There are not many mangakas out there who are as famous or popular as the creator of Naruto, Masashi Kishimoto. Kishimoto's rise to fame began with Naruto, and even now, over a decade since the conclusion of his manga, he is still a widely beloved figure. However, since the end of Naruto and the failure of Kishimoto's Samurai 8 series, he has been rather quiet. Luckily for fans, Kishimoto just made a small return.
Naruto: Why Kishimoto Needs To Do A Prequel To Boruto
Boruto is a disappointing sequel. Naruto has the potential for a prequel to Boruto.
A new movie, Cosmic Princess Kaguya, has been released, and for that occasion, fans get to see Kishimoto return with an amazing illustration featuring the two main characters of this movie, one of which looks similar to one of his own characters, Sakura Haruno.
Kishimoto Has Been Quiet Since The Conclusion of Naruto
- Masashi Kishimoto Ended His Naruto Run In 2014
- Kishimoto briefly returned with a new series called Samurai 8
- He continues to contribute lightly to Boruto
Masashi Kishimoto is one of the biggest manga creators of all time. His biggest success is his very first standalone manga, known to everyone as Naruto. Naruto first started serialization in Weekly Shonen Jump in 1999, and it ended after almost 15 years in 2014.
It's no secret that Naruto has been a monumental success, becoming one of the best-selling manga of all time. The Naruto franchise has sold over 250 million copies worldwide — a feat few series have achieved. Naruto has also become one of the most recognizable anime series ever, on the same level as the likes of Dragon Ball and One Piece.
The series is so successful that even after the end of the manga and the anime, Naruto is incredibly popular worldwide. Curiously enough, Kishimoto did make a return after Naruto. As some fans know, Kishimoto attempted to create a new manga series, known as Samurai 8: The Tale of Hachimaru. Sadly, it turned out to be a major flop, despite Kishimoto having a huge legacy behind him. Samurai 8 was axed very quickly, lasting less than a year in Weekly Shonen Jump after its debut in 2019. Since then, Kishimoto has been rather lowkey.
At the same time, Naruto also has an official sequel, known as Boruto, and it could be said that Kishimoto is somewhat involved with it. That said, it is not exactly his manga either. Boruto is a series created by Kishimoto's former editor, Mikio Ikemoto. Kishimoto supervises Boruto sometimes and he certainly does give his input, but for the most part, he does not illustrate any Boruto characters and is only slightly involved in the story. Kishimoto lets Ikemoto take the reins for this sequel.
Kishimoto Returns With New Artwork for Cosmic Princess Kaguya!
- Fans Get a Brand New Illustration With Kishimoto’s Iconic Art-style
- Kaguya and Iroha Sakayori are Illustrated
Ever since the ending of Naruto and the major flop that was Kishimoto's second manga, it goes without saying that fans have been craving Kishimoto's full-fledged return.
Sadly, that has yet to happen, and doesn't seem like it'll be happening any time soon. That does not mean however that Kishimoto is not showing up at all. Earlier this month, on January 22, 2026, Kishimoto released a brand new illustration, and it was one that many fans often did not see coming.
With the release of a brand new Netflix movie, known as Cosmic Princess Kaguya, Kishimoto released an illustration featuring the two main characters of the movie. These characters are Kaguya and Iroha Sakaiyori. Fans were definitely excited to see Kishimoto's art style back with a brand new illustration. Any fan of Naruto would've quickly noticed how much Iroha's interpretation by Kishimoto resembles Sakura Haruno. This new illustration can be seen here:
https://x.com/cho_kaguyahime/status/2014171315020906921?s=46&t=JA-AE_N2KI0JR_YshXc8RA
Cosmic Princess Kaguya Is 2026’s New Big Hit Movie
- It was released on January 22, 2026
- Movie Available to stream online
Kishimoto may have created a new illustration for this brand new movie, but not many know what this new show is even about. Cosmic Princess Kaguya is an anime movie created by Netflix that was released on January 22, and, as the name implies, it features the story of Kaguya from the iconic folklore tale of the Bamboo Cutter from Japan, but retold in a different way, and a more modern setting.
This movie features incredible music and is definitely a must-watch, despite not being released for theatrical screenings. Instead, fans can find this movie on Netflix, both in Japan and worldwide. This means fans can enjoy it no matter where they are. Given the importance of the movie in Japanese folklore, it is definitely a must-see.
'Itachi Is Next': Kishimoto Teases Plans To Drop A New One-shot Chapter
Kishimoto already made a one shot for Minato. He plans to make an Itachi one next in Naruto.
Curiously enough, the advertisement for this movie has definitely been interesting to see. After all, Kishimoto isn't the only one who worked and delivered new illustrations for the movie. Gege Akutami, the creator of Jujutsu Kaisen, also contributed, along with some other creators. Needless to say, fans are absolutely thrilled to see the interpretation of these characters in different art styles.
Kishimoto Could Return To Drawing Manga Soon
- Kishimoto Hinted At Doing A New Series Recently
A new illustration from Kishimoto is always appreciated, however, fans want more from the author than just that. Given the level of quality that Kishimoto has delivered over the years, fans want to see him return with a new full-fledged work, or at the very least, new content for his iconic Naruto series.
Over a year ago, Kishimoto explicitly stated that he planned to draw more manga when the time is right, and hopes that spending time with his family can inspire him. He also stated that he might draw a one-shot about Itachi Uchiha next. His last Naruto content came in 2023, when the worldwide Naruto popularity poll unfolded and Minato won first place. Thanks to that, Kishimoto created a Minato one-shot which fans were delighted with.
There is also the possibility that, someday, Kishimoto might return to create another Naruto sequel. As many know, Boruto is not a widely beloved sequel for many reasons. Fans want to see more from the franchise, especially the old characters that were disregarded in Boruto. Kishimoto could, at the very least, fill some of the gaps that take place between the end of the Naruto story and the beginning of the Boruto story. There are quite a few years to go over, and fans do hope that Kishimoto considers this in the future to revive his franchise.
Boruto: Two Blue Vortex is the sequel to the original Boruto series, written by Mikio Ikemoto, and supervised by Masashi Kishimoto. The series follows the journey of Boruto Uzumaki, 3 years after the events of Omnipotence struck in the story. Boruto must now work to save the world from the perils it faces while dealing with his brother, Kawaki. Boruto: Two Blue Vortex Chapter 31 is set for its official release on February 20, 2026. The release time of the chapter is 10 AM EST/ 3 PM UTC. As always, fans can read the chapter officially for free on the Manga Plus and the Shonen Jump apps.