Hunter x Hunter Volume 39 arrives July 3, marking the manga's first new compiled volume in 22 months as Yoshihiro Togashi continues work on new chapters beyond the hiatus.
Yoshihiro Togashi's Hunter x Hunter will release Volume 39 on July 3, compiling chapters 401 through 410. The volume marks the manga's first new tankoubon in 22 months, following Volume 38's release in September 2024.
Hunter x Hunter originally began serialization in Shueisha's Weekly Shonen Jump in March 1998 and has become one of the magazine's most celebrated and most interrupted titles. The manga returned from a roughly four-year hiatus in October 2022 with Chapter 391, but Shueisha soon moved the series away from its traditional weekly publication schedule. By December 2022, the manga had shifted to an irregular release cadence, reflecting the realities of Togashi's well-documented health struggles.
The chapters collected in Volume 39 ran in Weekly Shonen Jump from issue 45 of 2024 through issue 2 of 2025. Chapter 401 first appeared on October 7, 2024, kicking off a concentrated burst of serialization that continued until the manga entered its latest hiatus on December 8, 2024.
Togashi underwent surgery in December 2024, shortly after the serialization pause began. Since then, the mangaka has provided periodic progress updates via his account on X (formerly Twitter), offering fans rare glimpses into the creative process behind one of shonen manga's most meticulous narratives.
The updates have been encouraging. As of May 26, 2026, Togashi confirmed he had completed the manuscript for Chapter 421, indicating significant progress beyond the chapters collected in Volume 39. He has also noted completing storyboard layouts for additional chapters beyond that point. While no official return date for serialization has been announced, Shueisha has stated it will reveal details about the manga's return and serialization method once concrete information becomes available.
The ten chapters in Volume 39 continue the Succession Contest arc aboard the Black Whale, the sprawling storyline that has defined Hunter x Hunter's post-hiatus era. The arc weaves together political intrigue among the Kakin Empire's fourteen princes, Kurapika's mission to recover the Scarlet Eyes, and the looming threat of the Phantom Troupe all unfolding on a voyage to the Dark Continent.
Togashi's characteristic density is on full display in these chapters, with layered dialogue and complex strategic maneuvering that reward careful reading. The Succession Contest has drawn comparisons to the Chimera Ant arc for its ambitious scope and willingness to let tension build across dozens of chapters.
Hunter x Hunter's publication history is unlike almost anything else in manga. Since 1998, the series has accumulated extended hiatuses totaling years, yet each return has been met with enormous enthusiasm from readers. The franchise has also remained active beyond the page a third stage play adaptation ran in 2025, and multiple video game projects have kept the IP visible during serialization gaps.
With Togashi actively producing new chapter manuscripts well ahead of Volume 39's collected material, the gap between completed work and published volumes suggests Shueisha may be building a buffer before resuming serialization. This approach would align with the publisher's stated move away from the weekly grind that has historically exacerbated Togashi's health issues.
Volume 39 releases in Japan on July 3. No international release date has been announced, though previous volumes have typically followed within a few months through Viz Media's English-language editions.
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