If you’re keeping score at home, this is this website’s 232nd Hunter X Hunter post. By a wide margin, that’s more than any other single franchise. Without any question it’s the series I’m most identified with as a blogger, and it’s one of my favorite anime and manga of all-time. Where I’m concerned, any Hunter X Hunter news is important.
The current hiatus is the longest in the manga’s history – 1276 days since the last manga chapter. I’d really come to believe there might be no coming back this time, but yesterday a mysterious new twitter account appeared – with a single post (since followed by a second). While the username was an auto-generated strong of gibberish, the photo was Togashi Yoshihiro’s usual canine avatar. The tweet was a badly-lit photo of a manga draft with the number “6” in the corner, and the message said “4 more chapters to go”. Shortly thereafter Murata Yusuke – a known friend of Togashi – tweeted that both the original tweet and account were legitimate. And within a day the account had over a million followers, Han Megumi and Ise Mariya were joining in, and the internet exploded.
Those familiar with Togashi’s hiatuses will know that generally speaking, he comes back when he can do ten chapters – which is enough for another manga volume (which will surely sell in seven figures the week it’s released). So the cryptic message makes sense, and enough insiders have verified the sender’s identity at this point that things all seem legit. It’s a bit surprising that someone who comes off as kind of a tech geek as Togashi-sensei does would jump into social media with such an amateurish post under a random username (it’s already generating limitless memes) but in the end, if HxH is back that’s all most people care about.
I don’t know when we’ll get these new chapters – presumably once names for all ten exist they’ll go into serious production. But new Hunter is, seemingly, coming. I have trepidations about Togashi’s twitter experience given the attitude a lot of his “fans” have showed over the years, but for all we know he might never look at that account again (and the idea of Togashi actually interacting on social media is pretty cool – in theory). Whatever the case I’ll be covering the new chapters when they hit (though I seriously need to re-read the “Dark Continent” arc, as I’ve forgotten most of what happened).
Since even before this broke, I’ve been seeing a lot of discourse (and judgement) regarding the whole question of Togashi letting an artist take over H x H and concentrating on the writing. It’s not the simple matter some make it out to be, but a couple things strike me as clear-cut. First, whatever Togashi decides is unassailable. It’s his choice, it’s his baby. No one has any right to question his decision.
However… It’s perfectly legitimate to, as a fan, have an opinion. To say “I wish Togashi would work with an artist and concentrate on writing” is not invalid – it’s an opinion. If you think “I only want HxH if it’s 100% Togashi” that’s great. If you think “I want to see HxH finished even if it means losing Togashi’s incredible art” that’s great. They’re opinions. My opinion is, it’s tough. Togashi’s art is the most underrated part of his work (unsurprisingly, given that his storytelling is colossally stupendous). He’s a great artist when not reduced to bar napkin scribbles because of his health, and his scene compositions are stunning at their best. I never want to lose that.
However, even if he were able to do 10 chapters a year (which he clearly can’t, due to his severe back problems) we’d probably never see the story finished. And I do want to see the story finished. Desperately. If his partnering with Murata or Usazaki Shiro or whoever means it could be finished, I would be okay with that. Now, it’s entirely possible that Togashi can’t compose narratively if he’s not composing visually. Maybe that’s how his creative process works. Or maybe he’s simply determined that HxH will always be 100% him. Whichever it might be, it would be his call and everyone should respect it no questions asked. He’s earned that and so much more.
Of course another option theoretically would be for him to take on a “Series Composition” role, and have new material go straight to anime. Maybe that’s less existentially jarring than letting another artist draw the manga. And there’s precedent here – there are two HxH films not based on existing material. That’s not the same as a TV series doing “canon” material from where the manga left off, but Madhouse has already animated material that was never in the manga.
I just know that I want to see this story finished, especially where Gon and Killua are concerned. I also know that Togashi should never be mocked or criticized for what happens, because he’s doing the best he can. It’s his life, and if it takes him ten years do do what no other mangaka could do in a thousand, it’d be idiotic to complain (which explains who’s doing the complaining). As fans, I think it’s our lot to be happy with whatever we get, recognizing that whatever strongly-held opinions we have are just that, opinions. If indeed we’re soon to see new Hunter X Hunter, cherish every panel – because if history has taught us anything, it’s that the experience will most likely be fleeting.
Mr Braun
May 25, 2022 at 10:25 pmThis is TOO MUCH. It’s the “for him, it was just a normal Tuesday when he made a random Twitter account” meme. While we’re absolutely going mental.
Guardian Enzo
May 25, 2022 at 10:38 pmIt is interesting to wonder just how aware Togashi is about the impact he has on people. He’s obviously a very, very smart guy. But also pretty reclusive.
