Этапы экзамена на хантера

1-я арка «Hunter x Hunter». Длится в манге с 1 по 38 главу, в аниме 1999 года — с 1 по 31 эпизод, в аниме 2011 года — с 1 по 21 эпизод.

Первый экзамен: испытание бегом

Экзаменатор: Сатоц

Задание Первого этапа — добраться до места проведения Второго этапа, без объявления времени и расстояния. Бег по теменному туннелю, а потом и лестнице наверх, всего более 80 км.

На этом этапе к команде присоединяется Киллуа.

В ТВ1999 Томпа по пути заманил уставшего Леорио в боковой туннель в котором вместо тонизирующего растения оказалось галлюциногенное. Леорио одолевали кошмары, в которых он снова переживал потерю друга — Пьетро. Гон, Курапика и Киллуа догнали его, спасли и уже вместе догнали остальных.

Далее бежать нужно было по болотам Нумелле, полным хищных и хитрых зверей. В тумане Хисока, один из экзаменующихся, начал охоту на остальных кандидатов. В произошедшей стычке Гон смог ударить Хисоку с помощью своей удочки, чем весьма заинтересовал его. Хисока объявил что проверял кандидатов на пригодность, и они все трое (Киллуа добирался отдельно) прошли. Хисока нокаутировал Леорио и сам донёс его до места второго этапа. Гон и Курапика добирались самостоятельно.

Второй экзамен: кулинария

Экзаменаторы: Бухара и Менчи.

Бухара дал задание приготовить Жареную свинину – большого таранного кабана.

Менчи задала приготовить Суши. Всем участникам, кроме Ханзо, это блюдо было незнакомо, но кое-как они выяснили как и из чего оно должно быть сделано. Но Менчи была весьма недовольна всем, что бы не готовили участники, и объявила, что дальше никто из них не прошёл. Возник конфликт с участниками экзамена.

Ситуацию спасло прибытие главы экзаменационного комитета – Нетеро. В результате было решено перепровести экзамен, но с участием самой Менчи. В этот раз нужно было достать из глубокой пропасти Яйцо орла-паука и сварить его.

Третий экзамен: Трик-тауэр или башня прозорливости

Экзаменаторы: Липпо и заключённые Трик Тауэр: Бендотт, Седокан, Маджитани, Лерут, Джонас Потрошитель.

Необходимо за семьдесят два часа спуститься живыми к подножью башни, полной ловушек. Наши герои и Томпа попадают на «принцип большинства» — все решения должны быть приняты голосованием.

В пути они столкнулись с группой заключённых, которую необходимо было одолеть, чтобы пройти дальше. Каждый час, на который заключённые задерживали участников экзамена, уменьшал их сроки заключения на год.

Томпа столкнулся с Бендотт. У них должен был быть «бой до смерти», но Томпа тут же сдался.

Вторым был Гон. Его противник Седокан – террорист и обманщик. Их схватка была – «у кого дольше будет гореть свеча». Седокан подсунул Гону свечу с подвохом, но именно из-за этого Гон смог спокойно оставить свечу догорать на полу, а сам в это время задул свечу заключённого.

Боец – Курапика, противник – Маджитани, и снова «бой до смерти». Заключённый пытался запугать Курапику с помощью необоснованных понтов и татуировки с изображением паука, но этим лишь разозлил его. Курапика с лёгкостью отправляет Маджитани в нокаут, и отказывается завершать бой.

Леорио против Лерут, вид состязания – пари, ставка – время. На то жив ли Маджитани, находится ли он в сознании, какого пола Лелуто, и «камень-ножницы-бумага». Леорио проиграл, но в то же время доказал выигрыш Курапики. Команда потеряла пятьдесят часов.

Киллуа против Джонаса Потрошителя. Киллуа отговаривали от боя из-за ужасной славы Джонаса, но тот легко победил противника, просто вырвав его сердце.

Последним испытанием был выбор дороги – одним путём могли пройти все пятеро, но он бы занял не менее сорока пяти часов, втором могло пройти только трое, но время в пути составляло бы около трёх минут. Вся команда едва не рассорилась, но Гон предложил неожиданное решение – выбрать длинный путь, но прорубить стену, чтобы попасть на короткий. В итоге все пятеро успели вовремя.

Филлерный экзамен: Остров-Линкор (присутствует только в ТВ1999)

Все участники прибывают на остров погибших кораблей, и чтобы получить комнату в гостинице, они должны добыть сокровища из окружающих кораблей. Ночью хозяева гостиницы уехали.

Кандидаты должны самостоятельно добраться до следующего пункта назначения – острова Зебил, но погода начала портиться. Были найдены документы, из которых стало ясно, что раз в десять лет остров накрывает огромной волной.

Что бы спастись, было решено действовать сообща и добраться до острова на самой гостинице – оживить линкор. Что и было сделано. Курапика проявил в этой арке незаурядные лидерские способности.

Четвёртый этап: охота.

Место проведения: Остров Зебил

Среди прошедших испытание «Башню Прозорливости» была проведена лотерия для следующего этапа экзамена. Каждый получил номер, соответствующий экзаменационному номеру другого претендента. Этот человек становился целью, чей значок необходимо добыть кандидату.

Для прохождения этапа необходимо набрать 6 (шесть) очков. Собственный значок приносит 3 (три) очка, номерок цели тоже 3 (три), случайный номер — 1 (один). Длительсноть этапа – неделя. В течение этого времени нужно не только добыть чей-то номерок, но и не позволить отнять свой.

Целью Гона (405) стал Хисока (44). Понимая разницу в силе, Гон крепко задумался  и тут он увидел как Поккл (53) атаковал Кью (105). Тогда он решил не атаковать в лоб, а выкрасть значок с помощью удочки. Однако, Гон понимал, что Хисока легко увернётся, если он просто попытается зацепить его значок. Он тренировался ловить ею птиц, много за ними наблюдал, и в итоге решил украсть значок в тот момент, когда Хисока будет атаковать другого человека.

В это время Томпа (16) встретил Леорио (403) и стал упрашивать дать ему что-нибудь от боли в животе. Леорио давно подозревал Томпу и потребовал показать номер цели, тогда Томпа продемонстрировал ему карточку с номером 191 (Бодоро). Леорио открыл чемоданчик, чтобы достать лекарство и тут обезьянка Соми (118) выкрала у него номерок. Оказалось, что Соми и Томпа сговорились обменяться лотерейными карточками, и, на самом деле, Леорио был целью Томпы, а Бодоро целью Соми. Но тут появился Курапика (404) и обезвредил злодейскую парочку, вернув Леорио его номерок и заполучив номер своей цели – Томпы. К тому же теперь у них был один номерок, приносящий 1 (одно) очко — номер Соми.

Гон нашёл Хисоку при помощи бабочек-вампиров. Один номерок Хисока (44) получил от Гиттаракура (301), которой прикончил свою жертву Гозу (371) и девушку Супер (80), охотившуюся на него. Её номер Гиттаракуру был не нужен. Второй номерок, приносящий 1 очко (номерок Соми «118») Хисока получил от Курапики и Леорио в качестве откупа. Из-за того, что Хисоке пришлось отпустить тех, кого он уже собирался прикончить, им овладела невероятная жажда убийства. То что было нужно Гону. В тот момент, когда Хисока атаковал первого встречного Агона (181, таким образом он получал 3 одноочковых значка), Гон выкрал его собственный. Убегая, Гон был парализован охотившимся за ним Геретой (384), который в оказался целью Хисоки. 

