One of the most frustrating things for manga readers is when a beloved series goes on hiatus. Even more frustrating is when this break stretches into weeks, months, and even years. Unfortunately, it's not uncommon for manga to go on hiatus. Many series do at some point, for different reasons.
Sometimes a mangaka pauses work on a series due to health problems, while others simply switch their attention over to different projects. After a manga has been on hiatus for a certain length of time, most consider it to be a lost cause. In some sad cases, the mangaka's death interrupts a manga's progress and the series remains forever incomplete.
There are plenty of reasons why mangaka wind up moving on from a given story. Though some creators pass, other creators simply decide the story they're working on isn't worth it. When that happens, the fans can only try to let the series go.
15 Ad Astra Per Aspera
Story And Art By Kenjirou Hata, 1 Volume
Published in the popular magazine Shonen Sunday, Ad Astra Per Aspera follows a young boy in a distant future where humanity has been conquered by aliens. With everyone living peaceful lives, there's no reason for anyone to ever strive to do anything. That all changes for Shinobu when one day he finds a mysterious robot belonging to the alien empire. Attempting to return it, he learns that even being inside it is a capital offense and has to find a way to survive.
This comedy sci-fi manga from Kenjirou Hata felt like it had a ton of potential when it launched. However, the manga went on hiatus after only seven chapters. Though Hata said he wanted to return to it after finishing Hayate the Combat Butler, he instead moved on to work on the romance manga Tonikaku Kawaii.
14 X/1999
Story and Art By CLAMP, 18 Volumes
CLAMP was one of the biggest creative forces working in anime and manga during the 1990s. After experiencing some success with their earlier works, the group decided to tell a longer, story-focused manga. X/1999's lead protagonist is Kamui Shiro, a young man destined to decide the future of humanity in a battle between superpowered individuals known as the Dragons of Heaven and the Dragons of Earth.
Despite being another smash hit for CLAMP, X/1999 was put on hiatus in 2003. According to the creators, X/1999 became difficult to continue working on thanks to a number of incidents affecting Japan at the time, ranging from natural disasters to serial killers. Despite having an ending planned for it, the creators never got back to finishing it and have done several other projects since then.
13 Magical Record Lyrical Nanoha FORCE
Story By Masaki Tsuzuki, Art By Yugari Higa, 6 Volumes
Six years after the events of Nanoha StrikerS, Nanoha and her allies are asked to investigate a mystery known as the Eclipse Virus. The virus has the potential to give incredible abilities to normal people, at the cost of making them more violent. Nanoha's investigation brings her into conflict with Thoma Avenir and his partner Lily, and the strange powers Thoma has obtained from the magical Book of the Silver Cross.
Divisive amongst the passionate Nanoha fanbase, Nanoha FORCE went on hiatus in 2013. Since then, there's been no sign that the series is coming back, and even the magazine it was running in ceased publication. Nanoha creator Masaki Tsuzuki has since moved on to other projects, like Vivid Strike! and Extreme Hearts.
12 Magic Kaito
By Gosho Aoyama, 5 Volumes
Kaito Kuroba is a high school student who lost his dad when he was a kid. Years later, he learns the truth: his dad was secretly the gentleman thief known as the Kaito Kid. His father was targeted by a secret organization that realized they were both looking for a special gem. After learning that the gem has the power to grant immortality, Kaito Kuroba takes on his dad's role as Kaito Kid to steal the gem before the organization can get it for themselves.
Of course, Gosho Aoyama is best known for his work on the long-running Detective Conan manga. A year after launching Magic Kaito, Gosho put the manga on hiatus. In the 30+ years since then, Gosho has done three chapters, with the last one being released in 2017. It's unlikely he'll return to it again without finishing the much more popular Conan series first.
11 Freezing
Story by Lim Dall-young & Art by Kim Kwang-Hyun, 33 Volumes
When a group of aliens known as the Nova begin attacking Earth, the only chance humanity has of fighting back is with a group of specially trained women known as the Pandora. These women tend to go into battle alongside male partners known as Limiters. At West Genetics Academy, both Pandora and Limiters are trained to be effective weapons to fight against the Nova. A young Limiter named Kazuya Aoi runs into the dangerous Pandora Satellizer el Bridget, also known as the Untouchable Queen. Despite Satellizer being difficult to connect with, Kazuya resolves to become her Limiter.
Freezing was an exceptionally popular manga series that ran from 2007 to 2018. It went on hiatus with no real reason given. Though spin-offs set in the Freezing universe exist, both creators have moved on to other projects.
10 Shindere Shoujo to Kodoku na Shinigami
Story by Masaki Himura & Art by Yoshie Katou, 3 Volumes, 20 Chapters
Shindere Shoujo to Kodoku na Shinigami (also known as Lovestruck Dead Girl and Forlorn Death God) follows the story of Akira, a middle schooler whose peaceful life is interrupted one day when a new student transfers to her class. Matushiro Nishigami calls himself a shinigami and warns that anyone who gets too close to him dies.
After only 20 chapters were published, the manga went on hiatus in 2013 due to author Shinkiba Yuki's declining health. Unfortunately, Shindere Shoujo to Kodoku na Shinigami never returned, as Shinkiba passed away in 2015.
9 Ikoku Meiro no Croisée
Story & Art by Hinata Takeda, 2 Volumes, 18 Chapters
The historical seinen series Ikoku Meiro no Croisée (Crossroads of the Foreign Labyrinth) ran from 2006 to 2011 until it was put on hiatus due to the mangaka's declining health. Hinata Takeda sadly passed away in 2017, leading to the manga's cancelation.
