Yoshihiro Togashi’s enduring masterpiece Hunter x Hunter has received the JUMP MV treatment, pairing its iconic characters with a track from Japanese idol group Sakurazaka46. The video, which premiered on the official Shonen Jump YouTube channel on August 2, features the song “Unhappy birthday構文” (“Unhappy Birthday Syntax”) and marks the 57th entry in the ongoing collaboration project between Weekly Shonen Jump manga and Sony Music artists. Among the characters appearing in the visual are fan-favorites Hisoka, Chrollo, and Kurapika, offering a fresh audiovisual interpretation of Togashi’s rich narrative world.
The JUMP MV Project Reaches Its 57th Entry with Hunter x Hunter
The JUMP MV initiative has become a staple of Shonen Jump’s digital strategy, blending the magazine’s legendary manga roster with contemporary music from Sony Music’s diverse artist lineup. Since its launch with a Naruto collaboration, the series has grown into a cultural touchpoint, offering fans new ways to experience beloved stories through the lens of music.
For Hunter x Hunter, the 57th entry represents more than just a promotional clip. It is a recognition of the series’ enduring cultural weight, even as its publication schedule remains irregular. The choice of Sakurazaka46—a group with a distinct visual and sonic identity—suggests a deliberate effort to reach both longtime manga readers and younger audiences who follow Japan’s vibrant idol scene.
The video itself does not simply repurpose existing anime footage. Instead, it weaves together key moments and character imagery that resonate with the series’ thematic depth—power, ambition, friendship, and the relentless pursuit of one’s goals. Hisoka’s menacing charm, Chrollo’s stoic intensity, and Kurapika’s burning resolve are all on display, framed by the emotional weight of Sakurazaka46’s performance.
What Is the JUMP MV Project and How Does It Work?
The JUMP MV project is a collaborative initiative by Shueisha’s Weekly Shonen Jump and Sony Music that produces music videos combining popular manga series with songs from Sony’s roster of artists. Each video is crafted to highlight thematic or visual parallels between the source material and the accompanying track, creating a new artistic work that stands alongside the original manga and anime adaptations. The project has featured series such as Naruto, BLEACH, Haikyu!!, and now Hunter x Hunter, with each entry bringing a fresh creative perspective to familiar stories.
This approach has proven effective in sustaining fan engagement during periods when series are on hiatus or between anime seasons. For Hunter x Hunter, which has endured multiple extended breaks, such collaborations serve as vital touchpoints that keep the franchise visible and relevant in the cultural conversation.
Hunter x Hunter’s Long Journey: From 1998 to the Present
Yoshihiro Togashi’s Hunter x Hunter began serialization in Weekly Shonen Jump in 1998 and has since become one of the most influential manga of its generation. With over 84 million copies in circulation worldwide, including digital editions, the series has achieved both critical acclaim and commercial success on a global scale.
The story follows Gon, a young boy from Whale Island who embarks on a quest to become a Hunter—a licensed elite member of society—in order to find his father, Ging, who abandoned him to pursue his own Hunter career. Along the way, Gon encounters a cast of unforgettable characters, including the stoic Leorio, the vengeful Kurapika, and the troubled assassin Killua. The series explores themes of friendship, sacrifice, and the cost of ambition, often subverting shonen tropes with unexpected narrative twists and morally complex antagonists.
Despite its popularity, Hunter x Hunter has been plagued by frequent hiatuses due to Togashi’s chronic health issues. The manga returned after a four-year hiatus in October 2022, much to the relief of fans worldwide. However, the series has since moved away from a weekly schedule, with irregular releases becoming the norm. In December 2022, it was confirmed that the manga would not return to a weekly cadence, adopting a more flexible release pattern that prioritizes the author’s well-being.
Volume 38 was released in Japan on September 4, 2024, while Chapter 401 appeared in the pages of Weekly Shonen Jump on October 7 of the same year. These releases, though sporadic, continue to draw significant attention, underscoring the series’ lasting appeal and the deep loyalty of its fanbase.
Sakurazaka46: From Keyakizaka46 to National Stadium
The featured song comes from Sakurazaka46, a Japanese idol group that originally formed under the name Keyakizaka46. The group rebranded in October 2020, adopting a new musical direction and visual identity while retaining its core members and dedicated fan following. Since then, Sakurazaka46 has become one of Japan’s most successful idol acts, known for its distinctive choreography, emotionally charged performances, and willingness to experiment with darker, more introspective themes than typical idol pop.
In recent years, the group has achieved remarkable milestones, including dome tours, overseas performances, and a two-day 5th anniversary concert at Japan National Stadium in 2026 that drew approximately 140,000 attendees. An Asian tour is also planned for 2027, signaling the group’s growing international presence. The choice of Sakurazaka46 for this JUMP MV collaboration aligns with their rising global profile and their ability to convey complex emotions through music—a perfect match for the layered storytelling of Hunter x Hunter.
“Unhappy birthday構文” is a track that captures the group’s signature blend of melancholy and intensity, themes that resonate strongly with the arcs of characters like Kurapika and Hisoka. The title itself suggests a reflection on time, identity, and the weight of past choices—ideas that permeate Togashi’s work.
Recent Hunter x Hunter Games Expand the Franchise
The Hunter x Hunter franchise has also expanded into gaming, with two new titles launched in recent years. HUNTER x HUNTER: NEN IMPACT, a fighting game that brings the series’ iconic battles to life, launched on July 17, 2025. The game allows players to control characters like Gon, Killua, Hisoka, and Chrollo in fast-paced combat, drawing on the series’ intricate Nen system for special moves and abilities.
On February 17, 2026, HUNTERxHUNTER NENxSURVIVOR was released, offering a different gameplay experience focused on survival and strategy. These titles demonstrate the franchise’s continued commercial viability and its ability to engage audiences across multiple media formats, from manga and anime to video games and music collaborations.
A Broader Trend: Music, Manga, and Cross-Media Synergy
The JUMP MV project is part of a larger trend in Japanese entertainment toward cross-media synergy, where manga, music, and gaming intersect to create holistic brand experiences. This approach not only deepens fan engagement but also introduces existing properties to new audiences who may discover the manga through a music video or the music through a game.
Recent collaborations in the JUMP MV series have featured BLEACH and Haikyu!!, each pairing iconic scenes with songs that complement their emotional cores. The Hunter x Hunter entry follows this formula while also acknowledging the series’ unique position as a long-running, intermittently published work that has nevertheless maintained a passionate global following.
For fans, these videos serve as both celebration and introduction—a way to revisit cherished moments or to encounter the series for the first time in a condensed, evocative format. The use of contemporary music also bridges generational gaps, connecting older readers who grew up with the manga with younger audiences who may be more familiar with Sakurazaka46 than with Togashi’s work.
The Hunter x Hunter JUMP MV is now available on the official Shonen Jump YouTube channel, offering a compelling blend of visual storytelling and musical artistry. Whether you are a longtime fan of the series or a newcomer drawn in by Sakurazaka46’s haunting melody, the video captures the essence of what makes Hunter x Hunter endure: its characters, its themes, and its ability to evolve with the times while staying true to its core.
As Togashi continues to release new chapters at his own pace, collaborations like this ensure that the world of Hunter x Hunter remains vibrant and accessible, reminding us that great stories never truly go on hiatus.
