Haruka's Hunter X Hunter Review: Introduction (part 3)
INTRODUCTION
[/URL][/IMG]
Third part (the last one) is finally done. The first two parts are merged. It’s longer than the previous two because I have my final stand expressed here. But hopefully, you appreciate reading my thoughts about this.
Long before Gon and Killua separate their paths in East Golto, the latter has finally managed to remove Illumi’s Manipulation needles. It’s due to his precious friendship to Gon that unexpectedly led him to discover such Nen implanted in his brain. Because somewhere in his mind, despite the nagging control done by his elder brother to just run away, Killua was completely aware that he wanted to protect Gon at all cost…. Thus, leading him to fulfill his true wishes without any twisted manipulation.
With his new found confidence and freedom, Killua volunteers to do the job of saving as many people as he can by warning them and telling them about the “sorting,” and also by defeating Nefelpitou’s puppets. Because he’s tracked by the latter with his En, Leol (formerly known as Hagya) and his army set to capture him…. And this is where he meets the kind-hearted squid-wannabe Ikarugo, a battle grunt who has the power to take over a corpse and use it as his new body and weapon. Before their fight ends, Killua proposes a deal in regards with Ikarugo’s information about his comrades in exchange for the latter’s life. But because he possesses a human-like concern for friends, he chooses to just sacrifice himself just to keep them safe. What I really like about this event is Killua’s display of his openness to second chances. Back when he’s still controlled by Illumi’s needles, he keeps himself reserved. In fact, among the four (Gon, Killua, Kurapika, and Leorio), Killua is the most reserved, keeping his distance from anyone. It just so happens that Gon has a unique charm, which keeps him quite interested, that Killua openly bonds with him. He has a suspicious mind, thinking that everyone is capable of hurting him, so to protect himself, he keeps himself distant from other people. With his freedom, he can now see the goodness of others – just like the way he sees the goodness in Ikarugo. Besides, Ikarugo bears similarity to Killua’s three friends, the type who does not hesitate to put his life on the line for the sake of a comrade. Furthermore, he also offers second chances to those who especially deserve it. Seeing Ikarugo’s promising life as a comrade, he saves him by letting himself live and forgetting that they’re once enemies. With this, Ikarugo gets another second chance to live the way he wants it…. And the kind of life which he truly deserves – filled with friends who also deeply care about him….
Mereum's Soft Spot
[/URL][/IMG]
A young, blind girl who acts like an idiot in general, but instantly turns into a genius monster when it comes to Gun-gi. Initially, you’d think that she is just a random extra who will be annihilated by the king as soon as she gets defeated, especially that the king seems to become more adaptable and more intelligent than ever. The moment I saw Komugi, I thought about it. But I paused when I skim her looks again…. She’s a young girl with perpetual snot coming out from her nose and she’s blind…. I got suspicious because such characteristics wouldn’t fir in the category of “normal”…. It’s something that you realize when you observe about the environment more – that people who don’t look like a normal/average human being have something surprising – something to watch out for. This was parallel to Komugi’s case, which made me think that there’s a special reason as to why Yoshihiro Togashi created her that way. From then on, I’ve become watchful to her appearance and to her encounter to the king.
Perhaps, some of you will relate to the feeling of sympathy towards her…. Because you know that the king will kill this poor little girl when she loses. I always feel the same, wishing that she’ll remain unbeatable. Good thing she keeps her genius mind and surprisingly, she has created a glitch in the king’s unbent evilness by continuously defeating him in their battle of Gun-gi…. and by courageously offering her life to him when she loses. She has shown to the king that she is definitely not a normal human being who gives in to the nagging temptation of fear and desire. With this, the king starts to open his human side. He even finds himself surprised when he protects her when he initially means to kill her. Moreover, he takes back his words to give Komugi special treatment; he even tells her that she’s never a nuisance, but will always remain a special guest. This gesture is a form of kindness that disturbs the Royal Guards…. And this leads the king to question himself…. His existence….his purpose.
Without realizing it, he has shown many forms of kindness and concern to Komugi, and above all, he catches himself in a situation where admiration lies from someone who is inferior to him. He realizes this admiration when Komugi offers her life if she loses to their bet and this drives Mereum to cut his own arm as a symbol for his apology…. As a symbol for admitting his own foolishness. I really love this scene…. I believe it’s very powerful because it creates an edge to a strong, villainous, greedy king who unexpectedly bows down to a blind, silly little girl. At first, you’d think that Mereum is a typical villain who just wants to destroy the world. But with surprising means like Gun-gi and Komugi, he suddenly turns into someone you’d never expect him to be. Though he still has his evilness with him, I guess this panel still gives a different edge to his character – an edge that separates him from other villains. This is one of the things that reaaaalllly impresses me. I really admire Togashi for this
The Old Acquaintance
[/URL][/IMG]
Finally, the mystery is solved. Speculations regarding Netero’s “old acquaintance” flood many Hunter X Hunter conversations. I took a wild guess back then that it might be Zeno or Maha but I couldn’t support it with any logical explanation. I just thought that Netero’s acquaintance would be someone with the same caliber, and with Zeno’s impressive performance during their fight against Kuroro, he clearly projected and proved that he’s someone you shouldn’t mess with. Like many fans, I wished to get to see more of him and his ability, and thankfully, such wish was granted…. Errrr, a little….
