Naruto, the popular manga series by Masashi Kishimoto, became a worldwide phenomenon in the 2000s with the release of its anime adaptation. While the anime, produced by Studio Pierrot, wasn’t a perfect translation of the original story – changes were made, including to the character of Sakura Haruno – it significantly boosted the series’ popularity. The story centers on a young ninja who is ignored by his village and dreams of becoming the Hokage, their leader, to earn their respect. Throughout his journey, he battles strong enemies and discovers the secret of a hidden power within himself. In 2022, the series celebrated its 20th anniversary, and a special four-episode anime was announced to premiere on September 3rd, 2023.
Fans were thrilled when a new anime series focusing on the popular Team 7 was announced, set to take place several years after the original. However, just days before its scheduled release on August 29th, 2023, the official Naruto website announced an indefinite postponement. The studio needed more time to ensure the animation quality was high, given how important the project was. Nearly three years have passed with no updates, but recent news from China indicates that a studio there is now working on large anime projects, including One Piece and Naruto.
Naruto’s Anime Has Been Outsourced to a Chinese Animation Studio
According to the official website for Lijin County in Shandong province, China, a local animation company called Huahan Animation is currently working on significant anime projects. The website specifically mentioned that Huahan Animation, the first South Korean-funded company in the Lijin Data Industrial Park, is fulfilling orders for projects like One Piece and Naruto.
The company specializes in creating high-quality, original animation by combining international expertise and talent. They focus on outsourced animation services for Japan and Korea, as well as their own original productions. Currently, a team of over 100 skilled professionals – including artists, animators, and colorists – work at the company.
Although only One Piece and Naruto were specifically named, it’s evident that WIT Studio has several projects in development. They also provided a significant update on the One Piece anime remake, first announced at Jump Festa 2024 in December 2023. While details about a new Naruto anime haven’t been officially confirmed, the studio might be working on a project to celebrate the franchise’s anniversary, as it’s the only delayed anime currently in production. It’s also possible they intended to mention Boruto instead of Naruto, considering the Boruto anime concluded in 2023 without a confirmed continuation of Boruto: Two Blue Vortex. With no recent news from Studio Pierrot, it’s hard to say when the new anime might be released.
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2026-01-23 04:40