Теперь у него было целых 10 очков (собственный «44» — 3, Супер «80» — 1, Соми «118» — 1, Агона – 1, Гереты «384» — 3 и Гона — 1), поэтому вернул Гону его значок и свой (для Гона 3 очка), с условием, он заберёт этот долг, когда Гон сможет нанести ему удар. Несколько дней Гон восстанавливался от этого унижения.

Киллуа (99) досталась цель с номером 199, но он не знал, кому он принадлежит. Поэтому он решил просто шататься по острову в поисках 3-х случайных жертв. Однако, за ним увязался хвост. Киллуа, конечно, почувствовал слежку, но предложение выйти и разобраться преследователь упорно игнорировал. Им оказался младший брат Имори (198). Когда старшие братья заявились проверить, как у него дела, то были весьма удивлены, что он не отобрал номер у ребёнка и потребовали побыстрее сделать это. Попытавшись выполнить приказ братьев, Имори был обчищен ловкими ручками Киллуа и лишился номерка. Киллуа догадался, что раз у него номер 198, то у его братьев должен быть нужный ему 199. Отобрав у братьев номерки, Киллуа выбросил 2 ненужные 197 и 198. Этого как раз ждал Ханзо, которому нужен 197. Он бросился в ту сторону, куда, как ему показалось Киллуа бросил номер 197, но поймал 198 – 1 (одно) очко.

Значок, нужный Леорио – «246», принадлежал Понзу. Гон помог ему отыскать пещеру, где она скрывалась, и Леорио пошёл туда, сказав ожидающим его друзьям не входить. Но те, услышав его крик вошли в пещеру, и попали в ловушку, установленную Барбоном (103), кандидатом, на которого охотилась Понзу. Сам Барбон был убит Понзу, а его змеи кусали всех, кто приближался к Барбону или к выходу. Леорио был серьёзно искусан. Гон нашёл у Барбона противоядие для спасения Леорио, но и сам был укушен. Потом, с помощью усыпляющего газа Понзу обезвредив змей, Гон вынес всех из пещеры пообещав ей значок Барбона в качестве платы. Он и правда отдал её значок Барбона (103), но забрал её значок — 246 для Леорио, в качестве платы.

Пятый этап: турнир

До этого этапа дошло девять кандидатов. Согласно собеседованию была подготовлена сетка боёв. Победитель получает звание Охотника, проигравший продвигается по турнирной сетке. Таким образом, Охотниками становятся все, кроме одного.

Первый бой. Ханзо против Гона. После долгого избиения Гон так и не признал поражения. Ханзо сдался. После этого Гон проспал целый день.

Второй бой. Курапика против Хисоки. Через некоторое время боя Хисока шепнул что-то Курапике, а потом признал поражение.

Третий бой. Поккл против Ханзо. Ханзо избил противника, и тот сдался.

Четвёртый бой. Хисока против Бодоро. Хисока долго бил противника, но тот всё не сдавался. Тогда Хисока что-то шепнул Бодоро на ухо, и тот признал поражение.

Пятый бой. Киллуа против Поккла. Киллуа не захотел драться и сдался.

Шестой бой. Должен был быть боем между Бодоро и Леорио, но по предложению Леорио он был отложен, чтобы дать Бодоро восстановиться. Таким образом, бой проводился между Киллуа и Гиттаракуром. Как выяснилось, настоящее имя Гиттаракура – Иллуми Зольдик, и он старший брат Киллуа. Иллуми сильно повлиял на Киллуа, в том числе с помощью нэн. Киллуа сдался.

Седьмой бой. Бодоро против Леорио. В самом начале боя Киллуа убил Бодоро, и был дисквалифицирован.

Звание Охотника получило семь человек: Гон, Курапика, Ханзо, Хисока, Поккл, Гиттаракур он же Иллуми Зольдик, Леорио.

После экзамена

Гон был расстроен своей, как он считал, неправильной победой, но Сатоц переубедил его. Гон выяснил у Иллуми, куда отправился Киллуа.

The Hunter Exam arc (ハンター試(し)験(けん)編(へん)()()()()()()(), Hantā Shiken-hen) is the first story arc of the series and follows Gon on his journey to become a Hunter and find his father. After becoming friends with Kurapika, Leorio, and Killua, Gon must endure the Hunter Exam’s deadly phases to obtain an all-important Hunter License.

Summary

Pre-Hunter Exam

Gon is first seen at his home of Whale Island, fishing for the Master of the Swamp—a fish that five grown fishermen pulling together couldn’t land. Gon made a wager with his aunt Mito that if he could catch the fish, she would allow him to take part in the Hunter Exam. After a week of work, Gon finally succeeds and his aunt signs his application. Gon proceeds to go visit his friend, a grown-up Foxbear named Kon, who Gon had raised since he was a cub. Gon then remembers meeting Kite and learning that his father is still alive, giving him the inspiration to become a Hunter as well. He tells this to Kon and adds that since he may do things that animals of the forest won’t like, Kon can’t continue to be friends with a Hunter and also be king of the forest. Kon walks away from Gon to a gathering of other animals, and they all wave goodbye to him, with Gon happily running back home.^[1]

Gon returns home and speaks to his aunt. She asks if Gon always knew his father’s trade, and also tells him his father left Gon with her when he was still a baby; Gon replies being a Hunter must be an important job that family comes only second and that it’s time for him to meet his father. He is then seen preparing to board a ship heading for the Hunter Exam. Everyone in the town comes to say bye and wish him luck. Aunt Mito comes and tells him his father didn’t abandon him; she made him give up Gon through the courts. Gon says he knew because she never looks at him when she’s lying. He gets on the boat and yells back to her that he will return as a great Hunter.^[1]

Preliminary Phase

The first night on the boat, there is a huge storm that tosses about most of the would-be Hunters. After the storm, the ship’s drunkard of a Captain walks around to see only three candidates still able to move (one of them, Gon, is running back and forth trying to take care of the sea-sick). Later on, Gon is standing at the front of the boat, predicting they will be hit by another storm, this time three times the size as the previous night. The captain knows he is correct and not guessing, as he sees Ging in Gon and suspects Ging is Gon’s father. He asks and finds that he is correct. The captain shows Gon how to steer the boat, and also announces that the next storm was coming and anyone who wanted to get off should right now.^[2]

All but Gon, Kurapika, and Leorio leave. The Captain asks why they all want to be hunters. Gon answers while the other two don’t. Leorio asks why they should tell him when he just steers the ship. The Captain replies he screens applicants and it is up to him whether or not they pass. The remaining two tell him. While explaining, Kurapika annoys Leorio to the point they go out into the storm to fight. When a crew member jumps in to stop them he falls overboard and Gon jumps after him, narrowly missing falling into the ocean thanks to Kurapika and Leorio grabbing his ankles in time to pull them both back on board.^[2] When they reach land, the captain gives them a hint to head to a lone cedar tree outside of the city to find their navigators. Gon decides to go, and Kurapika decides to tag along. Leorio stays until he finds that there was another trick to weed out the weak. And he runs off to join the other two.^[3]

Later they reach a village that seems to be deserted but Gon says he can hear them and so can Kurapika. Then the whole population of the village comes out to start The Mind-Boggling Two Choice Quiz. The leader of the village asks two questions and all they can say is 1 or 2. The man who heard the clue walks in and says he’ll go first. She asks him, «Men have taken your mother and your true love captive. Who do you save?» He chooses 1 thinking that’s what she wants him to say. She says he may go. Leorio starts yelling because of the preposterous question. Kurapika tells him to be quiet, seeing Gon has heard something. She asks another impossible question, and Leorio attacks her. Kurapika blocks it, stating they passed since silence is the answer. He adds he heard the other man scream, meaning he was killed, but no one knows how.^[3]

