'Naruto Shippuden' Spinoff: Hinata, Hanabi Hyuga Sisters Anime Special Arrives Dec. 4

Will there be a "Naruto" spinoff anime? According to an interview with Naruto anime director Hayato Date in the December issue of Animedia magazine, there will be a new "Naruto" anime special that will air on Dec. 4. Rather than build another Naruto-centric story arc, the anime special will focus on Hinata Hyuga and her sister Hanabi.

The end of the "Naruto Shippuden" manga has been difficult to digest after an epic journey that has taken 15 years. Earlier this year, Naruto creator Masashi Kishimoto announced that while the "Naruto" manga will end, there will still be a substantial amount of "Naruto" content still to come, including the highly anticipated "The Last: Naruto the Movie," which will debut in Japanese theaters on Dec. 6.

As we reported in the past, "The Last: Naruto the Movie" is only a smaller portion of a bigger plan known as the "Naruto Shin Jidai Kaimaku Project" (Naruto's New Era Opening Project). No doubt, the latest "Naruto" anime special Hinata spinoff will play a significant role in propelling Naruto to a new era.

Perhaps the most intriguing component in the newly announced Hinata anime special is the true introduction of her sister Hanabi. While Hanabi Hyuga isn't a new character per se, we've only seen her amongst the people that watched the Naruto vs. Neji match during the Chunin exams, appear with her father at the Third Hokage's funeral, and stand beside Neji during Tsunade's inaguration as Hokage.

According to Kishimoto, Hinata's reserved nature is unchanged. However, expect to see a more lively and outspoken girl in Hanabi that will be the complete opposite of Hinata. Beyond Hinata Hyuga's backstory, it will be very interesting to explore the prowess of the Hyuga bloodline's Byakugan as well.

Stay tuned as we learn more about the upcoming "Naruto" anime special on Hinata and Hanabi Hyuga in the weeks ahead. The new anime special will air on Dec. 4.