Time and Togashi Wait for None: Every Hunter × Hunter Arc, Ranked by Duration

In the world of manga, some stories take years to unfold. Hunter × Hunter takes that idea to another level! Yoshihiro Togashi‘s beloved manga has been running since 1998, but its story arcs have taken very different amounts of time to finish. Some were wrapped up in just a few months, while others stayed around for years.

Officially, there are seven story arcs in the Hunter x Hunter manga. And for this ranking, we are looking at how much real-world time each arc took from its first chapter to its final chapter. This also includes the long hiatuses, which make the later arcs especially interesting. With that said, here’s our list.

7 13th Hunter Chairman Election Arc – 5 Months

After the massive Chimera Ant conflict, Hunter × Hunter suddenly becomes much more focused. The 13th Hunter Chairman Election arc deals with the race to replace Netero, while Gon is still fighting for his life. At the same time, Killua desperately searches for a way to save his best friend.

The arc may be short, but Togashi uses those chapters very well. Ging finally steps into the story properly, Pariston shows why he is such a dangerous character, and Killua’s relationship with Alluka becomes extremely important. Chapters 319 to 339 tell the whole story in just around five months. That makes it the shortest arc on this list by real-world duration.

6 Heaven’s Arena Arc – 7 Months

Gon and Killua leave the Hunter Exam behind and head to Heaven’s Arena. What looks like a simple fighting tournament soon becomes something much more important. This is where the boys properly learn about Nen.

The arc is only 20 chapters long, but its impact on the series is huge. Wing teaches Gon and Killua the basics of Nen, while Gon finally gets another chance to fight Hisoka. Chapters 44 to 63 took around seven months to complete. It lasted longer than the Election arc, but not by much.

5 Hunter Exam Arc – 1 Year

Every great journey has to start somewhere, and for Gon, it starts with the Hunter Exam. He leaves Whale Island to find his father, Ging, and soon meets Kurapika, Leorio, and Killua.

The exam itself is far more dangerous than Gon expected. From the long underground test to Hisoka’s deadly games, every stage pushes the characters in a different way. Chapters 1 to 43 took about one year to publish. It may not have the huge chapter count of the later arcs, but it laid the foundation for everything that came after it.

4 Yorknew City Arc – 1 Year 6 Months

Yorknew City changed the mood of Hunter × Hunter. The story became darker, and Kurapika’s hunt for the Phantom Troupe took center stage.

This arc also gave fans some of the series’ most memorable characters and fights. Kurapika’s battle with Uvogin showed just how far he was willing to go for revenge, while Chrollo became one of the manga’s most fascinating villains. Chapters 64 to 119 took around one year and six months to publish. That puts Yorknew above the Hunter Exam, but it is still nowhere near the massive arcs that came later.

3 Greed Island Arc – 2 Years

Gon and Killua’s next big adventure takes them inside a mysterious Nen-based game. Greed Island is very different from Yorknew City, but that change is exactly what makes the arc so fun.

Biscuit becomes an important mentor for the boys, while Gon’s battle with Genthru gives him one of his biggest tests yet. The arc runs from Chapter 120 to Chapter 185, covering 66 chapters. It took around two years to publish, making it the third-longest arc on our list by real-world duration.

2 Chimera Ant Arc – 8 Years 4 Months

This is where the numbers start getting crazy. The Chimera Ant arc took roughly eight years and four months to reach its conclusion. The arc begins with what looks like a dangerous new threat. Meruem and the Royal Guards become central figures, while Gon, Killua, and Netero are pushed to their limits.

The story eventually reaches the unforgettable battle between Netero and Meruem, followed by Gon’s devastating transformation. Chapters 186 to 318 make up 133 chapters, making Chimera Ant the longest completed arc in the manga. Its eight-year run was already enormous. Then Togashi started an arc that would make it look short.

1 Succession Contest Arc – 14 Years And Counting

The Succession Contest arc has been running for so long that it almost feels like a story of its own. It began with Chapter 340 in March 2012, and the manga has now reached Chapter 419, published on August 30, 2026. That means the arc has been unfolding for roughly 14 years and five months, and it is still not finished. The story has also become incredibly complicated.

Of course, Togashi has not been working on the arc continuously for 14 years. Hunter × Hunter has had several long hiatuses during this period. But when we look at the actual time between the arc’s beginning and its latest chapter, the number is still remarkable. That is why the Succession Contest easily takes the No. 1 spot.

So, now the big question: how many more years do you think it will take before the Succession Contest arc finally reaches its end? Share your thoughts in the comments section below.

Hunter × Hunter anime is currently available to watch on Crunchyroll.