Anime fans may want to celebrate this New Years watching a 17-episode marathon of NARUTO, on Cartoon Network's Toonami, starting Dec. 31, 2005, at 2:30 pm consecutive episodes of the popular Toonami anime series NARUTO. The eight-and-a-half-hour-marathon will conclude with the premiere of a never-before-seen episode at 10:30 pm.
NARUTO is an adaptation of the popular manga series, NARUTO, created by Masahi Kishimoto. Cartoon Network airs the anime series during Toonami, Cartoon Networks Saturday primetime action block.
The global hit anime series centers around Uzumaki Naruto, a rebellious ninja in training. The story of Naruto begins 12 years ago, when the evil Nine Tailed Fox demon terrorized The Hidden Leaf Village. The Fourth Lord Hokage sacrificed himself to seal the demon inside the body of a baby, Naruto. Fearing that Naruto, would abuse the powers inside him and release the demon within, everyone in the village was forbidden to tell him that he possessed the spirit of the Nine Tailed Fox. He was raised as an orphan with no one believing in him, and he was unaware of the reason that the villagers shunned him.
As a teenager, Naruto tries to earn the respect of the villagers by training to become the Village Hokage, the top ninja in the village. Earnest and hardworking, he is clumsy and impatient. But Naruto must learn to control his special powers to become the respected master ninja.
The global hit, distributed in the U.S. by VIZ Media, Llc., has shown impressive ratings since its September 2005 premiere date and continues to show double-digit ratings and delivery growth. The 10:00 pm airing on Saturdays has increased kids 9-14 average delivery by 18% and ratings by 17%. Among kids 6-11, average delivery has improved by 15% while ratings have grown 14%.
