#I'm in the yorknew arc currently

[robinssimp]

Kurapika is like, the ULTIMATE boy girl and no one can make me change my mind.

[your-favourite-plague]

Before Hunter X Hunter will return — my predictions about the Spiders deaths

From the furthest to the closest to their untimely demise

(that's loose musings, please don't treat it too seriously.)

Manga spoilers ahead

1. Kalluto – Togashi is known for unexpected story resolutions, but would he really kill one of the main character's siblings without ANY interaction between them? And with so little information revealed about Kalluto? Moreover, despite the brutality of some of hxh scenes, I can't recall any child killed on screen, and killing a Zoldyck off screen would be, in my opinion, too "anticlimactic" even for Togashi.

2. Chrollo — ok, this one I'm not so sure. I have two possible scenarios in my head. a) Chrollo sees all his friends dying or b) Troupe's reaction to his death. Both could be interesting, but I'm suspecting the first one a little bit more. In the second case his place would be much much lower, of course.

3. Nobunaga — His abilities are basically an enigma, yet he played a role in most of Troupe's moments. He already wanted to fight Hisoka in Yorknew City and I feel the build up to that confrontation may put him on the "more important Spiders" list. On the other hand, he was getting a worrying amount of screentime lately...

4. Feitan — he already had his "big scene" so maybe I'm lying to myself, but I think there's still something about his character to reveal. The hinting at his abilities, the focus he received... I don't know, I feel he still has some role to play.

5. Machi — I feel that her anger at Hisoka hints at a more complex character arc. But, unfortunately, anger is not very helpful for staying cool headed and not dying. I can't wait for the next time we'll see Machi, because something will definitely happen.

6. Phinks— he has a tendency to take a lead, which may not be the safest, in combination with his slowly charging ability... uh oh, I think he's in danger. Adding to this, he was often put in more comedic roles, I think his death would emphasize that things are serious, even more than they are now.

7. Bonolenov — he's never got much attention, so I think his death would have the "omg, the Spiders are dying" effect, without a need for scenes having great emotional impact. Still, his abilities are not fully explained, so he may have a great fight before that. Not necessarily with Hisoka.

8. Franklin — he's alone, maybe his tactic of waiting for Hisoka will pay off at first, but end tragically. Presumably, shooting from his fingers is his only/main ability; seemingly easy to counter by Hisoka's very versatile style.

9. Shizuku — her abilities are pretty straightforward, and not that useful on the Black Whale, so plot-wise there's not much to be done with her character. Also, she's currently in a team with Chrollo, and I'm thinking — killing Chrollo's companions (maybe fishing them out one by one) when they are sort of "under his care" would be a very cruel thing. Hisoka would do that.

🕸

I skipped Illumi because I don't trust him. Kalluto at least fought with Ants on the Troupe's side and should ditch Zoldycks anyway, but Illumi? It's obvious he doesn't care about the Phantom Troupe, but what is he really thinking? What is his real goal? He has to come clean before I'd even consider him a Spider.

[deathfavor]

Something I love about these last two chapters is we REALLY get to see the troupe's understanding of Chrollo. Of course we KNOW they know him, but this is a different level than we've seen before in canon versus common fanon. We've KNOWN they deeply care about him; the whole Yorknew City arc made that clear and also brought about the interesting situation of where different members stand - whether the put Chrollo as a being first or Chrollo's ideals / beliefs for the Troupe first. And there's no wrong answer here (okay there is to Chrollo actually but he doesn't hold it against them). Both valuing Chrollo as an individual as well as putting his command "the spider before any individual" show that the members CARE about him. This isn't a secret. They all go to such lengths to show they care about him.

But caring doesn't necessarily mean you UNDERSTAND someone. We see that in so many other bonds and connections in HxH. People care but they misunderstand, or don't actually know how a person will react despite thinking they do.

This isn't the case with The Troupe. They all understand each other so deeply, and we did see some of that back with Yorknew City arc, but 405 & 406 are when we get to see it in regards to CHROLLO specifically. Because even in all the times we see him, he remains a very ELUSIVE character; both in understanding and even just in panels or frames in the anime.

But here we have Bonolenov saying he knows Chrollo is struggling with inner conflict and emotion. With a character like Chrollo, it could easily be brushed off as this being one character's point of view, but what makes this so EFFICIENT in that IMMEDIATELY in the next chapter we have Chrollo confirm that Bonolenov was right. " I'm struggling to control these conflicting emotions. Patience is a virtue, but I can't afford to wait around either. " I don't think this would have been NEARLY as effective if we had this Chrollo introspection 3 or 4 chapters later. The fact the chapters are back to back drives how well he's understood, especially because to this point, Chrollo's shown very little signs of truly being shaken by anything that's happened beside a panel or two. Furthermore, we have the other troupe members comments + Bonolenov explicitly saying that the rest of the Troupe wants to find Hisoka first BECAUSE they all know what state Chrollo is in and they all know Chrollo is just ACTING composed.

