Gary's Blog

Just a place to find out what's on my mind, or what's occupying my time whilst I avoid actual "work."

 

VGN for April 28th, 2006

Video Game News for April 28th, 2006

 

Rev becomes Wii

SAN FRANCISCO (AFP) - Japan's Nintendo announced that its new gaming console -- known during development as "Revolution" -- will be called "Wii" and will be unveiled next month.

"Wii", the replacement for Nintendo's "Gamecube", is scheduled to be launched by the firm on its home market and in North America in late 2006 to compete with Sony's upcoming PlayStation 3 and Microsoft's

XBOX 360.

The name deliberately sounds like "we" to emphasise what the firm hopes will be its universal appeal, Nintendo said.

"Wii will break down the wall that separates video game players from everyone else," it said in a statement.

"While the code-name 'Revolution' expressed our direction, Wii represents the answer."

"Wii" is to be officially unveiled at "E3 2006", the world's biggest show for video-game makers, which is being held in Los Angeles from May 9 to 12.

Nintendo said that "Wii" uses an infra-red game control that senses the movements of the user to give increased control.

http://revolution.nintendo.com/

 

Activision and Marvel make merriment mayhem yours

Posted: 18:49 on 27 Apr 2006

By: Jon Wilcox

Activision has today confirmed development on Marvel: Ultimate Alliance, which is currently being produced by Raven Software for all next-gen systems, current-gen, handheld, and PC platforms (phew!), and is scheduled for release during Autumn 2006.

Players will be able to fight as one from twenty Marvel superheroes in the gaming, including the likes of Spider-Man, Wolverine, and Captain America, as they battle through the original storyline where their actions determine the fate of the entire Marvel universe.

An action-RPG filled with notorious super-villains, super-powers, and 'deep team customisation', gameplay isn't only restricted to ground combat, with underwater and in-air battles also included.

Announcing the game, Will Kassoy, Vice President of Global Brand Management for Activision said, "Marvel: Ultimate Alliance delivers a new twist on action/RPGs where players' actions and choices ultimately determine what happens to the Marvel universe...This coupled with the game's enormous character roster will deliver an action-packed experience that comic book fans have been waiting for."

 

Silent Hill--Best movie from a video game EVER?

By Mike Snider, USA TODAY Thu Apr 27, 6:58 AM ET

Basing a movie on a popular video game is no guarantee for success at the box office, but that isn't stopping Hollywood from playing the adaptation game.

No fewer than seven movies based on video games are in the works, and you can expect more after Silent Hill scared up the most moviegoers last weekend.

Based on the creepy franchise launched in 1999 by Japanese game developer Konami, Silent Hill made $20.2 million in theaters over the weekend.

As with the games, the film involves the psychologically harrowing search for a missing loved one. In this case, mother (Radha Mitchell, Melinda and Melinda) hopes to find daughter (Jodelle Ferland) and tracks her to the hellish town of Silent Hill.

Whether moviemakers will return to Silent Hill for a sequel remains to be seen. But the video-game-to-movie pipeline is flush with adaptations in the works:

•DOA: Dead or Alive, Aug. 25. Tecmo's best-selling fighting games spawned this film; its hard-hitting harem includes Jaime Pressly (My Name Is Earl) and Devon Aoki (Sin City).

•Halo, 2007. King Kong director Peter Jackson is set to produce this movie based on the sci-fi game for the Microsoft

Xbox.

•Spy Hunter, 2007. Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, who starred in Doom, stars in this film based on Midway's car-based spy game.

•Alice, no release date. Years after her trip to Wonderland, an adult Alice (Sarah Michelle Gellar) returns. Based on 2000's computer game designed by American McGee.

•Resident Evil: Extinction, late 2007. The first two Resident Evil-based movies have taken in $90 million in theaters and were hit DVDs as well. That's enough to put another zombie-fortified sequel in the works, with star Milla Jovovich returning.

•Castlevania, no release date. Based on the longtime Konami video-game franchise, this story involves Dracula and the vampire-hunting Belmont family. To be written and directed by Resident Evil/ RE: Apocalypse director/writer Paul W.S. Anderson.

That film could tap into the same horror-video-game success that Silent Hill did. About two-thirds of 2,100 moviegoers surveyed by the studio said they thought the movie looked scary, and 43% said they had played or heard of the game.

But with more than half of all Americans playing video games, "it is a gigantic audience that you cannot ignore," says Gitesh Pandya, editor of boxofficeguru.com. "What will excite them more than movies based on a video game? There are many flops, but they can be bigger hits than what else is out there."

