the series. In regards to what inspired her to create the Shadow Organization, she said "I'm not really sure. I just sort of thought that's the way organizations are." Media Manga Written and illustrated by Yellow Tanabe, a prototype of Kekkaishi was first published in Shogakukan's shōnen manga magazine Weekly Shōnen Sunday on April 23, 2003 (later posted online in 2009). It was serialized in the same magazine from October 22, 2003, to April 6, 2011, finishing with 345 chapters. Shogakukan collected its chapters in thirty-five tankōbon volumes, released from February 18, 2004, to August 18, 2011. Shogakukan re-released the series in an eighteen-volume kanzenban edition, published from June 18, 2020, to February 18, 2021. The series is licensed for English release in North America by Viz Media. Viz Media released the 35 volumes of Kekkaishi from May 3, 2005 to December 11, 2012. It is also licensed in France by Pika Édition, in Germany by Carlsen Comics, in Hong Kong by Rightman Publishing Limited, in Indonesia by Elex Media Komputindo which serializes it in Shōnen Star, in Italy by Panini Comics, in Malaysia by PCM Comics, in South Korea by Bookbox, in Spain by Editorial Ivrea, in Taiwan by Tong Li Comics, in Vietnam by Kim Dong and in Brazil by Panini Comics. A guidebook to the series, titled , was published by Shogakukan, under the Shōnen Sunday Comics Special imprint on December 16, 2006. Anime Kekkaishi was adapted by Sunrise as an anime television series directed by Kenji Kodama with character designs by Hirotoshi Takaya and music by Taku Iwasaki. The opening theme for all episodes is by Saeka Uura. There are four different ending themes: by Koshi Inaba (episodes 1–15, 38, 40, 48, 52), by Aiko Kitahara (episodes 16–23, 39, 44, 51), by Uura (episodes 24–30, 41, 46, 49), and by Uura (episodes 31–37, 42–43, 45, 47, 50). The series was broadcast for 52 episodes in Japan between October 16, 2006 and February 12, 2008 on Nippon TV, Yomiuri TV, and other Nippon Television Network System stations. The anime was licensed in North America by Viz Media. which began broadcasting episodes online through Hulu.com in January 2010. The series premiered on TV on May 29, 2010 on Cartoon Network's block Adult Swim. Discotek Media re-licensed the series after Viz Media lost the rights. It was only confirmed for streaming, but a home video release was hinted at