Hunter x Hunter is undoubtedly the most influential anime and shonen manga series in history, and there’s no denying that. However, the manga and anime have suffered a setback because of the unbearing delay and long hiatus. This has left fans to worry about Hunter x Hunter Season 7 release date. So, will it ever return? Well, it’s been a decade since we last saw the sixth season. Many also believe the series has been shelved. But wait a minute! There is potential hope for the next season. That’s right! Togashi has shared the most-anticipated update. So, without further ado, let’s head to see what he has in store for us.
The TV anime adaptation is based on the manga series of the same name. It started serializing in Shueisha’s Weekly Shonen Jump in March 1998 and is currently ongoing. As of now, the manga series has a total of 37 tankobon volumes. However, the series is known for going on a long break due to Togashi’s ill health. As of now, the manga series is on hold, and it remains unclear when it will be returned. But don’t you worry! That’s because Togashi has given an update on the manga status as well. So, keep reading!
Hunter x Hunter Season 7: Is It Renewed Yet?
Yoshihiro Togashi’s Hunter x Hunter is one of the most popular and beloved manga and anime ever. While the TV anime adaptation took the world by storm and became the most-watched series, its fate remains in jeopardy. The series is undoubtedly amazing, and the stellar visuals are the cherry on top. Despite that, it remains unclear when Madhouse will return with Hunter x Hunter Season 7—the last season (Season 6 of Hunter x Hunter) aired back in July 2014.
It delved deeper into the “13th Hunter Chairman Election” arc, bringing nostalgia and gritty drama to our screens. While the sixth season garnered positive ratings from the audience as well as critics, it wasn’t enough for the series to return with another season. Well, ratings aren’t to blame. That’s because Season 6 earned a 91% positive response on Rotten Tomatoes and 9 stars out of 10 on IMDb. This is enough to suggest that Hunter x Hunter Season 6 performed incredibly well.
Yet, it isn’t enough for Madhouse to return with Hunter x Hunter Season 7. The sole reason for season 7’s uncertainty is the mangaka’s health complications. This left him to take a break from his mangaka’s duty. However, fans understand the reasons and look forward to his speedy recovery. But it remains unclear when they will get to see the next season of Hunter x Hunter.
Hunter x Hunter Is On Long Hiatus
As mentioned above, Yoshihiro Togashi’s health complications have created problems for him. Due to severe health issues, the mangaka had no choice but to take a break from his ongoing manga Hunter x Hunter. While initially, the manga was on temporary hold, things turned bad in the following months. When Togashi resumed manga in October 2022, he was forced to take another break in December of the same year due to health issues.
The break is still ongoing. Since the manga was serialized as part of Weekly Shonen Jump magazine, it was later placed in another slot to help Togashi recover. The editor and even fans can understand his condition. This is why his editors haven’t yet dropped Hunter x Hunter. However, it’s been almost three years, and fans haven’t heard anything about the new chapters, leaving them to wonder whether any hope would be left for the manga and Hunter x Hunter Season 7.
Why Will Hunter x Hunter Season 7 Not Be Returning Anytime Soon?
The main reason is the unavailability of the source material. The manga is currently on hold due to Togashi’s declining health, so there’s a lack of source material to be covered in Hunter x Hunter Season 7. The manga started serializing in March 1998 and has 37 tankobon volumes consisting of 400 chapters. Since the manga series is currently ongoing, Madhouse hasn’t canceled the seventh season yet.
However, the six seasons of the anime have covered 148 episodes, delving deeper into seven arcs out of nine manga arcs. As for the sixth season, it concluded with the “13th Hunter Chairman Election” arc. So, if the anime returns, it will explore the eighth arc of the popular manga series, “The Dark Continent Expedition” arc. However, this arc is insufficient to cover the entire season. That’s because it is the shortest arc running from Chapters 340 to 348. Based on this, Hunter x Hunter Season 7 might also delve into the “Succession Contest” arc.
But there’s a catch! The ongoing “Succession Contest” arc is still on hold. It started with Chapter 349. As of now, there are only 400 chapters available. Thus, the lack of source material is the only reason behind the series delay. However, the mangaka has revealed that he will soon return with more chapters in the future.
Togashi Returns As Regular Work As Mangaka
On March 9, 2023, Togashi announced he was back at the writing desk. He revealed that Chapter 401 was ready to be published. However, when and where Shonen Jump’s editors will put the hotly anticipated chapter remains unclear. There are currently no updates about what this chapter is about. It also remains unclear whether Chapter 401 will pick the pace from where Chapter 400 ended or will start a new story arc.
While fans doubted the same, Togashi’s tweet left them in a dilemma. On October 2, 2023, the mangaka tweeted that he was ready to “start over.” It initially remained unclear whether the mangaka was talking about Chapter 401 or starting something new. Many believed he might be ready to return to regular work as mangaka. However, his next tweets cleared the air. He was talking about the re-release of Kurapika’s Memories.
Togashi wrote and illustrated the two-part special, which highlighted Kurapika’s past. It originally debuted in 2013 as a giveaway for the fans who watched the phenomenon movie Hunter x Hunter Phantom Rogue. The prequel was digitally published on Shueisha in July 2023. However, its official English translation is not available at this moment, so global fans will have to wait for it.
Hunter x Hunter Returns With Seven New Chapters
Since Yoshihiro Togashi returned to regular work as a mangaka, he has updated the manga status. Togashi posted some rough drafts on May 15, 2024, which were presumably of Chapter 407. The text reads that the mangaka has started working on the hotly awaiting manga. Although the images didn’t show anything but some vague scribbles, it was enough for the fans to celebrate. That’s because the manga is ready to return, and Togashi is doing well, as he has finished two chapters in the span of two weeks.
This sounds like music to the manga fans’ ears. However, it remains unclear when the manga will return. As of now, there are only 400 chapters available. Shonen Jump editors have yet to announce when the popular manga series will resume. However, it looks like the Shonen manga is ready to return sooner than expected, with seven new chapters instead of one. There’s also a possibility that Shonen Jump will return with a dozen new chapters before Togashi works on another set of new chapters.
Hunter x Hunter Season 7 Is On Work
Hunter x Hunter fans are curiously waiting for updates regarding the seventh season. It’s been a decade since we last saw our favorite characters on our screens. However, the wait will end soon. That’s because, on May 24, 2022, Togashi shared another cryptic post on X, formerly known as Twitter. The post seemed to be a storyboard for the anime, sparking speculation of Hunter x Hunter Season 7 returns.
Togashi’s tweet roughly translated as “four more episodes left.” While he didn’t share much about the seventh season, fans are hopeful that season 7 of Hunter x Hunter will return soon. According to his post, Hunter x Hunter Season 7 might be in production. Since the production takes 12 to 18 months to finish, it has likely wrapped up most of the work now. However, we need to keep Togashi’s declining health in mind. That means the anime will take more time to return. Although it’s a good sign that he has returned, the manga series has yet to finish the “Succession Contest” arc. So, fans have to wait a little to know the exact Hunter x Hunter Season 7 release date.
Hunter x Hunter Season 7 Release Date
As mentioned above, the anime production has yet to wrap up. But it’s a good indication that Togashi is working on resuming manga and anime as well. This might mean that sooner or later, fans will get to see the next chapter and season of Hunter x Hunter. Speaking of the Hunter x Hunter Season 7 release date, it might be released sometime in 2026, considering the pace of Togashi’s work. This is all for now. Stay with The Anime Daily for more such updates.