The Naruto franchise is expanding with a new anime television series and a forthcoming manga titled Shadow Rising, announced during a Naruto panel at New York Comic Con on Saturday.
The upcoming NARUTOxNINKŪ anime will bring together the worlds of Naruto and the popular manga NINKŪ. Naruto creator Masashi Kishimoto and NINKŪ creator Koji Kiriyama will supervise the series.
First trailer for the ‘NARUTO X NINKU’ anime. pic.twitter.com/8fOkvZrC6n
— DiscussingFilm (@DiscussingFilm) October 10, 2026
The story follows Team 7 members Naruto, Sasuke and Sakura as they receive a mission from Kakashi.
Unable to accompany them, Kakashi appoints Naruto as acting leader. However, their mission takes an unexpected turn when the team becomes lost in another world and encounters a mysterious boy named Fūsuke, whose face resembles a frog’s.
The panel also concluded with the announcement of Shadow Rising, a new Naruto manga by Kishimoto.
A teaser video revealed the title, with further details expected at Jump Festa 2027 in December.
The event also offered an update on the upcoming live-action Naruto film, directed by Destin Daniel Cretton.
In a message shared during the panel, Cretton expressed his enthusiasm for bringing Kishimoto’s characters to the screen.
“What I’ve always loved about Naruto is that he’s the character who might normally get sidelined as a sidekick,” Cretton wrote.
He added that Naruto’s determination and willingness to fight for those he loves remain central to the film’s story.
Cretton also confirmed that production preparations were continuing following a worldwide search for Team 7 earlier in the summer.
He said further updates would be shared soon, thanking fans for their patience and support.
The announcements mark another development for the long-running Naruto franchise, with more information about both projects anticipated in the coming months.