They know Chrollo knows. And they all know he knows they know. But he keeps acting the same because he is logical first and foremost. It's just cracking at the seams. He acts because Chrollo struggles to understand himself, to identify himself, and this anger and pain forces him to be more of an individual rather than an abstract concept ( i.e. recall when asked who he is he simply says "The Spider" ) which isn't something he's been for a LONG time. Since the Troupe began, really.

This is far from any eloquent or pretty post, and it's become something of a ramble, but the point is that I love it's canon now just how deeply the troupe understands Chrollo and vice versa, even if Chrollo's presently struggling. Not just in a logical sense, but even understanding Chrollo's emotional state better than Chrollo himself currently is. Hence why they're working so hard to find Hisoka first, even though Chrollo wants to personally kill him again.

[oneforblu]

watching hunter x hunter: yorknew city arc

I finally started watching hxh last week, which is so good. I have been wanting to watch something that would completely immerse me into the world, and I haven't had that since FMAB, but now I confidently say he has taken me in!

Currently in, towards the end of yorknew city arc, and it is 10/10. The music, the storyline, the worldbuilding, and just so much fun. My favorite characters are Gon, Killua, Kurapika, and Chrollo.

Gon was a favorite since the first episode; his overwhelming positivity and curiosity are just too infectious. killua, however, became my second favorite in the Zoldyck family arc after learning more about his life. When they reunited and went to Whale Island, it brought me so much joy. There's something so heartwarming about the two wanting to be friends and protect one another no matter the cost. The two of them have grown on me and i love watching killugon develop every few episodes!

Kurapika in the current arc I'm on is, in my opinion, the show's star! His net ability is so cool. I love episode 47 because we see him at his full potential. He's a great character striving to take back what his clan has lost. He's mentally and physically strong, and I hope he gets the justice he deserves.

In my opinion, Chrollo is a fantastic villain because he isn't outwardly sinister or violent. Unlike the others in the troupe, he keeps to himself, silently reading in a dark corner. However, this makes him much more intimidating. He doesn't need to be out and loud about his strength because he knows what he's capable of.

As of now, hxh is definitely exceeding my expectations, and I can't wait to see what else is in store!

[tangsakura]

A Possible Future Based On Hisoka's Fortune - HxH Predictions

Hunter x Hunter Chapter 105 (Raw)

"A red-eyed customer will visit your store. Half of them is angel, and the other is the god of death. Presumably they are hoping that you will sell the moon's secrets to them. They ought to be especially pleased about that of the frost moon.

On a hot day, with the mediation of the said customer, the two of you, the man of a reversed cross and you, are probably to be left alone together. The false fourth moon will be torn away from the calendar. With this, those that remain will become 6."

I'm gonna put it here to remind us all of Hisoka's real fortune.

We all know how Shalnark ended up dead according to the fortune he received back in Yorknew arc. Now everyone is paying attention at Shizuku's fortune and making predictions. One of the most popular of these theories is how Shizuku will die around merchandise covered in black, which are brought by the Kakin mafia or one of the princes, if I remember correctly.

So now, I shall make my own predictions on what will happen in the future HxH chapters. But this time it will be based on Hisoka's real fortune.

WARNING: IF YOU HAVEN'T READ HUNTER x HUNTER CHAPTERS 349 TO 400, ESPECIALLY 391 TO 400, DO NOT INTERACT OR READ FURTHER. Keep in mind that this is unedited, and you are bound to read some cringey parts at some point.

First Stanza:

"A red-eyed customer will visit your store. Half of them is angel, and the other is the god of death."

As Hisoka accepted Hinrigh's offer of going to VVIP room at tier 1, he's currently on his way there. The only one there who is described as a "red-eyed customer will visit your store. Half of them is angel, and the other is the god of death" is Kurapika, who is, at present, the bodyguard of 14th Prince Woble and Queen Oito.

At some point, they will meet again. They have to. There is no way that Hisoka will not go to the next banquet nor snoop around and find out what's up in the said tier. He will be there and his encounter with Kurapika for the first time since Yorknew arc is inevitable.

"Presumably they are hoping that you will sell the moon's secrets to them."

