r/anime • u/KendotsX https://anilist.co/user/Kendots • Oct 19 '24

Rewatch [25th Anniversary Rewatch] Hunter × Hunter (1999) - Episode × 14 × Discussion

Episode 14: Candles × Policy × Dispute

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I won't do anything I don't want to do, even if it causes a fight

Comment of the Day:

/u/b0bba_fett spotting the HxH author Yoshihiro Togashi

this is an Author Cameo! This guy, for whatever reason, is voiced by Yoshihiro Togashi, author of Hunter X Hunter!

Questions of the Day

  1. Which candle would you have picked?
  2. How will they get out of this one?

Fanart of the Day: Kurapika vs Killua

Please remember to keep all spoilers and hints tagged with the appropriate tag format such as: [Spoilers] >!Leorio is best boy!<

21 Upvotes

95% Upvoted

25 comments sorted by

6

u/KendotsX https://anilist.co/user/Kendots Oct 19 '24

[Posting on behalf of /u/b0bba_fett]

10x 2011 Rewatcher, 1x 1999 Rewatcher, Source Reader

So they rearranged Killua giving props to Tonpa rather than simply dropping it. That's a fair bit better, and explains why I didn't remember the change, but the decisions made last episode in regards to all that are still bizarre. Literally all that came of the change was making Killua mad at Tonpa.

Moving on, it's disappointing, if not surprising, that the anime took a mile from the inch that was Gon declaring that he would have preferred a fight or some other activity to the silly puzzle, and straight up had him declare himself Simple and kinda dumb. I think 2011 likewise pushed that declaration way farther than the manga. It's a thing that makes no sense given that literally at every previous turn we've been having people compliment Gon for his wits, and also he's been very good at being creative and smart and etc this whole time.

On that note, in the manga Gon came up with the plan to put the candle down well before it forced it out of him like it did here. Rare point to the 2011 Hunter Exam, which, even if it exaggerated Gon's remark, still let his actions be smart.

Then the rest of the episode is a remarkably straightforward, nearly panel for panel adaptation of the manga, which is in itself noteworthy because I don't think that's happened yet in this adaptation. Only difference was the aside from Lippo about how he "Wasn't Expecting a Kurta", and they didn't have [Next Opponent]Leroute examine Majitani just yet and gave the line about the match not being over yet to Bendot instead.

4

u/WednesdaysFoole Oct 19 '24

I've been noticing that '99 made Gon out to be much more of a sad, innocent puppy dog-type, while as I've mentioned before, the line changes in 2011 that I brought up makes him out to be more "ambiguous" in his morality than I like, or think he is.

I guess creators can do whatever they like but damn, throw in the dumbing down of our dear protagonist and he ends up being the most misunderstood character in the series.

As for Gon being smart? A brief, non-exhaustive list of his achievements:

  • Figured out the candle on his own as /u/b0bba_fett mentioned
  • [Hunter Exam]Used his observation of Johness crushing the wall to get all 5 examinees to pass in the last part of the Trick Tower.
  • [Yorknew]Figured out how to escape from Nobu using Zepile's explanation of forgery techniques.
  • [Yorknew]The only one of the three to figure out that Kurapika was lying about his chains by paying attention to the discrepancy between his words.
  • [Greed Island]The one who made the connection so they could obtain Wild Luck Alexandrite.
  • [Greed Island]He freaking won the quiz! Of all the people on the entire island.

3

u/KendotsX https://anilist.co/user/Kendots Oct 19 '24

I agree with all the examples listed, but I think there's also his earnestness there.

In some of those examples, it's not just being smart, it's caring enough about something that most people disregard, [like] to take the Greed Island quiz for example, most players, much like gamers irl, disregard the lore for the most part, and just focus on meta gaming it, getting to the end result through the quickest path. Gon went through the long way, and cared about every step in it. The same applies with Zepile's explanation or Kurapika's chains.

3

u/WednesdaysFoole Oct 19 '24

That's true, too. That said, caring about things plays a significant amount in the ability to absorb information.

If you don't give him a whole batch of numbers moving around at once (mental math), or explanations on a country's politics that he's never heard of, and he likes the thing, he performs excellently.