After a short walk, the trio reach a house and find the two navigators posing as a couple being attacked by a magical beast called a Kiriko. The beast takes off with the lady, followed by Gon and Kurapika, with Leorio staying behind to take care of the man. While chasing after the creature Gon pulls ahead of Kurapika, closes in on the Kiriko, and bashes him in the head. The Kiriko drops the woman, who is caught by Kurapika. The creature still manages to get away from Gon, who continues chasing it. Soon he comes to a clearing where the creature attacks him. Gon merely greets it and asks where the one he hit went to. It is revealed that both the Kiriko and the couple are a family and the ones who would take the three to the Hunter Exam.^[4]

The next day, they arrive at a small restaurant. The disguised magical beast orders a specific meal, then the cook sends them to a special room and delivers the meal. The room is actually an elevator that starts to drop. As they make their way down, Kurapika and Leorio try to find out whether Gon is taking the test for the wealth, or for the adventure. He doesn’t answer.^[5]

Gon’s Hunter Exam begins with him getting targeted by Tonpa, the Rookie Crusher. Tonpa first introduces himself as a friend trying to help Gon. Tonpa then introduces some of the other regulars, Such as Bourbon, the snake charmer, Todo, the wrestler, The Amori Brothers, Cherry, and Geretta, the huntsman. While doing the introductions they hear a bloodcurdling scream, and they look to see a man missing his arms, courtesy of Hisoka, the magician, who maimed him simply because he bumped into him. Tonpa fills the others in on Hisoka, recalling that last year Hisoka was assessed by most as a favorite to pass and become certified. however, Hisoka was determined to have failed the exam when he injured a proctor.^[5]

Realizing Hisoka was permitted to try again for his license, those listening question whether someone as wicked as Hisoka should be allowed to become a Hunter. Tonpa shrugs and suggests that the Hunter Association is morally unbiased. Since the examiners are newly drafted every year, Hisoka’s slate would effectively be wiped clean, disregarding the fact that he had earned the prejudice of a previous administrator. Tonpa then offers Gon and the other two some juice. Gon, being the first to taste it, spits it back out saying it tastes funny, leading Kurapika and Leorio to dump theirs on the ground.^[5] Afterwards Tonpa makes a hasty apology.^[6]

First Phase

Satotz, the first examiner, begins the 287th Hunter Exam with an extremely long run down a tunnel. A kid on a skateboard ends up next to Gon, and he asks how old Gon is. Discovering that he and Gon are the same age, he decides to run too and jumps off his board. The kid introduces himself as Killua. Gon looks behind to see Leorio heavily fatigued and on the verge of dropping out of the exam. Gon and Killua pause to wait for Leorio, who then gets his second wind and runs past. After running for 80km, they come to a set of stairs and start climbing, while Satotz starts to pick up the pace.^[7]

At this point, many applicants have failed the exam, due to sheer exhaustion or succumbing to extreme mental strain. Kurapika notices that Leorio was able to continue the stair-master challenge by going topless. He decides he should follow Leorio’s example and removes some of his outer garments, possibly storing them in his shoulder-bag.^[7]

As the two-run, Kurapika brings up an earlier remark that Leorio made about wanting to become a Hunter for the sake of getting rich, stating that he doesn’t believe Leorio’s motives to be so worldly. Leorio reaffirms that he is doing it for money, but then reveals that he lost a dear friend because of his inability to pay for the medical bills. Now, he wants to become a doctor to heal the sick for free, but he lacks the funds needed to pay for medical school. Therefore, he sees a Hunter License as a sponsorship opportunity for his cause.^[7]

Leorio, in turn, asks Kurapika why he desires to become a Hunter. Kurapika recounts how his entire clan (the Kurta) were massacred by an organization of thieves known as the Phantom Troupe. Kurapika wishes to track down the Troupe and confront them to avenge his brethren, but he lacks ties to the criminal network known as the underworld in order to pursue them. He seeks to obtain a Hunter License in order to gain clearance into Mafia operations to become an inside man. Leorio remarks to take such a path may force Kurapika to become the very darkness that he detests, but Kurapika agrees that while that may be the case, he will do what it takes to carry out his mission, and he only worries that his resolve may falter when the time comes.^[7]

Meanwhile, the top of the stairs is in sight! Gon and Killua race to see who will be the first to meet Satotz outside. When they reach the finish line, Satotz states that they both crossed over simultaneously. Most of the other applicants make it to the crest of the hill, at which point Satotz addresses all those who have come so far. Satotz announces that he will continue to lead the group through the rest of the phase, but warns that the next part is extra dangerous, as they will be passing through the Milsy Wetlands (a.k.a. Swindler’s Swamp), a zone renown for endemic magical beasts who prey on humans. The entire party consents to go on.^[7]

As they attempt to follow Satotz, a thick fog envelops the participants. A number of examinees are consumed by the various species of magical beasts. Additionally, some of the applicants who appear to resent Hisoka band together and endeavor to murder him. Hisoka kills every single member of the belligerent faction gracefully and in an instant. This brief battle triggers Hisoka’s bloodlust, causing him to declare that he will serve as an examiner to see who is worthy to carry on in the exam. Leorio and Gon, though afraid, confront Hisoka, and while they are easily defeated by Hisoka’s superior combat skills, the latter proclaims that they have passed his judgment (and would be a waste to kill, as they have potential). Leorio is unconscious, so Hisoka carries him to the next phase, while Gon meets up with Kurapika.^[8]

Second Phase

The Second Phase of the exam takes place in the Visca Forest Preserve, where the examinees meet Gourmet Hunters (and proctors) Menchi and Buhara.^[9] Buhara’s test is to find the world’s most dangerous pig and bring it back to him so he can eat it. Gon and his friends complete the task easily along with 70 other applicants. However, Menchi, the second examiner, baffles the examinees when she tells them to make sushi, a traditional dish from Jappon, as none of them knows what sushi is. Menchi overreacts because of an examinee making them all fail as a result, no one passes,^[10] which requires the Chairman Netero to intervene. The test is taken to Split Mountain where examinees hunt for Spider Eagle eggs. At the end of this stage, there are 42 applicants left.^[11]

A Game at Midnight

The 42 remaining applicants board the Selection Committee’s airship, where it is revealed that their next phase of the exam will begin at 8:00 a.m. the next day. As everyone rests up for tomorrow, Gon and Killua encounter Netero who challenges them to a game; if they win, he’d issue their licenses on the spot. All they have to do is take away a ball from Netero. Killua eagerly goes first but fails. Gon then takes his turn to take the ball but he also fails.^[12] Time passes and when it seems Gon and Killua have tried every possible tactic, Netero suggests they attack together. Though they come seemingly close to it at one point, Netero rockets in between them at lightning speed and takes the ball. Killua calls it quits and ends up killing two applicants in his frustration; Gon, however, decides to play until he forces Netero to use his right hand. When he succeeds in doing so, Gon collapses in exhaustion where he is.^[13]

Third Phase

In the morning, the airship arrives at the top of Trick Tower. The 40 applicants are informed that the objective of stage 3 is to get down from the tower alive within 72 hours. The group is forced to team up with Tonpa.^[14] The first serious test is to win 3 out of 5 matches against tower prisoners. Tonpa takes the first match with a hardened-looking criminal, and promptly gives up.^[15]

