Yes, Gantz Is Finished
If you’ve been wondering whether Gantz is finished or if it’s safe to dive in without worrying about an indefinite wait — good news. The Gantz manga is complete. Hiroya Oku wrapped up the story in June 2013 after roughly 13 years of serialization (meaning individual chapters were published week by week in a magazine before being collected into books).
The full series spans 37 volumes and 383 chapters. It has a definitive ending. Oku finished the story on his own terms — this isn’t a hiatus situation, a cancellation, or an ambiguous fade-out. The main storyline is closed.
So why are people still asking? That’s a fair question, and it has a straightforward answer: the Gantz brand hasn’t gone quiet. Spin-offs (separate stories set in the same world, with different characters) and new projects keep appearing, which can make it look like the original series is still running. It isn’t. But we’ll untangle all of that below.
When Gantz Ended and Why the Confusion Persists
Gantz was published chapter by chapter in Shueisha’s Weekly Young Jump (a major Japanese manga magazine) from June 2000 to June 2013. The collected book volumes were published between December 11, 2000 and August 19, 2013 — all 37 of them.
That’s a long run, and Gantz built a massive following during it. But here’s why people searching today often get confused:
- Spin-offs are still active. Gantz:E, a historical spin-off set in the Edo period, is still being published as of this writing. If you see “Gantz” in a new-release list, it’s almost certainly one of these spin-off titles — not the original.
- The English omnibus edition only finished in 2023. An omnibus is a collected edition that bundles multiple volumes into one book. Dark Horse Comics released the final English omnibus volume on July 5, 2023. So English-language readers have only recently had access to the complete series in print. That recency makes it feel “new.”
- The Gantz:Next Project announcement. Hiroya Oku announced an umbrella of new spin-off projects set in the Gantz universe. Headlines about “new Gantz” understandably make people wonder if the original story is being continued. It’s not — these are separate stories with different characters.
Bottom line: the original Gantz manga, following Kei Kurono and the Tokyo Gantz team, is done. Everything else carrying the Gantz name is a spin-off.
Gantz by the Numbers — 37 Volumes, 383 Chapters, 3 Phases
Before getting into the structure: if you’re new to manga, “chapters” are individual installments (typically 15–25 pages each), and “volumes” are collected books that bundle several chapters together. Gantz has 383 chapters collected across 37 volumes.
The story is generally divided into three major phases. This isn’t an official breakdown from Oku, but it’s how most readers and fan communities organize the major story sections, and it’s genuinely helpful for understanding the shape of the series:
| Phase | Chapters | What Happens |
|---|---|---|
| Phase 1 — Missions | 1–237 | The core premise: dead people are resurrected and forced into lethal alien-hunting missions. This is the longest stretch and what most readers picture when they think of Gantz — team dynamics, escalating threats, brutal combat, and an ever-growing mystery about the black sphere. |
| Phase 2 — Katastrophe | 238–303 | The scale explodes. (“Katastrophe” is the official name for this part of the story.) The alien threat goes public. Tokyo becomes a warzone. The relatively contained mission structure of Phase 1 gives way to large-scale destruction and chaos. |
| Phase 3 — Invasion | 304–383 | The finale. Full-scale alien invasion of Earth. Everything builds to a conclusion — the mysteries behind the Gantz sphere, the aliens, and what it all means for the characters who’ve survived this far. |
One important note: the manga goes far, far beyond what the anime covered. The 2004 anime adaptation (26 episodes by studio Gonzo) only adapted the early portions of Phase 1. If you’ve watched the anime and think you know the full story — you really don’t. The manga takes things to a completely different scale.
What About Gantz:G, Gantz:E, and Gantz:Next?
This is where the confusion tends to come from, so let’s walk through each spin-off and its status.
Gantz:G — Completed
Gantz:G ran from November 2015 to March 2017. It’s written by Hiroya Oku with art by Tomohito Ohsaki and Keita Iizuka. The story follows a different cast of characters in the same Gantz universe — a group of high school students pulled into Gantz missions. Same premise, fresh perspective, shorter and more contained.
Status: Finished. It’s available in English from Dark Horse Comics.
Gantz:E — Still Running
Gantz:E is set during the Edo period — samurai-era Japan — with the Gantz concept transplanted into a completely different time and setting. Written by Oku and illustrated by Jin Kagetsu.