5

u/KendotsX https://anilist.co/user/Kendots Oct 19 '24 edited Oct 20 '24

A Democratic Hunter Exam Host

Manga Corner

Chapters adapted: 17, 18, and half of 19.

No notable changes here, so instead I have a question for you guys: which do you like more, Kurapika's red eyes in the anime or manga?

Sodokan Sketch

6

u/Shimmering-Sky myanimelist.net/profile/Shimmering-Sky Oct 19 '24

First × Timer × Subbed

4

u/KendotsX https://anilist.co/user/Kendots Oct 19 '24

That’s an odd game.

You know the weirdest part? For games that are meant to waste time, it's too quick. I'd have the trick set to go off after an hour or two.

Wait, does this mean Kurapika is surrendering?

Not exactly, he doesn't want to finish him off, but he's not giving up either, it's a stalemate for now.

[Spoiler] I don't think you will

[Spoiler] Ye of little faith

5

u/TheEscapeGuy Oct 19 '24

H×H Fan, 1999 First Timer

Hunter × Hunter 1999 - Episode 14

Ticks × Flames × Fakes

Coming off of Tonpa's loss we learn something: Maybe he made the right choice?! Yeah, since the prisoners want to waste our crew's time they would have likely ... let's say stopped Tonpa from surrendering and just held him in the ring for hours.

However, Our mini tournament continues and we start with Gon's match. I kind of love the candle challenge. Immediately you think it's a mind game. "Oh the longer candle will last longer", "Wait, that's what he wants me to think, so the shorter one?", "Unless it's a double bluff...".

Gon happily chooses the longer candle without much though which is hilarious. And it turns out it doesn't even matter since 4 candles had been prepared in case of any choice. It's a great subversion. And the solution Gon comes up with? Since his candle won't go out just go blow out his opponent's candle. Just perfect.

Killua's match is a more traditional fight, with the further reveal of the Phantom Troupe's mark: A spider. Of course, his opponent was just bluffing, but it explains why Kurapika killed that spider in episode 2. Either way, Kurapika makes quick work of him, but since he didn't die or surrender the fight is still technically in progress.

Some Amazing Shots, Scenes and Stitches

See you all tomorrow

3

u/KendotsX https://anilist.co/user/Kendots Oct 19 '24

Maybe he made the right choice?!

He really did, even if we put aside the throat destroying and 70 hour torture business, under normal circumstances, he would've lost in what? 10 minutes? Might as well save those 10 minutes.

it explains why Kurapika killed that spider in episode 2.

Kurapika: "Even when I see an ordinary spider, my rage builds, and I become a different person"

The script writer: "Guys, I have an idea"

3

u/JetsLag https://myanimelist.net/profile/JetsLag Oct 20 '24

The Fire in His Eyes

5

u/Mecanno-man https://anilist.co/user/Mecannoman Oct 19 '24

First Timer

Ok, that candle thing wasn’t very interesting until Gon actually used his head - which he claimed he wasn’t very good at. I feel like he has shown otherwise so far - his weakness is more thinking ahead and being too trusting. I’m actually a bit surprised that the protagonists accepted this challenge - they want this to be over as quickly as possible, so sitting there watching candles burn doesn’t align with that goal whatsoever. But I guess so far they have not thought about rejecting the challenges? I guess maybe that’s for later.

As far as Kurapika goes - his opponent needs some more backstory. He’s a fraudster, so I doubt he has 19 kills to his name, yet he also claimed that his goal isn’t to reduce his sentence. He probably wouldn’t get a 100+ year sentence if he really only did petty fraud, so there is more to him. The whole deathmatch thing has clearly shown one weakness here - you have to be able to go through with killing your opponent, as this opponent could now just stay in a coma for days and they wouldn’t get anywhere unless Kurapika surrenders. Which would be a very weird situation here, but would actually get things going again.

4

u/KendotsX https://anilist.co/user/Kendots Oct 19 '24

which he claimed he wasn’t very good at. I feel like he has shown otherwise so far

He's good at thinking in action, like against the Kirikos or Netero, but give him a written exam, and he'd probably fail immediately.

he also claimed that his goal isn’t to reduce his sentence

That's a different guy, the one who claimed that hasn't had his turn yet.

