is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Takashi Hashiguchi. It was serialized in Shogakukan's Weekly Shōnen Sunday from December 2001 to January 2007, with its chapters collected in 26 tankōbon volumes. A 69-episode anime television series adaptation by Sunrise was broadcast on TV Tokyo from October 2004 to March 2006. In North America, the manga was licensed in English by Viz Media in 2005 and Nozomi Entertainment licensed the anime series in 2014. In 2004, Yakitate!! Japan won the 49th Shogakukan Manga Award for the shōnen category. Plot Kazuma Azuma is a boy on a quest to create "Ja-pan", a national bread for Japan, as many other countries have their own signature breads. He heads to Tokyo with the intention of working at the famous bread-making chain Pantasia. Along the way, he meets other bakers, both learning from and competing against them. The characters bake their bread using their burning passion and even anger, similar to the legendary cooking style of Hokkaido. Besides a desire to create Ja-pan, Azuma also possesses legendary : hands that are warmer than typical, prompting dough to ferment faster. While this gives him an advantage early on, his innovation is his greater talent. Media Manga Yakitate!! Japan, written and illustrated by Takashi Hashiguchi, was serialized in Shogakukan's Weekly Shōnen Sunday from December 26, 2001, to January 10, 2007. Shogakukan collected its chapters into twenty-six tankōbon volumes, published from March 18, 2002, to April 18, 2007. In North America, Viz Media licensed the manga in late 2005. The twenty-six volumes were released from September 12, 2006, to April 12, 2011. Hashiguchi began a new series titled , serialized on LINE Manga app since August 16, 2019. The manga is written by Kenzo Irie and illustrated by Hashiguchi. Its chapters were collected in five tankōbon volumes, released from April 17, 2020, to December 17, 2021. Volume list Yakitate!! Japan Yakitate!! Japan Super Real Anime Yakitate!! Japan was adapted into a 69-episode anime television series. It aired on TV Tokyo from October 12, 2004, to March 14, 2006. Aniplex collected the individual episodes on DVD. The first arc, Pantasia Newcomers Battle arc, was compiled on seven DVDs released from March 25 to September 28, 2005. The second arc, Monaco Cup arc was compiled on six DVDs released from October 26, 2005, to March 29, 2006. The third arc, Yakitate! 9 arc, was released on five DVDs