The TV anime adaptation of the popular manga series, featuring a young ninja-in-training who has a fox demon sealed inside of himself.

 Naruto (2002)

The Naruto anime series is the second anime based upon the manga series Naruto, created by the writer and artist Masashi Kishimoto. The series was directed by Hayato Date, music by Toshio Masuda. It's a shonen action series in the tradition of Dragon Ball. It is produced by the Studio Pierrot and has aired in Japan on both the TV Tokyo and Animax networks. It is mainly targeted toward a younger male audience, but does have cross gender appear. the first episode originally aired on October 3, 2002.
 
The anime was licensed for the U.S. by the VIZ Media company, the same publisher of the Naruto manga in the U.S. The first episode aired on September 10th 2005 on Cartoon Network's anime programming Toonami. On September 20, 2008, Cartoon Network ended its Toonami block, but the channel continued randomly air episodes of Naruto in the time slots originally occupied by Toonami's programming. Following Episode 209, airing on January 31, 2009, the last episode to be shown Cartoon Network. VIZ has since stated that they have continued dubbing new episodes and releasing on DVD.
 
After Episode 135 of the Naruto anime that aired in May of 2005, the series began a constant run of filler episodes that would last till the series end with Episode 220 that aired in February 8th 2007. At which point, the Naruto Shippuden series picked up the Naruto manga story from the point of the beginning of a two year time skip and much of the younger cast grew and developed in skill. 

Plot

 Naruto vows to become the greatest Hokage.

Twelve years ago the Village Hidden in the Leaves was attacked by a fearsome threat. The Nine-tailed Fox Demon claimed the lives of hundreds and of the village leader, the Fourth Hokage. Years later, the village is at peace and a troublemaking kid named Naruto Uzumaki struggled to graduate from Ninja Academy. His goal may be to become the next Hokage, but his true destiny will be much more complicated. The adventure begins now!
 
The secret that Naruto is the vessel of the Nine-tails has been kept from him most his life, but those who lived to see the destruction have not been kind and suspect that he will become a demon.  After failing his ninja exam, Naruto was tricked into stealing a precious scroll by one of the ninja teachers. In the process, he learns the dark secret sealed inside of him. In spite of this realization, Naruto saves to day and is graduated as a full fledged ninja of the Hidden Leaf Village.

Characters

Team 7 Team 7 - Naruto, Sakura, Sasuke, and Kakashi The Team 7 of the Hidden Leaf Village consist of Naruto Uzumaki, Sakura Haruno, and Sasuke Uchiha. It is also known as Team Kakashi, named after their ninja master, Kakashi Hatake.  Naruto isn't the only ninja with a dream. Sasuke has one goal driving him forward. He is the only survivor of the massacre of the Uchiha Clan and the perpetrator is his very own brother, Itachi. Sakura is an intelligent young woman who struggles to just keep up with her team mates and tries to find her place as a ninja. The team leader, Kakashi, is a legend of the Hidden Leaf ninja known as the Copy Ninja. Using the Sharingan Eye, he can copy any jutsu he can see. Though the mystery of the source of the eyes only found in the Uchiha clan is unknown.

Team 8 Team 8 - Shino, Hinata, Kiba, and Kurenai The Team 8 of the Hidden Leaf Village consists of Shino Aburame, Hinata Hyuga, and Kiba Inuzuka with his dog partner Akamaru. It's also known as Team Kurenai, named after their ninja master, Kurenai Yuuhi. The leader of Team 8 is Shino. Has a member of the Abumare Clan, he has a mastery of specialized ninjutsu that uses insects. Hinata Hyuga is a shy young girl and a member of the renowned Hyuga Clan. She can use a special Kekkei Genkai (genetic trait) called the Byakugan. Though timid and not as skilled as many of the ninja in her clan's main family, she loves Naruto and strives to push forward the way he does in hopes he will see her one day. Kiba is a member of the Inuzuka Clan specializes in having dog partners that they live with and train. Their senses can even equal their canine counterparts. Kurenai is one of the more talented Jonin class ninja. She is a master of the psychological ninjutsu called Genjutsu. With these techniques, she can manipulate what her opponent sees, hears, and even feels.

