Monkey Hunting Chapter 7: Release Date, Chapter 6 Breakdown and My Biggest Survival Horror Theories

There is something seriously unsettling about Monkey Hunting, and Chapter 6 finally starts showing why this manga can be much more than a straightforward survival story. What initially looked like a brutal fight for survival against a pack of aggressive monkeys is slowly turning into something much stranger — and potentially much more dangerous.

After the official release of Chapter 6 on September 16, 2026, fans have plenty to talk about. The chapter introduced the research team, revealed just how enormous the monkey population has become, and quietly planted what might be one of the biggest twists in the series so far.

And then there is Umahashi.

That final expression on his face? Yeah, I don’t trust this guy at all.

For anyone following the weekly release, Monkey Hunting Chapter 7 is scheduled to release on Wednesday, September 23, 2026, through MANGA Plus by Shueisha. Before getting into my predictions, though, Chapter 6 deserves a proper breakdown because several details could become extremely important later.

Monkey Hunting Chapter 7 Release Date

Monkey Hunting Chapter 7 is officially scheduled to release on Wednesday, September 23, 2026.

The manga is currently following a weekly release schedule, with new chapters appearing through MANGA Plus by Shueisha. That makes Chapter 7 one of those releases where it is probably better to read immediately rather than wait too long, especially with the amount of speculation surrounding the ending of Chapter 6.

Quick Facts

The release date itself isn’t the surprising part. The real question is what happens once the survivors are trapped inside that university research van.

Because Chapter 6 made it pretty clear that escaping the monkeys doesn’t necessarily mean escaping danger.

Monkey Hunting Chapter 6 Breakdown: The Van Becomes a Temporary Shelter

Chapter 6, titled “The Monkey Researchers,” immediately throws the characters into another nightmare.

The white research van becomes the group’s only real protection as the monkeys attack from every direction. Reiko opens the door while everyone is desperately trying to get inside, and the situation becomes increasingly chaotic. People are shouting, running and trying to keep track of everyone around them.

There is barely any sense of control.

And then we get the confrontation involving Seiichiro, Eisuke’s father.

Seiichiro is left outside the vehicle while the monkeys charge through the grass. Eisuke can only watch and scream for his father. It is one of those moments where Monkey Hunting doesn’t need a complicated emotional speech. The situation itself does all the work.

Seiichiro eventually fights back using his rifle as a blunt weapon, smashing one of the attacking monkeys in the face.

It is ugly, desperate and exactly the kind of action this manga does well.

But the worst part is that getting inside the van doesn’t solve anything.

The Bear Spray Scene Was Surprisingly Important

Once the survivors are packed inside the van, the monkeys begin climbing over the roof and attacking the doors.

The scratching noises against the vehicle make the entire sequence feel incredibly claustrophobic. The characters aren’t fighting in an open field anymore. They are trapped inside a metal box while something outside is actively trying to tear its way in.

One of the researchers eventually uses Japanese bear spray against a monkey attempting to enter through a damaged window.

The spray works, but only temporarily.

That scene actually says a lot about the current balance of power. Humans have weapons and equipment, but the monkeys have numbers, speed and an increasingly disturbing level of coordination.

And then Chapter 6 gives us the most interesting image of the entire chapter.

The Alpha Monkey Is Still Watching

As the van finally manages to escape, we see the enormous monkey left behind in the darkness.

It doesn’t simply chase the vehicle.

It watches.

The creature makes that disturbing “TAP TAP” sound with its elongated fingers, creating the impression that it is thinking about what just happened rather than simply reacting to it.

This is where I think Monkey Hunting gets much more interesting.

If this were just a story about starving animals becoming violent, the alpha monkey wouldn’t need to be presented this way. The manga is clearly emphasizing intelligence, observation and strategy.

That matters.

Because the next threat may not be another random attack.

It could be a planned one.

Who Are the Researchers?

Once the van reaches a temporary safe area, the survivors finally learn who these mysterious people actually are.

Professor Yoshiro Kimura introduces himself as part of the wildlife research team from Toyo Agricultural University. He is accompanied by Assistant Professor Kiyoshi Umahashi and researcher Asuka Sadaoka.

