Discussion Hiatus X Hiatus

[Machi-tan]

Togashi is a great story writer, his art isn't exactly Bleach Quality. (Which is ironic because bleach has great art but subpar story). But he doesn't particularly feel the rush or motivation to get HxH out. Which is a good and bad thing. More time to chew over chapters = better structured story. (but only to a certain point, i mean how many times will he have to revise a singular arc in the course of a year?). However, the popularity of the Manga is dying rapidly because of his implied lack of commitment to finishing it. By the type he gets around to writing more, he'll find significantly less audience waiting on him. Same with the next Hiatus and the one after that. And it's bad to see such a good series dying because the person that created it is busy playing video games and spending his life hunched over in a messy room playing Dragon Quest until he develops back issues.

With all the money he's making he can at least buy himself a Wall mounted TV and a comfortable throne of a chair.

 

[Iownamovingcastle]

It is a shame this is still on hiatus. This is one of the better long-running mangas to me and he has created such a rich universe and variety of characters that I could easily see it doubling its length without exhausting plots or with sharp declines in story/quality (something I think harmed other long-running mangas out there). Sad that two of my favs seem to be on indefinite hiatus right now, D.gray-man being the other.

 

[Txapeldun]

People seem to forget that back surgery is a big deal. Some people take months in order to fully recover. We don't know his medical condition, it may be worse than we think.
Last time Togashi came back he seemed motivated, even taking short breaks like other mangakas do (instead of month-long hiatuses), which adds to the fustration of this unexoected hiatus. If his postoperative period goes smoothly, then he has to rest for another 3-4 months. We'll wait for him. We always do.

Sad that two of my favs seem to be on indefinite hiatus right now, D.gray-man being the other.

That's nothing. HxH, D.Gray-man, Berserk, Nana, Bastard!!, Black Lagoon. Most of the stuff I read is currently on hiatus.

 

[Nii]

Togashi is a great story writer, his art isn't exactly Bleach Quality. (Which is ironic because bleach has great art but subpar story). But he doesn't particularly feel the rush or motivation to get HxH out. Which is a good and bad thing. More time to chew over chapters = better structured story. (but only to a certain point, i mean how many times will he have to revise a singular arc in the course of a year?). However, the popularity of the Manga is dying rapidly because of his implied lack of commitment to finishing it. By the type he gets around to writing more, he'll find significantly less audience waiting on him. Same with the next Hiatus and the one after that. And it's bad to see such a good series dying because the person that created it is busy playing video games and spending his life hunched over in a messy room playing Dragon Quest until he develops back issues.

With all the money he's making he can at least buy himself a Wall mounted TV and a comfortable throne of a chair.

No, no and no. I'm glad Togashi is doing the art for Hunter x Hunter, he might be incredibly sloppy at times (and I'm certainly not a fan of that) but most of the time, though people tend to forget that, he's not using scribbles or half-done pages. His art looks good there, sometimes even amazing. It's a very detailed and distinct style.
Bleach on the other hand has somewhat pretty faces and maybe what you would call "cool-looking" characters, but that's about it. Near to no detail, not to speak of the usually non-existent background. I'm not bashing Bleach or anything, but it seems that in terms of art people tend to focus too much on the characters alone, and that's the only thing where I would say Kubo is good. Now people could easily say Kubo's style is generic and really simplistic, but that's not something to discuss here.

Second, Hunter x Hunter isn't declining at all. Where are you getting this from? He's been on many hiatuses by now, sometimes for months or over a year. Yet once a volume gets released it sells at least 1 million copies. After Naruto ended, that basically makes it the best-selling Jump manga after One Piece. It's been like this for many years, the sales won't drop. Now you could argue it could've been even more popular than it already is with less hiatus, but there definitely is no decline. The fanbase, at least in Japan, remains as strong as ever. I would argue the same goes for the west somewhat, as a huge number of people start reading the manga again once it pops up, and are willing to discuss new chapters besides the fact that it's been months since the last one. It's not dying at all, besides people complaining about Togashi's "behaviour" quite often (and with only rumors of that, sigh).

