Naruto had a big presence at New York Comic Con this year, confirming several new projects coming next year or so. These projects kick off a roadmap called Project Rasengan that runs through 2029 and includes a new crossover anime with Ninku, a new manga by series creator Masashi Kishimoto, and more.
What Naruto announcements were made at New York Comic Con?
The panel began by unveiling the previously teased new Naruto anime, although it’s not exactly what you’d expect. It’s a crossover limited series anime with Ninku, aptly titled Naruto x Ninku. If you’re unfamiliar with Ninku, it’s the martial arts shonen manga and anime series that inspired Naruto’s creator, Masashi Kishimoto.
The anime is in production. Its placement on the roadmap also suggests a 2027 release, although its teaser trailer does not confirm that outright.
Also coming in 2027 are the Naruto Card Game and a Western release of a mobile video game previously available only in China. The panel showed off art for several different cards and confirmed a simultaneous worldwide release for the base game and its first booster pack in June 2027. In-store demos for the card game will be held next February and March.
Meanwhile, Naruto Mobile is a game that has only been available in China since 2016. Bandai Namco is finally giving it a worldwide release, but it won’t commit to a release window just yet, despite its proximity to 2027 on the roadmap. We’ll learn more about the mobile game’s worldwide release at Jump Festa 2027 this December.
The panel reiterated that a live-action Naruto movie is in the works. We didn’t get any teaser or casting announcements, but director Destin Daniel Cretton shared a lengthy message that was read at the panel. Part of it offers insight into what Cretton thinks of Naruto as a character and the kind of “spirit” fans should expect from his adaptation.
“What I’ve always loved about Naruto is that he’s the character who might normally get sidelined as a sidekick,” he explained. “He’s excitable, he tries too hard, and people underestimate him. But he has an incredible heart. No matter how many times he fails or gets knocked down, he never stops believing in himself or fighting for the people he loves. That spirit is at the heart of the story we’re telling.”
The New York Comic Con panel also confirmed that the Naruto Shippuden Symphonic Experience is coming to the United States and teased new franchise-related merch, but those weren’t final announcements. That honor went to Naruto: Shadow Rising, a new manga from Masashi Kishimoto. Details are still scarce, but we’ll learn more at Jump Festa 2027.
The Naruto franchise has been in a lull for several years, so it’s great to see it make such a big comeback for its 25th anniversary. Thanks to Project Rasengan, we know there’ll be at least eight Naruto releases to look forward to before the end of the decade.