Hunter X Hunter - General Discussion

[lathspel]

I’m glad they reminded us that Ikago can animate a corpse, or I’d be really confused why that flying guy was still around.  

How many weeks of air time do we expect chameleon guy to have to hold his breath, anyway?

[Sandman87]

11 hours ago, lathspel said:

How many weeks of air time do we expect chameleon guy to have to hold his breath, anyway?

Exactly as long as the plot demands, of course. Rather than wast energy thinking about it, I just assume that he'll hold it until one of the ants gets a lucky hit on him.

[ZoqFotPik]

What exactly is Meleoron's role now that Knuckle has revealed himself?

[lathspel]

Good question.  Maybe he can trip people? Hide their keys when they are not looking?

Also, that was a lot of exposition about an elevator.  I’m calling it Chekhov’s Elevator from here on out.  

[ZoqFotPik]

Oh yeah, they way too much time talking about that elevator for it to not become relevant. 

[Lantern7]

Binged the latest three episodes yesterday. Interesting approach having episodes cover mere minutes and making the narrator do some heavy lifting. Also: humanoid ant looking like a butterfly freaking the fuck out about protecting his king.

Did the king officially name himself? I thought he had done that already, but I’m probably wrong.

[Lantern7]

Just saw "Revenge x and x Recovery." Holy shit, Gon loses it. I mean, he had a full-on Vegeta-style brain-snap, running into Neferpitou trying to save Bushy Browed Gungi Girl. I mean, we've seen Gon get mad, but he never got to a point of full-on rage. Cut to now, where he's demanding Neffy battle him after what she did to Kite, to the point when one would have to fear for Killua's safety as he tried talking Gon down.

[Sandman87]

An episode that managed to have no action whatsoever (outside of flashbacks) and make Gon look like an asshole.

[PotterOtherP]

On 10/19/2018 at 5:25 PM, Lantern7 said:

Binged the latest three episodes yesterday. Interesting approach having episodes cover mere minutes and making the narrator do some heavy lifting. Also: humanoid ant looking like a butterfly freaking the fuck out about protecting his king.

Did the king officially name himself? I thought he had done that already, but I’m probably wrong.

No, after the discussion with the Royal Guard he is distracted by the pigeon attack on Komugi. But that scene does result in one of my favorite lines of the series from Youpi, which I've used several times in real life: "Your question is far beyond my capacity, I am unable to provide an answer."

[Sandman87]

Poor Cheetu. We didn't even get to see his awesome new ability before he got squashed.

[ZoqFotPik]

It would have probably been something stupid. So long Cheetu, you big dumb moron. Only 3 minutes have past in last 6 episodes? I don't see how that's possible given all that has taken place. 

[lathspel]

I know slow fights with lots of introspection are this show’s thing, but Knuckle wins the prize for slowing time enough that he realizes that super elongated time perception means he’s likely toast.  

[Sandman87]

It's seafood night on HxH, and the combination of octopus and lobster causes much gas.

[Sandman87]

Youpi powers up and gets some character growth in the process. Oh, and he beats everyone who's fighting him, but decides not to kill them, because...character growth.

[Terrafamilia]

I hate to say it but this has been dragging as badly as DBZ final boss fight scenes and Naruto filler.

[Sandman87]

That's always the problem when a bunch of characters split up so that the show has to keep jumping around to cover what they're all up to.

Some more chimera ant character growth in this episode.

[lathspel]

I’m impressed that Ikalgo turned out to be so tough, although having nothing to lose doesn’t hurt. 

[ZoqFotPik]

And we're back. Single threaded too. Can't say I'm surprised. Palm is also back.

Only 30 minutes has passed since the start of the attack. Still seems a little low considering all that has happened in the last 14 episodes. Palm, unsurprisingly returns converted to an Ant. One that is supposed to be the perfect warrior. Of course that goes according to plan. She also channels her inner Bayonetta or Bayonetta was channeling Palm. I'm not sure which came first. It's good that she back because the Hunters could definitely use more backup. 

[lathspel]

I’m enjoying Chairman Netaro’s 100-Hand Boddhisatva attacks way more than I should. I like that he’s the strongest character but still has some humanity - room for ego but also self doubt. 

[Matt K]

This week we go the final battle between Netero and Meruem.  Netero loosed his right leg and left arm which are the two limbs he used when sparing with Gon and Killua (he had purposfully not used his left leg and right arm during the sparing). 

 

Then we get to see Netero's trump card as he sets off a bomb by stopping his own heart.  From the narration it sounds like it might be nuclear since the narrator used the term fallout.  I guess we'll see if Meruem survives this as well.  

 

Overall a great fight,  I like how it showed how Netero was both incredibly powerful but at the same time outclassed.  Which is a difficult thing to show.  I also liked how in the end Netero's shot of beating Meruem wasn't some fancy nen technique but a conventional human weapon that anyone could use.

