Tag Archives: Weekly Shonen Jump

Hunter x Hunter Is Back — Chapter 411 Arrives 29 June on Manga Plus

After one of manga’s most famous hiatuses, Yoshihiro Togashi’s Hunter x Hunter is officially returning this Sunday. Chapter 411 arrives in Weekly Shonen Jump Issue #31 on 29 June, with simultaneous free access on Manga Plus for Singapore and international readers. The Succession War is about to get a lot more complicated.

Hunter x Hunter manga promotional artwork
Image courtesy of Yoshihiro Togashi / Shueisha

Where the Story Left Off

The Succession War has been unravelling in spectacular fashion aboard the Black Whale cruise ship. Prince Benjamin is desperately fighting to survive after being poisoned, while the declaration of martial law on Tier 1 has completely changed the power dynamics among the royal families. In the lower tiers of the ship, the Phantom Troupe is hunting Hisoka, while the growing influence of Morena and the Heil-Ly Family has introduced one of the arc’s most unpredictable factions. Borksen’s shocking decision to join the Heil-Ly as a double agent only added another layer of tension to an already chaotic situation.

With so many plot threads running at once, Screen Rant’s coverage of the return puts it well: this comeback could not be arriving at a better time.

Why This Hiatus Return Feels Different

Togashi’s hiatuses are legendary — his chronic back problems have disrupted Hunter x Hunter’s publication more times than most fans care to count. But this time around, there is genuine reason for optimism. Over the past several months, Togashi has been sharing regular progress updates, and according to those posts, he has already finished inking through Chapter 431 — giving the series a healthy buffer of 20-plus completed chapters before serialisation even resumes. That kind of stockpile is unprecedented for this series.

His health also appears to be improving. A recent Instagram post featuring him alongside his wife, manga legend Naoko Takeuchi (creator of Sailor Moon), showed Togashi looking well and relaxed. Combined with the growing backlog of finished chapters, this comeback feels more structurally stable than anything Hunter x Hunter fans have seen in years.

Volume 39: Negotiation — Out 3 July

Alongside the serialisation return, Shueisha is releasing Volume 39, collecting Chapters 401 to 410 under the title Negotiation. It arrives in Japan on 3 July 2026 — the first new physical volume of Hunter x Hunter in 22 months. International readers who prefer print editions will need to wait for their regional releases, but it is a significant milestone regardless.

How to Read in Singapore This Sunday

Singapore fans have a clean, legal, free option right at their fingertips. Manga Plus by Shueisha makes the three most recent chapters of Hunter x Hunter available at no charge, with a premium subscription option for the full archive. Chapter 411 will appear on Manga Plus the moment it goes live on 29 June. The app is available on iOS and Android, or via browser — no VPN required.

If you want to catch up first, Chapters 409 and 410 are already sitting there waiting for you on the platform right now.

Last Words

For Singapore manga readers, the message is simple: bookmark Manga Plus, catch up on the last two chapters before Sunday, and settle in for what could finally be a sustained run of new Hunter x Hunter. The Succession War has been building towards something monumental, and with a 20-chapter buffer already in the bank, there’s reason to believe Togashi is going to see it through. We’ll be watching closely — check our manga and anime coverage for updates as the arc develops.

Hunter x Hunter Chapter 411 key visual — the manga returns 29 June 2026

Hunter x Hunter Is Back — Chapter 411 Drops 29 June

Hunter x Hunter is back. Yoshihiro Togashi’s legendary manga returns to Weekly Shonen Jump on 29 June 2026 with Chapter 411 — ending an 18-month serialisation break that started after Chapter 410 appeared in December 2024.

HUNTER×HUNTER — The Conspiracy Accelerates — Official Jump Channel teaser for Issue #31 (Japanese)

When and Where to Read Chapter 411

Chapter 411 lands in Weekly Shonen Jump Issue #31 on Monday, 29 June in Japan. For Singapore readers and everyone else in Southeast Asia, Shueisha’s free digital platform Manga Plus will carry it a day earlier — catchable for free from 28 June, with no subscription or region lock required.

Alongside the chapter return is a centre colour spread, celebrating both the serialisation resumption and the release of Volume 39 (“Negotiation”), which hits Japan shelves on 3 July 2026.