With Hisoka's presence in tier 1, Kurapika won't be able to help but wonder what happened to the Phantom Troupe, especially Chrollo, after Kurapika and the main gang left Chrollo, Hisoka and Pakunoda on top of the cliff/mountain (pls my brain isn't cooperating right now, somebody remind me), in the middle of nowhere.

Kurapika will definitely ask Hisoka about the Phantom Troupe. Presently, he wants to know about them and, obviously, he will get curious whether they are in the Black Whale or not. Remember, the Phantom Troupe is also his target, but obviously more secondary as 4th Prince Tserriednich is his first and foremost target as of this arc.

Kurapika will definitely find out that they are onboard the ship, and in all probability, Hisoka will let him know about it. After all, wouldn't Hisoka want to form an alliance again with Kurapika?

"They ought to be especially pleased about that of the frost moon."

I believe Hisoka will reveal something about the frost moon with Kurapika.

As you know, the frost moon refers to #11 of the Phantom Troupe. Back in Yorknew arc, they were referring to Uvogin. But he died. He even got a tombstone-less tomb and a requiem on the night of the underground auction. So, how is frost moon still relevant to this arc?

Well, sucks for you, but the one who replaced Uvogin is none other than this man:

Hunter x Hunter Chapter 377 (Official English Translation)

Illumi Zoldyck.

With the way he is acting at the moment and how he divulged his assassination deal with Hisoka is making him super suspicious. There has been so many theories about him being Hisoka and so on because of how sus he is at the moment.

Though the theory about him being Hisoka has been debunked as of the current available chapters, you cannot deny that this is not merely just a "kill me and my engagement ring to or prenup with you is that you get paid". There's something more going on here.

I predict that he and Hisoka are on cahoots with each other. Surely, Hisoka had a deal with him, but I think it's more of helping him destroy the Spiders from the inside and so Illumi can save Kalluto from Hisoka's murder plan.

If it is true that Hisoka and Illumi are working together because Hisoka asked him to just like in Yorknew and Illumi can save his younger sibling, then Kurapika will be pleased. Because that's less spiders he has to worry with, considering that he also has to get closer to Prince Tserriednich to take back the remaining scarlet eyes, while also helping Queen Oito and Prince Woble survive the succession war.

(At this point, you may take a break. Resume reading once you are ready.)

Second Stanza:

"On a hot day, with the mediation of the said customer, the two of you, the man of a reversed cross and you, are probably to be left alone together. "

I am mostly onboard with the prediction that Kurapika and Hisoka will come up with some sort of agreement regarding the Troupe. Kurapika already has too many things in his plate regarding the succession war with the remaining princes and how he will get close in contact with Prince Tserriednich. It won't come into surprise if Kurapika asks Hisoka for a helping hand or accept Hisoka's offer of his own kind of alliance, which I think he would do just like in Yorknew. But I think this time Hisoka will warn him not to remove Chrollo's nen. xD

Hisoka will perhaps help him take out some of the members. I feel that he will go for Shizuku and/or Bonolenov first. They are currently with Chrollo, so perhaps with Kurapika's help or someone's help, Chrollo can get separated from them, and then he can kill Shizuku and Bonolenov right then and there.

But we can also take into account that the closes Spiders to Hisoka right now are Nobunaga, Phinks, Feitan, and most likely Franklin and Machi. He can go for one of them first, as well. But I really feel like Shizuku and Bonolenov will die and I'll explain why in a short bit.

And of course, the one I'm most excited about is the showdown between Hisoka and Machi. I'm so ready to witness the best tragic romance of all times

Later on, Kurapika will maybe help him get another chance to be alone with Chrollo in return of him getting rid of some of the Troupe members. The ship is on the way to the false Dark Continent right now, so maybe he can set up a place there where Hisoka and Chrollo can face off. And it will be hot on that place on that day.

But it can also be that because of Kurapika, Hisoka and Chrollo will be alone together in the Black Whale ship, whether intentional or not. But how can it be a hot day in a ship, especially later when they can no longer go out of the premises due to the unpredictable travel conditions?

When the whole ship is in chaos and on fire. Now that will be wild, but not impossible.

"The false fourth moon will be torn away from the calendar."

In Yorknew arc, the false fourth moon was Hisoka, the former #4 of the Spiders. His allegiance to the spider was never true and he was willing for the existence of the Spider to perish.

But the one to replace him was Kalluto Zoldyck, the youngest member of the famous Zoldyck family.

As of now, it looks like he is getting along with them, and based on chapter 377 and 380, he has found some sort of comfort with them.