Zeno seems to be really fond of dragons. His Dragon Head was first seen with his fight with Kuroro where his strong Nen was attached to both of his hands and created a mid to long range dragon-shaped aura as its effect. At first, it looks like an Emission type of technique, but he’s actually from Transfiguration, which explains why his real Nen is attached to his hands and moves them to control the movements of the dragon. His entrance together with Netero is one of the badass things I’ve ever seen. They are sent by a gigantic bird, then, Zeno creates another variation of dragon ---- Zoaldyeck style. It’s a gigantic one where the two “geezers” are riding…. Or surfing…. and even before it reaches the premises of the palace, it splits into huge numbers. Such skills are variations of his dragon-based Nen technique and like his Dragon Head, they promise such a great power. I was really yearning to see him fight with all his might, but I get disappointed to realize that he didn’t finish his job due to certain circumstances (Komugi’s involvement to the King becomes the most “unexpected turn of events,” catching both Netero and Zeno off guard. Because such humanly compassion is shown by Mereum himself, Zeno doesn’t have to get himself involved in the assassination since he’s initially hired to kill an evil king, not a king with a caring side. Besides, he’s wounded “an innocent bystander.”) This makes me realize that Zeno only gets himself involved to situations related to his business. Like what he said in fighting Kuroro, “there’s no way I’d risk my life without profit.” This event proves it more with his departure; he doesn’t give a damn as to what happens in the palace nor will take the initiative to help them despite knowing the seriousness of the situation. As long as he accomplishes his job description, then he can start to loosen up.
The Monster Within
[/URL][/IMG]
The chairman finally shows off his true strength…. Well, not entirely, but we catch a glimpse of how frightening his power can be. Nefelpitou, who is in Terpsichora – a term which implies that he is in full battle mode, gets dragged by Netero’s dreaded Nen in just a swift. Such is called Hakushiki Cannon, a strong cannon-like blast of Nen that comes out underneath Netero. Before he wields it, Nefelpitou feels like he’s trapped in a time warp, a sign of Netero’s mastery of martial arts where he can alter the time and make his opponent feel like he’s in a slow-motion dimension. From the Royal Guard’s point of view, after being drawn into Netero’s slow motion, a powerful blast of Nen suddenly appears. Zeno explains this, and he does it in a fashion where he’s seemingly proud of the “geezer.” This Netero whom we see in Chimera Ant arc is far different from the Chairman of the Hunters Association in the first arc. Back then, he seems to be a friendly, benevolent leader with unbelievable powers – more like the Third Hokage in Naruto. But this time, we see a totally different side of him – competitive powerful fighter who has aged with wisdom and skill of a true master. His past is also shown, narrating how he completes his mastery of martial arts and how he expresses his gratitude. His appreciation of the arts paves way to make him become even more powerful. However, his real fight with Mereum is not yet shown, and I can’t wait to see the other wonders he can do.
Freedom and Transcendence
[/URL][/IMG]
Despite their logical exchange of thoughts and careful preparations, the teams are still caught in the chain of unexpected events. Aside from Yupi’s guard in the main stairway, they are surprised by Zeno’s Dragon Dive. With a situation so intense that their sharp reflexes are not even able to comprehend the situation, they get paralyzed with the shock…. And it is only Yupi and Gon who remain focused. Shoot, being weak-minded feel guilty and indebted to Gon for taking a course of action that should be initially done by the former. And surprisingly, he feels a new sense of will surging inside him, finally freeing him from the cage he’s built to protect him.
Like Killua, Shoot finally manages to conquer his weaknesses. Both of them had very fragile will which could be easily broken by any threatening circumstances. But that’s all in the past now, and both of them have finally found a new sense of themselves, much stronger and much determined than ever. I guess this is very historical for Shoot, and this will mark him as a character which you can dearly love. On a personal note, this is the first time I get to see him as a very memorable character – a fighter which will largely contribute to the epic of this arc. Now, it’s only Novu who needs to transcend himself and become someone as powerful and as epic as the new Killua and Shoot. (*There is a strong parallelism between the three main teams: Gon and Killua; Knuckle and Shoot; and Morau and Novu. I’ll discuss that at “the spectacle” corner.)
