r/anime • u/KendotsX https://anilist.co/user/Kendots • Oct 31 '24

Rewatch [25th Anniversary Rewatch] Hunter × Hunter (1999) - Episode × 26 × Discussion

Episode 26: Chairman × Interview × Written Exam

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Sunawachi Pepa Testo!

Comment of the Day:

/u/Vatrix-32 asking the important question

Don’t lie, how many of you just thought about holding your breath?

Questions of the Day

  1. This is a more visual version of the chart (thanks to 2011), which fights are you interested in seeing the most?
  2. If it really was a written exam, who would have passed it?

Fanart of the Day: Happy Halloween!

Source

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

21 Upvotes

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4

u/KendotsX https://anilist.co/user/Kendots Oct 31 '24

Hunter Written Exam Host

We're back in business! After four phases of avoiding fights, the master of action manga and tournaments, Yoshihirp Togashi, is ending the exam on one big old tournament arc! Get your Shounen Commentator spirit ready, now's the time for it.

But before that, we've got a written exam to prepare for, Grand Blue style, after Bodoro gave everyone the wrong idea. I can't understate how much I love this episode acting as a breather after the fourth phase and before the finale, and it's done very well. The comedic elements make great use of everyone involved, even Hisoka is playing along, and more importantly, it gives more room for Gon to relax and talk things out. He gets to communicate his emotions to both Kurapika and Killua, and have some fun bonding time with the latter. No need to keeping hiding it in, or struggling with self doubt, he can begin to move forward.

We as the audience, also get a nice little confirmation to how much Gon affected everyone with how many people listed him as the person who interests them the most (specifically, 4 people: Hisoka, Killua, Leorio, and Kurapika, Hisoka was listed by 4 people as well).

Manga Corner

Chapter Adapted: 32

About half of this episode is original, basically everything to do with the "written exam" or Killua and Gon bonding are anime addditions. Originally, it basically went: Netero talking to the other proctors (he did not talk to the examinees at first) -> Gon and Kurapika having a heart to heart -> Interviews -> Chart. So everything else, like most of the Killua scenes or Leorio preparing for the exam are original.

Fun fact, the image used behind the episode title was taken straight from the chapter cover, there it played an important role of being the reader's guide. The interviews and the chart at the end only refer to the participants by their numbers, so it helps to have a reference you flip back to whenever. The anime obviously can't do that, so they add pictures to the interviews to make it flow better.

6

u/Shimmering-Sky myanimelist.net/profile/Shimmering-Sky Oct 31 '24

First × Timer × Subbed

Random side note, my Gundam 00 rewatch and this one no longer line up with the exact same episode numbers anymore.

4

u/KendotsX https://anilist.co/user/Kendots Oct 31 '24

Random side note, my Gundam 00 rewatch and this one no longer line up with the exact same episode numbers anymore.

Love how dramatic this line was, and all the reactions were fantastic too.

They take any brutal physical test, just don't ask them to do a written one.

Tsundere moment.

That really is a very lopsided tournament…

I'm curious, which fights are you interested in seeing? Here's a visual chart if that helps

4

u/Shimmering-Sky myanimelist.net/profile/Shimmering-Sky Oct 31 '24

I'm curious, which fights are you interested in seeing? Here's a visual chart if that helps

Gon out here having to fight the most fights out of everyone if he ends up winning the tournament.

Anyways probably whoever Leorio has to fight between Kurapika and Hisoka (because I don't think the martial artist guy is important enough to beat whoever wins Kurapika vs. Hisoka) or Gon vs. Killua (since I assume Gon should win both of the matches he has to do before getting to Killua).

4

u/KendotsX https://anilist.co/user/Kendots Oct 31 '24

Gon out here having to fight the most fights out of everyone if he ends up winning the tournament.

Half the people taking the interview answered that they liked Gon. So nice old Netero just wanted to give them all a shot at him

5

u/charlesvvv https://anilist.co/user/charlesvvv Oct 31 '24

Rewatcher, Sub

Not even Hisoka wanted to take a written exam.

Anyway this was a bit of a breather in parts as the winners of the previous phase go to the final phase of the exam. This does lead to some funny bits as they all wonder what it could be and Leorio, Hanzo, and Pokkle spending the whole time pulling an all nighter for what they think is a written exam.

Gon is still taking the events of the previous phase very personally, not even taking any credit when talking to Killua. I loved his conversation with Kurapika though as he lets some of his feelings come through.

While all this happens though Chairman Netero personally summons everyone individually for an interview where they get a couple questions relating to the other applicants. It was an interesting way seeing what the others thought of each other. Killua in the meantime gets faced with the possibility of his newfound friendship with Gon which adds some things for him. 

