Ace vs Jiraiya: 3 Times Ace’s Death Hit Harder — And 3 Times Jiraiya’s Did

Two anime deaths still live rent-free in people’s heads: Ace in One Piece and Jiraiya in Naruto: Shippuden. It has been well over a decade, and fans are still arguing about which one lands harder. This isn’t the usual which-series-is-better chest-thumping. It’s about what each death actually did to its story, its lead character, and the audience.

Quick reality check on the shows

For anyone who loves a scoreboard, here’s where the two series generally sit: One Piece has a 9/10 on IMDb, a 92% on Rotten Tomatoes, and an 8.73 on MyAnimeList. Naruto: Shippuden sits at 8.7/10 on IMDb, 86% on Rotten Tomatoes, and 8.28 on MyAnimeList. Numbers aren’t the whole story, but they do show we’re comparing heavy hitters.

Why Ace’s death mattered to the world of One Piece

Marineford pops up right around the midway mark of One Piece’s mega-run, and Ace’s execution is the match that lights the powder keg. We knew the danger was coming, but once the public execution was announced, it became a global flashpoint: Whitebeard mobilized his entire fleet and allies, the World Government dug in, and Luffy bulldozed his way into the fight with the crew he could gather. The Summit War didn’t just end a saga; it rewired the series. Ace’s death broadcast exactly how far the government would go to crush a threat, and even Whitebeard — the guy billed as the Strongest Man in the World — fell trying to save him. The fallout ushered in a gnarlier, more chaotic age of piracy that simply wouldn’t have happened without that execution.

Why Jiraiya’s death hits on a personal level

Jiraiya is messy, flawed, and very human — which is exactly why fans connected to him. He wasn’t just Naruto’s mentor; he was his godfather and the closest thing to a parental figure the kid ever had. When Jiraiya died, the grief didn’t stop at the screen. And if the loss itself didn’t break you, Naruto’s reaction probably did. It’s the first time he really confronts crushing grief, which also gives him a clearer window into Sasuke’s spiral after losing everything. That bond is what makes Jiraiya’s end sting in a way that feels uncomfortably real.

Ace’s death forced Luffy to grow up fast

When Luffy learned Ace was going to be executed, he was basically flying solo. Boa Hancock was in the picture, sure, but the Straw Hats were scattered, and he was still raw from failing to protect them. Then he loses Ace anyway. That reality check is brutal. The message is simple and cold: the New World will eat you alive unless you level up. Luffy refuses to let something like that happen again, and the entire crew commits to two years of training. It’s a turning point that hardens the story and the protagonist.

Jiraiya’s end felt necessary — and heroic

Ace’s death is tragic, but you can reasonably argue it was avoidable. Jiraiya’s? That was a mission he knew might kill him, and he did it anyway. He infiltrates Amegakure to uncover who is really running the Akatsuki and doesn’t dump that responsibility onto his student. He handles it himself, like the Sannin he is. Because of Jiraiya, Naruto gets critical intel on Pain, which literally changes the trajectory of the war and Naruto’s growth.

The ripple effect: Ace is gone, but his story won’t stay buried

Ace didn’t rack up massive screen time, but the series gives you just enough of his personality to hook you — and then Marineford and later arcs twist the knife by expanding his backstory and the weight he carried. Even knowing his number might be up, you still get attached. And One Piece doesn’t leave it there. Wano drags those feelings back to the surface by revealing Ace’s connection to the country and his intention to help free it. When Luffy eventually pushes that dream across the finish line, it is way more emotional because we know Ace wanted that win himself.

Jiraiya’s final fight is a reckoning with his past

Jiraiya doesn’t just go on a suicide mission; he confronts the consequences of his own teachings. Pain — Nagato — is a former student, broken by tragedy and twisted into something Jiraiya never intended. Jiraiya doesn’t recognize him at first, but the Rinnegan gives the truth away. Even after realizing the Six Paths of Pain will overwhelm him, he keeps fighting. He doesn’t run. It’s poetic and gutting that he dies at the hands of the student he believed in the most, and it completes his arc in a way that feels inevitable and tragic.

So... which death is "better"?

Depends on what you value. Ace’s fall blows a hole in One Piece’s world and forces a generational step forward. Jiraiya’s death drills straight through the heart — of Naruto, of the audience, of the story’s emotional core. Both are unforgettable for different reasons, and both still echo across their franchises years later.

Which one hit you harder, Ace or Jiraiya? Drop your take below. If you want to relive the pain, One Piece and Naruto: Shippuden are streaming on Crunchyroll.