Hunter × Hunter (ハンター×ハンター Hantā Hantā?) is a shōnen manga series written and illustrated by Yoshihiro Togashi with an anime adaptation. The first chapter of the Hunter × Hunter manga series began was published in March of 1998, in the Japanese magazine Weekly Shonen Jump.[1] The manga has continued its serialization and is currently reached 280 chapters, however, the publication history of the Hunter × Hunter manga has been plagued with hiatuses, the longest of which lasted one and a half years, between February 2006 and October 2007. These hiatuses are often attributed to the author suffering from an unspecified illness. As of chapter 280, the series is again, on hiatus, to allow the author time to prepare the next ten chapters.
The story of Hunter × Hunter focuses on a young boy named Gon Freecss, who one day discovers that the father he had always been told was dead was alive and well. He learns that his father, Ging Freecss, is a legendary Hunter, a person that has proven themselves by examination to be an elite member of humanity, with a license to go anywhere or do anything. Despite the fact that his father abandoned Gon with his relatives in order to pursue his dreams, Gon becomes determined to follow in his father's footsteps, pass the Hunter examination, and eventually find his father, to prove himself as a Hunter in his own right.
Plot
See also: List of Hunter × Hunter chapters
Although Gon's search for his father is initially presented as the plot for Hunter × Hunter, the actual narrative of Hunter × Hunter is that of a coming of age story focusing on the four main characters. Each of these four youth has his own reasons for becoming a Hunter, and each undergoes both physical and emotional growth.
Like many other shōnen manga, Hunter × Hunter takes the storytelling format of story arcs. As of March, 2008, four story arcs, the Hunter Exam arc, the Zaoldyeck Family & Celestial Tower Story Arc, the York Shin arc, and the Greed Island arc, have been completed, with a fifth arc, the Chimera Ant arc, nearing completion.
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Hunter Exam Story Arc
In the first major story arc, Gon learns of his father, who is hunter and he decides to search for his father. Gon takes a series of bizarre tests to become a Hunter himself, which first included running a three hour marathon and then navigate through a deadly jungle that contained animals waiting to lure the unsuspecting humans. The next test was to kill a wild boar and feed the roasted boar to one of the examiners. then Gon and the other examinees had to make sushi, which everyone failed. Despite this failure, the group are given another chance by retrieving spider eagle eggs that hung from webs in a deep canyon. The group then had to go through the infamous Trick Tower, which not only included tons of traps and obstacles but a few sentenced inmates that are hired to stop them from passing. The next exam was to hunt each other down for their badges. Finally the last exam was a tournament, where all but one will finally become official hunters. During the Hunter Test, Gon meets and befriends three of the other applicants, Kurapika, Killua and Leorio.
Another of the applicants in the Hunter Test is Hisoka, a complex villain who uses playing cards as weapons, and who views Gon as an "unripe fruit" that he will take great pleasure in killing once he's grown up enough to present a challenge. Killua, after confronting his elder brother in the tournament, kills one of the applicants and is disqualified; he then goes to his family's estate home.
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Zaoldyeck Family & Celestial Tower Story Arc
The second story arc involves Gon, Kurapika, and Leorio springing Killua from his parents' mansion (the Zaoldyeck family). At the end of the second story arc, Leorio leaves for medical school and studies to become a professional doctor while Kurapika leaves to find work, taking both characters out of the story. In the third story arc, Gon and Killua go to the Celestial Tower (天空闘技場, lit. Heaven's Arena), a 251-floor building where people can compete in fighting tournaments around the clock for cash. It is here they meet the Kungfu master Wing, who teaches them about Nen, a chi-like energy that can be used to manifest superhuman powers. He teaches a young child named Zushi, who joins Gon and Killua to fight in the tournament to gain money and experience. Hisoka defeats another powerful Nen user, Kastro, who was able to create and use a double made from Nen. Hisoka loses both arms in the battle but Machi, a fellow Nen user and Genei Ryodan member, uses her ability to sew the arms back on. In a memorable fight, Gon battles Hisoka and is able to land a few hits but loses in the end.
