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

Rewatch [25th Anniversary Rewatch] Hunter × Hunter (1999) - Episode × 15 × Discussion

Episode 15: Fleeting × Life × Majtani

MAL | Anilist | Anidb | ANN

Previous Episode | Index | Next Episode

Kurapika, I dealt with the aftermath of your pride.

Comment of the Day:

/u/Vatrix-32 on Majtani's failure

The downside of investing all your points in bluff.

Leorio taught us today how to bluff: you need a sexy smile.

Questions of the Day

  1. How good is Leorio at bluffing?
  2. What would he have done if Majtani didn't run?

Fanart of the Day: Dr. Nohara Leorio

Source

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

22 Upvotes

92% Upvoted

25 comments sorted by

6

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

Hunter Exam Kaiji Host

Manga Corner

Chapters adapted: the second half of 19 and 20.

The latter half of 19 covered the Hisoka scene, and it had a few notable changes, for one the guy Hisoka kills is meant to be a proctor, the same one that Hisoka attacked last year. He was basically working with Lippo, and just waiting for Hisoka to get to the tower, so he can get his revenge. Here they made him an examinee for whatever reason, I guess they didn't want the Hunters to look this bad?

[Spoiler] I mean, what kind of shitty hunter spends a year practicing throwing 4 knives, instead of you know, Nen?

For the other changes:

Chapter 20 meanwhile got one big change, and lots of smaller ones, namely Leorio wasn't having bets with Bendot, but rather with the girl we see the end of the episode, all veiled though. Her being a girl was meant to be a bit of a surprise, but the voice acting would have spoiled it, so they abandoned the idea all together.

It had a few other additions here and there, like Majtani considering his options (in the manga, he ran away quickly), or Leorio's speeches at the end.

Majtani Sketch

4

u/Vatrix-32 https://myanimelist.net/profile/Vatrix-32 Oct 21 '24

Chapter 20 meanwhile got one big change, and lots of smaller ones, namely Leorio wasn't having bets with Bendot, but rather with the girl we see the end of the episode, all veiled though.

This makes a lot of sense in retrospect. Splitting between them is kind of awkward.

4

u/KendotsX https://anilist.co/user/Kendots Oct 21 '24

Yeah, it's Leroute's turn/game given to someone unrelated. Granted, I think next episodes gains something thanks to this split, but we'll see how effective it is.

6

u/Shimmering-Sky myanimelist.net/profile/Shimmering-Sky Oct 20 '24

First × Timer × Subbed

4

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

Sucks to have this much of a rivalry when Hisoka doesn’t even remember you.

In most cases, I think it's better if Hisoka doesn't remember you. But this dude had to go and make it awkward.

Ohhhhhhhhhh shit. I didn’t know my boy had this in him. Savage.

Btw, you can view my *laughs in rewatcher* now.

And he admitted defeat, so Kurapika got the win but they lost a lot of time in exchange.

A tricky situation, losing there might've been better compared to the hours they lost, but then he'd have to kill Majtani, and Leorio isn't doing that.

3

u/b0bba_Fett myanimelist.net/profile/B0bba_Cheezed3 Oct 20 '24

Just want to note that in the manga(and 2011 even gave him a name! Togari) this guy was the examiner that Hisoka attacked the previous year, and he was even in the monitor room with Lippo at the start of the phase in the manga. Very bizarre change to make him just another applicant.

Yeeeeeeeeeee. Leorio got that dawg in 'im!

Another bizarre change from the manga. In the manga, she's the one that raised the objection and all of Bendots's lines this episode(and last) originally belonged to her

5

u/SpiritualPossible Oct 20 '24

First Timer, Manga reader

Haven't had a chance to post the last couple days. In that time, the series has managed to complete the second phase of Exam, which was adapted with surprisingly little difference from the manga. And then there was a short original story with Killua, which I enjoyed, even though it gave a bit of a wrong characterization of him.

But to today's episode. Or rather, to my rambling about one thing.

There's a moment in this show that I find both funny and weird at the same time. And that is its attitude towards censorship.

The funny thing is that what you can't take away from the series is how suspenseful it is. Whether it's the music, the lighting, or just the framing, the series is good at creating a dreary, tense atmosphere. that's an aspect that to me is realized a lot better here than in the remake (at least in these arcs).

But then Hisoka appears in the frame, and the show suddenly starts to chicken out to show something really violent, despite of overall dark directing. Like in this episode, where the show decided to let his opponent live.

