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.
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01
Dragon Ball, created by Akira Toriyama, is one of the most influential manga ever published in Weekly Shonen Jump. The series follows Goku on his journey from a child to the universe’s greatest fighter. What is Goku’s original Saiyan name?
✓ Correct! Goku’s birth name is Kakarot, given to him on Planet Vegeta before he was sent to Earth as a baby. His Saiyan rival Vegeta famously refuses to call him “Goku” and always refers to him by his true Saiyan name, Kakarot.
✗ That answer missed harder than a filler arc! The answer is Kakarot. Vegeta is the Saiyan prince, Bardock is Goku’s father, and Raditz is Goku’s older brother. Kakarot is the Saiyan name given to Goku at birth before he was sent to Earth.
02
Naruto Uzumaki dreams of becoming the Hokage — the leader of his village. Throughout the series, Naruto carries a powerful entity sealed inside him since birth. What is sealed within Naruto?
✓ Correct! Kurama, the Nine-Tailed Fox, was sealed inside Naruto by his father, the Fourth Hokage Minato Namikaze, on the day of his birth. What began as a source of fear and isolation for Naruto eventually became his greatest ally and friend.
✗ That answer missed harder than a filler arc! The answer is Kurama, the Nine-Tailed Fox. The Ten-Tails is a different, more powerful beast. The Curse Mark is Orochimaru’s seal, and the Rinnegan is a legendary eye technique. Kurama was sealed in Naruto at birth by the Fourth Hokage.
03
In the manga Bleach by Tite Kubo, the main character Ichigo Kurosaki gains the powers of a Soul Reaper. Soul Reapers wield unique weapons that have names and special abilities. What are these signature weapons called?
✓ Correct! Zanpakuto are the signature weapons of Soul Reapers in Bleach. Each Zanpakuto has its own spirit and name, and a Soul Reaper must learn that name to unlock its Shikai (initial release) and eventually its Bankai (final release) forms.
✗ That answer missed harder than a filler arc! The answer is Zanpakuto. Sacred Gears are from High School DxD, Nen is the power system from Hunter x Hunter, and Bankai is actually a Zanpakuto’s final release form — not the weapon’s name itself. Zanpakuto literally means “soul-cutting sword.”
04
In Dragon Ball Z, Frieza is one of the most iconic villains in anime history. He is a tyrannical galactic emperor responsible for destroying the Saiyan homeworld. What is the name of the planet Frieza destroyed?
✓ Correct! Planet Vegeta, named after King Vegeta, was the homeworld of the Saiyan race. Frieza destroyed it with a single energy blast because he feared the growing power of the Saiyans and the legend of the Super Saiyan. Only a handful of Saiyans survived, including Goku and Vegeta.
✗ That answer missed harder than a filler arc! The answer is Planet Vegeta. Planet Namek is the home of the Namekians and the Dragon Balls, Planet Sadala is the Saiyan homeworld in Universe 6, and Earth is where Goku was raised. Frieza destroyed Planet Vegeta out of fear of the Saiyan race’s potential.
05
My Hero Academia (Boku no Hero Academia) by Kohei Horikoshi is set in a world where most people have superpowers. What is the term used for these superpowers in My Hero Academia?
✓ Correct! In My Hero Academia, about 80% of the world’s population possesses a Quirk — a unique superpower that manifests in childhood. The protagonist Izuku Midoriya was born Quirkless but inherited the powerful Quirk “One For All” from the greatest hero, All Might.
✗ That answer missed harder than a filler arc! The answer is Quirks. Stands are from JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure, Jutsu are techniques from Naruto, and Cursed Techniques belong to Jujutsu Kaisen. In My Hero Academia, superpowers are called Quirks, and they vary wildly from person to person.
06
Jujutsu Kaisen by Gege Akutami features a power system based on negative human emotions that manifest as dangerous supernatural beings. What are these beings called?
✓ Correct! Cursed Spirits in Jujutsu Kaisen are born from the accumulation of negative emotions like fear, hatred, and sadness leaked by humans. Jujutsu sorcerers like protagonist Yuji Itadori use cursed energy to exorcise these dangerous beings and protect humanity.
✗ That answer missed harder than a filler arc! The answer is Cursed Spirits. Hollows are from Bleach, Demons are from Demon Slayer, and Titans are from Attack on Titan. In Jujutsu Kaisen, negative human emotions give rise to Cursed Spirits that jujutsu sorcerers must exorcise.
07
In Demon Slayer (Kimetsu no Yaiba) by Koyoharu Gotouge, protagonist Tanjiro Kamado uses specialized sword techniques called Breathing Styles. What is the first Breathing Style that Tanjiro learns?
✓ Correct! Tanjiro learns Water Breathing from the former Water Hashira, Sakonji Urokodaki. Water Breathing is known for its fluid, adaptable movements. While Tanjiro later discovers his connection to the legendary Sun Breathing (Hinokami Kagura), Water Breathing was his first and foundational combat style.
✗ That answer missed harder than a filler arc! The answer is Water Breathing. Sun Breathing is the original style that Tanjiro discovers later through his family’s Hinokami Kagura dance. Fire Breathing and Thunder Breathing are used by other Demon Slayers. Tanjiro trained under Sakonji Urokodaki to master Water Breathing first.
08
Weekly Shonen Jump has been the home of many of the biggest manga series in history. Which of these series has sold the most copies worldwide as of 2024?
✓ Correct! One Piece by Eiichiro Oda holds the record as the best-selling manga series of all time, with over 500 million copies sold worldwide. Running since 1997, the series follows Monkey D. Luffy and his crew on their quest to find the legendary treasure, the One Piece.
✗ That answer missed harder than a filler arc! The answer is One Piece. While Naruto (~250 million), Dragon Ball (~260 million), and Demon Slayer (~150 million) are all massive sellers, One Piece stands alone with over 500 million copies sold — making it the best-selling manga in history by a wide margin.
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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
Hunter x Hunter’s Gon and Killua Smiling
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.
Video Game(s)
Hunter x Hunter: Nen x Impact
First Film
Hunter x Hunter: Phantom Rouge
Cast
Megumi Han, Mariya Ise, Keiji Fujiwara, Daisuke Namikawa, Miyuki Sawashiro, Kazuhiro Yamaji, Ichirô Nagai, Hiroshi Kamiya, Hisao Egawa, Maaya Uchida
Created by
Yoshihiro Togashi
Hunter × Hunter is a Japanese manga and anime franchise created by Yoshihiro Togashi. The story follows Gon Freecss, a boy who discovers his father is a legendary Hunter, and embarks on a journey to become one himself. Along the way, he encounters friends and foes in a world filled with martial arts, adventure, and paranormal elements. The franchise spans manga, multiple anime adaptations, films, OVAs, and video games.