Team 9 Team 9 - Neji, Tenten, Rock Lee, and Might Guy The Team 9 of the Hidden Leaf Village consists of Neji Hyuga, Tenten, and Rock Lee. It's also known as Team Guy, named after their ninja master, Might Guy. The members primarily masters in Taijutsu, hand-to-hand combat. The leader of Team 9 is Neji, a member of the branch family of the Hyuga Clan. He is masterful in the practices of the Byakugan Eyes and can use it to target the pressure points of an opponent to eliminate their use of justu. Tenten is a female ninja trained as a weapons master. Through the use of scrolls she can summon a wide variety of weapons. Rock Lee may be completely incapable of using either Ninjutsu or Genjutsu, but he holds a natural gift in his powers of Taijutsu. He was taken under the wing of their master Guy and taught how to unlock the gates of the human body to increase one's power. Might Guy is the self proclaimed rival of Kakashi Hatake and often challenges him to a variety of competition.

Team 10 Team 10 - Shikamaru, Ino, Choji, and Asuma The Team 10 of the Hidden Leaf Village consists of Shikamaru Nara, Ino Yamanaka, and Choji Akimichi. It's also known as Team Asuma, named after their ninja master, Asuma Sarutobi. Though Ino is the self-appointed leader of Team 10, she holds that title because Shikamaru goes to extreme lengths to avoid what he sees as pointless arguments with women. At first appearing to be a lazy young man, Shikamaru is a tactical genius, and the only ninja to graduate from the Chunin Exams. Ino Yamanaka is a skilled female ninja in her clan's jutsu that is focused on mind control. She was at one time close childhood friends with Sakura Haruno, but the friendship turned to hostile rivalry after when both became enamored with Sasuke Uchiha. After the Chunin Exams, their hostilities cooled and became friends once more. Choji Akamichi is a talented and furiously loyal young ninja. He was originally bullied for his weight as a child but became close friends with Shikamaru. Shikamaru refuses to take on missions without his friend Choji. Asuma Sarutobi is one the more talented Jonin class ninja, and chain smoker, master in using Wind Chakra, and the son of the Third Hokage.

Hokage Tsunade, the Fifth Hokage The Hokage is the leader of the Hidden Leaf Village who leads the ninja clans. The Fourth Hokage is the first known Hokage of the series and the one who sacrificed his life to seal away the Nine-tails into Naruto and save the village, though the events of that night are shrouded in mystery, After the Fourth's death, the position of Hokage was taken back the man who held it previously, Hiruzen Sarutobi. He led the village from then on but fell in battle at the hands of one of his own former students. Hiruzen, the Third Hokage, was replaced by the grand daughter of the First Hokage, Tsunade. A gifted female ninja and a member of the Legendary Sannin. Her talents in medical jutsu and hand-to-hand combat are equal to her beauty. Though in her fifties, she uses a special jutsu that gives her a younger appearance.

Jiraiya Jiraiya Jiraiya is a member of the Legendary Sannin ninja of the Hidden Leaf Village. He was at one time a pupil of the Third Hokage and he trained the Fourth Hokage. He also happens to be a lecher and the author of the popular racy romance novels. He trained Naruto in preparation for the Chunin Exams and taught him the art of Summoning frog spirits. When they both went in search for Tsunade to be the Fifth Hokage, Jiraiya would also teach Naruto the steps to use a special jutsu of the Fourth Hokage, the Rasengan. After Sasuke left the village, he would take Naruto with him to train for two years and guard him from the Akatsuki.

Sand Ninja Sand Ninja - Gaara, Temari, and Kankuro The Sand Ninja Team are ninja from the Hidden Sand Village in the Land of Wind, and it consists of Gaara, Temari, and Kankuro. The Sand Team are a trio of siblings. Similar to Naruto, Gaara is the living vessel one of Tailed Demons from the Land of Wind, Shukaku. Being dark and violent, he has command over the sand he keeps in the large urn on his back to have the ultimate defense. Temari is Gaara's older sister and uses wind based jutsu with her giant fan. A brilliant fighter on par with Shikamaru. Kankuro uses special puppet master jutsu that allows him to use deadly customized puppets from great distant. Though the Sand originally fought with Orochimaru's Sound village. It was only due to his murder and impersonation of the Kazekage. Once this deception was revealed, they became allied with the Hidden Leaf Village.

Sound Ninja Orochimaru and his Sound Ninja The Sound Ninja is a new ninja village that appeared for the Chunin Exams but was revealed to be led by an outcast of the Hidden Leaf, one of the Legendary Sannin, Orochimaru. Wth his spy and disciple, Kabuto Yakushi, Orochimaru plans to take Sasuke as a new vessel for him and so he can claim the Sharingan Eyes as his own.