The Succession War Picks Up

The official preview from Jump’s editorial team sets the stage: “A royal succession battle surrounded by malice! The battle for the throne intensifies! What will Kurapika and his allies do…?!”

Chapter 411 continues the Succession Contest Arc aboard the enormous Black Whale, where several parallel plotlines are converging simultaneously — Kurapika’s dangerous prince-bodyguard assignment, the Phantom Troupe’s own agenda on the ship, and the scheming Heil-Ly Family all pressing toward a flashpoint at once.

Hunter x Hunter key visual — Chapter 411 returns 29 June 2026
Image courtesy of Shueisha

Togashi Has a Deep Bench Ready

The most reassuring detail for fans burned by past hiatuses: Togashi’s backlog is substantial. Manuscripts through Chapter 421 are complete and waiting, with several of those carrying additional colour pages. That is at least ten new chapters already lined up after the comeback issue. For Chapter 420 onward, Togashi has asked fans to watch for timing announcements from the Jump editorial department.

Togashi, who manages a chronic back condition that has repeatedly interrupted the series, offered a brief message with the announcement: “I’m receiving tons of motivation to keep pushing from my wife” — a reference to the support of Naoko Takeuchi (creator of Sailor Moon and Togashi’s partner), as reported in coverage of the return announcement.

Last Words

For Singapore fans, the setup is ideal: Manga Plus is free, fully accessible here, and delivers each chapter the moment it drops — no VPN, no subscription. Mark 28 June in your calendar.

The English-language tankobon of Volume 39 via Viz Media does not yet have a confirmed local release date, but with the manga back on a regular schedule, that announcement should follow. For now, Togashi is delivering — and after 18 months, that is more than enough.

For more manga and anime coverage, check out our Manga & Anime section.

Kagurabachi Anime Casts Tomokazu Seki, Coming April 2027

The wait for the Kagurabachi anime just got a whole lot harder. The production has officially cast the legendary Tomokazu Seki as Kunishige Rokuhira — master swordsmith and father of protagonist Chihiro — dropping a dedicated character trailer to mark the announcement.

KAGURABACHI | Official Teaser Trailer — via CyberAgent ANIME Global on YouTube

Why Tomokazu Seki as Kunishige Is Such a Big Deal

If you have watched anime for any stretch of time, you know Tomokazu Seki’s voice — Gilgamesh in the Fate franchise, Dino in Dr. Stone, Touya Mochizuki in In Another World with My Smartphone, and dozens of commanding roles across three decades of the medium. Landing him as Kunishige — a swordsmith of mythical skill who is also a deeply devoted father — is a casting choice that tells you exactly what register this show is aiming for.

Seki commented on the role in the official press release: “Kunishige Rokuhira is a legendary swordsmith, but at the same time, he is also a warmhearted father.” That duality — the fearsome craftsman and the gentle dad — is central to why Kagurabachi‘s opening chapters hit so hard.

Kunishige Rokuhira character visual from the Kagurabachi anime
Image courtesy of CyberAgent ANIME / Cypic

Chihiro’s Voice and the Full Creative Team

The lead — Chihiro Rokuhira, the son who sets out for revenge — is voiced by Taihi Kimura, who took home the Best New Actor prize at the 2025 Seiyu Awards. It is a strong debut for a role that will carry the entire series.

Direction is by Tetsuya Takeuchi, with character design by Keigo Sasaki, at studio Cypic (a CyberAgent group company). Shochiku and CyberAgent are co-chief production partners.

Chihiro Rokuhira character visual from the Kagurabachi anime
Image courtesy of CyberAgent ANIME / Cypic

The Manga Behind the Anime: 4 Million Copies in Two Years

Kagurabachi, written and illustrated by Takeru Hokazono, launched in Weekly Shonen Jump in September 2023 and immediately became one of the fastest-rising titles the magazine had seen in years. It has now surpassed four million copies sold (as of May 2026), won the Next Manga Award 2024 in the Print Category, and is available in English via VIZ Media. The premise: after witnessing his father’s murder at the hands of criminals seeking the family’s legendary enchanted swords, Chihiro dedicates himself to hunting down those responsible — blade in hand.