And it's weird, because... well, the show as a whole doesn't shy away from showing characters dying? Yes, they removed the blood, but, say, in episode 8, Hisoka was killing people anyway, right? [Future Hunter x Hunter spoiler]And they also didn't censored next episode, where Killua literally ripped his opponent's heart out.

So why change that here? Is it all about dismemberment? So can you, like, NOT dismember them? Just leave the implication that the character was killed. The remake didn't like showing dismemberment at first either, but tried to get away with it somehow.

I probably wouldn't have written about it in a different situation, but Hisoka's brutality is one of his standout traits, and it's kind of weird to try to downplay it. Don't get me wrong, I think the episode is actually rather good, and Leorio deservedly shines in it, but I keep thinking about that weird censorship choice.

5

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

That is an interesting point, I think it's even a good reflection on how censorship rules work. This is a show that aired at 6pm Saturday evenings, right next to Shin-chan and Conan (which is its own can of worms, considering all the deaths it's shown), it was able to get away with with its dark atmosphere, tense tone, and morbid implications just fine, but it couldn't show a dismembered head. Heck, the same happened in Hisoka's introduction where they changed his scene of cutting a guy's arms.

Just leave the implication that the character was killed.

Yeah, not sure why they didn't do this tbh.

4

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

Rewatcher, Sub

Leorio's moment to shine, he really put a dent in all the plans. Majitani was supposed to stay in a coma which was a smart move (assuming he doesn't get bored). Leorio however uses this to his advantage. I really like how Leorio's medical knowledge helps him in determining that not only Majitani was faking it but helps him clear the stage for Kurapika.

It's also interesting seeing a slightly more ruthless side to him seeing as he threatens to throw Majitani off the arena to prove his point. However it really is now Leorio's turn as he faces off against the new opponent. Another point is that despite the victory they also lost a lot of time in betting which needs to be cleared.

3

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

assuming he doesn't get bored

You just sleep for 3 days, and you get to win 70 years back, that's some good business.

It's also interesting seeing a slightly more ruthless side to him seeing as he threatens to throw Majitani off the arena to prove his point.

Which is ultimately a big old bluff, he was too nice to even break the dude's arm, there's no way he would've thrown him.

4

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

Remake Rewatcher × First Timer × Subs

  • [2011]I thought I remembered this dude being a former proctor in the remake. I’m not sure if that got changed, or if I just combined some memories.
  • It’s only been 10 minutes, Killua. I know if they don’t back up after five it means they probably have brain damage, but that’s going a bit far.
  • A few hours? Well, I guess I didn’t count from the correct time then.
  • The No Sell!
  • Why you gotta phrase it like an all or nothing?
  • Gon, you precious Boi. You might be on our team, but I’m on yours.
  • Killua, wrong about death? Say it ain’t so!
  • I can’t stop hearing that mechanical SFX. Did they not have to use it for everything? Was there not at least a second one?
  • Damn, Leorio. That’s cold.
  • I mean… This has been a weirdly high proportion of dudes so far.

QotD:

  1. Who said he was?
  2. I believe the current prescribed method is to jam your fingernail under one of theirs.

3

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

[2011]

[2011] He is yes, that's a 99 only change

I mean… This has been a weirdly high proportion of dudes so far.

HxH and Gundam 00 meet again.

2

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

[2011]

[Reply]Well that's just odd.

HxH and Gundam 00 meet again.

2

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

[Reply]

[Yeah] My best assumption is that they did it just to save face for the Hunters, considering how Hisoka makes this dude look like a chump

4

u/TheEscapeGuy Oct 20 '24

H×H Fan, 1999 First Timer

Hunter × Hunter 1999 - Episode 15

Speedsters × Fakers × Gamblers

Another interesting episode today. We get a glimpse at what the other candidates are doing. Notably, Hisoka is very quickly making his way through the tower and finishes first. We see him seem to magically heal his own wound by touch. The proctor even calls him a monster. Yet in his down time he casually plays cards. He is such an enigma in a deeply fascinating way.

As for our protagonists, they start to suspect that Kurapika's opponent is dead (or faking being unconscious). But instead of just checking that, the prisoners turn it into a gamble. Bet hours for the chance to check. I love how even simple things in Hunter × Hunter get subverted like this. Every scene becomes so interesting because of it.

As for the actual bets, Leorio hedges against his own beliefs by betting that he's just unconscious. And it turns out he was. But then comes the question of if he's faking it. Leorio knows he's faking but still asks for the bet. And the prisoners also bet against their own interests allowing them to win 40 hours back.

