On September 25, 2026, an article was published on the Chinese portal site Sohu, introducing that "NARUTO -Naruto-" is successively entering major Chinese SNS platforms.

The article explained, "Do you remember that in '22, 'NARUTO -Naruto-' announced a completely new anime as a 20th-anniversary commemoration? This commemorative anime was originally scheduled to be distributed in '23 with all four episodes, but it has been postponed many times since then, and even now, several years later, it has still not been released."

It then mentioned, "Amidst this, information recently surfaced overseas that this 20th-anniversary special anime will be released as a theatrical film. Personally, I believe the credibility of this information is quite high, as rumors have been circulating for some time that a new 'NARUTO -Naruto-' theatrical film will be officially announced on October 10."

It also analyzed, "What is noteworthy is that in the past few days, 'NARUTO -Naruto-' has made a simultaneous advance into major Chinese SNS platforms. Official accounts have now been opened on Xiaohongshu (RED), bilibili, and Douyin (Chinese TikTok). Given such a large-scale deployment of official accounts, it is highly likely that this is preparatory promotion for the launch of a major project, and it can be assumed to be related to the upcoming theatrical film announcement."

Furthermore, it stated, "Returning to the topic of the 20th-anniversary anime, although this work has four episodes, the protagonists are Team 7, specifically young Naruto Uzumaki, Sasuke Uchiha, and Sakura Haruno, making it a project packed with fan memories. However, what remains to be seen is the final quality, story, and how much impactful battle will be depicted."

It then argued, "Given this, it would not be surprising if the project was changed to a theatrical film this time. Considering that no main footage has been released so far and the distribution period has been postponed many times, it is highly likely that the production policy itself was being reevaluated. A theatrical film offers more luxurious visual expression than a short anime and can better meet the expectations of fans worldwide as a 20th-anniversary commemorative work."

It concluded, "However, one concern is whether this theatrical film will be screened in China. Given the current situation, the release of Japanese films in China remains uncertain, and it is still unknown whether Chinese fans will be able to watch it in theaters. For now, we will have to wait for an official announcement." (Translated and edited by Iwata)