I mean look at Kalluto sitting near Machi, whom I previously analyzed based off of her speech language as someone considerate to kids.

Hunter x Hunter Chapter 377 (Official English Translation)

And how she is reacting when Illumi revealed to Mizai about everyone in the Phantom Troupe onboard the ship.

Hunter x Hunter Chapter 380 (Official English Translation)

Even so, how can Kalluto be a false fourth moon?

Because he is a Zoldyck.

At some point in the current arc, he will have to choose between the Zoldyck family and the Spiders, considering the fact that Illumi is most likely in cahoots with Hisoka, who is trying to kill the Spiders and have a rematch with Chrollo, perhaps.

And he will definitely choose the family. Because before he is a Phantom Troupe member, he is a Zoldyck. Knowing the dynamics of the family and all of that, I think he will have no choice but to choose his own biological family over the one he found some comfort with. Thus, he has always been a false fourth moon, just like Hisoka.

"With this, those that remain will become 6."

Whether this happens before, during, or after the Hisoka and Chrollo being alone together on a hot day, it doesn't matter. I predict that there will be six members of the Phantom Troupe left, including Chrollo.

And you know what's funny, I think the ones who will have to die are Shizuku and Bonolenov, as I stated previously.

Because:

Hunter x Hunter Chapter 397 (Unofficial English Translations)

The ones who will be left will be the original Phantom Troupe members.

Originally, there are nine members. But three of them are already dead: Pakunoda, Uvogin and Shalnark.

When Shizuku and Bonolenov dies, the ones who will be left will be Nobunaga, Phinks, Feitan, Franklin, Machi, and Chrollo.

The original six.

I really think that if this will be the case, then we have a big potential or two when it comes to exploring the dynamics and relationships between the founding members. We have already witnessed the tension and conflict between the founding members when Chrollo was kidnapped by Kurapika back in Yorknew.

So this time it'll be interesting if we see it once again. And it'll be better if six of them are alive, but Chrollo is alone with Hisoka and they are far away from the other five. It'll be another dilemma for them once again. Do you save Chrollo or do you live on and keep the Spider alive?

And it'll be more interesting if the other people's predictions that the Hei-Ly family had something to do with Sarasa's death and the six founding members finds out about this and ends up being face to face with the benefactor.

These two events can tie into the Spiders' backstory a lot with the former possibly igniting or making them recollect the strong bonds that existed back on that day in the forest and the latter resolving the grudge and guilt they have been carrying since childhood.

Also, having the six founding members dying at the same time or together can be melancholic and sorrowful. A tragic and sad ending, but which provided them resolution and catharsis.

And that's about it. I hope you enjoyed reading my predictions. This post has been in my drafts since the day before my birthday last year and I just completed it in one sitting. Finally, I posted something decent after a long time.

Anyways, I'll go to sleep now. It's like 2 or 3 am here right now.

Until then.

[aaaaamorphous-entity]

for the blorbo bingo how about chrollo hunter x hunter?

Heck yeah!

I enjoy having Chrollo on screen! He's interesting, and I enjoy mild-mannered villains quite a bit - especially ones without clear motivations at first.

The complicated feelings of course come with the fact that he's in direct opposition with Kurapika. There's a sense of inevitability between them - one is bound to die to, in Kurapika's case, satisfy and in Chrollo's case, survive. Narratively, I would prefer Kurapika to kill Chrollo and survive, but I wouldn't be surprised if it wound up being a bittersweet ending where it's a mutual kill :(

I'm certain Chrollo could get worse - it seems like he gets more bloodthirsty the more Spiders die, and this current arc is setting up for a lot of potential Spider deaths. It could very well lead to most, if not all, of them being taken out if the author so chooses, and I feel like we're going to see Chrollo go off in a big way if that happens.

I am intrigued by Chrollo, though. His morality is incredibly dark grey. He doesn't seem to have a limit for who can die for his purposes - he slaughtered an entire clan, children and all, just for a profit. Yet he seems protective of Meteor City, though all bets are off for the men hired therefrom who opposed them in Yorknew.

I would love to see more of Chrollo's origins that made him the way he is. He's just a fun character to watch, and he has a solid aesthetic too. I want to see what he's like in the past, and when he's pushed in the present.

Thanks for sending this in!

(Template from here)

[blackspellbook]

I'm currently in the middle of Yorknew City arc and at first i was kinda skeptical about the series because even though i think it's a fun show, i couldn't care less about most characters (except Kurapika and Hisoka because these two were amazing since the beginning).

