It was just an excuse for Kishi to not have a 12yr old boy captured by kage lvl shinobi. Want the proof.
1. Itachi says if they fight it would be a tie at best and backup wouldn't change the outcome.
This is obvious BS cause Jman ultimately lost vs Pain so backup would effect the outcome and how does Itachi know it would be a tie?
2. Kisame saying they pale in comparison going up against a legendary sannin and doubts they could win so didn't want to fight.
Kisame wanted to fight Orochimaru who is a sannin! Also in the databook kisame wished to fight ANYONE!
3. Does anyone supposed to believe Jman solos Kisame and Itachi at the same time let alone one on one?
Sorry it's not happening
4. Naruto was 12 if the akatsuki went after him he would be caught, Jiraiya isn't enough to change that.
Naruto would be there easiest capture back in pt 1. But the manga would end.
It's clear as day. Some say the were talking about Kyuubi but even so my point stands akatsuki would defeat it. Imho Itachi and Kisame defeat Jiraiya high diff 1on1 Theres nothing he has they can't counter. His ninjutsu us useless vs kisame and Itachi has the type of arsenal that matchup well vs jman. If Itachi loses it's because his stamina and if Kisame loses it because of some sealing trap but don't see it happening or know if he even has any strong ones. It's obviously plot, Itachi made Oro his play thing and Kisame solod Bee mid diff without even trying to kill but sh!t their pants at the sight of Jiraiya. By no means is this a bash towards Jiraiya.
1. What would Itachi have to gain by lying about that? He didn't even use it as an excuse to not go after Naruto, rather, he used it as justification to go after Naruto. Kisame doubted whether or not they should try to capture Naruto, and Itachi was basically like "I ain't scared."
And Itachi lost to Sasuke, who's weaker than Jman. What's your point?
2. Jiraiya was apparently an exception for Kisame, although he still went.
3. Kisame said he's not in Jiraiya's league, and almost did get one-shotted but was saved by Itachi. Kisame probably gets turned to stone trying to eat Jiraiya's sage chakra just like Hungry Ghost, and he can't use Shark Dance with Itachi there either. Itachi may also put himself at a disadvantage trying to help out Kisame.
4. Jiraiya may had died fighting Itachi and Kisame, but he would had taken them too, which meant that ultimately another Akatsuki pair would had captured him.
didn't obito say that itachi went to konoha just to remind the elders that he was still alive and sasuke must still be protected?
That was B.S. from Obito. He was trying to tell Sasuke that Itachi broke orders letting Sasuke live, but it turns out that it was Danzo's idea to spare Sasuke. Danzo could had killed Sasuke whenever he wanted, and did indeed try to when Sasuke became a missing-nin.
But in all seriousness, by feats, Itachi and Kisame take a bijuu sized shit on Jiraiya.
By feats, Jiraiya would had one-shotted Kisame and made Itachi run away.
Jman is terrible against genjutsu. Ma-Pa need time to summon them.
Itachi was leaf shinobi and he never would kill 4 no reason.
you counting feats or what best lier in manga was talking ?
USING genjutsu, there's a difference.
The ironic part is that it took Jiraiya so long to summon them because he was trying to summon them INTO him. However, Fukasaku revealed to Naruto that he and Shima have the ability to fuse themselves to Jiraiya, so no more wait. Jiraiya can use Sage Mode without them anyway.
LoL Itachi was the boss of that two man team and he obviously used it as an excuse so he wouldnt have to capture Naruto since its not really in his interes to give the kyuubi to the Akatsuki he was a double agent afterall.
Or Itachi could had
not gone after Naruto at all? Kisame even gave him an out, but Itachi shot him down. In fact, they were originally after Gaara, but it was Itachi's idea to go after Naruto instead.
Kind of obvious. Anyone who believes Jiraiya stood a chance against these two, individually or otherwise is delusional.
Manga disagrees with you.