#chapter 397

[everyitachi]

[the19thduckpotato]

about how well I'm handling life atm in one panel 🙃

[progg]

Chapter 397 Breakdown

Here are my thoughts on Chapter 397 of Hunter x Hunter, “Formation: Part 3”.

It should come as no surprise that Sarasa is missing at the beginning of this chapter, considering where we left off. There are a couple things I want to point out early on.

Sheila mentions that Franklin and Nobunaga always turn up late to the performances. In other words, they’re not as dedicated to the performance aspect of the Troupe. They probably only stick around because the “sense of brotherhood” appeals to them. This is consistent with their characterization. Franklin often plays the role of the “gentle giant”, keeping a level head and mediating conflicts within the troupe (I’ve brought this up in previous posts, and I’m serious about it. He might be introduced as a hot-head, but almost every other interaction has him acting as a mediator or “gel” for the group). Nobunaga is perhaps the most sentimental Troupe member and greatly values his relationships.

This has interesting implications when you consider the broader story. As we learn later in the chapter, much of the Troupe’s villainy is an act they put on to protect Meteor City (at least, that was the original plan). However, Franklin and Nobunaga may not be especially devoted to playing that role. I have no idea what Togashi is planning, but I think it’s possible there is a schism forming within the Troupe, especially between Chrollo and Franklin/Nobunaga. Nobunaga’s words leading into the flashback suggest a changing viewpoint, and I see Franklin’s “strategy” for finding Hisoka as a direct repudiation of Chrollo.

“If there’s no gauntlet, we won’t pick it up.” - FRANKLIN BORDEAU, CHAPTER 379

Moving on, Sheila offers to help Chrollo search for Sarasa because she knows Sarasa’s nannies.

The bond between Sheila and Sarasa is something I brought up in my post titled Chasing Shadows. While I’m still unsure of Sheila’s intentions, I’m positive her relationship with Sarasa is important. She is closer to her than any other members of the Troupe.

Unfortunately, Sarasa’s nannies haven’t seen her. The Troupe is unsure what to do and turns to Chrollo for guidance.

This is yet another example of that Specialist charisma Chrollo and Kurapika share. This flashback comes amidst various characters looking to Kurapika for guidance in the Succession War.

Chrollo postpones the performance and announces to the children of Meteor City that Sarasa is missing. It’s clear that he feels a lot of guilt over her disappearance.

“As you know, child abductions have been increasing. And yet despite knowing how dire the situation is, I let her go home alone without considering counter-measures. I take full responsibility.”

– CHROLLO LUCILFER, CHAPTER 397

Not unlike Kurapika, Chrollo blames himself for the tragedy around him. The parallels just keep adding up.

The search for Sarasa is largely unsuccessful—that is, until Chrollo finds her locket at the entrance to a dark, foreboding forest. Entering the forest, the Troupe finds a note pinned to a tree, with a bag hanging overhead. Chrollo, probably out of self-flagellating guilt, offers to look inside the bag. It is revealed to contain the decapitated head of Sarasa. Note: the Kurta were also decapitated. The decapitation of Sarasa is probably a direct parallel to the decapitation of Pairo. Themes of dismemberment are also present in the Succession Arc through Tserriednich’s “art” and the Hei-Ly’s meat processing unit.

Chrollo and Uvogin argue with each other over the contents of the pinned note. I don’t have much to say about the note other than that the contents will absolutely be revealed at some point. You don’t introduce a mystery like that and keep it unsolved.

The Troupe return Sarasa’s remains to Meteor City where she is embalmed by the mysterious Renko. She is buried with the Clean-up Rangers DVD, which may be a Chekov’s gun (or not).

Machi also has some dialogue with Renko, who will probably go on to teach her Nen.

Machi has always had something of a sixth sense; it came up several times in the Yorknew City arc, and this conversation is doubling down on that aspect of her character.

After the funeral, Chrollo unveils his plan for avenging Sarasa and protecting Meteor City. It’s a plan that involves… predicting the internet.

Chrollo believes the dismemberment of Sarasa was recorded and that it will ultimately be shared on the newly developing “dark web”.

