I remember the first time I watched the death of Jiraiya, it didn't feel like watching a fictional character exit a show. Jiraiya was supposed to be a side character but it felt like losing a pillar of the world itself. Up until the point of his death, Jiraiya always felt invincible, not because he was the strongest, but because he was the "Pervy Sage." He was the comic relief, the wanderer, and the safety net and he was part of the Legendary Sannin. The sheer loneliness of his final moments was really touching.
In a series where characters often die surrounded by allies or given a chance for a final spoken goodbye, Jiraiya died in the cold rain of enemy territory, his throat crushed and his arm severed. Seeing him struggle to force his heart to beat one last time, to leave a coded message for Naruto was a masterclass in what true sacrifice looks like. I remember the exact moment the realization hit me, that this might be it, the fight against pain, the leader of Akatsuki was one for the books, it was teacher vs student but then again their was no way pain was gonna lose. So it was either Jiraiya survives or he dies, no other option. The fight was legendary, the writers actually made us realise why Jiraiya was seen as one of the Legendary sannin.
I remember seeing the Toad Sage mode for the first time, it was off the hook. Naruto was such an amazing anime, the development of the side characters made them really stand out but not so much as to overshadow Naruto. Jiraiya was again the bridge between Naruto being a "troublesome kid" and becoming a man who had to carry the weight of the world. He died thinking his life was a failure, never knowing that his "failure" to save the world himself was actually the ultimate success in raising the boy who would. Jiraiya called his life a "collection of mistakes," but in those final seconds, he found the perfect ending. The world of Naruto felt a lot colder, we were all Naruto when he found out about Jiraiyas death, like brooo, the silence was so loud and then the OST sound hit the screen and I remember actually shedding a tear.
I made this entry at 12:11 Am Wat