Third I don't even really want to comment on, I hope you're at least half-joking here (no offense, just my hope). The best chair won't help you against getting problems with your back and playing video games won't make it more likely.... Then again, like I just mentioned above, people tend to form their opinion based on a few rumours. We don't know if Togashi is really playing video games all the time or if, perhaps, he just does was he feels like each day, maybe even enjoying time with his family. It's plain silly in my eyes that people actually believe they would know what Togashi does or did during the last ten years. I'm not even denying that he could have played DQ or whatever game extensively at one point or that his room looks messy in one picture, but that tells me hardly anything about Togashi or what his life is like. People should stop judging others simply because of a few things they've seen or read about him/her, that's presumptuous.

 

[Machi-tan]

No, no and no. I'm glad Togashi is doing the art for Hunter x Hunter, he might be incredibly sloppy at times (and I'm certainly not a fan of that) but most of the time, though people tend to forget that, he's not using scribbles or half-done pages. His art looks good there, sometimes even amazing. It's a very detailed and distinct style.
Bleach on the other hand has somewhat pretty faces and maybe what you would call "cool-looking" characters, but that's about it. Near to no detail, not to speak of the usually non-existent background. I'm not bashing Bleach or anything, but it seems that in terms of art people tend to focus too much on the characters alone, and that's the only thing where I would say Kubo is good. Now people could easily say Kubo's style is generic and really simplistic, but that's not something to discuss here.

Second, Hunter x Hunter isn't declining at all. Where are you getting this from? He's been on many hiatuses by now, sometimes for months or over a year. Yet once a volume gets released it sells at least 1 million copies. After Naruto ended, that basically makes it the best-selling Jump manga after One Piece. It's been like this for many years, the sales won't drop. Now you could argue it could've been even more popular than it already is with less hiatus, but there definitely is no decline. The fanbase, at least in Japan, remains as strong as ever. I would argue the same goes for the west somewhat, as a huge number of people start reading the manga again once it pops up, and are willing to discuss new chapters besides the fact that it's been months since the last one. It's not dying at all, besides people complaining about Togashi's "behaviour" quite often (and with only rumors of that, sigh).

Third I don't even really want to comment on, I hope you're at least half-joking here (no offense, just my hope). The best chair won't help you against getting problems with your back and playing video games won't make it more likely.... Then again, like I just mentioned above, people tend to form their opinion based on a few rumours. We don't know if Togashi is really playing video games all the time or if, perhaps, he just does was he feels like each day, maybe even enjoying time with his family. It's plain silly in my eyes that people actually believe they would know what Togashi does or did during the last ten years. I'm not even denying that he could have played DQ or whatever game extensively at one point or that his room looks messy in one picture, but that tells me hardly anything about Togashi or what his life is like. People should stop judging others simply because of a few things they've seen or read about him/her, that's presumptuous.

Yes, yes and... yes (Sorry i had to)

Firstly - I was just expressing that his art isn't as 'neat' as Bleach's which isn't exactly a negative. It was simply a response to how hunter x hunter could in fact be expanded should it be looked at with another artist under his wing. Not saying it should. And it was also a point to how it HAS to be draw by him and couldn't make it as a Light novel. Which is debatable but i personally think both are mute points. We can all agree the most appealing aspect to HxH is it's story. So i think it can make it as a novel, and IF another artist works with Togashi and pays attention to detail it can be apprenticed out while he gets better. In fact he's admitted that he's the only one that works on HxH. Most Mangaka have assistance. I just think it's a solid idea.

Secondly - It is rather obvious but i personally know a couple Manga/Comic book stores that don't carry the HxH manga anymore because the people that used to be fans rather just read scans than mess with buying anything monthly for a less than consistent series, i was one of them. And it's honestly just the nature of the beast, you take something that becomes really popular because of an Anime in the 90s and add a few hiatus's which have in fact caused ALOT of people nerd rage all over the interwebs and say they dropped financially supporting the series. Plus feel free to google the numbers on the series, the number always spiked by a couple million around the animated series/movie, It spiked up after the (2011) anime, but now it's dying down again (Clearly because of the Hiatus as i was saying). And again Dying down is a relative term, in it's more popular days if it kept on it's 'trajectory' it would've been in the top 3. Definitely. Now, it falls in and out of the top 10 most sold manga (which is a testiment to how good the substance is) but it doesn't enjoy NEARLY AS MUCH SUCCESS as it would've been if it was consistent. That much is probably obvious. Also I thought this thread was here just to sort of vent? Or am i incorrect and i require hard evidence?

