During an interview with Anime News Network, "Naruto" writer Masashi Kishimoto revealed that, while he could spin off many of his characters, a series focusing on Jiraiya could have added a great perspective to the "Naruto" franchise.
"I suppose one possibility would be to write the story from Sasuke's perspective, or even the mentors, the teachers, especially like Jiraiya, because there's a generational difference there too," Kishimoto said in the interview. He continued by saying Jiraiya's unique perspective would lend itself to a spin-off, as there was a time before he became a lovable mentor they could explore. "There was a time when he was still young, when he didn't really know much, and he was kind of dumb too. So it'd be interesting to show that contrast. Also, Jiraiya grew up in a time when the jutsu that we know now in the current 'Naruto' worldview had not been refined, or even developed in some cases. So I think it would be fun to show that gap," the writer said. He related a potential Jiraiya spin-off to the popular Japanese series "Oshin," which starts with a shot of a wealthy old woman before flashing back to her childhood, where the story begins.
It should be no surprise that "Naruto" fans would welcome a spin-off focusing on a younger Jiraiya. A series could further explore this and give fans a deeper look into his relationships with fellow Legendary Sannin Orochimaru and Tsunade. Returning to a period where justus didn't grant shinobi god-like powers would also be welcome, as fans take issue with the insane power scaling in "Boruto."
