is a fictional organization of criminal ninja in the anime and manga series Naruto created by Masashi Kishimoto. They serve collectively as the primary antagonists of the second part of the story and their membership includes several of the series most recognizable characters. All of the members are criminals as they have betrayed their villages of origin and banded together for the ultimate purpose of world domination. Akatsuki is initially introduced midway into the first part of the series, though the group does not become the main threat until later.