The World Tour and What It Means for Singapore Fans

Before the full series drops in April 2027, the first 20 minutes of Episode 1 will screen at four international anime conventions as part of the Kagurabachi Anime World Tour Part 1:

  • Anime Expo 2026 — Los Angeles, 3 July 2026, 4:45 PM PT
  • Japan Expo — Paris, 9 July 2026
  • AnimagiC — Mannheim, 1 August 2026
  • Anime NYC — New York, 22 August 2026

Singapore fans won’t need a plane ticket: the full series is confirmed for MUSE, the Southeast Asian streaming platform that already carries a broad catalogue of Shonen Jump anime, when it premieres in April 2027.

Last Words

Between Tomokazu Seki in a career-defining role, an award-winning VA pairing at the lead, and a production team clearly taking the manga’s legacy seriously, Kagurabachi is building into one of the most anticipated anime of next year for Singapore fans. If the manga is still sitting on your to-read list, consider this your reminder — Volume 1 is on shelves now via VIZ Media. Keep tabs on our manga and anime coverage as more details drop ahead of the April 2027 premiere.

Akane-banashi anime Season 2 confirmed for January 2027 key visual

Akane-banashi Season 2 Confirmed for January 2027

Japan’s hottest rakugo anime just wrapped its first season — and Aniplex wasted no time. Akane-banashi Season 2 has been officially confirmed for a January 2027 premiere on TV Asahi, with the announcement dropping at the end of the Season 1 finale that aired in Japan tonight.

Akane-banashi official key visual — Season 2 confirmed for January 2027
Image courtesy of Aniplex / TV Asahi

What Is Akane-banashi?

For anyone who missed Season 1: Akane-banashi is based on the Weekly Shonen Jump manga by Yūki Suenaga, brought to television as a TV Asahi/Aniplex production. The show follows Osaki Akane, a teenage girl with one driving ambition — to reach shinuchi, the highest rank in traditional Japanese rakugo comedy. Season 1 adapted 12 episodes covering the Karaku Cup Arc, concluding tonight with Episode 12, “Graduation.”

What sets it apart is the craft on display: full-length rakugo sequences are performed on screen, the staging feels theatrical in the best way, and the character work is sharp. Its opening theme, Hitotarashi, was composed and performed by Keisuke Kuwata — marking the legendary singer-songwriter’s first-ever anime theme in a career spanning since 1978.

The Apprentice Training Arc Begins

Season 2 adapts the Apprentice Training Arc (前座修業篇). Having graduated from high school and entered formal discipleship under master Arakawa Shiguma, Akane takes the professional stage name Akane Arakawa (阿良川あかね) and begins life as a zenseki — a first-rank apprentice. The arc covers her earliest steps in the professional rakugo world, where every performance, every interaction with senior performers, and every small bit of recognition or rejection carries real weight.

Season 2 will air on the TV Asahi nationwide network’s “IMAnimation” block and BS Asahi starting January 2027.

Akane-banashi Season 1 main visual — Season 2 coming January 2027
Image courtesy of Aniplex / TV Asahi Animation

Six Big-Name Voice Actors Join the Cast

Alongside the Season 2 announcement, six new cast members were revealed — all of whom made cameo appearances in tonight’s Season 1 finale. The new additions are a notably veteran lineup:

  • Hochu Otsuka as Miroku Kashiwaya
  • Ryotaro Okiayu as Shomei Tsubakiya
  • Hiroshi Naka as Enso Sanmeitei
  • Mutsumi Tamura as Urara Ransaika
  • Shin’ichiro Miki as Ryuun Kenputei
  • Tomokazu Seki as Chocho Konjakutei

Between them, these six voice actors cover several decades of iconic anime and game roles. Their presence suggests the Apprentice Training Arc introduces some of the most formidable — and most colourful — senior rakugo figures that Akane will have to navigate on her climb up the ranks.

Where to Watch in Singapore

Akane-banashi Season 1 is available on Crunchyroll with English subtitles, accessible to Singapore subscribers. Episodes have also been uploaded to the official Akane-banashi Global YouTube channel — making it one of the more accessible simulcasts of the year with free viewing on YouTube after broadcast. Season 2 is expected to follow the same distribution model in January 2027.

