Yoshihiro Togashi, the renowned creator of Hunter x Hunter, has shared that he will be taking a break from social media until the end of November. The announcement comes in the wake of the recent passing of Kazuo Umezu, a legendary figure in the horror manga genre, whose death has deeply affected Togashi.
In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Togashi expressed that his social media activity would be sporadic for the remainder of the month. He explained, “Posting will likely be irregular until the end of November. There were a lot of things going on, and I couldn’t concentrate on my work. I thought I was used to it. The current situation is difficult, especially with the news of Umezu-sensei’s passing.” He further shared a personal connection to Umezu’s work, revealing that the first time he cried while reading manga was during a scene in Umezu’s Tamami-chan’s Make-up.
Togashi also posted a photo of two books by Umezu, a revered manga artist best known for his horror series. Umezu passed away on October 28, 2024, at the age of 88. He began his manga career in 1955 and rose to prominence in the 1960s with works such as The Drifting Classroom and Makoto-chan. Umezu’s impact on the genre is profound, with fellow manga artists, including Junji Ito and Toru Yamazaki, citing his influence on their own careers.
Togashi, who has long battled health issues, including significant back problems that led to frequent Hunter x Hunter hiatuses, has previously shared that Umezu’s health struggles were also similar to his own. Umezu retired from illustrating in 1995 due to tendinitis, a condition that affects tendons and causes significant pain. While Togashi’s health has improved somewhat this year, allowing him to complete new chapters of Hunter x Hunter, his ability to produce work consistently remains affected.
Despite these challenges, fans of Hunter x Hunter have several reasons to look forward to the franchise’s future. Recently, McDonald’s collaborated with the series to release collectible trading cards, and an arena-based fighting game inspired by the series is slated for release in 2025. Additionally, new chapters of Hunter x Hunter are expected to continue, though not on a weekly basis due to Togashi’s ongoing health concerns.
Before his hiatus, Togashi had used social media to share sneak peeks of upcoming Hunter x Hunter chapters, artwork from his earlier work, Yu Yu Hakusho, and fan art based on his current interests, including Resident Evil. Togashi is married to Naoko Takeuchi, the creator of Sailor Moon.
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