Sometimes I regret what I missed out on while I was in Japan. Sometimes, I don't. Well, apparently back in April, Viz gave Boston America Corp. the rights to make Naruto energy drinks. Hoo-boy.

The drink is being sold nationally, but it doesn't quite have the full mass-market push behind it -- you'll only be able to find the drink where Naruto hype is high: Spencers Gifts, Hot Topic, Trans World Entertainment, along with several other places. Surely, the drinks will fill you up with the power to be the next Hokage, while quenching your thirst with it's cool green melon flavor!

I have to wonder: Are energy drinks that viable of a market? I know for Viz, they made some money just by selling off the licensing rights, but for Boston America? I would think the market is so saturated with energy drinks that unless you're hugely successful, you're not going to make your money back on a product. Usually, when I see 10 to 13-year-old kids with their Naruto headbands on, pumped for whatever they're doing, they've got Bawls or Red Bull in hand.

Well, it's not like it'll be all over the place. Just be prepared to see kids with this stuff in-hand when we're at Otakon. It'll give Dale another thing to add to his list of con hatreds.