Skip to main content
If you click on a link and make a purchase we may receive a small commission. Read our editorial policy.

"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.

###

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

Read this next

GamesIndustry International avatar
GamesIndustry International: GamesIndustry International is the world's leading games industry website, incorporating GamesIndustry.biz and IndustryGamers.com.