Thirdly, You gotta admit the timing of his random Hiatus' are somewhat sketch. Not calling him a bad guy but his living conditions aren't the best. Back conditions aren't fun, i'd know i have a little brother who had back surgery due to a sports related injury, took him all of 3 years to physically recoup. Yes the chair was a joke, following the popular rumor that he just plays games all day. whether or not that's true, i just want the guy to have a comfortable chair so he doesn't hurt himself anymore. I wish everyone has comfy chairs. Whether or not that is true is up in the air, i don't presume to know anything.

And if he's dealing with actual back issues, then that just makes my point of how he should consider an apprentice of sorts more valid. If he's at a place where he might not be physically ready to work on the series anymore ... forever? Then he should maul it over. If he can recover through rest and physical activity he shouldn't come back and leave consistently. Rather he should focus on getting better and getting back to his job, instead of compromising his health by trying to task himself with working on the manga. He should enjoy his family and kids and everything else he has, get better, and go back to releasing it regularly. I'd like it worlds better if he just had one super long hiatus. Like ... 3 years and came back consistent. Rather than draw for 5 months, leave for a year, come back for a year, leave for another 4 months, come back and leave for 2. It's kind of ridiculous. And again i don't presume anything, but he's been having random Hiatuses since the beginning couple volumes. Was it always back related? Was it always family related?

I know stuff happens but it's hard to swallow that for the last 10 years all the hiatuses he took were related to his back. Part of it honestly does seem like lack of motivation/(Whatever else people want to make it). He's never worked for more than a year straight without a 3 month hiatus. Which is kind of interesting. I get what you're saying Nii-chan. And You're right mostly romours and cues from interviews as well as him saying personally when asked about a Hiatus (don't remember exactly where because Togashi watches what he says about his personal life, i don't even think the sex of his second child is publicized) he just simply said he "Enjoyed being around family and playing DQ". I understood that Hiatus because it was close to the birth of his second child in 2009..

Lastly. where does this 'back' story come from? Is it confirmed? At least him admitting to his video game addiction is hinted at in a few of his interviews, but i don't think I've ever heard anything about his back besides fans. (Not being knit picky but where is it?)

 

[Erinyes]

DQ is just is a boring running joke that have been circulating online (he may enjoy it though) and this infamous pic, a kind of meme (as if a pic, seemingly photoshopped could be a reliable source). Strange how people are clinging on to rumors and how they tend to ignore some established facts, like Togashi was working as Fujimaki Tadatoshi's editor (Kuroko no Basket), AFAIK, nobody has never mentioned this before I found it out on their joint interview (cf a couple of pages earlier). I feel so bad for him being constantly badmouthed, while being a great artist.

However, the popularity of the Manga is dying rapidly because of his implied lack of commitment to finishing it

As for Hxh popularity :

2013 Manga Sales (in Japan) Ranking Top 30 series (despite a whole year hiatus) :


1. One Piece (18,151,599)
2. Attack on Titan (15,933,801)
3. Kuroko's Basketball (8,761,081)
4. Magi (7,151,001)
5. Naruto (5,553,933)
6. Silver Spoon (4,858,699)
7. Assassination Classroom (4,595,820)
8. Hunter x Hunter (4,231,475)
9. FAIRY TAIL (3,790,151)
10. TERRA FORMARS (3,602,630)
11. Kimi ni Todoke (3,428,352)
12. Gintama (2,864,734)
13. Toriko (2,844,248)
14. Kingdom (2,805,945)
15. Bleach (2,752,588)
16. JoJo's Bizarre Adventure (2,588,910)
17. Space Brothers (2,543,140)
18. Saint Young Men (2,487,751)
19. Blue Exorcist (2,329,721)
20. Chihayafuru (2,311,857)
21. AO--HARU--RIDE (2,106,452)
22. Haikyu!! (2,056,241)
23. Ace of Diamond (2,010,045)
24. Detective Conan (1,966,206)
25. SKET DANCE (1,783,098)
26. JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: bunko (pocket-size) version (1,684,749)
27. Tokyo Ghoul (1,666,348)
28. Black Butler (1,562,863)
29. To Love-Ru Darkness (1,558,973)
30. Nisekoi (1,542,417)



http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2013-12-01/top-selling-manga-in-japan-by-volume/2013

 

[Machi-tan]

Not saying that he is doing anything wrong. I just said that you gotta admit 10 years of working on the manga and hiatus almost every 6 months for a month or more at a time, all of that can't be related to his back.