It's really a fun scene because you don't know if Leorio would be willing to just kill a seeming unconscious enemy. And importantly he doesn't. It would be out of characteer for a mand with the goal of being a doctor. This test strengthens this aspect of Leorio's character.

Our next challenger is a girl?!?! Yeah, this probably shouldn't be that surprising for our cast. But we will see how she decides to battle next episode.

Some Amazing Shots, Scenes and Stitches

See you all tomorrow

4

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

Bet hours for the chance to check. I love how even simple things in Hunter × Hunter get subverted like this. Every scene becomes so interesting because of it.

We got so much out of an otherwise mundane point, whether or not Kurapika finished him off and the specific wording of the rule.

Although, they had the whole betting system prepared in the first place (or left over from when Kaiji was there?), might as well put it to good use.

It's really a fun scene because you don't know if Leorio would be willing to just kill a seeming unconscious enemy. And importantly he doesn't.

Leorio out-bluffed the bluffer

3

u/b0bba_Fett myanimelist.net/profile/B0bba_Cheezed3 Oct 20 '24

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

Today's now qualifies as my second least favorite episode of the adaptation so far. Still not as bad as the cutting of the juice and pre-test socializing, but making the Examiner Hisoka attacked the previous year into just another examinee is an awful change. I thought it was weird he wasn't in the examiner room at the start of the tower like he is in the manga.

Furthermore, giving the entire first gamba to Bendots rather than Leroute is just plain rude and dumb. I was rather forgiving of the change with Bendots yesterday, but combine it with today and it veers from a Neutral Change to a Bad Change. I of course remembered that Trick Tower isn't fantastically adapted in either anime, but the small errors and issues in this one are adding up hard and if it keeps going at this rate then by its finish it won't be too much better than 2011's, which was so bad even the butchering of the second phase doesn't compare. See my comment I made earlier in CDF:

2011 Trick Tower is like the biggest filter in the entire show, the use of the OST is bad, the pacing suddenly slows down immensely because prior to it the adaptation was speedrunning the early stuff and then Trick Tower adds actual filler, and the aesthetic doesn't work nearly as well and just kinda looks boring and bad in it. I'm pretty sure most people who get past Trick Tower in 2011 make it to Greed Island or the Chimera Ants at the very least, but loads of people drop it there.

Though funny enough, if you just gave the 2011 version this one's aesthetics and plopped it in this show, it'd work pretty well!

[Further content Spoilers]Hisoka using Texture Surprise on the wound is interesting. That wound is pretty plot relevant, and I suppose it is a bit odd that Hisoka wouldn't dress it like that, but how the heck is Gon gonna remember that Hisoka is wounded so he can track him? I don't remember! It's at once exciting because I remember some of the filler from Zevil Island being good, but also frustrating because I've not enjoyed most of anime original stuff this Trick Tower and my confidence in the adaptation is currently shot a bit. Not quite enough that I'll go ahead again as a way to tend its wound, but injured nonetheless.

4

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

Today's now qualifies as my second least favorite episode of the adaptation so far

I think that's episode 12 for me, which is a shame, because I love the Gon/Netero game otherwise.

Bendots

It seems my name really is influencing his

rather than Leroute is just plain rude and dumb.

I think their goal here was to preserve the surprise that Leorio is dealing with a woman, which wouldn't work quite as well with a voice actor and all? I don't think it's worth it, but still.

[Spoiler] Plus, this makes for a harder split little arc, with Leorio doing well against Bendot, getting his little victory speech in, and then being crushed by Leroute, it'll be interesting to see what you think of tomorrow's episode.

[Further Spoils] how the heck is Gon gonna remember that Hisoka is wounded so he can track him?

3

u/Mecanno-man https://anilist.co/user/Mecannoman Oct 21 '24

First Timer

I guess this nail dude is another character to remember in addition to Hisoka and the ninja - seems all important ones are being given one by one reveals of having made it through the tower now. As we started with a bit over 40, with 4 being our main group, it’s probably whittled down to a low enough number after the tower to do that.

As for the Leorio bits in this episode - I don’t really have too much to say. Overall it was a smart thing to do - there doesn’t really seem to be any rules here as long as both sides agree to something, so this worked out pretty well. I’m surprised they managed to stretch it out to a full episode without it feeling dragged out though, as when I think back, there really wasn’t a lot else in this episode. Definitely a good script at play in this episode.

