Hunter x Hunter Editor Reveals Togashi Plans Stories by Drawing
The interview offers a rare look at how Togashi's working style differs from other Jump editors' expectations, explaining his unpredictable storytelling.
Reporting from 1 source: KAI-YOU.
Kosuke Yahagi, first editor for both Hunter x Hunter and Naruto, discussed the manga's production in a YouTube interview. He said Yoshihiro Togashi often withheld story details during meetings, replying 'after I draw it.' Yahagi also recalled that Naruto's Chunin Exam arc was conceived after the Wave arc ended, with no next arc planned.
Kosuke Yahagi, who edited Hunter x Hunter from its launch and Naruto from its start until 2008, appeared on the YouTube channel Mugen, which introduces Japanese pop culture to Arabic-speaking viewers. He described how Togashi would consider multiple story routes but rarely reveal them in meetings, often answering 'after I draw it' when asked about upcoming developments.
Yahagi said he read Togashi's storyboards without knowing what came next, which let him enjoy the manga like a reader. He contrasted this with Naruto creator Masashi Kishimoto, who planned story details and character growth in advance. Yahagi also recalled that the Chunin Exam arc came about because no next arc was set after the Wave arc finished, leading to a suggestion to try an exam format.
Synthesized by Yomimono from the 1 cited source below, including Japanese-language reporting where cited, then editorially reviewed before publishing.