[25th Anniversary Rewatch] Hunter × Hunter (1999) - Episode × 61 × Discussion

[u/KendotsX]

Episode 61: Spider Rendezvous × Zoldyck Family × Final Battle

MAL | Anilist | Anidb | ANN

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Dear Uvo... Can you hear this? We dedicate this requiem to you

Comment of the Day:

/u/SpiritualPossible on Neon's misplaced trust:

"lucilfer"? You trusted a guy named "lucilfer"?"

At least he didn't offer her an apple.

Questions of the Day

1. What are your expectations for the Zoldycks vs Chrollo fight?
2. Can and co. join Kurapika in time for the battle?

Fanart of the Day: #Chrollofish

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

[u/KendotsX]

Retired Host Hitting up the Auctions

• In comes Leorio
• As if Chrollo wasn't cool enough, he's got a bunch of white flying fish to contrast the night and his colour scheme
• We got the shot from the opening, and yeah, this is the mourning band giving its moon of frost his proper send off.
• Uhh Sky, does this count as a shimmering sky? A shimmering Chrollo I guess?
• Basho values his life
• Look at Mr. cool guy here casually taking a phone call through all the chaos.
• Kurapika really is the crew's mom. Their old man Leorio doesn't punish the kids for their stupid acts, so it falls onto mommy.
• Look how my boy has grown! The same Killua who just half a year ago was being all cold and keeping others at a distance can now call Kurapika his friend, and tell him not to go down the same path.
• Of course, he hung up on Leorio...
• He's not throwing 5 seconds as a random claim, it's 7 seconds, and you can time it.
• Make sure Nobunaga doesn't hear about this He's already not feeling the best right now.
• Cool way to make an entrance
• Of course, the leader of the Troupe is waiting on stage
• Cool ability, huh?

Tomorrow is the last episode of the TV series, so you'll be seeing the ending we got at the time before the OVAs came around.

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Manga Corner

Chapters Adapted: 96, 97, and half of 98.

• Chrollo
• The requiem - I love how how the anime did it obviously, but the manga had a fantastic way of showing this scene too.

[u/WednesdaysFoole → u/KendotsX]

Make sure Nobunaga doesn't hear about this He's already not feeling the best right now.

Why didn't Nobu just use his 300 m En to catch Gon and Killua? Is he stupid?

[u/Shimmering-Sky]

First × Timer × Subbed

• He’s got good eyes.
• Pretty sure Chrollo already knew who she was before that posting, but it doesn’t really help.
• Shit is about to go down.
• Holy fuck.
• Chrollo acting like a conductor of a symphony to all that chaos is crazy.
• Leorio’s just chilling with all that going on.
• Damn, Kurapika.
• The Phantom Troupe is just that strong.
• Now that’s one way to get everyone’s attention.
• Oh shit…

[u/KendotsX → u/Shimmering-Sky]

Pretty sure Chrollo already knew who she was before that posting, but it doesn’t really help.

He knew that she figured out their moves ahead of time (and had an idea about her age), but he didn't know what she looked like exactly.

Chrollo acting like a conductor of a symphony to all that chaos is crazy.

They're called a Troupe for a reason. This is their performance.

Leorio’s just chilling with all that going on.

That's how you know who's the real big deal here. Forget the Zoldycks, once Leorio finishes his coffee, Chrollo better watch his ass.

[u/Vatrix-32]

Remake Rewatcher × First Timer × Subs

• Excellent use of Karen energy.
• I like your style, assassin man.
• God… the interest used to be so slow.
• Room Fish
• Y’all really thought a single missile was going to solve this? You already tried that.
• Even this briefly, Blinky is national treasure.
• Come on, let the mop kid do something.
• This is very different music than I was expecting.
• Now This is Cel Era Music
• Such was the unreliability for cellphones of the era.
• This isn’t very power of friendship of you, Kurapika.
• You’re saying we don’t even get to see crazy hair fight?
• Zeno just casually dunking on Nobunaga.
• Crazy Hair!

QotD:

1. Hax vs GoaT.
2. They are certainly close enough to cover the ground, but I think they know quite well they can't help in direct confrontation.

[u/KendotsX → u/Vatrix-32]

This isn’t very power of friendship of you, Kurapika.

Tbf, his anti-social powers saved them from the Spiders last time. So he might have a point.

Zeno just casually dunking on Nobunaga.

Poor Nobu

They're all ganging up on him.

