Hunter x Hunter

[Talon87]

That's disappointing to hear. It may well mean that the heretofore filler-free reboot may be getting some filler of its own. *sigh*

[Talon87]

So ... I went ahead and watched Episode 23. -.-; Thoughts:

Spoiler: show

I really like Killua's little sister / his mom's assistant, whichever of the two she is. She's a real cutie, and the romantic in me is already wondering whether she's going to wind up falling for Gon or whether she's already got her sights set on Killua. I'd like to see her rebel against this monstrous family along with Killua. I guess only time will tell what Fate has in store for her.

I felt bad for the black girl, but I have to congratulate Togashi for having Killua's mother kill her for insubordination. It drives home just how frighteningly powerful these Zoldycks are. Kind of begs the question, "If Mrs. Zoldyck is not assassinating Killua's friends, why is that?" Is it because she fears what effect that would have on Killua? Is it because, from the Zoldycks' perspective, they're allowing Gon & Co. to live to see if they have what it takes to be friends with Killua? Is it something else? I just hope it's not a plot hole. Because seeing as Gon's animal instincts weren't sharp enough for him to jump back as the assistant butler was assassinated, it suggests that he would have just as easily been the one to die had Mrs. Zoldyck aimed at Gon instead of the black girl.

Killua's sadistic older brother is a blah "stereotypical uninteresting super-sadist" character. Not interested.

lol @ the silhouettes of the Zoldyck family they showed us in the beginning. Not only does it call to mind the similar silhouette shot of the Phantom Troupe, it also reaffirms that this second season really is going to be "the Retrieve Killua story arc." So many Zoldycks for us to meet, so many Zoldycks for Gon and the others to defeat.

Hooray for Leorio putting on some muscle and not being a total butt monkey, as Doppel calls him, anymore. The fact that he was able to open his side of the gate just as much as Kurapica was able to open his own side affirms that Leorio's upper body and axial strength is at least as good as Kurapica's. So hooray for that bone Togashi deigned to throw to poor Leorio. ^^; I mean, sure I expect Leorio to remain this series' butt monkey: but at least he's not a total write-off anymore.

[Doppleganger]

Internet's dead, want to watch so badly.

[lilboocorsola]

Originally Posted by Talon87

So ... I went ahead and watched Episode 23. -.-; Thoughts:

Spoiler: show

I really like Killua's little sister / his mom's assistant, whichever of the two she is. She's a real cutie, and the romantic in me is already wondering whether she's going to wind up falling for Gon or whether she's already got her sights set on Killua. I'd like to see her rebel against this monstrous family along with Killua. I guess only time will tell what Fate has in store for her.

I felt bad for the black girl, but I have to congratulate Togashi for having Killua's mother kill her for insubordination. It drives home just how frighteningly powerful these Zoldycks are. Kind of begs the question, "If Mrs. Zoldyck is not assassinating Killua's friends, why is that?" Is it because she fears what effect that would have on Killua? Is it because, from the Zoldycks' perspective, they're allowing Gon & Co. to live to see if they have what it takes to be friends with Killua? Is it something else? I just hope it's not a plot hole. Because seeing as Gon's animal instincts weren't sharp enough for him to jump back as the assistant butler was assassinated, it suggests that he would have just as easily been the one to die had Mrs. Zoldyck aimed at Gon instead of the black girl.

Killua's sadistic older brother is a blah "stereotypical uninteresting super-sadist" character. Not interested.

lol @ the silhouettes of the Zoldyck family they showed us in the beginning. Not only does it call to mind the similar silhouette shot of the Phantom Troupe, it also reaffirms that this second season really is going to be "the Retrieve Killua story arc." So many Zoldycks for us to meet, so many Zoldycks for Gon and the others to defeat.

Hooray for Leorio putting on some muscle and not being a total butt monkey, as Doppel calls him, anymore. The fact that he was able to open his side of the gate just as much as Kurapica was able to open his own side affirms that Leorio's upper body and axial strength is at least as good as Kurapica's. So hooray for that bone Togashi deigned to throw to poor Leorio. ^^; I mean, sure I expect Leorio to remain this series' butt monkey: but at least he's not a total write-off anymore.

I have to laugh/shake my head at a lot of assumptions you're making. A few are clearly just Talon being Talon, though others are apparently the fault of new direction/changes from the manga, which bother me especially since you've proven them to be misleading.

The main issue I can address at this time without confirming or denying any of your postulations is this:

Spoiler: show

In the manga/1999 series, Leorio, Kurapica, and Gon were all able to open the door individually after 20 days of training. It was pointed out that Leorio was the most accomplished of the three, capable of opening even the second gate. He might not be as bright as his companions, but he is physically strongest. According to Togashi, he would've won his fight with Bodoro if Killua hadn't interrupted it. The chairman even stated as such: Bodoro had more experience, but in terms of raw combat ability, Leorio was on top. As long as he's in a one-on-one brawl, Leorio's skills probably shouldn't be underestimated. He just rarely gets to show them since challenges in HxH are so much more focused on wit and cunning rather than brute force.

New OP/ED confirmed for April 15. You were right about re-using the second half of the first theme, Dopple. I notice they have stopped using the preface each week at least.

[Talon87]

That's interesting. It's also disappointing to learn that it was removed from the 2011 anime for two reasons:

1. If the manga did it as well, then this is a blow to the "the 2011 show is universally closer to the manga" argument.

2. I should have liked very much to see Leorio get even more credit.

[lilboocorsola]

HNNNNNNNG.

FANGASMING OVER EPISODE 24 SO HARD RIGHT NOW.

WAY BETTER THAN THE 1999 SERIES. WHOA.

CANARY~ <333

Spoiler: show

I loved the butler girl in the original series, and was already pleased with how much cuter she looks in the reboot. The fight scene with the intruders (which I'd never seen before) proves she's much more badass as well. I literally thought "Oh snap!" when she busted out Killua's signature move. O_O; Did she pick it up just by one demonstration? =O ...Turns out, no, she knew it already. XP But that's still pretty awesome. Liked the part where Kil was all: "So you think you're stronger than me, huh? X3" Canary: ^^; Kil: "Eh, it's cool. Wanna be fwiends? 83"

Awwww @ why she rejected him though. =( Stupid robo mama, always watching. >>; In the original it seemed Canary dutifully followed the master-servant protocol of her own volition, which she later regretted for carelessly hurting Killua. Their relationship was genuinely on an impersonal basis, despite her personal wish to help him. However if Canary sensed Killua's mother standing there, chances are Killua realized her real intention too. Unfortunately there's nothing either of them can do about it.

Interesting she brings up Meteor City and the Phantom Troupe already as well. I do wonder how much of this was retconned canon lifted directly from the manga, or if it was in fact new made-for-TV filler. (Hot damn if it was filler, gives me hope for the original movie.)

The rest played out pretty much the same as in the first series. The dungeon scene was done very well though. The dark tones, Killua breaking those heavy chains (the metallic reverbaration is much more accented in the new version, in the original they just snapped like a twig) and glaring at his brother with an evil smile... Really frightening. *shudder* His expression is much creepier in the new version, comparing the two makes the old look kinda silly in retrospect. ^^; Good use of sound here too, hearing his voice echo deeply like a demon.

I kinda preferred the 1999 series' lighter palette for the father-son talk though, as it lures both Kil and the viewer into a false sense of security. Though bare, the room had a relaxed atmosphere, with natural daylight streaming through the ceiling over the bed, seemingly warm and inviting. Even the chained dog gives a harmless whine, making folks at home let their guard down. Killua's dad looks completely normal and unimposing, while in the reboot he has such a soulless expression. In the original you believe for a time he has genuinely taken an interest in his son's welfare, while in the new version you can tell from the beginning that something's amiss. It honestly felt like a d'awww heartwarming scene the first time... ='(

Similar but less influental tactic I'll point out from last episode: In the 1999 series, Killua wasn't revealed to be undergoing torture and imprisonment until after his mother delivers the message that he doesn't want to see him, leaving it up in the air for a while (until the preview/following episode) whether it's the truth or not.

All in all, very impressed with this episode. Got a nice surprise as a veteran, and the new series did most everything else I was familiar with justice, if not better. ='D

On a side note... I just learned something very interesting about Kalluto. XD Wasn't even aware of it when I first laughed at you for shipping such a creepy kid with Gon, Talon, but... Hoo boy. ^^;

Though you may be onto something about how... (not a reference to the above, safe to click if you've seen the episode)

Spoiler: show

Kalluto may rebel, given how the new series added the concerned question about friendship.

[Doppleganger]

I forgot to mention I saw last week's episode and didn't like it. The visual imagery was clear ("if the three of us work together, there's nothing we can't do!") but it's lame considering the HxH cast spent so much time training just to open door one. These guys already have olympic or near super-human stamina, being able to run 40 km marathon non-stop without sleep and have the energy to compete in the remaining phases without fatigue.

I thought Gon trying to get by the black girl was a repeat of what happened with Hanzo, but I liked the twist at the end, with Gon's insight basically amounting to "even if you hurt me, I'm not afraid of you, because you have a human heart unlike that monster Mike".

[lilboocorsola]

Originally Posted by Doppleganger

I forgot to mention I saw last week's episode and didn't like it. The visual imagery was clear ("if the three of us work together, there's nothing we can't do!") but it's lame considering the HxH cast spent so much time training just to open door one. These guys already have olympic or near super-human stamina, being able to run 40 km marathon non-stop without sleep and have the energy to compete in the remaining phases without fatigue.

