A new NARUTO anime is being produced for the first time in 9 years, and the production committee has announced the production of 4 episodes. TV Tokyo Holdings and others have outlined plans to expand overseas and develop related games.
At the global event New York Comic Con 2026, held in New York, the NARUTO production committee officially announced the production of a new anime series, the first in 9 years. The new series will consist of 4 episodes, with a production committee including TV Tokyo Holdings collaborating on the project. Original creator Kishimoto Masashi (岸本斉史) and Mitsuji Kiriyama (桐山光侍), the creator of the manga NINKU, will be involved in supervision. TV Tokyo will handle broadcasting.
The new anime will depict a story in which the protagonist, Naruto Uzumaki, becomes lost in the world of NINKU during his childhood and makes his mark there. The original work was published in Shueisha's Weekly Shonen Jump. With overseas expansion in mind, the project aims to increase revenue through the global rollout of its intellectual property (IP).
As part of the related game rollout, Bandai and others have announced plans to distribute the smartphone action game NARUTO MOBILE worldwide. The game has already built a fan base in China, and a trading card game is scheduled for simultaneous worldwide release in June 2027. Related revenue is expected to grow through stronger game licensing and merchandise sales.
Against a backdrop of growth in overseas markets, Japan's anime-related businesses are expanding across broadcasting, streaming and games. Overseas sales have remained at high levels in recent years, and the government has also set targets for expanding overseas markets. The success of this project could help boost the popularity of Japanese anime as a whole.