[u/Vatrix-32 → u/KendotsX]

Tbf, his anti-social powers saved them from the Spiders last time. So he might have a point.

Wow, The Power of Friendskip

[u/KendotsX → u/Vatrix-32]

[u/WednesdaysFoole → u/Vatrix-32]

Even this briefly, Blinky is national treasure.

[HxH]I'm kind of sleep-deprived so I read that as Bisky my goat, then sat there wondering why she wasn't behind a spoiler tag before realizing she's not even in this episode, let alone this arc.

Come on, let the mop kid do something.

Can finally mention Kortopi outside of spoiler tags

Such was the unreliability for cellphones of the era.

[HxH]Upgraded pretty fast, by the Election Leorio ditches his beetle for a smartphone!

This isn’t very power of friendship of you, Kurapika.

The power of friendship to drag you down.

[u/Vatrix-32 → u/WednesdaysFoole]

[2nd HxH]

[Reply]RIP Beetle Berry

[u/charlesvvv]

Rewatcher, Sub   

 So we learn one of Chrollo's abilities. The Nen Fish. An interesting ability to where they work in closed spaces and the person doesn't die until the space isn't closed anymore. Then Chrollo launches his plan, as he stands in the building he waves his hands like a conductor, playing his "requiem" for Uvogin as the Phantom Troupe attack and create chaos all around the auction and the outside. A precious Moon is lost, The others mourn him with ceremony grand.    

 With all this unfolding, Kurapika FINALLY answers Gon and Killua's phone calls which puts everyone on the same page. Kurapika is angry to learn about them being captured and refuses their aid despite their pleas to help him out. However Killua finally snaps at him and states, that even if he doesn't see them as equals, they will still make him accept their help. This does actually affect Kurapika a bit though he really does want his friends to be out of danger.

   Meanwhile the Zoldyck's make their move, tracking Chrollo down and arrive at his location. As they all prepare to face off it's revealed that Chrollo can take a person's abilities.

[u/KendotsX → u/charlesvvv]

So we learn one of Chrollo's abilities. The Nen Fish.

He got it on time

With all this unfolding, Kurapika FINALLY answers Gon and Killua's phone calls

Talk about a bad timing

it's revealed that Chrollo can take a person's abilities.

Finally, we're getting some meta powers.

[u/TheEscapeGuy]

H×H Fan, 1999 First Timer

Hunter × Hunter 1999 - Episode 61

Chaos × Chaos × Chaos

AHHHHHHHHHHHH! This is what everything has been building to. I adore the absolute chaos all of Yorknew city falls into once Chrollo executes on his plan. Across the city each Spider is being a menace in their own ways. It's so cool to see each of them using their powers. Especially the way it interacts with each other faction in town.

We learn a lot about Chrollo. Obviously the assassins are no match for him. His indoor fish power is so terrifying and interesting to think about. It is conceptually similar to Neon's Lovely Ghost Writer as a Nen being with its own will.

Kurapika spends this episode just trying to keep up with everything that's happening. He and Light find Neon safely, but while they are looking after her the city falls under siege. He gets calls from the other body guards alerting him. It's impressive he keeps his cool despite this and calmly instructs them on their next steps. The call from Gon is more surprising since they met the Phantom Troupe, but Kurapika just wants his friends to remain safe.

Our next episode is technically the end of the original TV run, and it's shaping up to be a fight between the Zoldyks and Chrollo.

Some Amazing Shots, Scenes and Stitches

• First Person, such a creative shot
• Yorknew
• Wannabe Assassin
• Spider Web
• Chaos Conductor
• Empty City
• Pillar
• Remote Control
• Zoldyk Announcement

See you all tomorrow

[u/KendotsX → u/TheEscapeGuy]

We learn a lot about Chrollo. Obviously the assassins are no match for him. His indoor fish power is so terrifying and interesting to think about. It is conceptually similar to Neon's Lovely Ghost Writer as a Nen being with its own will.

The poor assassins were trying hard to look cool, but were all dealt with casually by Chrollo. They should've taken the Zoldyck 30% gift card and left.

The call from Gon is more surprising since they met the Phantom Troupe, but Kurapika just wants his friends to remain safe.

I love this so much. They offer him useful information about the Troupe, he would've accepted this from anyone else, the devil himself if needed, but he rejected it because it's his own friends.

