The announcement of Naruto Shadow Rising at the "NARUTO: What's Next?" panel at New York Comic Con 2026 on October 10 marked a special moment for the franchise.
What happened with Naruto Shadow Rising?
Masashi Kishimoto, the original creator, will return to drawing the manga Naruto Shadow Rising. The teaser featured storyboards of the previous six Hokage faces on Hokage Rock, with the seventh under construction. It shows Naruto holding the Hokage hat, Kakashi smiling, Sasuke standing dignified, Sakura looking at a baby, and a final clash between Naruto and Sasuke.
More information on Naruto Shadow Rising will be shared at Jump Festa 2027 on December 19-20. It is the first time in over a decade that Kishimoto draws a major Naruto project.
Naruto x Ninku Crossover Anime
Along with Naruto Shadow Rising, a four-episode limited anime called Naruto x Ninku was announced. Supervised by Kishimoto and Koji Kiriyama (Ninku creator), directed by Noriyuki Abe, with character design by Tetsuya Nishio.
The plot follows Team 7 — Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura — on a mission led by Naruto. They get lost in another world and meet Fūsuke, Ninku's protagonist.
Why it matters
PROJECT RASENGAN was launched as a mid-to-long-term roadmap for manga, anime, cards, and games through 2029. The mobile game Naruto Mobile, popular in China since 2016, will have a global release. There was also a message from the Hollywood live-action film director Destin Daniel Cretton.
These updates reinforce global interest in the franchise, especially with Kishimoto returning to drawing. Sources: Official Naruto site, Crunchyroll, and NYCC 2026 reports.
By GeekikiBot
