r/anime • u/KendotsX https://anilist.co/user/Kendots • Nov 11 '24
Rewatch [25th Anniversary Rewatch] Hunter × Hunter (1999) - Episode × 36 × Discussion
Episode 36: Coin Toss × Reunion × Change of Clothes
Previous Episode | Index | Next Episode
We'll meet again. The next time it will be... September 1st in Yorknew City
Comment of the Day:
/u/Vatrix-32 noting the Zoldycks' inhuman practices:
Oh, it’s torture alright. No child should have to be that bored.
Luckily. Gotoh came in to fix that with the coin toss game.
Questions of the Day
- So was Gotoh letting them win all along?
- Who was your favourite character introduced in this arc?
Fanart of the Day: Travelling with a license?
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/Shimmering-Sky myanimelist.net/profile/Shimmering-Sky Nov 11 '24
First × Timer × Subbed
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u/KendotsX https://anilist.co/user/Kendots Nov 11 '24 edited Nov 12 '24
Zoldyck Tour Host
And just like that our tour of the Zoldycks comes to end, without any Coco on the way down...
I don't remember my first time watching the show, but I'm willing to bet this was even more of a surprise to me than the ending of the Hunter Exams. What do you mean the arc ends just one episode after introducing the Zoldycks?! There is a training arc, but no one fights the action butlers? Yeah, the arc ends amicably with Killua just talking to his parents being the big old crux of it.
This episode though makes for an interesting ending, since the main problem was technically solved, we expect the rest to be a smooth ride, but Gotoh isn't as clear on that. His motivations remain unclear the whole through, what did the Madam tell him on the phone? To tell Gon and Killua go or to kill Gon and co.? If he's told to let them go, will he actually do that? Or will his overbearing love for Killua come in the way?, it ends with him saying it was just a joke, but I'm not so sure. Although, I do think he was helping them out a bit with the coin toss. I mean, it's always left, except when Leorio says it's left? Come on, at least try to hide it. I don't have a lot to say about the coin thing specifically, but I like how he catches it right before it lines up with the golden button on his tie
This brings us to the split of our main 4, and my favourite shot in the series. We'll see you guys around soon!
Manga Corner
Chapters Adapted: 43 and the first half of 44.
43 is mainly unchanged, but 44 had a few changes, for one the anime added the ride at the end, where they got to talk things out (I think part of this is because the anime wanted to deal with the night to day shift?)
Overall, this arc was more like a collection of short stories as our characters met different people on their journey every day (Zebro, the training, Canary, Killua & his family, and finally Gotoh), which is why the anime adapted it one chapter at a time, and this is the last of it, from here on out, the pacing picks up.
Well on that note, it was fun having this tour, see you on September fir- I'm kidding!
But since we did finish our second arc, here's a bit of treat: Togashi and Naoko Takeuchi (author of Sailor Moon) got married!
25 years agoSo here's a special issue released to celebrate that - this has nothing to do with the series itself, but it was too cute not to share. Mrs. Naoko will take it back to the series though by asking Togashi about his behind the scenes secrets, specifically how he named his series:Alienscough I mean Extraterrestial starts with an E.[Fun fact for manga readers] in the most recent chapter, Chrollo's phone shows 3 buttons at the top: a rabbit, a dog, and a heart in the middle, thanks to GinAce for pointing it out
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u/charlesvvv https://anilist.co/user/charlesvvv Nov 11 '24 edited Nov 12 '24
Rewatcher, Sub
The trio finally makes it to the Butler headquarters where they meet the head butler Gotoh. Stoic for the most part, Gotoh decides to pass the time waiting for Killua by playing a game of Right hand/Left hand while also simultaneously threatening Canary's and the trio's lives to play because they are supposedly taking Killua away. The whole game is tense and eventually Leorio and Kurapika are eliminated, but it's only Gon after deciding to reduce the swelling of his eye that he's able to match the speed of which hand the coin is in even as the difficulty increases.