Frustration and Rage
[/URL][/IMG]
Gone are the days when Gon appears so adorable. Gone are the days when he looks so innocent about things he doesn’t understand. And gone are those days when he is filled with moving conviction and inspiring will. This is one of the key points of this arc, where we see a totally different side of Gon – a monster created by his regret and rage. In fact, it’s something that you’d not expect, because despite being stubborn, he always remains to be “that Gon” whom we’ve always known. But this time, he is no longer the person who can just smile and stay optimistic. If it were a normal Gon who’d appear before Nefelpitou, he’d give the Royal Guard a chance and listen to his pleadings, trusting that he will keep his promise. And if it were a normal circumstance, it’d be Killua who’d be suspicious. However, this is not a “similar” situation. Gon is completely taken away by his resentment for being so weak that he’s not able to save his friend. His rage fills him up like a wild fire, feeling that it is never fair to see Kaito inhumanly beat-up while some girl is given a special treatment. He even seriously snaps to his best friend, hurting him in the process. It’s a good thing Killua keeps his cool and reminds him to stay as level-headed as possible, otherwise, Gon would regret being so enraged and resented in the end. He might have forgotten his real intention because of his overwhelming frustration.
The Spectacle….
[/URL][/IMG]
This is the corner where I’ll enumerate the strongest points of the Chimera Ant Arc. I’ll reason out the things that make it very epic despite some of its glitches.
The first thing is Gon and Killua’s Nen transition. It isn’t like in Greed Island where they were formally trained by Biscuit, or any other typical shounen-like display of how the main characters get strong with strenuous trainings. What I really like about their transition is they get it from real battle…. The very first essential thing that they lack. Right after they get separated from Kaito, Killua realizes the difference of real Nen battles. What they experience in Greed Island (Gon’s team vs. Gensuru’s team) is nothing compared to what they face in this arc. Their fight against Gensuru is a matter of victory, and vengeance, where their goal is to save themselves from being bomb victims and get the cards, whereas their fight against the Chimera Ants is a matter of not just survival, but transition that they really need in order to save someone from the enemies…. The latter idea is definitely a much powerful source of strength because the life of their precious friend lies on them. Using real Nen battles and Kaito’s defeat as tools to get Gon and Killua stronger are really upbeat and breath-taking.
The second one is the transition of the characters in terms of their personality. I usually look for characters’ development because it gives them more depth than being just a fun, colorful bunch of people. Since shounen manga/anime is targeted at young audience, you don’t usually find subtlety in their persona. They are very readable which tends to make the series predictable…. And in the process, it makes it dull. It is very rare to see a shounen series showcase subtlety and depth among the characters…. And it gives them much color, not because they become stronger fighters, but because they turn into powerful individuals who have conquered the worst set of adversaries…. Be it low self-esteem, regret, despair, and fragile mind, The Chimera Ant Arc has displayed it more than ever and it absolutely has more depth than the three previous arcs (Hunter Exam, Genei Ryodan, and Greed Island Arc). Killua, who has shown iota of weak-mindedness, has finally faced his biggest adversary and conquered it. Yoshihiro uses the main theme of a shounen series, which is friendship, as Killua’s primary source of motivation in order to beat his inner monsters…. And I really love that. Moreover, secondary characters are given more justice. It’s not very often where you see secondary characters get their main spotlight because they are mainly “support” for the main characters. Usually, they are just bunch of colorful allies who help the main ones to reach their goal. On the other hand, secondary characters in this arc, like Shoot, are given emphasis and depth. He’s like Killua who has beaten his inner conflicts and has turned into someone more dignified and more powerful. Aside from that, you wouldn’t see a character as strong and as veteran as Shoot to display a great deal of weakness. In this Chimera Ant Arc, you’ll find really powerful characters possess weaknesses (because usually secondary characters are portrayed as someone strong and indestructible and the main characters are the ones who have weaknesses). And they have shown how they dealt with it.