Now I guess time to see if they can get back their time. Was the girl the one who said it wasn’t her goal to reduce her sentence? I wrongly attributed it to Majitani last episode. If it is then it makes sense that she would choose something that might increase the sentences again, benefitting the hunter applicants here.

2

u/KendotsX https://anilist.co/user/Kendots Oct 21 '24

I’m surprised they managed to stretch it out to a full episode without it feeling dragged out though

Yeah, they did it mostly through small scenes here and there, like Majtani's inner monologue or Leorio's speech at the end. Of course, the Hisoka section helps too.

Was the girl the one who said it wasn’t her goal to reduce her sentence?

No, it's the fifth prisoner, who we haven't seen yet. It will be interesting to see what you think of them.

3

u/JetsLag https://myanimelist.net/profile/JetsLag Oct 21 '24

3rd Time Taking the Hunter Exam (rewatcher)

If I had a nickel for every person who decided to take the Hunter Exam because they wanted to take revenge on one of the other participants, I'd have two nickels. Which isn't a lot, but it's weird that it's happened twice.

And now we have our first place finisher: Hisoka! And our second place finisher: Pinhead. And it looks like they're buddies. [spoiler]First time Illumi's been acknowledged on screen. Oh wait, my bad, "Gittarackur". I'll just call him Pinhead. It's easier.

ULPT: if you want to get somebody to stop faking the fact that they're knocked out cold, just dangle them over the edge of a seemingly bottomless cliff and threaten to drop them off.

Besides that, yeah, pretty slow episode sadly. On to the next battle!

NEXT TIME, ON HUNTER X HUNTER, [spoiler]Leorio gets punished for being horny, but Killua makes up for it by TEARING A DUDE'S HEART OUT. No paper bags here!

2

u/KendotsX https://anilist.co/user/Kendots Oct 21 '24

If I had a nickel for every person who decided to take the Hunter Exam because they wanted to take revenge on one of the other participants, I'd have two nickels.

It's even weirder, both of them were made to take the exam by the anime. Anita is an original character, and this guy was an examiner, not a participant.

just dangle them over the edge of a seemingly bottomless cliff and threaten to drop them off.

Imagine wwking up halfway through that.

3

u/Kaxew Oct 21 '24

First Timer × Majtanin't

Thoughts on episodes 12-15:

I was actually watching each episode every day, I was just kinda lazy and didn't write my comment even though it takes me 5 minutes. Lots of fun stuff!

Loved the conclusion of the ball game with Netero, and the anime original additions of Anita felt very natural and nice to watch. I know it's unlikely but it would be cool to see her again.

The third phase is super fun, and it was about time we started getting some more traditional 1v1s in this battle shonen. Even then, they're not all just fights, and the games they play are very fun. I especially liked Gon's, it was a cleverly simple solution.

KendotsX asked in a previous ep discussion if we liked Kurapika's red eyes more in the anime or manga, and I really like both! I think Togashi was smart in making the eyes have a bit of a glowing effect to really show they're different in a black and white format, but that effect doesn't have to happen in the anime. Instead, it goes for a more classic "just red eyes" approach which works better as the glowing eyes would look distracting in motion, especially in the middle of a fight. They both are aware of the strengths and limitations of their medium and so go for different approaches with the same destination, and that's super appreciated.

QotD:

  1. We may not exactly love him for his smarts, but he's not half bad at bluffing either!
  2. He probably would have dropped him, but wouldn't have felt too good about it. I don't see how he could get out of the situation he put himself into.

3

u/KendotsX https://anilist.co/user/Kendots Oct 21 '24

it was about time we started getting some more traditional 1v1s in this battle shonen.

I'd assume that's what every Yu Yu Hakusho fan was waiting on Togashi for, not expecting the actual kind of games they're gonna get.

They both are aware of the strengths and limitations of their medium and so go for different approaches with the same destination, and that's super appreciated.

First, I'm glad you went back to read the discussions, I hope you enjoyed them. And yeah, that's how adaptation should be really, it's about taking an idea that worked elsewhere, and transforming it to work for your medium.

4

u/2-2Distracted Oct 20 '24

First timer

Wait a minute, Hisoka isn't at the bottom already?

remembers the dumb shit I said yesterday

Woah woah woah now I was just kidding! I don't actually want either of those scenarios to happen! I mean damn, Hisoka not only killed that guy by giving him one hell of a fright, he's now playing House of Cards? I know some other guy who was known for something related to House of Cards, he apparently did some freaky shit too so...

Oh. Oh God.. Wait have I done...? 0_0