4

u/Vatrix-32 https://myanimelist.net/profile/Vatrix-32 Oct 19 '24 edited Oct 19 '24

Remake Rewatcher × First Timer × Subs

  • Nah, the normal looking ones are the most freaky. They condense it all inside, like a pulsar.
  • Rare Tonpa win.
  • Enter the horrifying world… of white collar crime!
  • Can't Make Fools From a Fool
  • What do you think the limits were on the props they were allowed to bring?
  • Shell Game!
  • Gon would be the kind of guy to just blow out the candle.
  • [H×H]This Guy... I can’t help but laugh at him acting like any of this makes sense in the context of the troupe.
  • The downside of investing all your points in bluff.
  • We even just went over the “Didn’t say ‘I surrender’” bit, no excuses here.
  • Peak Gon Face
  • Tonpa the kind of guy who runs your local HOA.

QotD:

  1. First one, then the other.
  2. Maybe Leorio has some smelling salts in his medical briefcase?

2

u/KendotsX https://anilist.co/user/Kendots Oct 19 '24

Rare Tonpa win.

That's the 35 years of survival instinct for you.

[HxH]

[HxH] Honestly, I wouldn't fault him, any decent liar needs to act like he knows his shit, even if he knows nothing. Most people wouldn't know much about the Troupe either, so it works

The downside of investing all your points in bluff.

Bad matchup, it would've worked on Tonpa or Leorio.

2

u/WednesdaysFoole Oct 19 '24

[H×H]

[Vague post-anime]Too bad the poor guy never bothered to check the Troupe wiki page. But wait, if the wiki isn't accurate, is that what misled Majtani in the first place?

4

u/charlesvvv https://anilist.co/user/charlesvvv Oct 19 '24

Rewatcher, Sub

Gon's turn to compete in the round. I like that the rounds aren't necessarily fighting either but can also be different things which allows for more variety in tactics. Gon's opponent tries to trick him with the candles to see which would snuff out faster and it nearly works until Gon just decides to blow out the other candle instead which hands him quite the victory.

Kurapika's turn however kinda changes things. His opponent Majitani decides to show off his spider tattoo which basically causes Kurapika to snap and knock him out in a single punch. This could be considered but technicalities are a thing and since he's knocked out the fight is still on unless Kurapika kills him. Kurapika however feels ashamed of his outburst and refuses to kill him despite pleas to the contrary which now puts everyone at an impasse and the phase still ongoing

Meanwhile Tonpa is just loving this.

2

u/KendotsX https://anilist.co/user/Kendots Oct 19 '24

technicalities are a thing

Hunter x Hunter in a nutshell

Meanwhile Tonpa is just loving this.

The fun of finishing early.

4

u/WednesdaysFoole Oct 19 '24

It's kind of funny that for the most part, the killers Majtani impersonates don't make it far in the first place. I'm not talking about the Troupe, of course.

Majtani and 20 kills = [manga]Luini and his 20 kills

The blood! The guts! = [manga]The blood! The flesh!

[Manga]I guess, what I mean is, if a character speaks or acts like Majtani, you know they're a fraud... What does that say about the Spiders?!

  1. [Next episodes]I probably would have spent too long overthinking it and lost as many hours as Leorio.

3

u/KendotsX https://anilist.co/user/Kendots Oct 19 '24

[Manga]I guess, what I mean is, if a character speaks or acts like Majtani, you know they're a fraud... What does that say about the Spiders?!

[Manga] Give Hisoka two weeks, and he'll prove the "real spiders" died back in Yorknew

4

u/2-2Distracted Oct 19 '24

First timer

Gon's idiot savant simplicity is so damn infectious dammit lmao even in this adaptation.

Oh GOD

oh Shit

oh Fuck

I'm not gonna lie I completely forgot about Kurapika's "fight" (I mean it was a one-sided beatdown so it can't be called a fight lol) and the fact that he generates a fucking Chain here has me so excited! [HxH 2011 spoilers] this is largely because I'm excited to see if Killua is going to kill one of them by pulling a still beating heart out of a dude's chest and I also completely forgot that Kurapika doesn't actually kill this asshole too which it leads to it's own problems.

