Masashi Kishimoto, the legendary author of the Naruto series, released his last manga chapter on November 10, 2014, in Shueisha’s Weekly Shonen Jump Issue 50. Since then, the Naruto franchise has taken a completely new turn and ushered in a new era with Boruto, which has endured a lot of ups and downs since.
Now, however, 12 years after the end of the legendary Naruto series, Masashi Kishimoto, the creator, is going back to the very roots. It has been confirmed that the Naruto franchise is set for revival with the official return of Naruto Uzumaki, Sasuke Uchiha, Sakura Haruno, and Kakashi Hatake, alongside much of the other cast that made up the original world of Naruto. Masashi Kishimoto is officially giving us a brand-new Naruto arc after the 4th Shinobi World War, which not only focuses on the progress of these legendary characters after a war that tore the world apart but also on a legendary battle between Naruto and Sasuke.
Masashi Kishimoto Officially Returns To Give Naruto A New Arc After The Ninja War
The Naruto series reached its conclusion on November 10, 2014, in Shueisha’s Weekly Shonen Jump Issue 50, as Masashi Kishimoto released the 699th and 700th chapters of the series. At the end, Naruto Uzumaki was seen as the Hokage of the village, and a new era was ushered in following the conclusion of the Fourth Great Ninja War. Sadly, it was at this point that Kishimoto put his pen down and decided to spend more time with his family.
“It’s kind of like a prayer. To keep enduring until it comes to be, no matter what. And to those on whom that task falls… Perhaps that is what it means to be a ninja.” — Naruto Uzumaki, Naruto Chapter #699
Over a decade has passed since then, and Masashi Kishimoto has had enough on the sidelines. It has now been confirmed that Kishimoto is set to return to Shueisha’s Weekly Shonen Jump with a brand-new Naruto project that expands upon the story of the legendary Naruto Uzumaki, Sasuke Uchiha, Sakura Haruno, Kakashi Hatake, and all the other legendary characters featured in this massive world.
Kishimoto’s return was officially announced at New York Comic Con 2020 on October 10, which is also Naruto Uzumaki’s birthday. On this day, Kishimoto’s new manga was teased for the very first time, revealing fresh drafts to us with new character designs for the legendary cast that many of us grew up with, and with Naruto Uzumaki’s official return. This series is now getting a brand-new arc that will expand upon the world of ninja even further. This new arc of Naruto by Masashi Kishimoto is going to be set in the Blank Period era, which constitutes over a decade of time between the end of the Fourth Shinobi World War and the beginning of the Boruto era, where the Otsutsuki, specifically Kinshiki and Momoshiki, make their move.
This time period has largely remained uncovered, and Masashi Kishimoto is now taking it upon himself to fully explore it properly. This means that the new Naruto arc will be focused on the growth of Naruto Uzumaki, Sasuke Uchiha, Sakura Haruno, and even Kakashi Hatake as the Sixth Hokage. At the same time, it will also show us new power levels of these legendary characters in a brand new era, which we are all eagerly waiting to see.
Kishimoto’s New Arc Is Set In The Blank Period
The new Black Period arc of the Naruto series is going to be a direct sequel to the original story. While the 700th chapter took us straight into the Boruto era and skipped over 10 years’ worth of content, Masashi Kishimoto has now given us a direct sequel to the Shinobi World War. In other words, we are going to witness some of the most exciting developments in the ninja world that led it to where the Boruto series is currently. At the same time, it will show us the development of the vast majority of the shinobi. But perhaps the most important development is the new fight between Naruto and Sasuke.
“I want to know how the Shinobi World, how this current world, looks to the current me. I feel like I’ll be able to see things I overlooked. Things that I can perceive in my current state. And there’s a matter that’s been weighing on me. This is a journey of my atonement. You have nothing to do with my crimes.” — Sasuke Uchiha leaves on his journey, Naruto Chapter #699
In Masashi Kishimoto’s new manga, Naruto and Sasuke are set to engage in their third and final fight. The first fight was held in the Valley of the End when Sasuke was seen leaving Konoha for the first time. The second fight took place at the end of the Fourth Great Ninja War, where the two ended up losing their dominant arms. Finally, the third fight will now take place in the same location, although the circumstances behind it remain unknown.
This fight will see both of them at the peak of their powers and with new abilities up their sleeve. We are also eagerly waiting to see why Naruto and Sasuke fight in this new arc and who ends up winning this duel. Regardless of that, it is going to be a sensational new arc to follow and hopefully will bring in new, exciting villains at the same time.
More Information On New Naruto Manga Arc Coming In December
As of now, information on Masashi Kishimoto’s new manga is very limited. That said, we are just weeks away from the full reveal of this manga to us, alongside a potential release date update as well. This is because Naruto has its own stage at Jump Festa 2027, which is set to take place on December 19 and December 20, 2026.
Naruto’s stage features the voice actors of both Naruto Uzumaki and Sasuke Uchiha. Together, they will deliver massive updates on this new Naruto arc that is set to be covered in the new manga. The premise of the new story, the release date, and many plot developments will be made clear here. We will also most likely receive an update on the length of the manga. It is unclear if Kishimoto’s new manga is just going to be a short serialization like Naruto Gaiden, which spanned approximately 10 chapters, or if it is going to be a full serialization that will continue for years upon years. We as fans hope for the latter, but nothing has been confirmed as of yet. Regardless, we are going to witness at least one new arc in Naruto, which is brilliant for all fans around the world, nonetheless.
At the same time, the Naruto franchise itself is expanding beyond just the manga, which will also be addressed at Jump Festa 2027. For years, the Naruto franchise was dead, with Boruto as its only remaining legacy. But now, that is set to change forever as the Naruto franchise is officially revived and is set to reach new heights of popularity among fans all over the world. We are eagerly waiting for the Naruto boom that is coming, and hopefully, fans around the world are just as excited.
All chapters of Naruto by Masashi Kishimoto are available for fans to read via Manga Plus and Viz Media.