Hunter Exams is fun but just that. Y'all can crucify me but i had a lotta more fun with Chunin Exams. I know Kishimoto took ideas from it but i preferred what he did in Naruto than what Togashi did with Hunter Exams.

Killua's parents arc was terrible. It was boring and too short. It reminded me so much of that one arc in Shaman King that we meet Tao Ren's family. It's undeniable that Togashi is a VERY influential author. I can see easily his ideas in many shonens that i like.

Heaven's Arena arc was boring because it's a typical tournament arc and i really don't like these kind of arcs. That's why i'm not the biggest fan of Yu Yu Hakusho.

But everything is changing with Yorknew. I like how Kurapika is the protagonist of this arc. This arc is fun! It's like "The Godfather meets battle shonen".

Guess who started watching Hunter x Hunter.

It’s the only one of the Big Shonens™ that I hadn’t watched yet.

I’m enjoying it! I can see easily all the parallels with Naruto (my favorite one).

[michiikooo]

FINALLY REWATCHING HXH FOR THE FIRST TIME IN 3 YEARS I FEEL LIKE A KID WHO JUST ATE TOO MUCH SUGAR

[daughter-of-war]

Hunter x Hunter (Arcs 3 to 5) as according to my 54-year-old father

((To see his takes on the Hunter Exam and the Zoldyck Family Arcs, click here))

Heaven’s Arena Arc

Favorite New Character: zucchini 

Least Favorite New Character: gido

Coolest Power/Feature: auras 

Best Scene: killua scaring the bullies 

Worst Scene: kastro and hisoka having an arm chopped off and no one seemed to think it was a big deal. 

Favorite Overall Aspect: good chatacter stories developing

Least Favorite Aspect: poor hisoka can't get a date

Overall Rating of arc: 7

Wing (Nen Teacher): very smart man

Zushi (Wing's Student): sad zucchini 

Gido (Spinning Top Nen): sand people* wanna be

Riehlvelt (Wheelchair Nen): insult to real good handicapped people

Sadaso (Invisible Arm Nen): chicken 

Kastro (Doppelganger Nen): disappointing 

Machi (Fixed Hisoka's Arms): future mrs hisoka 

His Yorknew and Greed Island Hot Takes(TM) are Under the Cut

Yorknew City Arc

Favorite New Character: pakunoda

Least Favorite New Character: shadow beasts

Coolest Power/Feature: memory bomb

Best Scene: pakunoda death scene

Favorite Overall Aspect: fighting the troupe

Least Favorite Aspect: gon looking to find his father may get old.

Overall Rating of arc: 9

Neon Nostrade (Lovely Ghostwriter): a little spoiled

Melody (Enchating Music): good hearted but needs a dentist

Basho (Great Haikuist): did his job very well

Squala (Dog Manipulation): exceptional talent, unfortunate ending

Baise (Instant Lover): reminds me of some people I used to know

Zepile (Appraiser): opportunist

Chrollo Lucilfer (Bandit's Secret): underwhelming

Uvogin (Big Bang Impact): impressive, died too soon

Shizuku Murasaki (Blinky): love the vaccum

Nobunaga Hazama (Swordsman): hot head

Shalnark (Black Voice): good underneath

Feitan Portor (Pain Packer): little guy complex

Franklin Bordeau (Double Machine Gun): ears were uncomfortable to look at

Phinks Magcub (Ripper Cyclotron): angry man

Machi Komacine (Nen Stitches): future Mrs. hisoka

Pakunoda (Memory Bomb): great character, needed to join with good guys.

Kortopi (Gallery Fake): cool power

Bonolenov Ndongo (Battle Cantabile): under developed

The Shadow Beasts (Mafia Fighters): lame and not as tough as they wanted to be

Greed Island Arc

Favorite New Character: goreinu

Least Favorite New Character: dwun

Coolest Power/Feature: killua's electricity

Best Scene: gon fighting genthru

Favorite Overall Aspect: the fight for the cards by multiple groups

Least Favorite Aspect: thinking they were in a game

Overall Rating of arc: 9

Opinion of Gon: very tough but a bit reckless

Opinion of Killua: steady and getting super tough. Love the 1 hour hunter exam.

Biscuit Krueger (Magical Spa): could've been Diane's** long lost mother

Battera (GI Buyer): potential next billionaire in the democratic primary

Genthru (Countdown): overconfident

Sub and Bara (Genthru's Allies): lackies

Tsezguerra (Allied Hunter): seemed good overall

Abengane (Nen Exorcist): marketable skill

Goreinu (Nen Gorillas): we could all use them

Binolt (Scissor Hands): still liked Edward*** better

Razor (14 Devils): I'll pick him first in gym class.

