Hunter X Hunter Creator Yoshihiro Togashi's Return To Social Media Kicked Up Some Emotions For Its Star
A long wait can be challenging — something "Hunter x Hunter" fans know all too well. The popular manga has seen its fair share of delays thanks to health struggles surrounding creator Yoshihiro Togashi. The latest began in 2018, prompting die-hard followers to keep a close eye on the "Hunter x Hunter" hiatus chart. Its purpose of charting delays between chapters revealed that Togashi was on the most prolonged pause between releases (via Kotaku).
All of this changed when Togashi created a Twitter account in 2022. The first images gave fans hope that new chapters were coming — something that would be confirmed later. In a nod to the creator's popularity, he gained two million followers in just 72 hours. It also placed him only behind "My Hero Academia" creator Kōhei Horikoshi for any manga artist's total followers (via Anime News Network).
It naturally got fans speculating about the equally admired anime. The last episode aired in 2014, and fans haven't received any new episodes to catch up to where the manga currently is. With material finally hitting the market, fans' hopes are raised that there's a possibility that the anime may return for another series or possibly a film. Amidst this time of hope and speculation for "Hunter x Hunter" fans, one of the series' voice actors is speaking out about their emotional response to the creator's return.
Maryia Ise realizes how important this is for Hunter x Hunter fans
Maryia Ise is well known for her work on series such as "Fairy Tale" and "Black Clover." Notable among her performances is that of Killua Zoldyck; the "Hunter x Hunter" assassin has created some surprising moments throughout the series. His appearances throughout the anime make Ise a constant presence for those watching the original Japanese version (Cristina Vee voices the character in English dubs). Still, this "Hunter x Hunter" veteran was caught off guard by Togashi's social media appearance.
Many were skeptical about Togashi coming to Twitter — speculating on everything from someone working on his behalf to an imposter with other motives. Ise was unsure who was behind the account, and it took confirmation from other Jump manga creators to reassure the voice actor.
The announcement of new "Hunter x Hunter" chapters gave Ise a chance to reflect on its significance for the community and worldwide fans. "We were all like, 'Is this for real? Are we really getting the pages that Togashi-sensei drew uploaded on Twitter? Really? That's unbelievable,'" the voice actor told Crunchyroll.
While she may have been surprised about Togashi's return, Ise did give fans an extra gift; the voice actor paired with Megumi Han to do a special project. Han — the voice of Gon Freecss — and Ise reprised their roles to commemorate the "Togashi Yoshihiro Exhibition -PUZZLE-" (via Anime Corner).
Ise is sharing her excitement about Hunter x Hunter
Ise took to social media herself when she could confirm Togashi's return. In response, the actress posted artwork portraying Killua with a tear running down his cheek. The pencil drawing was met with another illustration appearing on Han's Twitter account; in that picture, Gon was himself crying with tears flowing like rain. Seeing those images sent fans into a frenzy already stoked by the return of their beloved manga.
For Ise, her involvement in "Hunter x Hunter" is more than just another job. The actress has been open about her love for the manga long before she got the coveted role of Killua. She dropped a surprising fact on fans in honor of the manga creator's celebrated return; the Twitter post featured a picture from 2000 showing a young Ise dressed as none other than Killua. It's yet another reason why fans appreciate her involvement in the project and as one of the series' most popular characters.