ACF 281: VIZ announces Naruto Shippuden promo campaign

VIZ MEDIA LAUNCHES
NARUTO SHIPPUDEN PROMOTIONAL CAMPAIGN WITH TRANS WORLD ENTERTAINMENT
FOR FYE AND SUNCOAST STORES NATIONWIDE
FYE And Suncoast Customers Who Purchase $20.00 Of NARUTO Merchandise Will Receive A Special Free NARUTO Shippuden Sampler DVD

VIZ Media has launched a special NARUTO Shippuden promotional campaign with Trans World Entertainment, a leading specialty retailer of entertainment software, including music, video and video games and related products. Trans World customers who purchase $20.00 worth of NARUTO Shippuden merchandise at any of the company’s more than 500 participating FYE and Suncoast stores will receive a free NARUTO Shippuden Sampler DVD, while supplies last.

The special Sampler DVD features the entire first episode of the new NARUTO Shippuden story arc, along with a video game trailer for Namco Bandai's NARUTO Shippuden Ultimate Ninja 4 and a variety of colorful downloadable NARUTO Shippuden wallpaper designs that allow fans to customize their computer desktops.

“We are very excited to launch this special NARUTO Shippuden promotional campaign with Trans World Entertainment,” says Gonzalo Ferreyra, Vice President, Sales & Product Marketing, VIZ Media. “The free-with purchase Sampler disc, which includes the entire first episode of NARUTO Shippuden, is an ideal introduction to the newest story arc. NARUTO has captivated millions in print, on the web, on TV and DVD and its continued international popularity has transformed the property into a true pop culture phenomenon. We invite new and existing fans alike to visit their local FYE or Suncoast store and pick up this fun new Sampler DVD as a free bonus to complement their next NARUTO Shippuden purchase!”

Created by Masashi Kishimoto, NARUTO was first introduced in Weekly Shonen Jump magazine in Japan in 1999 and quickly became that country’s most popular ninja manga targeting tweens and teens and has sold more than 85 million copies to-date. The manga series (rated ‘T’ for Teens) and animated counterpart (NARUTO rated ‘T’ for teens, and NARUTO Shippuden rated ‘T+’ for older teens), is one of VIZ Media’s most successful properties and has captivated millions of fans across North America, Europe and South America. NARUTO is a co-production of TV TOKYO, VIZ Media parent company Shueisha Inc., and Pierrot Co., Ltd.

In the NARUTO manga and animated series, Naruto Uzumaki, a young ninja in training, wants to be the best ninja in the land. He's done well so far, but Naruto knows he must train harder than ever and leaves his village for intense exercises that will push him to his limits. NARUTO Shippuden begins two and a half years later, when Naruto returns to find that everyone has been promoted up the ninja ranks—except him. Sakura’s a medic ninja, Gaara’s advanced to Kazekage, and Kakashi… well, he remains the same.

But pride isn’t necessarily about becoming a ninja, especially when Naruto realizes that Sasuke never returned from his search for Orochimaru. Plus, the mysterious Akatsuki organization is still an ever-present danger. As Naruto finds out more about the Akatsuki’s goals, he realizes that nothing in his universe is as it seems. Naruto is finding that he’s older, but will he also prove wiser and stronger?

Earlier NARUTO Shippuden episodes are currently available for free at http://www.naruto.com/ and through a variety of other web-based, video streaming outlets that have partnered with VIZ Media, including Joost and Hulu.

More information on NARUTO is available at http://naruto.com/.