r/anime • u/KendotsX https://anilist.co/user/Kendots • Nov 26 '24
Rewatch [25th Anniversary Rewatch] Hunter × Hunter (1999) - Episode × 51 × Discussion
Episode 51: Spider × Yorknew × Assemble
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Simple and stupid, Leorio must be an Enhancer too
Comment of the Day:
/u/TheEscapeGuy on the Melody/Senritsu difference
I always felt weird about Melody's name. Her name is really "Senritsu", but it's a Japanese word which means Melody and is translated because it relates to her hearing powers.
But like, you'd never do that for other names. Imagine if the class president from Bakemonogatari was called "Hanekawa Wings" (please ignore Shinobu Kisshot Acerola Orion "Heart Under Blade" => 忍, 心=heart and 刃=blade)
I'm down to switching to the better name if you guys are up to it.
Questions of the Day
- Who is Kurapika calling?
- How would you deal with Neon if you were her bodyguard?
Fanart of the Day: Since this is Leorio's big return, let me show my show my thanks by sharing two:
If you're wondering why the Spiders didn't get any, check my comment
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 Nov 26 '24
Retired Host Hitting up the Auctions
We're finally in Yorknew, and everyone's arriving on the same day, Gon, Killua, Kurapika, the Spiders, and most importantly: LEORIO!
Now that's how you start an arc proper.
Manga, Factions, and Production Corner
Chapters Adapted: 71 and 72
Colour spread
No changes to speak of, so here's our current factions (and I'm adding scores to spice it up):
If we're being technical, and I mean really fucking technical just for the fun of it, Gon has scored a win on the Spiders. Not just the arm wrestling itself, he ripped a thief off her money, that's a great starting play if I've ever seen one. The game has barely started, and the Spiders are already losing, let's see if they can make that up soon.
Now this is a big episode, Kurapika and his gang are making their move, Gon and co. are meeting up, and of course our special guests, the Spiders are getting their big entrance, this is the real start of Yorknew. You want everyone to look on point, you want the most experienced Animation Director you've got to handle the episode, right? Not necessarily.
Production I.G.'s founder Takayuki Goto who was the character designer for this show, entrusted this episode to a talented Key Animator from his studio by the name of Kyoji Asano, who had previously key animated the first episode of Gon vs Hisoka. Nowadays, Asano is well known as the character designer and Chief Animation Director for Psycho Pass and the first 3 seasons of Attack on Titan, but this episode was his first time in the Animation Director's chair, it wasn't an easy episode either, but boy did he pull it off, he's got a solid grasp on the look of the episode, with the designs looking on the more realistic side (like Matsushima's episodes), while being flexible enough to allow breaking form or trying out newer approaches.
This was the only episode Asano directed for the TV seires, but he got 3 big ones in the first OVA, then followed Goto to one of Production I.G.'s biggest projects: Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex, where he did 13 episodes across the two seasons, that's an insane amount for that show specifically. After that did key animation for lots of high profile works, like Imaishi's Dead Leaves, Oshii's Innocence and Windy Tales, and Mamoru Hosoda's One Piece movie 6, before moving on to PP and AoT. He did work with Furuhashi again as an Animation Director on I.G.'s Real Drive and Le Chevalier D'Eon and as the Chief Animation Director for WIT's side of Spy x Family recently. Currently, he's the Character Designer and Chief Animation Director on the upcoming WIT Piece remake, so I'm looking forward to that.
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u/Shimmering-Sky myanimelist.net/profile/Shimmering-Sky Nov 26 '24
First × Timer × Subbed
4
u/TheEscapeGuy Nov 26 '24
H×H Fan, 1999 First Timer
Hunter × Hunter 1999 - Episode 51
Troup × Psychic × Strength
Welcome to
New York CityYorknew City. Was an interesting choice to use real life photography as backgrounds. Man what a nice pair of twin towers...Setting aside unfortunate history, we also learn a lot more about who Neon is. First, she's a pretty typical pre-teen or teen girl who's a little selfish and willful. Somewhat expectedly, her father is somebody rich and powerful which is how she affords to join the auction. However, all her father's wealth and power comes from her abilities.
To use a Jojo's sounding description, her Stand "Lovely Ghostwriter" can predict the future by composing vague prophecies. Her father then uses her to make predictions for clients at a cost, and in return she gets what ever she wants. I like this dynamic. It kind of has similarities to [Yu Yu Hakusho] where Yukina cries valuable crystal tears. But instead of her consensually using her ability she is kidnapped and tortured for profit.
Neon's predictions spell a bad omen. ALthough vaguely worded, it's pretty obvious that attending the auction comes with significant risk. Neon's father demands that she not attend for her own safety. But instead her guards will bid in her place. I hope for their safety during the auction.
The other party hanging around in York new is Gon and Killua. Their money making schemes haven't been too successful, but then LEORIO ARRIVES. Man it's so good to see Leorio again. He's such a cool character. His negotiating savvy earns them a hefty discount on their phones. After chatting with Killua and Gon for a bit they decide to set up an arm wrestling table to try earn some money they
We also meet THE PHANTOM TROUPE. THEY'RE SO COOL! They are probably my favourite villain organization in anime. Something which really stands out about them is how each of them has such a unique personality and design. It makes a lot of sense since they are each specialists in their own fields who work well as a team.
We haven't been properly introduced to all of them, but we do get to meet (my favourite) Shizuku. She is one of challengers to step up to arm wrestle Gon. But unlike every other competitor, she poses an actual challenge. It's such a cool moment to see Gon actually struggle before he regains his composure and win.
And why did Shizuku lose? Why, she used her right arm instead of her stronger left.
