"NARUTO(TM): Ultimate Ninja(TM)" Battles To Gold
Highly-Anticipated Ninja Academy Fighting Title Nears Launch onto the PlayStation(R)2
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
SANTA CLARA, Calif., (June 6, 2006) -
Leading video games publisher and developer NAMCO BANDAI
Games America Inc. announced today that
"NARUTOTM:
Ultimate NinjaTM" has gone gold for the
PlayStation®2
computer entertainment system. Based on the hit anime series,
SHONEN JUMP's NARUTO from VIZ Media airing on the Cartoon
Network, "NARUTO: Ultimate Ninja" allows fans to enroll in
the Ninja Academy and fight as their favorite characters from
the show. Players will experience interactive stages, use
varied weapons and develop skills that will enable them to
become the ultimate Hokage -- the greatest ninja of
all.
"NARUTO: Ultimate Ninja" features blazing single and
multiplayer ninja battles that bring the series to life. Fans
can choose to fight as Naruto, Sasuke, Sakura, Rock Lee and
many more as well as summon support characters for super
attacks and special items. A variety of ninja fighting
techniques are at a player's disposal including ranged-weapon
attacks and close-combat moves. Featuring 12 multi-tiered
stages taken from the anime series, gamers can switch stage
mid-combat to gain tactical advantage. "NARUTO: Ultimate
Ninja's" array of game modes allows players to follow their
favorite character's storyline, accomplish specific missions
or battle it out against a friend. Secret characters, movies
and other unlockable features further immerse fans in the
ultimate NARUTO experience!
First introduced into the Weekly Shonen Jump Magazine in
Japan in 1999, NARUTO -- by revered creator Masashi Kishimoto
-- quickly became Japan's most popular ninja manga. In 2000,
NARUTO was expanded into a series of graphic novels with more
than 59 million copies sold in total in Japan.
NARUTO consistently ranks as one of the most popular titles
serialized in VIZ Media's SHONEN JUMP monthly manga anthology
and one of the top graphic novel titles (also published by
VIZ Media) in the United States. VIZ Media was named the
Master Licensor in February 2005, obtaining the television,
home video and merchandising rights to NARUTO for North
America and Latin America.
Developed by CyberConnect 2, known for the .hack series,
"NARUTO: Ultimate Ninja" is rated "T" for Teen by the ESRB
and is scheduled for release in June.
For more information about "NARUTO: Ultimate Ninja", please
visit http://Naruto.namcobandaigames.com.
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About NAMCO BANDAI Games America Inc.
NAMCO BANDAI Games America Inc. is an interactive
entertainment software publisher and developer based in Santa
Clara, CA. The company is a subsidiary of the newly formed
NAMCO BANDAI Holdings (USA) Inc. based in Cypress, CA.
On September 29, 2005, Bandai Co., Ltd. and NAMCO LIMITED
implemented a management integration to form NAMCO BANDAI
Holdings Inc. This step was taken to compete more effectively
on the global stage in the fast-changing entertainment
industry and to deliver further growth.
The resulting BANDAI NAMCO Group is a global entertainment
group involved in business fields ranging from toys,
amusement facilities, video game software and visual
software, to apparel, sundries and network content.
As previous separate entities (Namco Hometek Inc. and Bandai
Games Inc.) the companies were each known for creating some
of the industry's top video game franchises including:
Tamagotchi®,
Tekken®,
SOULCALIBUR®,
Dead to Rights®,
Pac-Man®
WorldTM,
Digimon®, Ridge
Racer®, Time
Crisis® and
ACECOMBAT®. For
more information about NAMCO BANDAI Games America Inc.
and its products log onto www.namcobandaigames.com.
Press Release ® 2006 NAMCO BANDAI Games America Inc.
About VIZ Media, LLC
Headquartered in San Francisco, CA, VIZ Media, LLC (VIZ
Media), is one of the most comprehensive and innovative
companies in the field of manga publishing, animation and
entertainment licensing of Japanese content. Owned by three
of Japan's largest creators and licensors of manga and
animation, Shueisha Inc., Shogakukan Inc., and Shogakukan
Production Co., Ltd. (ShoPro Japan), VIZ Media is a leader in
the publishing and distribution of Japanese manga for English
speaking audiences in North America and a global licensor of
Japanese animation. The company offers an integrated product
line including, magazines such as SHONEN JUMP and SHOJO BEAT,
graphic novels, videos, DVDs, audio soundtracks and develops
and markets animated entertainment from initial production,
television placement and distribution, to merchandise
licensing and promotions for audiences and consumers of all
ages. Contact VIZ Media at 295 Bay Street, San Francisco, CA
94133; Phone (415) 546-7073; Fax (415) 546-7086; and web site
at www.VIZ.com.
Naruto ® 2002 MASASHI KISHIMOTO Program ® 2006 NAMCO BANDAI
Games Inc.
Ultimate Ninja is a trademark of NAMCO BANDAI Games America
Inc.
"PlayStation" and the "PS" Family logo are registered
trademarks of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc.
Contacts
Rannie Yoo
Kohnke Communications
415-777-4000
rannie@kohnkecomm.com
OR
Kristin Calcagno
NAMCO BANDAI Games America Inc.
408-235-2132
kcalcagno@namcobandaigames.com