ماساشي كيشيموتو
The "Naruto" manga is written by Masashi Kishimoto and published by Shueisha in "Weekly Shōnen Jump". The series began its serialization in the issue 43 from 1999. Shueisha later collected these chapters in "tankōbon" bound volumes. The first 244 chapters are known as Part I, and constitute the first part of the "Naruto" storyline. All subsequent chapters belong to Part II, which continues the storyline from Part I after a two and a half year ellipsis. Viz Media licenses the "Naruto" manga for an English adaptation in North America, where it is serialized in the American "Shonen Jump" and released in volume format.