More Naruto coming to North America

Just last week, Bandai announced that it would be bringing the ninja-anime-of-the-moment, Naruto, to the PlayStation 2 in North America. Now Tomy's Japanese Naruto titles for Nintendo systems are being brought over, as D3Publisher of America today announced that it is localizing four Naruto games for release next year on the GameCube and Game Boy Advance.

Next year will see the release of the Naruto: Clash of Ninja and Naruto: Clash of Ninja 2 on the GC (originally titled Gekito Ninja Taisen in Japan), and the beat-'em-up Naruto: Ninja Council (Saikyuo Ninja Daikesshu) on the GBA, as well as one more game for the GBA. Assuming that last GBA game is going to be a localization of an existing Japanese game, it could be the sequel to Naruto: Ninja Council, the turn-based strategy title Naruto: Konoha Senki, or the role-playing game Naruto RPG: Uketsugareshi Hi no Ishi.

Naruto, Shonen Jump's ninja manga, debuted in Japan in 1999, but now the series has made its way to US shores with episodes on the Cartoon Network, and all manner of licensed fare from VIZ Media. It follows the story of ninja-in-training Naruto Uzumaki and his classmates, Sakura and Sasuke, as they learn the value of suspiciously un-ninjalike values of friendship, loyalty, and right versus wrong.