Hollywood and the video-game industry have a "very symbiotic relationship," says Anderson, who also is co-producing DOA: Dead or Alive and directing the third Resident Evil.

"There has been a complete shift in the balance (of power)," says Doug Lowenstein, president of the Entertainment Software Association. "The game industry is, on most levels, equally powerful compared to these other media."

Even though no game-based movie has come close to the peak that Lara Croft: Tomb Raider hit in 2001, with $131 million, Hollywood will continue to mine video games for movie ideas. For one, they attract the 18-35 audiences. Plus, the games "almost serve as animatics or storyboards for the films in terms of action (and) costume design," says Mark Altman, writer/producer of the video-game-based House of the Dead films and a co-producer of DOA. His company, Mindfire Entertainment, is developing another video-game-based movie, Fear Effect, for 2008.

 

XBOX Live to bring E3 to you!!

"It is our goal to bring E3 home

to Xbox Live members as best we

can, all the videos and the news

as quickly as possible."

Demos, news and trailers on Live Marketplace?!?! Who needs a press badge?

What I've been playing:

Oblivion--STILL!!!!!

Burnout Revenge--360

WikFable--Live arcade

Anime News:

Con Corner:

Jacon

Animusical

posted by: Gary1059 at 06:37 | link | comments |

VGN for April 21st, 2006

Video Game News:

Video Game Leagues?

By MAY WONG, AP Technology Writer Mon Apr 17, 6:58 AM ET

SAN JOSE, Calif. - Professional video gaming is set to debut on cable television later this year, potentially paving the way for the kings and queens of game controllers to become as familiar to American households as the faces of Johnny Chan or Annie Duke in televised poker.

Major League Gaming, the world's largest organized video gaming league, on Monday will announce a programming deal in which USA Network will air seven one-hour episodes in the fall, featuring the pro circuit and its players.

Though video gaming fans have been able to follow competitions on game Web sites for years already, MLG's television deal marks the first time regular TV viewers would be able track the ups and downs of a pro tournament, watching video gaming as a new kind of extreme sport.

 

"This is the sign that pro gaming has finally arrived to the mass market," said Matthew Bromberg, MLG's president and chief operating officer. "It's like poker was two years ago, or Nascar 15 years ago."

The upcoming televised series will aim to engage viewers with not only with the game play itself — featuring top players of "Halo 2" on XBOX and "Super Smash Bros. Melee" on Nintendo — but also sports-like commentary and profiles of the players.

 

 

Red Steel on Nintendo Revolution wows small crowd thanks to Ubisoft.

 

Ubisoft showed off the Revolutions controller for it's upcoming FPS which merges swordplay and gunplay with the unique nature of the controller.

No, I don't have the pics, they were scanned.:)

 

Latest Phantasy Star title set to makes its way to the Xbox 360 as well...

Posted: 16:56 on 19 Apr 2006

By: Chris Leyton

 

Joining previously confirmed Playstation2 and PC versions, SEGA Europe in conjunction with SEGA of America today confirmed that Phantasy Star Universe will also be heading to the Xbox 360.

 

Scheduled for release in the Autumn, Phantasy Star Universe offers an engrossing single-player adventure spanning multiple planets, along with an online multiplayer aspect that takes full advantage of Xbox Live.

 

"The reinvigoration of this beloved franchise on the Xbox 360 signifies another step for SEGA towards next-gen leadership," said Scott A. Steinberg, Vice President of Entertainment Marketing, SEGA of America, Inc. "Phantasy Star has a rich history, and now with Phantasy Star Universe in support of the Xbox 360 and Xbox Live, gamers can enjoy a fantasy role-playing experience of unprecedented depth both online with their friends, and offline in the robust single-player game."

 

The first single-player Phantasy Star title in over 13 years, Phantasy Star Universe promises more than 40 hours of gameplay in an engaging storyline, complete with stunning cut-scenes and a strong cast of characters. The game follows the adventures of Ethan Weber, a 17-year old cadet, who begins his epic journey by first rescuing his sister at a colony under siege by mysterious life forms known as The Seed.

 

Online up to six players can team up and explore all three planets in the Gurhal system, searching for rare items, levelling up and teaming up to conquer exhilarating new quests.

 

With over 200 weapons in over 20 different weapon categories, Phantasy Star Universe also introduces player controlled vehicles to the series as players combat over 70 unique enemy species.

RR7?