That's why in my spoiler above I explained why I didn't like how the reboot handled that scene, since it's completely different from the manga - not to mention cheesy. =/ The remake seems to be taking a lot more liberties with the source material now. Some of the changes I applaud as in 24(?), but other times... Eh. So far it seems the problem arises when the story goes directly against canon, as opposed to simply padding out the plot with extra tidbits. Which the 1999 series was at fault for too.

[Talon87]

Watched Episodes 24 and 25. Quite surprised by the combined episodes' turn of events from where I was at the end of 23 to where I am now. That stated, if I thought where I was going to put the series down before was a good spot, this seems to be a great spot! And the fact that next week looks to be our second recap episode certainly isn't helping matters for poor Yuki who wishes I'd keep watching. ^^; It's making the decision to put the series on hiatus for a while that much more natural!

Spoiler: show

I was really quite surprised to see the Retrieve Killua story arc wrap up so quickly. I expected this arc to be as long as the entire Hunter Exam had been, not to only be as long as one of the Hunter Exam's longer sub-arcs.

I was also surprised, pleasantly so, to see Togashi take such a refreshingly realistic approach to things. In most shounen stories, one plot arc ends and the next one roars to life immediately after; but here, we have them having fetched Killua ... and then Kurapica's like, "So: Gon wants to find Hisoka. I want to find Hisoka. Hisoka will be in Yorknew City in six months. I need cash for the event. See you all in six months." Just like that and he's gone. Then Leorio's like, "Yeah: and I need to study for my medical school entrance exam. See you guys in six months!" And off he goes too. And then Killua is like, "I'm totally cool to stay with you, my bestest westest friend in the whole wide world :3, but ... seriously, we need to train you up. " I kinda wanted him to reveal to Gon, even if I think Gon already realizes it's a fact, that Killua could probably wipe the floor with Gon and that Gon needs to cut the "we're equals! ^-^" crap out and seriously train if he wants that delusion to become a reality. But I'll settle for Killua's sugarcoating instead. I'm hopeful that we'll actually get to see them train, but for all I know the manga is going to flash forward us by six months. Who knows. Guess we'll find out in two weeks.

Rewinding a bit to Episode 24 ...

It was great to see Killua's cute little sister again. Her voice surprised me though. Not the kind of voice I expected to come out of a girl like that.

Can't say I cared for the fact that Mrs. Zoldyck did not fire a bullet through Canaria's head but instead merely knocked her out and put a huge welt on her head. I mean, c'mon: this is a family of hardened assassins, we've been told, and they don't accept failure. Why then should we expect Canaria to live when we've seen so many other characters die in much more ridiculous situations? I mean, good for her, I guess. I'm glad for her sake she's alive. But ... narrative-wise, it just seemed very soft of Togashi to do this. Oh well.

Really can't stand that middle brother of Killua's. I hate characters like that. If I never see him again it'll be too soon.

Killua's grandfather looked like he might have been interesting but then he had to go and agree with the middle child about how Killua has no need for friends. I was kinda hoping that the grandfather was going to turn out to be a kickass assassin back in his heyday but one who also had his feet on the ground unlike his son, Killua's father, who is a senselessly cold man. But alas, no, Grandpa's fucked up in the head too.

Killua's father was interesting. That whole time when he kept asking Killua to confirm that he (Killua) wanted to see Gon, I was holding my breath, expecting Killua's dad to draw his hand up and WHAMMO smack Killua so hard across the jaw he'd see stars. That it didn't happen was surprising. It wasn't until the very end of that bedroom scene that we saw that Killua's dad is pretty crazy and that this is all part of his plan to have Killua become like him. Makes you wonder what happened in Daddy Zoldyck's past. I don't like where Togashi seems to be taking this story thread though. He seems to be implying, "Either Killua becomes a suitable heir to the Zoldyck household but loses his friendship with Gon or else he keeps his friendship with Gon but forfeits his right to be a Zoldyck." I kinda would like to see Killua have his cake and eat it too: I like the idea of 30-year old Gon visiting his BFF 30-year old Killua on top of that mountain, with Killua being the new patriarch of the Zoldycks, but with the Zoldycks being a lot less cruel under Killua's reign than they were under his father's or grandfather's. But I'm getting the feeling that Togashi believes "that's stupid " and is saying that, no, Killua's going to have to pick. In which case, I certainly hope he'll pick Gon.

[lilboocorsola]

Originally Posted by Talon87

That stated, if I thought where I was going to put the series down before was a good spot, this seems to be a great spot!

But we're just getting to the cool stuff. D:

Not another recap episode... OTL

Originally Posted by Talon87

Spoiler: show

I was also surprised, pleasantly so, to see Togashi take such a refreshingly realistic approach to things. In most shounen stories, one plot arc ends and the next one roars to life immediately after; but here, we have them having fetched Killua ... and then Kurapica's like, "So: Gon wants to find Hisoka. I want to find Hisoka. Hisoka will be in Yorknew City in six months. I need cash for the event. See you all in six months." Just like that and he's gone. Then Leorio's like, "Yeah: and I need to study for my medical school entrance exam. See you guys in six months!" And off he goes too.

It's a really unique style, no? :3 I've rarely seen a story, let alone in shounen, where the main team splits ways so easily and so soon. :o To think they have their own lives and separate things to take care of! *gasp* While Killua and Gon consider each other bestest buds and stick together always, as a group they're more friends by association - as Killua's memory of Kurapica's and Leorio's names shows. ^_^; They've really only been weakly tied together by one trial so far, cooperating just to achieve their personal ends. They feel some attachment and kinship, sure, but not enough to drop everything and embark on EPIC ADVENTURES FOREVERMORE~ Leorio and Kurapica did their part to help a friend in need, now they're returning to their own endeavors instead of offering to help Gon train alongside. To them it's probably even less of a pressing matter since it's an individual goal he set for himself, which the others mostly just don't feel the obligation to interfere with. (Same goes for the other way around...)

Originally Posted by Talon87

It was great to see Killua's cute little sister again. Her voice surprised me though. Not the kind of voice I expected to come out of a girl like that.

Hee hee hee~

Originally Posted by Talon87

Really can't stand that middle brother of Killua's. I hate characters like that. If I never see him again it'll be too soon.

:o I actually liked his role in a later arc. A manga reader that while Killua's family is all kinds of crazy, they're intriguing characters because they, for all intents and purposes, still do genuinely consider each other "family". There's a kind of "love" and committed closeness between them. Messed-up love, but love nonetheless! xd You have to wonder after seeing how casually Killua took his mother's and brother's abuse and interacted with his father if he's really earnest about putting them all behind bars. To them those are just the idle threats of an adolescent acting out, and in the end that's likely all it is even in his own subconscious mind. Though part of his passiveness probably stems from the fact he's accustomed to the torture, there's another part that seems to honestly care about his family, if not exactly earning their approval. ^_^; In a way, he does seem to want that from his dad... That they can act as relatively normal relatives despite the terrible things they've all done to each other certainly produces an interesting dynamic, that's for sure~

Madhouse made another subtle but slightly bothersome(?) change to 25's version of events.

Spoiler: show

The butlers never deceived Killua in the manga/1999 version. They merely played the game to entertain Gon & co. while Killua was walking down from the main mansion. It's up for debate whether Gotoh was serious in his threats though... >_>; I'm sure he was probably testing Gon in his own way either way.

Not a big deal in the long run, but just thought I'd point that out. ^_^;

Speaking of differences, I wonder if the part about Killua giving Canary his skateboard was made up for the 1999 series... It was really cute but I guess it makes sense if it's fluff~

[Doppleganger]

Didn't Daisy have a post in here?

[Doppleganger]

I'm pretty sure Hisoka's silhouette appears in the spread of Phantom Troupe members, so I'm taking that as more or less confirmation he's one of them. Based on the outlines, I'm starting to think of Phantom Troupe as less HxH's version of Batman Beyond's The Jokers and more like the pirate crews in One Piece. I mean, there's a girl with a vacuum cleaner (?) among them. That's clownish, but not in an ironic way.

Episode 25 was good. I like the head butler Gotoh, I hope we see more of him.

Episode 26 sucked eggs. Boring, un-informative recap. It was pleasant to see Mito-san again but otherwise a huge waste of time!

[Doppleganger]

In my laziness I forgot all about HxH! So I got 27...

...and was treated to the new OP! It looks and sounds epic, and that's a world I restrain usage of these days. The recycled footage was disappointing, but we have shots of what I presume to be Phantom Troupe, a shaggier (world-worn?) version of Kurapika and Dr. Leorio.

As for the episode itself, the sensei is voiced by Taro from 5D's, so I'm glad to hear he's found more work. I was expecting Akira Ishida so he was very F5. It's also amusing that Ishida's student is named "Zushi", while Taro's ace monster was "Zushin".

Spoiler: show

Is "Nen" going to turn out to be HxH's "power system"? :/ I was kind of hoping HxH would stick where One Piece was for a long time and only rely on diverse abilities and tactics, rather than a universal power system like DB's ki, Naruto's Jutsu-Chakra dynamic, and such.

If that aura = Nen, clearly both Hisoka and Gittarackur have it, meaning it's basically the new (old?) Haki, where all the top powers have this random special ability that separates them from the common trash. A bit disappointing as I hate the Haki mechanic in OP, it was Oda's way to escape from a cap on Luffy's improvement.

[lilboocorsola]

Originally Posted by Doppleganger

...and was treated to the new OP! It looks and sounds epic, and that's a world I restrain usage of these days. The recycled footage was disappointing, but we have shots of what I presume to be Phantom Troupe, a shaggier (world-worn?) version of Kurapika and Dr. Leorio.

