Hunter x Hunter is a powerhouse of shōnen anime. Created by famous mangaka Yoshihiro Togashi, Hunter x Hunter tells the story of Gon Freecs as he progresses from a bright-eyed boy to a mature young man. He starts the series as a simple boy who lives in a small town far from the rest of the world. He dreams not only of exploring the world around him, but also of finding his father, the mysterious and enigmatic Ging Freecss. He finally leaves his island and embarks on the adventure of a lifetime.
During his travels, Gon is forced to grow up quickly. Fortunately, he was surrounded by a group of trusted friends who had his best interests in mind. No matter what the boy went through, he was able to keep his head on straight and try his best to find the right solution for everyone except Pitou. Gon ends the series maturing more than mostseeing his father for who he really is and setting his own goal for the future.
Gon started Hunter x Hunter as a wide-eyed, naive boy
Gon’s journey is one of the main stories in Hunter x Hunter
Like most shōnen protagonists, Gon started out Hunter x Hunter like a naive boy who didn’t know much about the world around him. He lived his entire life on Ilha da Baleia, a small fishing village with no connection to anything substantial. He knows nothing about the world outside his village, but he has an unusual curiosity and a desire to explore. Gon’s childhood on Whale Island is adorable. He is a small town boy and everyone in his village loves him. He spends most of his time running, fishing and hanging out with local animals.
When he meets a mysterious man named Kite while protecting a Foxbear cub, Gon discovers the truth about his father. He finds out that his father, Ging, who is certainly not among the best parents in anime, is not around because he would rather be a Hunter than his father, which makes Gon think that being a hunter must be very important. He decides to leave his small island to take the Hunter Exam. After making a deal with his caretaker/mother Mito, he decides to take the test.
Gon went through a lot with his friends in Hunter x Hunter
The Hunter exam created a strong group of friends
After leaving Whale Island, Gon is immediately thrown into a whole new world. He boards a ship where he meets his future friends Leorio and Kurapika, who are also on their way to take the Hunter Exam. The day after leaving the island, he is faced with a series of problems that he does his best to solve. In the Hunter Exam, Gon meets a wide variety of interesting characters. He meets people who try to poison him, people who try to trick him, and eventually your best friend in the world, Killua.
The pair get along surprisingly well, as they are two of the craziest kids in anime. When Killua stabs a man in the chest, ripping out his heart in the blink of an eye, Gon isn’t even shocked. Perhaps he is already adjusted to the outside world, or Maybe he’s always been troubledbut either way, Gon is getting used to his new surroundings much faster than most. This highlights Gon’s unique moral sets that allow him to stand out against a plethora of similar shonen protagonists.
Gon finally found his dark side because of Kite and Pitou
A turning point for the hero
Gon shows a new one, incredibly dark side of his personality in a fight against the Chimera Ant Royal Guard, Neferpitou. Gon’s mentor and his father’s student, Kite, was a positive influence in Gon’s life, although he was only in it for a brief period. Kite met Gon when he was a child and was the first to reveal that Ging was actually alive. Kite was very important to Gon, and his death at the hands of Neferpitou shook the boy deeply. In a fight against Neferpitiou, Gon and Killua fled, while Kite stayed behind and sacrificed himself for his two children.
When Gon discovers that Kite is dead, he decides to revive his former master or kill Pitou in revenge. It’s a decision completely out of character for Gon, as he usually lets his enemies live without killing them. Upon encountering Pitou, he even threatened to kill the innocent Komugi if Pitou didn’t do what he wanted. It’s the darker side of Gon’s character that technically makes sense within the confines of the series. Gon has never been afraid of death and isn’t too shaken when people around him die, but he couldn’t help but hate Pitou deeply.
When Pitou tells Gon that she cannot cure Kite, Gon loses control. He decides to sacrifice his entire future by burning his Nen if it means killing Pitou. He grows in size, his hair becomes longer than his entire body, and his muscles burst through his clothes. Essentially, Gon achieved his future potential in the present by sacrificing his future. The look in his eyes is murderous, and even Royal Guard Neferpitou can’t help but feel afraid. They have one of the best fights in Hunter x Hunter, and it’s barely a fight. Gon starts beating Pitou to the bone, punching her through the forest without thinking. He is so much stronger than Pitou that she is genuinely grateful that Gon is taking his anger out on her and not the Chimera Ant King, Meruem.
Gon left Hunter x Hunter as a mature young man
Gon’s status in the series is still unclear
After Gon kills Pitou, he is bedridden and kept alive on life support. Since Nen is a person’s life energy, burning it essentially consumed Gon’s life. This was the cost he had to pay for his revenge. However, Killua does not give up on his friend so easily and rescues his sister Alluka, who is held prisoner by her family due to her incredibly powerful but dangerous wish-granting powers. Unknown to the Zoldyks, Killua can use Alluka’s powers without facing consequences, and he does so to save Gon.
Afterwards, Gon, Killua, and Alluka make one last trip to the World Tree, where Gon knows he will find Ging. Gon still lost his Nen and will have to train from the beginning to acquire it again. Killua decides to go on a trip to show Alluka the world while protecting her from her family, so the two friends say an emotional goodbye before Gon climbs to the top of the tree, where he finds Ging waiting.
When Gon finally finds his father, he sees Ging for who he really is. He later reveals that he never gave much importance to Ging and instead of wanting to get to know him, he simply wanted to find him, thus showing the true adventurous spirit of a Hunter. The two have a good conversation where Ging reveals that he is an adventurer at heart and encourages Gon to do whatever he wants. It’s a big moment for Gon because not only does he finally meet his father, but he also accomplishes his goal and moves on with the rest of his life.
Although the ending of the anime, or the following chapters of the manga that have not yet been adapted, do not reveal much about Gon’s future intentions, it does show that he has achieved his previous goal. After finally meeting his father, exploring the world, and gaining some of the best friends he could ever ask for, Gon fulfilled a great character arc. As the series progressed with Kurapika as the protagonist of the Succession Contest arc, Hunter x Hunter owes much of its success Gon’s incredible character arc.