Its The End Of An 20 Year Era For Hunter x Hunter, And That's A Good Thing
For the first time in what feels like forever, Hunter x Hunter finally feels like it has a clear path forward. Yoshihiro Togashi's manga has spent much of the last two decades stuck in a frustrating cycle of chapters followed by long hiatuses. Since the breaks became more frequent around 2006, fans have had to accept that a new batch of chapters could disappear again at any moment. Togashi's ongoing health issues made that uncertainty even harder, but after years of waiting, that era may finally be coming to an end.
After Hunter x Hunter returned this year with chapter #411 following a two-year gap, Shonen Jump announced the manga is officially locked in to run in the weekly magazine straight through chapter #420. A 10-chapter run is great news on its own, but this time there is reason to believe it could lead to something bigger.
This time, there is actually reason to believe Togashi could keep going. His regular manuscript updates have shown that he is making steady progress well ahead of publication, giving fans something they have rarely had before: confidence that more Hunter x Hunter chapters are actually on the way. For a series that has spent so much time waiting for its next chapter, seeing Togashi consistently making progress could be the biggest sign yet that Hunter x Hunter finally has some stability.
Togashi Continues To Build A Long Run For Hunter x Hunter Ahead Of The Weekly Release Schedule
With Hunter x Hunter currently at chapter #417, the 10-chapter run originally announced through chapter #420 is already looking like it could be much longer. Togashi's latest updates show just how far ahead he is. The mangaka has already submitted the final manuscripts for chapters #421 through #425, while the inking for chapters #426 through #433 was completed back on July 11. For a series that has spent years disappearing without warning, that is a pretty big deal.
Togashi being this far ahead is even more impressive when considering how much work goes into a single chapter before it reaches readers. The story starts with rough layouts and drawings before each page is inked, followed by the backgrounds, screentones, and other finishing work needed for publication. Having the inking completed all the way through chapter #433 means Togashi has already worked through a huge chunk of the story beyond what fans are currently reading.
Togashi's current pace also comes at a pretty good time for Hunter x Hunter. The Succession Contest is getting more chaotic by the chapter, with the Black Whale packed with mafia conflicts, warring princes, and Nen battles happening across different parts of the ship. Then chapter #414 added another huge reason to keep watching, teasing the return of Gon and Killua after years away from the main story. If the two finally get pulled back into the Succession Contest, it could completely change the direction of the arc.
That is why this current run feels different from the usual Hunter x Hunter comeback. Fans have spent years getting excited over 10 chapters only to immediately start wondering when the next hiatus would arrive. Now, Togashi has enough material ahead of the weekly release to keep the story moving for much longer. After such a long stretch of stop-and-start publishing, simply having a future for Hunter x Hunter that does not end at the next 10 chapters is something worth celebrating.
The Long Era Of Endless Uncertainty Surrounding Hunter x Hunter Releases Appears To Be Over
There is still no guarantee that Hunter x Hunter will suddenly become a weekly manga after chapter #420. Togashi's health has always been the biggest factor in the series' schedule, and that is not something that can simply be ignored. The manga has already spent years stuck in the same cycle of returning for a small batch of chapters before disappearing again, which is why fans have learned not to get too excited too early.
But this time, there is something different behind the comeback. Togashi is already working well beyond the current publication run, with chapters far ahead in the production process. That gives Hunter x Hunter a buffer it has rarely had and could allow the story to keep moving even if Togashi eventually needs another break.
That is especially important for a story as big as the Succession Contest. There is still so much left to uncover on the Black Whale, and the possibility of Gon and Killua returning makes the future even more exciting. After 20 years of waiting for the next chapter and wondering when the next hiatus would arrive, simply knowing that Togashi has more Hunter x Hunter ready to go feels like a major change. The long era of endless uncertainty may finally be coming to an end.