Masashi Kishimoto has finally made his dream project happen. A brand-new four-episode anime crossover titled Naruto x Ninku was announced at New York Comic Con 2026 during the “NARUTO: What’s Next?” panel on October 10, 2026. The series brings together the world of Naruto with Koji Kiriyama’s Ninku, a 1990s martial arts manga that Kishimoto has often named as his biggest inspiration.
The announcement came on Naruto Uzumaki’s birthday, before a sold-out crowd of about 3,000 people. Voice actors Junko Takeuchi (Naruto) and Noriaki Sugiyama (Sasuke) attended the panel alongside Yoshihiro Tominaga, executive producer at PIERROT FILMS, the studio behind the Naruto anime.
Why Ninku Matters To Naruto Fans
Ninku is a manga by Koji Kiriyama that ran in Weekly Shonen Jump from 1993 to 1995. It was collected in nine volumes, and a sequel titled Ninku Second Stage: Stories of the Etonin began in 2005. The series got a 55-episode TV anime and an animated film, with the TV adaptation marking its 30th anniversary in 2025.
The story is set in a world where the Ninku Corps, a small combat unit using a fighting style that mixes ninjutsu and karate, once fought against the Imperial Army. The main character, Fūsuke, is a young former member with a frog-like face who sets out to find his mother.
Kishimoto has always been open about how much Ninku shaped his work. He shared a direct message during the panel:
“Without NINKU, Naruto would not exist. I created Naruto because I wanted to see what happened next in NINKU. My dream has come true!” — Masashi Kishimoto
He went even further in a longer comment, calling Fūsuke “Naruto’s secret mentor” and saying he had long dreamed of bringing that hidden master-student relationship into an actual story.
Koji Kiriyama also shared his thoughts on the crossover:
“The worlds inhabited by Naruto and his friends and by Fūsuke and his companions are finally about to meet and intertwine! Just thinking about it genuinely fills me with excitement. This incredible miracle became possible thanks to Kishimoto’s proposal and passionate support.” — Koji Kiriyama
What The Story Is About
The official synopsis explains how the crossover begins. Kakashi Hatake gives Team 7 a new mission but cannot join them himself, so Naruto is appointed acting leader. Naruto is fully motivated to make the mission a success. On the way, Team 7 gets lost in another world. There, they meet Fūsuke, a boy whose face looks like a frog’s. What follows is a completely original adventure that brings the two ninja worlds together.
The story is supervised by both Masashi Kishimoto and Koji Kiriyama, giving the project direct oversight from the creators of both franchises.
Who Is Making The Anime
Studio Pierrot is handling the animation. The staff includes several names familiar to longtime Naruto fans:
- Director: Noriyuki Abe, who directed the original 1995 Ninku anime as well as Bleach and Yu Yu Hakusho
- Character Designer and Chief Animation Director: Tetsuya Nishio, who also worked on the original Ninku series and has experience with Boruto: Naruto Next Generations
Abe and Nishio working together again on Ninku material is a full-circle moment for the franchise, as both had key roles in the original 1990s anime adaptation.
Voice Cast Returns For Both Franchises
The crossover is bringing back original voice actors from both series. Junko Takeuchi returns as young Naruto Uzumaki, Noriaki Sugiyama as Sasuke Uchiha, and Chie Nakamura as Sakura Haruno. Kazuhiko Inoue is back as Kakashi Hatake.
From the Ninku side, Rika Matsumoto — widely known for voicing Ash Ketchum in Pokémon — returns as Fūsuke. Other returning Ninku cast members include Mitsuaki Madono as Aicho, Jurota Kosugi as Toji, and Megumi Hayashibara as Rihoko.
Takeuchi and Sugiyama shared their feelings about the project during the panel:
“I am truly happy that we can announce the collaboration with NINKU to everyone!” — Junko Takeuchi
“It is not an exaggeration to call it a ‘dream work’ that Kishimoto-sensei has always wanted to do and has finally come true. I hope everyone will see it through.” — Noriaki Sugiyama
Theme Songs Fans Already Know
Japanese rock band FLOW is performing the music for the crossover. The opening theme is “GO!!!” (20th Anniversary ver.), and the ending theme is “Viva★Rock.” Both songs have deep ties to Naruto’s history, with “GO!!!” being one of the most recognized opening themes from the original anime.
Where To Watch And When
A release date for Naruto x Ninku has not been announced yet. The anime is confirmed to be in production. Its placement on the Project Rasengan roadmap suggests a possible 2027 release, though the teaser trailer does not confirm a specific date.
More details, including a proper trailer and schedule, are expected at Jump Festa 2027 on December 19 and 20, 2026, at Makuhari Messe in Chiba, Japan.
For viewers in the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, India, and other regions, the series will likely be distributed through Viz Media and Crunchyroll, following the pattern of previous Naruto releases. Specific streaming details for each region have not been confirmed.
You May Also Like:
Project Rasengan: A Bigger Plan For Naruto
The crossover anime is part of Project Rasengan, a three-year roadmap running from 2027 through 2029. The initiative covers new manga, anime, games, and cards for the franchise.
Alongside Naruto x Ninku, the panel also announced:
- Naruto: Shadow Rising, a new manga written and drawn by Masashi Kishimoto, set in the gap between the Fourth Shinobi World War and Boruto. More details will come at Jump Festa 2027.
- Naruto Card Game, launching worldwide in June 2027 with three starter decks. In-store demos will be held in February and March 2027.
- Naruto Mobile, a game previously only available in China since 2016, is getting a worldwide release. Bandai Namco has not confirmed a release window yet.
The live-action Naruto film from director Destin Daniel Cretton is also still in development. Cretton shared a message during the panel about the casting search and his approach to the character, but no release date has been set.
For more anime and manga updates, keep reading VvipTimes — your home for the latest news from the world of Japanese entertainment.
Leave a Reply