After another lengthy wait, Hunter x Hunter fans finally have plenty to celebrate. Yoshihiro Togashi’s legendary manga officially resumed serialization in Weekly Shonen Jump on June 29 after a two-year hiatus, and the comeback is arriving alongside a major milestone for the franchise. Just days before the release of Volume 39, Shueisha unveiled an eye-catching new cover starring one of the series’ most unpredictable characters, Hisoka.
The reveal from Anime News Network comes at an especially exciting moment for the series. Not only is the manga back with new chapters, but Hunter x Hunter has now surpassed an astonishing 100 million copies in circulation worldwide, including digital editions. With a commemorative campaign launching across Tokyo and a brand-new volume arriving on July 3, Togashi’s long-running masterpiece is entering one of its biggest weeks in years.
Hisoka Takes Center Stage on Hunter x Hunter Volume 39
Four days before Volume 39 reaches Japanese bookstores on July 3, Shueisha officially revealed its striking cover illustration. Rather than featuring multiple characters from the sprawling Succession Contest arc, the artwork places Hisoka squarely in the spotlight. The magician receives a new visual that focuses more on his eerie confidence and it has immediately become a talking point among longtime readers.
The new volume marks Hunter x Hunter’s first collected release in roughly 22 months. It compiles chapters 401 through 410, continuing the tense Succession Contest storyline aboard the Black Whale. Those chapters originally ran in Weekly Shonen Jump between issue 45 of 2024 and issue 2 of 2025 before the manga entered another hiatus while Togashi continued working despite ongoing health challenges.
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01
Dragon Ball, created by Akira Toriyama, is one of the most influential manga ever published in Weekly Shonen Jump. The series follows Goku on his journey from a child to the universe’s greatest fighter. What is Goku’s original Saiyan name?
✓ Correct! Goku’s birth name is Kakarot, given to him on Planet Vegeta before he was sent to Earth as a baby. His Saiyan rival Vegeta famously refuses to call him “Goku” and always refers to him by his true Saiyan name, Kakarot.
✗ That answer missed harder than a filler arc! The answer is Kakarot. Vegeta is the Saiyan prince, Bardock is Goku’s father, and Raditz is Goku’s older brother. Kakarot is the Saiyan name given to Goku at birth before he was sent to Earth.
02
Naruto Uzumaki dreams of becoming the Hokage — the leader of his village. Throughout the series, Naruto carries a powerful entity sealed inside him since birth. What is sealed within Naruto?
✓ Correct! Kurama, the Nine-Tailed Fox, was sealed inside Naruto by his father, the Fourth Hokage Minato Namikaze, on the day of his birth. What began as a source of fear and isolation for Naruto eventually became his greatest ally and friend.
✗ That answer missed harder than a filler arc! The answer is Kurama, the Nine-Tailed Fox. The Ten-Tails is a different, more powerful beast. The Curse Mark is Orochimaru’s seal, and the Rinnegan is a legendary eye technique. Kurama was sealed in Naruto at birth by the Fourth Hokage.
03
In the manga Bleach by Tite Kubo, the main character Ichigo Kurosaki gains the powers of a Soul Reaper. Soul Reapers wield unique weapons that have names and special abilities. What are these signature weapons called?
✓ Correct! Zanpakuto are the signature weapons of Soul Reapers in Bleach. Each Zanpakuto has its own spirit and name, and a Soul Reaper must learn that name to unlock its Shikai (initial release) and eventually its Bankai (final release) forms.
✗ That answer missed harder than a filler arc! The answer is Zanpakuto. Sacred Gears are from High School DxD, Nen is the power system from Hunter x Hunter, and Bankai is actually a Zanpakuto’s final release form — not the weapon’s name itself. Zanpakuto literally means “soul-cutting sword.”
04
In Dragon Ball Z, Frieza is one of the most iconic villains in anime history. He is a tyrannical galactic emperor responsible for destroying the Saiyan homeworld. What is the name of the planet Frieza destroyed?
✓ Correct! Planet Vegeta, named after King Vegeta, was the homeworld of the Saiyan race. Frieza destroyed it with a single energy blast because he feared the growing power of the Saiyans and the legend of the Super Saiyan. Only a handful of Saiyans survived, including Goku and Vegeta.
✗ That answer missed harder than a filler arc! The answer is Planet Vegeta. Planet Namek is the home of the Namekians and the Dragon Balls, Planet Sadala is the Saiyan homeworld in Universe 6, and Earth is where Goku was raised. Frieza destroyed Planet Vegeta out of fear of the Saiyan race’s potential.
05
My Hero Academia (Boku no Hero Academia) by Kohei Horikoshi is set in a world where most people have superpowers. What is the term used for these superpowers in My Hero Academia?
