The manga was first published on March 3, 1998 in a Japanese magazine called "Shonen Jump". However, the maker Yoshihiro Togashi has often taken frequent breaks from writing since 2006. In 1999, a 62-episode anime television series produced from "Hunter × Hunter". The series was produced by Nippon Animation and directed by Kazuhiro Furuhashi. The show ran until 2001. A second anime television series by Madhouse aired on Nippon Television. The series was aired from October 2011 to September 2014. There are also many audio albums, video games, musicals, and other media based on "Hunter × Hunter". The manga has been translated into English and released in North America by Viz Media since April 2005. Both television series were also licensed by Viz. The first series was aired on the Funimation Channel in 2009 and the second series premiered on Adult Swim's Toonami block since April 16, 2016.