After 12 Years, Hunter x Hunter Is Officially Replacing Its Main Character

Hunter x Hunter recently departed from Shueisha's Weekly Shonen Jump in September 2026 after the release of the final chapter of its most recent batch, that is, HxH Chapter 420. Despite its short-lived return, Hunter x Hunter’s releases progressed the plot greatly as Togashi put a lot of focus on some of the Kakin Princes.

However, the most standout part of the last batch came in chapter 414, where we actually saw the return of Hunter x Hunter’s main character Gon, after 12 years of absence. This reveal was a monumental moment, and it sets up Gon's return to the role of main character as a temporary replacement for Kurapika when the story pans out from the Black Whale.

Hunter x Hunter Replaced Gon With Kurapika In The Succession Contest Arc 12 Years Ago

Hunter x Hunter is a legendary shonen story by mangaka Yoshihiro Togashi. The series made its debut in 1998 in Shueisha's Weekly Shonen Jump, and back then, it kicked off with a total of four main characters: Gon, Killua, Kurapika, and Leorio. While these characters were all important, it was quite obvious from the very start that Gon was the protagonist. He is the first main character we're introduced to, and up until the 13th Chairman Election Arc, he is the main focus. That, however, went on to change.

In the Chimera Ant arc, Gon sustained heavy injuries, putting him out of commission. Even after being healed by Nanika, Gon still departed from the story after he met his father. He decided to return to Whale Island, and with him away and Killua journeying around with his sister Alluka, a new central protagonist took over in the form of Kurapika.

Kurapika's role had previously diminished after the York New Arc of the series, but in the Succession Contest Arc, he became the main highlight. In other words, since around 2011, Kurapika has been the main character of Hunter x Hunter. This was definitely a big change for the fans, as most of us had grown to love Gon and Killua the most. But Kurapika has been just as sensational and gripping as the main lead. For the foreseeable future, Kurapika will remain the primary main character, but soon we expect a switch to our former protagonist, Gon.

Gon Is Returning As The Main Character After New Protector Role Announcement By Togashi

It is no secret that Gon hasn’t appeared in the Hunter x Hunter manga for years now, with his last proper appearance coming in 2014. His lack of involvement predates even his departure from the manga, as in the 13th Chairman Election arc, he was in a near-death state. With the recent developments of the story, however, this could all be changing very soon. For the first time in 12 years, Togashi gave us a glimpse of Gon recently, allowing him to make a swift return in the Hunter x Hunter manga.

This return was seen in Hunter x Hunter chapter 414, released on July 20, 2026, in Weekly Shonen Jump Issue #34. Gon was seen in a panel, back on Whale Island. We also saw Killua with Alluka exploring the world. This brief return, however, wasn't done as simple fan service for fans who greatly missed these two. Gon being mentioned again in the story is extremely relevant, as revealed directly by Kurapika.

It was recently confirmed in Hunter x Hunter Chapter 414 that the prince currently under Kurapika's protection is actually fake. The real Prince Wobble is actually still on the mainland with Queen Oito’s sister. However, the prince’s life could very soon be in danger. Faking the prince’s identity on the ship by itself is a great crime, and we'll soon see her life being targeted because of her royal lineage, impacting the Succession Contest directly. That is precisely why Togashi reintroduced Gon and Killua. With Kurapika and Leorio on board the Black Whale, Gon and Killua serve as the two main characters currently outside the Black Whale, and they are the only people whom Kurapika can truly trust to handle the protection of Wobble.

In other words, Gon could be returning in the next batch of Hunter x Hunter chapters as the story pans out of the Black Whale. We will soon see Gon reunite with Killua and face a multitude of challenges to keep the Prince safe. It's going to be interesting to see how Togashi tackles Gon's return. After all, he is still without Nen after losing it to unlock his Adult Gon form in the Chimera Ant arc.

Test your knowledge.

Easy · 15s Medium · 10s Hard · 5s Permadeath · 5s

Sign in to claim your place on the leaderboard!

Leaderboard No scores yet. Be the first. 1/10

Question text goes here?

Results

0 Points

—

Sign in to claim your place on the leaderboard!

Leaderboard No scores yet. Be the first.

Gon Will Not Be The Primary Protagonist In The Succession Contest Arc

The possibility of a short Gon return as the main protagonist is something that fans are greatly looking forward to. It's been a long time since we last saw Gon in action, and that was back during the Chimera Ant arc of the series, where he fought against Neferpitou of the Royal Guard. After over a decade, his return is now on the cards. But it must be kept in mind that any return is only going to be temporary, as the main story of the Succession Contest arc is still ongoing on the Black Whale. The position of King has yet to be settled, and the ship heading to the Dark Continent also excludes our main character Gon.

For now, it is unclear when Gon will be able to return as the permanent lead, but we're sure that eventually, Togashi will bring him back, either still powerless or with his Nen somehow restored. The existence of Nanika sets up the possibility of the teleportation of Gon and Killua straight back to the Dark Continent to meet back up with Kurapika and Leorio, especially since Nanika itself is from there.

We also know that Gon will play an important role in the story moving forward because of the ending revealed by Togashi, which almost entirely focuses on him and not on the current protagonist, Kurapika. In other words, even though Kurapika has been the main lead for over a decade now, Gon is still the true protagonist of Hunter x Hunter, and eventually, he will be back to reclaim his position. For now, we await the next batch of chapters to see if Gon really makes his comeback or not. Sadly, the next batch doesn’t have a release date yet, but as of today, Togashi has wrapped up writing 430 chapters of the story.

Hunter x Hunter is currently on hiatus with no confirmed return date. Currently, Hunter x Hunter has 420 chapters out, all available to read on Manga Plus and Viz Media.

Hunter x Hunter TV-14 Animation Action & Adventure Comedy Fantasy Science-Fiction Release Date 2011 - 2014-00-00 Directors Hiroshi Kôjina Writers Atsushi Maekawa, Tsutomu Kamishiro Studio Madhouse Creator Yoshihiro Togashi Streaming Service(s) Netflix, Crunchyroll, Hulu