Gon faces the next prisoner, a serial bomber by the name of Sedokan, in a match to see who’s candle can burn the longest.^[16] Kurapika engages in a death match with the next opponent, Majtani, but refuses to kill him after seeing red (literally) and knocking the criminal unconscious. Majtani feigns unconsciousness in an attempt to run out the clock.^[17] Leorio and the leader of the prisoners bet on whether he’s faking. Leorio holds the man above a long drop, and Majtani wakes up. He concedes the match to Kurapika, but the group loses a large chunk of their time because of the bet. Leorio goes next. His opponent is Leroute, an attractive woman. He loses ten hours in a bet. He then loses the rest of their betting hours to her.^[18]

Killua then faces Johness the Dissector, a man responsible for the murder of at least 146 people with his bare hands. Killua rips out his heart, explaining afterward that Johness is an amateur and he is a pro.^[18] The last test to get out of the tower has two paths: one is too long and the other will only allow three of the five to enter. Leorio and Tonpa start fighting to see who will stay when Gon thinks outside the box. They choose the longer path, destroy the wall between the paths with axes provided so they could fight, and all five make it out.^[19]

Fourth Phase

The Fourth Phase is a manhunt on Zevil Island, wherein the 25 remaining competitors being required to target and acquire their prey’s plate.^[20] Gon draws Hisoka, and spends much of his time strategizing.^[21] He manages to get Hisoka’s plate, but is attacked in the process by Geretta and paralyzed with a neurotoxin. Hisoka then kills Geretta, but gives Gon back his plate and then his own.^[22] Gon recovers in three days and comes across Leorio and Kurapika; he eventually helps Leorio to acquire his target’s badge.^[23]

Final Phase

The Final Phase was a tournament with each of the participants. After being selected by the judges as being the most exceptional applicants, Hanzo and Gon face off first.^[24] Gon is outmatched when it comes to combat, but his unwillingness to submit causes Hanzo to forfeit the battle—making Gon the first applicant to pass the 287th Hunter Exam.^[25] Hanzo knocks Gon out and he doesn’t awake until the exam has ended. Satotz fills in the details and explains to Gon that only two people didn’t pass the exam—Bodoro and Killua. It is revealed that Gittarackur is actually an alias for Killua’s older brother, Illumi.^[26] Killua was manipulated into murdering another contestant and subsequently failed the exam.^[27] Gon, enraged, confronts Illumi and gets Killua’s address. Gon, Kurapika, and Leorio all then depart to Killua’s home on Kukuroo Mountain.^[28]

Notable Characters

Major Fights

• Gon, Kurapika, and Leorio vs. Kiriko^[4]
• Hisoka vs. Hunter Exam applicants^[8]
• Gon and Leorio vs. Hisoka^[8]
• Kurapika vs. Majtani^[17]
• Hisoka vs. Togari^[29]
• Killua Zoldyck vs. Johness^[19]
• Gon Freecss vs. Hanzo^[24][25]
• Kurapika vs. Hisoka^[26]
• Hanzo vs. Pokkle^[26]
• Hisoka vs. Bodoro^[26]

Story Impact

• Gon’s motivation to become a Hunter and find his father after meeting Kite is established.^[1]
• Gon meets and befriends Kurapika, Leorio, and Killua.^[2][6]
• The Phantom Troupe, Kurta Clan, and Scarlet Eyes are mentioned.^[2][7]
• Gon, Kurapika, Leorio, Hisoka, Hanzo, Pokkle, and Illumi all become Hunters.^[28]

Trivia

• Among the «hidden treasures» shown in the first «opening/intro» during and exclusively in the 2011 anime adaptation of this arc, there is a golden mask with a red gemstone embedded in the forehead area, very similar and most likely a reference to the Stone Mask artifacts featured in Hirohiko Araki’s JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure Part I: Phantom Blood and Part II: Battle Tendency, particularly the one modified by Kars that can be combined with the Red Stone of Aja. The reference is reinforced with a cloud/flock of bats that fly «from» the mask, an allusion to the mask’s power to turn humans into vampires.

References

Arc Navigation

The Hunter Exam arc (ハンター試(し)験(けん)編(へん)()()()()()()(), Hantā Shiken-hen) is the first story arc of the series and follows Gon on his journey to become a Hunter and find his father. After becoming friends with Kurapika, Leorio, and Killua, Gon must endure the Hunter Exam’s deadly phases to obtain an all-important Hunter License.

Summary

Pre-Hunter Exam

Gon is first seen at his home of Whale Island, fishing for the Master of the Swamp—a fish that five grown fishermen pulling together couldn’t land. Gon made a wager with his aunt Mito that if he could catch the fish, she would allow him to take part in the Hunter Exam. After a week of work, Gon finally succeeds and his aunt signs his application. Gon proceeds to go visit his friend, a grown-up Foxbear named Kon, who Gon had raised since he was a cub. Gon then remembers meeting Kite and learning that his father is still alive, giving him the inspiration to become a Hunter as well. He tells this to Kon and adds that since he may do things that animals of the forest won’t like, Kon can’t continue to be friends with a Hunter and also be king of the forest. Kon walks away from Gon to a gathering of other animals, and they all wave goodbye to him, with Gon happily running back home.^[1]

Gon returns home and speaks to his aunt. She asks if Gon always knew his father’s trade, and also tells him his father left Gon with her when he was still a baby; Gon replies being a Hunter must be an important job that family comes only second and that it’s time for him to meet his father. He is then seen preparing to board a ship heading for the Hunter Exam. Everyone in the town comes to say bye and wish him luck. Aunt Mito comes and tells him his father didn’t abandon him; she made him give up Gon through the courts. Gon says he knew because she never looks at him when she’s lying. He gets on the boat and yells back to her that he will return as a great Hunter.^[1]

Preliminary Phase

The first night on the boat, there is a huge storm that tosses about most of the would-be Hunters. After the storm, the ship’s drunkard of a Captain walks around to see only three candidates still able to move (one of them, Gon, is running back and forth trying to take care of the sea-sick). Later on, Gon is standing at the front of the boat, predicting they will be hit by another storm, this time three times the size as the previous night. The captain knows he is correct and not guessing, as he sees Ging in Gon and suspects Ging is Gon’s father. He asks and finds that he is correct. The captain shows Gon how to steer the boat, and also announces that the next storm was coming and anyone who wanted to get off should right now.^[2]

All but Gon, Kurapika, and Leorio leave. The Captain asks why they all want to be hunters. Gon answers while the other two don’t. Leorio asks why they should tell him when he just steers the ship. The Captain replies he screens applicants and it is up to him whether or not they pass. The remaining two tell him. While explaining, Kurapika annoys Leorio to the point they go out into the storm to fight. When a crew member jumps in to stop them he falls overboard and Gon jumps after him, narrowly missing falling into the ocean thanks to Kurapika and Leorio grabbing his ankles in time to pull them both back on board.^[2] When they reach land, the captain gives them a hint to head to a lone cedar tree outside of the city to find their navigators. Gon decides to go, and Kurapika decides to tag along. Leorio stays until he finds that there was another trick to weed out the weak. And he runs off to join the other two.^[3]