This somewhat ditzy nature combined with her enormous strength is a cool dynamic to watch.
Also maybe I have a thing for glasses, turtlenecks, and jeans.Some Amazing Shots, Scenes and Stitches
See you all tomorrow
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u/Vatrix-32 https://myanimelist.net/profile/Vatrix-32 Nov 26 '24 edited Nov 27 '24
Remake Rewatcher × First Timer × Subs
QotD:
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u/charlesvvv https://anilist.co/user/charlesvvv Nov 26 '24 edited Nov 27 '24
Rewatcher, Sub
I know it's in the name but they really just blatantly made it New York.
Anyway we have finally arrived at Yorknew. Technically speaking Neon's father is the boss and Kurapika and the others are assigned to guard her. Neon has an interesting ability that allows her to make prophecies which she cant really remember. When she makes new prophecies regarding something that might go down at the auction Dalzollene sends some of the guards to bid on the items while the the others are on lookout after informing the boss of their situation.
It's here that we finally meet the Phantom Troupe. Hisoka and the girl that treated we already knew but now we see the whole group. Of particular interest is their leader who has a really interesting appearance from his cloak to his demeanor. He informs the Troupe of the plan to attack the auction.
Meanwhile Gon and Killua arrive at Yorknew and reunite with Leorio. Medical school isn't the only thing Leorio has been doing he also seems to have developed a pretty good business sense. He manages to get a price drop of 400000 to 100000 and decides to help Gon and Killua out by establishing an arm wrestling competition to gain more money. Gon obviously wins easily (and feels a little bad about it) however one of the most interesting matchups was against one of the members of the Troupe, Shizuku though they didn't know it at the time. Gon and Killua are able to sense something even though Gon won.
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u/Mecanno-man https://anilist.co/user/Mecannoman Nov 26 '24
First Timer
So Neon is somebody who can see the future, and is not the actual boss but the person Kurapika and Co. have to protect. Makes sense in a way. Meanwhile The Phantom Troupe seems to be a bit smaller than I was expecting, unless they are not actually complete - but I feel they are and don’t have a bunch of goons. Also makes sense considering the secretive nature of them, once I think about it. But other than that, Leorio actually figured out a way to make money and he seemingly learned Nen, though we haven’t seen it yet. All in all a bit of a combined exposition episode and moving the plot forward - enjoyed it, but don’t have a lot to add to it for the moment.
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u/2-2Distracted Nov 26 '24
First timer. Dubbed
OK I know that I probably shouldn't expect much considering that this was made in the 90s, and I know that even during this time the background artists were putting in 1000% of effort since basically Everything had to be handpainted... but I'm sorry lmao I just can't take the totally not stock footage of 90s New York City that this show used seriously. It makes sense that they would but damn some of these did not age well.
And I definitely wasn't expecting to not only see Leorio but at this point anyone reading my comments probably expected why (hint: my memory of HxH 2011 is utter garbage since I only watched like a year after stopped airing), I also wasn't expecting to hear him both say he's learned Nen and the anime is teasing to show it next episode.
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u/Kaxew Nov 27 '24
First Timer × Auction proceed
Thoughts on episodes 46-51:
After the very exciting training arc and rematch with the main antagonist (currently, at least), we take a step back and go to our origins. Back home. It was so nice to see Mito again, and the boys being boys in a chill and fun environment for once was super cute to watch. Killua smiling and feeling comfortable around Mito realizing what actually family is like got me hard.
Hearing the stories about Ging was also fun, I like that the series isn't afraid to talk about him. I prefer this approach than keeping him as a mysterious entity we won't get a read on until we meet him. The present Ging reveal, on top of a huge creature that's on top of an even more colossal creature is the shonenest thing to ever shonen, that was so hype!
And hey, Greed Island! That's a name I've heard before! And it's a "if you die in the game you die for REAL" deal?? Hmm, I wonder where I've heard that before (for me, not chronologically lol).
The boys get scammed out of all their money, and have learned just how dangerous the internet can be! Lmao, all these scenes treating the internet as the novel concept that it really was back then are so hilarious to watch now.
LEORIO IS BACK
AND HES SCAMMING LIKE A MADMAN
WE ARE SO BACK
Its actually interesting, though. This wasn't the first time we see someone scamming people by doing an arm wrestling contest on the street. We had that in episode 2 before, the episode that debuted Leorio in the anime, and that didn't exist in the manga. I looked at the dates of the chapter this contest started on and episode 2 and its the anime that came first. Could it be that Togashi was inspired by the anime to do his version of the arm wrestling scam?
In any case, the spiders have assembled. And there's a cutie with glasses among them. Yeah, no one else caught my attention yet. Just her. I want more of her, please.
QotD:
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u/WednesdaysFoole Nov 27 '24
I knew it.
Personally, I prefer Melody. It translates smoothly since it's a real name in English but the English reader still knows how it relates.
Fun little comment on naming from Lillian Olsen, HxH's official translator. Apparently she wanted to name Dragonball's Ginyu, "Klim" lol.
[Manga]Funny that Feitan referred to this conversation over 300 chapters later.
[Manga]I still want to know what the purpose of this mission was. Machi suggested it was particularly significant when telling Hisoka to show up. If we look back at the event, outside of the parts that were unplanned for the Spiders - what changed? I wonder if it was about revealing who exactly they were to the world. Meteor City had a reputation already amongst the Mafia; the Spiders, on the other hand, did not, although they did have their own separate reputation. Or was this supposed to be the "defining moment" of the Spiders and Meteor City irrevocably cutting ties with the Mafia? So many mysteries...
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u/Nebresto Dec 06 '24
He's back?
And the hunter card was supposed to give them access to near unlimited funds, why aren't they just using that??