Episode Summaries

During the reign of the Second Hokage, Jiraiya, Tsunade and Orochimaru are placed in a squad under Hiruzen Sarutobi, who conducts a bell test with the trio. Tsunade and Orochimaru manage to retrieve both bells while Jiraiya is tied to a stump as punishment for failure. In order to motivate Jiraiya, Hiruzen shows him his Summoning Technique, calling forth Monkey King: Enma. Jiraiya then decides to take his training seriously in order to impress Tsunade, whom he has a crush on, and to be able to use the Summoning Technique himself. After a period of arduous training, Jiraiya attempts to use the Summoning Technique without having signed a blood contract with an animal, and finds himself being transported to Mount Myōboku, home of the toads.

At Mount Myōboku, Jiraiya defeats a snake, impressing the young Gamabunta, who was surprised to find a human child. He brings Jiraiya to Fukasaku, one of the Two Great Sage Toads, who tells him that the Great Toad Sage has foretold Jiraiya's arrival and has a prophecy regarding the young shinobi, although he must first remain there and train. Dividing his time between Konoha and Mount Myōboku, Jiraiya manages to vastly improve his skills over the following years. As a young man, he is brought before the Great Toad Sage, who tells Jiraiya that he shall one day have an apprentice — a revolutionary who will either create peace and stability or bring about destruction. He adds that he has also foreseen Jiraiya travelling around the world and writing books, and that it his destiny.

As Jiraiya embarks on his quest, journeying around the world in search of his destiny, he comes across five shinobi who would eventually become part of the Six Paths of Pain. His sojourn for his apprentice, however, is cut short when the Third Shinobi World War begins and he is forced to return to Konoha, later witnessing Tsunade mourning the loss of her brother, Nawaki, who was killed in battle. Jiraiya, along with his teammates Orochimaru and Tsunade, join the war where they would later become known as the "Legendary Sannin".