Naruto x Ninku is a new four-episode crossover anime, announced at New York Comic Con on October 10, 2026. VIZ's official release confirms the project, with a teaser and collaboration visual unveiled at the Naruto panel.
The story is being supervised throughout by Naruto creator Masashi Kishimoto and Ninku creator Koji Kiriyama. The four-episode count describes the crossover's announced scope; it does not establish a weekly broadcast schedule or a release date.
Team 7 meets Fusuke
The official crossover introduction begins with Kakashi assigning Naruto, Sasuke and Sakura a mission. Naruto takes the lead while Kakashi cannot accompany them. The team then enters another world and encounters Fusuke from Ninku. That is the opening premise, not an explanation of the story's resolution.
What is Ninku, and why pair it with Naruto?
Ninku is Koji Kiriyama's manga, which began in Weekly Shonen Jump in 1993 and received a TV anime adaptation in 1995. Its name refers to a fictional martial art combining elements of ninjutsu and karate, according to the crossover site's introduction.
Kishimoto's accompanying message identifies Ninku as an influence on Naruto and describes the crossover as a collaboration he had wanted to pursue. That creative connection provides context for the pairing. It does not, by itself, settle where the new story belongs in either series' continuity.
Who is making the crossover?
The official project page credits Noriyuki Abe as director, Tetsuya Nishio for animation character design and PIERROT FILMS for animation production. These credits identify the team; no verdict on the finished animation can be drawn from an announcement.
Watch the teaser; wait for a confirmed release plan
The official teaser linked by VIZ is available to watch. The October 10 press release does not give the crossover a premiere date or name an international streaming platform. It also does not establish episode runtimes or whether all four installments will arrive together.
An announcement of the project is not confirmation that it will stream everywhere. Our guide to why legal anime availability differs by country explains why an eventual platform announcement must also be checked for territory.
For now, viewers can identify the project by its Naruto x Ninku title and four-episode format. Look for a dated release announcement before adding it to a viewing calendar, and a licensed regional listing before making plans to watch.