And if the DQ rumor is just internet meme, where exactly those the back story come from? Is it confirmed? I think the DQ is a running joke because of the fact that he's openly expressed an addiction for the game. At least his DQ addiction has a source (even if it was blown out of proportion and everyone jokes about it in frustration) I don't know where a verified source spoke about his back issues.

I certainly don't understand why I'm being shot down when it stands that HxH could've been more popular than it is now. Fact

He's never worked for longer periods of time over the last 10 years without a Hiatus of a month. Fact

He does all his work without a editorial staff (As off 2009). Fact

So i don't get why my idea about him getting an assistant to help with the production is negative. Or the fact 10 years... never worked for more than 6 months straight seems alittle sketchy, because his back couldn't possibly be the reason for all of it. (if there even is a confirmed interview or public message citing his back issues for majority of the hiatuses) As i said i have a brother who had a back injury, yeah it takes a couple years to get back on track (and his was sports related) so I'm no stranger to the frustration that comes with a person's body being somewhat weaker. But he's been taking Hiatuses consistently. A staff hand would help. So i don't get the weird influx of negativity.

And you proved my point. HxH has been rolling around in the lower half of the top 10 in and out despite hiatuses.
But
Source 1 Source 2

Tell me why Hunter x Hunter isn't on both of those lists? It did well 2013 sure. But 2014? Or am I missing something? It lost popularity. Which is deadly clear from your 2013 list compared to 2014. And he actually worked enough to get a volume out for 2014 so there was no lack of manga.


I can understand him putting the birth of his child first in his 2009 Hiatus. No issues. But unless you can honestly show me that he is citing his back as an issue for his repeated hiatuses over the last 10 years, the back issue is more of a convenient defense mechanism. I don't hate the guy, i love his craft. I'm just frustarted that from all we've seen he has no motivation. His motivation is my main concern, messy room picture and stories aside. You can't possibly tell me that he has excuses for every single hiatus for the last 10 years?

I'm not badmouthing him. If he came back consistently and dependably i'd buy the manga in a heart beat. Calling him unmotivated isn't badmouthing him, it's criticism, which i think kind of comes with the Territory of producing media in any shape. No one is happy. So although i'd like to just throw a tantrum and call him all types of unpleasant names (Not really), i just find his apparent lack of enthusiasm over all distasteful. If he is fighting medical reasons in this recent Hiatus, i send nothing but respect and hope. But i just question his motivation overall.

 

[Nii]

Not saying that he is doing anything wrong. I just said that you gotta admit 10 years of working on the manga and hiatus almost every 6 months for a month or more at a time, all of that can't be related to his back.

And if the DQ rumor is just internet meme, where exactly those the back story come from? Is it confirmed? I think the DQ is a running joke because of the fact that he's openly expressed an addiction for the game. At least his DQ addiction has a source (even if it was blown out of proportion and everyone jokes about it in frustration) I don't know where a verified source spoke about his back issues.

I certainly don't understand why I'm being shot down when it stands that HxH could've been more popular than it is now. Fact

He's never worked for longer periods of time over the last 10 years without a Hiatus of a month. Fact

He does all his work without a editorial staff (As off 2009). Fact

So i don't get why my idea about him getting an assistant to help with the production is negative. Or the fact 10 years... never worked for more than 6 months straight seems alittle sketchy, because his back couldn't possibly be the reason for all of it. (if there even is a confirmed interview or public message citing his back issues for majority of the hiatuses) As i said i have a brother who had a back injury, yeah it takes a couple years to get back on track (and his was sports related) so I'm no stranger to the frustration that comes with a person's body being somewhat weaker. But he's been taking Hiatuses consistently. A staff hand would help. So i don't get the weird influx of negativity.

And you proved my point. HxH has been rolling around in the lower half of the top 10 in and out despite hiatuses.
But
Source 1 Source 2

Tell me why Hunter x Hunter isn't on both of those lists? It did well 2013 sure. But 2014? Or am I missing something? It lost popularity. Which is deadly clear from your 2013 list compared to 2014. And he actually worked enough to get a volume out for 2014 so there was no lack of manga.