Ew, I hated the new OP. =/ Lazy recycled footage and song, and the new scenes don't even compare to the epicness of the original's second OP. The fact that we're actually seeing the Phantom Troupe at this point means it's all but guaranteed won't be getting a new version for the Yorkshin arc either.

But, since they've already been revealed, I suppose it's safe enough to link you now to the original for comparison (there is still a bit of a spoiler, but you won't get it at this point - plus it's actually somewhat hinted at in the ED if you look closely). This is one of my favorite OPs in terms of song combined with animation, and moreover the overall effect it produced at the stage it was introduced. To give you a sense of what I mean, allow me to preface by showing you the first OP...

Ohayou (Good Morning)

Now imagine. After 48 straight episodes of hearing this happy-go-lucky song, to the point where I'd skip so often to the familiar "ii kara saaaa~" to get to the meat of the story, all of a sudden I was hit with this...

Kono Taiyou Wa Yoru Mo Kagayaku (The Sun Still Shines at Night - bit of a neat reversal there, eh?)

Boom. If this doesn't get your heart pumping for what could possibly happen to change the show's atmosphere so much, I don't know what will.

And dat smexy shot of Kurapica in the end, mm~

Honestly, I would prefer if they swapped the dark, gritty ED for the OP at this point. (Not at this point exactly, but later on would be more preferable. I'd rather they have withheld the reveal altogether until the time comes.) Though I have to laugh at how both sadly attempt to portray Leorio's studying as "epic". "I'll take a book... AND READ IT!"

But anyway, enough whining nostalgic. The episode itself was fine, brought back some fond memories. Osu~!

Originally Posted by Doppleganger

Spoiler: show

Is "Nen" going to turn out to be HxH's "power system"? :/ I was kind of hoping HxH would stick where One Piece was for a long time and only rely on diverse abilities and tactics, rather than a universal power system like DB's ki, Naruto's Jutsu-Chakra dynamic, and such.

If that aura = Nen, clearly both Hisoka and Gittarackur have it, meaning it's basically the new (old?) Haki, where all the top powers have this random special ability that separates them from the common trash. A bit disappointing as I hate the Haki mechanic in OP, it was Oda's way to escape from a cap on Luffy's improvement.

Spoiler: show

From what I understand, Nen is essentially similar to Naruto's Chakra system, but is more intricate and "actually makes sense" as opposed to being a broken and convenient plot device.

It is not an innate/latent ability, if that's what you're worried about. Just about anyone can learn it through proper training. The next episode will explain the details.

Edit- I amend the statement that it's not an "innate" ability... Rather, no one person is born with more raw potential than another (depending on how you look at it). Again, it will be explained.

However, it seems what you're most concerned about is the simple fact that the top dogs know it, and the common people don't. This gets back into the whole "Hunter ruling class" debate, though that also begs the question why Illumi and Hisoka would know it before they became Hunters, wouldn't it?

There's actually a cute scene in the original animé that indicated Nen users aren't as uncommon and special as you'd think. It might've been a TV-only addition, and if it doesn't appear by the next episode I'll spoil the joke. Still, I'd liken Nen somewhat to alchemy in FMA, though Nen is a more well-kept secret. Some people choose to study it in order to advance, others don't.

Edit- I forgot there's one more issue I have with the new version:

Spoiler: show

The fact that they changed it so Gon couldn't open the Testing Door on his own severely undermines his show of incomparable strength against his opponents. >>; Forgot about that.

[Doppleganger]

Originally Posted by YUKI.N

To give you a sense of what I mean, allow me to preface by showing you the first OP...

Ohayou (Good Morning)

Now imagine. After 48 straight episodes of hearing this happy-go-lucky song, to the point where I'd skip so often to the family "ii kara saaaa~" to get to the meat of the story, all of a sudden I was hit with this...

Kono Taiyou Wa Yoru Mo Kagayaku (The Sun Still Shines at Night - bit of a neat reversal there, eh?)

Boom. If this doesn't get your heart pumping for what could possibly happen to change the show's atmosphere so much, I don't know what will.[/SPOILER]

History repeats, I see? It would seem the second and first OP seem eerily familiar. :p

Originally Posted by YUKI.N

Spoiler: show

Edit- I amend the statement that it's not an "innate" ability... Rather, no one person is born with more raw potential than another (depending on how you look at it). Again, it will be explained.

Spoiler: show

Are you sure about this? Before the episode preview, there was a segment talking about what I presume to be Zushi's technique, and how Zushi is a "one in a hundred" talent while Gon and Killua "one in a million". If that applies to aptitude, and if we back-track to the "impression" the Hunter Chairman was talking about, it could very well be raw Nen ability.

Originally Posted by YUKI.N

Edit- I forgot there's one more issue I have with the new version:

Spoiler: show

The fact that they changed it so Gon couldn't open the Testing Door on his own severely undermines his show of incomparable strength against his opponents. >>; Forgot about that.

Indeed, that was quite bizarre. Though only if we subscribe to anime physics - the distance Gon pushed those guys is a bit insane, but if he were really strong enough to push a two-ton cow (even with help) him using pushes to beat his opponents doesn't seem that far-fetched. Would be just like an open-fist punch.

[lilboocorsola]

Originally Posted by Doppleganger

History repeats, I see? It would seem the second and first OP seem eerily familiar. :p

...Oops. That just killed all the dramatic build-up, didn't it? XP

Here it is.

Compared to the original, the new visuals didn't do "shaggier" Kurapica justice IMO. Thought it was kind of silly and girlish how he just randomly flips his hair. "Hm... Maybe I should trim my bangs. =3" is the impression I got.

I will say I like the segment of the new new OP where Gon and Killua are running down the side of Heavens Arena. That was cool. I just wish they'd only focused on that instead of having to share with the next arc.

Originally Posted by Doppleganger

Spoiler: show

Are you sure about this? Before the episode preview, there was a segment talking about what I presume to be Zushi's technique, and how Zushi is a "one in a hundred" talent while Gon and Killua "one in a million". If that applies to aptitude, and if we back-track to the "impression" the Hunter Chairman was talking about, it could very well be raw Nen ability.

Spoiler: show

Hm... I suppose to clarify, there are some people who are better suited to picking it up than others. However, I believe it's also dependent on such factors as mental, physical, and spiritual fortitude, as well as willingness to train. You may as well ask if certain people are born with such aptitudes for math, science, or the arts.

The raw "ability" one is born with is a more complex concept that will be simpler for the show to explain, but - depending on your view - no one person's inherent talent is stronger than another's. Nen is essentially about making the best use of what you're given, and utilizing strategy to overcome any weaknesses. Hint: I repeat, Nen is actually very similar to FMA's style of alchemy. In the future, you'll see it even invokes the basic idea of "equivalent exchange".

Originally Posted by Doppleganger

Indeed, that was quite bizarre. Though only if we subscribe to anime physics - the distance Gon pushed those guys is a bit insane, but if he were really strong enough to push a two-ton cow (even with help) him using pushes to beat his opponents doesn't seem that far-fetched. Would be just like an open-fist punch.

True. It's just a little less impressive than what the original treated us to. And when you think of just how much stronger all the opponents must be on the top floor, you wonder if a two-ton cow's worth of leverage is enough for Gon to even be considered capable of facing the best.

[Doppleganger]

According to various sources, the York Shin Arc will be starting after this week's HxH, so I think I'll be picking up the anime again to get through this Nen Training Arc. York Shin by all accounts is probably something that would "hurt" to watch weekly, so I expect to set the series aside again.

[Talon87]

Hadn't realized you had followed my lead and set the series aside to let it accrue episodes. Not yet sure what I'll do with Yorknew City but I'll probably pick the show up once the training stretch ends and watch said training stretch.

[Talon87]

So, I decided on a whim to catch up with this. Not sure how much of the backlog I will watch, but so far I've enjoyed what I've seen. I re-watched the final half of Episode 25, which was the last episode I saw. Then I sat through the recap episode, 26. Finally I pressed on to truly novel territory with Episode 27. I've seen through Episode 31, and I'll offer my thoughts below.

Spoiler: show

Heavens Arena:
I was skeptical at first about this plot arc, which was part of the reason why I put the show on hold. I didn't think it'd be bad per se, but I felt it would be a padding arc in between where I last left our heroes off and the Yorknew City arc which I felt would be a "main" arc. Little did I expect the series to surprise me with how helically intertwined a lot of these arcs are. If the Killua retrieval arc has a direct line to Yorknew City, then this Heavens Arena arc has a direct line to the Battle Olympia arc. In fact, it feels like Heavens Arena and Battle Olympia will really just be two sides of the same coin. Kinda makes me wonder why there's even a split at all. Why not have had Heavens Arena be a little less impressive so that it set itself up more as a training grounds for Battle Olympia? I mean, I get that that was what Togashi was actually after; but, I feel like he inadvertently made Heavens Arena too permanent in the HxH universe. ^^; By having the very best fighters in the world reside there on the top 21 floors, it begs the question why you'd even hold Battle Olympia in the first place. If Battle Olympia is supposed to be a biannual tournament to crown the world's very best fighter, in what way then is that not already being assessed within Heavens Arena? I would assume that, kind of like the Elite Four in Pokémon, the leadership of Heavens Arena is always up for grabs. If #2 can beat #1, then he becomes the new #1. That would be my expectation. I would also assume that if you're someone looking for a fight (like Hisoka) that you needn't even bother with Battle Olympia once you'd managed to make it to Heavens Arena's 200th floor. But that stated, I'm enjoying Heavens Arena for what it is: a setup not only for Yorknew but also for Battle Olympia.