Akatsuki Akatsuki - Itachi Uchiha and Kisame Hoshigaki The Akatsuki are rogue ninjas all considered S-rank criminals and ninjas from the various villages from across the nations have been instructed to kill them on sight. Their motives and goal are unclear, but they seem interested in capturing Naruto and the Nine-tails sealed within. Each member wears a black cloak covered in red clouds and their forehead protectors are marked with a slash through their village symbol, a common practice of proudly rogue ninja. The Akatsuki are paired into teams when they are sent on their missions. One of their more prominent members is Itachi Uchiha, the slayer of the Uchiha Clan. Why he killed his own kin but left his brother alive to seek vengeance is unknown.

Story Arcs

Introduction Arc (1-5)

Meets Naruto Uzumaki, Team 7, and the rest of the Hidden Leaf Village.

Land of Waves Arc (6-19)

What seemed like a simple escort mission to the Land of Waves becomes a real danger as Team 7, led by Kakashi, face off with the demon Zabuza and Haku to protect a bridge that is intended to bring prosperity to the land.

Chunin Exams Arc (20-67)

Fresh off their mission in the Land of Waves, Kakashi has signed Team 7 up for the Chunin Exams. Not only is there a written test but they must hone their teamwork and skills in the Forest of Death if they ever want to have a chance to reach the next grade.

Invasion of Konoha Arc (68-80)

Orochimaru's Sound Village has teamed up with the Sand Village to attack the Hidden Leaf Village during the last part of the Chunin exams. It's an all out war that could lead to the destruction of everything they love.

Search for Tsunade Arc (81-100)

With the village still recovering for the battle, a new Hokage must be found. Jiraiya takes Naruto on a trip to find his old friend Tsunade, but Orochimaru also has a request for her. Who will she side with?

Land of Tea Arc (Filler 102-106)

With a newly healed Sasuke comes Team 7's latest mission, but this journey to the Land of Tea to assist in a race may only put more strain on their already tense relationship.

Sasuke Retrieval Arc (107-135)

Sasuke has fallen into the temptations of Orochimaru. Naruto makes a promise to Sakura to bring him back and some of the best young ninja of the Hidden Leaf are there to help him. To save Sasuke from himself, they are going to have to face the best ninja from the Sound Village.

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Toynami kakashi Action Figure Review

Hello There and Welcome to my review of Toynami's Naruto Shippuden

Kakashi 4 inch (though it's really 5 inches) Action Figure.

It had been a month or so since I'd gone to my local comic shop and I was looking around the store noticing that some of the things I wanted were already gone,
but then I saw a rack of these 4inch Naruto Shippuden Figures hanging up and they caught my eye. Especially Kakashi.


Seeing them was very surprising because I never heard about these coming out (I keep up with this kinda stuff) and I never saw the pictures of them either.
So when I saw Naruto, Itachi, and Kakashi action figures in front of me I was like: Whoa....

But I was also leery about buying any of these because I was afraid that the quality might be poor and for the price (I'll get to that in a bit)
I really didn't want to buy something that was going to fall apart or something.

Read the rest to find out if wasted my money on junk or spent it on something cool!

Well let's start off with the packaging,

I think it looks good sporting the Naruto Shippuden logo with Kakashi on the right side and on the bottom of the package bubble it has his name and his Sharingan.

It's pretty eye catching (it sure caught mine). It's too bad these aren't sold in stores like Toys R Us were they could get more exposure,
though at least they can be found at comic shops (though not all from what I've seen)
and they're not nearly as imposable to find as say...Figmas and Revoltechs (gosh, I gotta get my hands on some sometime! >.<)

As for the back of the packaging,


It has the a smaller version of the Naruto Shippuden logo on the left with Kakashi's bio and features below that.
There's some pictures of the actual figure in various poses on the right side next to the bio and features.

Also it shows the figures other characters available in this Series (1) and illustrations of upcoming characters for Series 2.

Now on what you get out of the box (or package in this case).

As you can see, we have the figure which comes with 3 pairs of different interchangeable hands
(Open, Closed with Kunai, and Jutsu Sign hands) and a bonus reading book hand, two different heads, and a clear stand.

Let's start with how he looks,

The sculpt has a nice amount of detail and paint applications are quite good, especially for an articulated figure at
a fairly small scale compared to most anime figures. He pretty much looks as if he jumped right out on the anime.

Also the reason I bought him before any of the others was because his joints are very well hidden compared to his fellow ninja pals
(and enemies). Like his ball hinged shoulders and hip joints.

