'Hunter x Hunter' latest news, rumors: Replacing Yoshihiro Togashi to damage series? Artist's return expected

Promotional banner for the anime/manga series "Hunter x Hunter"Viz Media

Yoshihiro Togashi is still unable to resume his work on the "Hunter x Hunter" manga and anime, which is currently 360 chapters in, due to his back pain, but rumors have it that Viz Media and Shueisha have taken measures to rectify this.

Rumor has it that they are looking for new writers to take over. "Tokyo Ghoul" Sui Ishida and Togashi's wife and "Sailor Moon" writer Naoko Takeuchi are reportedly among the top choices.

However, these reports remain unfounded and unlikely. Such decision could stir up a serious backlash from fans of the "Hunter x Hunter" manga and anime.

Followers of Togashi's work know that this is not the first hiatus the "Hunter x Hunter" manga and anime have encountered. The artist's lingering back issues have held him up in the past as well.

However, Togashi still came back and Viz Media and Shueisha waited patiently for his return. This is expected to be what they will do in this latest hiatus.

Fans are also believed to stick around as they did in the previous lulls of the "Hunter x Hunter" projects. After all, they survived the hiatus that came before this one, the one that happened back in August 2014.

Togashi was supposed to take a break for a couple of weeks only but ended up being sidelined for almost two years, returning April of this year, only to take time out again (the one that is happening at the moment) after two months.

Taking Togashi out of the project he started writing almost a couple of decades back might result in disaster and boycott from fans.

Togashi is the creator of "Hunter x Hunter" and since the beginning, he is the guy that both writes and illustrates the manga and has a hand in the anime as well. A new team taking over could mean a drastic change in the work.

For now, fans will have to keep their eyes peeled for the return of Togashi and the manga. How long it will take is a mystery at the moment.