If you have not started yet, all 12 episodes of Season 1 are a solid weekend binge before S2 rolls around. Full details on the announcement via Anime News Network (confirmed June 20, 2026) and the official website.

Last Words

Rakugo anime doesn’t show up often on Singapore streaming calendars — this corner of Japanese culture rarely gets the full anime treatment at this level of production quality. The fact that Akane-banashi earned a Season 2 with a cast this stacked waiting in the wings, announced on the same night as the Season 1 finale, signals that Aniplex is treating this as a proper long-runner. January 2027 feels like a long wait, but the Apprentice Training Arc is where things really get interesting in the manga — and now the anime gets to bring it to life. Keep an eye on our anime coverage for updates as the premiere date draws closer.

Hunter x Hunter Volume 39: July 3, and 20 Chapters Already Waiting

The first new Hunter x Hunter volume in nearly two years is almost here: Volume 39 lands in Japan on 3 July 2026. But the bigger story is not the volume itself — it is how much further Yoshihiro Togashi has already pushed the story beyond it.

Volume 39: The Essentials

Shueisha has officially listed HUNTER×HUNTER Volume 39 for 3 July 2026, priced at ¥572 (approximately S$5.90 at current rates), with 208 pages. The volume collects chapters 401–410 — the stretch that briefly ran in Weekly Shonen Jump between October and December 2024, before Togashi once again stepped back from the weekly schedule due to his ongoing chronic back pain.

The previous volume, Volume 38, came out in Japan on 4 September 2024. That makes the gap between tankobon releases roughly 22 months — an uncomfortable but not unusual wait for one of manga’s most notoriously interrupted series. The English edition of Volume 38 (via Viz Media) landed in January 2026; Volume 39’s English date has not been announced.

Gon Freecss in Hunter x Hunter anime
Image courtesy of Yoshihiro Togashi / Shueisha

Succession Contest Arc — Where We Left Off

Volume 39 continues the Succession Contest arc, the sweeping multi-faction storyline centred on the thirteen princes of the Kakin Empire vying for the throne while Gon and Killua remain apart and the cast expands at a pace only Togashi would attempt. Chapters 401–410 advance the Nen-beast plotlines and the political maneuvering that has been building since Volume 34. If you left off after Volume 38, this picks up exactly where you stopped.

The Bigger News: Togashi Has 20 Chapters Waiting

Here is what makes this moment feel different from previous hiatuses. According to Shonen Jump News, the verified English-language tracker for Weekly Shonen Jump, Togashi has been posting chapter-progress updates on his social media — and the numbers are encouraging.

  • Chapters 411–420: Fully completed.
  • Chapter 421: Manuscript confirmed finished as of late May 2026.
  • Chapters 422–429: In the “latest stages of production” — effectively near-complete.
  • Chapter 430: Inking confirmed completed as of April 2026.

That is roughly twenty chapters — a full two volumes’ worth of story — that are either done or essentially done, sitting in reserve. Shueisha has not confirmed when regular serialisation will resume, but a buffer that large signals real momentum. Previous hiatuses often began with Togashi having little or no runway. Right now, he appears to be ahead of the curve.

English Edition: A Long Wait, but Import Options Exist

Viz Media typically releases English volumes 12–16 months after the Japanese edition. If that pattern holds, Volume 39 in English is a 2027 arrival at best. Singapore readers who want it sooner can order from Amazon Japan or Rakuten — both ship internationally, with standard delivery to Singapore taking around one to two weeks. Kinokuniya’s branches at Ngee Ann City and Bugis+ also regularly stock Japanese-language Jump manga, so it is worth checking their shelves in early-to-mid July.

Last Words

For Singapore’s manga community, Volume 39 is proof that Hunter x Hunter is alive and, by the looks of Togashi’s chapter buffer, in better shape than at any point since the series resumed in 2022. The July 3 release date is a milestone — but the chapter-progress updates are the real signal to watch. Keep an eye on our manga and anime coverage for any English-edition date announcement from Viz Media, and for the inevitable buzz when Shueisha finally sets a return-to-serialisation date.