He wants to capitalize on the emergence of the dark web, making Meteor City a safe haven for criminals in the hopes of luring Sarasa’s killers there. His comments about the dark web have some pretty interesting implications. As we learn from Mizaistom, Tserriednich’s ownership of the eyes (and, potentially Pairo’s head!) was also confirmed by a video on the dark web.

From Chapter 343.

I wouldn’t be surprised if the pre-coup Hei-Ly had a hand in both the Kurta massacre and Sarasa’s murder.

While Chrollo is dictating his plan, Sheila wanders off looking dejected.

Notably, she leaves before Chrollo mentions “killing a lot of people”, so that isn’t what put her off. The way I see it, she disagreed with the need to avenge Sarasa at all (suggesting she is actually “good”), or she disagreed with the need to wait three years (more evil interpretation). I lean toward the former because her departure is immediately followed by Chrollo’s admission that Sarasa would disapprove of his plan.

As I mentioned earlier, Sheila was closer to Sarasa than the other Troupe members, so it follows that she would disagree with Chrollo’s plan on the same grounds.

In fact, Chrollo’s contradiction of Sarasa’s values represents the biggest similarity between him and Kurapika. Replace Sarasa with Pairo and the parallels become crystal clear. Both Kurapika and Chrollo are motivated primarily by guilt. Rather than focusing on future life, they have become obsessed with the past and death. I wrote about this idea in my post titled Kurapika’s Fate. It’s also evident in Chrollo’s conversation with Neon.

If nothing else, this flashback teaches us that Kurapika and Chrollo are two sides of the same coin.

Finally, this chapter ends off by reintroducing the idea that the Troupe are only “playing” the villains. It’s part of Chrollo’s plan to garner a fearsome reputation—one that will ward away lesser criminals and protect Meteor City. Whether this is a good plan (or whether it just led to them becoming actual villains) is up for debate.

Regardless, it seems at least possible to me that the Troupe claimed credit for the Kurta massacre but were not actually responsible. I wrote more about this idea here. This flashback was clearly meant to humanize the Troupe, but not necessarily exonerate them.

That concludes the last of the flashback chapters. In the next breakdown, we’ll be back on the Black Whale with Hinrigh, Phinks, Feitan and Nobunaga.

[urielopot]

my girl heewon really thriving on the power of friendship

[algumaideia]

Oh wow how tragic how tragic 😭

Didn't expect ice guy to help her go

The goodbyes are absolutely hesrtbreaking

Saul saying she shouldn't be alone 😭

She smiling and trying to laugh just to immediately start crying 😭

[amynchan]

Finally catching up on BNHA and????

Why???? Was no one talking???? about how All Might???? Is using his students' moves????????????

HIS FRIGGIN' ARC AS A TEACHER IS COMING INTO PLAY, AND I AM PLEASED ABOUT THAT!!

[codenamesazanka]

All Might: Currently 58 years old.

Original Japanese: 「50も半ばを超えて」

lit. [I’ve] gone past [my] mid-50s

ayyyyy i’m always right.

Shimura Nana died when Yagi Toshinori was 18 years old, but by then she had passed on One for All.

It’s hard to say when exactly she did that - when she was fighting All For One for the last time, she no longer had the quirk, only the ‘leftover’ power from it - much like how All Might was able to keep going after giving OFA to Deku. It took about six, seven months (January/February to August) before it was completely gone, so we might be able to say that, based on this range, the earliest that Nana was able to give Toshinori the quirk (and still have enough power to fight AFO) was when he was about 17.5 years old.

But— All Might’s gradual loss of OFA could’ve been accelerated by his chronic health problems. Or: All Might’s lingering power was actually a case of prolonging, since he has it for so long that it “truly became his quirk” (Yoichi, Chapter 304). So we’ve got no idea.

In any case, let’s assume Toshinori was 17 years old when he got One For All. He would keep it for the next 40 years (Yoichi, again, Chapter 304). That makes him 57 when he finally hands over the quirk to Deku. Later that year, he turns 58 in June; and now nearly another year later, Yagi Toshinori/All Might is about to turn 59. Old man.

*

We know that All Might left for the United States for college after he graduated UA. If he had stayed there for the 4 years it takes to graduate with a bachelor’s then came back to Japan immediately afterwards, that means All Might would’ve been 23 years old when he first made his debut as a Pro-Hero. For the next 34 years, he became the Number 1 Hero and the Symbol of Peace. The massive thorn in All For One’s side for 3 whole decades.

