Manga magnus
By Staff -- Playthings, 7/1/2006
Naruto is king! Masashi Kishimoto's boy-ninja-in-training series has become one of Viz Media's most successful manga properties, with the ninth volume of stories placing twenty-ninth on USA Today's “Top 150 Best Seller List” in February, the highest ever ranking for a manga title.
Meanwhile, Volume 9 plus five other Naruto volumes (1-2, 7-8 and 10) hit the top 10 on Nielsen BookScan's Adult Fiction Overall Graphic Novel list this May. (Four additional Viz titles nabbed the remaining top spots.) Naruto's recent success, and that of the other popular titles Viz offers, “validates the unique quality and storylines these titles offer to readers of all ages and interests,” says Liza Copola, senior vice president of marketing for the San Francisco-based Viz.
“Naruto is a compelling action story that instills a variety of positive messages.” The anime version of the series—which is hitting stores on DVD—has also scored top ratings on the Cartoon Network, Viz says.
Additional Naruto titles for this year include Innocent Heart, Demonic Blood, available in November.