With all this talk about joints, why don't we talk about his articulation (aka Playability)

For the Articulation department, it's pretty much like a the new GI-JOE action figures they sell in stores.

The packaging says that there's "Over 25 points of articulation" and I not exactly sure it's true but I think it's a little more articulate then "most" GI-Joe figures out there.
Most of the joints use ball-socket joints like GI-Joe and other action figures.

Here's a list of the parts that appear to be movable:

* Neck

* Shoulders

* Torso (is very much like a GI-Joe's)

* Hips (Very much like Hasbro's Marvel movie lines like: Iron Man 2,Wolverine, Thor, and etc..)

* Ankles

All of which can be moved left and right and up and down.

The only parts that don't have ball socket joints and are swivel are:

* Elbows

* Knees (which is similar to the older GI-Joe figures)

Also the Wrist have joints too which go back and forth.

I like the figure because it looks great,has a good amount of articulation, and don't see a lot figures like these from mainstream anime series.

But I do have a few complaints.

Joints can pop out if you're not careful (though I am naturally),so I won't recommend giving this to a young Narutard.
Though so far they don't pop out too often which is good.

Price Point, Because $16.00 is a bit steep for an action figure. Though I have heard that some shops sell them for around $13 a piece.

My Kakashi's left knee is a little wobbly, but it's not any big deal and it's affect the figure that much.

My biggest complaint is the Quality Control.

Why?

Remember I was telling you all that he came with two heads,right?

Well, one of the head's hole where you put the peg into it was way too small.

It took me over an hour with a razor blade to finally make the hole big enough so the peg could fit in so I could use the other head.
Now I can finally switch out the heads now.
But for the Price (which wasn't cheap) I shouldn't have had to do that!

I hope that their Quality Control gets better as the line goes on.

Overall I think it's a Good Looking (with nice Paint Apps and Sculpting) Articulated Action Figure with a few setbacks
(the Price and Head Ordeal in particular).

I recommend it if you like:

* Naruto
* Articulated Anime Figures
* Kakashi-Sensei
* Good Looking Anime Figures

Anyway, I hope my review will be helpful to you all and thanks for reading!

See ya next time!

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JIRAIYA

Jiraiya was born and raised in the Hidden Leaf Village in the Land of Fire. An energetic and passionate boy, he wasn't above trying to peek in at the local hot spring at the women inside, and he used the ninjutsu skilled he learned at the Ninja Academy to do so. After his graduation to genin, he was assigned to a squad with the granddaughter of the First Hokage, Tsunade; and Orochimaru. Their teacher was Hiruzen Sarutobi, the man who would go on to be the Third Hokage. When given the bell test used to test cooperation of a squad, Jiriaya failed. Hiruzen lectured the young Jiraiya and tried to show him the quality of training by using the Summoning Jutsu. So taken by this display of power, Jiraiya threw himself into diligent training to increase his power, and attempted the Summoning Jutsu without making a summoning contract. The jutsu backfired and it was Jiraiya that was summoned away. He appeared in Mount Myoboku, the land of the summoning frogs. Oddly enough, he was expected. His arrival had been predicted by the Great Toad Sage. Jiraiya would return frequently to be trained in the powers of Sage Mode and their taijutsu, After several years, he was brought to see the Great Toad Sage. He was told that one day he would write a book and find a young man to train, and this student would become a great force for either great stability to the world or great catastrophe.

Now inspired, Jiraiya left the Leaf Village to travel across the lands in search of this pupil. After some time, the second Shinobi World War erupted and sent turmoil across the land. He met many people and opponents, but none were this great ninja. He returned to the Leaf Village just as Tsunade's little brother, Nawaki, had died in the war. The war was becoming more tumultuous, and he put his journey on hold while he rejoined his old squad mates to the war. In the land of the Hidden Rain Village they fought and barely survived against the legendary Hanzo. He was so taken by their skill and power, he dubbed them the "Three Sannin", a name that would quickly spread.

