<P> Reborn!, known in Japan as Katekyō Hitman Reborn! (Japanese: 家庭 教師 ヒットマン リボーン!, Hepburn: Katekyō Hittoman Ribōn!, Katekyō, a portmanteau of Katei Kyōshi, means "home tutor"), is a Japanese manga written and illustrated by Akira Amano . The manga is about a young boy, Tsunayoshi Sawada, who discovers that he is next in line to become boss of the Vongola family, a powerful Mafia organization . The Vongolas' most powerful hitman, a gun - toting infant named Reborn, is sent to teach Tsuna how to be a boss . </P> <P> The manga's chapters were serialized in Japan in Shueisha's Weekly Shōnen Jump from May 2004 to November 2012 and have been published in forty - two tankōbon volumes . An anime adaptation of the series by Artland aired on TV Tokyo from October 7, 2006 to September 25, 2010 . Viz Media licensed the manga and the television series for an English - language release . A number of video games, light novels, and other products were also created based on the series . </P> <P> Reborn! is one of the best - selling Weekly Shōnen Jump manga, with several volumes top sellers in Japan . Reviewers praised its humor, storylines, fights and the infant characters' design . However, they said it grew more violent after volume eight, becoming a typical shōnen series . </P> <P> In Reborn! a boy, Tsunayoshi "Tsuna" Sawada, is chosen to become the tenth boss of the Vongola Family, as he is the great - great - great - great grandson of the first Vongola boss--who moved to Japan from Italy . Timoteo, the Vongola IX--the current head of the family--, sends Reborn, an infant hitman from Italy, to train the reluctant Tsuna . Reborn's chief teaching method is the "Dying Will Bullet" (死ぬ 気 弾, Shinukidan), which causes a person to be "reborn" with a stronger self to execute his dying wish . The clumsy, underachieving Tsuna becomes stronger, more confident and willing, making him a suitable Vongola family boss despite his continued reluctance . He makes several friends, including his love interest Kyoko Sasagawa . </P>

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