I can understand him putting the birth of his child first in his 2009 Hiatus. No issues. But unless you can honestly show me that he is citing his back as an issue for his repeated hiatuses over the last 10 years, the back issue is more of a convenient defense mechanism. I don't hate the guy, i love his craft. I'm just frustarted that from all we've seen he has no motivation. His motivation is my main concern, messy room picture and stories aside. You can't possibly tell me that he has excuses for every single hiatus for the last 10 years?

I'm not badmouthing him. If he came back consistently and dependably i'd buy the manga in a heart beat. Calling him unmotivated isn't badmouthing him, it's criticism, which i think kind of comes with the Territory of producing media in any shape. No one is happy. So although i'd like to just throw a tantrum and call him all types of unpleasant names (Not really), i just find his apparent lack of enthusiasm over all distasteful. If he is fighting medical reasons in this recent Hiatus, i send nothing but respect and hope. But i just question his motivation overall.

Going to answer to this post, many points collide with your previous one.

First, no one is saying that all past hiatuses are because of his back. Obviously they're not, or at least I think it's highly unlikely. We were almost never given explanations about why he went on hiatus, hence the many rumours flying around. Fact is, we just don't know. I feel like I'm repeating myself again and again, but I simply see nothing wrong with him going on hiatus, even if it's for something as simply as just enjoying everyday life. People tend to forget that Togashi was a mangaka before Hunter x Hunter. Ever since "Ten de Shōwaru Cupid" (his first longer serialized work in WSJ, 1989) he has worked almost continuously until the early years of Hunter x Hunter.
The first time he was actually in less than half of the Shonen Jump issues during a year was in 2004, the months long hiatus(es) didn't start before 2006. Meaning he had the same arduous life as most other mangaka for at least 15 years. People even speculate that during the run of Yu Yu Hakusho, his other famous series running from 1990-1994, the editors at Shueisha pushed him so hard that Togashi decided to never let others put so much stress on him again.

Now people can make of that what they want, but no one should ignore the fact that Togashi wasn't "chilling", or whatever you wanna call it, during his work as a mangaka, but was working as hard as anyone else. I honestly can't blame him if after that he simply wants to enjoy life, not every mangaka is hardcore into working on his/her work but prefer enjoying whatever else life has to offer. Who am I to criticize either way of life? Through success and hard work Togashi earned himself the privilige of not having to work all the time and while that may certainly suck from the viewpoint of people reading the manga, that's just how things are. Maybe I would do the same in his place, and just continue my work when I feel that it brings me fun.

That's my view on the matter. Heck, I would love it if Togashi would release HxH chapters more regularly, but I certainly won't blame him if he simply prefers doing other things. Sometimes I think people judge Togashi (and many many others) from some high above standing of morality and righteousness without considering for a second what they might do in his/her shoes.

_________________________________

Now that that's said, here are some facts:

The back pain has been officially confirmed by the WSJ staff, hence why people actually consider it true. Considering they're not forced to tell us anything and often didn't do so in the past, there's no reason why they would lie in our faces. Here are the two statements made in the magazine back in September:

Spoiler

As for the sales... I'm not going to search through all the past Oricon Comic Rankings, but using this "year" list to prove your point is plain wrong. Fact is, that each volume sells more than a million when released. Now I'm going to explain why the series is in the yearly list in 2013 but not 2014:

The yearly list goes from mid-November to mid November of the next year, for example November 19,2012 - November 17,2013. Now let's look when the last Hunter x Hunter volumes were released.

Volume 31 - December 4th, 2012
Volume 32 - December 28th, 2012
Volume 0 (Kurapika Gaiden) - January 2013

These 3 volumes all fall withing November 19, 2012 - November 17,2013. Meaning those three volumes together managed to sell somewhere around 4 million. I expecpt 200k or more are sales from old volumes bought by people during the year.

Now for November 2013 - November 2014 there wasn't a single volume getting released. So it's 0 surprise that Hunter x Hunter isn't showing up there, people could only buy old volumes. Not even a very long mega-hit like One Piece manages to sell millions of copies just by people buying older volumes, yearly sales rise through the release of new volumes. Now Hunter x Hunter obviously isn't showing up on that list because there was nothing new to buy lol. Neither has the anime to do anything with there being high sales or anything, the anime hardly influenced the manga sales. If you check, yearly sales are high when volumes got released and obviously low or not present when there are no volumes getting released, it's easy as that. When volumes get released, they always sell very well.

