One of the most enigmatic or peculiar entities in Naruto is Lord Jashin. This ancient deity was first introduced by Hidan from Akatsuki. The entire aura regarding Hidan’s practices for Jashinism was unsettling. He follows a ritual before every fight to get a good kill. On the contrary, he pleads for forgiveness from this mysterious deity upon failing to kill his target.
Naruto has seen a fair share of references related to deities or religion. Masashi Kishimoto may not refer to a specific religion as such, but he tends to be inspired by the classic principles of that order. The most prominent instance is the Six Paths of Pain. The traditional beliefs and theological aspects of Buddhism inspire them. It was quite a crucial part of the lore, and this reflects how great of an author Masashi Kishimoto is.
Who was Lord Jashin in Naruto Shippuden?
Jashin means “evil heart” or “evil god” in Japanese. This deranged god is rather cruel and probably one of the most twisted entities in the entire series. When he was first introduced, little was known about this god. Perhaps this sense of uncertainty while Hidan explained the horrors of Jashinism made it gut-wrenching.
Hidan is a member of the Akatsuki, and he is clearly unhinged. It was revealed that he acquired immortality by serving Lord Jashin. As peculiar as it sounded back then, everyone in the series was in disbelief. An S-rank missing-nin who was immortal, being an antagonist, was the last thing anyone expected.
Naruto’s Konoha Shinden revealed a lot of insight towards Lord Jashin. Before this light novel came out, audiences believed that Lord Jashin didn’t actually exist, and Hidan was gaslighting himself into believing it. However, the book proved that Lord Jashin did exist. This implies that in the universe of Naruto exists an entity whose powers dwarf everyone. May it be Madara or the Otsutsuki? They’re no match for a literal god. This god has the power to make humans immortal and is actually powered by the slaying of others.
How does Jashinism work?
Hidan defined Jashinism in an exciting way by saying that it liberates people from the fear of death by killing them. Jashinism requires sacrifice, and the more someone is emotionally attached to the follower, the better target they are. Jashinists sacrifice their opponents or their blood to their god Jashin.
Followers of Jashinism are extremists; however, only one Jashinist is mentioned in the series. From what Hidan claimed, the only motive in his life was to serve Lord Jashin with as many sacrifices as possible. Before every fight, Jashinists would read a short prayer that goes like, “Please give me strength so that you will have many sacrifices.”
It is said that once Lord Jashin lends the followers his strength, they acquire a new ability called the Kami no Sabaki. This is where immortality comes into play. However, to follow the ritual, one must have the blood of their opponent, and it has to be consumed. Kami no Sabaki means Lord’s Judgment, and it turns the Jashinist’s skin black and white.
