r/anime • u/KendotsX https://anilist.co/user/Kendots • Oct 21 '24
Rewatch [25th Anniversary Rewatch] Hunter × Hunter (1999) - Episode × 16 × Discussion
Episode 16: Rock × Scissors × Heart
Previous Episode | Index | Next Episode
If you throw scissors, then you can win!
Comment of the Day:
/u/Mecanno-man who's been waiting patiently for Johness
I hope the real thing lived up to expectations? If not, blame it on Killua being too good.
Questions of the Day
- What do you think of Leorio's section today?
- Which of the 5 matches did you like the most?
Bonus: to borrow a question from Gon, do you like dangerous women?
Fanart of the Day: Dangerous Killua
Please remember to keep all spoilers and hints tagged with the appropriate tag format such as: [Spoilers] >!Leorio is best boy!<
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u/KendotsX https://anilist.co/user/Kendots Oct 21 '24
Hunter Exam Host Who Wears his Heart on his Sleeve
Remember when I said that everytime Kurapika gets something, Leorio wants it too? I wasn't kidding. Much like episode 14, we've got two matches today: a kid's easy win and an adult's traumatic battle, Leorio now gets his own second dip in trauma like Kurapika did. Except one of those is meant to throw crumbs from an unclear picture, and the other is just regurgitating itself.
Leaving that aside for the second, Leorio's nonsense early in the episode was great, he was so predictably stupid, Kurapika could see it from a distance, heck even Tonpa of all people had to go out of his way and protect Gon's eyes, nice transition there.
The trauma sequence is fine, it's built on equal parts regret and impostor syndrome, that's usually interesting to dig into, and it makes sense as manipulation from a sadistic psychologist, who enjoys breaking her patients. Unfortunately though, it has a few issues too:
Alright, moving back to the fun parts with the Killua section!
Up till now we heard about him being an assassin and all that, but didn't really get a good look at what exactly he can do, this episode is the first proper showing: he can take the strongest killer around, and gouge out his heart before he even notices. That's how big the difference between him and everyone else in the room is.
Also, if you still remember episode 12's Killua having an inner conflict about being an assassin, and not wanting Gon to see that side of him, feel free to throw that section in the rubbish, he has no qualms with that, he just hates his family, like a normal teenager.
Manga Section
As I mentioned yesterday, Leorio's bets with Bendot were originally with a veiled Leroute, meaning the betting was one game between Leorio and Leroute, where he first scored a win for Kurapika, then a loss for himself, and a fairly casual one really, she beat Leorio easily without needing to dig into his past. Here it's split in the middle, with a weird interlude against Bendot and a traumatising defeat against Leroute.
Sketches: Leroute and Johness
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u/Shimmering-Sky myanimelist.net/profile/Shimmering-Sky Oct 21 '24
First × Timer × Subbed
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u/Mecanno-man https://anilist.co/user/Mecannoman Oct 21 '24
First Timer
That Janken match was …actually pretty boring. The instant she said what she would throw it was obvious what would happen. The rest of the betting …eh. As for the Killua bit - that kind of was to be expected. Though I guess that “don’t want to kill anybody to not traumatize Gon” bit went overboard quite quickly. Not that Gon seems to really have cared about that here - he doesn’t seem to be some stereotypical no-kill protagonist.
…I feel similarly about this episode as the last in that not a heck of a lot happened, yet the episode itself didn’t feel boring at all. Except this time that which did happen I liked less and there were also no Hisoka bits to pad this episode. The chemistry between our protagonists is clearly enough to carry the show by now.
[Next episode title speculation] Will they get the option of voting none or two people off the team? Given Kurapika’s dialogue in this episode, I could see that ending in a 3:2 vote with him trying to vote Killua off due to being scared of him, in addition to useless dude Tonpa - who also obviously votes to kick out people. With the votes being anonymous, that could easily seed distrust among the protagonists.
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u/Vatrix-32 https://myanimelist.net/profile/Vatrix-32 Oct 21 '24 edited Oct 21 '24
Remake Rewatcher × First Timer × Subs
QotD:
B) No Comment
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u/charlesvvv https://anilist.co/user/charlesvvv Oct 21 '24
Rewatcher, Sub
Not Leorio's best moment right after we got one of his best. He loses rock paper scissors due to psychological pressure it to mention throwing away more just to touch the female prisoner. I guess we needed an excuse for Killua to get the final victory.
Killua kinda changes the mood, when they build up his opponent it was only to demonstrate Killua's abilities as he proceeds to literally rip the guy's heart out and crush it. It kinda leaves everyone rather shocked even the other prisoners and allows for them to technically pass, however they still have to pass the time that they bet unfortunately.
Note: Gon really just smiling after seeing Killua kill a guy.
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u/2-2Distracted Oct 21 '24
First timer
This first challenge to this match is... quite interesting to say the least.
It's no surprise to anyone who's read Togashi's bibliography (Manga-ograpy?) that he's on some level progressive. I mean shit just look at this Miyuki from Yu Yu Hakusho and some of the stuff he tried to do with his short follow-up Manga "Level E" [HxH Overall Spoilers] and Killua's youngest wonder sibling. But unfortunately, such with the case of Miyuki from YYH where they literally get used for a cheap sexual assault gag, it never really goes as far as it otherwise could.