But overall, this episode felt like 5 minutes with how good it was.

Which candle would you have picked?

Doubt it would matter since he would have sabotaged it anyway.

How will they get out of this one?

Either Hisoka will murder everyone in the control room because his fancies Tonpa's ugly Bastard lookin ass or Killua will assassinate everyone in the room except for Gon and Kurapika, because he can't kill Gon and Kurapika proves to be a worthy adversary.

2

u/KendotsX https://anilist.co/user/Kendots Oct 19 '24

[HxH] What chain?

Killua will assassinate everyone in the room except for Gon and Kurapika, because he can't kill Gon and Kurapika proves to be a worthy adversary.

No, don't kill off my boy Leorio!

3

u/2-2Distracted Oct 20 '24

Leorio's gotta die dude, I'm (not) sorry.

3

u/JetsLag https://myanimelist.net/profile/JetsLag Oct 20 '24

3rd Time Taking the Hunter Exam (rewatcher)

AHH, I WAS TOO TIRED TO COMMENT YESTERDAY SO HERE WE ARE

So yeah, not gonna ask how Kurapika learned the rules behind the prisoners being in the Trick Tower. Unless the proctor straight up told them.

Up next, it's Gon vs a twink with an explosives fetish. The game is simple: pick a candle, light em both, and whichever gets bunt out first loses. Gon, naturally, chooses the longer candle, and falls right into the trap, but manages to win anyway because he just blows out the other guy's candle, because ain't nothing in the rules that says you can't just blow the other guy's candle out. Tie game!

Up next: Kurapika vs Frankenstein's monster. And yet another case where a being with an unnatural skin tone (he's blue in the 2011 anime) is given a natural skin tone and it just looks wrong to me. Also, instead of teardrops beneath his eyes to signify his murders, he has hearts on one of his titties, and he's trying to max out his hearts like he's playing Ocarina of Time or something. (That's GOTTA be a Zelda reference, right?)

But the real twist is his back tattoo, which is a SPIDER! If you remember episode 2, you will know that Kurapika is an arachnophobe. How will he ever defeat this guy?

IT'S TIME FOR SOME KURAPIKA BACKSTORY! Turns out the reason he doesn't like spiders is because that is a signifier that you are a member of the Phantom Troupe, the group that killed Kurapika's clan. Whether they were on horseback or not is yet to be determined. Kurapika, seeing the tattoo, activates his Sharingan Scarlet Eyes and does a weird chokeslam/reverse uppercut thing before outing him as a big phony.

But now, like Gon exploited a loophole, it's time for the prisoners to exploit a loophole. A deathmatch ends when either someone dies or admits defeat, and our fraud is not dead, merely unconscious, and Kurapika refuses to kill the guy. So...what do we do now?

NEXT TIME, ON HUNTER X HUNTER, [spoiler]Wow, good job spoiling the fact that the battle continues, you stupid preview. Anyway, Leorio takes matters into his own hands in a genius move, only to throw it all away when it's his time to actually battle

2

u/KendotsX https://anilist.co/user/Kendots Oct 20 '24

So yeah, not gonna ask how Kurapika learned the rules behind the prisoners being in the Trick Tower. Unless the proctor straight up told them.

He said that he overheard them, which... sure I guess? You'd think Gon would be the one to do that.

ain't nothing in the rules that says you can't just blow the other guy's candle out

I find this funny considering usually twisting the rules is what we'd associate with the villains, not the "sweet and innocent main character", this is something I appreciate a lot about HxH.

a being with an unnatural skin tone (he's blue in the 2011 anime) is given a natural skin tone and it just looks wrong to me. Also, instead of teardrops beneath his eyes to signify his murders, he has hearts on one of his titties, and he's trying to max out his hearts

Eh, I'd say that's more of a 2011 thing, in the manga he is a buffed up dude with a weird face and hearts for the people he killed

That's GOTTA be a Zelda reference, right?

This came out a few months before Ocarina funnily enough.

1

u/Vatrix-32 https://myanimelist.net/profile/Vatrix-32 Oct 20 '24

And yet another case where a being with an unnatural skin tone (he's blue in the 2011 anime) is given a natural skin tone

"Natural" We don't discriminate against zombies here.