01What happened
The story, straight
Bandai Card Games announced this week that Naruto will receive its first official trading card game in over a decade, with a global launch slated for 2027 and preview sessions at upcoming conventions. The reveal included an original illustration from creator Masashi Kishimoto depicting Naruto and Sasuke in a card match. "I hope these cards can make their way into all of your hands and hearts," Kishimoto wrote. The launch coincides with the 25th anniversary of the Naruto TV anime, which premiered in 2002 adapting Kishimoto's 1999 manga. The original Naruto TCG, also by Bandai, ran from 2006 to 2013.
bandai card games just announced a brand-new naruto TCG — the first official one in 12 years. it's hitting globally in 2027 with preview sessions at conventions, and kishimoto himself drew a new illustration of naruto and sasuke playing cards to celebrate. "i hope these cards can make their way into all of your hands and hearts," he wrote. the timing lines up with the anime's 25th anniversary. the old TCG had a solid seven-year run from 2006 to 2013 before going quiet.
02Spread timeline
Where it actually started
03Source receipts
Every claim, linked
04What's solid, what isn't
What's solid and what isn't
- Bandai Card Games is producing a new official Naruto trading card game.
- The game launches globally in 2027.
- Preview sessions will be held at upcoming conventions.
- Masashi Kishimoto drew a new original illustration for the announcement and issued a personal statement.
- The original Naruto TCG ran from 2006 to 2013.
- The launch coincides with the Naruto anime's 25th anniversary.
- Specific convention dates and locations for preview sessions have not yet been announced.
- Game mechanics and card details have not been revealed.
05Why it matters
The editorial take
Naruto remains one of the highest-grossing anime franchises globally, and the absence of an official TCG for over a decade is notable given the current anime card boom driven by One Piece and Dragon Ball Super. The 2027 launch positions Bandai to capitalize on both the anniversary nostalgia cycle and a market that has exploded since the original game's 2013 sunset.
naruto is a top-five anime IP and has had zero official card presence for 12 years while one piece and dragon ball super TCGs turned into money printers. bandai timing this for the 25th anniversary isn't subtle — it's them finally cashing in a chip they've been sitting on since 2013.