A mangaka’s job is never an easy one and Yoshihiro Togashi is front and center of it. After taking a long break from drawing due to his declining health, he is now back in action, working with all his might to give fans some of the most anticipated Hunter x Hunter chapters. Through X he has been sharing bits and pieces of his progress, exciting fans with every cropped photo of the pages.
Ever since he became a mangaka, he has gained a fan following that is both dedicated and respectful to him. Togashi may go on long breaks but with the understanding that when he returns, his fans will be eagerly waiting for him. In fact, there would be an even bigger chance for them to have grown than decreased.
Yoshihiro Togashi’s Time of Peace
During an interview with the Iwakura and Yoshizumi’s Show, Yoshihiro Togashi talked about his journey and rise to fame and the balance that is required in its making. There has never been a morsel of doubt about the amount of time and effort it takes for mangakas to perfect their drafts. Their health has always been a constant concern in the industry. During his 30s, Togashi was met with another challenge.
When my serialization and breastfeeding times overlapped, my wife would freeze the milk in advance, and I would feed the baby while she slept. Since I was still in my 30s, I was able to get through it with all-nighters and naps. The time l spent feeding the baby was so peaceful, and I enjoyed holding them so much that I could naturally tell what they were asking for by their different cries.
There was a time in his career when his wife had just given birth and the both of them were switching in shifts while taking care of the baby. Since he was still relatively young, he had enough energy to last on little to no sleep and still manage both the baby and his serialization.
His wife would freeze her milk well before it was needed so that she could get the rest she needed while Togashi fed the baby during his time of work.
Yoshihiro Togashi’s Priorities
Yoshihiro Togashi found his time alone with his baby as one filled with peace and tranquility. He was able to build a connection with his child because of the time they were able to spend with each other. It never felt like he was taking away time from his work to be with the baby. It felt natural to him. However, problems tend to arise when least expected.
On the other hand, I struggled with the dilemma of having a weekly serialization and the physical constraints that came along with it. Since the arc was based on that experience, I definitely wanted to have “Panda Maid” when I was in work mode at the time.
Health concerns became a big issue for the author. He had to learn to divide his time between working on his serialization and taking care of himself in the process. He divided his arcs, working on those that required more of his attention when he was feeling well.
On the other hand, he chose to work on others when he wasn’t at his best. The fans’ demands have always been never ending. So to cater to them while also maintaining his own health became a task.