It started in January 2020 in Weekly Young Jump. Its final chapter in that magazine ran on December 7, 2023, but the series transferred to Shueisha’s YanJan! app (a digital manga platform from the same publisher) starting January 9, 2024 and continues there. As of this writing, there is no official English release of Gantz:E.
Status: Still in active publication (as of this writing). This is the only Gantz title currently running.
Gantz:Next Project
This is an umbrella announcement for multiple spin-off projects that expand the Gantz universe with new stories and characters. The key thing to understand: none of these continue the original Kei Kurono storyline. They are not retcons or rewrites of the ending — the original manga’s story stands as-is. These are new, separate stories set within the broader Gantz world.
If you see headlines about “new Gantz,” this is what they’re referring to. The main series remains complete.
How to Read the Complete Gantz in English
Important content warning before anything else: Gantz contains extreme violence, graphic sexual content, and dark themes throughout. It is rated for mature readers. If you’re sensitive to any of these elements, be aware of this before committing.
Dark Horse Comics (an American manga and comics publisher) holds the English license for Gantz. They’ve released the entire series in a convenient 3-in-1 omnibus format — 12 volumes total, covering all 37 original Japanese volumes.
The omnibus run was published between August 22, 2018 and July 5, 2023. The translator is Matthew Johnson. This means the complete story is now available in English — you can read from start to finish without waiting for anything.
For new readers, the starting point is simple: Gantz Omnibus Volume 1. It collects the first three Japanese volumes and drops you right into the action — Kei Kurono’s death, the black sphere, and the first mission.
Gantz Omnibus Vol. 1
A few things worth knowing:
- The omnibus format is the most cost-effective way to collect it. Each omnibus bundles three volumes into one book, so you’re covering the full series in 12 purchases rather than 37. Individual single volumes are out of print and often resold at inflated prices.
- Digital editions are also available. The Gantz omnibus volumes can be purchased digitally through platforms like Amazon Kindle and ComiXology if you prefer reading on a screen or want to sample before committing to print.
- Gantz:G is also available in English from Dark Horse if you want more after finishing the main series.
Quick Answers About Gantz
Is the Gantz manga ongoing?
No. The main Gantz manga finished in June 2013. The story is complete at 37 volumes and 383 chapters.
How many volumes is Gantz?
37 volumes in the original Japanese release. In English, Dark Horse published it as 12 omnibus volumes (3-in-1 format).
Does the manga have a proper ending?
Yes. Hiroya Oku concluded the story in chapter 383. The story reaches a definitive conclusion — it doesn’t end on a cliffhanger or get cut short. That said, the ending is polarizing among readers. The most common complaint is that the final stretch feels rushed relative to the buildup, and some readers find the resolution to the series’ biggest mysteries unsatisfying. Others feel it lands well enough given the scale of the story. It’s a “your mileage may vary” situation, but it is an actual ending — not an abandoned one.
Is the anime a complete adaptation?
Not even close. The 2004 Gantz anime (26 episodes across two seasons, animated by Gonzo and directed by Ichiro Itano) only covers the early part of the manga — roughly the first handful of missions. The anime also diverges significantly from the original manga in its second half, creating an anime-original storyline that doesn’t match what happens in the books. If you want the full story, the manga is the only way to get it.
Who writes Gantz?
Hiroya Oku is both the writer and illustrator of the main Gantz series. He’s also credited as writer on the Gantz:G and Gantz:E spin-offs, though those have different artists.
Is Gantz:E a sequel?
No. Gantz:E is a separate spin-off set during the Edo period. It uses the Gantz concept (mysterious sphere, deadly missions, alien targets) but with an entirely different cast and setting. It does not continue the main storyline.
Can I start with the spin-offs?
You can, but there’s not much reason to. The main series is the foundation everything else builds on, and it’s fully available in English. Start with the original — you’ll appreciate the spin-offs much more with that context.
Is there a Gantz anime that covers the full story?
No. The 2004 TV anime only adapts the early portion, and the 2016 CGI film Gantz:O adapts a single story from the middle of the series (the Osaka mission). Neither comes close to covering the complete manga. There is no anime adaptation that tells the full Gantz story from beginning to end.