Jiraiya lives with Yahiko, Konan, and Nagato

Before Jiraiya, Tsunade, and Orochimaru could leave the land, they were approached by three war orphans looking for food. He saw the passion in these children to survive. he agreed to stay behind and train them in ninjutsu so they would have a chance to survive. Their names were, Yahiko, Konan, and Nagato. It was Nagato who possessed an incredible Kekkei Genkai called the Rinnegan Eyes. He was a young and kind child who wanted nothing more than to protect his friends. Inspired by these kids will to survive and their loyalty to each other, Jiraiya wrote the draft for his first novel, "Tales of the Gutsy Ninja". They grew quickly and mastered every jutsu he taught them, but the day came he had to leave. Jiriaya truly believed that Nagato would be the person to bring change to the world,, but news eventually reached him some years later that all three had died. Later, Tsunade's lover also died in the war in her arms. Devastated by another loss to war, she left the village to never return.

Jiriaya would return to the Leaf Village and take on three pupils, one of which was named Minato Namikaze. This boy turned to be one of the most skilled ninja to ever come out of the village. Minato mastered jutsu after jutsu and became known throughout the world as the "Yellow Flash". He became one of the strongest ninja of the world, he married Kushina Uzumaki, and became the Fourth Hokage. His friend Orochimaru was enraged for being passed over for Hokage, and it was exposed that he had been conducting many forbidden experiments on humans and he fled before he could be caught. They were rivals, but Jiriaya still looked to him as a friend. He tracked him down and tried to convince him to stay but he failed. After some time, life was looking up. His novel was published, and he was honored when Minato and Kushina asked him if they could name their unborn child after the main character of his novel, "Naruto". Jairaiya was away from the village when the Nine-Tailed Demon Fox rampaged on the village. Many people died, including both Kushina and Minato. Minato sacrificed his life to save the village by sealing the demon fox within his own new born son.

Once again, a ninja he put his faith in that could change the world had died. Jiraiya would leave the village for nearly twelve years to return to his journey. He would write another series of novels that leaned more toward erotic comedy and based upon some of his own experiences. The first was titled " Make-Out Paradise" and was a best seller, then the day came by that he would return home.

Creation

Naruto Vol. 10 JPN (Dec 2001)

Jiraiya is a major supporting character of the Naruto series that was created by Masashi Kishimoto. It first began serialization Weekly Shonen Jump in November 1999. he was named after the lead character of the Japanese folklore "The Tale of the Gallant Jiraiya" (児雷也豪傑物語, Jiraiya Goketsu Monogatari). The Jiraiya of Nartuto varied greatly in personality from his name's origin. What they do share is a talent for summoning large toads. Much of the original design of Jairaiya was changed from the what would become the final version. Even the taods he was going to summon were all going to be the size of humans, but this was eventually dropped.

He first appeared in Naruto Volume 10, CH. 90 " What About My Training?!", and his first anime appearance was in Naruto - Episode 52 "Ebisu Returns: Naruto's Toughest Training Yet!". His character in the Japanese series is voiced by Houchu Ohtsuka for the adult voice, and his child voice is performed by Tooru Nara. The U.S. dub produced by VIZ Media is done by David Lodge, and his child voice was done by Brad MacDonald.

Character Evolution

" Let me explain something to you, there is only one thing that matters if you are a shinobi, and it isn't the number of jutsu you possess. All you do need, is the guts to never give up. "

Jiraiya - "Naruto" Vol.

A young Jiraiya loses the Bell Test

Jiriaya grew up as an energetic and wild young man that was very similar to Naruto. Even in the Bell Training, both he and Naruto ended up tied to the post. They both had a taste for the ladies, but Jiraiya's love for naked women bordered on the near extreme, going to far as to use his Invisibility Jutsu to sneak into bath houses and prided himself on having never been caught. Peeping, or "research" as he calls it, is considered his favorite hobby. Though he is a man who did mature and grow, he never really outgrew most of his worst habits. He became a novelist, but his first more mature story didn't sell well. He then went on to write three books that were roughly based on some of his own "mature" experiences. These became the "Make-Out" series of novels, a favorite of Kakashi Hatake.

He saw his fellow team mate Orochimaru as both his greatest rival but also a friend. He was the only one who truly wanted to save his friend from the darkness that had overcome him. His inability to stop Orochimaru was seen as his greatest failure. Jiraiya is essentially Naruto Uzumaki's godfather, but it's never been explained where Jiraiya was while Naruto was forced to grow up alone and hated by much of the village. When Jiraiya returned, his run in to Naruto was by mere chance. He would take Naruto in to both train him and protect him from the Akatsuki until he was able to handle himself better. Jiraiya was offered to be Hokage, after the death of the Third Hokage, but he rejected the position and went in search for Tsunade to take on the role.

