The process that gives rise to the cranial nerves. This process pertains to the initial formation of a structure from unspecified parts. The cranial nerves are composed of twelve pairs of nerves that emanate from the nervous tissue of the hindbrain. These nerves are sensory, motor, or mixed in nature, and provide the motor and general sensory innervation of the head, neck and viscera. They mediate vision, hearing, olfaction and taste and carry the parasympathetic innervation of the autonomic ganglia that control visceral functions. [ http://purl.obolibrary.org/obo/go/references/0000021 GOC:jid GOC:dph GOC:cls https://www.worldcat.org/search?q=bn%3A0838580343 GOC:dgh ]