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York Shin Story Arc
Main article: Genei Ryodan
The fourth story arc reunites the four main characters for the world's largest auction in a sprawling metropolis called Yorkshin City. While Gon, Killua, and Leorio try different methods to make enough money to buy Greed Island, a "Joystation" video game that could help Gon find his father, Kurapika takes center stage. This story arc introduces the Genei Ryodan (also known as the Phantom Troupe), a group of thieves who, among many other crimes, slaughtered all the other members of Kurapika's clan. Kurapika crosses paths with them while working as a bodyguard for a teenage girl named Neon, who has a clairvoyant Nen ability. He spends the rest of the arc balancing his bodyguard duties with his goal to hunt down the Genei Ryodan.
By the end of the Genei Ryodan story arc, Kurapika has directly killed Ubogin, indirectly killed Pakunoda (via a deadly Nen ability which killed her when she broke the conditions he had set onto her), and "sealed" Kuroro Lucifer's Nen ability (via the same ability he used on Pakunoda). These are accomplished via an unsteady alliance with Hisoka, who betrays the Genei Ryodan in exchange for a chance to fight Kuroro Lucifer. Once Kuroro's powers are "sealed," Hisoka completely loses interest and walks away.
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Greed Island Story Arc
Main article: List of Hunter × Hunter OVA episodes
Gon, Killua, and Leorio return to help Kurapika at the end of the third story arc, after which Leorio and Kurapika leave again, returning the focus to Gon and Killua. The fifth story arc concerns Gon and Killua's adventures on Greed Island, the seemingly-magical video game that sucks its player's physical bodies into its own world. It is later revealed that the game is actually set on an island in the real world (the physical game set is actually just a teleporting device), created and run by a group of powerful Nen users who are led by none other than Gon's own father Ging. 'Greed Island' is named after the letters of each name of the creators. The Greed Island story arc is very video-game-like. The game Greed Island runs on a complex card-based gaming system. The goal of the game is to collect a number of set cards, although almost everything in the game, from food to money, can be turned into cards. There are cards capable of doing anything, from making people pregnant regardless of gender, granting wishes, and magic spell cards that can warp you to specific towns. Inside Greed Island Gon and Killua are joined by Biscuit Kruger; nicknamed Bisuke, a 57-year-old woman who looks like a 12-year-old girl, and is a master and experienced teacher of Nen. She continues the Nen training Wing gave to Gon and Killua during the Celestial Tower arc. As the story progresses, a player (actually a gang of three) nicknamed 'Bomber' is bombing other players up, killing their way towards winning the game and its prize. Using traps and strategy, Gon, Killua, and Bisuke team up with other players and defeated the Bombers. The Genei Ryodan also travel to Greed Island, looking for a Nen remover to remove the dagger placed on Kuroro's heart by Kurapika. Gon, Killua and Bisuke are the first to complete 'Greed Island' and after bidding Bisuke goodbye, they return to their search for Ging. As part of their reward, they are allowed to take three cards to be used in the real world. Using the card 'Accompany' they travel to 'Nigg' who they believe is Ging. 'Nigg' was his father, but his father only wanted Gon to come alone, so he had a safety measure in place, that if "Accompany" was used, it would take them to Kaito instead.
Also during this arc, Killua's younger brother, Kalluto, joins the Genei Ryodan; replacing Hisoka as member number 4.
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Chimera Ant Story Arc
After leaving Greed Island, Gon and Killua meet up with Kaito, the Hunter who told Gon about Ging and Hunters in the very first chapter. They are all hired to investigate a strange insect leg that washed up on a beach. Genetic testing determines that the leg belongs to an abnormally large queen Chimera Ant, an insect that eats other insects and animals, and then gives birth to children that inherit the characteristics of all the different insects and animals it has eaten. The queen Chimera Ant itself happens to wash up on the shore of an island nation called the NGL (Neo Green Life) inhabited by a neo-luddite culture. She quickly develops a taste for humans after given the opportunity to eat them. The Chimera Ants proceed to wipe most of the population out and spawn hundreds of offspring before Gon, Killua, and Kaito arrive. The three very powerful Royal Guards are introduced, who develop Nen abilities. One of the Royal Guards, Nefelpitou, fights Kaito and kills him. Kaito is later brought back to life by Nefelpitou as a training tool for warrior Chimera Ants, but he is now a zombified puppet, much to Gon and Killua's sadness. Gon vows to find a way to save Kaito.
