Hunter x Hunter Doesn’t Need Gon or Killua (& It Never Did)

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Yoshihiro Togashi’s second manga series, *Hunter x Hunter*, actually became much more popular than his first, which is remarkable because *Yu Yu Hakusho* helped define the shonen anime we know today. *Hunter x Hunter* started in 1998, and as of December 9, 2024, the latest chapter is 410. However, the manga has been frequently paused, slowing down its development, particularly in the last ten years. The anime adaptation ended in 2014, finishing two story arcs before the manga reached its current point.

The anime ended with Gon and Killua parting ways. Killua intends to travel the world with his sister Alluka, while Gon goes back to his home on Whale Island. Throughout the series, Gon and Killua have often been off-screen, taking a backseat to other storylines. Many fans are also concerned that Gon hasn’t regained his Nen abilities after 71 chapters. Despite this, *Hunter x Hunter* has continued without major issues, leading viewers to question if Gon and Killua will ever reappear in the story.

Gon & Killua Are Often Sidelined in Hunter x Hunter

The story of *Hunter x Hunter* starts with Gon Freecss, who is a classic shonen hero – he’s passionate, determined, and quickly becomes one of the series’ strongest characters. While traveling to take the Hunter Exam, Gon meets Leorio and Kurapika, and they join him on his journey as close companions. He soon befriends Killua, and the two become particularly close due to their similar ages. Even after Leorio and Kurapika go their separate ways, Gon and Killua remain inseparable.

After Killua was introduced as a significant character, many fans started seeing both him and Gon as the main heroes of *Hunter x Hunter*. The anime featured a storyline where Gon, Leorio, and Kurapika worked together to free Killua from his family, which showed both how powerful the Zoldycks are and how close the friends had become. Later, Killua helped Gon get to Heavens Arena, where they battled their way up to the 200th floor of the 251-story building. However, the story began to focus less on Gon and Killua when it moved to the Yorknew City arc. While both remained important, the narrative centered more on Kurapika and his determined quest for revenge against the Phantom Troupe.

After everything with Chrollo and the Phantom Troupe wrapped up, Kurapika stepped back for a while, and honestly, the story really shifted back to Gon and Killua. The Greed Island arc was *all* about their adventures in that incredible video game, and it was awesome to watch them grow stronger under Biscuit Krueger’s training – she really pushed them to become the powerful Nen users we knew they could be! There were some interesting things happening with the Phantom Troupe during that time too, trying to get Chrollo back, but it felt a bit separate from Gon and Killua’s journey. But then the Chimera Ant arc happened, and it became clear that, as much as we love them, Gon and Killua were often taking a backseat to the bigger events unfolding around them in *Hunter x Hunter*.

The Chimera Ant arc of *Hunter x Hunter* didn’t actually *need* Gon or Killua to resolve the conflict. They weren’t strong enough to fight the King himself and spent most of their time battling the powerful members of the Royal Guard. Many episodes focused on other characters and the Chimera Ants themselves, and the epic fight between Netero and Meruem happened entirely without their involvement. Even Meruem’s defeat wasn’t directly caused by Gon or Killua. While Gon did defeat Neferpitou in his adult form, he was largely ineffective otherwise. Even if Gon hadn’t succeeded against Pitou, they likely wouldn’t have continued fighting after Meruem died, potentially opening the way for other Hunters to finish them off.

During the short Hunter Chairman Election arc, Gon spends almost the entire time unconscious, which means Killua has to find his sister, Alluka, to help save him. While Killua’s efforts are central to the story, the arc also features a lot of funny moments from the Chairman Election itself. Alluka, through her special ability Nanika, is able to restore Gon to health, finally allowing him to meet his father, Ging. The three of them – Gon, Killua, and Alluka – then take one last journey to the base of the World Tree, where Ging is waiting. The anime series ends with Gon talking to Ging and Killua traveling with Alluka, creating a feeling of closure.

Gon & Killua Haven’t Appeared in Hunter x Hunter’s Most Recent Manga Arc

The *Hunter x Hunter* manga has been telling the Succession Contest story since 2012, but it’s been a slow process – only 71 chapters have been released in the last 13 years. Frequent breaks in publication have frustrated fans, even though this story arc has significantly expanded the world and raised the stakes. A new character, Beyond Netero – the previously unknown son of Isaac Netero – has appeared and is aiming to reach the Dark Continent, leading a large group of both familiar and new characters, including some of the Hunter Association’s top members. Meanwhile, a separate storyline focuses on the long-awaited and deadly battle between Chrollo and Hisoka, which almost results in Hisoka’s death.

Even though Gon and Killua aren’t present, fans will finally see Kurapika and Leorio interact on screen. Characters who haven’t been featured for a while, like Biscuit and Hanzo, are also getting more attention, showing the creator’s commitment to developing every important character. The current story arc, the Succession Contest, takes place on the Black Whale – a massive ship with over 200,000 people on board – and promises plenty of action and thrills before it concludes. The Black Whale is currently filled with princes from the Kakin Empire, soldiers, bodyguards, Mafia groups, and many mysterious Hunters.

The anime has revealed that the Dark Continent is actually the true setting of *Hunter x Hunter*. Surprisingly, everything we’ve seen with Gon and Killua has been taking place inside a lake located *within* the Dark Continent, which is far larger and much more dangerous. The story is more thrilling than ever, as this new land introduces threats that are changing how powerful characters are measured. To give you an idea, the Chimera Ants—who easily defeated the world’s strongest Hunter—were considered a relatively minor threat. The Dark Continent is said to be filled with incredibly powerful magical beasts. This expansion of the world and the shocking revelations make Gon and Killua’s current absence understandable, but fans are eager to see them return, creating a bit of a dilemma.

Yoshihiro Togashi Has Fielded 4 Potential Endings to Hunter x Hunter

Yoshihiro Togashi, the creator of the popular manga, often takes breaks due to health problems. He recently shared that he’s thought of several different ways to end the story. He described three potential endings – A, B, and C – and estimated how fans might react. He believes ending A would please about half of his readers, while ending B would likely divide opinion equally. However, he thinks ending C would disappoint the vast majority. Togashi didn’t elaborate on these, instead hinting that he’s leaning towards a fourth, unrevealed option.

Since the author, Togashi, has stepped back from actively working on *Hunter x Hunter*, he shared a quick summary of where the story might be headed for eager fans. It seems the ending revolves around Gin, Gon’s granddaughter, who’s a bit frustrated with having to live up to his legacy. She even jokes about Gon repeatedly leaving his partner behind to go on adventures, just like his father, Ging, did. Killua doesn’t appear in this outline, but it’s a safe bet he and Gon will remain close friends. And, because Gon has become such a successful Hunter, it implies he hasn’t regained his Nen abilities yet – something Togashi will likely need to address soon to keep fans engaged.

While Gon and Killua aren’t essential to the plot of *Hunter x Hunter*, they provide the story’s emotional core. The current Succession Contest arc follows several characters with selfish goals that are hard to connect with. Before the series focuses entirely on expanding its world, the author, Togashi, needs to bring Gon and Killua back into the story. Their return is crucial for giving fans a satisfying conclusion.

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2025-10-17 00:44