Zushi and Wing:
I like these two. Wing is rather mysterious though. It's not entirely clear what his motives are for teaching the boys about nen. The fact that he lied to them in the first place speaks to the secrecy of the knowledge, even though now that we're on the 200th floor it's pretty clear that it's no secret amongst the world's best fighters. (More on that later.) So why the change of heart? Is he planning on having Gon and Killua achieve the objectives he set before Zushi? Is he ethically neutral towards the boys? (I.e. it doesn't seem like he means them any harm and is trying to trick them into getting themselves killed but it also doesn't seem like he's 100% got their safety and best interests at heart.) Zushi seems like a second design for Gon that Togashi had in mind and revealed to the public via this story arc. I think it's the eyes, stature, and goodwill that do it. He's enjoyable. I know it must be insufferable for poor Yuki that we keep drawing comparisons with Naruto, but I feel like Zushi is this series' Rock Lee. The two are by no means 100% analogous but I feel like they fulfill the same role in their respective stories.

Nen:
Ah, Hunter x Hunter's first sign of power creep. *shot* ^^; But I feel it's been tastefully handled so far and one might even hesitate to call it "power creep" when Togashi has used it to explain abilities which we've already seen and had no problem accepting. Mostly, it appears to be how he wanted to explain Hisoka's powers (the killing aura, the razor-sharp playing cards) and he was only too happy to let it also explain Illumi's powers as well as Gon's ability to conceal his presence. So while I am willing to acknowledge that Togashi has connected nen back to some earlier evidence samples, I still think it's pretty clear that the first two plot arcs of this series (arc 1 = the hunter exam, arc 2 = Killua retrieval) represent the baseline power level arc of the story and that what we've set upon now with this third narrative arc is the second power level arc of the story. Nen is used to explain Hisoka's powers and nen is what Gon will need to master if he wants to beat Hisoka. Makes sense. I won't be surprised then when, down the road, we find out that there's some new villain against whom even the best applications of nen have no effect and that our heroes investigate a third power or technique which will allow them to reach that level of martial arts prowess, etc etc. But for now, I'm okay to not cry "POWER CREEP! POWER CREEP! " too loudly. I actually enjoy the idea of Hunter x Hunter talking about chi, qi, and other Chinese mystical beliefs about bodily energy but with these newfangled HxH universe names like "nen." Honestly, my major complaint with the nen subplot hasn't been that it represents power creep but instead has been how quickly both of the boys have been at mastering it. When you suffer along with the hero, it both makes the hero's journey (period) and it also makes the destination that much sweeter when it's reached. Remove that and have these child prodigies accomplish in two hours what took another natural-born prodigy 3 months and would take most people several years of intense training to master and ... you not only make the destination lose its sweetness, you completely cut out the journey. Naruto is another martial arts series which deals with innumerable child prodigies but the main two child characters in the series, Naruto and Sasuke, are boys whose evolution you actually watch unfold. Even with them it's kinda offputting and roll-your-eyes inducing that they managed in three years what took their senseis decades and what some people have never even been able to achieve, but at least IRL it also took years and years for us to watch that unfold. With Hunter x Hunter, you quite literally have Gon and Killua show up at 9:30pm, get turned away by Hisoka, learn about ten from Wing by 9:40pm, "master" ten by 9:50pm, and then go back to greet Hisoka on Floor 200 and walk past him ... all in less than 30 minutes of television. I mean, come on. ^^; I was expecting the boys to have to go back down to floor 50. (Or at least for Gon to. Killua seemed kinda S.O.L. with Togashi's conveniently made-up rule about being banished from Heavens Arena for life if he dropped out of Floor 200 again without registering for even one fight.) The fact that they're so good at nen is a bit ... silly. ^^; But I guess with Kurapica (Episode 30's final scene) we're to get the journey I wish we'd also seen with Gon and Killua. Anyway, negative as I may sound here, I do want to re-emphasize that I'm enjoying this arc and I don't really have a problem with nen as of yet.

Hisoka:
Well that was certainly a surprise! I wasn't expecting to see him again so soon. A month or two ago I had it spoiled on accident (when I loaded up an episode I'd gotten just to sneak a peek at the new OP and ED) that Hisoka was here in this arc, but even with that spoiler in hand never did I imagine that he'd show up in like the very second episode of the arc. Once Heavens Arena was explained in more detail though, it definitely made sense why he'd be here. Someone who lives and breathes for fighting powerful opponents would obviously be attracted to a place like this. It's a little surprising that his boss doesn't need him in Yorknew City yet making preparations for whatever they have planned for there, but I guess he's not needed just yet so he's free to play around to his heart's content. The last episode I saw had the bishounen in the yellow cape who made a doppelganger. I was really hoping that this guy was going to be a long-term friendly ally of the boys and that he was going to kick Hisoka's ass, but the sneak peek for the next episode makes it seem like he's soon to be skewered by Hisoka's cards.

OP and ED Character Sneak Peeks:
No idea who most of these people are but it seems likely that the ones who show up in color in the OP and as silhouette-outlines in the ED are all residents of the top 21 floors of Heavens Arena, with the guy with the slicked back hair and the forehead tattoo being the guy on the very top floor. As for the ones who show up in the ED only and in color, the ones on the red carpet, I'm guessing that these people are probably either contestants we'll see in Battle Olympia or else they're characters who'll tie in to Yorknew City. The fact that Wing is there makes me think the former: even if Wing doesn't plan to fight in Heavens Arena, I'm confident that he intends to participate in Battle Olympia. All the girls look really cute and fun. Looking forward to meeting each and every one of them. The third-to-last silhouette-outline to show up in the ED looks like he could be Kurapica's brother. It makes me wonder if (à la Naruto!? XD ) Kurapica's clan was exterminated not just by the Phantom Troupe but specifically by a member of the Phantom Troupe ... who just happened to be his older brother. (Good lord would that make HxH and Naruto have an alarming amount of plagiarism similarities between the two!) But I guess we'll just have to see if facial resemblance is as far as the two are connected. The guy who seems to be the #1 person of Heavens Arena ... I'm not sure if he's the leader of the Phantom Troupe or not. Too lazy to look back up the image of the Phantom Troupe silhouettes right now to check and see if his matches the one of the guy in the center. I'll do it later. Regardless, if he's not the leader himself, then he's almost certainly a member.

This is a good start. I'll look back at some of your guys' older posts later and possibly reply to them. I'll also carry on with watching the show.

[Talon87]

I watched Episodes 32 through 37. Further thoughts below!

Spoiler: show

Kastro vs. Hisoka:
Once Kastro fell apart, it was hard to really like the guy. He felt more like a hack (like the newbie hunters) than an authentic power rival for Hisoka. The lethal clown managed to pull off some crazy moves though. I accidentally miscalculated at one point with his math trick and got -4 ^^; so I had to pause and rewind and check it again. I enjoy math tricks like these and knew what to expect but it's still fun to pick a number just to see if it really does come out to the predicted value or not.

Hisoka's chakra nen:
Togashi has really established Hisoka as the serial killer type. If the clown costume and the homoerotic undertones weren't enough, the revelation that Hisoka's special nen features were inspired by candies he enjoyed as a child are. They speak to Hisoka having had a bad childhood (perhaps abusive) and the candies were, amongst other things, one of his few pleasures in life. More on this later when I discuss the nen categories.

The truth about Hisoka and the Phantom Troupe:
This was surprising. We all pegged Hisoka for a member of the Phantom Troupe once we discovered his silhouette amongst the others in the Phantom Troupe silhouette cel. Then when the heroes found out that the Phantom Troupe was probably going to show up in Yorknew City in September, and so was Hisoka, it seemed even more certain. And then they showed him in the shower with that huge spider tattoo and whammo, he's totally a Troupe member. But theeeeeeeeeen ... he peels the tattoo off of his body. "Okay," I said to myself. "So maybe he doesn't like needles. So what? Maybe they allowed him to use his special nen technique to apply a 'sticker tattoo' to his back that he's free to peel off if he wants to." But had I had more time to think the matter over, I probably would've decided that this wouldn't have flown. Would a mafia really allow one of their inductees to forego the tattoo ritual? Doubtful. Well, I didn't have time to mull it over because the narrator spoke up pretty damn fast and more or less declared (paraquote) "Hisoka has been pretending to be a member of the Phantom Troupe! What could be the meaning behind this!?" So yeah. I guess it's official then: Hisoka has been pretending to be a member of the troupe. This begs some questions. I'll deal with one of them in the next paragraph but some of the other ones include "What is Hisoka's objective?" and "Who was the original fourth member of the Phantom Troupe if not Hisoka?"

The nen doctor:
I really liked this character. It seems to be hinted at that she is a member of the Phantom Troupe, given what she says to Hisoka, but given what we learned about Hisoka at the end of the episode it's possible that the two of them are 100% on the same team and that they both have business with the real Phantom Troupe. In any event, I am wondering if she is going to be Leorio's love interest and/or teacher about nen medicine. Given that he wants to go to medical school and become a doctor, but also given that the ending credits have assigned him a nen categorization (more on that later), I think we can safely assume that Leorio will learn how to master nen and that he will want to apply it to his medical ambitions. Which makes this girl an excellent candidate for a teacher for him. I do think that her ability is stupidly powerful though. The implication seems to be that so long as you can reattach the body part quickly enough then she can pretty much help you stave off any loss of body parts. That's a ridiculous ability to have.

