Жапон халық ертегісінің кейіпкері – Жирайя

Figure in Japanese folklore

Jiraiya (自来也 or 児雷也, literally "Young Thunder"), originally known as Ogata Shuma Hiroyuki (尾形周馬寛行), is the toad riding protagonist of the Japanese folk tale Katakiuchi Kidan Jiraiya Monogatari (報仇奇談自来也説話, The Tale of the Gallant Jiraiya). The tale was originally a Yomihon that was published in 1806–1807, and was adapted into a serialized novel that was written by different authors and published in 43 installments from 1839 to 1868; one of its illustrators was woodblock artist Kunisada. Kawatake Mokuami then wrote a kabuki drama based on the first ten parts of the novel, which premiered in Edo in 1852, starring Ichikawa Danjūrō VIII in the leading role. Since then the story has been adapted into, several films, video games, and manga and has also influenced various other works.

Katakiuchi Kidan Jiraiya Monogatari (報仇奇談自来也説話)  is considered the first novel or Yomihon to be adapted into a kabuki play, the novel was written by Kanwatei Onitake (感和亭鬼武) and was published between 1806 and 1807. The story was later adapted many more times with variations in the story. One day, Jiraiya heard of an old man who lived in Shinano and so he started off to rob him. The land was a place full of mountains and was full of snow in the winter. During the journey, he was beset by a great snowstorm and he took refuge in a small house that he happened upon, inside was a beautiful woman who treated him with great kindness. This did not change Jiraiya's nature as a robber though and after midnight he went to kill her with his sword while she was reading. However, in a flash, her body changed to a very old man who grabbed the heavy steel blade and easily broke it into pieces. He then announces his name as Senso Dojin, and that he is a giant frog that has lived on the mountain for hundreds of years. He pardons Jiraiya after telling him he could kill him easily and then teaches him magic arts. Jiraiya stayed with Senso Dojin for several weeks learning the magic arts of the mountain sprites in order to control the weather as well as to control frogs and change their shape and size at will. After Senso teaches him he forbids him from robbing or injuring the poor and helpless and to instead take from those who use and acquire money dishonestly and to help the needy and suffering. He then turns into a giant frog and hops away.]] During this time when Jiraiya was helping the poor and needy, a young maiden named Tsunade also lived in the same province of Kiushiu. She was a model daughter and was always obedient and kind. One day during her trip into the mountains for firewood she met a very old man who approached her and told her he had lived in the mountains for hundreds of years and that his body was really that of a snail. He then offers to teach Tsunade the powers of magic he possesses. She gladly accepted and began training daily with the old man. Once she had mastered the magic, she was advised to use her powers to defend the poor and destroy wicked robbers, and to join her powers with Jiraiya in the form of marriage. The old man then turns into a snail and crawls away. Tsunade then remarks that she and Jiraiya with the combination of slug magic and frog magic would be able to destroy a robber named Orochimaru, who was the son of a serpent. Tsunade and Jiraiya eventually met and were married soon after. Soon after Jiraiya and Tsunade were married war broke out in Japan between the Tsukikage and the Inukage. In the war, the Tsukikage sought out the help of Jiraiya and Tsunade who agreed to help them with the war, while the other clan the Inukage sought the help of Orochimaru otherwise known as Dragon coil. Orochimaru was known as a very wicked robber whose father was a man and mother was a serpent that lived at the bottom of lake Takura, he was skilled in the magic of the serpent and would spew venom on the strongest of warriors to destroy them. During a respite between the conflicts, Jiraiya and Tsunade were resting in a monastery. In the monastery, there was also a princess named Tagoto that had fled from Orochimaru as he wanted her to be his bride. She hated Orochimaru and did not want to marry him, however, when Orochimaru upon hearing that Tagoto and Jiraiya were in the same monastery, immediately made his way to the monastery. He then kidnapped the princess Tagoto and poured poisonous venom onto the sleeping Jiraiya and Tsunade. After they are poisoned one of Jiraiya's pages, Rikimatsu, volunteers to go to India to retrieve the only antidote to cure Jiraiya and Tsunade. Rikimatsu then uses the magic he learned from the Tengus of the mountains he flies to India and back in one day and one night to deliver the antidote. After Jiraiya and his wife recovered the war broke out again, and in a great battle Orochimaru was killed and Tagoto was rescued. Jiraiya was rewarded by being made a daimyo of Idzu. At this point, Jiraiya had grown tired of war and the hardships that an active life brought, and he was glad to settle down to a peaceful life in Idzu. He spent the remainder of his day in peace and tranquility among his children and his grandchildren.

In episode 179 of the Urusei Yatsura anime series, Cherry summons a giant slug and a giant toad to fight the spirit of a giant snake that possessed Sakura. The story of Jiraiya inspired three homonymous characters from the Naruto franchise.

The eighteenth Super Sentai season, Ninja Sentai Kakuranger, features a character named Jiraiya (played by Kane Kosugi) who summons a giant black toad mecha. In the Kamen Rider franchise, both ninja motif Kamen Riders Tycoon and Shinobi, from Kamen Rider Geats and Kamen Rider Zi O respectively, have frogs as their mentors and supporters. The seventh installment of the Metal Hero Series, Sekai Ninja Sen Jiraiya, features ninja student Toha Yamaji who identifies himself as Jiraiya to combat The Sorcerers Clan.

A Persona representing the spirit of Jiraiya in the form of a red scarved humanoid whose head vaguely resembles that of a cartoon ninja frog decked with shuriken on his hands, as well as bell bottoms is summoned by the character Yosuke Hanamura in the video game Persona 4. In the video game franchise Pokémon, Greninja is a Water/Dark type Pokémon, the evolved form of Frogadier, and the final evolved form of Froakie, the Water type starter of the Kalos region. With the appearance and abilities of both a frog and a ninja, pulling inspiration from Jiraiya. In the 2013 video game Muramasa Rebirth, one of the alternate endings has the Iga ninja Arashimaru getting possessed by his final opponent's spirit and taking on the name "Orochimaru". In a desperate act of defiance, Arashimaru's ally Shirohebi has the ninja's former master Shiranui spirit away a rival clan's last surviving heir during Orochimaru's attack who, when grown, takes on the name "Jiraiya" to fight Orochimaru.