If you are looking for proof that manga is becoming an integral part of American life, look no further than Viz Media's new Naruto Road Tour, which begins at a Wal-Mart Supercenter in Secaucus, New Jersey on May 26th with subsequent stops at Wal-Marts in Baltimore, Maryland; Belleville, Indiana; Bentonville, Arkansas; and Pleasanton, California.

With America's largest retailer hosting the free one-day events designed to increase interest in the Naruto anime, manga, CCG, toys and videogames, it's evident that manga has made it to the very heart of mainstream America.

The Naruto Road Tour event will follow the format that Viz Media has perfected over the past years with multiple activity stations where participants can immerse themselves in Naruto anime and manga, learn special ninja moves, try out various Naruto videogames, and play with Mattel's Naruto toys and Bandai's Naruto CCG.

This is not the first Shonen Jump Naruto Road Tour: Viz Media sponsored one in the fourth quarter of 2006 (see 'Naruto Mall Tour'), but the big difference between the two is that the 2006 Tour was held at malls, while the venues for the '07 tour are Wal-Marts.  Given the fact that Wal-Mart reportedly accounts for up to 50% of the sales of some DVDs, and holds similarly important market shares in toys and videogames, having the mega-retailer sponsor a Naruto event could go a long way in expanding the audience for Naruto products.