The Naruto franchise continues to grow with the announcement of a new anime series, an original manga by Masashi Kishimoto and fresh updates on the upcoming live-action adaptation.
The announcements were made during a dedicated panel at New York Comic Con 2026, highlighting the continued expansion of one of the world’s most iconic anime and manga properties.
NARUTOxNINKŪ: a new anime crossover
One of the major announcements was NARUTOxNINKŪ, a new anime television series bringing together the worlds of Naruto and NINKŪ, the popular manga created by Koji Kiriyama.
Supervised by both Masashi Kishimoto and Koji Kiriyama, the series will follow Naruto, Sasuke and Sakura as they embark on a mission that unexpectedly transports Team 7 into a mysterious new world, where they encounter Fūsuke, the protagonist of NINKŪ.
The crossover introduces a new storyline connecting two established Japanese manga universes, offering fans a fresh perspective on familiar characters.
Shadow Rising: a new Naruto manga
The panel also revealed Shadow Rising, a new Naruto manga by original creator Masashi Kishimoto.
The announcement was accompanied by a teaser video, with further details expected to be unveiled at Jump Festa 2027 in December.
New updates on the Naruto live-action film
The upcoming live-action adaptation was also in the spotlight, with director Destin Daniel Cretton sharing a message about the project’s development.
Cretton reaffirmed his commitment to capturing the characters, relationships and emotional themes that have made Naruto a global phenomenon, while confirming that work on the film is progressing.
A global franchise with continued growth potential
With new anime, manga and film projects in development, Naruto continues to strengthen its position as a leading global entertainment franchise.
The expansion across multiple formats reinforces the property’s long-term relevance and creates further opportunities for fan engagement, licensing partnerships and consumer products, reaching both established audiences and new generations of fans.
