Naruto × Ninkū Gets Four Episodes as Kishimoto Teases a New Manga

Naruto × Ninkū is a newly announced four-episode anime crossover, bringing young Naruto, Sasuke and Sakura into the world of Koji Kiriyama’s Ninkū. Masashi Kishimoto is also working on a new Naruto manga, teased separately at New York Comic Con. Neither project has an announced release date in the official roundup.

The reveals came during NARUTO: What’s Next? on October 10, 2026, in New York. VIZ’s press release is dated October 10; the franchise’s official recap followed on October 11.

What is Naruto × Ninkū?

The crossover unites two distinct manga worlds. Ninkū is Kiriyama’s Weekly Shonen Jump series, which began in 1993 and received a television anime in 1995. Its title names the story’s martial art, which combines elements of ninjutsu and karate. The series follows Fūsuke and his companions, practitioners of that art; Fūsuke is the character Team 7 encounters in the new anime.

The official story introduction begins with Kakashi assigning Naruto, Sasuke and Sakura a mission. Kakashi has another commitment, so Naruto becomes acting leader. The trio then loses its way into another world, where it meets Fūsuke.

That encounter reflects a documented creative connection. In his published message, Kishimoto credits Ninkū as a major influence on Naruto and explains that the crossover grew from his wish to bring the two works together. Both Kishimoto and Kiriyama supervise all four episodes. The premise is an encounter between their characters, rather than an announced new mainline Naruto sequel.

Who is making the anime?

The official crossover page lists:

• Director: Noriyuki Abe.
• Animation character design: Tetsuya Nishio.
• Animation production: PIERROT FILMS.
• Original story: Masashi Kishimoto and Koji Kiriyama.

VIZ also notes Abe and Nishio’s earlier work on Ninkū and the Naruto franchise. The Japanese cast includes Junko Takeuchi as Naruto, Noriaki Sugiyama as Sasuke, Chie Nakamura as Sakura, Kazuhiko Inoue as Kakashi and Rika Matsumoto as Fūsuke.

When does Naruto × Ninkū premiere, and where can you watch it?

Neither a premiere date nor a streaming service has been announced. Four episodes are confirmed, but the official sources do not provide individual runtimes, a broadcast schedule, international licensing territories or dub dates.

Watch the official crossover teaser for a first look. It does not establish when the finished episodes will arrive. International licensing and platform availability remain unannounced.

Our earlier NYCC agenda coverage documented VIZ’s advance animated-film wording. The new announcement identifies a four-episode crossover. The official sources do not identify it as the previously postponed four-episode Naruto anniversary project.

What is Naruto: Shadow Rising?

Naruto: Shadow Rising is the new Naruto manga drawn by Masashi Kishimoto. The title is explicitly identified as NARUTO-ナルト- SHADOW RISING in the official Japanese NYCC roundup. The site’s English version, which carries a machine-translation notice, omits that title from its manga section.

The stage’s closing super-teaser shows manga storyboards. The official recap describes the six previous Hokage’s stone faces and a seventh face under construction, followed by Naruto raising the Hokage hat, a smiling Kakashi, Sasuke, Sakura looking at a baby, and Naruto and Sasuke clashing.

Those are images presented in the teaser, rather than a confirmed sequence of events in the finished manga. They do not establish who the baby is, why Naruto and Sasuke confront each other, or the story’s precise position relative to Naruto and Boruto. The announcement does not identify the work as a replacement for Boruto.

No manga publication date has been announced. A magazine, serialization schedule, chapter count and international editions are also unannounced. Kishimoto’s drawing involvement is confirmed; the teaser does not provide a complete publication or creative-team breakdown.

More details are promised for Jump Festa 2027, held December 19–20, 2026, at Makuhari Messe in Japan. The event’s name refers to 2027; its actual dates fall in December 2026. That is the next announced information event, rather than the manga’s launch date.

What is Project Rasengan?

Project Rasengan is the broader, multiyear Naruto and Boruto initiative connecting manga, anime, games, cards and other franchise developments. Its roadmap includes projects that remain unannounced, so it should not be read as a dated release schedule for every item.

Two separate game developments have clearer boundaries. The Naruto Card Game is scheduled for a simultaneous worldwide launch in June 2027, with no exact day given in the roundup. Naruto Mobile is planned for international expansion, but its date remains unannounced and availability and supported languages will vary by country or region.

Those plans sit alongside the crossover and manga tease. June 2027 is the card game’s window, not an announced premiere month for Naruto × Ninkū or publication date for Kishimoto’s new manga.

Follow further anime announcements in our Anime coverage.