Fans of the classic series Hunter x Hunter have noticed that, during the most recent arc of the manga, the amount of dialogue has increased dramatically, leading to concerns that this was due to author Yoshihiro Togashi‘s poor health. However, in a recent interview, Togashi disproved this idea, saying that the reason why he has increased the amount of dialogue in the series has nothing to do with his capacity to draw.
Recently, Hunter x Hunter fans were shocked by Togashi’s early reveal of a discarded ending for his manga, just in case his health doesn’t allow him to finish the series. Not only was it yet another reminder to fans of how Togashi’s health has impacted the series, but it also further supported a fan theory that the story’s recent focus on the dialog between characters rather than the art is the result of Togashi’s attempt to improve his health by avoiding the strain of drawing too much. However, in the same interview Togashi pointed out that this is not the case.
During the Japanese Iwakura and Yoshizumi’s Show podcast. Yumiko Seki, a former member of the Japanese pop group Sakurazaka46, read the answers that Togashi provided to some of her questions, which were then translated for the Hunterpedia fan page and re-posted on X by Togashi Troupe. Concerning the increased amount of text in the latest volumes, Togashi went on to explain five different reasons for that, and none of them has to do with his health.
Hunter X Hunter Creator Sets The Record Straight
Togashi’s reason for increasing text in Hunter x Hunter mainly has to do with allowing the fans to enjoy the story more meaningfully. According to the interview, in the current Succession Contest arc, there is so much information that fans need to know to understand what was going on in the story, that he was forced to increase the amount of text to get his points across efficiently and effectively. Some of the information Togashi pointed out as needing a more detailed textual rendition included “the new introduction of several new Nen abilities, the details of the Succession Contest”, as well as specifics and backgrounds of particular characters.
This type of information is not easily passed on to readers through an image. Togashi clearly prefers the written word to help fans get the most out of the story. Also, he mentions in the interview that, while the cast was already big enough, he “increased the number of characters beyond his processing capacity”, making wordy explanations even more needed. Something really interesting that he mentions is that, for this arc, he wanted to experiment with giving even “background characters” more interesting and developed, exploring their motivations. A brave storytelling decision, which required a lot more dialogues and internal monologs in the story.
For Hunter X Hunter’s Creator “Words Rule”
Togashi goes on in the interview to explain how important writing is for him in telling the story. For instance, he talks about how a key part of character development is their”personalities and circumstances. Much of the development in these two areas arises from the monologs and dialogues that occur in the story. Togashi even goes on to say that the amount of words that do not make it to the storyboard is ten times greater than what readers see, adding that, for him, “words rule”.
From that explanation, fans should consider Hunter X Hunter‘s text increase as a positive reflection of Togashi‘s health situation, as he is still able to freely experiment with his work and try different approaches, truly exerting the creativity that made him such a popular author.
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Sources: Hunterpedia, Togashi’s Troupe