Edited January 28, 2019 by Matt K
Meruem not Merum

[Terrafamilia]

The chairman sure was hardcore. tis but a flesh wound

Edited January 22, 2019 by Terrafamilia

[Lantern7]

How much longer is the Chimera arc? Too many episodes and too many fights to remember. Can we just skip to . . .

Spoiler

Gon powering up and wind up looking like a buff adult with at least fifteen feet of hair going straight up?

[Matt K]

That's go to be coming pretty soon.  There's only 26 episodes left and there's one more arc left so I think we can't have too many episodes left in the Chimera Ant arc, especially with Netero dead.

[Sandman87]

Grandpa defeats King Ant with a deus ex podex. All of a sudden he has a mini-nuke installed that we were never given any hints about. I call bullshit.

[lathspel]

I still like Netero after his last episode, but it’s surprising that Knuckle can take a whole episode to realize he’s made a terrible mistake, while Netero is gone basically two episodes.  That said, it was going to get boring if it kept on for too long. 

[Matt K]

The nuke made sense as earlier in the show Colt mentions that he thinks Netero would not be able to take on the King (at best he's as strong as the Lieutenants) and there's the conversation when Netero took on the job talking about how they'll tarnish the name of the Hunter Association if they fail.  Plus Netero is considered one of the strongest Nen users in the world and the King is considered a huge threat to the world.  So if Netero fails there's probably no one else to stop the King (who seemingly was going to destroy all of humanity).  Netero is a smart guy, I'd have been more surprised that based on all of this he wouldn't have some fail safe in case he failed.  

 

This week the Meruem is dead?  Plus Gon is about to snap.  I mean he threaten to kill a seemingly powerless little kid just to keep Pito in line and I think he'd have killed her too.  It seems hard to imagine Gon doing something like that considering his personality earlier in the series.  Plus, once he finds out Kite is dead I think he's finally going to snap.  

 

ETA: So I looked up the info for this arc and we apparently have 9 episodes left (next/the final arc is 12 episodes total).  

Edited January 28, 2019 by Matt K

[Sandman87]

All this time I thought Jojo was melodramatic, but this show has it beat now.

[Terrafamilia]

I'll have what he's having. :-)

[Lantern7]

I do not consider myself a hardcore otaku. Outside of the popular stuff, I see bits and pieces through highlights and lists, especially via WatchMojo. I say this because with all the talk of nectar . . . my mind went to a bad, bad place. You'll laugh, gag, or both.

Edited February 9, 2019 by Lantern7

[ZoqFotPik]

I think I would have felt more for Gon if they hadn't shown Pitou with Kite's severed head. I am looking forward to the two of them finally throwing down though. Only 6 more episodes in this arc.

[Sandman87]

I would have felt more for Gon if he hadn't been a complete assmonkey for the last few episodes.

I get the feeling that Pouf's scheme is going to blow up in a spectacular way.

Loved that Knuckle and Meleoron were hiding in plain sight among the waiting human victims.

[Lantern7]

On 2/18/2019 at 12:24 AM, Sandman87 said:

I would have felt more for Gon if he hadn't been a complete assmonkey for the last few episodes.

The kid had gone through all this shit to save Kite. And Kite was basically dead all along. I don't blame Gon for getting that angry. I think this is the first time in his life that he's been this enraged. And it looks like Neferpitou had better bring her A-game, because Gon has basically gone Super Saiyan 2 from the shock and grief.

[Lantern7]

Have you ever wanted to own jewelry inspired by the Phantom Troupe?

[Terrafamilia]

Gon achieves 100% vengefullness and hulks out, probably sacrificing a chunk of his lifespan. Pitou, you deserve it for hesitating before attacking. Villains never learn.

[ZoqFotPik]

Have they ever shown an ant cough before? It was a quick thing, but Youpi coughed while talking to Meruem. I wonder if this is a sign he absorbed radiation from the bomb while rescuing the King. 

It's always cool seeing how Meruem is just completely on a different level than everybody else. He leaves, takes out Knuckle and Meleoron, and returns before either Youpi and Pouf even notice he's gone. Also knows that they are hiding something from him.

Well if there was ever any doubt Pitou was dead. Also, Gon seems to have dehulked.

Where's Morel? Is he trying to find his pipe?

[Sandman87]

Meruem seems awfully easy to control for someone so smart. All you have to do is frame whatever you want as an interesting game, and he'll go along with it even though he knows he's being manipulated.

[Lantern7]

Shit, it turns out I didn't post last week. Here's what I had written that got saved:

Finally, we get to see Gon power up. Quick question: is that black smoke coming from his head, or is that actually his hair? It's probably the latter because anime. The sad thing: out of the Royal Guard, Pitou is probably the nicest one. Yeah, she's basically a giant ant that only looks like a cat-lady, and she basically omitted the truth about Kite's death, but the other two are much bigger assholes.

