Hunter x Hunter Creator Posts Alarming Health Update Ahead of Comeback (UPDATED)

UPDATE: As promised, Yoshihiro Togashi updated fans on his physical condition in a new post on Tuesday, September 3. It is there the artist confirms his coloring work on Hunter x Hunter is finished, but it did come at a cost. His back pain has worsened considerably in the past week, prompting netizens to urge Togashi to take a break for the sake of his health.

Hunter x Hunter has been around since 1998, making it one of the last pillars of Shonen Jump‘s golden age. Artist Yoshihiro Togashi brought the manga to life decades ago, and despite his fragile health, he has yet to give up on Gon. In fact, the artist is working hard to bring the manga back from hiatus this fall, and his latest health updates have fans begging Togashi to put himself first.

The situation came to light on social media this week as Togashi began coloring work on Hunter x Hunter. The manga is currently set for an October comeback, so work on Hunter x Hunter is ramping up. However, the coloring work managed to trigger Togashi’s back condition, leaving him in excruciating pain over the past week.

Things seemed to be looking better over the weekend as Togashi posted a hopeful health update on social media. “I got treatment and am feeling much better,” the Hunter x Hunter artist posted over the weekend. “It seems my posture I was using when coloring was the source of my back pain. It was only after someone pointed it out that I realized my posture was slightly different from my posture I took when inking my manuscript.”

Sadly, it seems Togashi’s treatment did not last as long as he hoped. Taking to social media earlier today, the artist revealed his spine is feeling like a wobbly Jenga tower nowadays. “I resumed coloring work despite my backbone feeling fragile and like it was about to collapse like a Jenga tower in its final moments. Look forward to my post tomorrow to see if coloring will be completed first or my spine collapses first.”

Will Hunter x Hunter Delay Its Manga Comeback?

As you can see, Togashi’s condition is definitely flaring up, and the artist has been open about how painful his body gets when this happens. In the past, the artist admitted he even struggles to use the bathroom when his back pain reaches a certain point, and relief only comes with careful physical therapy and rest. With Hunter x Hunter slated for an October return, it is hard to imagine Togashi will be getting any rest anytime soon. If the comeback needs to be pushed to accommodate the artist, then so be it. Nothing is more important than Togashi’s health, so please – take a break if you need one, sensei!

If you are not caught up with Hunter x Hunter ahead of its comeback, the manga is easy to find. The hit series is available on the Shonen Jump app. So for more info on Togashi’s long-running manga, you can read the synopsis of Hunter x Hunter below:

“Gon might be a country boy, but he has high aspirations. Despite his Aunt Mito’s protests, Gon decides to follow in his father’s footsteps and become a legendary Hunter. The Hunter hopefuls begin their journey by storm-tossed ship, where Gon meets Leorio and Kurapika, the only other applicants who aren’t devastated by bouts of seasickness. Having survived the terrors of the high seas, Gon and his companions now have to prove their worth in a variety of tests in order to find the elusive Exam Hall. And once they get there, will they ever leave alive…?”

What do you think about this Hunter x Hunter update? Give me a shout at @meganwpeters with your take! You can also let us know what you think over on X (Twitter) and Instagram.