Naruto: Did 'Boruto' Reveal Jiraiya Is Alive?

05/03/2018 03:09 pm EDT

Boruto's anime may have just reached the long-awaited 'Chunin Exams' arc, but the story is moving along much quicker in print. Not long ago, the series' manga put up its latest chapter, and the update honed in on a major fight between Team 7 and a mysterious villain. And, if one fan-theory is on the money, then Boruto may have just brought back one of Naruto's most important figures.

So, obviously, spoilers below! You have been warned!

Recently, Shueisha pushed the release of Boruto's 23rd chapter, and the update was a massive one in terms of plot. Not only did it reveal the death of Ao, a hero of the Fourth Great Ninja War, but it also gave fans more clues about the identity of Kashin Koji. The masked man has been hanging around Boruto for some time, and fans began whispering about his identity for some time now. However, no one would have thought to connect the villain to Jiraiya until very recently.

So far, Kashin's identity is still a mystery, but fans have found enough evidence linking him to Jiraiya to make them nervous.

• For one, the baddie knows way too many Leaf Village techniques. Recently, Kashin appeared before Team 7 on the battlefield and did so on the back of a Toad summon. Jiraiya was the man who carried that summoning contract for most — if not all — of Naruto, and there are few people who signed its binding agreement.
• Second, Kashin knows how to perform a perfect Rasengan. The technique is one of Naruto's most famous as it was created by the Fourth Hokage, and Jiraiya was one of the few who knew how to wield it. The list of ninjas who know how to use the attack have grown, but Konohamaru says the Rasengan Kashina uses is done without any aid. So, clearly, someone had to teach this guy how to use the attack.
• Finally, fans know Kashin has an old connection to the Leaf Village. A previous chapter saw the Kara member overlook the famous city and remark how his fate was still tied to its future. Kashin refrained from dropping any specific ties, but the older ninja definitely has some history with the Leaf Village that he would rather forget about.

All of these revelations have led fans to wonder if Kashin could be Jiraiya despite the Sannin having died at the hands of Pain. The perverted Toad Sage gave his life to get intel on the Atkatsuki member way back when, and fans think Jiraiya might have survived or been revived by others. The hero's body was never pulled from the Hidden Rain, giving an out to the Naruto franchise if it has chosen to resurrect Naruto Uzumaki's mentor. And, if that is the case, then the path Boruto is walking has gotten way more interesting.

Do you side with this growing fan-theory?

Disclosure: ComicBook is owned by CBS Interactive, a division of Paramount. Sign up for Paramount+ by clicking here.