Posted: 13:19 on 19 Apr 2006

By: Jon Wilcox

 

The fact that Namco decided to produce Ridge Racer 6 as an exclusive title for Xbox 360, with the arcade racing title pretty much synonymous with Sony's range of consoles, may have raised eyebrows but it seems that the developer/publisher has also been hard at work on a further instalment of the series of PlayStation3.

 

Screenshots from what appears to be a 'Ridge Racer 7' trailer have begun to appear online recently, with taglines boasting of the game's 'Original Drift Handling' and players able to experience 'Real Speed and Real Unreality'...whatever 'real unreality' means.

 

No official confirmation on a seventh Ridge Racer title has been made by Namco, but it would come as no surprise if they didn't produce an instalment for the latest generation of PlayStations given the series' history on the Sony platforms in the past.

 

Stars, writer join play for latest "X-Men" game

 

By John Gaudiosi 30 minutes ago

 

LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - Activision's new "X-Men: The Official Game" is the latest example of the growing integration between Hollywood and games. It not only includes the likenesses and voices of several stars from the movie, it also brought in a screenwriter from "X-Men: The Last Stand" to make sure the game remained true to the Twentieth Century Fox and Marvel Studios film.

 

Hugh Jackman,

Patrick Stewart,

Alan Cumming and

Shawn Ashmore will reprise their film roles as Marvel's comic book mutants Logan/Wolverine, Professor Charles Xavier, Kurt Wagner/Nightcrawler and Bobby Drake/Iceman respectively.

 

"When you plan on producing a game that features characters that the fans have come to know well in film, one of the things you must address is having your audience perceive your characters as 'genuine,"' said Activision executive producer Scott Bandy. "One of the best ways to ensure this is to work with the same talent that has brought the character to life in the films."

 

The game, which will be released May 16, serves as a prequel to "X-Men: The Last Stand," which bows May 26. Zak Penn, one of the film's screenwriters, was brought in to co-write the videogame with scribe Chris Claremont, who is renowned from the franchise's comic book incarnation.

 

"My job was to sync up the film with the game," said Penn, who's an avid gamer. "The game's based on the comic universe, which is different than the film world. I was charged with bringing the game characters into the reality of the movie."

 

Having written dialogue for these actors for the past three films, Penn worked with Activision to create cut scenes -- non-interactive cinematic sequences that advance a video game - that remained true to the film universe. Penn previously worked on Activision's "Fantastic 4" videogame, which also blended film actors with Marvel comics.

 

What I've been Playing:

Oblivion

DOA 4

 

Anime News:

 

 

J-Rock is now a family value 

Dir en grey to Join Korn's 2006 Family Values Tour.

 

Korn will be repeating their Family Values Tour this summer, starting at Virginia Beach on July 27. Among the acts joining Korn at the concerts will be Japanese group Dir en grey.

Korn singer Jonathan Davis described Dir en grey as, "This crazy Japanese band that are just out of their minds." More info on the tour and a partial list of cities it will be visiting can be found on MTV's website.

Dir en grey performed an opening theme for Baki the Grappler. Dir en grey's fifth album, Withering to death, was released in North America last month. It was their first album to be distributed in North America. Thanks to Aila and Vicious for this info.

 

Anime Explosion at Universal

When: Midnight, Friday, April 21st

Where: The Universal Cineplex at Universal City Walk Orlando

We will begin wristbanding at 10:30 pm at the table just inside the lobby.

Gensou Maden Saiyuki: Requiem

Sanjo saves a girl from a demon. She then invites our heroes to her place. The place is huge mansion, but she lives there alone. Then Hakkai senses that something must be wrong. She cannot possibly have prepared a huge feast for our heroes by herself. Unfortunately his fear became true! They've been trapped! Who is the culprit? And what is the connection between the girl and the culprit?

 

 Convention Corner:

Jacon!!!

Animusical footage can be found at:

http://www.wasabianime.com/website/index.php

posted by: Gary1059 at 06:04 | link | comments |

VGN for April 14th, 2006

Video Game News:

Tomb Raider hits big.
Elizabeth Millard, newsfactor.com Wed Apr 12, 11:20 AM ET

Cyber hottie adventurer Lara Croft has garnered a Guinness

World Record as the most successful human video-game heroine of

all time, according to Eidos Interactive, publisher of the

"Tomb Raider" franchise.

The record-keeping organization awarded the recognition because

Croft has transcended the boundaries of video games, Guinness

noted.