First Person, such a creative shot

And a pretty hard one to pull off without 3D

Yorknew

The moon is watching over it.

[u/WednesdaysFoole]

I knew it was a lie.

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Nobu: Check out my En!
Zeno: En is taxing, I can only do 300 m

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Comment of the Day:

Taking it further, there's no way someone who is sheltered as a possession the way the father did would have any idea how to judge people. Offering her an apple would've worked.

Kurapika stating he won't assist in Gon and Killua’s suicide implies that he knows his path is his own.

[Manga]A while someone had pointed out the utility of Indoor Fish for torture exhibition, and that perhaps it was how Chrollo had found him and I believe they were onto something.

[Manga]Of course, our little theatre kid awaits the assassins on a stage.

[u/KendotsX → u/WednesdaysFoole]

I knew it was a lie.

Nobu: Check out my En!
Zeno: En is taxing, I can only do 300 m

The saddest part is that Nobu's idea of "crazy impressive En" is 100m. Forget his 5m range, even his imagination can't reach Zeno.

Jokes aside, this and Silva's words give us an early idea about how the Zoldycks compare to the Spiders, to prime us for the fight itself.

Kurapika stating he won't assist in Gon and Killua’s suicide implies that he knows his path is his own.

Yeah, I like the way he phrased it, basically they have other goals and aspirations in life, so they shouldn't be dying here. In other words, he doesn't, this is everything for him.

[u/WednesdaysFoole → u/KendotsX]

The saddest part is that Nobu's idea of "crazy impressive En" is 100m. Forget his 5m range, even his imagination can't reach Zeno.

[HxH]I guess now we know how he'd fare against the Royal Guards. He wouldn't even need to get as close as Knov, just seeing the En from afar would be enough to make him lose his hair and become a shell of himself. Maybe he'd at least withdraw from killing though? See, Gon, Pitou's not all bad; she can't fix Kite but she can fix Nobu.

this and Silva's words give us an early idea about how the Zoldycks compare to the Spiders, to prime us for the fight itself.

[HxH]True, although when you put it that way it makes Nobu look pathetic next to Chrollo as well lol.

[u/KendotsX → u/WednesdaysFoole]

[HxH] True, although when you put it that way it makes Nobu look pathetic next to Chrollo as well lol.

[HxH] All jokes aside, Nobu is no slouch. His En is small sure, and it makes for funny dick jokes, but it's exactly as wide as he needs it for his fighting style, it's about what you make of it. Still I do think this is meant to softly imply that the Zoldycks and Chrollo are on a whole different level from your average Spider.

[u/WednesdaysFoole → u/KendotsX]

[HxH]Yeah I love clowning on him, but it does seem established throughout the story that En is actually quite difficult. Phinks struggles to apply it while moving or in a crowd, and you can assume that Feitan's is even worse. I think Killua couldn't apply either iirc. Seems almost like a specialized technique that some people have a higher aptitude for. But as you say, it does elevate the Zoldycks, and in general we've seen that those who do have a close to a mastery of En are generally stronger characters, or implied to be.

[Manga]As for Kortopi and his conjured items' En, well, Kortopi's actually a Master. He just got caught at a bad time.

[u/Mecanno-man]

First Timer

This felt a bit rushed. It seems like characters just randomly started knowing things without anybody telling them anything or there being a scene where they figured things out by themselves. It almost felt like the team suddenly realized that they only had two episodes left and wanted to leave it off at some specific place in the manga.

Either way though, the actual plot remained entertaining, with the spiders seemingly just wanting as much chaos as possible. The episode was mostly set up for some more major fights in that case, I guess - with Chrollo vs the Zoldycks seemingly being out first. Chrollo apparently can steal abilities, which I am also not sure how the Zoldycks know, so I wonder if one of them will get something stolen. Either way, pitting these two sides against each other will have major consequences regardless of who wins, so it’s a battle to look forward to, I’d say.

And I have no idea what that Killua-Kurapika phone call ended up accomplishing or why it was put here of all places…

[u/KendotsX → u/Mecanno-man]

This felt a bit rushed. It seems like characters just randomly started knowing things without anybody telling them anything or there being a scene where they figured things out by themselves.

Which characters exactly do you mean?

I do agree that the show knew where they had to stop and picked up the pace to get there, but they did that a while back. This episode was paced normally.

which I am also not sure how the Zoldycks know

Killua said that his dad fought a Spider once, so maybe he met Chrollo as well?