Ninja action adventure anime series and feature films distributed by VIZ Media attract legions of ardent fans across Pan-Latin American market.
SAN FRANCISCO -- VIZ Media, LLC, publisher, distributor and licensor of manga and anime in North America has continued to popularize the Naruto anime franchise throughout Latin America, and has incubated a fervent and growing fan base for the venerable ninja action adventure property.
“Naruto has become immensely popular internationally and resonates strongly with audiences across Latin America,” says Stephane Hellin, Senior Animation Licensing Manager, Latin America. “The Naruto character’s resilience and determination, combined with the series’ potent mix of action and adventure, have garnered legions of ardent fans and we see significant opportunities to grow the property across the entire region. We look forward to continuing to spread the popularity of the show and to developing additional new markets for Naruto across Latin America.”
This past summer, VIZ Media premiered the tenth climactic anime feature film in the Naruto franchise, The Last: Naruto The Movie, on 465 theatre screens across Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Mexico and Peru. More than 230,000 people attended.
VIZ Media has also licensed the NARUTO and NARUTO SHIPPUDEN anime series to an array of prominent Spanish/Portuguese-language national broadcasters as part of its ongoing campaign to localize the series for the Pan-Latin American market. Naruto Shippuden is currently syndicated in Brazil on PlayTV, in Chile on Etc.TV, in Columbia on CityTV, and in Nicaragua on TN8. Other Pan-Latin American regional streaming partners include, Claro Video and Netflix
VIZ Media will continue to cultivate the growth of Naruto across Latin America and plans to add additional broadcast territories next year and also will develop the property for a wide range of officially licensed consumer products across the region.
In the Naruto manga and animated series, Naruto Uzumaki 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…while he remains the same. But pride isn’t necessarily becoming of 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?
VIZ Media is the master licensee for Naruto and Naruto Shippuden anime series and feature films in North and Latin America territories.
Source: VIZ Media, LLC
Formerly Editor-in-Chief of Animation World Network, Jennifer Wolfe has worked in the Media & Entertainment industry as a writer and PR professional since 2003.
