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 over 50 million copies sold in total in Japan. NARUTO consistently ranks as one of the most popular titles serialized in SHONEN JUMP and one of the top graphic novel titles in the U.S. 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 CyberConnect2, the creative minds behind the best-selling ".hack" series, this fighting title promises intense martial arts action wrapped in the cell-shaded ninja world of "NARUTO." With 14 playable characters, "NARUTO: NARUTIMATE HERO" features a variety of fighting moves, including base, combos, super, and projectile attacks. With lush environments playable on two different planes, this much-anticipated game offers four exciting gameplay modes and a series of collectible items, including trading cards, toys, music, and movies.