Hunter x Hunter Fans, We Have Mixed News: A New Hiatus — and a Chimera Ant Stage Play
Just when we thought Yoshihiro Togashi had finally settled into a sustainable release schedule, Hunter x Hunter throws everyone another curveball. The latest issue of Shueisha’s Weekly Shonen Jump confirmed that the beloved manga is going back on hiatus — but in the same breath, fans learned something genuinely exciting: a brand-new stage play, Hunter x Hunter: The Stage 4, is coming, and it’s adapting the most emotional arc in the entire series. A hiatus plus a surprise Chimera Ant stage play? That’s a lot to process in one announcement.
Let’s break down exactly what was announced, what it means for the story, and why this news has the fandom torn between tears and hype.
The Big Announcement: Hiatus — Again
According to the 41st issue of Weekly Shonen Jump, Hunter x Hunter will pause its serialization, with the return date to be announced later. This isn’t a total shock to long-time readers — Togashi has built a reputation for breaks driven by chronic health issues. The author has missed extended periods before, most famously the near-two-year break that ended when the manga returned with Chapter 411, finally catching up on the incredibly detailed Succession War aboard the Black Whale. That comeback was one of the biggest anime news moments of 2026.
Shueisha published chapters 401 to 410 across issues 45 of 2024 through issue 2 of 2025, before the latest run resumed. The editorial department has consistently made it clear that the series will no longer follow a strict weekly format, prioritizing Togashi’s well-being above all else. The manga first went on hiatus in January 2023 due to the author’s health, and Shueisha confirmed that going forward the series would run more flexibly.
Hunter x Hunter: The Stage 4 — The Chimera Ant Arc Steps Onstage
The silver lining here is massive. The new stage play, Hunter x Hunter: The Stage 4, will adapt the Chimera Ant Arc — widely considered the emotional and narrative peak of the entire series. This is the arc that took Gon Freecss to his darkest place, introduced the terrifying Meruem, gave us Komugi’s heartbreaking story, and delivered one of shonen manga’s most haunting conclusions.
The numbering fits a tradition the franchise has built on stage. Hunter x Hunter: The Stage 3, which adapted the Greed Island Arc, ran in May 2025 at The Galaxy Theatre in Tokyo and June 2025 at the Sky Theater MBS in Osaka. Now, The Stage 4 takes on the far more ambitious Chimera Ant Arc — a live-action stage adaptation of an arc that spans hundreds of chapters, featuring Killua Zoldyck, Kurapika, and the ominous Royal Guards.
Why the Chimera Ant Arc Is Perfect (and Brutal) for the Stage
Adapting the Chimera Ant Arc for theater is a bold choice. Its cast is enormous, its fight choreography is insane, and its tone swings wildly from horror to tragedy. But that’s exactly why fans are hyped. The arc’s intimate character moments — like Meruem and Komugi’s final game of Gungi — are the kind of scenes that translate beautifully to a live stage, where silence and a single spotlight do more than any animation frame.
There’s also the Nen x Survivor roguelike mobile game that launched in February, and the Hunter x Hunter Nen x Impact fighting game from Bushiroad Games and Eighting, which hit PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch, and PC via Steam in July 2025. The franchise is clearly in a “multiplatform” moment, and the stage play fits right into that push.
What the Hiatus Means Going Forward
For readers desperately following the Succession War, the hiatus is painful timing. The arc is deep into its endgame, with multiple death battles underway and the identity of a possible new threat looming. But Togashi has proven time and again that he’ll return — every single break has ended with a comeback, and he continues to draft chapters even during recovery periods. The February 2026 revival of Chapter 411 after a 567-day absence is proof that this manga refuses to stay dead. For more context on how the series came back, check out our full breakdown of the Hunter x Hunter 2026 return.
For now, fans are left to theorize about what comes next while the stage play team presumably gets to work on bringing the Chimera Ant Arc to life. If the previous stage plays are any indication, this one will sell out fast.
What do you think?
Are you devastated by another Hunter x Hunter hiatus, or are you more excited about the Chimera Ant stage play? Do you think they can actually pull off Meruem and Komugi’s story live on stage? And how long before Togashi returns with the next chapter of the Succession War — weeks, months, or another year? Drop your takes in the comments below!
