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Fans urged to donate
cash to storm relief

Even though this is normally a column devoted to the world of anime and manga, I feel like I should step outside that bubble for a bit to talk about current events.

By now we've watched Hurricane Katrina and its disastrous effects on Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama. Many people have lost homes, lives and livelihoods in this storm -- some of whom might even be anime and manga fans.

Let's face it, fandom has a high cost -- the average manga retails for $10 each, and the average anime DVD runs about $30. That's not even factoring in the additional costs of supplies for costumes and artwork, as well as the costs of assorted collectibles like toys, posters and CD soundtracks.

This week, instead of buying that new anime or manga, why not give that money to a charity providing relief to the affected areas? The American Red Cross (www.redcross.org) and the Salvation Army (www.salvationarmy.org) are two organizations that come to mind. It's only proper to help those in need ...

Calling 'Naruto' fans

Saturday marks the U.S. debut of the teen ninja series "Naruto" in Cartoon Network's "Toonami" lineup. I'll share my impressions of the first English-dubbed episode in these pages later this week.

For now, though, I should mention that the official word out of Cartoon Network is that Viz Media, which licenses "Naruto," has made a few content and dialogue edits to make it "accessible and appropriate" for American audiences.

Having never seen the original Japanese footage, I wouldn't be able to tell what has been tweaked. And that's where you, dear reader, come in. After you watch the first two episodes -- scheduled to air at 6 p.m., with a repeat at 7 p.m. -- e-mail me your opinions on the English dub with the subject line "'Naruto' thoughts." I'll run the best in a future edition of "Cel Shaded."