The Cartoon Network is presenting a New Year's Eve Naruto marathon featuring 17 episodes of the popular anime series starting at 2:30 pm (ET, PT).  The Cartoon Network will repeat the 16 previously shown episodes of the popular series, before debuting a new episode at 10:30 pm (ET, PT).

Naruto has become the breakout anime hit of the second half of 2005.  For several years anticipation for the U.S. debut of the series was building in the fan sub community and Naruto was an immediate smash for the Cartoon Network (see 'Naruto Scores Big in TV Premiere') when it debuted on September 10th. The Cartoon Network exposure expanded interest in Naruto far beyond the hardcore anime audience.  Viz's Naruto manga suddenly became the best-selling series in the category, and Naruto Volume #1, which was published in August of 2003 more than 2 years before the debut of Naruto anime, is now the second-best selling manga title of 2005 (see 'So You Think the Cartoon Network Doesn't Matter') with most of its sales coming since September. 

The New Year's Eve Naruto marathon should propel the property to even greater heights and in 2006 there will be much more Naruto-based merchandise available including the first Naruto anime DVDs (from Viz in March), a Naruto CCG (from Bandai in March) as well as toys from Mattel plus statues and figurines from Toynami.