Later they reach a village that seems to be deserted but Gon says he can hear them and so can Kurapika. Then the whole population of the village comes out to start The Mind-Boggling Two Choice Quiz. The leader of the village asks two questions and all they can say is 1 or 2. The man who heard the clue walks in and says he’ll go first. She asks him, «Men have taken your mother and your true love captive. Who do you save?» He chooses 1 thinking that’s what she wants him to say. She says he may go. Leorio starts yelling because of the preposterous question. Kurapika tells him to be quiet, seeing Gon has heard something. She asks another impossible question, and Leorio attacks her. Kurapika blocks it, stating they passed since silence is the answer. He adds he heard the other man scream, meaning he was killed, but no one knows how.^[3]

After a short walk, the trio reach a house and find the two navigators posing as a couple being attacked by a magical beast called a Kiriko. The beast takes off with the lady, followed by Gon and Kurapika, with Leorio staying behind to take care of the man. While chasing after the creature Gon pulls ahead of Kurapika, closes in on the Kiriko, and bashes him in the head. The Kiriko drops the woman, who is caught by Kurapika. The creature still manages to get away from Gon, who continues chasing it. Soon he comes to a clearing where the creature attacks him. Gon merely greets it and asks where the one he hit went to. It is revealed that both the Kiriko and the couple are a family and the ones who would take the three to the Hunter Exam.^[4]

The next day, they arrive at a small restaurant. The disguised magical beast orders a specific meal, then the cook sends them to a special room and delivers the meal. The room is actually an elevator that starts to drop. As they make their way down, Kurapika and Leorio try to find out whether Gon is taking the test for the wealth, or for the adventure. He doesn’t answer.^[5]

Gon’s Hunter Exam begins with him getting targeted by Tonpa, the Rookie Crusher. Tonpa first introduces himself as a friend trying to help Gon. Tonpa then introduces some of the other regulars, Such as Bourbon, the snake charmer, Todo, the wrestler, The Amori Brothers, Cherry, and Geretta, the huntsman. While doing the introductions they hear a bloodcurdling scream, and they look to see a man missing his arms, courtesy of Hisoka, the magician, who maimed him simply because he bumped into him. Tonpa fills the others in on Hisoka, recalling that last year Hisoka was assessed by most as a favorite to pass and become certified. however, Hisoka was determined to have failed the exam when he injured a proctor.^[5]

Realizing Hisoka was permitted to try again for his license, those listening question whether someone as wicked as Hisoka should be allowed to become a Hunter. Tonpa shrugs and suggests that the Hunter Association is morally unbiased. Since the examiners are newly drafted every year, Hisoka’s slate would effectively be wiped clean, disregarding the fact that he had earned the prejudice of a previous administrator. Tonpa then offers Gon and the other two some juice. Gon, being the first to taste it, spits it back out saying it tastes funny, leading Kurapika and Leorio to dump theirs on the ground.^[5] Afterwards Tonpa makes a hasty apology.^[6]

First Phase

Satotz, the first examiner, begins the 287th Hunter Exam with an extremely long run down a tunnel. A kid on a skateboard ends up next to Gon, and he asks how old Gon is. Discovering that he and Gon are the same age, he decides to run too and jumps off his board. The kid introduces himself as Killua. Gon looks behind to see Leorio heavily fatigued and on the verge of dropping out of the exam. Gon and Killua pause to wait for Leorio, who then gets his second wind and runs past. After running for 80km, they come to a set of stairs and start climbing, while Satotz starts to pick up the pace.^[7]

At this point, many applicants have failed the exam, due to sheer exhaustion or succumbing to extreme mental strain. Kurapika notices that Leorio was able to continue the stair-master challenge by going topless. He decides he should follow Leorio’s example and removes some of his outer garments, possibly storing them in his shoulder-bag.^[7]

As the two-run, Kurapika brings up an earlier remark that Leorio made about wanting to become a Hunter for the sake of getting rich, stating that he doesn’t believe Leorio’s motives to be so worldly. Leorio reaffirms that he is doing it for money, but then reveals that he lost a dear friend because of his inability to pay for the medical bills. Now, he wants to become a doctor to heal the sick for free, but he lacks the funds needed to pay for medical school. Therefore, he sees a Hunter License as a sponsorship opportunity for his cause.^[7]

Leorio, in turn, asks Kurapika why he desires to become a Hunter. Kurapika recounts how his entire clan (the Kurta) were massacred by an organization of thieves known as the Phantom Troupe. Kurapika wishes to track down the Troupe and confront them to avenge his brethren, but he lacks ties to the criminal network known as the underworld in order to pursue them. He seeks to obtain a Hunter License in order to gain clearance into Mafia operations to become an inside man. Leorio remarks to take such a path may force Kurapika to become the very darkness that he detests, but Kurapika agrees that while that may be the case, he will do what it takes to carry out his mission, and he only worries that his resolve may falter when the time comes.^[7]

Meanwhile, the top of the stairs is in sight! Gon and Killua race to see who will be the first to meet Satotz outside. When they reach the finish line, Satotz states that they both crossed over simultaneously. Most of the other applicants make it to the crest of the hill, at which point Satotz addresses all those who have come so far. Satotz announces that he will continue to lead the group through the rest of the phase, but warns that the next part is extra dangerous, as they will be passing through the Milsy Wetlands (a.k.a. Swindler’s Swamp), a zone renown for endemic magical beasts who prey on humans. The entire party consents to go on.^[7]

As they attempt to follow Satotz, a thick fog envelops the participants. A number of examinees are consumed by the various species of magical beasts. Additionally, some of the applicants who appear to resent Hisoka band together and endeavor to murder him. Hisoka kills every single member of the belligerent faction gracefully and in an instant. This brief battle triggers Hisoka’s bloodlust, causing him to declare that he will serve as an examiner to see who is worthy to carry on in the exam. Leorio and Gon, though afraid, confront Hisoka, and while they are easily defeated by Hisoka’s superior combat skills, the latter proclaims that they have passed his judgment (and would be a waste to kill, as they have potential). Leorio is unconscious, so Hisoka carries him to the next phase, while Gon meets up with Kurapika.^[8]

Second Phase

The Second Phase of the exam takes place in the Visca Forest Preserve, where the examinees meet Gourmet Hunters (and proctors) Menchi and Buhara.^[9] Buhara’s test is to find the world’s most dangerous pig and bring it back to him so he can eat it. Gon and his friends complete the task easily along with 70 other applicants. However, Menchi, the second examiner, baffles the examinees when she tells them to make sushi, a traditional dish from Jappon, as none of them knows what sushi is. Menchi overreacts because of an examinee making them all fail as a result, no one passes,^[10] which requires the Chairman Netero to intervene. The test is taken to Split Mountain where examinees hunt for Spider Eagle eggs. At the end of this stage, there are 42 applicants left.^[11]

A Game at Midnight

The 42 remaining applicants board the Selection Committee’s airship, where it is revealed that their next phase of the exam will begin at 8:00 a.m. the next day. As everyone rests up for tomorrow, Gon and Killua encounter Netero who challenges them to a game; if they win, he’d issue their licenses on the spot. All they have to do is take away a ball from Netero. Killua eagerly goes first but fails. Gon then takes his turn to take the ball but he also fails.^[12] Time passes and when it seems Gon and Killua have tried every possible tactic, Netero suggests they attack together. Though they come seemingly close to it at one point, Netero rockets in between them at lightning speed and takes the ball. Killua calls it quits and ends up killing two applicants in his frustration; Gon, however, decides to play until he forces Netero to use his right hand. When he succeeds in doing so, Gon collapses in exhaustion where he is.^[13]

Third Phase

In the morning, the airship arrives at the top of Trick Tower. The 40 applicants are informed that the objective of stage 3 is to get down from the tower alive within 72 hours. The group is forced to team up with Tonpa.^[14] The first serious test is to win 3 out of 5 matches against tower prisoners. Tonpa takes the first match with a hardened-looking criminal, and promptly gives up.^[15]