✓ Correct! In My Hero Academia, about 80% of the world’s population possesses a Quirk — a unique superpower that manifests in childhood. The protagonist Izuku Midoriya was born Quirkless but inherited the powerful Quirk “One For All” from the greatest hero, All Might.
✗ That answer missed harder than a filler arc! The answer is Quirks. Stands are from JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure, Jutsu are techniques from Naruto, and Cursed Techniques belong to Jujutsu Kaisen. In My Hero Academia, superpowers are called Quirks, and they vary wildly from person to person.
06
Jujutsu Kaisen by Gege Akutami features a power system based on negative human emotions that manifest as dangerous supernatural beings. What are these beings called?
✓ Correct! Cursed Spirits in Jujutsu Kaisen are born from the accumulation of negative emotions like fear, hatred, and sadness leaked by humans. Jujutsu sorcerers like protagonist Yuji Itadori use cursed energy to exorcise these dangerous beings and protect humanity.
✗ That answer missed harder than a filler arc! The answer is Cursed Spirits. Hollows are from Bleach, Demons are from Demon Slayer, and Titans are from Attack on Titan. In Jujutsu Kaisen, negative human emotions give rise to Cursed Spirits that jujutsu sorcerers must exorcise.
07
In Demon Slayer (Kimetsu no Yaiba) by Koyoharu Gotouge, protagonist Tanjiro Kamado uses specialized sword techniques called Breathing Styles. What is the first Breathing Style that Tanjiro learns?
✓ Correct! Tanjiro learns Water Breathing from the former Water Hashira, Sakonji Urokodaki. Water Breathing is known for its fluid, adaptable movements. While Tanjiro later discovers his connection to the legendary Sun Breathing (Hinokami Kagura), Water Breathing was his first and foundational combat style.
✗ That answer missed harder than a filler arc! The answer is Water Breathing. Sun Breathing is the original style that Tanjiro discovers later through his family’s Hinokami Kagura dance. Fire Breathing and Thunder Breathing are used by other Demon Slayers. Tanjiro trained under Sakonji Urokodaki to master Water Breathing first.
08
Weekly Shonen Jump has been the home of many of the biggest manga series in history. Which of these series has sold the most copies worldwide as of 2024?
✓ Correct! One Piece by Eiichiro Oda holds the record as the best-selling manga series of all time, with over 500 million copies sold worldwide. Running since 1997, the series follows Monkey D. Luffy and his crew on their quest to find the legendary treasure, the One Piece.
✗ That answer missed harder than a filler arc! The answer is One Piece. While Naruto (~250 million), Dragon Ball (~260 million), and Demon Slayer (~150 million) are all massive sellers, One Piece stands alone with over 500 million copies sold — making it the best-selling manga in history by a wide margin.
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Hisoka’s appearance on the cover is especially notable because the character has spent much of the current arc operating from the shadows. Although Chapter 405 gave fans one of his most significant recent appearances, his overall role has remained mysterious. Featuring him so prominently on Volume 39 naturally raises expectations that his involvement may soon become much more important as serialization resumes.
Hunter x Hunter’s Historic Comeback Begins With Major Milestones
The cover reveal also coincides with another enormous achievement for the franchise. Weekly Shonen Jump announced that Hunter x Hunter has officially exceeded 100 million copies in circulation, counting both print and digital editions. To celebrate, Shueisha launched a dedicated anniversary website and unveiled the “Shibuya Hunter Street” campaign, decorating Tokyo’s Shibuya district with artwork featuring 115 different characters from the series.
Togashi’s return remains remarkable considering the circumstances surrounding the manga’s publication. In early 2023, Shueisha confirmed that Hunter x Hunter would no longer follow a traditional weekly schedule because of the creator’s chronic health issues. Even so, Togashi continued sharing updates with fans, revealing Chapter 401’s completion in 2023 and later confirming progress on additional chapters throughout 2024.
As the manga returns to Weekly Shonen Jump, Yoshihiro Togashi’s Hunter x Hunter releases a brand new trailer to get fans excited for the comeback.
Now that serialization has resumed, readers are eager to see whether Hisoka’s long-awaited confrontation with the Phantom Troupe finally moves to center stage. Every major member of the troupe remains aboard the Black Whale, where they continue hunting the magician after the events of the Heaven’s Arena battle. Whether Togashi delivers that showdown immediately or continues building suspense, the spectacular Hunter x Hunter Volume 39 cover signals that Hisoka’s next act may be closer than ever.
Video Game(s)
Hunter x Hunter: Nen x Impact
First Film
Hunter x Hunter: Phantom Rouge
Cast
Megumi Han, Mariya Ise, Keiji Fujiwara, Daisuke Namikawa, Miyuki Sawashiro, Kazuhiro Yamaji, Ichirô Nagai, Hiroshi Kamiya, Hisao Egawa, Maaya Uchida