The award comes at the same time that Eidos is shipping a new

Croft game, "Tomb Raider: Legend." The game is already the top

seller in the UK, and is expected to do robust business

worldwide.

Lady Killer

Since first arriving on the scene ten years ago, Lady Lara

Croft has sold more than 28 million games globally. But she has

also made the leap into other arenas, expanding her profile

even among those who do not game. She "appeared" onstage with

U2 and has had magazine spreads featuring her image.

In addition to being the focus of multiple comic books, she

reached the mass market mainly through two film versions of

"Tomb Raider," in which she was played by the alluring, yet

intimidating Angelina Jolie.

Croft has even warranted a novel about one of her adventures --

The Man in Bronze, published in 2005 -- in which the femme

fatale killed a man while kissing him.

Football On-line free for all

A free weekend of Xbox Live Gold during the second week of

May...
Posted: 16:26 on 13 Apr 2006
By: Jon Wilcox

Microsoft has today announced the Xbox Live Football

Free-For-All, a week long event that sees the online benefits

of the Xbox Live Gold account to Silver members for free. The

event is tied to the launch of EA's 2006 FIFA World Cup on

April 28th, and continues the partnership between Microsoft,

EA, and adidas that has recently seen the announcement of the

Xbox Cup competition and limited edition blue Xbox 360s.

Beginning on Monday, 8th May at 08:01 through till Monday 15th

May at 07:59, the Football Free-For-All will also include

events specific for Gold members including new downloads and

gamer pictures. England footballer Ledley King spoke about the

event saying, "The Xbox Live Football Free-For-All Week is a

great chance for everyone to take on their friends over Xbox

Live and I'll certainly be looking out for some of my team

mates online to give them a game!"

PS3 still in the dark.

Jay Wrolstad, newsfactor.com Fri Apr 7, 1:25 PM ET

How much would you be willing to shell out for the PlayStation

3, with its eye-popping graphics, superior sound quality, and

other home-entertainment features? The price tag for Sony's

next-generation gaming console could be pretty steep when it is

released, according to recent revelations by the company,

although there is some confusion over just what the company

said.

An executive with Sony Computer Entertainment Europe this week

reportedly told a French radio station that the PS3 would list

at 499 to 599 euros, which translates to some $600 to $750.

That's considerably more than Microsoft's
Xbox 360 console, which sells in the $300 to $400 range.

In the wake of this news, Sony clarified that estimate, saying

the figures given were for a Blu-Ray high-definition video

player, and were in U.S. dollars, not euros. Those numbers

might make more sense, given that Blu-Ray players are expected

to sell in the $500 to $1,500 range.

Movie stuff on 360

Next generation home entertainment takes another step with the

introduction of Xbox Movie Showcase content...
Posted: 11:26 on 12 Apr 2006
By: Chris Leyton

Gearing up towards a conflict that is far more then just about

videogames with Sony, Microsoft today announced a partnership

with Paramount Pictures to launch the first-ever Xbox Movie

Showcase.

Featuring free, high-definition downloadable content from

"Mission: Impossible III" and "Nacho Libre", the Xbox Movie

Showcase also includes HD trailers, exclusive theme packs and

pictures to customise the Xbox 360 dashboard around either

film.

In addition, stars of Paramount Pictures films will also

participate in the Xbox "Game with Fame", providing gamers the

chance to compete with celebrities such as Jack Black

Commenting on the announcement, Gerry Rich, president of

worldwide motion picture marketing, said, "This ground-breaking

agreement takes interactive marketing and digital entertainment

to new heights, representing the perfect match between gamers

and the summer movies they can't wait to see."

What I've been playing:

Wait for it...Oblivion!!

Tomb Raider!

Convention Corner:

Jacon!

April 28th to the 30th
returning to the Sheraton World Resort.

Manga Masquerade: Hearts of the kingdom

JACON is pleased to present the Black & White Manga Masquerade

Ball. This is a new event for 2006, and we hope you will help

us make it a success.

Join us Saturday evening in 9 p.m in the Main Events room for

an evening of glamour and fantasy. Our DJ will be spinning a

selection of classic 80s and 90s tunes until midnight. There is

no extra charge for this event--it’s free with your regular

JACON admission!--but you MUST adhere to the dress code in

order to be admitted. First, you must wear a mask. Simple “Lone

Ranger”-style masks will be available for sale prior to the

Masquerade, or you may bring your own. If you’re feeling

artistic, you can join us for our mask-making workshop.
Clothing

Secondly, this is a FORMAL event. What does that mean? For the

gentleman, it means jacket, tie, collared shirt, dress slacks

and dress shoes. Ladies, any kind of evening wear such as a

prom/homecoming dress or cocktail dress (and dress shoes) is

acceptable.

