There were two members from Akatsuki in Naruto Shippuden who are strongly related to immortality. Hidan and Kakuzu are often referred to as the immortal duo. However, this statement was a bit exaggerated since Kakuzu isn’t immortal but extremely difficult to kill. The fact that you’ll be required to destroy all five hearts before he’ll actually die makes him a formidable enemy.
However, the actual immortal character in Naruto was Hidan. He is shown to be a follower of Jashin and acquired his ability to become immortal through constant sacrifices to Lord Jashin. There is an interesting fact about him. According to Mangaka, the black and white skeletal patterns on Hidan were supposed to make him look like Death God or Shinigami.
The Skeletal markings on Hidan’s body were supposed to resemble a Shinigami
In Naruto Hiden: Sha no Sho Character Official Data Book, the Mangaka has elaborated that Hidan’s body’s black and white Jashinist markings were meant to make him look like a Shinigami or a God of Death.
Fans of Bleach or Death Note are familiar with the term Shinigami. It means the God of Death in Japanese. There is also another interesting fact that fans weren’t aware of. Hidan’s scythe was supposed to have several unique abilities that Kishimoto didn’t have time to depict.
To what extent does Hidan’s immortality work in Naruto Shippuden?
We have seen in the series that the secret behind Hidan’s immortality lies in his fervent worship of the evil god Jashin. However, not much is known about Lord Jashin or his religion. Several people from Konoha believe that Hidan invented this cult himself. His immortality is implied to be the result of sacrificing many people at once to Jashin, but the exact mechanism for how he acquired it remains mysterious.
There was another follower of Lord Jashin that we’ve seen in Boruto. Unlike Hidan, Ryuki doesn’t have the power of immortality, as the plot revolves around him trying to gain immortality by sacrificing many young women. This was concrete proof that not all followers of Jashin are immortal.
The power of immortality that Hidan portrayed was frightening. We’ve seen him surviving multiple stabbings, a massive blast of fire from the Two Tails, decapitation, and having his body blown to pieces by paper bombs. He was also shown to have enhanced regeneration as he can heal from his injuries rapidly. However, even his power of immortality doesn’t make him invincible. The only way Hidan can indeed die is from starvation.