The account has been live for about 24 hours, and he’s already the #3-ranked mangaka for twitter followers.
Mr Braun
May 25, 2022 at 10:43 pmI am of the belief that Togashi considers himself a Ging-type character, kind of a niche anti-hero who does his thing on the side. I have no doubt that he is completely unable to even imagine that people are cheerleading for him.
Guardian Enzo
May 26, 2022 at 7:50 amWho knows? Personally I don’t see any evidence to support that image of him (other than projection) but he doesn’t give us much to go on so it’s all speculation.
Mr Braun
May 26, 2022 at 12:21 pmBy no means do I think that’s what he is, but I have the impression that that’s the self-image that he is cultivating, which I base on reading Ging’s character as a sort of self-insert (or self-idealization). Which makes sense since Ging is, in a sort of way, the ideal Hunter.
Mr Braun
May 25, 2022 at 10:42 pmI can think of 8 hypotheses as to the meaning of the tree.
1) We’re reaching the New Continent
2) Teaser image for Dark Continent (“while everyone is on the boat, nobody is expecting that on the DC, this is happening…”)
3) Nen-conjured environment (Melody?)
4) Nen teleportation ability (Tokarine, Fugetsu, Luini, Chrollo?)
5) They’ve planted a Nen forest inside the boat to help with the oxygen (the ship is closed off to the outer environment)
6) Cut-away scene to Whale Island
7) Flashback scene
8) Chapter cover
Guardian Enzo
May 26, 2022 at 7:08 amI’m rooting for #6, personally.
Onix Franceschini
May 26, 2022 at 1:10 amI can’t believe it’s back, after Miura-san I honestly felt worried but I’m so happy Togashi is still here ready to gift the world more of his magnum opus. No idea what will happen after these chapters release but with all of the outpouring of love and excitement on social media, I hope he finds his answer soon.
Stewart
May 26, 2022 at 5:14 amI still don’t have any hope Togashi will be able to finish what he has planned for the manga but this gives hope that he may be able to finish the current Succession Contest arc which is more then good enough for me! I mean even if doesn’t even achieve that I’m fine with just going allow with the ride and the Election arc was a good ending point anyways.
Guardian Enzo
May 26, 2022 at 7:47 amI hear people say that a lot and for me, that would be a pretty unsatisfying ending point where the MCs are concerned. Gon stripped of his Nen, Gon and Killua estranged – it’s pretty depressing, really.
The Succession arc is good for what it is, but I’d love to see the series go out with its best material and for me, this isn’t it. It has its strengths and weaknesses but it certainly isn’t Togashi’s best writing IMHO. Even mid Togashi is still at the top of the shounen pole, of course.
Stewart
May 26, 2022 at 1:03 pmThe Election arc ended with Gon finding Ging and Killua finding something he wanted to do which was technically what thier journey together was about(Though of course it was really about the detours along the way). I’ve accepted it as a decent ending for the series in case we never get one but I definitely would like see more from Gon and Killua if possible. Killua’s conflict with his family was not fully resolved and I want to see Gon get a chance to show how he’s matured from his harsh experience in the Chimera Ant arc. I know some people actually don’t want Gon to get his new back because they think that would give his transformation in the CA arc more weight but Togashi’s work has included themes of second chances since YYH. This was definitely very apparent in the CA arc itself.
The Succession arc seems like it’s trying to wrap up Kurapika’s character arc which had been on hold since the end of Yorknew. That’s why I would be alright if this is the final arc he’s able to finish because Kurapika’s story is the biggest hole for me when I try to accept the Election arc as the end. Gon and Killua’s relationship is the heart of the series of course and I hope we do eventually get to see them return.
Mr Braun
May 26, 2022 at 12:14 pmThis is an interesting take, and it makes sense since he is currently exchanging the heart of the series (which cannot be tossed around lightly) that is Gon and Killua’s friendship for a sandbox of constantly shifting plotlines which he can dissect as he likes. He has certainly matured on a purely technical level, since he is blowing even CA arc’s intricacy (though not raw storytelling power) out of the water, but perhaps he is actually taking the easy route, from a narrative standpoint? Not having to deal with the emotional fallout of CA, inventing killer rooms instead. Just a thought
animealex
May 28, 2022 at 4:18 amLate to the party, but let me just say how much this news brightened my day. But since frantically screaming is impolite, I’ll restrain myself. If we get any new content, that is more than welcome by me. Of course I would love to see more of Gon and/or Killua, but I think the focus will remain on the expedition and the chaos brewing there. But I find it extremely remarkable, that the voices of the two main char’s of the 2011’series were among the first to appear on the scene…
Let’s wait and see, what Togashi has in store for us.