Dwun (Fellow GI Creator): that boy is P I G pig.****

References: 

*Sand people/Tusken Raiders from Star Wars

**Diane is the Giantess from Nanatsu no Taizai (The Seven Deadly Sins)

***Edward Scissorhands, the Tim Burton film

****A quote from the 1978 film, Animal house

[hamliet]

With that Phantom Troupe backstory coming out, do you think it's more or less likely that Hisoka will succeed in killing them all? (Bc of that trope of giving a backstory before killing a character). The whole setup of this arc screams that at least a few more members are going to die, but do you think there's a chance for a TPK?

Alas, I do not know what a TPK is! :(

I don't necessarily think the point of this flashback is For the Sadz Before Deaths. I generally think that's pretty mediocre writing, and Togashi's better than that. This flashback has a far weightier feel to it than just a cheap sucker punch, in other words.

I think the point of this flashback is to again establish Chrollo as Kurapika's shadow, and to point towards the likely resolution of this arc. If what @aspoonofsugar theorizes is true (which someone suggested to me way back in 2018 too), and I think there's a pretty damn good chance of this, then we've got an entirely new perspective on Chrollo... albeit one with hints along the way. Either way, the set-up of this flashback, with it focusing on Chrollo, seems to indicate that the point of it is to make the audience ponder about revenge and to see Chrollo and Kurapika as two sides of the same coin.

We know what made Kurapika lose his idealism. What made Chrollo lose his? That's what this flashback seems destined to show us. If the Sheila theory is true, it's probably the final domino... I doubt it was the beginning. We're probably about to see what those disappointments were that turned him into such a hardline utilitarian to where he'll find his identity with his troupe, but not ever say he loves them like he did before.

All that said: Hisoka is absolutely not going to kill all of them. In addition to what I said above, that's just not how Togashi tends to solve issues in his stories; the journeys matter more. What is more likely is that Chrollo and Kurapika almost certainly are going to have to work together to escape the boat; Kurapika will have to choose between the living (Oito and Woble) and the dead (Pairo's eyes), and Chrollo will have to choose between the people he has left and revenge.

However, I do think it is very likely some Troupe members are about to die. Chrollo kind of has to lose more people to get the wakeup call, because right now he's all about revenge. The ironic thing is that Hisoka's actions are calling Chrollo on his precise hypocrisy: the fact that he truly loves the Spiders. Is he going to choose to save them, or continue revenge and lose everything?

Considering he's Kurapika's shadow and you integrate with your shadow, you don't kill it, my guess is that as Chrollo loses more members and more stability, and comes into contact with Kurapika (who will probably also find out about Sheila, if that's what really happened), he'll eventually decide to choose to live. Kurapika will probably choose the same. But they'll only get to live if they integrate (aka work together).

If you want to know whom I'm currently worried about, any Spider except Chrollo, Kalluto, and Illumi. Those kids all have plot armor.

But my concerns are primarily for Shizuku, Bololenov, and Franklin, because they are far less developed, and Nobunaga, because he's gotten a lot of focus in recent chapters. See, Nobunaga, Machi, Feitan, and Phinks have more ties to the philosophical debate raging inside Chrollo--they, along with Paku, were the five who debated whether or not to save Chrollo from Kurapika back in Yorknew. Machi and Nobunaga represent Chrollo's genuine care, while Feitan and Phinks represented his utilitarianism.

But Nobunaga's focus lately really does concern me, and I wonder if how he might die will prove important for Chrollo making this decision...

[ankle-beez]

That's another season down!

God I really enjoyed the Heaven's Tower arc, im happy Gon and Killua got an arc all to themselves, the introduction to the Nen system was incredible and fascinating to watch not only be applied to current fights but fights in the last season as well, and the fights themselves were killer, with Gon vs Hisoka being the highlight. And not to mention we finally got info on Ging and some nice moments with Mito.

I'm really getting into this now and I get the feeling it'll get better from here.

Next up we go to Yorknew City so the liveblog continues!

Season rating: 8/10

[thedancefloorsilly]

I regret knowing anything about the Chimera Ant arc, that's gonna mess me up when I watch it, especially after Kite y'know...

I'm kinda glad I knew a lot about the Yorknew arc, especially about the spiders, but now I'm waiting to see Chrollo in a suit with his hair down. I don't simp for that man (I'm loyal to Kurapika✋) but I know literally everything about his current character, barely anything about his past though so it's not like I only spoil the plot, I know so much about characters that aren't even introduced, Alluka for example, I know practically everything about her and she comes into it in like 70 episodes or something.

