Written and illustrated by Yoshihiro Togashi, the Hunter × Hunter manga began its ongoing serialization in Weekly Shōnen Jump magazine on March 16, 1998.[38] Shueisha has compiled most of the chapters into 36 tankōbon volumes as of October 4, 2018.[39] The series has also been published in a sōshūhen edition that aims to recreate the manga as it was originally serialized in Weekly Shōnen Jump in the same size and with the color pages. Eleven volumes were released between December 9, 2011 and April 18, 2014, covering up to the Election story arc.[40][41] In April 2005, Viz Media began publishing the manga in English in North America.[42] They market the series as part of their "Shonen Jump Advanced" line for older teens and young adults.[43] Thirty-six volumes have been released in North America as of August 6, 2019.[44] Viz included the Kurapika's Memories chapters in the December 17 and 24, 2012 issues of their digital English magazine Weekly Shonen Jump Alpha.[45] On April 22, 2014, it was announced that Hunter × Hunter would be joining the digital English magazine Weekly Shonen Jump.[46] The manga has also been licensed and translated into multiple languages throughout Europe and other parts of Asia. For instance, it was serialized between 2001 and 2005 in Banzai!, a German version of Weekly Shōnen Jump.[47][48]