Hunter x Hunter mangaka Yoshihiro Togashi revealed the rather lengthy process that even a single panel actually entails.
While the Hunter x Hunter manga returned from its near four-year hiatus on Oct. 24, it appears that its production continues to be a painstaking process. Togashi took to Twitter last Wednesday to share that a revision of a single panel of the popular Shonen manga series takes a week to complete under his current system. This was in reference to chapter 398 of Hunter x Hunter, which Togashi expects to finish on Wednesday.
Hunter x Hunter's Health-Related Hiatuses
While a week-long turnaround for revising one panel seems extremely slow, it should not come as a surprise for fans of the series. Togashi's health issues have affected the franchise over recent years, which was the impetus for Hunter x Hunter's extended hiatus on Nov. 26, 2018. After he created a Twitter account to let audiences know that the manga would resume, Togashi released a statement outlining that he could not sit in a chair for two years due to his hip and back problems, rendering him unable to draw. He also shared that it takes him three to five times longer to do everyday movements. To continue drawing the manga, Togashi said he tossed out conventional methods, opting to do so by lying down. To help him with his work, Togashi revealed in a tweet in August that he has also taken on more staff.
Beginning its serialization in March 1998, Hunter x Hunter follows the story of Gon Freecs, a young boy who finds out that his absentee father is actually a famous Hunter, a licensed professional capable of tracking down hidden treasures, rare beasts and even other people. Determined to follow in his father's footsteps, Gon sets out to become a Hunter himself and, with friends Kurapika, Leorio and Killua, embarks on a fantastical adventure.
With more than 84 million copies in circulation as of July 2022, Hunter x Hunter is one of the best manga series of all time, and has achieved critical success throughout its run. Lauded for its plot and characters, the manga received two anime adaptations, with the most recent anime, from 2011, attempting to adapt the source material more accurately. The latter series is one of the most highly-rated and popular anime of all time, coming to a total of 148 episodes.
The Hunter x Hunter manga is available on Viz Media and Shonen Jump. Hunter x Hunter (2011) is available to stream on Crunchyroll.
Source: Twitter via Anime News Network