Naruto is one of the biggest anime series ever to come out of Japan. Created by Masashi Kishimoto in 1999, the series exploded in popularity over the years, becoming a household name both in Japan and abroad, especially in the 2010s. The Naruto manga officially ended its run on November 10, 2014, and its anime ended a few years later on March 23, 2017. Despite this, the series has not declined in popularity, and even today, some 10 years later, it remains a fan favorite that continuously receives new projects.
On June 19, 2026, the newest Naruto project was officially revealed by Bandai, and it's a brand new TCG card game for the franchise. This new release is coming in 2027, and to celebrate, a new teaser was released, along with a new commentary and illustration from the man who started it all – Masashi Kishimoto.
Bandai reveals new official Naruto TCG, to be released in 2027
The Naruto series by Masashi Kishimoto debuted as a manga in Weekly Shonen Jump issue #43 on September 21, 1999. The series concluded on November 10, 2014 with 72 volumes. The Naruto anime was handled by Studio Pierrot, who went on to pick up the IP on October 3, 2002, ending up producing two series for it – Naruto and Naruto Shippuden. The series would officially end its anime run on March 23, 2017. Following this, the Naruto series continued to receive films and a revival through Borutoa sequel that follows Naruto's son.
That said, the Naruto series is far from dead. While most series are forgotten after a few years, Naruto is still going strong. On June 18, 2026, Bandai officially revealed a new and exciting Naruto project. It has now been confirmed that Naruto will be getting his own TCG card game. While Naruto has had a few card games in the past, nothing compares to this new project in terms of scale. TCG cards from Bandai are not given to just any series, and only a few massive IPs have them, like Pokemon or One Piece, along with a few others.
An exact release date for Naruto TCG has yet to be given, but it will officially arrive in 2027, via information revealed by Bandai. In the meantime, the game will still make its debut at Gen Con 2026 between July 30 and August 2, 2026. The teaser by Bandai can be seen here:
Boruto welcomes Naruto Uzumaki's new strongest Jutsu after 12 years
Naruto may have lost Kurama, but he still has access to powerful new Jutsu in Boruto.
Kishimoto's message and illustration for the new Naruto TCG version excites fans
With such a massive announcement for Naruto series, it was more than expected for Masashi Kishimoto, the creator of the franchise, to make a statement. In fact, Kishimoto's new message was revealed to the public on June 18, 2026. The message was simple, and the author was simply delighted with the new project.
“NARUTO CARD GAME!
I'm glad to see the world of NARUTO grow bigger again.
I truly hope these cards find their way into both your hands and your hearts.”
— Masashi Kishimoto, creator of NARUTO
That's not all though, as Kishimoto also released a stunning new illustration for the occasion. In Kishimoto's iconic art style, he brought back his two main characters, Naruto Uzumaki and Sasuke Uchiha, to the event. In this new drawing, the two make ninja signs and hold up the new Naruto TCG cards. It's not every day that Kishimoto draws Naruto characters after the end of the manga, so this is definitely exciting for fans of the series who have missed his art style.
Who is that character?
Identify the silhouettes before time runs out.
Start
Identify the silhouettes before time runs out.
Easy (7.5s) Medium (5.0s) Hard (2.5s) Permadeath (2.5s)
Future projects for the Naruto franchise after the reveal of the TCG card game
Naruto, as a franchise, has slowed down after the conclusion of the manga and anime, but the future for it is still bright, and it has cemented itself as an iconic series and a must-watch for all anime fans. First, the Naruto series still has Boruto. Although not entirely created by Kishimoto, he is still involved as its official supervisor, working with his former editor, Ikemoto, to create a story after Boruto Uzumaki. The Boruto manga is ongoing, and the Boruto anime will likely return soon as well.
Boruto aside, the Naruto series itself has been promised 4 special episodes by Studio Pierrot. These episodes have been in the works for a few years, and it has been revealed that production has already wrapped up. It's unclear when these episodes will be released, but it could be anytime between 2026 and 2027. We're all hoping for a full-fledged Naruto anime remake as well. After all, if One Piece, a series with an ongoing anime, can get one, there's nothing stopping Naruto from getting a full revival.
