"A newly budding Konoha story" next spring; Blood Prison writer also pens new novels

This year's 50th issue of Shueisha's Weekly Shonen Jump magazine is announcing on Monday that a new, tentatively titled Naruto manga mini-series will launch next spring. The mini-series will tell "a newly budding Konoha story." Shueisha's Jump j Books imprint will also launch a series of Naruto side-story novels, starting with one about Kakashi, by Naruto movie scriptwriter and novelist Akira Higashiyama (Naruto Shippūden: Blood Prison).

The mini-series is part of the larger "Naruto Shin Jidai Kaimaku Project" (Naruto's New Era Opening Project) marking the 15th anniversary of the original manga. The logo for the project features apparent silhouettes of the titular ninja character Na ruto himself and a child. The franchise's website launched a "Naruto Final Countdown" page which is teasing the start of a "huge" new project on Monday.

The Last -Naruto the Movie- will open in Japanese theaters on December 6 as another part of the "Naruto Shin Jidai Kaimaku Project." A stage play will also open in Tokyo next March.

Masashi Kishimoto is ending the main Naruto manga series on Monday.

[Via soar, Hachima Kikō]