The nen categories:
Aha, so here is Naruto's chakra element system. *shot* That stated, I think I may like what Togashi's tried to pull off here a bit more than I liked Kishimoto's crude adaptation of the five Feng Shui elements as chakra flavors. To catch Yuki up to speed since she probably has no idea what we mean, in Naruto you have energy flowing through you (chakra) and you're typically born under one of five elemental alignments (wood wind, water, fire, earth, or metal electricity). Elements adjacent on the perimeter of the pentagon are sympathetic and so can be more easily learned; elements on the distant points of the pentagon are ones hardest for you to master. Most ninjas can only master one element (their birth element) but all ninjas are most proficient at their birth element regardless of how many they can handle. So as you can appreciate, it's a very, very similar setup here in HxH:

• we still have a body energy (nen)
• that body energy still has categories
• your natural affinity for a category is still something that's determined at birth
• it's still easiest for you to use the body energy in the category you have a natural affinity for, less easy but decent for the categories adjacent to it, and hardest for the category furthest away from it
• but now we have six categories instead of five
• and rather than pick up multiple categories, you can completely change which of the six categories is the one you have a natural affinity for

So yeah. ^^; The similarities with Naruto just keep on coming! It's pretty uncanny.

But I'd like to restate that I think I like Togashi's system more. While it's a hell of a lot less intuitive than a half-GrecoRoman half-Chinese elemental system, I'm actually intrigued by the possibilities each of these categories seems to hold for our heroes.

For my own reference (taken straight from the episode where Wing explains the system, and rearranged into the order Wing showed on the six-point cycle in clockwise order starting from the top):

• Enhancers (強) are able to strengthen objects. (Gon)
• Transmuters (変) can alter their aura's qualities. (Killua)
• Conjurers (具) are able to manifest their aura. (Kurapica)
• Specialists (特) are those with an aura that doesn't fall within the other five classes.
• Manipulators (操) can use their aura to control objects and creatures. (Zushi)
• Emitters (放) can propel their aura. (Leorio)

So like, I like how Gon is kinda close to two of his friends (Leorio and Killua) but one of his friends (Kurapica) is a little further off, meaning they will probably be specializing in different skill sets. I like how of the main four Leorio has the closest access to one of the categories, giving us hope that he will become better at that skill (in addition to his own innate skill) than anyone else in the group of four. I like how Leorio and Kurapica are currently on dead opposite ends of the hexagon. Kinda lends some fun aura-based evidence for their oil-and-water friendship from the beginning of the series, and it hopefully implies that the two of them as a tag team would have all six aura categories covered pretty nicely. I like how Kurapica is decently close to the Specialist category since that one seems like it has the most potential for future surprises. And of course I like how Gon is on the dead opposite side from it since it means one of two eventual outcomes, either of which should be great fun: (1) Gon ends up undergoing an affinity switch from Enhancer-type to Specialist-type; or (2) Gon stays put and becomes one of the greatest Enhancers there ever was all the while facing down some seriously dangerous opponents who are Specialist-types.

Another thing I like about the nen category system is how it is skill-defined rather than element-defined. In Naruto, it's a fun rainbow works of colors and sounds as you watch a really skilled ninja perform fire, electricity, and water magic all in the same fight, but as far as combining elements goes, in Naruto it's used to create one of five to ten fusion-elements (so like, Kishimoto argues that Wood-type attacks are produced by those rare ninjas who have prowess in both Water-based and Earth-based jutsu). So you can make more elements, but the idea is still the same for how you use them to fight. Yet here with Hunter x Hunter, there's the promise of people combining their nen proficiencies to produce some truly novel tactics. We might expect an Enhancer-Transmuter combatant to use his transmutation ability to produce a poisonous gas and to then use his enhancement ability to make that gas fill the room. We've already seen some of this with Hisoka himself: iirc he was using transmutation and conjuring attacks to produce his Bungee Gum and his fake skin thing. I don't quite remember if those are right or not 'cause, like I said, Togashi's categories are a little harder to keep separate in my mind ^^; and picture how they are distinct from one another. But as the show continues and we see more nen practitioners, I'm sure it'll become clear.

The Newbie Hunters:
These three assholes have been an eyesore since we first ran into them, so I absolutely loved how Togashi unexpectedly dealt with them so swiftly. Forfeit, forfeit, asskicking #1, asskicking #2, forfeit, and asskicking #3. It was refreshing to see Killua (who is supposed to be a power level above the rest) restored to his lofty heights where he totally had the lanky dude pwned. If a bit lol ridiculous , it was also great to see him shrug off the electrocution like it was nothing and then give the wheelchair guy a taste of his own medicine. When Gon threatened to do the same, I was like, "Wow, Yuki sure hasn't been kidding. Gon is kind of a scary fucked-up kid. ^^;" The same thing also happened in Killua's fight: Gon was sitting in the rafters and while Killua was being electrocuted Gon was smiling. I was like, what the hell sort of kid smiles while his best friend is being electrocuted? ^^; It might've been Togashi's way of trying to show that Gon instantly recognized that Killua wasn't in danger, but still.

Gon vs. Hisoka:
I liked how this was dealt with. My only complaint is that Hisoka didn't aim to kill Gon despite all evidence up to this point suggesting that he never spares the people he fights once he deems them ready or once he deems them incapable of ever becoming ready. In Gon's case, that was the whole reason he was spared during the hunter exam: because Hisoka saw potential in the boy but felt he wasn't ready to be harvested yet. But with Heavens Arena, we were pretty much told "I won't accept a challenge from you until you're ready." So by accepting the challenge, doesn't that mean Gon's ready? And if Gon's ready, then shouldn't that mean Hisoka gobbles him up?

And speaking of gobbling him up, GOOD LORD XD at Hisoka's sexual excitation in this fight. Yuki sure wasn't kidding. We've already seen Hisoka be orgasmic before, but this time he was rockin' a boner! XD The original Japanese talks about physical arousal and the CrunchyRoll English translation for it was even funnier with a throwback to Wayne's World: "SCHWING!" It was kinda awkward during the post-ED credits bit with Chibi Killua and Chibi Gon when they both thrust their pelvises out at each other and repeated Hisoka's line. ^^; But yeah. I love how Togashi shows just how sick and demented this character is. He's keeping Gon alive at this point the same way a man might try and prolong sex for as long as possible before ejaculating. It's pretty fucked up, but it makes for an excellent psychopathic villain.

Whale Island?:
So I'm confused why we headed back to Whale Island so suddenly. Sure, Gon got to fight Hisoka finally. And sure, Hisoka said he'd never fight Gon in Heavens Arena again. But like, that's because Hisoka was leaving for Yorknew City. And because he expected Gon to stay put and keep fighting and training. "Ten more fights ... ten more fights and you'll be ready," Hisoka said. So what the hell, Gon? Why did you leave Heavens Arena? I thought Killua had told you eight episodes back "Change of plans, Gon," and had told you that instead of fighting for money now, he wanted to fight to get to the very top of Heavens Arena? Killua was 3-1 or 4-0 iirc and Gon was 2-2. Both of them could have kept fighting in a bid to reach the Floor Masters. So why did we leave so suddenly? Isn't it still July? We don't have to be in Yorknew City until September. Well, whatever. It's rare for HxH to have plot roles and this one isn't that bad. It just annoys me is all.

Ging:
In the last episode I saw, we learned more about how Mito came to raise Gon and who Ging was. The episode ends with Gon managing to open the box his father left for him in Mito's care and Gon playing back the cassette tape. Holy shit, it's Kiritsugu! XFD They hired Emiya Kiritsugu's voice actor to voice Gon's dad! That is awesome. The whole "you assumed your mother was dead but surprise she's still alive" bit was something I think we could all see from a mile away. It doesn't make sense for a guy to leave his child in the care of his cousin, let alone a cousin he hasn't seen in 10 years. An incredibly selfish act which pretty much condemns that cousin to life as a spinster. (Which is sadly what Mito seems to have become thanks to Gon. No husband, no kids of her own.) The only reason you'd do that is if you couldn't raise the boy and neither could your wife. And the only reason you couldn't raise the boy is if you had to go and do something dangerous and you couldn't bring the boy with you. The #1 suspect for what that nebulous "something dangerous" is would have to be "fetching your mom back." Maybe she got abducted by the ultimate series villain. Maybe she is the ultimate series villain. There's lots of possibilities. But it seems likely that Ging went to go fetch Gon's mom and that's why he couldn't bring Gon with him. Though if my theory is right, then it's kind of surprising that he could never afford time to even spend Christmas or birthdays with the boy. I mean, you're one of the world's very best Hunters. Surely you could visit your son on Whale Island. Surely you can't expect that paying him a visit would endanger his life (by alerting enemies to his position) more than just leaving him there year round in Mito's care.

I think that more or less sums up my thoughts up thru Episode 37. Still haven't gotten to read your guys' posts. I'll be sure to let you know when I have.

[Talon87]

Read your guys' posts. Also watched Episode 39.

You guys didn't really write too much. ^^; Yuki made lots of comparisons with the original series and kept insisting the way the original did it was better ;p but aside from that it looks like it was mostly "hey new OP," "hey new ED," "hmm is this like Naruto?", and then Doppel fell off the face of the planet after April 20. I guess Yuki was too demotivated by the absence of Talon and Doppel to keep writing here. A shame. Was looking forward to reading more. =\ Or maybe she secretly put it on hold too and now that I've caught up she's planning to catch up at the library this weekend? Who knows.

Episode 39 takes us into the fourth major plot arc it seems. I enjoyed it, but I'm pissed that I've started it because now I'm torn between either continuing to watch (and then hitting that wretched weekly brick wall again) or putting the show on hold (and suffering because man this arc looks much more interesting than the last two!). Decisions, decisions.