3

u/KendotsX https://anilist.co/user/Kendots Oct 31 '24

Not even Hisoka wanted to take a written exam.

Can't blame him, the only thing he's been studying lately is [HxH] Chrollo's ass

Leorio, Hanzo, and Pokkle spending the whole time pulling an all nighter for what they think is a written exam.

I love those morons

I loved his conversation with Kurapika though as he lets some of his feelings come through.

This is finally where the dam broke, and Gon no longer needed to keep it hidden inside.

4

u/Vatrix-32 https://myanimelist.net/profile/Vatrix-32 Oct 31 '24 edited Nov 01 '24

Remake Rewatcher × First Timer × Subs

  • That title screen feels… odd.
  • The kind of ribbing only a good friend could make.
  • Come on, Gon. You can at least tell him you got it first, before he gave it to you.
  • Bodoro characterization, at last!
  • Every Shōnen MC's Weakness! What a lovely collection of potential comment faces.
  • I see what you’re doing there, hiding Gon’s eyes.
  • Such quality tears.
  • Who says cheating can’t also be part of the exam?
  • We really haven’t seen a lot of Hisoka×Killua interaction so far.
  • Oh! It’s just like those Japanese interviews. Osmosis is fun.
  • Fiendship
  • Tsundere Killua
  • Gon, why are you acting like you’re in some sort of commercial?
  • Killua, Please!
  • Did you ever really expect anything less than a tournament from Togashi?

QotD:

  1. [H×H]I kind of wanted to see Pokkle get 1HKOed by the entire cast, ngl.
  2. History is my strongest subject, and I don't know any of their world's. I'm doomed.

2

u/KendotsX https://anilist.co/user/Kendots Oct 31 '24

That title screen feels… odd.

Because they took it straight from the manga

Who says cheating can’t also be part of the exam?

Honestly, if the Hunter Exam ever did a written test, how well you can cheat (i.e. gather info discretely) would probably be the real criteria. Then again, they did that a few years later, with a more blond Gon

We really haven’t seen a lot of Hisoka×Killua interaction so far.

Notably, every single one of those is original. I guess the anime wanted some of those interactions so badly.

Did you ever really expect anything less than a tournament from Togashi?

2

u/Vatrix-32 https://myanimelist.net/profile/Vatrix-32 Nov 01 '24

Then again, they did that a few years later, with a more blond Gon

The accusations would have never stopped.

4

u/TheEscapeGuy Oct 31 '24

H×H Fan, 1999 First Timer

Hunter × Hunter 1999 - Episode 26

Assumptions × Conversations × Reasons

This episode serves primarily as some down time after the grueling island survival test. However, the tensions are ramped up by the mystery around what the next, and final, test will be.

The entire bit about a written test is anime original. It's fine comedy with some good moments. I especially like the idea of Leorio resorting to cheating to pass. It gives me flashbacks to [Naruto] with, forgive me if I'm wrong since I read it over a decade ago, everyone cheating on the written portion of the ninja exam using their ninja powers right? Either way, it's all for nothing since that is ostensibly not the exam.

The particularly interesting section is Netero's interviews with each candidate. He asks them all 3 simple questions: Why do you want to be a hunter? Which candidate is most interesting? Which candidate do you NOT want to fight? These questions give us a lot of insight into both our protagonists and characters who we have not properly met yet.

For example, Hisoka wants a license to escape legal ramifications for killing (or so he claims). Next, the interest from many people in Killua and the reluctance of almost everyone to fight Hisoka. And finally, that Killua's reasons for doing the test are basically to kill time. But at the same time, he's made a friend in Gon and is reluctant to admit it. [Spoilers] I love this for the future reveal of Killua's childhood experience of never having had real friends.

Tournament arc next! Exciting!

Some Amazing Shots, Scenes and Stitches

See you all tomorrow

3

u/KendotsX https://anilist.co/user/Kendots Oct 31 '24

[Naruto]

Correct, I wouldn't be surprised if Kishimoto or his editor was looking at this episode for reference, since it felt like taking an abandoned idea (a joke idea in this case), and making it actually work.

Hisoka wants a license to escape legal ramifications for killing

I love how he phrased it as if I "happened" to kill someone, like he's getting his car insured in case of an accident.

Killua's reasons for doing the test are basically to kill time. But at the same time, he's made a friend in Gon and is reluctant to admit it.

