Now that Chapter 420 has landed, Hunter x Hunter is once again slipping back into the shadows after a frantic, ten-chapter run that kicked off in June. If you’re staring at your screen in disbelief because MANGA Plus has gone quiet and the Black Whale’s brutal succession war has cut to black right as the tension peaked, you are not alone.
The sting of another indefinite hiatus never really dulls, but the silver lining is that the current fantasy and battle manga scene has never been more vibrant. Here are five series that match the high-stakes tactical brilliance, dark moral turns, and dense worldbuilding to help carry you through the latest wait.
1. Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End
If what you love about Hunter x Hunter is the way it makes you think rather than just feel, Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End is the closest thing to that experience in a completely different register.
The demon king has already been defeated. The story picks up with Frieren, an elf mage who helped defeat him and is now living through the aftermath of everything her party built together, mostly by watching the humans she adventured with grow old and die while she stays the same.
It is a fantasy manga that is fundamentally about time and memory and what it means to have known someone, wrapped around a genuinely interesting magic system and some of the most beautiful artwork being published right now.
The series follows Frieren as she travels to fulfill her fallen comrades’ last wishes and learn what life means to the people around her. 137 chapters in and it has not missed once.
2. Berserk
If the Chimera Ant arc is your favorite part of Hunter x Hunter because of how dark and morally complicated it got, Berserk is the manga that has been doing that since 1989 and doing it better than almost anything that came after.
Guts is one of the most compelling protagonists in the medium and the world Kentaro Miura built around him is dense and brutal and occasionally devastating in a way that earns every page.
The journey of Guts is brutal, emotional, and unforgettable, and every page showcases extraordinary artwork that continues to inspire artists and writers across the world. The hiatus situation with Berserk is unfortunately permanent given Miura’s passing in 2021, but what exists is already a landmark and Studio Gaga has been continuing it with his blessing. Get into it.
3. Delicious in Dungeon
Delicious in Dungeon sounds like a comedy premise and it is, but it is also one of the most carefully constructed fantasy worlds in manga and the character work underneath the food jokes is genuinely exceptional. A party descends into a dungeon to rescue their party member who was eaten by a dragon, and they survive by cooking and eating the monsters they defeat along the way.
What starts as a gimmick becomes a deeply thoughtful exploration of ecology, culture, survival and what it means to share a meal with people you trust. The manga has a lot more surprises in store beyond the anime. The manga completed in 2023 and it sticks the landing. 97 chapters, fully readable, no waiting required.
4. Witch Hat Atelier
Witch Hat Atelier is for the Hunter x Hunter reader who responds most to the world-building and the political complexity underneath the surface adventure. The magic system is built on drawing runes with special ink on magic paper, meaning anyone can do it, and the entire witch establishment has spent generations suppressing that secret to maintain a monopoly on power.
It is a story about knowledge, access, and who gets to decide who is allowed to learn things, wrapped in some of the most beautiful artwork in manga. The manga shows a realistic world where magic is regulated due to how easily it can be twisted to cause harm, with a charming group of characters.
Kamome Shirahama is one of the best illustrators working and every chapter looks like it was drawn for a fairy tale.
5. JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: Steel Ball Run
If you want something with the same DNA as Hunter x Hunter in terms of elaborate strategy battles, layered power systems, and a protagonist dynamic that carries genuine emotional weight, Steel Ball Run is the answer. Set during a cross-continental horse race across 19th century America, it follows Johnny Joestar and Gyro Zeppeli as the race reveals itself to be something far more sinister underneath.
The Stand battles in this arc are the most tactically complex in the entire JoJo franchise and the relationship between Johnny and Gyro is one of the best in shonen. Steel Ball Run has long been treated by fans as one of the strongest arcs in the entire JoJo franchise. The English print release is ongoing in 2026 which means now is the perfect time to start.
Bonus: That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime
If you want something a little more relaxed but still packed with fantasy world-building, clever power systems, and a protagonist who steadily becomes absurdly powerful, That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime is worth trying. You can read this manga from here.
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