Hunter x Hunter Manga Teases Early Return

The past nine weeks have been a boon for fans of Hunter x Hunter, the seminal shonen manga created by Yoshihiro Togashi in 1998. The series has faced frequent hiatuses due to the author’s health. The current release schedule sees a batch of 10 chapters published in Weekly Shonen Jump roughly every two years. Chapter 419 arrived this past Sunday, leaving only one more week before fans face another expected wait. However, circumstances might change.

Upcoming issue 41 of Weekly Shonen Jump features an advertising page for Hunter x Hunter. These pages often share messages about the series. Readers normally anticipate a service announcement regarding another hiatus, but reasons for optimism exist. Togashi updates fans consistently through his X account. According to his latest update, six of the next 10 chapters are already delivered to Shonen Jump, while four more remain in various stages of completion. Fans track progress using infographics created by @togashiactu on X.

Considering the author’s progress and the upcoming advertising page, chapter 420 might not mark the start of another long hiatus. In April, Togashi posted on X that Shonen Jump would announce the publication schedule for the next batch of chapters, which could happen in the upcoming magazine issue.

Hunter x Hunter has ‘returned’ before

A similar announcement in 2022 confirmed the manga would no longer follow a weekly schedule alongside a vague mention of a “new format.” Fans hope for clearer information this time. Many advocates have long suggested transitioning Hunter x Hunter into a monthly manga to give the author a lighter schedule that accommodates his health. With 10 new chapters nearly ready, a monthly schedule would provide Togashi almost one year to work on the subsequent batch.

Predicting outcomes remains difficult, but Hunter x Hunter retains its spark despite constant breaks. The Succession Contest Arc accelerated significantly in the latest chapters. Prince Benjamin made a fatal power play, and Tserriednich demonstrated the full extent of his new Nen powers. Gon and Killua even received a mention, leaving confirmation of the manga’s return as the final missing piece.

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Source: Polygon