Gon faces the next prisoner, a serial bomber by the name of Sedokan, in a match to see who’s candle can burn the longest.^[16] Kurapika engages in a death match with the next opponent, Majtani, but refuses to kill him after seeing red (literally) and knocking the criminal unconscious. Majtani feigns unconsciousness in an attempt to run out the clock.^[17] Leorio and the leader of the prisoners bet on whether he’s faking. Leorio holds the man above a long drop, and Majtani wakes up. He concedes the match to Kurapika, but the group loses a large chunk of their time because of the bet. Leorio goes next. His opponent is Leroute, an attractive woman. He loses ten hours in a bet. He then loses the rest of their betting hours to her.^[18]

Killua then faces Johness the Dissector, a man responsible for the murder of at least 146 people with his bare hands. Killua rips out his heart, explaining afterward that Johness is an amateur and he is a pro.^[18] The last test to get out of the tower has two paths: one is too long and the other will only allow three of the five to enter. Leorio and Tonpa start fighting to see who will stay when Gon thinks outside the box. They choose the longer path, destroy the wall between the paths with axes provided so they could fight, and all five make it out.^[19]

Fourth Phase

The Fourth Phase is a manhunt on Zevil Island, wherein the 25 remaining competitors being required to target and acquire their prey’s plate.^[20] Gon draws Hisoka, and spends much of his time strategizing.^[21] He manages to get Hisoka’s plate, but is attacked in the process by Geretta and paralyzed with a neurotoxin. Hisoka then kills Geretta, but gives Gon back his plate and then his own.^[22] Gon recovers in three days and comes across Leorio and Kurapika; he eventually helps Leorio to acquire his target’s badge.^[23]

Final Phase

The Final Phase was a tournament with each of the participants. After being selected by the judges as being the most exceptional applicants, Hanzo and Gon face off first.^[24] Gon is outmatched when it comes to combat, but his unwillingness to submit causes Hanzo to forfeit the battle—making Gon the first applicant to pass the 287th Hunter Exam.^[25] Hanzo knocks Gon out and he doesn’t awake until the exam has ended. Satotz fills in the details and explains to Gon that only two people didn’t pass the exam—Bodoro and Killua. It is revealed that Gittarackur is actually an alias for Killua’s older brother, Illumi.^[26] Killua was manipulated into murdering another contestant and subsequently failed the exam.^[27] Gon, enraged, confronts Illumi and gets Killua’s address. Gon, Kurapika, and Leorio all then depart to Killua’s home on Kukuroo Mountain.^[28]

Notable Characters

Major Fights

• Gon, Kurapika, and Leorio vs. Kiriko^[4]
• Hisoka vs. Hunter Exam applicants^[8]
• Gon and Leorio vs. Hisoka^[8]
• Kurapika vs. Majtani^[17]
• Hisoka vs. Togari^[29]
• Killua Zoldyck vs. Johness^[19]
• Gon Freecss vs. Hanzo^[24][25]
• Kurapika vs. Hisoka^[26]
• Hanzo vs. Pokkle^[26]
• Hisoka vs. Bodoro^[26]

Story Impact

• Gon’s motivation to become a Hunter and find his father after meeting Kite is established.^[1]
• Gon meets and befriends Kurapika, Leorio, and Killua.^[2][6]
• The Phantom Troupe, Kurta Clan, and Scarlet Eyes are mentioned.^[2][7]
• Gon, Kurapika, Leorio, Hisoka, Hanzo, Pokkle, and Illumi all become Hunters.^[28]

Trivia

• Among the «hidden treasures» shown in the first «opening/intro» during and exclusively in the 2011 anime adaptation of this arc, there is a golden mask with a red gemstone embedded in the forehead area, very similar and most likely a reference to the Stone Mask artifacts featured in Hirohiko Araki’s JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure Part I: Phantom Blood and Part II: Battle Tendency, particularly the one modified by Kars that can be combined with the Red Stone of Aja. The reference is reinforced with a cloud/flock of bats that fly «from» the mask, an allusion to the mask’s power to turn humans into vampires.

References

Arc Navigation

Здравствуйте, дорогие друзья. Сегодня я вам расскажу про такое события, как Экзамен на Хантера. Вы наверное знаете, что это за событие. И скорее всего вы наверное слышали, что пройти его способны лучшие из лучших. Итак, сейчас я расскажу все что вам нужно знать про это событие в нашем сообществе.

Первое, что вам нужно знать — это то, что экзамен проходит раз в месяц, в режиме реального времени. Экзамен разделен на 3 этапа, не включая 4. Четвертый этап создан для того, чтобы проверить насколько хорошо прошедшие участники умеют ролить. Четвертый этап -это просто сражение 1 на 1 между участниками.

Второе, что вам нужно знать-это то, что экзамен будет длиться 4 дня. На этом я рассказал все самое важное. Теперь я расскажу вам про этапы экзамена.

Первый Этап.

Чтобы пройти первый этап. Вам нужно иметь 1000 Ньютон. Этап будет состоять из марафона. О дистанции которого никто не знает.

P. S. Посты на подобии «Бежит » Не принимаются. Нужно чательно рассписать то как вы бегите. Например:

Неспешно передвигаюсь, следя за скоростью ведущего. Шел 12 километр, парень начал чувствовать легкую слабость и текущий пот по спине. Ведущий ускорил темп бега.

«-Черт становится тяжелее «

Ну, что-то в таком духе.

Второй этап.

Второй этап будет состоять из прогулки в темном лесу ,в котором вы должны обострить все свои чувства. И не потеряться а идти за ведущим. Опять же посты на подобии «идет в темноте за экзаменатором» Не считаются.

Третий этап

На третьем этапе вы должны сразиться с дикими животными. Чтобы пройти этот этап нужно иметь 1,500 Ньютон. Напоминаю посты на подобии «побил волка » Не принимаются.

Hunter x Hunter: эпизодические персонажи

                                    
                                          
Все зашли в спортзал, который был похож на комнату космонавтов. Он был весь белого цвета и с одним окном, точно как в психушке. 
                          
- Ваша задача очень проста! Вам нужно всего лишь отнять у меня мяч. - сказал председатель и улыбнулся, словно насмехаясь над ребятами.
                          
- Слыш, дедок! А за слова то нужно отвечать... - засунув руки в карманы проговорила Т/И. 
                          
- Я первый! - сказал Киллуа. Он снял с себя футболку, оставшись в водолазке и кинул прямо Т/И в лицо. 
                          
- Килл, я убью тебя! - крикнула она, но ответа не последовало. Киллуа лишь усмехнулся и сосредоточился. Дальше он выполнил эхо ритма, но его попытка прошла неудачно, хоть Нетеро и удивился. Золдик перешёл в рукопашную, а председателю хоть бы хны. Затем Килл хотел сделать выпад, тем самым сломать ногу Нетеро, но через пару секунд, когда выполнил задуманное, то Золдик взялся за свою ногу и начал прыгать по залу на здоровой ноге. 
                          
- Ай! Ай! Ай! Она, будто из железа сделана! - жаловался Киллуа, а председатель лишь хихикнул. Он уже достал! 
                          
- Теперь я! - крикнула Т/И и вышла навстречу к Нетеро, перед этим сняв кофту и тоже оставшись в одной водолазке. 
                          
- И что же ты умеешь? - спросил председатель. 
                          
