Why didn't Jiraiya adopt Naruto during his childhood? Godfather theory, explained

Community speculations largely contribute to the glory of any shounen anime, and the Naruto series is no exception.

Over the years, fans of the franchise have taken to social media to debate and discuss some of the things that mangaka Masashi Kishimoto chose to leave out of the series. One such mystery that has intrigued fans for a long time is why Jiraiya, despite being Naruto's godfather, did not take him in after his parents passed.

While many in the forums suggest that the mangaka took this decision for the sake of the plot, there are some who feel that there is more here than what meets the eye. It’s Jiraiya’s basic role in the anime and his nature that actually prevented him from getting too close to the series protagonist while he was still just a child.

Today’s article will therefore take a look at some of the motives that Jiraiya might have had for not taking Naruto under his care before he hit his teens.

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Jiraiya, despite being Naruto’s godfather, did not adopt him as a child

It was in Naruto: Shippuden that both fans and the protagonist himself got to know that Jiraiya was more than just a teacher to him. He was actually Naruto’s godfather as well, appointed by both Minato and Kushina and tasked with protecting their son in their absence.

Hence, fans eventually began to question Jiraiya’s motives and why he did not adopt the child when both Minato and Kushina died at the hands of Kurama. Here are a few theories that the community has been discussing for quite some time now.

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1) Emotional unavailability

Raising a child the right way requires a lot of tender care and understanding, which, judging from Jiraiya’s character as shown in the anime, was something that Jiraiya severely lacked. Not to mention, the uncanny resemblance that Naruto has to his father Minato would have made things more difficult.

Looking at the child would have constantly reminded him of his pupil, whom he failed to protect, and it was not an emotional baggage that Jiraiya was willing to carry at the time, as per fans.

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2) Traveling with a Sannin is not child-friendly

As a Sannin, Jiraiya was required to travel a lot and engage in dangerous situations in order to gain intel that would benefit the Hidden Leaf Village. This lifestyle would have been totally unfit for raising a child.

Additionally, Sannin-s also acted as spies, and were privy to a lot of sensitive information. Being in close proximity to Naruto, who was yet to learn to fight for himself, would have put the child’s life in constant danger.

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3) His research was of paramount importance to the Leaf

As a Sannin, Jiraiya was constantly on the hunt for information that would benefit the Leaf. He would also keep tabs on the Akatsuki and their threats, while gathering intel on the world politics beyond the village. Having a child around would have hindered his role as a Sannin considerably.

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4) He lacked the nurturing qualities of a father

While an incredibly good teacher, Jiraiya was not exactly cut out to be a father-figure. He does play the role of the mentor exceptionally well later on in the narrative, however, that was only after the protagonist was capable of holding his own in a fight.

Jiraiya would have had no idea what to do with a vulnerable child, and his licentious nature would have most definitely come in the way of him raising the child right.

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5) The orphan's rise to glory narrative hits different

One of the more common community theories is that Kishimoto chose to leave the series protagonist alone for the sake of the plot. A lonely orphan’s rise to glory, capitalizing on the “power of friendship,” is one of the strongest plotlines in any Shounen series, and the mangaka pulls on this chord adeptly in the show's overarching narrative.