Spoiler: show

Greed Island:
I've heard Yuki-people (i.e. people who watched HxH way back when) mention this name before a lot so I'm assuming it's either where the original anime ended or else it was the first of the OAVs. Regardless, I have to admit I was quite surprised by what it turned out to be. A video game, huh? And it ties into the Yorknew City auction! That is one thing I have to commend Togashi on, something which Kishimoto (Naruto's author) stumbles around with, and that's that he can believably have the heroes' respective adventures weave in and out, having them cross paths and then go their separate ways again and then cross paths and then go their separate ways again, etc. We don't yet know why Leorio will be there other than being a bro who made a promise when last the quartet were assembled, but Kurapica and Gon+Killua each now have their own selfish reasons for showing up in addition to their original motivating reasons. (Gon originally wanted to find Hisoka to give him back the nametag but he's long since done that. Now he wants to go to bid on [?] a copy of Greed Island. Kurapica originally wanted to go to find the Phantom Troupe and get revenge, but now in addition to that he wants to go as one of the bidder's entourage so he can learn who has been buying his families' eyes and exterminate them all.)

Kurapica the Conjurer:
So we finally get to see what the difference is between Killua (a Transmuter) and Kurapica (a Conjurer). It still seems kind of subtle to me but basically it looks like:

• Transmuters: like an FMA alchemist, they use their power to transform Thing A into Thing B; at a more basic level, they change the properties of Thing A (like when Killua's water was still water only now it tasted like honey)
• Conjurers: more like Emiya Shirou from FSN, they use their power to generate something "out of thin air." Now, it still takes energy (mana in FSN's case and nen in HxH's), but it's not like Kurapica needs a glass of water in his hands first before he can make the chain. He can make it on the spot seemingly out of thin air.

When he explained to his master why he wanted to master conjuring chains, I was like "Uh oh. ^^;" Kurapica looks like he's about to walk down a dangerous road of vengeance not unlike Uchiha Sasuke's (THE NARUTO COMPARISONS, WILL THEY NEVER END? XD ) and that has me worried for his future with the others in the group. We already had to worry about Killua going ebil but it seems like we've reeled him back in and he's pretty nice, even if he has a mean streak every once in a while. But now we've got Kurapica to worry about too! ^^; Something tells me Leorio will be instrumental in getting Kurapica to come back into the light but I guess we'll just have to wait and see.

Kurapica's Pre-Yorknew City Arc:
So I'm not really sure what name to give to this but it seems like the arcs we've had so far have been:

1. the Hunter Exam arc
2. the Killua Retrieval arc
3. the Heavens Arena arc
4. and now this arc

Strictly speaking you could say that Greed Island started first, but it's not entirely clear to me yet whether that arc and Kurapica's should be merged together or whether they're two distinctly separate arcs and so, for the time being, I'm just going to leave that one off the list. I get the impression that what we're going to want to refer to as the Greed Island arc won't officially start until after the boys get their hands on the game anyway.

Anyway, loss for what to call this arc put aside, it looks more exciting than either the Killua Retrieval arc or the Heavens Arena arc. The ugly short dude has such a kind, soft voice that, even though I know you shouldn't judge a book by its cover, I want to believe he's a real sweetheart and will be a great friend for Kurapica during this arc. (Watch me be so wrong. XD) The other characters seem interesting too. Femme fatale's powers seem kind of boring and been-there-done-that, but a series like this could use a good femme fatale so she's fun to have along. Poetry Dude seems fun and interesting. The other two (Red Sideburns and Dog Whisperer) we don't really have enough to get an impression about yet but I hope they'll be fun too.

One thing that's interesting about this arc is how it's painfully obvious to everyone in the room that one of the items on their list is standing right before them. It'll be interesting to see if any of them try to subdue Kurapica and present his head to the boss. Kurapica's totally in the lion's den for this mission!

Ging:
Rewinding to Gon and Killua, I liked the cassette tape bit. Only thing I didn't like was how Gon stupidly (?) stopped the tape before Ging could tell him about his mother (it felt so deus ex! >_<) but then he reaffirmed how Mito is his mother as far as he's concerned and I just had to soften up a bit to his deed. Aside from that, it was cool. We FINALLY get to see the dragons who have been hinted at since Episode 1 with the ending credits. It looks like Ging may be if not a Specialist (as I first imagined) then a Manipulator, given it looks like he's something of a beastmaster. In fact, I'm surprised that Togashi didn't have Gon be a Manipulator too. His oneness with Nature and his affinity with animals could've been explained like that. Who knows. In any event ... where the hell was Ging!? It looked like the sort of island you'd use for a prison or something ... but he seemed to be happy and quite in control of his situation, so like, it's not like he could be trapped there. But then what the hell was up with that place? (And his clothes! So shabby!) Guess we'll find out eventually.

Otaku Zoldyck Returns:
So, I forgot that I had written this but when I read your guys' posts earlier I saw this line:

Originally Posted by Talon87

Really can't stand that middle brother of Killua's. I hate characters like that. If I never see him again it'll be too soon.

And then Yuki's response :

Originally Posted by YUKI.N

:o I actually liked his role in a later arc.

I dunno. I still don't like him. I think it's a shame that Togashi has had such a repugnant human being be the token otaku of the series. I would have liked it much more if a cute girl like Ponzu had been the series' otaku. Or if a serious character like Wing or Kurapica's teacher had had a closet otaku side. Making it the fat, sadistic, stupid, and largely impotent brother of Killua's is just ... hrmf. I don't care for him, and the fact that he's been revealed to be an otaku doesn't make me like him but instead makes me feel like otaku are being sullied by being associated with him.

That stated, sure, it's nice to see some of what you mentioned in your post about the Zoldycks' being a fucked-up family but still one that seems to be loving in its own way. Like you said, I kind of have to wonder whether Killua even really wants to land his family behind bars. The way he talks about his mother to Gon on Whale Island makes it sound like he thinks she's nuttily overbearing but not sinister or criminal. And who could hate that adorable little sister of his?

[lilboocorsola]

Originally Posted by Talon87

I watched Episodes 32 through 37. Further thoughts below!

Spoiler: show

The nen categories:
For my own reference (taken straight from the episode where Wing explains the system, and rearranged into the order Wing showed on the six-point cycle in clockwise order starting from the top):

• Enhancers (強) are able to strengthen objects. (Gon)
• Transmuters (変) can alter their aura's qualities. (Killua)
• Conjurers (具) are able to manifest their aura. (Kurapica)
• Specialists (特) are those with an aura that doesn't fall within the other five classes.
• Manipulators (操) can use their aura to control objects and creatures. (Zushi)
• Emitters (放) can propel their aura. (Leorio)

So like, I like how Gon is kinda close to two of his friends (Leorio and Killua) but one of his friends (Kurapica) is a little further off, meaning they will probably be specializing in different skill sets. I like how of the main four Leorio has the closest access to one of the categories, giving us hope that he will become better at that skill (in addition to his own innate skill) than anyone else in the group of four. I like how Leorio and Kurapica are currently on dead opposite ends of the hexagon. Kinda lends some fun aura-based evidence for their oil-and-water friendship from the beginning of the series, and it hopefully implies that the two of them as a tag team would have all six aura categories covered pretty nicely. I like how Kurapica is decently close to the Specialist category since that one seems like it has the most potential for future surprises. And of course I like how Gon is on the dead opposite side from it since it means one of two eventual outcomes, either of which should be great fun: (1) Gon ends up undergoing an affinity switch from Enhancer-type to Specialist-type; or (2) Gon stays put and becomes one of the greatest Enhancers there ever was all the while facing down some seriously dangerous opponents who are Specialist-types.

Another thing I like about the nen category system is how it is skill-defined rather than element-defined. In Naruto, it's a fun rainbow works of colors and sounds as you watch a really skilled ninja perform fire, electricity, and water magic all in the same fight, but as far as combining elements goes, in Naruto it's used to create one of five to ten fusion-elements (so like, Kishimoto argues that Wood-type attacks are produced by those rare ninjas who have prowess in both Water-based and Earth-based jutsu). So you can make more elements, but the idea is still the same for how you use them to fight. Yet here with Hunter x Hunter, there's the promise of people combining their nen proficiencies to produce some truly novel tactics. We might expect an Enhancer-Transmuter combatant to use his transmutation ability to produce a poisonous gas and to then use his enhancement ability to make that gas fill the room. We've already seen some of this with Hisoka himself: iirc he was using transmutation and conjuring attacks to produce his Bungee Gum and his fake skin thing. I don't quite remember if those are right or not 'cause, like I said, Togashi's categories are a little harder to keep separate in my mind ^^; and picture how they are distinct from one another. But as the show continues and we see more nen practitioners, I'm sure it'll become clear.

Where exactly did you find out who falls into what category? I thought most of them hadn't been revealed by that point. (For that matter, I'm not sure you even have some of them right.)

Spoiler: show

Anyway, you're right Nen is definitely skill-based, and you can use it to perform a lot of cool tricks. Look forward to seeing some creative/interesting abilities (as will I in the future).

Originally Posted by Talon87

Spoiler: show

Gon vs. Hisoka:
I liked how this was dealt with. My only complaint is that Hisoka didn't aim to kill Gon despite all evidence up to this point suggesting that he never spares the people he fights once he deems them ready or once he deems them incapable of ever becoming ready. In Gon's case, that was the whole reason he was spared during the hunter exam: because Hisoka saw potential in the boy but felt he wasn't ready to be harvested yet. But with Heavens Arena, we were pretty much told "I won't accept a challenge from you until you're ready." So by accepting the challenge, doesn't that mean Gon's ready? And if Gon's ready, then shouldn't that mean Hisoka gobbles him up?

