Understanding the Gods in Naruto

There are no clear-cut questions or answers regarding the gods in Naruto, since there is little evidence to go off of. However, the mention of gods like Jashin and the Shinigami is enough to question the world of Naruto.

In such a vast realm, one would think these divine entities would be more prominent in the lives of most people, yet there is almost radio silence. Could it be that these gods hide in secret, or have they just been forgotten?

But what if something more sinister is afoot? Perhaps these gods were banished for an egregious error, yet they wish to crawl their way back into this world little by little.

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Who are the gods in Naruto?

Jashin is a god whose presence has little to no origins. He was first introduced by Hidan in Naruto Shippuden, and was the source of his immortality. According to Hidan, Jashin's ideologies center around violence and blood sacrifice.

Hidan worshipped Jashin (Image via Naruto Anime)

Later on, Ryuki, a follower of Jashin, kidnapped innocent girls in the Land of Hot Water in order to sacrifice them. However, he and his fellow cult members were apprehended.

It's unknown if Hidan's immortality was that of a true sacrifice, or an experimentation. Years before the start of the series, Hidan was sacrificed by a group of Jashinists, and when he became immortal, it was deemed a success.

Science is not unusual in the world of Naruto as Orochimaru has achieved a level of immortality himself. He doesn't sacrifice multiple people at once, he just possesses them.

Ryuki wanted to become immortal (Image via Boruto Anime)

Is it science, or is there really a blood god out there waiting to feast on human blood? Or did he give them the knowledge of how to make a successful sacrifice? Maybe Hidan was his prophet in all but name.

Jashin may be a blood god who is only satisfied when multiple people are sacrificed at once. It seems to crave war and violence, much like the God Tree, so perhaps blood feeds its addiction.

Another god is the Shinigami, a god of death, which in Japanese folklore is an entity that takes one's soul to the afterlife.

Hiruzen called upon the help of the death god by performing the Reaper Death Seal. It appeared and ate the souls of the first and second Hokages. Hiruzen tried to have it devour Orochimaru but was too weak. In the end, he just decided to have his arms devoured. Hiruzen himself was devoured as well, since he completed the contract.

Minato called upon the death god as well when he tried to seal Kurama into Naruto. He sealed the yin half of Kurama into himself and the yang half into Naruto. He was also devoured.

Years later, Orochimaru performed a ritual to release the souls of the Hokage who were trapped within the Shinigami's belly. He did this using the Uzumaki clan's old ritual mask. It was revealed that Uzumaki's kept all mentions of the jutsu secret, as they were renowned summoners.

Uzumaki's also have an absurdly long life span, as well as durability. Perhaps their longevity is linked to death itself, as they were the only ones who knew of this ritual for hundreds of years?

Or perhaps they accidentally summoned Death into the world as they practiced their summoning rituals? Maybe the Reaper Death Seal was created to keep them in place?

Whatever the answer is, there is definitely a god of death in Naruto. While Jashin is a debatable topic, Death is real, and it is prevalent in every aspect of the world.

Another god would be the King of Hell. He is a deity who precedes over life and death, and can be summoned by the Rinnegan. It accomplishes this by wrapping its tongue around its victims, which is an extension of their soul.

He will ask them a question, but if they answer dishonestly, he will devour their souls. But if they answer honestly, he will release them. He also has the ability to bring people back to life if he has already killed them.

The Rinnegan is the most powerful ocular ability of all time, if handled well. Legend says that one who wields the Rinnegan will come down from the heavens to either become a god of destruction or creation.

Sasuke Uchiha tried to become a god of destruction by waging war with the world. He would extend his lifespan and unite the world so that they would be too busy to go to war against each other. Pain himself was considered a god in his country for the acts of salvation he committed.

The King of Hell (Image via Naruto Anime)

Perhaps the King of Hell is the ultimate god while the Shinigami is one of his servants. Or maybe they're fighting for dominance somewhere in the afterlife. The King of Hell is based on Enma, a Japanese spirit of the dead who rules over Narakas or hell.

In conclusion, some gods in Naruto are definitely real, yet their existence doesn't seem to be known by many. There are no clear cut reasons as to why that is.