 

[Refraction]

Just as an aside (and not to make a case of it) it's worth considering that Togashi complained of severe back issues as long ago as 1991, in the sixth volume of Yu Yu Hakusho--a back pain that lasted six months, and required him to draw in bed, due to being unable to sit at a desk.

I wouldn't hazard to suggest that this has been the perpetual source of his woes--he's got documentation out there that makes reference, especially, to more alarming mental health issues since then...which I'll link to in maybe two dozen words, or so--but for a guy of only 24 to suffer from six months of perpetual and fairly debilitating back problems (and then come to grief with the psychology of incessantly drawing a weekly serial as a career) perhaps gives some context to what we're dealing with as far as Mr Togashi is concerned.

Since less than a full year after he landed his first serial at Jump, he does seem to have had a very troubled time as a mangaka. I can't help but think the main reason he isn't churning out chapters regularly--based especially on his essay--is that, now with a family which he seems to adore greatly, he just thinks life is too short to forfeit all his health, hours and happiness to drawing and storytelling. If it's true that Mr Oda only sleeps two hours a night, I'd agree with him; and I'm sure we all differ in thinking about what makes life worthwhile, but a life where I'm working all day and not getting any sleep wouldn't be my idea of life at all.

I should have made this a pleasing-to-read essay, well supported with its references instead of just tossing them randomly in there. It reads like poo. I hope you'll all forgive me.

 

[Machi-tan]

Your essay wasn't poo. Nice solid read i honestly had no idea where the back pain stories were coming from, the most i could find were that he was gone because of 'Illness'. And i see Nii-chan thanks for explaining how the digits of the manga. I'm not going to insist that you search through the manga rankings i was legitimately curious where it was on the rankings, it wasn't a combat point.

But i still hold true to the point i was making, that him actually accepting an editorial team to help him work when he does work so he gets these chapters out faster or the burden is less letting him work on it longer periods of time ... is a solid idea.

And sure i can understand work. I would like to imagine a large percent of us do. I haven't been working long (Some odd 5 years) but i can imagine having the chance to proactively leave work and spend with family i would definitely take advantage of that- And I see your point, i didn't know he was the apparent whipping boy of some studio during YYH. And sure morals say he should see his job through, but i can understand the human aspect of that it's no stranger to me.

I just wish for his next return (I'm not so much as crying over him leaving as i am the fact that i feel like him coming back will be short lived) is actually consistent to a degree. Like if the manga became monthly and he got an editorial staff to help so he wasn't drawing everything and straining himself. Because if HxH is going to be as long as he gestures, then it might become an incomplete series at this rate. Which would honestly bother me to a certain degree (i wouldn't lose sleep over it but still) so i'd like consistency is all i ask. Whether it becomes a monthly.... bi-monthly. Just a number i can depend on. Even if he needs to consider taking people in to do some of the work for him.

 

[hokageji]

DQ is just is a boring running joke that have been circulating online (he may enjoy it though) and this infamous pic, a kind of meme (as if a pic, seemingly photoshopped could be a reliable source). Strange how people are clinging on to rumors and how they tend to ignore some established facts, like Togashi was working as Fujimaki Tadatoshi's editor (Kuroko no Basket), AFAIK, nobody has never mentioned this before I found it out on their joint interview (cf a couple of pages earlier). I feel so bad for him being constantly badmouthed, while being a great artist.
As for Hxh popularity :

The pic could be photoshopped, but hardly anything points that... but again, i am not an expert.

It looks a lot like Dwun's room though:
http://hunterxhunter.wikia.com/wiki/File:Dwun's_Room_2011.png

Also, quote from HxH wikia
"Dwun's room may have been a reference to a photo of Yoshihiro Togashi in his room with a pile of rubbish dump scattered around him while playing a game called "Dragon Quest".

while wikia is not absolute, it points towards being authentic more than fake.

Interesting stat on the popularity chart though.

About his art, yes, where Togashi is better is with how unique each character is. Not even family members look alike.

I gave up Bleach once fullbringer arc started, but i liked his artwork till a certain point. After introducing multiple characters, u tend to see similar facial features everywhere.

IMO, Togashi's strength is in the character definition and depth of story, he will never make the list of top 10 if restricted purely to art, but thats my opinion...


Anyways, the main point of the picture was in response to the back ache he has. He clearly doesnt have a strong work ethic but thats how geniuses are...

Hopefully, he starts being more regular, atleast 25 chapters/year...