And speaking of gobbling him up, GOOD LORD XD at Hisoka's sexual excitation in this fight. Yuki sure wasn't kidding. We've already seen Hisoka be orgasmic before, but this time he was rockin' a boner! XD The original Japanese talks about physical arousal and the CrunchyRoll English translation for it was even funnier with a throwback to Wayne's World: "SCHWING!" It was kinda awkward during the post-ED credits bit with Chibi Killua and Chibi Gon when they both thrust their pelvises out at each other and repeated Hisoka's line. ^^; But yeah. I love how Togashi shows just how sick and demented this character is. He's keeping Gon alive at this point the same way a man might try and prolong sex for as long as possible before ejaculating. It's pretty fucked up, but it makes for an excellent psychopathic villain.

Spoiler: show

Remember, Hisoka initially only gave Gon the task of punching him. I guess he thought Gon was capable of at least that by then. But he probably didn't expect much more. Thus the rest of the fight was simply used to toy with the boy a bit. Playing with his food, if you will. ^~ He obviously wasn't taking it very seriously given all the riddles and jokes. Like you said, even when he was driven to the point of wanting to gobble Gon up, he held back because he's trying to prolong the pleasure for as long as possible. >_>;

...

Does the golden glow in the first ED make sense now? XP "SCHWING!"

Originally Posted by Talon87

Spoiler: show

Whale Island?:
So I'm confused why we headed back to Whale Island so suddenly. Sure, Gon got to fight Hisoka finally. And sure, Hisoka said he'd never fight Gon in Heavens Arena again. But like, that's because Hisoka was leaving for Yorknew City. And because he expected Gon to stay put and keep fighting and training. "Ten more fights ... ten more fights and you'll be ready," Hisoka said. So what the hell, Gon? Why did you leave Heavens Arena? I thought Killua had told you eight episodes back "Change of plans, Gon," and had told you that instead of fighting for money now, he wanted to fight to get to the very top of Heavens Arena? Killua was 3-1 or 4-0 iirc and Gon was 2-2. Both of them could have kept fighting in a bid to reach the Floor Masters. So why did we leave so suddenly? Isn't it still July? We don't have to be in Yorknew City until September. Well, whatever. It's rare for HxH to have plot roles and this one isn't that bad. It just annoys me is all.

I forget the details behind their decision to leave, but didn't they essentially accomplish what they came to do?

Spoiler: show

Gon just came to train so he could become strong enough to return the badge to Hisoka, which he conveniently did while there. Gon was satisfied with fulfilling that small goal, just like he was happy to make the chairman use both hands and feet in their game rather than going for the ultimate prize of the ball itself.

As for Killua, I don't recall exactly what his reasons were for either heading to the top or going back. But I'm pretty sure said he had no interest in Battle Olympia, right? I think he just wanted to hang out at the top for a while because he was curious about Nen, which is what made fighters at that level so strong. Once they'd learned everything they could, there wasn't much more need to stay. It's not like they had anything to prove to the people there. Besides, these boys are pretty capricious with whatever they choose to do.

Originally Posted by Talon87

Spoiler: show

Ging:
In the last episode I saw, we learned more about how Mito came to raise Gon and who Ging was. The episode ends with Gon managing to open the box his father left for him in Mito's care and Gon playing back the cassette tape. Holy shit, it's Kiritsugu! XFD They hired Emiya Kiritsugu's voice actor to voice Gon's dad! That is awesome. The whole "you assumed your mother was dead but surprise she's still alive" bit was something I think we could all see from a mile away. It doesn't make sense for a guy to leave his child in the care of his cousin, let alone a cousin he hasn't seen in 10 years. An incredibly selfish act which pretty much condemns that cousin to life as a spinster. (Which is sadly what Mito seems to have become thanks to Gon. No husband, no kids of her own.) The only reason you'd do that is if you couldn't raise the boy and neither could your wife. And the only reason you couldn't raise the boy is if you had to go and do something dangerous and you couldn't bring the boy with you. The #1 suspect for what that nebulous "something dangerous" is would have to be "fetching your mom back." Maybe she got abducted by the ultimate series villain. Maybe she is the ultimate series villain. There's lots of possibilities. But it seems likely that Ging went to go fetch Gon's mom and that's why he couldn't bring Gon with him. Though if my theory is right, then it's kind of surprising that he could never afford time to even spend Christmas or birthdays with the boy. I mean, you're one of the world's very best Hunters. Surely you could visit your son on Whale Island. Surely you can't expect that paying him a visit would endanger his life (by alerting enemies to his position) more than just leaving him there year round in Mito's care.

Originally Posted by Talon87

Read your guys' posts. Also watched Episode 38.

Spoiler: show

Ging:
Rewinding to Gon and Killua, I liked the cassette tape bit. Only thing I didn't like was how Gon stupidly (?) stopped the tape before Ging could tell him about his mother (it felt so deus ex! >_<) but then he reaffirmed how Mito is his mother as far as he's concerned and I just had to soften up a bit to his deed. Aside from that, it was cool. We FINALLY get to see the dragons who have been hinted at since Episode 1 with the ending credits. It looks like Ging may be if not a Specialist (as I first imagined) then a Manipulator, given it looks like he's something of a beastmaster. In fact, I'm surprised that Togashi didn't have Gon be a Manipulator too. His oneness with Nature and his affinity with animals could've been explained like that. Who knows. In any event ... where the hell was Ging!? It looked like the sort of island you'd use for a prison or something ... but he seemed to be happy and quite in control of his situation, so like, it's not like he could be trapped there. But then what the hell was up with that place? (And his clothes! So shabby!) Guess we'll find out eventually.

Okay, this part kinda confused me due to the fact the 1999 series apparently changed/added a lot.

Spoiler: show

First of all, the reason I was initially mistaken about Mito's relationship to Ging was because Nippon actually made her the sister of Gon's mother, and clearly stated the mother was dead. They even showed her gravestone. So they definitely mucked up canon there. (Guess that's why I was also under the impression Mito had a jealous unrequited crush on Ging. ^^; )

Nippon also added a whole sideplot of emo Killua trying to fit into normal society with his killer instincts and whatnot, but as it's extraneous I won't go into it. I may as well mention though that the first meal scene was filler in both animated versions, though they each had a different take. You commented on Skype how Madhouse made Killua look left out at the table by deciding to show how irreverent and/or ignorant he is of local and/or religious customs. Nippon went a different, more comedic route by having him hate bell peppers and Mito forcing him to eat it. One might assume he never even experienced being told to finish his food due to a spoiled upbringing, and the fact that he grudgingly but politely obeyed shows how much he respected being a guest in Gon's home and Mito as a mother figure. ...Even if he did end up dribbling it out afterwards on the table. ^^;

Back to Ging and the tape. Yeah, it gut me the first time when Gon stopped the tape when it supposedly only contained his "mother's voice". Now I'm even more disappointed by the tantalizing tease that she's still alive. *shakes fist at Togashi* I was content not to know the truth, thanks! Now it'll be gnawing on me for the rest of the series. >_>;

Kidding aside, this is actually quite an interesting turn of events for me. Curious to see where this tiny tidbit leads in the future.

Anyway, dem dragons. That was the epic scene I was referring to way back when. Though I feel like it went a little too fast this time for my taste, would've preferred a slower take to let their respective sizes sink in. I also feel like the quick overhead pan from Whale Island to wherever Ging was located at the time took away some of the impact as well. I suppose it was to give the sense that Gon's father is "closer than he thinks", but I liked the idea of not knowing where in the world Carmen Sandiego Ging was. No landmarks, just the sight of a cliff coupled with the words, "Catch me if you can". Who wouldn't get excited at the prospect of trying to chase down a cocky guy like that, given only the clues in the box? I feel like showing the shape and general direction of the island he was on almost gave the viewers an unfair advantage. =/

Nitpicking aside, it was a cool scene nonetheless, and I'm glad to see some retconned canon for the first time. =O

Originally Posted by Talon87

Spoiler: show

Kurapica's Pre-Yorknew City Arc:
So I'm not really sure what name to give to this but it seems like the arcs we've had so far have been:

1. the Hunter Exam arc
2. the Killua Retrieval arc
3. the Heavens Arena arc
4. and now this arc

Strictly speaking you could say that Greed Island started first, but it's not entirely clear to me yet whether that arc and Kurapica's should be merged together or whether they're two distinctly separate arcs and so, for the time being, I'm just going to leave that one off the list. I get the impression that what we're going to want to refer to as the Greed Island arc won't officially start until after the boys get their hands on the game anyway.

Anyway, loss for what to call this arc put aside, it looks more exciting than either the Killua Retrieval arc or the Heavens Arena arc. The ugly short dude has such a kind, soft voice that, even though I know you shouldn't judge a book by its cover, I want to believe he's a real sweetheart and will be a great friend for Kurapica during this arc. (Watch me be so wrong. XD) The other characters seem interesting too. Femme fatale's powers seem kind of boring and been-there-done-that, but a series like this could use a good femme fatale so she's fun to have along. Poetry Dude seems fun and interesting. The other two (Red Sideburns and Dog Whisperer) we don't really have enough to get an impression about yet but I hope they'll be fun too.

One thing that's interesting about this arc is how it's painfully obvious to everyone in the room that one of the items on their list is standing right before them. It'll be interesting to see if any of them try to subdue Kurapica and present his head to the boss. Kurapica's totally in the lion's den for this mission!