What NOT to wear: jeans, t-shirts, sneakers, casual shoes, any

casual clothing and “club wear.” Costumes that consist of

formal wear, such as a princess or formal Asian clothing, are

allowed; othwerwise, leave it behind.
Activities

We have several special activities planned for the night,

including a charity dance auction, where you could have the

priviledge of dancing with one of the lovely ladies of our

“prom court,” Or maybe you’d like to take a spin with Joey

Snackpants? Will one of our JACON guests be your dance partner?

We also have a fantastic door prize: A Kingdom Hearts prize

pack (includes: Kingdom Hears 1 and 2, a strategy guide, and a

playstation 2. You MUST be present to win, so plan to stay the

evening with us.
After the Masquerade

A rave style dance will follow the Masquerade. The rave is open

to all and has no formal dress code.

Animusical!

What happens when you mix popular anime, a few video games, the

elements of an anime music video, cosplay to the extreme,

choreography, and Broadway show tunes?

The Wasabi Animusical.

Having premiered at JACON 2005 in Orlando, Florida, this unique

experience was created and designed by Wasabi Anime's creative

staff to "add something different" to the Florida convention

season.  Anime fans are creative by nature, and taking cosplay

to a full blown stage show only seemed to make sense.

Pt. 1

Pt. 2

posted by: Gary1059 at 06:46 | link | comments |

VGN for April 7th, 2006

Video Game News:

 

MS vows to wow in Japan?

By YURI KAGEYAMA, AP Business Writer Thu Apr 6, 5:56 PM ET

TOKYO - The new head of Microsoft's Japanese video-game business

expressed determination Thursday to make the
Xbox 360 a success in Japan, where the console has struggled, by

more than tripling the number of games it offers by the end of the

year.

"Our message is this: We're prepared to do everything that's needed

to make Xbox 360 a success around the world, including Japan," said

Takashi Sensui, who became the head of Japan's Xbox operations this

month.

At a Tokyo hall, Sensui showed off dazzlingly graphic footage of

several video games in the works, especially designed to appeal to

Japanese gamers.

Up to now, Microsoft's Xbox 360 console and its predecessor, the

Xbox, have struggled against the domination of products from

Japanese game-makers Sony Corp (NYSE:SNE - news). and Nintendo Co.

A major part of Xbox's troubles have stemmed from the lack of

role-playing games, which are favored here over the shoot-'em-up

and action games that tend to be hits in the U.S.

Redmond, Wash.-based Microsoft Corp. has made a point of signing on

game designers popular in Japan to deliver works like "Final

Fantasy XI," set to go on sale later this month.

Xbox 360 has a pocket of opportunity to win over Japanese gamers

because Sony, which makes the market leader
PlayStation 2 console, recently announced it's delaying the sale of

the next-generation PlayStation 3 until November.

PS3 to cost 500 Euros?  How many Pesos is that?

 Posted: 16:43 on 05 Apr 2006
By: Jon Wilcox

Speaking to French language radio station Generation Europe 1 last

night, Sony Computer Entertainment Europe's Vice President George

Fornay commented that the price of the PlayStation3 will be around

500 Euros (£350) on its release this November.

Defending the cost of the machine, Fornay said that was a justified

figure given the technology on-board the machine such as the

Blu-Ray drive.

An official figure is yet to be formally confirmed, however this is

the closest we've come so far to getting a finalised price for the

console.

Fable's Lionhead bought.

Thu Apr 6, 5:56 PM ET

REDMOND, Wash. - Microsoft Corp. said Thursday it had bought

Lionhead Studios, a British company that developed the "Fable"

role-playing games for its
Xbox videogame consoles.

Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. Following the

acquisition, Microsoft said Guildford, England-based Lionhead would

continue to develop games exclusively for its Xbox consoles and

Windows operating system.

Lionhead produced "Fable" for Xbox and "Fable: The Lost Chapters"

for Xbox and the Windows operating system, as well as other Windows

games. Redmond-based Microsoft said more than 2 million of the

"Fable" games have been sold.

Microsoft, best known as a software maker, enjoyed a successful

U.S. launch late last year of its Xbox 360 console, the follow-up

to its first Xbox console.

Wait...PS3 NOT going to cost that much?