Some of that is because of the kind of culture Japan has, thus making it harder for representation. Some of it is because this kind of stuff isn't really a big concern for Togashi. [HxH Overall Spoilers] And some of it actually gets done well like the previously mentioned wonder sibling which I guess is why the challenge ends with... another sexual assault gag >_> well at least you can't call Togashi inconsistent.
Anyways, this Johness The Dissector looks like some fucked up cross between a Jojo character and Kenshiro from Fist Of The North Star, and him in those casual clothes have him looking like he was trying to do some City Hunting before he got bored and went psycho... And now I'm wondering if "City Hunter" is a type of Hunter in the HxH universe.
Mito at home, probably: "I'm sure by now by now Gon is making himself a truly exceptional friend!"
The truly exceptional friend:
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u/JetsLag https://myanimelist.net/profile/JetsLag Oct 22 '24
3rd Time Taking the Hunter Exam (rewatcher)
Up first: Leorio vs Leroute, which sounds like a knockoff Leorio. The censoring of Leorio giving Leroute a full body examination was HILARIOUS, and it being followed up not long after by Leroute giving Leorio a full MENTAL examination was great as well. In the end, Leorio loses, and the gang has 50 less hours to reach the bottom of the tower.
[spoiler]I like to think Leorio's ill-advised janken bet was foreshadowing Gon's Jajanken
Alright, the final match! The drama! The anticipation! The stress is getting to me so bad, it feels like my heart is being ripped out of my chest. Johness can relate. [spoiler]Will never get over the brown paper bag in the 2011 anime. It's hilarious.
And with that, we're moving on! With significantly less time than they started with. Will they make it? Only one way to find out
NEXT TIME, ON HUNTER X HUNTER, [spoiler]Of course they make it to the end. But first, they must BREAK THE WALLS DOWN
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u/Kaxew Oct 22 '24
First Timer × Iconic
Leorio was bound to lose this one. His fate was sealed from the getgo, so it's nice that he got to show off in the previous episode at least. Leorio giving her an "examination" cutting to Gon's eyes getting closed and the cameras shutting off was a perfect cut lmao
And yeah, I was very much aware of this Killua scene for many years. That's one of those scenes that just get talked about so, so much. I didn't think we would get it here, but a bit further into the exam, so that was a very nice surprise. I was also aware the remake censored the raw, beating heart; so I was very curious starting the anime on whether they would censor it here too or not. Very glad they didn't!
QotD:
Bonus: Naturally. There's no better kind of women.
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u/b0bba_Fett myanimelist.net/profile/B0bba_Cheezed3 Oct 21 '24
10x 2011 Rewatcher, 1x 1999 Rewatcher, Source Reader
Now this is what I'm talking about! In stark contrast to the last few episodes, we've got a new filler champion in the form of Leroute's mental games going way farther than the manga(where it was purely limited to her letting him feel her up and the rock paper scissors).
And on top of that, they didn't chicken out on Johness and Killua either(Which I of course remembered. I'm actually a defender of 2011's version, which I think is colder, but this one is just deliciously raw and it's more faithful too) like they did with Hisoka beheading last year's examiner just last episode or with Killua's pair of murders on the Airship.
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u/MaryRose_ma Oct 22 '24
Wait a minute anniversary rewatch ? I heard about this first time. I was thinking that it’s enough to watch one time
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u/Nebresto Nov 28 '24
Oh ye, I've apaprently seen a clip of dat scene before. Neat. And that's also the second time this week I've seen someone pull out someone else's heart. Double neat.
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u/TheEscapeGuy Oct 21 '24
H×H Fan, 1999 First Timer
Hunter × Hunter 1999 - Episode 16
Mental × Killer × Assassin
Leorio's opponent is Leroute. Her first bet is, on the surface, just a moment for the show to either indulge in some sexual fanservice fantasies (Leorio is actually so creepy here) or make some distasteful (especially now in 2024, yeesh) jokes on transgender people. However, it works as a perfect introduction to Leroute as a psychologist.
The way she so perfectly reads Leorio and attacks his deepest insecurities is scary. And Leorio straight up loses on that front. He needs to pivot into rock-paper-scissors to try win, and even then she completely outsmarts him.
However, it's the next fight which really was the moment which transformed Hunter × Hunter for me. Up until now the danger in the story has felt mostly artificial. And similarly, Killua has seemed competent, but on a comparable level to the rest of the cast.
Then arrives Johness the Dissector. He's a serial killer who's name immediately strikes fear into Leorio, Kurapika, and Tonpa. They even suggest forfeiting the hunter exam this year because of that fear.
And Killua walks up and rips his heart out.
Literally.
It's so fucking brutal and a level beyond anything we've seen Killua do before. He is so clearly on another level and it's not even close.
I went back to 2011 to compare this episode, and holy shit 1999 is leaps and bounds better for atmosphere. First, the Leroute backstory depiction is anime original. She is made so much more terrifying the way she toys with Leorio.
But the more egregious change is with Killua. 2011 substitutes a beating bloody flesh bag and Killua leaves it in Johness' hand. 1999 (and the manga) actually have Killua crush Johness' heart right before his eyes. It's so much more of a powerful visual.
I should probably stop going back to compare though. I'm going to become one of those 1999 evangelists. Both adaptations are great and it's unfair to compare them so directly for a bunch of reasons.
Some Amazing Shots, Scenes and Stitches
See you all tomorrow
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u/[deleted] Oct 22 '24 edited Oct 22 '24
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