Chairman Netero, Morau, and Novu arrive as reinforcements. However, they are unable to stop the birth of the Chimera Ant King. The queen dies due to the King ripping himself out of her womb too early. With the Queen dead and their inhibitions gone, many of the warrior Ants proclaimed themselves kings and departed the hive; two of them end up joining the Hunters' side.
As a side story to the main plotline centered around Gon and Killua, one of the children of the queen Chimera Ant, Zazan, starts a colony near Ryuuseigai, the place that is the origin of the Genei Ryodan. Half of the group: Phinx, Feitan, Shalnark, Shizuku, Bonorenofu, and Kalluto travel to Ryuuseigai to halt the invasion. Upon reaching the colony, the team splits up, agreeing that whoever defeats Zazan will be the temporary leader of the Genei Ryodan until Kuroro Lucifer returns. Feitan ends up defeating Zazan, and as such, is now the ad interim leader.
The King and Royal Guard Ants pull a "coup d'etat" on the nearby Republic of East Goruto and from there begin the process of "selecting" humans that have the capability to gain Nen powers. This causes many deaths as only a small amount of humans are able to gain Nen powers. They were quickly detected by the Hunters. As warrior Ants from the old hive rejoin the King, the Hunters mobilize quickly to stop the massacre.
As soon as Gon, Killua, Morau, Knuckle, Shoot, Novu, and Ikarugo break into the palace of East Goruto, both Netero and Zeno arrive. Zeno uses his hatsu ability to cause extensive damage to the palace in order to create a large enough distraction for Gon's team to enter unnoticed. In the process, the ability injuries the King's gun-gi opponent, Komugi, in the process. Through playing the game, the King learned about human emotion and called into doubt his purpose in life. The King, distraught by the damage done to Komugi, orders Nefelpitou to heal her wounds while complying with Netero and Zeno's request for a battle located on different grounds.
The plan developed by Gon's team is temporarily halted by the unexpected presence of Montutuyupi, one of the Chimera Ant King's three royal guards, in front of their point of entry. Shauapufu, worried for the King's safety after the destruction done to the palace, rushes towards the throne room where he was confronted by Morau. At the same time, Montutuyupi engages in combat with Shoot, while Killua and Gon attempt to discover an alternate entry into the throne room after the staircase is destroyed by Zeno's hatsu.
While Knuckles takes over the battle with Montutuyupi, Gon and Killua finally catch up with Nefelpitou (who was currently healing Komugi). Gon challenges Pitou but Pitou inexpediently refuses, saying he needs to heal Komugi for the King. Gon, still broken by Kaito's zombiefied state , shows no mercy by claiming that Nefelpitou is being selfish in determining whose lives are saved and angry that he didn't show the same feelings for Kaito. Gon commences his hatsu to attack, but Pitou completely surrenders himself to Gon, removing his own arm and telling Gon he would give up his arms and legs if he would let him finish healing Komugi. Killua then tell Gon that killing Pitou would do no good, as there would be no one to return Kaito to normal. After hearing this, Gon calms down and sets the condition to wait for one hour while Nefelpitou heals Komungi to a stable condition and then returning with them to restore Kaito.
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Nen
Main article: Nen
A major concept in the Hunter × Hunter series is Nen, a system of spiritual energy control that is what makes special abilities possible. This concept has roots in author Yoshihiro Togashi's earlier manga series, YuYu Hakusho, and is based on part on the concept of Chi found in both Buddhism and traditional martial arts. In addition, the concept of opening "shouko" to be able to actively utilize nen is based on the Buddhist concept of meditation to open the body's pores. This strictly defined system of energy control differentiates Hunter × Hunter from other shonen manga series with similar concepts of spiritual energy, where abilities are vaguely defined and often contradictory.