- Настоящий хищник не говорит добыче, когда будет нападать. Вот и я не буду. - сказала Т/И и хитро улыбнулась. 
                          
- Хм... Так я добыча? Интересненько! - радостно воскликнул Нетеро. 
                          
Т/И высвободила нэн и хрен знает откуда к ней начали сползаться змейки. Гон и Киллуа были удивлены, ведь не видели этой способности. Вдруг, с огромной скоростью змейки начали летать от одной стенки в другую, пытаясь задеть мяч. Т/И тоже начала попытки захвата мяча, но ничего не получалось, ибо Нетеро силен, а использовать свою полную силу она не хотела. К слову, сейчас Т/И использует около двух процентов своей силы. Прошло уже пять минут и Т/И уже наскучала эта игра в догонялки. Она остановилась и прекратила использовать нэн, отчего змейки просто испарились. Дальше нападал Гон, а когда и у него ничего не получилось, то все нападали вместе. 
                          
- Я пас. - спокойно сказала Т/И и направилась к выходу, перед этим взяв кофту. 
                          
- Что, уже сдалась? - с насмешкой спросил Нетеро. 
                          
- Умеешь же ты выбешивать людей, старик! - сказала Т/И. 
                          
- Я тоже пойду. - спокойно произнёс Киллуа. 
                          
- А я останусь! Думаю, если постараться, то что-то да выйдет! - радостно крикнул Гон. 
                          
- Гон, ты не исправим! Мы втроём не смогли забрать мяч! К тому же старик использовал только правую руку и левую ногу! - злобно крикнул Киллуа, указав пальцем на председателя. 
                          
- О! Так вы заметили! - с гордостью произнёс Нетеро. 
                          
- Неправда! - возразила Т/И, отчего все взгляды были направлены на неё. 
                          
- Почему это!? - возмущённо крикнул председатель. 
                          
- Когда мои змеи нападали, то я видела, как большой палец вашей ноги коснулся пола! Так что не польщайся, старикан! - крикнула Т/И и показала ему язык. 
                          
Т/И и Киллуа ушли из спортзала, оставив Гона наедине с этим зазнайкой. Т/И всю дорогу бормотала себе под нос всякие проклятия про этого старика, пока Киллуа не выдержал. 
                          
- Т/И! Харош бухтеть, как бабка старая! Достала! - крикнул он, находясь в очень раздражённом положении. 
                          
- Не ори на меня! Достал! - крикнула она. Они шли по коридору и какой-то парень сделал вид, будто Т/И задела его. 
                          
- Эй, малявка! Раз задеваешь, то извинись! Иначе... - не успел он договорить, как у него и его друга отваливаются головы, а тела падают на землю. Т/И стояла с окровавленной рукой. Её красные глаза сияли, смотря на эту прекрасную картину. В её мире за такое уже посадили бы за решётку, а тут хоть бы хны.
                          
- Я сам хотел! Вечно ты всё портишь! - крикнул Киллуа, бросая злые взгляды на Т/И. 
                          
- Тоже мне, подумаешь! Хм... Я то думала, что мы друзья... - опустив голову сказала Т/И, не переставая улыбаться. 
                          
- Я... Я... - начал мямлить Килл, но Т/И уже скрылась за поворотом. 
                          
Т/И зашла в какую-то комнату и увидела там спящих кандидатов, там же были и Курапика с Леорио. Она нашла пустой уголок и тоже решила вздремнуть до утра... 
                          
Продолжение следует... 
                          
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
                          
«Умеешь ты людей доводить...»
                          
                            

                                
                            
                              
                                  
                              
                              
                                
                                  
                                  
                                
                              
                             
                            
                            
                          
                          
                                  

Nippon TV

«Hunter x Hunter» is one of the big-name Shonen Jump titles, included among the ranks of «Naruto,» Bleach,» and «One Piece.» The show follows a group of elite human beings known as hunters who travel the world uncovering treasures, searching for mysteries, and developing their super-human skills and knowledge. Essentially above the law, hunters need no visas to travel and receive no punishment for crimes such as killing, making the profession attractive to various groups of people.

The first arc of the anime follows the protagonist Gon Freecss as he takes on the Hunter Association’s exam to earn a hunter license. As the exam takes 20 «Hunter x Hunter» episodes to complete, it’s neither straightforward nor easy, and viewers have a lot of opinions on which phase is the best. Using the wealth of opinions available on Reddit, we’ve put together a very unofficial ranking of the Hunter Exam phases — by all means, have a read and see if you agree with us.

8. Second Phase: Cooking

Nippon TV

First up on this list is the second phase of the Hunter Exam, led by the two gourmet hunters Menchi and Buhara. This section of the exam is a bit of a mess for both the examinees and the viewers — some stuck-up foodies come along, demand a roast pig, and then fail every single applicant. This causes an understandable amount of protest from the examinees since none of them are interested in becoming gourmet hunters and don’t believe they should be tested on anything related to cooking.

The Hunter Association Chairman Isaac Netero eventually swoops in to clear the situation up and propose a new test, but most of the applicants remain on edge. Thanks to the mess up, we get to see Chairman Netero for the first time and get a little peek into how chaotic the Hunter Association can get, but the phase still lacks in action and excitement.

One difference between the anime and the manga versions of this phase is that in the manga, Menchi asks for a sushi dish. She says it’s a dish that comes from the land of Jappon, but only Hanzo — a native of that country — knows what she is talking about. Speaking of Japanese foods, Menchi’s name also refers to a Japanese dish called Menchi-katsu, a deep-fried minced meat cutlet. Buhara’s name, on the other hand, may just be nonsense but we did notice that it contains the word for stomach — hara — which is a little on the nose.

7. Fifth phase: Fighting Tournament

Nippon TV

Next up, we’ve chosen the final phase of the Hunter Exam — the combat tournament. Some fans find this stage a little anticlimactic because none of the main characters really dominate, and Gon is even unconscious for the drama that goes down. Not to mention the fact that Killua kills a contestant and fails the exam, which can be quite a shock for first-time viewers.

During the tournament, Gon goes up against Hanzo, the Japponese ninja. Like all of the Jappon natives in the show, Hanzo is named after a famous figure in Japanese history — in this case, Hattrori Hanzo, also known as the world’s greatest ninja. Another example from later on in the show is Basho, named after world-famous Haiku poet Matsuo Bashō.

While Gon shows off his determination and unbending positivity during the match, his win is only earned when Hanzo surrenders the match to avoid injuring Gon too gravely. When Gon tries to protest against this, Hanzo simply knocks him unconscious, and he stays that way until the exam is over.

The real drama of this phase is when Gittarackur reveals himself as Killua’s elder brother and seemingly manipulates him into killing Bodoro. While killing other applicants doesn’t always result in disqualification, in Killua’s case he interrupts a fight that isn’t his and attacks unprovoked and from behind. The suspicious circumstances around the incident cause Gon to chase after Killua to find out what really happened, leading to the second arc of the show

6. Preliminary phase: Finding the Exam Venue

Nippon TV

Considering the exploratory nature of the hunter profession, it’s not surprising that finding the exam venue is a test in and of itself. Gon, Leorio, and Kurapika all meet by chance on their way to the exam, and their interactions with each other and the captain of the ship help them pass the very first stage.

Another challenge comes in the form of a nonsensical riddle with no right answer. It’s one of those classic anime moments where both the problem and the solution are kind of dumb but, according to the world of the show, the characters are special and smart for figuring it all out. It’s the sort of thing a viewer without a sense of humor might complain about, but we don’t think even the most self-serious anime fan would object to random squawking crow that emerges during this preliminary phase.