Ikoku Meiro no Croisée's story takes place in the 19th century and follows a young Japanese girl who accompanies a French traveler on his trip back home to France. The girl, Yune, helps out at the traveler's ironwork shop in Paris, learning about French culture and sharing her own with her newly made friends.
8 Itazura Na Kiss
100-chapters">Story & Art by Kaoru Tada, 23 Volumes, 100 Chapters
Itazura na Kiss is a romantic comedy shoujo manga that details the love story between Kotoko and Naoki. Fate brings these two high schoolers together when Kotoko's house is destroyed in an earthquake and she and her father move into Naoki's home.
The manga was first published in 1991 and quickly became one of the most popular series in Japan. Much to the shock of fans everywhere, mangaka Kaoru Tada died unexpectedly in an accident in 1999. Itazura na Kiss remains incomplete, but it has inspired many adaptations, including TV dramas, films, and an anime series.
7 Phoenix
Story & Art by Osamu Tezuka, 16 Volumes, 19 Chapters
Osamu Tezuka, considered by many to be the "Father of Manga," was no stranger to putting different works on hiatus. He wrote over 700 volumes throughout his long career. He began Phoenix in the 1950s and continued working on it until his death in 1989, leaving the manga series unfinished.
Phoenix is about humankind's quest for immortality. Dealing with themes of death and reincarnation, the series follows numerous characters as they live and are reincarnated across different eras, from ancient historical time periods to the distant future. While unfinished, Phoenix remains one of Tezuka's most profound and influential works.
6 Highschool Of The Dead
Story by Daisuke Satou & Art by Shouji Satou, 7 Volumes, 33 Chapters
Highschool of the Dead is an action-horror series written by Daisuke Sato and illustrated by Shoji Sato. It takes place in Japan during a zombie apocalypse and follows a group of high school students fighting to survive. Unfortunately, Daisuke Sato grew ill and the manga went on several hiatuses, with the last chapter being released in 2013.
Daisuke passed away in 2017, leaving the manga's fate uncertain. However, Shoji Sato felt the series could not continue without its writer, so he chose to focus on other works. While officially canceled, Highschool of the Dead and its anime adaptation both remain highly popular.
5 Vagabond
Story & Art by Takehiko Inoue, 37 Volumes, 327 Chapters
Running from 1998 to 2015, Vagabond is a seinen series about the life of the legendary Japanese swordsman Musashi Miyamoto. The series, written and illustrated by Takehiko Inoue, is one of the best-selling manga of all time and has won several awards.
After Vagabond went on hiatus due to Inoue's health issues, it returned for several more runs. However, Inoue stated that creating Vagabond put a huge strain on his mental well-being and that he would return to it once he regained his enthusiasm for it. Unfortunately, there hasn't been a new chapter since 2015 and Inoue has moved on to other works, so it's highly unlikely that fans will ever see the conclusion to Vagabond.
4 Barefoot Gen
Story & Art by Keiji Nakazawa, 10 Volumes
Barefoot Gen is a historical series that is based on mangaka Keiji Nakazawa's own experiences surviving the 1945 Hiroshima atomic bombing. The plot follows Gen Nakaoka, who is six years old when he survives the bombing. He struggles to cope with the horrors that the atrocity leaves in its wake.
Due to health concerns, Nakazawa put Barefoot Gen on hiatus in 2009. Sadly, Nakazawa passed away in 2012, leaving Barefoot Gen forever incomplete. Despite its incompleteness, it remains an important historical account and a testament against war, and it is used as an educational tool in many classrooms.
3 Bastard!! Heavy Metal, Dark Fantasy
Story & Art by Kazushi Hagiwara, 27 Volumes, 144 Chapters
Bastard!! is a dark fantasy series inspired by heavy metal that began its run back in 1988. Kazushi Hagiwara wrote and illustrated the series, publishing new chapters until the manga went on hiatus in 2010. Given the length of the hiatus, it's unlikely that the series will ever come back, leading many to consider it canceled.
Bastard!! takes place in the fantasy world of Metallicana and focuses on Dark Schneider, a powerful wizard sealed in the body of a young boy. Bastard!!, one of the most successful manga of all time, received a Netflix anime adaptation in 2022.
2 Berserk
Story & Art by Kentaro Miura, 41 Volumes, 364 Chapters
Berserk takes place in an unforgiving dark fantasy world full of demonic beings and death. The story follows Guts, a massive-sword-toting former mercenary haunted by darkness and revenge. Berserk is one of the most beloved manga series of all time and has several anime adaptations.
In its run from 1989 to 2021, Berserk frequently went on hiatus. Berserk's creator Kentaro Miura, sadly passed away in 2021. While the latest chapter was published posthumously, there are so far no concrete plans for the manga to continue.
1 Nana
Story & Art by Ai Yazawa, 21 Volumes, 84 Chapters
Nana is one of the most beloved shoujo series ever published. It follows the story of two women who are both named Nana as they navigate Tokyo in their 20s.
Nana's creator, Ai Yazawa, put the manga on hiatus in 2009 after suddenly falling ill. While she returned from the hospital the following year, she has yet to continue working on the series. Due to the length of the hiatus and the fact that Yazawa has since been involved with other projects, many fans have accepted that Nana won't return.