Jiraiya after time skip

Affiliation: Hidden Leaf Village

Rank: Sannin

Registered Ninja #: 002301

Date Of Birth: November 11th Age: 54

Zodiac Sign: Scorpio

Height: 191.2cm

Weight: 87.5kg

Blood Type: B

Completed Assignments:

• D-Rank 58 / C-Rank 345 / B-Rank 684 / A-Rank 614 / S-Rank 138

After the two year time skip, Jiraiya had trained Naruto into a far more honed fighter than he once was. Now back in the village, he left Naruto under the care of Kakashi and left in search for information on the Akatsuki and Orochimaru. This led him to the Hidden Rain Village once again. He was both shocked and happy to see that the students he thought dead were still alive, but he fought them to stop their plans as part of the Akatsuki. Jiraiya would lose his life in this battle, but he never gave up. With his last breath, he passed along a code as his dying message to be used to help defeat his own former student. Jiraiya finally understood that the chosen one that he spent his whole life searching for was Naruto. He died happy that he lived up to his promise and his body sank to the bottom of the great sea and was never recovered.

Major Story Arcs

Chunin Exams Arc

Jiraiya's first appearance was during the break between the second and third portions of the Chunin Exams. Ebisu was attempting to train Naruto in the Water Walking Jutsu at the local hot spring baths when he was noticed peeking in on the girl's baths.

Invasion of Konoha Arc

He took part in the battle during the invasion of the Sand Village and the Sound Village ninja. He crushed one of the giant snakes with his own giant toad that he summoned. Much of his fighting afterward was unseen, but he was present after the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, had been defeated and lay dead from his battle with Orochimaru. Orochimaru was still alive, but Hiruzen had sealed away the used on his arms. This was the cause of the Sound Ninja's falling back from battle.

Search for Tsunade Arc

After the murder of the Third Hokage at the hands of Orochimaru, the village elders attempted to appoint him as Hokage, but he refused. He knew that only his old friend Tsunade could be the one for the job. Though the elders agreed, no one had been able to find her since she left the village. He proposed he search for her. The elders offered a team of ANBU Black Ops join him, but all he claimed to need was for Naruto the come along. Jiraiya had trouble enticing Naruto to join him. He also left out that they were going to find this special woman to be Hokage. To tempt Naruto, he played on his rivalry with Sasuke, thinking outloud that he would just take Sasuke with him to teach him a new powerful jutsu. Now, it was Naruto who was begging to come along and used his Sexy Jutsu to seal the deal.

By the time they reached the next village, they were unaware that the Akatsuki were hunting for Naruto. It was Itachi Uchiha who distracted Jiraiya away from Naruto by placing a lovely woman under a genjutsu to flirt with him. Though he initially fell for this ploy, he realized the woman was under a spell and returned to the hotel just in time to save both Naruto and Sasuke Uchiha, who had followed to try and both warn Naruto and kill his older brother. He tried to capture Itachi and his partner Kisame with the Toad Mouth Trap jutsu, but Itachi had used a mysterious black flame to burn away the very wall to make an exit. When they went to check on the beaten Sasuke, the Leaf jonin Might Guy appeared and attacked Jiraiya by accident. He left Sasuke to Guy to return to the village and wait for them to return with Tsunade, who had remarkable healing powers.

At the next village, there was a large festival being had. Jiraiya told Naruto to enjoy a day of fun before training and took his money to keep him from spending all his savings. Though, Jiraiya actually used Naruto's money to enjoy a hostess club. When Naruto found out, there was an argument and some grilled squid he was holding him the coat of a a local gangster who had been a chunin from another ninja village. When he tried to muscle Naruto for the incident, Jiraiya demonstrated the Rasengan at partial power on this thug. He bought several varieties of balloons.

Sasuke Retrieval Arc

Jiraiya was present, but hiding from sight, just after the events of Naruto and Sasuke attempting to fight each other on top of the local hospital. Kakashi had stopped the fight before anyone got hurt, and he questioned Jiraiya for teaching Naruto the Rasengan. Jiraiya shot back by telling him the same thing about the Chidori that Sasuke was using. He told Kakashi that he was leaving to search for information on Orochimaru and the Akatsuki, and he was leaving Naruto in his care to watch until his return.