 Posted: 15:24 on 06 Apr 2006
By: Chris Leyton

With the allegation that Sony's typical silence on the price of the

Playstation3 had been broken during an interview with Sony Computer

Entertainment Europe's Vice President, George Fornay, GameKult has

today been contacted by representatives from SCEE suggesting that

comments made during the interview have been badly interpreted.

In a desperate attempt to cover up information that quickly spread

across the net, SCEE claimed to GameKult that Fornay had never

announced the launch price for the Playstation3, which has

currently yet to be finalised.

Despite today's comments TVG can't help but feel that the 499-599

euros speculation is close to the mark, why else would SCEE feel

the need to address what would otherwise be labelled as rumour and

speculation.

 

Brain Training on the go, to go.

Wed Apr 5, 1:08 PM ET

TOKYO (AFP) - Nintendo said it would launch its 'brain-training'

software, a megahit in Japan, in the United States and Europe in

hopes of winning customers who do not like video games but worry

about aging.

The software is billed as checking the ages of players' brains by

quizzing them on math, reading and other simple tasks. Players keep

scores of their performance and check how their brains have

improved.

"We hope people who have not played games will take an interest,

regardless of their gender or age," a Nintendo spokeswoman said.

The Japanese company will release an English-language version

called "Brain Age" on April 17 in the United States for use on its

double-screen, hand-held Nintendo DS console, she said.

The European launch will be in June, with versions in Dutch,

English, French, German, Italian and Spanish available, she said.

 

 

Peanuts, Tampons, Get your ugly ass Scions over here!

By Scott Hillis Thu Apr 6, 9:17 AM ET

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - For some baseball video game fans, a trip

to the virtual ballpark is getting a bit more realistic -- for

better or for worse -- with the arrival of in-game advertising.

Massive Inc. said on Wednesday that Take-Two Interactive Software

Inc. is using its ad-delivery system to put billboards, logos and

other corporate promotions in the game "Major League Baseball 2K6."

The deal, which also involved Major League Baseball and the

Players' Association that controls athletes' images, is a big boost

for Massive, which hopes to tap the growing popularity of a medium

whose annual revenue of $25 billion is now bigger than Hollywood's

box office haul.

"Video games are front and center as a major new advertising

medium," Massive chief executive Mitch Davis told Reuters in an

interview.

Advertisers are expected to spend up to $100 million this year on

such ads, and Davis said that could swell to $3 billion in 2010 as

ad money chases the coveted demographic of 18 to 34-year-old men,

who are increasingly turning to games as their primary form of

entertainment.

What I've been Playing:

Oblivion--XBOX 360

Fight Night Round 3--XBOX 360

Tombraider!  The new one!

Anime News:

Naruto for the 360.

Ubisoft announces Naruto for Xbox 360
anounced on 2006-04-06 15:10Paris, FRANCE – April 6, 2006 – Today

Ubisoft, one of the world’s largest video game publishers,

announced that it has signed a strategic non exclusive licensing

agreement with TV TOKYO Corporation and SHUEISHA Inc., to develop

games based on the hugely popular Naruto anime series for the

Microsoft Xbox 360™ video game and entertainment system from

Microsoft. The new titles will be available in North and South

America and European territories in 2007.

With Naruto, Ubisoft will develop for the first time a game based

on a Japanese property. Naruto was first launched as part of

SHUEISHA’s weekly manga magazine in 1999 and Naruto manga books

have sold more than 50,000,000 copies in Japan alone. Manga books

are published in the US and major territories of Europe as well.

Naruto anime series debuted on TV TOKYO in 2002 and has already

spawned several successful video game titles in Japan as well as

multiple character merchandise and two movies. Now, Naruto anime is

aired with tremendous success on Cartoon Network in the US

NARUTO takes place in a world where ninja are the ultimate power.

Uzumaki NARUTO is a ninja-in-training who is learning the art of

ninjutsu with his classmates Sakura and Sasuke. The trio studies

under the instruction of their teacher, Kakashi, who helps the

group face a series of dangerous and daunting tests and challenges.

Through their adventures, the young ninjas learn the importance of

friendship, teamwork, loyalty, hard work, creativity, ingenuity,

and right versus wrong.

Anime Explosion out at Universal in two weeks!!

Convention Corner:

Jacon?  Have not heard yet if we're going.

MetroCon!!
June 2nd through the 4th in Tampa!

Anime Human Chess Match

Anime Fan Film Festival

posted by: Gary1059 at 06:11 | link | comments |