YOOO the CA fcked me up man ;( but its def a rlly good one.. rlly long but still rlly good. killua cries so many times its so sad :(( AND KITE OUCH- that specific scene rlly hurt. you're gonna be 20 episodes in during the invasion scene and the narrators still gonna be like "3 minuets have passed" LOL

omg the yorknew arc is NO DOUBT my fav. kurapikas backstory and the spiders are just all so interesting like I can write a full on essay why that arc is amazing. OOH LEMME TELL U when chrollo was first introduced I was like "eh hes cute but like eh". BUT MANNN THAT SCENE WITH NEON AND HIM AT THE REASTURANT 👀 I dont simp for him either but him trying to act all charismatic had ma heart racing ngl AHH. like he just looks so nice there and his voice in sub and dub in that scene both sound like *chefs kiss*. ok ok lemme stop- also get ready for the feitan Chimera ant scene mmmmmmmm OK IM DONE

other than the fact that the PT grew up in meteor city theres honestly not much abt there backstories (which im sad abt ahhhh). omg Alluka gets introduced in like episode 138 DAMN u went far ahead 😩

[homuras]

hi jessica! i'm wondering who your fave character(s) + villain(s) are in hxh? and why? and also your fave arc(s)!

Hey Mariam! Oof, coming at me with the hard questions, eh?

I really like most of the characters tbh. Everyone has their own set of moral and ambitions and it’s so interesting watching how that plays out and influences the story. 

Well, I absolutely love Killua (wow, shocking, i know). Seeing him develop his sense of self-worth and purpose as he grew as a person was so satisfying to watch. His relationship with Gon was also one of the highlights of the series and just thinking about how much they mean to each other wrecks me every time. I love both of my sons. Their separation at the end was heartbreaking, but necessary and I look forward to their reunion!

Kurapika is also one of my faves. Watching him struggle between finding happiness and his self-destructive path to revenge just makes you want to give him a hug and make him get some good rest for once. 

Leorio is probably the most underrated of the main four. He’s probably the most ernest and pure-hearted character in the whole cast and is all around just a really good guy. I hope he gets his time to shine in the current arc.

Hxh also has some of the most intriguing villains. Honestly, I wouldn’t even really consider them “villians” so much as simply being antagonists because the stories great at presenting the morals and views of both sides. The only arc with a kinda lame villain was probably the GI arc.

Hisoka’s one of my faves in the series and probably fave villain. His mere presence adds this element of unpredictability to a scene. He’s a nice balance of fun and creepy. 

Chrollo and the rest of the Phantom Troupe are really cool as well. I really liked how they were presented as having their own morals and cared for each other, despite being thugs and criminals.

Meruem is probably one of the most developed antagonists I’ve seen. You could probably argue that he’s the true protagonist of the CA arc. I loved watching him gradually grow to appreciate the value of other lives and the worth of his opponents. His final scenes with Komugi were beautiful.

As for favorite arcs, I’d probably have to say Yorknew. I love Kurapika and the Phantom Troupe and seeing them all in action was so satisfying. I really like the Chimera Ant arc too, and I’d say it’s better thematically, but admittedly, some parts are stronger than others and pacing could have been better at places. 

[kuroushi]

ahh, i'm so glad you liked hxh! i loved the chimera arc so much (that one scene in 136 literally sent me into a crying fit) but i do wish it could've been a bit shorter, and the election arc like 20 episodes longer because i needed to see more of leorio, and killua and alluka were so cute! (the flashback with baby killua literally extended my lifespan by a decade). and leorio, oh my god, i was cheering at the end of ep 140 lol, best moment in the entire series

i absolutely LOVED it 

i’m never going to be the same again and tbh #Leorio4President2020

Spoilers

I was quick to judged the chimera ant arc bc I was like, bugs? really? And I wasn’t a fan of the whole eating humans concept and them being so damn mf strong! But it made sense…and when we saw that one pig ant “cooking” I thought, “how ironic, this is literally what we do to animals who am I to judge.” I disliked them for killing humans in order for them to feed the queen, but then I remembered the yorknew city arc and how the spiders (who were humans) were killing other humans, so it’s not like we were any better. so after thinking all that i thought it wasn’t a bad arc as I made it out to be.

i wish the arc focused more on the characters than the current situation (if that makes sense lol). like i could have gone without those dragged out “fight” scenes lol. i would have loved to gotten to know more about other characters (in depth).