When Jiraiya arrived back to the Leaf Village, word reached him that Sasuke had run off to join Orochimaru. Naruto had chased after but failed to stop him. He was in the hospital and had nearly been killed by his friend. Still, naruto wanted to save him from Orochimaru, who had intended to use the boy for his next vessel. Jiraiya told Naruto how the Akatsuki were after him and that Orochimaru couldn't switch bodies for another two and half years. He agreed to take Naruto with him to train in that time, but under the condition he give up on Sasuke. He wanted him to avoid the same mistake he did with Orochimaru. Naruto refused to abandon his friend. It was part of his ninja way. Taken by his loyalty, Jiraiya agreed to train him. Three months later, they would leave for two years of training. During that time, he taught Naruto how to break powerful genjutsu, and finally witnessed the power of of the Nine-Tailed Fox. Triggered by rage, Naruto was coated in the chakra of the demon fox. By the time the number of tails reached four, he lost all consciousness and became like a mini version of the Tailed Beast. Jiraiya nearly died in the process of stopping him, leaving a giant scar across his own chest.

Kazekage Rescue Arc

Sasuke and Sai Arc

Itachi Pursuit Arc

Powers and Abilities

Jiraiya's Jutsu

Jiraiya is a trained ninja from the Hidden Leaf Village and a pupil of the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi. He was also trained in the Senjutsu by Fukasaku. His skill and power earned him, along with his two squad mates, the title of the Sannin.

Jutsu Stats

Ninja's are ranked by their proficiency with the various types of jutsu and other statistics. The score rates as a best out of five and are added up in a total score. (source, Third Naruto Databook)

Ninjutsu	Taijutsu	Genjutsu	Intelligence	Strength	Speed	Stamina	Hand Seals	Total
5	4.5	3	4.5	4.5	4.5	5	4.5	35.5

Sage Mode

Jiraiya in Sage Mode with Fusakasu and Shima

Jiraiya is a practitioner of the ability called Sage Mode (仙人モード, Sennin Mōdo). He was trained to absorb and balance the chakra of nature and mix it with his own. It game him incredible power in combat, but was never able to keep the flow stabilized for long periods of time. For that he required the assistance of his teacher Fukasaku and his wife, Shima. Without their aid he could of transformed into a frog with no way to return.

Other Media

Films

Naruto Shippuden 2: Bonds (2008)

Jiraiya has only a minor role in the Naruto series of anime films that are produced by Studio Pierrot. His first appearance was in the second film of the Naruto Shippuden series, Naruto Shippuden 2: Bonds (2008). His appearance in this film was limited to a more spiritual one. Off camera she gave Naruto a package that was later revealed to be a charm that would reverse his transformation from this 4 Tails form. He finally appeared to save Naruto from imminent death by summoning Gamabunta. Jiriaya has a brief appearance in Naruto Shippuden 3: Inheritors of the Will of Fire (2009). For this film, he works as an intermediary between the forces of the Sand and Leaf Villages. He has only a cameo in Naruto Shippuden 4: The Lost Tower (2010). He was showing Minato Namikaze that he finally completed the Rasengan. Minato congratulates him then surprisingly leaves.

Jiraiya appears to have an appearance in Naruto Shippuden 5: Blood Prison (2011), but since the continuity of these events appear to fall into the period after his death. This role would be only for inspirational flashbacks of Naruto's life.

Games

Jiraiya has appeared in many of the video games based on the Naruto series. His first appearance was in PS2 fighter Naruto: Ultimate Ninja (2003), which was released in the U.S. on June 6, 2006; but was not a playable character. His role was limited to background animation an during one of Naruto's Ultimate attacks. For the English release, Jiraiya was voiced by Richard Cansino. He would have his first appearance as a playable character Naruto: Ultimate Ninja 2 (2004). This game was released in the U.S. in July 17, 2007.

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Naruto Shippuuden is the continuation of the series Naruto, taking place 3 years after the end of the original series.

Naruto Shippuden

The Naruto Shippuden anime series is the second anime based upon the manga series Naruto, created by the writer and artist Masashi Kishimoto. The series was directed by Hayato Date, music by Yasuharu Takanashi and -yaiba-. It's a shonen action series in the tradition of Dragon Ball. It is produced by the Studio Pierrot and has aired in Japan on both the TV Tokyo and Animax networks. It is mainly targeted toward a younger male audience, but does have cross gender appear. the first episode originally aired on February 15, 2007.

After Episode 135 of the original Naruto anime that aired in May of 2005, the series began a constant run of filler episodes that would last till the series end in February 2007. At which point, the Naruto Shippuden series picked up the Naruto manga story from the point of the beginning of a two year time skip and much of the younger cast grew and developed in skill.

