Hunter × Hunter

On March 3, 1998, the first chapter of Hunter × Hunter appeared in Weekly Shōnen Jump. Yoshihiro Togashi, already famous for Yu Yu Hakusho, began a story that would stretch across decades, interrupted by his chronic back problems. As of September 2024, 38 tankōbon volumes have been collected. Viz Media publishes the English edition in North America.

Gon Freecss lives on Whale Island, raised by his aunt Mito. He believes his father Ging is dead until Kite, a Hunter, tells him the truth. Gon decides to pass the Hunter Exam, a brutal test that kills or disqualifies most applicants. During the exam, he meets Kurapika, the last survivor of the Kurta Clan; Leorio, who wants money for medical school; and Killua Zoldyck, a boy fleeing his family's assassin trade. They become friends, but each pursues a separate path. Kurapika hunts the Phantom Troupe, Killua fights his upbringing, and Gon searches for his father through the video game Greed Island and into the Chimera Ant crisis.

Two anime adaptations exist. Nippon Animation produced 62 episodes from 1999 to 2001, followed by three OVA series. Madhouse made a 148-episode version from 2011 to 2014, widely considered definitive, plus two films in 2013. The series has inspired stage musicals, video games, and multiple soundtrack albums. By July 2022, over 84 million copies were in circulation worldwide. Critics praise the Nen power system and the philosophical weight of the Chimera Ant arc, which is often called one of the best in manga. Togashi continues to write new chapters when his health allows, but the manga remains on hiatus as of 2025. [edit]