And DUDE. when reina reunited with her mother I LOST IT. I LOST IT, I CRIED. i wish I could have seen colt meeting them as well 😭  They pretty much started the whole arc, so it was so heart wrenching and beautiful that the mom finally saw one of her children. 

Yes! I would have loved the election arc to have been longer. When Leorio punched Ging I was freaking rooting for him! 

Leorio punching Ging, Me: 

I’m sorry Ging, but you deserved that punch lol. 

I was the crowd who was ganging up on Ging when Gon finally saw him lol. I mean, I’m sure Ging had his own reasons for why did everything the way he did, but I still couldn’t help but be upset at him for how he acted as a father. But the last episode was adorable and beautiful! 

KILLUA IS SUCH A WONDERFUL BIG BROTHER, FRIEND, AND SON. I NEED HIM TO KNOW THIS. Killua and Alluka were so cute and I AGREE. Seeing baby Killua cleared my skin and watered my crops, HE WAS SO FREAKING ADORABLE. 

There were so many wonderful characters in hxh, but Killua, Killua, man I absolutely love and adore him. He had so many insecurities and yet he pulled though everything. He did everything he could for his friends and his sister and is just a wonderful character 😩

ANYWAYS, hxh was amazing and beautifully done! I’m SUPER HAPPY I watched it 😭 

[tangsakura]

Ok so we all know now that Machi uses feminine language with Hisoka and that Hisoka had more hearts for Machi than any other characters in his speech. Have you noticed any other pattern in Hisoka's speech when he's talking to Machi that is different from when he talks to other people?

I noticed that he never uses double entendres with Machi and it's always masculine or neutral style of speech with her. Also has he ever called any Phantom Troupe member their own name other than Chrollo and Machi?

The ones he had frequent encounters with and feels a connection with (by connection, I mean being an unripe fruit and toy box sht) is called by him by their names.

Illumi and Machi are special cases. I know Illumi is also in the toybox but he's the only one there smiling. Hisoka has some kind of connection with the two of them that are different from Gon and everyone else in his toy box.

Speaking of which, the current arc right now in Hunter x Hunter is the second time both Illumi and Machi are included in. But unlike Yorknew arc, they both know each other. They've seen each other and they are now both Troupe members. It'll be interesting if three of them encounter each other on the black whale. Who knows, we might even get more Hisoka information in the future chapters.

Also, idk if this observation counts, but here it goes.

Hisoka having his back turn from Machi when he asks a question that has to do with himself. But his eyes are directed towards her; his head is just not turned towards her.

Remember the dinner (or something) invitation in chapter 55? The man literally has his back turned but his eyes are like directed towards the side where she is.

Hunter x Hunter Chapter 55 (Colored Raws)

Back turned but his eyes are pointing towards the side where Machi is.

Same thing in chapter 170 during Greed Island arc.

Hunter x Hunter Chapter 170 (Colored Raws)

His eyes are towards her but his back is towards her.

The only time he stared back is when she left and when she never directly answered the question. Look who's being shy here. (jks)

Anyways, that's it for me. Sorry if I took a while to answer this ask. I have a couple more after this. I'm hoping to answer them asap. This is what happens when you end up sick the day after you finish your one and only exam for the term xD

See you around. Merry christmas and happy holidays!!

[hamliet]

I'm sooo sad about TG ending, can you please recommend me some goods mangas or animes?

Mmmm my favorite currently ongoing mangas are Hunter x Hunter, SnK, BNHA, and Black Butler.

BNHA is kind of a straightforward shonen without the depth of TG (not that it’s shallow because it isn’t, but it’s not uber psychological), but it has a coherent narrative and some really great characters, as well as some clearly hinted redemption lines, so if you enjoyed the redemptive elements of TG, I think you might enjoy that.

SnK is a great deconstruction of the shonen genre and explores many of the same themes as TG and has similar psychological depth. It has similarly amazing female characters and has better LGBT representation than TG. However, it is a monthly release.

Black Butler is also a monthly release but also does a pretty great job of deconstructing common literary tropes and stories, while having a coherent central plot line as well. Also? Great female characters. 

HxH is probably my favorite ongoing manga, and it’s a weekly release–but it’s currently on hiatus (weeps). It’s a shonen deconstruction and you can clearly see how the authors of both TG and SnK were influenced by it. The characters are fantastic, the plot is excellent and the structure well done, it’s got that psychological depth of TG, and thus far it has truly explored its themes to their maximum potential. The pacing is also largely excellent. My largest complaint is that the first three arcs don’t have very many female characters, but once you reach Yorknew Arc they start appearing and they’re some of the best female characters I’ve ever read about.