The final part of the preliminary exam tests the observational and analytical skills of the contestants to see if they’ll come to their own conclusions or simply believe what they are told. A family of shape-shifting Kiriko delivers this challenge. In Japanese, the name Kiriko (凶狸狐) uses the characters for tanuki and kitsune, two yōkai that are famed for shape-shifting and playing tricks on humans.

Gon is the star of this challenge, using his animal instincts to identify the identical Kiriko from each other and figure out the ruse. The Kiriko are extremely impressed that he was able to tell them apart, which suggests that doing so is not the standard way to pass this section of the exam, though we don’t know how other contestants got through.

5. Killua’s second Hunter Exam: badge fight

Nippon TV

During the Greed Island arc of the anime, Killua returns for a second attempt at the Hunter Exam with a lot more skill and experience under his belt. The whole affair doesn’t last quite long enough to get its own arc this time, though, since Killua cuts through all of the 1,488 other applicants in the first stage of the exam, becoming the only successful candidate for that year. He even mercilessly knocks down Zepile, the antiques trader who helped him and Gon raise money for the Yorknew City auction some time ago.

The whole scene is done within three minutes, but the fans will take any opportunity to watch Killua show off his incredible skills. The fact that he simply knocks out each candidate shows growth in his judgment and restraint and how much he has succeeded in distancing himself from his assassin upbringing. However, we do wonder whether he would still have passed if there had been some death involved. 

Learning not to kill might be a sign of progression for Killua as a character, but hunters are legally allowed to kill, after all. If Hisoka was around, he probably would have killed them all, and maybe even the examiner as well if he chose to protest.

4. Third phase: Trick Tower

Nippon TV

After the mess with gourmet hunters, the examinees are allowed a night’s rest on a blimp on their way to the third phase of the exam. When they arrive, the blimp drops them on top of a hugely tall tower and the next challenge begins. There are pluses and minuses to this phase of the exam. The teamwork (or lack thereof) between Gon, Killua, Kurapika, Leorio, and Tonpa can be entertaining, but there’s also a discernable lack of action.

For example, the contest between the main characters and the inmates of the Trick Tower prison seems like an obvious opportunity for forces of mindless brutality going up against quick and cunning style combat — instead, we get a battle to see who can burn a candle for the longest. The most shocking part of this phase is when Killua kills Johness the Dissector by ripping his heart from his chest. The audience has already seen Killua kill by this point, but his friends haven’t. Gon barely bats an eyelid since he already knows that Killua comes from a family of assassins and nothing seems to faze him anyway, but Leorio is clearly freaked out by the ordeal.

This phase ends on a much lighter note, though, when Gon turns the last challenge on its head and makes sure all of his friends pass to the next stage. There are two possible routes for the group to choose from — a long and difficult route that allows all five examinees to enter, or a short and easy route that only allows three. Gon cheats the test by simply choosing the long route and then destroying the wall to gain access to the short route.

3. First phase: Endless Run

Nippon TV

The first phase of the Hunter Exam is a fan favorite largely due to the mustachioed examiner Satotz. He’s a dapper fellow with a nice suit, a nice mustache, seemingly no mouth, and a very quirky style of running. Without any explanation, he simply challenges the applicants to follow after him and begins a very, very, very long run through an exceedingly lengthy tunnel. Another reason behind the popularity of this phase is Killua’s introduction to the show. He starts the run by coasting along his skateboard but decides to run properly when his boyish competitive spirit is ignited by Gon. The two run ahead of all the other applicants and, according to Satotz, end up crossing the finish line at the exact same time.

Meanwhile, Kurapika and Leorio develop their friendship by discussing their motivations for taking the exam. This topic already came up on the ship where they first met, but now the two trust each other enough to come clean and be honest. There’s also a second stage to Satotz’s challenge — to continue to follow him through the Swindler’s Swamp where dangerous man-faced apes appear as humans to try and trick their prey. When a group of applicants decide to take on Hisoka and stop him from taking the exam again, he mercilessly kills each one in front of Kurapika and Leorio — yet another reason for this phase’s popularity.

2. Fourth phase: Zevil Island

Nippon TV

By the fourth stage of the exam, there are 24 candidates left in play. This stage is often seen as the main test in the exam since everyone has the time and space to play to their own strengths and have a fair shot at passing. The group is taken to Zevil Island, where they are pitted against each other in a kind of battle royale that starts with each candidate drawing a badge number belonging to a different applicant.

Of course, Gon ends up with Hisoka as his target and has to spend hours hiding, tailing, and scheming to try and get a badge from him. Unfortunately, Hisoka is currently leagues ahead of Gon in just about every way and Gon isn’t able to do much more than pique his interest. Luckily, this is enough to stop Hisoka from killing him, and even let him keep his badge. Poor Gon is embarrassed by the whole experience and vows to return the badge when he’s strong enough to finally take on Hisoka as an equal.

This relationship, or rivalry, is rife with creepiness and dangerous undertones, making it both loved and hated by fans. Anime viewers tend to have a thing for liking the evil guys, and anime itself has a thing for making the evil guys cool or relatable, but it’s entirely possible that Hisoka crosses far too many lines that are better left uncrossed.

1. Secret phase: Mastering Nen

Nippon TV

Although it seems like the Hunter Exam ends when Gon, Kurapika, and Leorio receive their hunter licenses, some candidates actually still have one test left to pass. The real power of a hunter is not the license they carry, but their mastery of a certain secret art — Nen. Not unlike chakra in «Naruto,» Nen abilities are developed by the user and fueled by their own life force. The Japanese character for Nen has multiple meanings, including idea, thought, and feeling. While it is necessary for every hunter to be a Nen-user, the existence of Nen is not publicly known and not everyone is capable of mastering it, so it’s a secret phase of the exam.

Killua and Gon end up learning Nen from a man named Wing who they meet in Heavens Arena, where they begin to develop their skills in order to catch up to Hisoka and challenge him in battle. Although Killua doesn’t pass the Hunter Exam, he is still permitted to learn Nen alongside Gon, though neither of them know at the time that Wing is associated with the exam board.

Kurapika learns Nen from a random guy he meets in the woods and develops a much more extreme set of abilities than his friends. To take on the killers of his clan, he creates vows and limitations for his powers that increase their strength and dangers involved in using them. Meanwhile, Leorio focuses on his medical education and only learns the very basics of Nen.

Nen is one of the most interesting elements of the «Hunter x Hunter» world, and the main focus of pretty much every arc that comes after the initial Hunter Exam, so it’s both surprising and exciting to learn about it more than 30 episodes into the show.

Honorable mention: A Game at Midnight

Nippon TV

It’s not technically a phase in the exam, but a fan favorite moment of the Hunter Exam arc is the game between Gon, Killua, and the Hunter Association Chairman Netero. If they win, he agrees to give them hunter licenses straight away — all they have to do is take a ball from him.

The differences in personality between the two boys is highlighted here when Gon faces the challenge with delight and persistence, while Killua gets frustrated and gives up. When it becomes clear that taking the ball isn’t a plausible goal, Gon decides to aim for something a little easier — forcing Netero to at least use both hands to defend himself. Killua decides to excuse himself instead and kills two argumentative candidates on his way back to vent his frustration.

The game provides viewers with a chance to see the kind of power and skill top hunters really have. We know that Hisoka is powerful too, but since he just kills pretty much everyone he fights in a split-second, we don’t see a lot of his skill at this stage in the show.