*

Meanwhile. Shimura Kotarou, Nana’s son, was 32 when he was killed by his own son, Shimura Tenko, age 5.

That makes him 26 (going on 27) when Tenko was born. (Kotarou’s birthday is in July, Tenko’s in April.) And anywhere from, what, 22 to 25 when Kotarou’s first child, Hana, was born.

The average age an HeroAca parent is when they have their firstborn is age 25.

Assuming, too, Nana was 25 years old when she had her first and only child, that would make her… about 72 years old if she was currently alive. In the canon story, though, she died at age 31.

-

In Chapter 93, Toshinori Yagi is in what looks to be a middle school uniform when he first meets Nana. For ~symbolism and parallels~, we’ll say he’s 14 then, same age as Deku when Deku met All Might.

So Nana would’ve been 27 when she met Toshinori and took him on as her protégée. Her husband and son would’ve still be alive, Kotarou being age 2-ish. Likely Toshinori met and got to know Kotarou before the little boy had to be relinquished. Toshinori definitely was there to see Nana’s grief over that.

-

Summarizing all this up:

Shimura Nana: Born ~72 years ago. Likely died at age 31. Probably met Yagi Toshinori when she was 27.

Shimura Kotarou, when Tenko was born: 26 years old. If alive, would currently be 46.

All Might: Currently 58 years old. Hero Debut at age ~23?

All Might’s Reign: 30+ years. That’s a whole generation and a bit more. And regarding that…

[ohmi-ohmyj]

Happy 1-year-deathiversary to this guy 💣💥🎉

[pannacottababy]

HXH CHAP 397 SPOILERS!!!

This is inspired by @masakuterarr's drawing of Uvogin and Sarasa for Christmas. I heard this audio and thought of the two.

I even wrote it in a sticky note and hoped I won't forget. While I usually would do this digitally, I think the raw strokes of a pencil really gives it personality, vulnerability and all that.

I would like to properly draw Sarasa one day, she's such a lovely character.

[moonpaw]

can we give a round of applause for the first unedited "damn" that viz put in since chapter 11?

[nanachocco]

Tomura mocking his GROOMER for being bad at manipulating is just the goal™

No thoughts head empty Tomura and All Might making fun of AFO

[everyitachi]

[everytobito]

[saltytearsofjoy]

horikoshi should take a several month break completely unannounced. some of you need to chill with the media consumption

[pttucker]

"I don't need to get their stupid consent anymore," said Jung Heewon, now neither 'Good' nor 'Evil'. "We decide who will be judged from now on." Sparks danced wildly around her figure as she gripped the [Sword of Judgement]. Demon King Haagenti took several steps back, almost reflexively, after sensing her suspicious aura. [What is this…??] [Exclusive skill, 'Hour of Judgement', is receiving the blessing of < Kim Dokja's Company >.] [Voting rights have been distributed to the members of < Kim Dokja's Company >.] [A portion of the members are unable to participate in the voting.] [Only the members that can, will participate in the voting.] And then, the voting began. [Incarnation, 'Lee Jihye', agrees with the judgement.] [Incarnation, 'Shin Yoosung', agrees with the judgement.] [Incarnation, 'Lee Gilyoung', agrees with the judgement.] [Incarnation, 'Jung Heewon', agrees with the judgement.]

This is so freaking cool.

Lmfao I’m just picturing the other three off in Cyperpunk City getting some weird ass message about this.

The others, probably: Dokja is doing something weird again. 😂

For once it's not him doing all this weird stuff! It's everybody else!

Well, okay, not just him since bringing the Army of the Underworld is actually pretty Kim Dokja of him.

Not sure why Sooyoung & Dokja didn't get a vote, though. I guess maybe it didn't reach Dokja in the Underworld? And maybe Sooyoung is currently under Abyssal Black Flame Dragon's control??? I assume it's not because they're both aligned with "Evil" right now because that'd kind of defeat the whole point that Heewon is trying to make.

[nynyhaha]

Something’s not quite right.Some tension in the air says it’s not a lucky day.