Kimura explains that the team has been conducting research in the valley since the previous year.

And then comes the number that really caught my attention:

Around 850 monkeys.

That’s not a small population suddenly becoming aggressive. That’s an entire ecosystem being pushed into a catastrophic situation.

According to Kimura, several monkey groups were forced down from the surrounding mountains because of extensive forest development. Their natural environment was disrupted, and the valley eventually became overcrowded.

Food disappeared.

Competition increased.

And now the humans have entered the equation.

Asuka basically says what everyone is already thinking: if the monkeys are starving badly enough, the people in the valley may simply look like food.

That is horrifying enough on its own.

But Kimura isn’t convinced starvation explains everything.

“Something Else” Is Happening

This is probably the single most important line in Chapter 6.

After examining a mutilated animal skull, Kimura suggests that the monkeys are suffering from extreme starvation. But he also says that there appears to be something else going on.

That sentence feels like obvious setup for Chapter 7 and beyond.

The monkeys aren’t simply attacking because they’re hungry. Their behavior is coordinated. They appear to communicate and react to human movement in ways that are becoming increasingly difficult to explain.

Personally, I think the manga is deliberately holding back a major piece of information.

The research team knows more than they have told the survivors.

And that’s where Umahashi becomes especially suspicious.

Umahashi Might Be More Dangerous Than the Monkeys

The ending of Chapter 6 completely changes the atmosphere.

While driving the van, Umahashi starts thinking about leadership and survival. His thoughts suggest that a group needs a strong leader in a crisis and that even minor disagreements can become fatal.

Then we see his expression.

That grin is not subtle.

I don’t think we’re supposed to trust him.

My guess is that Chapter 7 will begin developing a conflict between Kimura and Umahashi, especially now that everyone is trapped together in the same vehicle.

Umahashi may believe that survival requires brutal decisions. If resources become limited, he could start viewing wounded or inexperienced survivors as liabilities rather than people worth protecting.

And that could put Seiichiro and Eisuke in a very bad position.

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My Monkey Hunting Chapter 7 Predictions

Here are the possibilities I’m watching most closely:

• Umahashi makes his first real move. His final monologue feels too deliberate to be meaningless. I expect him to start manipulating the group.
• Kimura reveals more about the monkeys. His comment about something else affecting their behavior almost guarantees another revelation.
• The alpha monkey tracks the van. The “TAP TAP” scene feels like deliberate foreshadowing for another encounter.
• The van becomes a trap. Instead of another wide-open chase, Chapter 7 could force the characters into a close-quarters attack where there is almost nowhere to run.
• Seiichiro’s injury becomes a problem. His shoulder wound could limit his ability to protect Eisuke and the others.

The last one might be particularly important from a character perspective.

Eisuke has spent much of this situation reacting to what is happening around him. Seeing his father injured could finally push him into a more active survival role.

What I Think Is Really Coming Next

The thing I like most about Monkey Hunting right now is that the monkeys are becoming less frightening as individual creatures and more frightening as a coordinated force.

A single aggressive animal is manageable.

Hundreds of starving animals that can observe human behavior, remember escape routes and potentially plan attacks? That’s something else entirely.

And the humans aren’t exactly united either.

That’s the part that makes Chapter 7 so interesting to me. We already have the external threat of the monkeys, but now there is a potential internal threat sitting behind the steering wheel.

If Umahashi really is preparing to undermine the group, the survivors could end up fighting each other before the monkeys even catch up.

The bigger mystery, however, remains the same: what exactly is causing the monkeys to behave this way?

Chapter 6 gives us starvation, habitat destruction and overcrowding as pieces of the explanation. But Kimura’s final observation strongly suggests those aren’t the complete answer.

For me, that is the hook going into Chapter 7.

The release date is set for September 23, 2026, but the real anticipation isn’t about whether another monkey attack will happen. At this point, that’s almost guaranteed.

I’m much more interested in finding out whether the humans finally realize that they may have entered a situation they don’t understand at all.

And if that alpha monkey really is as intelligent as Chapter 6 makes it appear, the van may not have escaped anything.

It may have simply driven straight into the next phase of the hunt.