And now for this week:

"I'm not sensing Pitou now!" Cut to an overhead shot of her headless body. I guess Gon's hair did grow to a ridiculous height. Also, the butterfly guy is a prick, but we knew that already.

[lathspel]

It seems kind of cheating that they are (apparently) going to die of radiation poisoning.  Not sure why Youpi would go first - theoretically he and Pouf have about the same amount to the King?

[ZoqFotPik]

Most of the Arcs have ended in unexpected ways. Gon was unconscious for the end of the Hunter Exam. Gon loses his fight with Hisoka and he and Killua just leave Heaven's Arena. Greed Island ends with a multiple choice test. Only Yorknew City ended in a more or less straight forward way.

The King has always been shown to much, much, more powerful than any of the Guards, so he might be able to hold the sickness back better than Youpi and Pouf. Pouf may just be more powerful than Youpi. Also, Pouf hasn't done as much fighting as Youpi. Youpi has fought Shoot and Knuckle, and Knuckle, Morel and Killua. Those fight have weakened him enough to make him more susceptible to radiation . Also, radiation and illnesses affect people differently, so maybe Youpi was just unlucky.

Edited March 13, 2019 by ZoqFotPik

[Matt K]

Also Pouf gave The King a lot less of himself than Youpi did plus Pouf had unaffected segments (that he eventually merged with).

I honestly like this ending.  The most powerful person on the planet lost that fight so how else were they going to beat him.  Meruem is also way too powerful to survive beyond this arc.  I like how in the end it was a fairly inexpensive bomb that took them out.  It's a nice showing that Nen users aren't the invincible compared to normal humans. 

[ZoqFotPik]

From last week: I never would have expected this show to make a reference to the Execution of Nguyễn Văn Lém. So I guess Gyro is supposed to be an important figure in future arcs of the manga.

This week: I kind of figured that Meruem knew he was dying when basically gave up last week. I guess it was kind of nice to see him spend his final moments playing gungi with Komugi. It still doesn't change the fact the he was a monster that thought nothing of killing and was preparing to wipe out large portions of human life. Also, the real leader of East Gorteau retired 30 years ago and the other guy was a body double. I'm not really sure what the point of that was, but okay. One more wrap up episode before moving on to the final arc.

[Lantern7]

Anybody else feel the ending was an anticlimax? Instead of the most epic of battles, it's a dying Meruem playing gungi with poor Komugi. I think all of his elite guards are dead, but I don't care enough to check. I know Pitou is dead-dead, as Gon practically went Super Saiyan on her. Last we saw, Killua was carrying his unconscious body.

Shit, the Chimera arc went on way too long, didn't it?

[Sandman87]

2 hours ago, Lantern7 said:

Shit, the Chimera arc went on way too long, didn't it?

Too bad they couldn't end it with the ants taking over the world, because they're the only characters that I still have any interest in other than Hisoka.

[ZoqFotPik]

8 hours ago, Lantern7 said:

I think all of his elite guards are dead, but I don't care enough to check.

Yes they are all dead. Pouf and Youpi  died of radiation poisoning and Pitou got her head smashed in.

8 hours ago, Lantern7 said:

Shit, the Chimera arc went on way too long, didn't it?

Almost a year and half.

[Lantern7]

Well, the Chimaera arc is over. Judging from the final scene, it looks like we'll be seeing Ging soon. He has been the subject of so many jokes about absentee dads; this one is probably my favorite.

Is the next arc the last one? I know the manga is still going, but the creator gets sick quite often.

[PotterOtherP]

The next arc is the last one. Three volumes of the manga have been published since the anime ended, but I haven't heard of any plans to animate them. At this rate, I'll check again in 20 years.

[Lantern7]

“Mmmmmmmmm. I’m just going to sit here and mentally rate Hunters.” “Why did you bother coming here when you’re not even going to vote, Hisoka?” “Well, an election is being held, and what I thought I heard-“ “STOP.”

Looks like everyone is coming in for the Election . . . including Ging, who’s there to honor the wishes of the late President and piss off the other Zodiacs. Also, Killua’s eldest brother drops by to tell us there’s another child in the Zoldyck family, and the Rat guy of the Zodiacs probably needs a beating.

Here are the final opening credits. You probably know the words by now. I think there’s about one second of Gon in there.

[ZoqFotPik]

That was quite the "Hey, It's that guy!" episode. I'm surprised that there are only 600 some odd Hunters in the world. I always was thought it was a larger organization. If the HxH world is comparable to ours, that would mean there is 1 Hunter for every 13 million people. 

Edited April 9, 2019 by ZoqFotPik

[Matt K]

Well the Hunter exam only takes place once a year and between the last two exams only 8 people in total passed and one of those is already dead so the number seems pretty accurate (especially given the number of hunters who died during the Chimera Ant invasion).  

[Sandman87]

An episode focusing on the minutiae of the process for the upcoming election. Maybe the next one will be even more exciting and have the Zodiacs discussing the advantages of various tax accounting practices. I'm sure Rat would be all over that.