The parallelism of the three main teams, Gon and Killua, Knuckle and Shoot, and Morau and Novu, is very evident. Gon, Knuckle, and Morau mirror one another – determined, confident, and compassionate…. Whereas Killua, Shoot, and Novu look cool, serious, and suspicious, and even seem superior to their partners, yet they are the ones who really have weak mind and serious inner conflicts. It’s a good idea that fights between very similar characters were established (Gon vs. Knuckle and Killua and Shoot) because it creates balance. Killua and Shoot have already conquered their inner demons. I’m just waiting for Novu to establish his own spotlight and beat the odds. I’m really excited to see how he’ll deal with it. I also notice that Gon and Killua might be looking at their future with the appearances of these secondary characters (Knuckle, Shoot, Morau, and Novu). When Gon reaches his late adulthood, he will become brasher and more compassionate (like Knuckle). He will get pissed off more easily when someone is wronged by a twisted individual. But he will become more analytical during the battles and be more creative with his moves. And when he’s in middle age, he will become really confident and decisive, without losing his sense of compassion of course (like Morau). On the other hand, when Killua reaches his late adulthood, he might become more reserved and suspicious, careful to what he says and what he does (like Shoot) and even if he’s sharper and more cunning, he’s more fragile than ever, and a small hint of irregularity will weaken him. And when he reaches his middle age, he will be filled with a lot of hesitations even before he makes his moves (like Novu).
The villains. Okay, using a hybrid set of villains is not a breath of fresh air; it has been used ever since…. But what separates them from other villains is that they have a soft, human side. Genei Ryodan, who have been portrayed as merciless and brutal have shown their care in their city and the residents. Mereum has expressed his soft spot and pure care to Komugi. Nefelpitou even feels happiness when he realizes that his king is relying on him. Even if he is born to protect the king, having a sense of joy is still a showmanship of his human side. He’s even willing to give his limbs to Gon just to fulfill the wishes of the king…. Because later, saving Komugi will give him a great sense of achievement and joy. Montutyupi, despite being a dumb brute, has shown a good side, which is selflessness. Distorted psychology has been used to depict the core of a villain. Even so, Shuapufu becomes different because he has displayed poor sense of self-esteem…. Mocking himself as some stupid, worthless worm gives him the edge among other villains because the typical ones usually have superiority complex.
The narration. The battles scenes become more climactic because Yoshihiro establishes narration. It gives the readers more vivid details about the events that unfold. I believe it’s hard for a mangaka to display breath-taking battle scenes because it has to select the best angle in order to send their message very well. How it actually unfolds is left to the readers’ imagination. Sometimes, it becomes hard to comprehend the entire situation, especially if the characters are split and have their own fights to deal with. Despite the action-packed scenes, fights tend to become gray because it lacks dialogues. You just see someone kick a brute enemy and that’s it. But, with narration, we can picture much clearly as to how the entire battle unfurls (like how Zeno and Netero jumps into the air with Dragon Head while Gon’s team is headed to the main stair way). It creates more intensity.
The Downside….
[/URL][/IMG]
This is the corner where I’ll express the glitches in the arc. I am no mangaka, that is why I can’t really analyze the technicalities of this manga (panels, shading, angels, etc.), but I can express the glitches in general sense. There are two main hitches in the series. Of course, you’d agree that these are the hiatus and the drawing.
The hiatus of Hunter X Hunter has been a big controversy among the fans. Though it is not clearly stated, Yoshihiro temporarily stops from making this manga because of some sickness. No one knows if this is terminal or an average injury, but it is clear that its popularity decreases because many fans have grown tired of waiting for its next release. Hunter X Hunter is not getting the justice it really deserves since many have given up on it. I can’t blame them, because such a series needs continuity especially if it is in the middle of its climax. You need to have a sense of appreciation and loyalty in order to keep your nose on this series. Maybe I’m being biased here because I am a writer, but storytellers in general have their own set of pace. When they move according to this “pace,” they are able to produce the best of their abilities. Of course, if you choose this department as a profession, you have to have a staggering amount of creativity and professionalism so you can still do your job even if you’re not “in the mood.” But, if Togashi is really sick, well, I guess we can still spare him from harsh criticisms.
The next one is the drawing. There were releases that looked clumsy which lessened the impact of the story. The lapse can be seen from the later part of Greed Island Arc to the beginning of the Chimera Ant Arc. Then, it came back to normal few chapters later…. Only to look clumsy again during Genei Ryodan’s mini arc. Fortunately, it starts to look decent again, and hopefully it will continue that way. I don’t know if this lack of quality is the result of Yoshihiro’s sickness, or lack of assistants, or maybe, the result of being pressured because it’s been in hiatus. But, if the art begins to look “sketchy” again, then fans just have to focus on the story in order to see the legend in this arc.
Final Notes….
I’m finally done with my Introduction. It’s much later than I expected and I’m getting far behind the schedule. Chapter 283: Resolve is already released by the time I post this. I guess my next post will be my real review on this chapter. When I’m done with it, I will start reviewing the previous two, Chapter 281: Kanmaru and Chapter 282: Seal Off. It’s late, but I guess, I can still do it. Hopefully you enjoy reading my Introduction.
and i have to say i find this part of the manga much better than GI or Hunter exams^^