Greed Island arc hasn't started yet. (It was comprised of the OVAs in the original.) This is officially the Yorkshin City arc.

Spoiler: show

"The ugly short dude", huh? XP Nice to hear you comment on the sweetness of the voice though, it does do the original justice. Senritsu definitely is one of my favorite characters. <3

"Painfully obvious", huh... This is another misleading problem I had with Madhouse's version that I feel I may as well clarify now. Kurapica is supposedly wearing black eye contacts to hide his scarlet eyes. Even though there's barely any change in normal color and you can still clearly see them flare up around the edges. -.- I totally assumed from that list scene that the others (at least the poetry guy) were meant to see that he was a Kurta member off the bat - as did other unsuspecting viewers from what I gather. So when Kurapica nonchalantly brings up the contacts later it's like "Wha?" =/ In the original animé they added a scene where he clearly puts the contacts in, and his eyes become pure black. (They also added a filler scene where Kurapica meets Senritsu on the train and they fend off a bunch of attackers, but again I won't go into that. It was a cool way to introduce both their abilities in a more singular fashion though. And that red outfit... *sigh*)

One thing I have to say that's been bugging me since the beginning is I HATE HOW MADHOUSE DRAWS KURAPICA'S LIPS. >.< Seriously, they're never that defined in the manga from what I can tell. What gives? Yeah, Nippon took a lot of liberties in hinting Kurapica could be a girl, but at least if they meant her to be one she was a cute girl who didn't have protruding lips. >_>; It's only been getting worse as time goes on too.

Originally Posted by Talon87

Spoiler: show

Otaku Zoldyck Returns:
So, I forgot that I had written this but when I read your guys' posts earlier I saw this line:

And then Yuki's response :

I dunno. I still don't like him. I think it's a shame that Togashi has had such a repugnant human being be the token otaku of the series. I would have liked it much more if a cute girl like Ponzu had been the series' otaku. Or if a serious character like Wing or Kurapica's teacher had had a closet otaku side. Making it the fat, sadistic, stupid, and largely impotent brother of Killua's is just ... hrmf. I don't care for him, and the fact that he's been revealed to be an otaku doesn't make me like him but instead makes me feel like otaku are being sullied by being associated with him.

That stated, sure, it's nice to see some of what you mentioned in your post about the Zoldycks' being a fucked-up family but still one that seems to be loving in its own way. Like you said, I kind of have to wonder whether Killua even really wants to land his family behind bars. The way he talks about his mother to Gon on Whale Island makes it sound like he thinks she's nuttily overbearing but not sinister or criminal. And who could hate that adorable little sister of his?

I never said I liked him. Just his role. ^^; I thought the whole conversation between him and Kil was kinda cute in a way, especially Killua's expressions in the new version. X3

"That adorable little sister"... Heh. ^~

[Talon87]

So many comparisons with the first anime. You've been waiting for this, haven't you? XP

Originally Posted by YUKI.N

Where exactly did you find out who falls into what category? I thought most of them hadn't been revealed by that point. (For that matter, I'm not sure you even have some of them right.)

Not only am I pretty sure I got all of them right but I'm surprised you're questioning more than one of them. Let's go down the list ...

Spoiler: show

Legend:
- ED2 = when each of the four main characters are shown at first, so are the kanji associated with their respective nen classes
- Wing = the scene where Wing shows the boys how to divine their natural affinity via water in a wine glass
- Hisoka = the Gon vs. Hisoka fight and the comments Hisoka made during it
- silhouette pre-OP = refers to the silhouettes of characters shown at the very start of Episode 39 along with each of the six points on the nen hexagon
- Kurapica = Kurapica's scene in the woods with his nen instructor

Characters:
Gon = Enhancer (ED2, Wing, Hisoka, silhouette pre-OP)
Killua = Transmuter (ED2, Wing, Hisoka, silhouette pre-OP)
Kurapica = Conjurer (ED2, silhouette pre-OP, Kurapica)
Leorio = Emitter (ED2, silhouette pre-OP)

Wing = Enhancer (Wing, Hisoka, silhouette pre-OP)
Zushi = Manipulator (Wing)
Hisoka = Transmuter (Hisoka, silhouette pre-OP)

Illumi = Manipulator (I think Killua hinted at it at one point, silhouette pre-OP)
dude I suspect of being the Phantom Troupe's leader = Specialist (silhouette pre-OP)
dude I suspect of being Kurapica's brother = Manipulator (silhouette pre-OP)

Explanation:
You have to figure that the moment they conspicuously show kanji in connection with characters that I am going to be on the lookout for those kanji as they show up. And sure enough, they showed up Day One with Wing's explanation to the boys about the six nen categories. From that moment, I had all four of the main four pegged. Factor in Wing and Zushi (via Wing's own words) and I had six characters just like that. All the other evidence for these characters is just icing on the cake. My claims about the other characters' categories come from similar sources, like Hisoka's conversation with Gon, the silhouettes at the start of Episode 39, and Kurapica's scenes in Episode 39.

Not really sure who you thought I got wrong but I'm pretty darn sure I have them all right. ^^;

[Doppleganger]

Originally Posted by Talon87

Read your guys' posts. Also watched Episode 39.

You guys didn't really write too much. ^^; Yuki made lots of comparisons with the original series and kept insisting the way the original did it was better ;p but aside from that it looks like it was mostly "hey new OP," "hey new ED," "hmm is this like Naruto?", and then Doppel fell off the face of the planet after April 20. I guess Yuki was too demotivated by the absence of Talon and Doppel to keep writing here. A shame. Was looking forward to reading more. =\ Or maybe she secretly put it on hold too and now that I've caught up she's planning to catch up at the library this weekend? Who knows.

Marathoning stuff generally generates less writing than week-by-week analysis, I really should take up HxH weekly again. But otherwise, I'm as caught up as you are. I have high expectations for York Shin but I was largely disappointed by the Heaven's Arena arc, despite the very hyped fight of Gon and Hisoka.

I liked everything up Gon/Killua's first usage of Nen and fighting against those crippled flunkies. Though, given their natural talent, a lot of the intimidation of the world being cruel and brutal was lost a bit. Here we have the disabled guys who are mutilated for life for trying to learn Nen, and Gon/Killua are young princes who don't have to suffer through any of that. I know they're the main guys, and they had to struggle a bit, but it feels a lot to me like Harry Potter in how after a few years of schooling, the main characters are suddenly armed with the ability to immediately become top-tier Hunters.

I'm afraid of a massive power creep where a super powerful villain who is magically way stronger than everyone else appears, and everyone flails against him but Gon and Killua scale up to face the threat. And by the time they're victorious, they're practically the strongest kids in the world.

[lilboocorsola]

Originally Posted by Talon87

So many comparisons with the first anime. You've been waiting for this, haven't you? XP

Leave me and my memories alone. ;;

Oh yeah, the fanservice chain-summoning scene, that was another one I forgot... *shot repeatedly

I do feel like Madhouse has been making some questionable cuts/direction decisions lately. Nothing major, it just makes the jumps in the storyline a little awkward. Like

Spoiler: show

Kurapica's eyes

That being said, the original obviously mucked up canon pretty badly. So I'll give the point to Madhouse here.

Originally Posted by Talon87

Not only am I pretty sure I got all of them right but I'm surprised you're questioning more than one of them. Let's go down the list ...

Spoiler: show

Legend:
- ED2 = when each of the four main characters are shown at first, so are the kanji associated with their respective nen classes
- Wing = the scene where Wing shows the boys how to divine their natural affinity via water in a wine glass
- Hisoka = the Gon vs. Hisoka fight and the comments Hisoka made during it
- silhouette pre-OP = refers to the silhouettes of characters shown at the very start of Episode 39 along with each of the six points on the nen hexagon
- Kurapica = Kurapica's scene in the woods with his nen instructor

Characters:
Gon = Enhancer (ED2, Wing, Hisoka, silhouette pre-OP)
Killua = Transmuter (ED2, Wing, Hisoka, silhouette pre-OP)
Kurapica = Conjurer (ED2, silhouette pre-OP, Kurapica)
Leorio = Emitter (ED2, silhouette pre-OP)

Wing = Enhancer (Wing, Hisoka, silhouette pre-OP)
Zushi = Manipulator (Wing)
Hisoka = Transmuter (Hisoka, silhouette pre-OP)

Illumi = Manipulator (I think Killua hinted at it at one point, silhouette pre-OP)
dude I suspect of being the Phantom Troupe's leader = Specialist (silhouette pre-OP)
dude I suspect of being Kurapica's brother = Manipulator (silhouette pre-OP)

Explanation:
You have to figure that the moment they conspicuously show kanji in connection with characters that I am going to be on the lookout for those kanji as they show up. And sure enough, they showed up Day One with Wing's explanation to the boys about the six nen categories. From that moment, I had all four of the main four pegged. Factor in Wing and Zushi (via Wing's own words) and I had six characters just like that. All the other evidence for these characters is just icing on the cake. My claims about the other characters' categories come from similar sources, like Hisoka's conversation with Gon, the silhouettes at the start of Episode 39, and Kurapica's scenes in Episode 39.

Not really sure who you thought I got wrong but I'm pretty darn sure I have them all right. ^^;

I figured you noticed it from the kanji, I just hadn't bothered to confirm it myself until now.

Spoiler: show

I was not aware Leorio was an Emitter, since I don't think it was ever revealed in the first animé. Later Killua guesses that he's an Enhancer like Gon since they're both simple-minded. ^^;