World's Best Competitive Easters Gather For NARUTO Wii Ramen Noodle Eating Championship

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

NEW YORK - October 22, 2007 - On October 27th, the world's hungriest competitive eaters will gather for the first-ever NARUTO Clash of Ninja Revolution World Ramen Noodle Eating Championship, the culmination of a multi-faceted launch event for the new Wii video game. Major League Eating have initiated a mandatory chopsticks rule for the competition, in keeping with the traditional method of consuming ramen.

The contest will feature not merely an all-star cast of competitive eaters, but a virtual cornucopia of interesting characters to boot. The focus will be on 4th-ranked Tim "Eater X" Janus of New York City, the face-painting tiramisu champ who recently ate 20 pounds of grits in ten minutes. Nipping at Janus' heels will be his roommate and training partner, Crazy Legs Conti, a man who once ate his way out of an 96-cubic foot box of popcorn, earning the nickname, "the Evel Knievel of the Alimentary Canal." Arturo "Grande" Rios, the 13th-ranked pigs' feet-eating champ from New Jersey, will be fending off best friend duo Eric "Steakbellie" Livingston and Micah "Wing Kong" Collins, as well as 18th-ranked Justin Mih, a Harvard graduate student and chopstick specialist.

The contest will be the cornerstone of an entire day's worth of activities surrounding the launch of the most exhilarating fighting game yet for the Wii home video game system: NARUTO: Clash of Ninja Revolution from TOMY and D3Publisher of America. From 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., the Nintendo World® Store in New York's Rockefeller Center will be filled with gaming stations and collectible card game areas. The first 1500 fans to arrive wearing a NARUTO headband will receive an exclusive free gift. Also involved will be card games, Q&A sessions, mini-tournaments with prizes, and a raffle for a one-of-a kind NARUTO DS!

Based on episodes from VIZ Media's hit anime series SHONEN JUMP NARUTO, NARUTO: Clash of Ninja Revolution ships to stores on October 23rd, 2007.

Major League Eating (MLE), the world governing body of all stomach-centric sports, conducts more than 70 events annually, including the Nathan's Famous Fourth of July

International Hot Dog Eating Contest in Coney Island, N.Y. The competitive eating community, which numbers more than 8,000 veteran and rookie athletes, travels the nation in search of top titles and the glory that they provide.

With U.S. headquarters in Santa Ana, California, TOMY Corporation is one of the worlds' oldest and most endearing toy companies. For more than eight decades, TOMY has developed and manufactured a broad portfolio of exciting and educational toys, games and video games for children of all ages.

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.

D3Publisher of America, Inc. is a subsidiary of D3, Inc. with headquarters in Tokyo, Japan. D3Publisher of America's strategic focus is on licensed and original titles from leading third-party developers that appeal to mass-market consumers or gaming enthusiasts.

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Event Info:

WHAT: 2007 Naruto Wii World Ramen Noodle Eating Championship

WHERE: Nintendo World Store

10 Rockefeller Center

New York, NY 10020

WHEN: Saturday, October 27th

TIME: 11:30 a.m. (Launch event lasts from 10:00 a.m. - 4 p.m.)

151 West 25th Street, 4th Floor, New York, NY 10001

PRESS CONTACT: Ryan Nerz (212) 352-8651