Anime series NARUTO will make its worldwide English-version debut on Sept. 10, 2005, at 9 pm during Cartoon Networks primetime action block, Toonami.
The recently produced series (2202) from Japan centers around Uzumaki Naruto, a rebellious ninja in training, first featured as a popular manga series created by Masahi Kishimoto. The series has already acquired a huge fan base in the U.S. through DVD sales and bootleg tapes. Cartoon Network has acquired 52 episodes of the anime series.
The story of Naruto begins 12 years ago, when the evil Nine Tailed Fox demon terrorized The Hidden Leaf Village. The Fourth Lord Hokage sacrificed himself to seal the demon inside the body of a baby. So that Naruto would not abuse the powers inside him and release the demon within, it was forbidden to tell him that he possessed the spirit of the Nine Tailed Fox. Raised as an orphan, Naruto grew up unaware of the reason that the villagers shunned him.
As a teenager, Naruto attempts to earn the respect of the villagers by training to become the Hokage, the top ninja in the village. He is earnest and hardworking, yet clumsy at the ninja academy, and must learn to control his special powers to become the respected master ninja.
NARUTO has reached a level of underground fandom comparable to the DRAGONBALL phenomenon in both the U.S. and abroad, said Bob Higgins, svp of programming for Cartoon Network. We are excited and honored to present Toonami fans with the compelling characters, story arcs and incredible action that have made NARUTO an international sensation."
NARUTO is co-produced by Shueisha Inc., Pierrot Co. Ltd. and TV TOKYO. It debuted in Japan in October 2002 on TV TOKYO and quickly established itself as one of TV TOKYOs highest rated animated series. Now considered one of the most popular animated shows in Japans history, NARUTO has achieved immense success as a manga and TV title as well as a licensed property for toys, trading card games and videogames.
The manga by revered creator Kishimoto was first introduced into the WEEKLY SHONEN JUMP magazine in Japan in 1999. In 2000, NARUTO was expanded into a series of graphic novels and is currently in its 28th volume, selling nearly 50 million copies in Japan. WEEKLY SHONEN JUMP is published by one of Japans largest publishers, Shueisha Inc., is considered the worlds most successful comic magazine with almost three million copies printed weekly in Japan alone.
Cartoon Network (CartoonNetwork.com), currently seen in 88.1 million U.S. homes and 160 countries around the world, is Turner Broadcasting System Inc.'s ad-supported cable service offering original, acquired and classic animated entertainment for kids and families. Overnight, from 11:00 pm-6:00 am, Cartoon Network shares its channel space with Adult Swim, a late-night destination showcasing original and acquired animation for young adults 18-34. Turner Broadcasting, a Time Warner company, is a major producer of news and entertainment product around the world and the leading provider of programming for the basic cable industry.
