‘Hunter x Hunter’ Creator Hints ‘Dark Continent’ Arc Length

Hunter x Hunter tends to take its time with things, and it seems its on-going arc is no exception. As it turns out, the man behind the manga isn’t keen on wrapping the ‘Dark Continent Expedition’ arc early, and he’s got a few reasons why.

Recently, fans were given a rare peek inside Yoshihiro Togashi’s mind. The artist did an interview with Shonen Jump to celebrate one of the magazine’s event in Japan, and that interview has gone live in a new book. It was there Togashi opened up about his latest story, and he said he can’t bring himself to give up on the ‘Dark Continent’ arc just yet.

“My series is so long (Dark Continent Expedition arc), but I can’t bring myself to quit part way through. I know it probably sounds self-contradictory, but by setting that dilemma aside, I set a personal standard based on the number of comics published,” the artist explained.

“If the actual number falls below my standard, I feel like the readers are telling me there’s no point in keeping it going. But if the number exceeds the standard, it shows me that the readers think it’s just as interesting as I do, so I want to keep it running.”

While Hunter x Hunter is on hiatus more often than not, its periods of publication are often heralded. Critics and fans alike have given the ‘Dark Continent’ arc stellar reviews thus far, giving Togashi the gumption to continue the story. Still, the manga can only finish the arc if it is in publication, and Hunter x Hunter is on a hiatus as of right now.

So, do you think Hunter x Hunter will ever see this arc wrap up? Let me know in the comments or hit me up on Twitter @MeganPetersCB to talk all things comics and anime!

For those unfamiliar with Hunter x Hunter, the series was originally created by Yoshihiro Togashi. The story follows a young boy named Gon Freecss, who discovers that his previously thought to be dead father is in fact alive. Not only is he alive, he is a famous Hunter, a professional traveler who specializes in finding rare treasures, exploring unidentified lands, and hunting down dangerous individuals. Gon then decides that in order to meet his father he has to become a licensed Hunter, but in that journey gets wrapped up in way more strangeness than he ever could have anticipated.

The series first ran in Shuiesha’s Weekly Shonen Jump in March 1998. Unfortunately, the series has gone on a number of hiatuses ever since 2006 which were most likely incurred by bouts of illness Togashi experienced when publishing his last work, Yu Yu Hakusho.