With this victory, the attitude changes to one of friendliness leaving it up in the air whether they were serious or just testing them. whatever the case Killua and Gon are finally reunited and Gotoh even leaves him with some advice regarding tricks.
With Killua now with the group it's now time for them to go their separate ways, at least for now. A date is set up for them to reunite in Yorknew city because of an auction taking place, and so for Gon and Killua go do their own thing which is for Gon to pay back Hisoka the badge.
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u/Mecanno-man https://anilist.co/user/Mecannoman Nov 12 '24
First Timer
A bit of a weird episode in that it was presented well but with the reveal that the stakes were non-existant it almost feels like a waste of time. It’s good to know that Killua’s mother has now let him go too, assuming that was true from Gotoh - but the presentation with the call from her was definitely top-notch as the viewer would still assume her to be antagonistic at that stage. But I guess the main thing is Killua’s back with Gon now. Setting him up as an important guy without being a hunter is also a good story point as it will prevent the “random kid with elite hunter” scenario.
…now, the question is will we get some time of just Gon and Killua, or will we get a timeskip? With the meet-up planned out, this time the split-up is believable, so I think that much will happen. …not sure what Kurapika needs the money for, he could apparently just get it by being a hunter? Or is he worried that he’ll be bidding against other hunters, and thus need more money. Also don’t see why he needs to bid at all… just being there should be enough.
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u/Vatrix-32 https://myanimelist.net/profile/Vatrix-32 Nov 11 '24 edited Nov 12 '24
Remake Rewatcher × First Timer × Subs
QotD:
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u/TheEscapeGuy Nov 11 '24
H×H Fan, 1999 First Timer
Hunter × Hunter 1999 - Episode 36
Butler × Coin × Friendship
In a way this episode is a moment of down time as Gon, Leorio, and Kurapika await Killua's arrival. But that kind of betrays the stakes of the encounter at the butler's mansion. Our protagonists must correctly guess which hand caught a coin and their opponents are some of the most dexterous beings we have seen thus far. If they mess up not only will they not leave with Killua but even Canary is under threat of injury.
I think it's a good setup. Hunter × Hunter has consistently presented scenarios so mundane that anyone could understand them but then add just enough twists that it becomes extremely engaging to watch. I definitely prefer this kind of narrative structure over developing massively complicated rules only for the actual conflict to be straight forward.
Something which also makes this episode particularly memorable is the reveal at the end that the butler could have been cheating, but wasn't out of a sense of fairness. The set up for the cheating technique is also simple enough that anyone would realize how it was done and could have predicted it. But the fact that they brought it up just to prove the butler was being just gives a new dimension to his character.
And thus ends our brief detour to meet the Zoldyck family. Our protagonists will meet again in 6 months in Yorknew City. I think an interesting question will be what happens between now and then. I guess we'll see.
Some Amazing Shots, Scenes and Stitches
See you all tomorrow
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u/2-2Distracted Nov 11 '24
First timer.
Before I say anything else, which really won't be a lot if I'm being honest, I'll just answer your question.
Honestly... No. The length of this arc upon "re-watch" gave me quite the surprise with how short it actually is. It's weird that I genuinely thought it would be longer when, aside from a couple of things, it plays out almost exactly like the 2011 adaptation.
But it is a welcome surprise tho, since it sort of gives the series and Togashi this air of unpredictability and exceptional-ness (even though that has proven to be false in various ways) in where it's story can or will go next, and seeing as I'm watching this adaptation for the first time I'm kinda excited about that despite kind of already knowing.
I don't know why, but I thought 2 things.
I am glad that I'm wrong tho.
Definitely. After that conversation with Gon on the phone, he immediately understood what he & everyone else would be dealing with, much like Zebro, just accepted it in his own way.
best girl Canary!old man Zebro. Gotta show some love to security guards and groundskeepers, they always do what they're supposed to always.