#ICYMI: Boruto's dad is getting his own new manga and anime

Naruto creator Masashi Kishimoto is reportedly returning with a new series set between the original story and Boruto.

New Naruto manga on the way

The Naruto franchise is planning to expand with a new manga from original creator Masashi Kishimoto, a move that could shift attention away from the sequel series Boruto and its current manga, Two Blue Vortex.

According to a ComicBook.com article, the project is an interquel that reportedly follows the original heroes’ lives after the events of Naruto Shippuden. That is the kind of story the outlet says fans had in mind when a sequel was first announced, before the franchise turned to Naruto’s son, Boruto.

Teasers so far hint that the series will cover Naruto and Sasuke’s adventures before Naruto became Hokage. Fans have long wondered about that stretch, since Naruto was still a Genin then.

ComicBook.com said the series could show how Naruto gets the appropriate rank, with Team Seven adventuring together again. Sasuke, meanwhile, may reflect on his actions and act as a shadow ninja who protects Konoha in his own way, which could explain the tentative title, Naruto: Shadow Rising.

The hints also show Sakura with a child. The outlet said this suggests the story could explore her romance and marriage with Sasuke, along with Naruto and Hinata’s relationship and the birth of their children, marking the arrival of the next generation.

ComicBook.com said the new manga could overshadow Boruto’s monthly chapters, particularly if it ends up running weekly. It is one of the major projects announced as part of a multi-year initiative expected to last two to three years.

The outlet also argued the new series could help the sequel instead. Boruto has reached a crucial stage in its story, and the new manga could send more readers its way by laying the proper groundwork for its events.

It added that Kishimoto likely does not intend to overshadow the sequel, pointing out that he took over writing it after Boruto: Naruto Next Generations reached chapter 50.

ComicBook.com speculated that the interquel could set up the idea that something far greater than Kaguya, the original series’ final villain, has always existed. Naruto and the others might encounter that development, hinting at a future threat they cannot face themselves and must leave to Boruto’s generation.

It added that Kashin Koji’s ability to see the future could play an important role in informing the original characters of the danger, and of why the next generation stands a chance when they do not.

ComicBook.com concluded that the new manga could overshadow Boruto, but could just as well serve as a bridge that gives the sequel a boost.

New anime as well

Apart from the new manga, Naruto is also getting a new anime, the NARUTO x NINKU collab.

This special crossover will deliver an original 4‑episode story arc, where a young Naruto Uzumaki finds himself lost in the world of NINKU during a mission. All four episodes are confirmed to be part of this collaboration event.

Koji Kiriyama's NINKU began serialization in Weekly Shonen Jump in 1993 and went on to influence Masashi Kishimoto. The series follows Fusuke, a young former member of the Ninku Corps who wields a martial art that fuses ninjutsu and karate.

Source: Naruto, Via: ComicBook.com