 

[Master OZ]

The one thing that always bugged me is that, if the had those problems (even as back as to the year 1991), why didn´t he hire assistants to ease the workload on himself, transfer to a magazine with a lower frequency of publishing (bimonthly, monthly, etc.) or even quit? That comes across to me as highly irresponsible behaviour. I really do not pity him; he clearly knew about his health problems, he clearly made no arrangement to ease workload on himself (he must have some assistants this time around though), during the hiatuses he probably didn´t work at all (he could have made some drafts, pages or even chapters during them if he managed his time properly). I am convinced that he is very selfish and unprofessional; he is supposedly rich, yet he continues to "work" alone (money spent on assistants should have been a lesser issue), he wants to tell us a story (HuntexHunter) yet he wants to do it alone without regard to the frequency of installments and thus the audience, he didn´t inform the readers what is the deal with his hiatuses (is he sick? is he lazy? is he quitting?). if the mangaka working conditions are so horrible and since he is already well off, then continuing such work comes off as a form of masochism. /rant

 

[Drakrami]

Togashi is a great story writer, his art isn't exactly Bleach Quality. (Which is ironic because bleach has great art but subpar story). But he doesn't particularly feel the rush or motivation to get HxH out. Which is a good and bad thing. More time to chew over chapters = better structured story. (but only to a certain point, i mean how many times will he have to revise a singular arc in the course of a year?). However, the popularity of the Manga is dying rapidly because of his implied lack of commitment to finishing it. By the type he gets around to writing more, he'll find significantly less audience waiting on him. Same with the next Hiatus and the one after that. And it's bad to see such a good series dying because the person that created it is busy playing video games and spending his life hunched over in a messy room playing Dragon Quest until he develops back issues.

With all the money he's making he can at least buy himself a Wall mounted TV and a comfortable throne of a chair.

Bleach has great art? I beg to differ. First of all, Bleach has the worst environment art for mangas. All the environments are either non-existent or extremely blend. Secondly, Bleach's character expressions are blend as well. You can hardly tell of the character's emotions through their expressions.

On the other hand, I actually think HunterX's art is quite good. It has a realistic art style that livens the world. It makes the manga more dark and also make us think that the world is more deep. Character designs (art aspect) are also top notch, such as Killua and Hisoka.

 

[tupadre97]

Bleach has great art? I beg to differ. First of all, Bleach has the worst environment art for mangas. All the environments are either non-existent or extremely blend. Secondly, Bleach's character expressions are blend as well. You can hardly tell of the character's emotions through their expressions.

On the other hand, I actually think HunterX's art is quite good. It has a realistic art style that livens the world. It makes the manga more dark and also make us think that the world is more deep. Character designs (art aspect) are also top notch, such as Killua and Hisoka.

Yeah i like how togashi's art is semi realistic but still with that anime flavor to it. The thing is you gotta read the volumes for the good art, not the weekly releases.

 

[shionoro]

Quite honestly, i'd take togashi's art over most other mangas any day.
It might be sketchy when you read the weekly chapters, but it still expresses a lot more than the standart drawings you usually get, even if they might be prettier.

The thing with his sketchy art is, that the things which are really important in the panel are detailled enough.

There might be no backround or there might be chibis used in a joke, but if the scene is important togashi puts enough effort into it.

 

[Kid Chameleone]

Re: Hunter x Hunter Chapter 349 Discussion/ 350 Predictions

how many days has it been?

 

[Riyuki]

Re: Hunter x Hunter Chapter 349 Discussion/ 350 Predictions

Too many...

 

[shionoro]

Re: Hunter x Hunter Chapter 349 Discussion/ 350 Predictions

the strange thing with hxh is that i never lose interest no matter how long togashi hiatusses.

Even with berserk it is like 'oh well, no chapter for a year, whatever, i am happy when one comes out'.
Also, in most mangas the chapters in between or transitionary chapters which are not exactly trhilling me.

But in the few chapters we got from the new arc i am already absolutely excited about what will happen.

And then he hiatusses T.T

he could at least have the courtesy to dish out boring chapters before a hiatus

 

[runtuntunger]

I know Togashi, he said me literaly: "HxH is returning on 11/07/15" is not a joke, anyway...

 

[shionoro]

I read the whole new arc beginning again. It felt like it would go on and on and like i could finish the story i am reading, but of course that was not true.

Now i am pumped again for the new arc and also very sad