Naruto announces NINKŪ crossover anime and Shadow Rising manga
Developing story first seen 1 hour ago
Naruto franchise announcements at New York Comic Con include a new anime series crossover with manga "NINKŪ" and a previously unrevealed manga titled "Shadow Rising." The expansions demonstrate the franchise's continued momentum across multiple media formats. Director Destin Daniel Cretton has shared additional perspective on the live-action film adaptation, emphasising the emotional core of Naruto's character and the team's commitment to honouring creator Masashi Kishimoto's vision.
The crossover anime "NARUTOxNINKŪ" will see Team 7 members Naruto, Sasuke and Sakura sent on a mission by Kakashi, with Naruto as acting leader, only to become lost in another world where they encounter a frog-faced boy named Fūsuke. The series is being supervised by both Kishimoto and "NINKŪ" creator Koji Kiriyama. The new manga "Shadow Rising" was unveiled in a teaser video at the Comic Con panel, with full details promised at Jump Festa 2027 in December. Cretton's message stressed the character of Naruto as someone who overcomes underestimation through determination and heart, themes the live-action film aims to capture.
- New Naruto anime crossover with NINKŪ announced at Comic Con.
- Shadow Rising manga revealed with details coming December.
- Live-action film director emphasises capturing Naruto's heart and determination.
New here? Start with this
Naruto is a long-running Japanese manga series that became one of the world's most popular anime franchises. The original story follows a young ninja named Naruto as he trains, makes friends and confronts enemies across a richly detailed world of ninja villages. Although the main manga series concluded years ago, the franchise has remained active through various spin-offs, films and other expansions.
The Naruto franchise regularly develops new content across multiple media formats, including anime series, manga publications and live-action films. These projects sometimes combine Naruto's characters and world with elements from other Japanese series through creative collaborations. Such expansions are typically overseen by the original series creator and other prominent figures in the Japanese entertainment industry.
The franchise continues to expand because it has maintained a devoted global audience since its creation decades ago. These projects matter to long-time fans seeking new Naruto stories and characters, whilst also helping to introduce the franchise to new audiences through different media formats and storytelling approaches.
Full account
The Naruto franchise has announced an extensive slate of new projects revealed at New York Comic Con, representing a substantial revival after a period of dormancy. These announcements are structured under the Project Rasengan umbrella strategy, with releases scheduled through 2029.
The primary new offering is an anime series created through a partnership with Ninku, the martial arts manga that provided early inspiration for Naruto's original author Masashi Kishimoto. Titled Naruto x Ninku, this limited series combines the two properties under oversight from both Kishimoto and Ninku creator Koji Kiriyama. The narrative follows the familiar Team 7 trio on an assignment from their instructor, with Naruto taking the leadership role. The plot takes an unexpected turn when the team is transported into a parallel universe populated by strange beings, including a boy possessing frog-like characteristics named Fūsuke.
Unveiled during the Comic Con presentation is Shadow Rising, a forthcoming manga series authored by Kishimoto. The Project Rasengan initiative encompasses additional ventures beyond the core anime and manga properties, including a globally distributed card game launching simultaneously in June 2027, an international release of the previously China-exclusive Naruto Mobile game, and the arrival of the Naruto Shippuden Symphonic Experience in United States venues. Additional merchandise partnerships have been announced in preliminary form, with more substantive details deferred to Jump Festa 2027 in December.
The live-action film project under director Destin Daniel Cretton continues development, with Cretton having outlined his vision of Naruto as a protagonist defined by underestimation and inner strength, whose determination and capacity for loyalty drive his character. The proposed slate indicates a minimum of eight distinct releases across multiple media before 2030, demonstrating the franchise's commitment to prominence during its 25th anniversary period.
Where outlets differ
Source 2 contextualises announcements within the Project Rasengan strategic roadmap extending through 2029; Source 1 does not mention this framework
Source 2 provides extensive detail on ancillary projects (trading card game, mobile game, symphonic experience); Source 1 omits these elements entirely
Source 1 emphasises narrative specifics of the crossover anime, including plot details absent from Source 2
Source 2 explicitly references the franchise's dormant period and celebrates the 25th anniversary milestone; Source 1 provides neither context
Source 2 establishes Ninku as the creative inspiration for Naruto's original conception; Source 1 does not mention this relationship
More coverage
Business Entertainment Markets TV
Read the full article at the source →
Originally published by Variety as “New ‘Naruto’ Anime Series and ‘Shadow Rising’ Manga Revealed”.