Hunter X Hunter current manga discussion (Major Spoilers!)

[Dr. Ensatsu-ken]

So, I figured I might as well give HXH its own manga thread since we have been primarily discussing only that in the Togashi thread, anyways. To start off some topic for discussion, I'll just repot what I last posted back on the Togashi thread:

Well, even though I didn't want him to go into detail about the election of the new chairman, I have to admit that this chapter was surpriginsly interesting. First off, I found it a little bit awkward as to how Togashi just threw Ging into this chapter without any build-up to his appearance, considering how fucking big of a character he is (as in, without him, HXH wouldn't have is freaking plot). Just seeing him sitting there so non-chalantly for most of the chapter seems like such a contradiction to that, but in a really strange way it kind of works as it feels fitting for his character (since like Gon he seems like the type of person who wouldn't treat such things as a big deal, anyways).

I think that what really intrigued me about this chapter, though, was the introduction Pariston, and I must say that Togashi picked an interesting way to introduce a new villain. And yes, I do clearly mean villain, since Togashi implies enough obvious hints that this guy has sinister motives behind that delightful (but obviously fake) smile of his. Now I'm actually kind of interested to see where this goes, as I think he can make a really interesting character later on with the way he's being set-up in the story, right now (possibly responsible for the mysterious disappearances and probable deaths of several hunters over the past few years). I also really like how he interacts with Ging in this page:



There's just something really cool about how Ging totally shrugs off his threat (though to be fair it seems more like a sick joke on Pariston's part than a real threat in this case).

Still, I'd really like Togashi to get back to Killua's part of the story as soon as possible. What he's up to in general is what I'm still most interested in seeing.

Oh, BTW, even though this thread says its for discussion of the current events of the series, you can also feel free to talk about earlier parts of the manga and how it compares to the anime, if only because the only other person on this entire site who reads HXH besides me is Desensitized (so its not like there is any chance or discussion to get completely unfocused in any real way, lol).

[Spark Of Spirit]

He's like Sakyo and demented game show host in one.

I'm kinda torn on Ging's appearance. I mean, I guess he kind of had to eventually, it's just that it sort of robs the impact of Gon meeting him with us in the manga... But it's not like that will be happening anytime soon so-

Ah, to heck with it, I wanna see what Killua's doing!

[Dr. Ensatsu-ken]

And if you think about it, Netero wouldn't have labeled him as "The Rat" for nothing.

Anyways, I'm pretty sure we'll see what Killua is up to soon enough, but didn't you get excited by the end of the chapter?

I mean, think about it: Togashi just essentially found a way to write a bunch of older characters (both minor and major) back into the story. Since Ging's voting method got selected, ANY Hunter can potentially become the next chairman since they are all now technically candidates (as in Leorio, Kurapika, and even fucking Hisoka, lol).

Of course, I'm fully certain that it will still be one of the higher-ups who becomes the next chairman, most likely Pariston, but who even cares about that right now? From the looks of it, all other Hunters who can make it may need to mandatorily come into headquarters to participate in the new election (they are all voters as well, after all). If that doesn't force Leorio and Kurapika back into the story, then I don't know what will. So really, even though this chapter deviated from what we wanted to see, it found a pretty clever way for Togashi to write back in what we want to see in soon to come chapters.

[Dr. Ensatsu-ken]

BTW, It may just be me, but if you take a moment to look at Ging, doesn't his face look oddly very much like Yusuke's? I mean, for some reason whenever I look at him it looks like Yusuke with a beard and a hat on. Perhaps its just me after all, but I suspect that Togashi's art-style has a lot to do with it, since he's been known to recycle similar character designs before and to me it looks as though Ging got part of Yusuke's character design (at least for the overall structure of his face, anyways) whether that was intentional on Togashi's part or not.

[Spark Of Spirit]

Yeah, it's interesting and will probably be the lead in to the next arc, it's just... well, the main characters are kind of in a mess right now so I would rather have focus on that. But that might just be me.

[Dr. Ensatsu-ken]

Well, this would essentially get 2 of our former main characters back into the story, plus if you think about it what is anyone else doing right now (that's actually interesting to read about), aside from Killua?

Like I said, I'm sure Togashi will go back to Killua soon enough, but he does need to find a way to keep the story moving as well, so I'm glad that he made this move with the way that events are unfolding now.

[Dr. Ensatsu-ken]

Alright, I swear, Ging is pretty much Yusuke. I mean, just look at his facial features and character design. He also has a sense of immaturity to the way that he acts which also reminds me of Yusuke. Just say'n....

Anyways, it was great that we finally got to see an older character again, even if it wasn't either Leorio or Kurapika (interestingly enough Kurapika didn't attend the voting session at all, which means that he must be busy with his own ordeals). Seeing Hisoka appear in the series again after all of these years was a real treat.

