes a code on Fukasaku's back. What it says and how Naruto cracks it is left for the next arc.

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