Naruto Officially Launches "PROJECT RASENGAN" with Major New Manga, Anime and Game Announcements

Naruto and Boruto are preparing for a major new era, with the official launch of a massive global initiative designed to expand the franchise across manga, anime, games, and other entertainment for years to come.

The newly announced “PROJECT RASENGAN” was unveiled during the “NARUTO: What’s Next?” presentation at New York Comic Con 2026 on October 10, alongside a roadmap outlining several upcoming releases and teasing further announcements.

A new promotional video introduced the initiative alongside a specially illustrated key visual featuring Naruto Uzumaki unleashing his signature Rasengan.

The artwork places a newly drawn Naruto at the center, surrounded by different appearances of the character taken from the franchise’s manga, anime, and video games, representing its history across multiple generations.

The presentation also offered fans their first look at a wider development roadmap, confirming several major projects while deliberately leaving additional sections unrevealed.

Created by Masashi Kishimoto, Naruto began serialization in Weekly Shonen Jump in 1999 and concluded in 2014, with the original story later expanding through Naruto Shippuden and the Boruto sequel series.

The franchise has continued reaching audiences worldwide through television anime, films, video games, and merchandise, with “PROJECT RASENGAN” now establishing a coordinated plan for its next stage of development.

One of the biggest announcements is a completely new Naruto anime crossover with the classic ninja series “Ninku,” which was officially revealed through a world-premiere trailer at the beginning of the presentation.

Created by Koji Kiriyama, Ninku first debuted in Weekly Shonen Jump in 1993 and later received an anime adaptation from Studio Pierrot in 1995.

The series was a major inspiration for Kishimoto when developing Naruto, with the crossover trailer featuring a statement from the creator declaring that without Ninku, there would be no Naruto.

The upcoming limited anime will bring the two franchises together, although its release date and further production details have yet to be announced.

Another major part of the roadmap is Bandai’s upcoming “NARUTO CARD GAME,” which has now officially confirmed a simultaneous worldwide release in June 2027.

The trading card game will launch with three starter decks based on Naruto (ST01), Sasuke (ST02) and Gaara (ST03), alongside its first booster set, “Enter: NARUTO UZUMAKI!,” featuring new illustrations inspired by the original Naruto anime and Naruto Shippuden.

The panel also confirmed the long-awaited worldwide release of “Naruto Mobile,” a competitive smartphone action game that originally launched in mainland China in 2016.

The game brings together numerous shinobi from across the franchise for battles between fan-favorite characters, with a new teaser trailer introducing the upcoming international version.

Further information about its global release is scheduled to be announced at Jump Festa 2027.

The final major reveal came directly from Kishimoto, who announced a brand-new Naruto manga titled “Shadow Rising”.

The upcoming manga represents another addition to the franchise’s ongoing story projects, with its setting, featured characters, and publication plans expected to be revealed during the Jump Festa Super Stage 2027.

Together, these announcements covering the new animation, manga, trading cards, and the international expansion of an existing smartphone game form the first confirmed parts of “PROJECT RASENGAN”.

However, the newly revealed roadmap also contains several unrevealed entries, confirming that more projects are planned across the franchise’s different entertainment categories.

Further information about “PROJECT RASENGAN” is expected at Jump Festa 2027, with updates also set to be shared through the official Naruto social media channels and the project’s dedicated website.