“Hunter x Hunter” manga set to return in November

Wade Wiser, Contributing Writer

Manga enthusiasts are buzzing about the return of the beloved and critically acclaimed “Hunter x Hunter,” which is returning from a four year hiatus in November

Author Yoshihiro Togashi has been writing and drawing the “Hunter x Hunter” series since March of 1998, but over the years it has taken a toll on him. It isn’t uncommon for other manga series to take a break or hiatus for a month or two, whether that be for health related issues or simply needing a break. However, since 2006 Togashi has taken many lengthy breaks, with the most recent one being the longest. 

The current arc, “The Succession War,” started as of chapter 349. This particular arc follows one of the series’ four protagonists, Kurapika. Aboard a submarine with its destination set for “The Dark Continent,” the submarine is also the home of the war between the 14 princes of the Kakin Empire, where only one prince will leave the vessel alive. The last 40 chapters have been packed full of action and suspense, only for the suspense to be amplified with Togashi’s hiatus. 

Togashi announced that he would be taking an “indefinite hiatus” in Chapter 390, which came out on Nov. 26, 2018. Though the reasoning was not initially stated, it did not take long for the news and the fans to find out Togashi was suffering from severe back pain, which inhibited him from working on the manga series. Since then, rumors have been flying around, some despairing that “Hunter x Hunter” would never return. Some others say his wife, Naoko Takeuchi, who is the author of the also very popular manga and anime series “Sailor Moon,” would take over the manga. Finally, on May 24 of this year, there was an update.

Togashi, who has been mostly radio silent since the start of the hiatus, made a Twitter account. His first tweet is as shown:

The caption roughly translates to “4 more episodes for now.” Fans have taken this to mean that he has finished six new chapters for the manga, and plans to finish four more. For a total of ten new chapters for its return.

He has posted several more tweets with updates on how he is feeling, and updates on the state of “Hunter x Hunter”. And as of Sept. 19, he officially said in a tweet that the manga will be returning on Nov. 4. So for the patient fans of the series who have waited four years, just two short months to go.