5 Reasons Hunter x Hunter Is Coming Back... Again [2023 Update]

It's 2023, and we're still in an on-and-off hype over Hunter x Hunter's comeback.

If anyone of our readers has noticed, we didn't publish anything or nudge over the news of Chapter 391, which was released on October 24, 2022.

It's not that we didn't care. In fact, we had an older version of this article prepared, but the publication was precluded by the announcement of Togashi's comeback, which went viral on Twitter. 

Even before that, we had this unwavering faith that Hunter x Hunter would return with more blood. This foretelling is reinforced with signs of life and other industry events hinting at a possible return.

The hiatus also gave life to our farfetched theories about HxH creator Yoshihiro Togashi and the manga/anime itself, which we will gladly reveal in another article.

Now that HxH is again in a deep sleep, we're here to give a spark of hope to its fans. Listed below are five reasons why we strongly believe that Hunter x Hunter will be back, no matter the hardships, and with the intent to reward our patience with an epic conclusion.

#1 - Merchandise Releases

While not a concrete basis for manga continuation, recent product releases are undeniable signs of life. Although everyone fights over rare Hunter x Hunter items with great disregard for whether the manga will continue, it is still a shot in the dark for manufacturers to bet their money on an anime with no chance of returning.

Recently, Masterlise launched gorgeous limited figurines of Gon, Killua, Kurapika, Leorio, and Hisoka. QPosket and Vibration Stars also produced Gon and Killua figures, while Furyu surprised us with handsome noodle-stopper figures of Chrollo Lucilfer and Hisoka Morow.

Re-Ment wowed the internet a year ago with two sets of chibi Hunter x Hunter figures. There were also a few independent studios, including 18+ creators, that sold hundreds of resin statues of Killua, Hisoka, Illumi, and Chrollo Lucilfer.

Hunter x Hunter's popularity and capacity to accumulate sales on different media and merchandise is a huge motivation for the mangaka and the people surrounding him. This leaves us with the only bottleneck that prevents Togashi from finishing this masterpiece -- his deteriorating health.

#2 - Togashi Is Trying His Best

Despite his severe back pain issues, Togashi was eager to end the Hunter x Hunter manga. His tweets from an account that first went viral in 2022 displayed the mangaka's unwavering dedication to delivering impeccable art and story amidst the nagging health ailments.

The Hunter x Hunter creator shared teasers on his only social media account, and the internet went wild with every update. On March 9, 2023, Togashi tweeted his excitement about Chapter 401 and how happy he is about his increasing workload. 

Unfortunately, it was the last we heard from Togashi's official Twitter profile with 2.9 million followers as of this writing. Still, it's enough to tell that sensei's giving his best. Therefore, it may be safe to assume that he'll continue showering us with updates once he gets better.

#3 - Rumors That Someone Will Take Over Togashi's Job

Otaku Fantasy got wind of some rumors:

1. Togashi's team hired new writers as the mangaka's condition got worse.
2. Togashi's wife and the creator of Sailormoon, Naoko Takeuchi, helped with the production in Chapter 361.

While neither has been proven, these hearsays only lead to one actuality: someone will continue the series regardless of what happened to the original mangaka.

We heard contrasting reactions about this, which is very understandable. It's still best if Togashi recovers with enough strength and good health to finish the remaining HxH arcs. However, in case he didn't make it, passing down the important twists and grand story ending sounds like a reasonable contingency plan.

#4 - Endless Teasers

Cliffhangers have always been a good marketing tool and in the case of Hunter x Hunter, relevant personalities such as Megumi Han and Mariya Ise, Gon and Killua's voice actors, teased about upcoming projects.

Their news made some of us think that they were already working on the HxH anime production. But for insiders like us, it's plain to see that this is nothing to get excited about. VizMedia and other production companies require every manga to have one or two finished arcs before they can sign a deal.

 

The Kakin Succession War season, a sub-arc of the Dark Continent saga, has not reached 50% of the story. Thus, we had the notion that this was just a new soundtrack or a game project. It turned out to be the latter.

All this public stirring leads us to the assumption that something will come out soon. Only a few heads know the truth behind these pokes, but the fact that they still want us around suggests a surprise at the end of this long and winding road.

#5 - Attempts To Alleviate The Fandom Heartbreak

Togashi's team had no reason to keep us hanging. Hunter x Hunter is, hands down, one of the top-tier anime productions in history. Yet, they still wanted us to listen to the promise of a comeback.

As Togashi's spinal problems continue to punish the entire production, there have been negotiations between his team and Shueisha Weekly Jump about changes in publication frequency. From the weekly issues, the HxH group wanted an irregular schedule to make it convenient for the mangaka.

We didn't know the outcome of this pleading. But one thing is very clear: Togashi's team works tirelessly to furnish the manga and get it publicized in any reasonable way they can find. 

Q4 is about to come, and it'll be a year since we first heard from Togashi's Twitter profile. Who knows what the seasons have for HxH fans? We have grown so much since the first and second time we were slapped with the news of an indefinite hiatus. This wait will be just another walk in the park, borrowing Chrollo Lucilfer's words from his capture.

Furthermore, all these events may be irrelevant. Or they could be a part of a grander scheme Togashi has plotted for everyone. But what is there to lose if we keep our hopes up about Hunter x Hunter while we continue our adult lives?