Anime & Manga Weekly — 2026-04-17

Top Stories

Hunter x Hunter's Long-Awaited Return Is Finally Here

• What happened: Creator Yoshihiro Togashi has completed the next batch of chapters and publicly confirmed that Hunter x Hunter's return is imminent. Togashi credited the encouragement of his wife — Sailor Moon creator Naoko Takeuchi — as a key factor in his recovery and progress. While an exact release date for Chapter 411 has not been announced, Togashi stated fans "won't have to wait long."
• Why it matters: Hunter x Hunter has been on hiatus for 16 months, and Togashi's history of health-related hiatuses has made every update a major event for the series' passionate fanbase. This is one of the most-followed manga in the world, and its return has been eagerly anticipated by millions.
• Details: Togashi posted an update (circa mid-April 2026) confirming the next chapters are ready; the series runs in Weekly Shonen Jump (Shueisha). No studio or anime production update was mentioned in conjunction with this announcement.

Spring 2026 Anime Season in Full Swing With 50+ New Series

• What happened: The Spring 2026 anime season has officially kicked off, with Crunchyroll, HIDIVE, Netflix, Prime Video, and Hulu/Disney+ all streaming new and ongoing titles. As of April 13, over fifty new anime series have launched for the season, alongside several ongoing projects continuing from prior seasons.
• Why it matters: It's one of the most stacked seasonal lineups in recent memory, with fan-favorite returnees, highly anticipated adaptations, and brand-new originals all competing for viewer attention. The industry has continued evolving post-Funimation, with simulcasts now spread across multiple major platforms.
• Details: Confirmed Spring 2026 Crunchyroll titles include Witch Hat Atelier, Daemons of the Shadow Realm, One Piece – Elbaph Arc, Dorohedoro Season 2, Dr. Stone Science Future Part 3, and more. Earlier launches this season included The Food Diary of Miss Maid and Agents of the Four Seasons.

Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation Confirmed for Netflix in Multiple Regions — April 25

• What happened: Netflix has confirmed that Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation will begin streaming across multiple international territories on April 25, 2026, with several regions already verified as part of the rollout.
• Why it matters: Mushoku Tensei is one of the most beloved isekai anime series of the modern era, and its arrival on Netflix significantly expands access for fans in regions where Crunchyroll availability has historically been limited. It also signals Netflix's continued investment in anime catalog depth.
• Details: Multiple international countries confirmed; exact region list is still being expanded. No new production announcements (Season 3, etc.) were made alongside the streaming confirmation.

New Anime Announcements

• Upcoming May 2026 Releases — Multiple studios, May 2026. A slate of new and continuing anime series launches in May, including Love Live!, We Are Aliens, Grotesque, and Witch Hat Atelier episodes; fans have a packed calendar heading into next month.

• Black Channel Manga — Moving to digital weekly serialization; the manga by Satoshi Kisaichi switches from Monthly Coro Coro Comics to Weekly Coro Coro Comic Online Magazine starting with the May 17 chapter — setting up potential for an eventual anime adaptation as the series gains momentum on a faster release cadence.

• The Summer Hikaru Died Season 2 — Netflix, Spring 2026. The slice-of-life horror anime based on the beloved manga by Mokumokuren has returned for a second season on Netflix, reigniting fan interest in catching up with the source material.

Manga Highlights

• Hunter x Hunter — Yoshihiro Togashi confirmed the manga is returning after a 16-month hiatus; the next batch of chapters is reportedly completed, with a release date described as imminent. Togashi attributed progress partly to the support of his wife, Naoko Takeuchi (Sailor Moon).

• Black Channel — Satoshi Kisaichi's manga announced a platform switch from Monthly Coro Coro Comics to Weekly Coro Coro Comic Online Magazine, effective with the new chapter dropping May 17. The move to a weekly digital format suggests growing momentum for the series.

• The Summer Hikaru Died — With the anime's Season 2 now airing on Netflix, the Popverse updated its manga release schedule guide, noting fans are rushing to catch up with Mokumokuren's ongoing chapters after the new season premiere rekindled widespread interest.

Streaming & Release Calendar

Community Buzz

• Hunter x Hunter Return Euphoria: Reddit's r/anime and manga communities erupted this week following Togashi's confirmation. Fans who've waited through the 16-month silence are expressing disbelief and excitement, with threads rapidly filling with memes referencing the legendary hiatus streak. The phrase "Togashi actually did it" has been trending in anime spaces online.

• Spring 2026 Schedule Discourse: A popular Reddit thread on r/anime titled "Spring 2026 Release Schedule" is generating heated discussion about which shows deserve attention in an unusually packed season. Fans are debating prioritization — with Witch Hat Atelier and Dorohedoro Season 2 drawing especially passionate responses. One commenter joked about "stress-eating gyoza since 2020" waiting for certain shows to drop.

• 2026 as a Historic Year for Anime: An r/anime thread titled "2026 truly will be one of the best years for anime as a whole" (posted in late December 2025) continues to circulate as new Spring 2026 episodes validate the hype. Fans are pointing to the sheer breadth of high-quality releases — from long-awaited sequels to fresh adaptations — as evidence that the medium is in a golden era. Several commenters lamented that there's simply too much great anime to keep up with.

What to Watch This Week

1. Witch Hat Atelier — Widely called the best new anime of Spring 2026 after its double-episode debut, this long-awaited adaptation of Kamome Shirahama's critically acclaimed manga is a must-watch. Its stunning visuals and heartfelt story of a girl discovering magic in a world where it's forbidden have fans calling it the "anime of the year" already. (Crunchyroll)

2. The Summer Hikaru Died Season 2 — If you haven't started this unsettling yet deeply emotional horror series, the new season's Netflix arrival is the perfect on-ramp. Catch up with the manga first for maximum impact. (Netflix)

3. One Piece – Elbaph Arc — One of the most anticipated story arcs in the long-running series is now airing. Even lapsed fans are jumping back in. (Crunchyroll)

4. Dorohedoro Season 2 — The cult-favorite dark fantasy returns after years of waiting. Season 1 remains one of the most visually distinctive anime ever produced. Don't sleep on it. (Crunchyroll)

5. Hunter x Hunter (manga) — While you wait for new chapters, now is the perfect time to start (or re-read) the manga from the beginning. With Togashi's return imminent, the fandom is as energized as ever. (Viz Media / Shonen Jump app)

Industry Insider

• Black Channel Switches to Weekly Digital Format: Shogakukan revealed in the May issue of Monthly Coro Coro Comics (released April 16) that Satoshi Kisaichi's manga Black Channel is moving to the Weekly Coro Coro Comic Online digital magazine starting May 17. The switch from a monthly print schedule to a weekly digital one is notable, as it reflects broader industry trends of serialization moving online to reach younger readers faster — and could indicate growing publisher confidence in the title's commercial potential.

• Post-Funimation Streaming Landscape Matures: The Fandom Post's April 13 streaming calendar recap highlighted how the North American anime streaming ecosystem has stabilized following Funimation's dissolution, with Crunchyroll, HIDIVE, Netflix, Prime Video, and Hulu/Disney+ each now holding distinct positions in the simulcast market. Spring 2026's 50+ series launch is a practical test of whether multiple competing platforms can sustain fan interest without a single dominant distributor — and so far, the answer appears to be yes.