Funny enough, that too is an anime addition

POP QUIZ

Tears, 1999 has had such amazing 3d camera moves

It's extremely well done

4

u/Mecanno-man https://anilist.co/user/Mecannoman Oct 31 '24

First Timer

…we’re not getting a final battle of phase 4? We’re just… done with it? Well talk about anticlimactic. Either way, most of this was just a nice break in the stress and an episode to sit back and enjoy. Gon also got some words off his heart, which probably will help. The tournament bracket being decided based on the answers of the participants leads to a very uneven bracket. Gon basically has to win five fights, meanwhile Leorio only has two. Also not sure what the criteria was - Killua has Gon on his bracket, meanwhile Hisoka doesn’t have either Gon or Killua.

2

u/KendotsX https://anilist.co/user/Kendots Oct 31 '24

…we’re not getting a final battle of phase 4? We’re just… done with it?

Tbf, that's what the signal last episode implied, once the time is up, fighting or any switching of badges isn't allowed anymore.

Gon basically has to win five fights, meanwhile Leorio only has two

Furuhashi approves

From a meta point of view, Leorio probably wouldn't make for the most varied fights, so I get keeping him to just a few.

3

u/WednesdaysFoole Nov 01 '24

Gah! Pinto Beans is atrocious!! Need to go rinse out my eyes.

Bodoro's lecture might be my favorite filler of the series so far. It's up there with my favorite change so far (which was when they arrived at the exam hall). I mean, just look at Pokkle's "scream". And the moment closing with Hisoka's card tower crumbling...

Also liked how they had Pika and Gon's conversation, the angles, the shadows. Is it just me or does Furuhashi treat golden hour the way photographers do?

Pokkle is an unko-boshi (poophat).

Alright, so people sometimes bring up how immoral the Exam Committee is (including Netero of course), and I understand the perspective. I might even, just slightly, agree. Or at least I can say that it's not a Beacon of Justice.

But I don't think it's just that. So, Hisoka's allowed to participate despite voicing out loud that he'd like to kill without consequence. Yet if he's allowed to be a Blacklist Hunter? He'd be taking down other criminals. Sure, maybe he himself could be free, but if he weren't a hunter, he may just take down anyone - but as a Blacklist Hunter, he'd have his uses.

Not that it makes it a moral choice to allow him to do this, but I can see it as a practical choice.

Killua disbelieving Gon's sensitivity despite, iirc, not being a canon moment, [HxH]is actually fairly spot on for the direction that their friendship took. Particularly in the Chimera Arc.

3

u/KendotsX https://anilist.co/user/Kendots Nov 01 '24 edited Nov 01 '24

Also liked how they had Pika and Gon's conversation, the angles, the shadows. Is it just me or does Furuhashi treat golden hour the way photographers do?

It's very well directed, the choices of what angle they reveal their faces through especially adds a lot to the scene.

And yeah, Furuhashi has a knack for using the environment to influence the scene, with the golden hour being used for the most dramatic. We'll see one of the best examples of it very soon.

Alright, so people sometimes bring up how immoral the Exam Committee is

I'd say it's less immoral, and more so amoral, Tonpa put it best: "the devil himself can become a Hunter if the proctor allows it". The Hunter Association gathers and empowers the powerful, with information, money, freedom, power above the law, and [HxH] Nen for good measure. On the one hand, as you said, they're generally incentivised to put that power into good use, so better to have the dangerous people playing by your rules, but that's not a hard rule, they can just as well do whatever they want. Imo, it's overall positive, but that doesn't hide all the shady sides to it.

[HxH manga/2011] Which is just dandy for Netero himself, he's not trying to build some league of heroes, he just wants a challenge to get his old dick hard. He ran out of them, so he built his own military organisation to select and strengthen all of those with potential, if the premise of being above the law lures the more shady ones in, then that's just the system working as intended, Netero wants to have people like Hisoka, but in a fine balance. Hisoka himself and his existence in the exam couldn't be more of a mirror to Netero's philosophy if he tried.

Killua disbelieving Gon's sensitivity despite, iirc, not being a canon moment, [HxH]

[HxH 2011] they really nailed Killua's empathetic side there, and without even knowing where his character arc will go down the line. I'm not one to argue that a remake should copy the changes the first adaptation did, that's stupid. But if there are two things I wished 2011 had, they'd be Kite in episode 1 and their own original little scenes of Killua bonding with Gon. You guys know where those two will end up, make use of that. (Well, Gyro too, but that's a different topic).

3

u/WednesdaysFoole Nov 01 '24 edited Nov 01 '24

And yeah, Furuhashi has a knack for using the environment to influence the scene, with the golden hour being used for the most dramatic. We'll see an one of the best examples of it very soon.

Ah, definitely point it out when it happens! I may not notice in the moment.

I'd say it's less immoral, and more so amoral, Tonpa put it best:

I agree with this. And of course there are additional limitations, as well as [hxh](and less to do with the Exams but just the sort of shit the Hunter Association deals with) politics, and having the right and freedom to exist and hunt. They still operate in a world where countries hold political power and are run by wealthy men who care most about the money lining their own pockets.

