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The results are in for this year’s Next Manga Awards (Tsugi ni Kuru Manga Taishō), and Tomohiro Yagi’s Hitoner (ヒトナー) has secured the runner-up spot (second place) in the Web Manga category—an impressive feat for the series’ debut year.
In a tight race, the series captured second place with 48,327 points—just behind fellow Shonen Jump+ entry Home at Horizon by Taiyo Watabe, which claimed first with 51,681 points. Following the results, Shueisha’s Manga Plus celebrated the impressive showing of Jump+ titles at this year’s awards.
Hitoner’s Accomplishments (An updated list):
- A Viral Success: When it was released on Shueisha’s Digital manga platform, Shonen Jump +, it reached 1.95 million views. It trended on Twitter, even reaching the No. 1 spot, sparking widespread discussions across social media and fan art. It would even receive praise from Kohei Horikoshi (My Hero Academia) and Shinsuke Kondo (Ninja and Gangster).
- Serialization Greenlight and Launch: When it was first reported on April 22nd, it began ongoing biweekly serialization on Shōnen Jump+ (with Chapters 1–2 released simultaneously) after the strong response to the One-Shot. It is also receives simultaneous international releases on Manga Plus in multiple languages (including English). By mid-August, the manga has already reached 11 chapters, with a short bonus story posted recently.
- The official account’s popularity continues to grow: The Official Twitter account for Hitoner launched around Mid-May and has already surpassed 10,000 followers, (celebrated with a special illustration from the author). Its popularity continues to grow to this day.
- Award Nominations: On June 25th, it was confirmed that it was nominated in the Web Manga category for the 2026 Tsugi ni Kuru Manga Taishō (Next Coming Manga Award / Next Manga Awards).
- The First Volume: That’s where the series is at now, its first collected volume (both digital and in print). A reflection of the strong positive reception of this series on Jump +.
- Debuting in the Oricon’s Top 10 Manga Chart: The first volume officially landed at No. 9 on Oricon’s Weekly manga sales chart (September 14th) during its first week on shelves, demonstrating strong physical sales alongside its digital fanbase.
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Even though Hitoner is still just a few months into its run as of September 2026, the series is already making serious waves. It has built strong buzz across social media and digital platforms like Manga Plus and Shonen Jump +, following a trajectory reminiscent of early Jump+ breakouts like Tatsuki Fujimoto’s Chainsaw Man and Yukinobu Tatsu’s DanDaDan. On the physical retail front, Volume 1 sold 16,078 copies in its opening week, debuting at No. 9 on Oricon’s weekly sales chart. An anime adaptation and high-tier awards may still be down the road, but with momentum this strong right out of the gate, those milestones feel genuinely within reach. Hitoner Volume One is available now.
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“A single human Earthling arrives on an isolated planet inhabited by beastkin known as “Kemo,” who are shaken to their cores at the sight of their first “Hito.” Thus does their society begin to transform, spurred on by this interspecies exchange…”
Source: Next Awards, Manga Plus, Oricon
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