Manga creator Takehiko Inoue announced on his website on Monday that his Vagabond series will remain on hiatus while he watches over his health. Inoue had announced on August 5 that a chapter of the historical manga would not run in Kodansha's Morning magazine that week due to his health. While he reported on August 23 that the brain and heart tests revealed that he was fine, he continued to rest his body and delayed Vagabond's return past its scheduled return date of September 2.

His other ongoing series, the wheelchair basketball manga REAL, did appear in this year's 39th issue of Shueisha's Weekly Young Jump magazine on August 26.

Vagabond last ran in this year's 35th Morning issue (pictured at right), which shipped on July 29. Inoue also drew the cover of that issue to mark the 300th installment of Vagabond. Inoue had announced that he would end the series this year, but his hiatus has delayed the planned finale until next year.

Inoue has been drawing Vagabond in Morning since 1998, and Kodansha published the 33rd compiled volume in Japan in May. Viz Media will publish the 33rd volume in North America next month. Viz also publishes Inoue's Slam Dunk and REAL manga.