Beyond being regarded as one of Yoshihiro Togashi’s best works, Hunter x Hunter is best known as the perpetual hiatus manga. The series has had long, consistent breaks throughout its existence, but why do they keep happening?
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Why Does Hunter x Hunter Always Goes on Hiatus?
The unfortunate truth about the Hunter x Hunter consistent hiatus status is due to Togashi’s health issues. He has consistently complained about severe back pains (and sometimes even hip pains) throughout his career, to the point where sitting to draw becomes a huge chore for him. When it reaches an unbearable point, Togashi takes some time off to take care of his health.
Sometimes it takes months or even years for his return, leading to the long hiatuses the series is known for. This is taken for a fact by the fanbase at this point, which has even created a website to track the series’ hiatuses. Some fans even say it’s easy to predict when a new hiatus is close to happening, as the weekly chapters are slowly affected by Togashi’s deteriorating condition.
An infamous example is Chapter 388, which contained a page with almost no drawings and hundreds of words. While it made sense in context, people took it as a sign that a new hiatus was nearby, while also memeing the hell out of it. A new break was indeed announced two weeks later, in Chapter 390.
Related: Will the Hunter X Hunter Anime Return?
Back pains are a fairly common issue among weekly mangakas, as they’re required to deliver 13+ pages every week. It’s not uncommon to see weekly authors taking occasional breaks from time to time (such as Eiichiro Oda from One Piece or Gege Akutami from Jujutsu Kaisen). Togashi has never explicitly explained his condition, which always leads to fan speculation of its origins (usually attributed to chronic factors, bad posture or a mix of both).
And as an addendum, the hiatus has never had anything to do with Dragon Quest. Togashi is an avid fan of the series and has jokingly mentioned wanting to play it instead of working, but none of the hiatus were ever started just so he could enjoy a new title. This is a common joke among fans, often regarded as disrespectful to Togashi’s serious health issues.
Why Hasnāt Hunter x Hunter Been Canceled Yet?
It’s easy to imagine that Weekly Shonen Jump isn’t very happy with so many breaks, which could mean a grim future for the series. But instead, it seems like they’re very supportive of Togashi, allowing him to take time off whenever he needs. After the latest announced hiatus for Hunter x Hunter in 2022, they announced that the series would be moved to a “new serialization format” after having a conversation with him about his health issues.
The fact that they decided to do this instead of outright telling him to finish the series says a lot. Many attribute this to how much he helped the magazine to get back on its track in the 90s with Yu Yu Hakusho, or to how successful his series are in both Japan and overseas overall. Maybe it’s just an act of respect for his condition, or maybe his contract is just that good.
With the exact reason unclear, we’re glad that the series can continue for so long. Fans often have suggested that others could continue the manga in his stead (such as his wife Naoko Takeuchi, the author of Sailor Moon), but Togashi has insisted on being the one to write it, but with the help of assistants.
When Is Hunter x Hunter Coming Back From Hiatus?
As the article is being written, Hunter x Hunter has been announced to return to Weekly Shonen Jump on October 7, 2024, with volume 38 coming out on September 4 in Japan. The series is currently at 400 chapters, and while we had a few updates from the official Togashi X account during the last few months, we have no way of knowing how many chapters we’ll be getting this time.
The last serialization lasted for 10 chapters, so we can probably expect around the same amount this time around. The Succession Contest Arc continues, but we could see its end in these new chapters if we’re lucky enough.
Hunter x Hunter is streaming now on Crunchyroll.
Published: Aug 19, 2024 01:23 pm