You can constantly bitch and moan about how terrible a channel Cartoon Network is, but, let's face it, they know how to put up a good programming fight. Their Adult Swim block remains constantly entertaining, between some hilarious shows like Aqua Teen Hunger Force and anime picks like Trigun and Samurai Champloo. And then there's Naruto, a series that is no doubt becoming the next Dragon Ball Z in terms of popularity and depth.

In case you've never seen it, the show follows three kids who find themselves enrolled in a "ninja school", where they're looking the tricks of the trade in order to become the next big ninja fighters. Their road, of course, is bumpy, with instructors who want them to learn a bit of patience and other opponents that come into play to cause a little havoc. The show's great, and, to follow on its success, Tomy released a series of GameCube fighting games that remain constant best-sellers for the system in Japan. With that in mind, I'm not surprised that someone would bring the game over to the US, right on cue with the show's growing success. I'm just surprised that it was Tomy and D3 Publishing that got the job done, and not Bandai, who usually has a bead on these things.

No matter. Naruto: Clash of Ninja is one of the earlier releases in the series, so those expecting slam-bang next-gen graphics and exciting gameplay will probably have to wait for a later release. However, CoN is enough of a capable fighter loaded with a few pleasures for fans of the show to warrant a purchase.

In the game, you can choose from one of eight characters from the show, including the three kids, a few of their instructors, and a couple of oddball characters thrown in for a bit of diversity, and then get to brawling in a series of locations, like a shoppette or a desolate highway with fog so thick, you can barely see that far into the distance. The graphics, for an early chapter in the series, actually look pretty good, with a flair put into the animation that distinctly follows the style of each character. Naruto himself, for instance, breaks apart into five versions of himself for his super attack, with four of him launching the opponent into the air and his fifth coming down with a thunderous flip kick. Sakura, the game's female character, has a punching style that involves a black and white etching cheering her on as she pounds her opponent. It all looks rather cool, if a bit unpolished in areas. However, it does support progressive scan, and the loading time is more than adequate.

Tomy's done a good job in bringing the sound up to speed for this version. They've employed a few actors from the anime series' dubbing team, so that each of the characters sound just as they did in the cartoon. Some of the voices can be a tad annoying over time (especially Naruto, who needs to just shut up and concentrate- but he won't), but fans will enjoy them. The music isn't anything slam-bang in terms of delivery, but it works, and the sound effects will knock your speakers about plenty.

The game does have a bit to offer to fans, although it's not really as packed full as it could have been. But, being based on the second chapter of the series instead of the fourth, I guess it'll do until we get a sequel. You can choose from Story, which helps you guide Naruto down his path of success; Arcade, Survival, and Two Player Versus. Survival, of course, pits you against an armada of characters with one health bar, while Arcade and Two Player Versus can easily be figured out. There is a photo gallery to check out upon unlocking, but the game unfortunately doesn't offer too much depth following that. I was expecting more unlockable characters or something to that effect, but really didn't get it. Sigh.

However, the gameplay, while nothing really innovative in terms of Soul Calibur II, is effective considering the theme at hand. You have your option of punch-kick combo attacks, as well as an effective defensive maneuver that comes into play by quicking tapping the L trigger. By doing this, you either push aside as an opponent comes up or launch into a quick counter-attack from behind. You also have other defensive moves, as well as throws and projectile attacks, some close and some far (depends on the character, really). Obviously, the super attacks that you charge up are the best way to dispatch of an opponent, as you enter into one of the stylish animations like I mentioned above. It mostly follows basics, but at least the gameplay works well enough that you won't find yourself bored, like most anime games end up. Anyone else still playing Zatch Bell for Cube? Anyone?

Naruto: Clash of Ninja has made a good enough debut on our shores to convince me that there's something about it, and considering I'm not a hardcore fan of the show (yet), that's great news. The game won't keep you in terms of any kind of longevity, but it's an engaging enough fighter to keep you busy until the next hot GameCube title comes tumbling into stores. And it's probably a bit of a wait for Odama and Zelda, so it wouldn't hurt to spend some time doing some brawling with your anime buddies or gaming pals. Or the roommate who insists Sasuke is better than Naruto. HA! Showed you, didn't I?

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