Plot

After two years, Naruto returns to the Hidden Leaf Village.

Fifteen years ago the Village Hidden in the Leaves was attacked by a fearsome threat. The Nine-tailed Fox Demon claimed the lives of hundreds and of the village leader, the Fourth Hokage. Years later, the village is at peace and a troublemaking kid named Naruto Uzumaki struggled to graduate from Ninja Academy. His goal may be to become the next Hokage, but his true destiny will be much more complicated. The adventure begins now! 

Two and a half years later after Sasuke abandoned the village and the team, Naruto has returned to find that all his fellow ninja have been promoted in rank. Sakura is a medical ninja, Gaara has become the Kazekage, and Kakashi is still the same. He's both grown and fallen behind. Naruto wants to be the best ninja in the land. He's done well so far, but with the looming danger posed by the mysterious Akatsuki organization, Naruto knows he must train harder than ever and leaves his village for intense exercises that will push him to his limits. He must fighter harder, train harder, and not be overcome by the weakening seal that holds the deadly Nine-tailed Fox inside.

Characters

Team 7

Team 7, led by Yamato

The Team 7 of the Hidden Leaf Village consist of Naruto Uzumaki, Sakura Haruno, and their replacement for Sasuke Uchiha, the enigmatic Sai. It is also known as Team Kakashi, named after their ninja master, Kakashi Hatake. Though Kakashi does not always lead the team. He is sometimes replaced by a fellow Jonin named Yamato, a surviving test subject of Orochimaru. Yamoto was injected with the D.N.A. of the First Hokage.

In the two years time during their training, Naruto was trained by the legendary Sannin of the Hidden Leaf, Jiraiya, the same man who taught Naruto to walk on water, summon frogs, and the power Rasengan. Sakura was trained by the Sannin and Fifth Hokage, Tsunade. Not only was Sakura painstakingly taught all of Tsunade's medical-jutsu, but her skill in hard-to-hand and Chakra control. Thus making her a force to be feared. The newest member, Sai uses a special ninjutsu that allows him to bring life to his elegantly painted creatures. Though, Sai's loyalties are in question due to his connections to a corrupt and power hungry elder of the Hidden Leaf Village, Danzo Shimura.

The Akatsuki

 The Akatsuki

The Akatsuki are rogue ninjas all considered S-rank criminals and ninjas from the various villages from across the nations have been instructed to kill them on sight. In the original anime their motives and goal was unclear, but in the Naruto Shippuden series they became the primary villains Each member wears a black cloak covers in red clouds and their forehead protectors are marked with a slash through their village symbol, a common practice of proudly rogue ninja. The Akatsuki are paired into teams when they are sent on their missions. The goal is to gather all the Jinchuuriki (human vessels) that house the Bijuus (Tailed Spirits) for an unknown goal.

The original founder of the Akatsuki is a ninja of mysterious powers named Pain, but the true force behind their deeds is a legendary ninja who has been pulling the strings of events for generations in the Land of Fire and released the Nine-tailed Fox to the world, Madara Uchiha.

Orochimaru

 Orochimaru

Orochimaru is one of the legendary Sanin of the Hidden Leaf Village, and once a member of Akatsuki. He left in order to gain more power and immortality for himself. He originally wanted the body of Sasuke Uchiha as his latest vessel, but was betrayed and killed by his newest pupil. Later is remains were merged with the body of his desciple Kabuto.

Team Hawk

 Team Hawk

Team Hawk was the team formed by Sasuke Uchiha after he abandoned and killed Orochimaru. The team is formed up of  Suigetsu,  Karin,  Juugo, and led by Sasuke. Each member has unique abilities to assist him in his goal to kill his brother Itachi. Jugo is the being whom Orochimaru extracted the curse filled blood from. He is the source of  curse cursed and thus can access level two curse seal with ease. He is also ravenously blood-thirsty, with Sasuke as his only control. Karin who is a rare seeker type ninja, can sense the Chakra of other nearby ninjas and has the ability to replenish chakra through drinking of her blood..Suigetsu, who is made of water, wields the deadly zanbato sword of the demon Zabuza.

After the death of Itachi, Tobi, who reveals himself as Madara Uchiha convinces Sasuke to join the Akatsuki. Though originally hesitant and confused, he accepts once Madara reveals the truth about Itachi's defection from the Leaf Village and the conspiracy that inspired the slaughter of the Uchiha Clan. The rage that was once targets solely onto his brother is now aimed at the people of the Leaf Village.

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