Yoshihiro Togashi, the creator of Hunter x Hunter, shared a health update on X on Aug 12, 2024, that left fans concerned.
He wrote, “My back hasn’t been in good shape for the past few days,” signaling a return of his chronic back pain, a condition that has plagued him for years.
After a lengthy hiatus, Togashi had resumed working on the manga since May 2024, constantly giving updates on X with manuscript pages. However, the latest health situation might force the author to take a break again after finishing his latest manuscript.
While fans expressed an outpouring of support and well wishes for Togashi’s recovery, a significant portion of the online community has reignited calls for a potential solution to the series’ ongoing hiatus.
Many believed that delegating the illustration aspect of Hunter x Hunter to another artist would allow Togashi to continue writing while preserving the manga’s progression.
This in turn would also allow the author to focus on his health without spreading himself too thin.
Some also suggested that Togashi should let his wife draw the manga. Users eventually blamed Togashi’s pride and stubbornness for him not being more flexible in how Hunter x Hunter was being created.
Real talk, what’s stopping togashi from having another person illustrate the manga? He could still be the writer
— Tan (@4Tanji) August 12, 2024
Man should just retire already and cancel or end the series if he doesn’t wanna get an artist he could simply direct instead of doing everything himself
— Lord Eyepatch (@LordEyepatch) August 12, 2024
However, not all were on board with the idea of Togashi handing over the illustration duties, and some even felt that it was insensitive of people to suggest so.
They argued that Hunter x Hunter is deeply personal to Togashi, and his dedication to the series is a testament to his passion and love for his work, not just a commitment to delivering a product.
Togashi’s stubborness was attributed to his artistic nature, while some netizens also pointed out that Naoko Takeuchi, Togashi’s wife, did help him with illustrations sometimes.
Togashi had previously had revealed the ending of Hunter x Hunter to the guests of TV Asahi’s popular variety show Iwakura and Yoshizumi in case he passed away before the completion of the manga.
The author revealed three planned endings to the HxH manga – A, B and C, all of which will have different levels of satisfaction from the fans.
Hunter x Hunter manga went on its latest hiatus after the publication of chapter 400. The editorial department had said at the time that the release date of chapter 401 will be decided after having a discussion with Togashi.
The manga will be serialized in a non weekly format going forward.
Hunter x Hunter has been serialized in Shueisha’s shōnen manga magazine Weekly Shōnen Jump since March 1998, although the manga has frequently gone on extended hiatuses since 2006.
It was adapted into a 62-episode anime television series produced by Nippon Animation and directed by Kazuhiro Furuhashi, which ran on Fuji Television from October 1999 to March 2001. Three separate original video animations (OVAs) totaling 30 episodes were subsequently produced by Nippon Animation and released in Japan from 2002 to 2004.
Source: X