While we still didn't get to see Killua in this chapter, we did at least finally get to learn what he's up to, thanks to Illumi. It seems like he's pleading with his father for help, possibly making some sort of deal with him, but I wonder how his father can even help Gon (perhaps it has something to do with his ability or something of that sort).

Anyways, its another interesting chapter, and thankfully we haven't hit yet another hiatus at this 10 chapter mark (of course, the last hiatus happened afte 20 chapters), so I'm keeping my fingers crossed that we'll get to see more than just another 10 chapters this time before another hiatus comes along. I know it seems like I'm being negative not trusting Togashi and fully expecting some BS like that to pop up again eventually, but at least if he keeps the series going for another full and complete arc before he pulls something like that, this time, then I can be somewhat content. But I do hope that he proves me wrong and continues the story from here on out right until the very end.

[Dr. Ensatsu-ken]

Cool! So we're finally going to get to meet Killua's brother....his, "other" other brother, Alluka. Apparently he has a Nen removal ability that can save Gon's life, but at the same time Killua's father seems really hesitant to allow Killua to see him, and refers to Alluka as being inhuman and "something" (not someone) that never should have been born....sounds interesting!

[Dr. Ensatsu-ken]

So, it looks like the translator got it wrong last time and Alluka is female, making him Killua's sister. Eh, to be honest I can never really tell the gender of his siblings from their character designs.

Anyways, this was a great chapter, although most of it was a flash-back. Its pretty fitting that it has a very creepy tone to it, being that its really close to Halloween, now. Also, there was a Death Note reference in this chapter, which....I can't say I really saw coming.

I have to say, if Killua gets Alluka to grant his wish to save Gon, then I just feel sorry for the next poor sap that she will end up "pestering" after that happens.

Interestingly, for a fun bit of trivia, Togashi has always wanted to do horror manga. He has stated numerous times that he has been influenced by horror films in the past and is intrigued by anything relating to the occult, and to indicate this one of his first one-shots (way before the debut of Yu Yu Hakusho) was a comedy featuring a werewolf and a vampire. Based on that knowledge, this chapter by itself really seemed like something that Togahi would want to write, and while he's just dabbling in it here in this manga, it really would be interested to see him start a full-on horror manga series from scratch. Based on chapters like this and certain chapters in Level E and YYH (manga only, though), he's quite good at writing these types of stories, and no doubt this is probably something he could specialize in. I mean, when you think about it his writing style has developed to the point that he'd probably be better off writing a seinen manga rather than a shonen manga, since anyways ever since the Chimera Ant arc HXH has felt more like a seinen with shonen elements as opposed to a true shonen series.

[Dr. Ensatsu-ken]

So, if what Illumi is saying is true, Killua will actually be crazy enough to risk not only his life but that of Gon and his own entire family if he gets his wish granted the improper way by having someone else make the wish for him and then taking the burden of that by giving into Alluka's pesterings after the fact (which will probably be so extreme that they would cause him to die). Well, if that ends up being true than I really hope that Killua knows what he's doing, because he'll have to pay a heavy price to it and if he doesn't, then Gon will die anyways.

Now, as for the chapter itself, I do like how it shows a bond between Killua and Alluka, with Killua clearly regretting abandoning his little sister (....or brother....I'm not sure which, anymore), and Alluka clearly admiring and looking up to Killua as an older brother, and the only person who ever really saw him/her for his/her true-self, rather than just as a monster like the rest of the family views Alluka to be.

[Dr. Ensatsu-ken]

I thought it was pretty nice to see everyone who Gon met in the past come to visit him in his near-death state. That is, everyone except for Leorio and Kurapika. Seriously, Togashi, where the fuck are they?

[Dr. Ensatsu-ken]

GUESS WHO'S BACK!

Oh man, seeing that "punch-out" scene near the end of the chapter was so damn satisfying.

So, now all we have left is for Kurapika to show up, but since even Leorio has no idea of his current situation or whereabouts, that unfortunately might not happen anytime soon. I guess we'll just have to wait and see to find out.

[Spark Of Spirit]

Best chapter in 15 years.

[Dr. Ensatsu-ken]

Damnit, Togashi! Stop killing off minor characters just because you can. Its gotten to the point where it has become entirely predictable, anyway, so there is nothing shocking or hardcore about it in this series, anymore. For what its worth I actually liked Gotoh, but as soon as he started fighting Hisoka I already knew he was a dead man, and I shouldn't be able to so easily predict shit like that (its not even a prediction since I was already 90% sure that it would happen based on Togashi's writing style). I swear, if he ever does that to one of the really awesome minor characters like Knuckle, I will be all kinds of pissed off.

[Spark Of Spirit]

That fight made me upset. I'm getting tired of the bad guys NEVER losing. Seriously, I shouldn't assume that anyone who fights Hisoka has already lost, yet here we are. EVERY time.

You know, Hiei only ever lost to Yusuke in YYH, yet I never went into any of his fights EXPECTING him to win.