How to tell NARUTO cards apart: Bandai's NARUTO Card Game vs. KAYOU vs. Naruto Mythos TCG

Search for “NARUTO card game,” “KAYOU Naruto” or “Naruto card differences” and you’ll find information about three products from completely different publishers mixed together. All of them are “NARUTO trading cards,” but their publisher, license, release timing and way of playing are all different.

This article lines the three products up in a comparison table, then covers each one in detail and explains how to tell them apart from the card face and labeling.

The short answer: check the publisher’s name

The simplest way to avoid mixing up the three products is to check the publisher’s name.

• Published by “BANDAI CARD GAMES” or “BANDAI” → the official NARUTO Card Game we’ve been covering here
• Published by “KAYOU” → a Chinese card company’s collecting-focused product
• Published by “Cicaboom,” or sold under the name “Naruto Mythos TCG” → an Italian product (distributed in North America by Rocketship Entertainment)

The three “NARUTO card” products compared

Based on official announcements and overseas media coverage (information on KAYOU and Naruto Mythos TCG reflects reports and the official website as of July 2026):

① Bandai’s official NARUTO Card Game

This is the product this site covers.

• A new title under the BANDAI CARD GAMES brand
• Set for a worldwide simultaneous release in Summer 2027 (announced in the July 29, 2026 reveal; the exact date has not been announced)
• A competitive TCG played with 1 Leader and a 50-card deck; you win by reducing the opponent Leader’s Life to 0. The game overview was published on July 29, 2026 (reveal roundup)
• Held its first-ever Tutorial Sessions at Gen Con 2026 in Indianapolis, July 30 – August 2, 2026, which has since closed (Gen Con 2026 closing roundup)

English-version demo decks were used at Gen Con 2026, and the card faces confirm cost, DMG, POW, HP and effect text (full demo deck verification). Every revealed card is cataloged in our Card Database, and the notations used in effect text are listed on our keywords page.

② KAYOU’s NARUTO cards

KAYOU is a Chinese trading card company. According to overseas media coverage, KAYOU brought a collection including NARUTO cards to San Diego Comic-Con 2026 (SDCC; July 23–26, 2026, San Diego) as follows:

• Selling its KAYOU collection, including NARUTO cards, at the Shumi Company booth (#4934)
• Displaying product at Walls of Fandom near Petco Park
• Hosting fan meetups and card-trading events at Tito Rick’s Garage

KAYOU’s NARUTO cards are reportedly officially licensed by anime studio Pierrot — but they are not a Bandai product. The cards are built for collecting rather than competitive play: there’s no rulebook, and no game text or chakra cost printed on them.

③ Naruto Mythos TCG

Based on coverage from Anime News Network and Graphic Policy, plus information on the Naruto Mythos TCG official website (narutotcgmythos.com), here’s what we’ve confirmed:

• Developed and published by Cicaboom S.r.l. (Genoa, Italy)
• Launched in Europe and the MENA region in March 2026
• Described as a competitive TCG built around chakra and missions
• The official site listed a second set, “Shinobi Shiren,” planned for September 2026 (as of July 2026)
• Rarities range from Common, Uncommon, Rare, and Rare ART up to Secret and a 22K real-gold top rarity

The only publisher information listed in the site’s footer is Cicaboom S.r.l.’s Italian company registration (Genoa, VAT number IT 02411280999N); we could not confirm any specific licensing credit from the original publisher on the page.

Rocketship Entertainment’s North American launch at SDCC 2026

According to the Anime News Network press release and Graphic Policy’s coverage, Rocketship Entertainment, as the exclusive North American partner, sold single packs, display boxes and cases of “Naruto Mythos TCG” at SDCC 2026 (Preview Night July 22). The announced sales arrangements were:

• Sales started on Preview Night (July 22), while supplies lasted
• Limited daily sales window from 9:00–10:30 a.m. throughout the con
• Every display box purchase included an exclusive “Naruto Uzumaki – Shadow Clone Jutsu Mythos Rarity” card
• Online orders were also accepted through Rocketship’s “Comic Con @ Home Sale” (July 22–26)

Overseas TCG media (Universe TCG) also published an explainer noting that enough fans confuse this product with Bandai’s new title that it’s worth spelling out: “Naruto Mythos is NOT Bandai’s new game.”

Clues from the card face and events

When an image or social post doesn’t show the publisher, these points can also help:

• Game text on the card face: Bandai’s official cards carry cost, DMG, POW, HP and effect text. KAYOU’s NARUTO cards have no such competitive text
• Event location and dates: in summer 2026, KAYOU and Naruto Mythos TCG were at SDCC (San Diego, July 22–26), while Bandai was at Gen Con (Indianapolis, July 30 – August 2) — different cities, different dates. “The NARUTO cards at SDCC” are not Bandai’s official game
• Release timing: Bandai’s NARUTO Card Game products are planned for Summer 2027 and have not been released yet. That separates it from KAYOU and Naruto Mythos TCG, whose packs and boxes were already on sale in 2026 (the Bandai card already in circulation is the promo card “CP-001,” given out as an event attendee gift)

Sources

• ① Bandai’s official NARUTO Card Game: official website, official press release
• ② KAYOU’s NARUTO cards: Comics Beat coverage
• ③ Naruto Mythos TCG: Anime News Network press release, official website

Summary

All three are “NARUTO trading cards,” but each has a different publisher and release timeline. Whenever you look at an article, product page or marketplace listing, it’s worth checking the publisher.

For the latest on Bandai’s official NARUTO Card Game, check the official website or our list of official social accounts.