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Characters
Main article: List of Hunter × Hunter characters
Characters from top to bottom: Gon, Kurapika, Leorio, Killua.
Gon Freecss
A young boy who wishes to become a hunter to find his father, the legendary hunter Ging Freecss. Ging had left Gon in his aunt's care since birth. Gon is a headstrong optimistic youth with extraordinary senses of smell and hearing, sharp instincts, and an innate understanding for animals.
Gon starts with an unusual choice of weaponry - a fishing rod. After learning nen, he switches to relying on his Hatsu ability, the Jajanken.
Killua Zaoldyeck
Born to the Zaoldyeck family of assassins, Killua is considered the genius of his generation. He has been trained and raised since birth to take over as heir of the Zaoldyeck family business of assassination and is already a professional assassin even at his young age.
Killua joined the Hunter exam after running away from home, and by chance meets and befriends Gon. He is a very agile and strong fighter with just his bare hands, carrying his family's characteristic immunity to poisons and electricity. He later bases his transformation type Hatsu ability on electricity. One of his other killing abilities was to 'alter' the bone structure of his hand in a way that would sharpen his fingers and nails to the point of a lethal claw. This allows him to slice up his opponents and/or pluck out vital organs. He also knows a technique called the 'rhythm echo', which creates a series of after images of him through a varying cadence of steps. Later, he learns to fight with a yo-yo and electric shocks.
Kurapika
The last living member of the Kuruta clan, Kurapika has made it his life goal to hunt down and destroy the group responsible for his tribe's destruction - the Genei Ryodan (also known as the Phantom Troupe). His tribe was renowned for their eyes - which would turn flaming scarlet in times of anger or emotional agitation. The so-called 'scarlet eyes' (also known as Kuruta eyeballs) were considered a priceless treasure among body-part collectors, which is what prompted the Genei Ryodan to destroy them.
Kurapika enters the Hunters Exam because he believes becoming a Blacklist Hunter will give him the necessary resources to fight the Genei Ryodan. Kurapika is in general calm and level-headed, preferring to think before leaping into battles. He is also a strong fighter - a huge boost in strength and agility being a side effect of his tribe's scarlet eyes. After being taught nen, Kurapika develops the ability to use two nen types - his usual materialization type, and a specialization type that comes into effect only when his eyes turn scarlet. The specialization type allows him to use the other five nen types all at 100% efficiency. He takes advantage of this fact while fighting against the Genei Ryodan by tricking them into thinking they are fighting a nen user whose only ability is either manipulating or materializing chains. He doesn't want anyone to know he was from the clan so he wears brown contacts.
Leorio
Leorio claimed that he joined the Hunter exam solely for money. Later, he reveals that it is because he wishes to become a doctor, and needs the money to pay for school fees. He had once lost a very close friend (Pietro) to a debilitating illness only because he had lacked the money to pay for a cure, and now aspires to become a doctor who is able to cure the poor without needing to charge.
He is not so much of an experienced or talented fighter like most of the other Hunter Examinees, but is by no means weak. He is actually revealed to be physically stronger than Gon or Kurapika. He too, came to learn of nen after passing the Hunter exam. However, he has (at current) chosen to put aside his nen training so he can fulfill his goal of becoming a doctor. Before showing Gon and Killua his Nen he thought that all there was to nen was "ten," one of its four aspects; however, he was corrected by Gon and Killua.
Hisoka
Hiding under the guise of a clown-faced magician, not much is known about him or his past. During the Hunter exams Hisoka decided to take on the role of assistant examiner and commenced to kill anybody whom he thought did not meet his standards as a hunter. During this event Hisoka met Gon and became interested with him after realizing the potential Gon had to become a great hunter due to his his courage to face him despite great odds solely to protect his friends. He believed he was a hunter he would see grow to his prime, then destroy. Due to knowledge of nen being so limited, Hisoka takes advantage of this and uses nen freely, claiming it to be magic. This would make him more of an illusionist than someone who actually has magical powers. Despite dressing up as a clown claiming to be a magician, he is an extremely skilled and dangerous fighter.