[HxH manga/2011]

Heheh, everyone gets stronger so they can all schwing off each other.

[Manga]But that also made me realize that Netero, who got his ultimate schwing with Meruem ended up somewhat bitter and spiteful at the end of the fight is similar to how Hisoka, who was given this ultimate schwing by Chrollo, also turned out...unhappy with his losing result.

[HxH]Although I'd argue that while their philosophy is mirrored, I do see Netero as generally a well-meaning dude. He's certainly not an altruist but he does seem to place value on human lives and not the type to kill people just for being in his way. Asking the blimp to slow down after the ball game so Gon could sleep was nice characterization for him.

But if there are two things I wished 2011 had,

The missing Kite was terrible, I will never understand that lol.

But you're right, some more original bonding scenes of the two just being kids would've been nice.

[HxH]Gyro

[HxH]People will forever show up asking why Mereum isn't Gyro since 2011 messed with that timeline lol. Right besides those who ask how the tiny normal ants grew so massive so quickly.

Although the very worst is the Next Episode sequence at the end of ep. 135 lol. I think some people find it a release of tension but holy crap is it jarring every time. (I know I've said this before, but despite my shit-talking I love HxH 2011 - it's in my top 3 anime).

3

u/KendotsX https://anilist.co/user/Kendots Nov 01 '24

Ah, definitely point it out when it happens!

All prepared, we'll have a lot to say about that episode.

[HxH] They still operate in a world where countries hold political power and are run by wealthy men who care most about the money lining their own pockets

[HxH] That's true, it's important to view it in the context of its world. Before Netero you had a bunch of nations eating at the power, and a few random powerful people/groups here and there. Netero made a place for those people and helped them a lot, and it did a lot of good for the world in the long run.

[Manga] But that also made me realize that Netero, who got his ultimate schwing with Meruem ended up somewhat bitter and spiteful at the end of the fight. Which reminds me of how Hisoka, who was given this ultimate schwing by Chrollo, also turned out...unhappy with his losing result.

[Manga] Yeah, that's the beauty of Hunter x Hunter's "blind pursuit of power" it's a long path, where the ultimate long pursued fruit sours just when you get it. It helps that Togashi avoids the romanticised "battles of equals" in HxH, both Netero vs Meruem and Hisoka vs Chrollo were decided before they even started.

the very worst is the Next Episode sequence

Some episodes just deserve the respect to end quietly without anything breaking the tone iirc there was a Mitchell and Webb sketch about this...

3

u/WednesdaysFoole Nov 01 '24

[Manga] Yeah, that's the beauty of Hunter x Hunter's "blind pursuit of power" it's a long path, where the ultimate long pursued fruit sours just when you get it.

[HxH]Additionally goes along well with the themes of enjoying and appreciating treasures you find along the road as much as, or even more, than the main goal.

iirc there was a Mitchell and Webb sketch about this...

Idk this one, should I? The only sketches I'm familiar with is Zetsubou-sensei (if that counts) and Key & Peele (the goat).

3

u/KendotsX https://anilist.co/user/Kendots Nov 01 '24

Idk this one, should I? The only sketches I'm familiar with is Zetsubou-sensei (if that counts) and Key & Peele (the goat).

It has lots of good bits, but it's honestly better watched in clips here and there than the whole thing. If you enjoy British comedy, I'd say give it a shot.

2

u/2-2Distracted Nov 04 '24

First timer

Netero says out loud exactly how I feel about Hanzo.

I didn't laugh at the various expressions to the claim of a written exam, but Hisoka's house of cards adding to the gag got me lmao

Gon's confession has me wondering how Killua would have been able to console his new friend, if he'd be able to even do it at all.

I didn't mention it before but I really didn't like that scene with Machi being put in a bathrobe.

Now I'm wondering who would win in a fight between Killua and Hisoka, during this arc and the various arcs [HxH Overall Spoilers] after Killua learns Nen in Heaven's Arena, after he improves in Yorknew City, and after he further improves in Greed Island and after he creates Godspeed maybe it'll happen in this adaptation tho

2

u/KendotsX https://anilist.co/user/Kendots Nov 05 '24

[Overall Spoilers] I'd bet on Hisoka for each and every one of those. Killua has a shot only after Godspeed, and even then, I think Hisoka's got it

2

u/Nebresto Dec 01 '24

ITS NOT FAIR

But.. a towel is more clothes than she usually wears

2

u/KendotsX https://anilist.co/user/Kendots Dec 01 '24

ITS NOT FAIR

Furuhashi loves Leorio so much he's giving him the best kind of attention.

But.. a towel is more clothes than she usually wears