HH Episode 116 Reaction
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Comments (70)
wow, what an episode and amazing discussion from you guys
The 3 people ( Lola , Milena and.pillow ) are storytelling Genius , They have Very good insight
“It doesn’t matter to you” That’s such horrid thing to say to Killua during a *suicide mission.* Especially after Killua got dart-boarded and bled out during a mission given to him, by Gon. Which he didn’t even want to do initially. And Killua is all jammed up because he didn’t want to be a merciless killer anymore and he doesn’t want to kill a surrendered opponent. Killing a medic that’s treating an injured civilian? Thats a really, really nasty thing to make Killua complicit in or to decide for him.
I think the "it doesn't matter to you" has so much wrapped into it. But ultimately, I think it is the show's way of connecting Ging to it all.
Gon’s VA is incredible this episode, so sad seeing Killua gone at the end
I've seen hundreds maybe thousands of L+M videos and that is the biggest laugh I've ever seen from Milena + Lola in the intro after naming the narrator. Just uncontrollable, infectious laughter. So funny considering this episode then goes on to be one of the most serious and best episodes of the show.
When I saw it, I thought to myself that unconsciously they had spiritually prepared to see such a serious episode, after seeing how badly they went through it, I understand that it is a terribly intense emotional episode, so it's good that they had that moment of spiritual realignment.
It's so interesting to see Gon's evolution and Meruem's evolution. They almost change places. Gon is becoming a monster and Meruem is becoming a human.
Thanks to Ging Gon met Killua, Kurapika, Leorio, Satotz, Zepile, Kite, Knuckle etc.
Yes because his dad abandoned him he met other people. If he was in his life he d never meet people
shit just got real
More than anything Gon is psychologically rebelling against the nuances of adulthood. The fact that he needed to be reminded that their objective was to restore Kite shows that his mind was preoccupied with something else which was the real crux of his rage. Notice he didn' simply say "how could you do that to Kite?", he said "Why are you helping her after what you did to Kite?". He is more concerned with the implications of the change in Pitou's behavior on his entire worldview and identity. Rather than confront a reality where his mental punching bag of Pitou could be perceived as his emotional equal, he purposefully buries his head in the sand to remain in a world of binaries where the earth revolves around him and the value of every individual is predicated on his estimation of their impact on his life. He prepares his Jajanken at the end to wipe Pitou off the face of the earth and bury any self doubt. You guys were very perceptive to bring up his disgust at the Phantom Troupe displaying nuance much earlier in the narrative. These phycological seeds have been subtly planted since episode 1. Gon is an incredible character and case study in child psychology.
Remember the Hunter exam?
Wouldn’t it just be wild if everything, literally everything’s existence, you, me, that stick over there was predicated on some kind of luck or randomness? I think luck or randomness deeply spooks most people to the point that it cannot even be considered, and rightly so, because who wants to think all their suffering or great work is fundamentally based on randomness? Had the King taken an interest to understanding the history and researching animals then someone like Kite would have been interchangeable with Komugi in terms of importance. had the English found buffalo chips instead of gold, which could be used to buy and make buildings, trade for food, resources, then the world would be a VERY different place. “God works in mysterious ways” is what most religions have cleverly used as an answer to the randomness/chaos of existence, and in some ways I still buy this answer as well because well, who knows? But there is so much luck and randomness to life out there, and poor Gon suffers a really cruel blow from fate, God or no God. So what kind of a relationship does Gon have with God? Well, I think Ging, like God, is more phantom than real. Yet Gon lives his life according to shadowed teachings of Ging (God in many ways), but he’s still just a fragile human at the mercy of chaos and misfortune. In real life, if one is lucky (VERY lucky really considering a great majority of humans even in high HDI countries live in what I would deem very povery-stricken ways in terms of education and general health) one gets to live a life that builds up our sense of self and purpose to peaks in which one doesn't feel the banal debasement, awful, incomprehensible cruelty and chaos that most animals struggle through for the majority of a brief existence. Gon is lucky in this sense, he’s powerful, and until this episode, he fully realises how extremely unlucky he can be, how life can be seem so devoid of God, and ultimately how fragile he still is. I sympathise with Gon
Damn dude you should comment more
I have been waiting for this moment ever since the first episode's reaction. This is definitely my favourite episode of all time and for so many reasons, so many I could probably write an entire essay on it. The writing is spectacular, and yes, Gon's voice actress did a magnificent job and manages to make you feel every ounce of despair and helplessness he is feeling when facing Pitou. I always get a bit teary eyed, especially when you look at Killua in this episode. Having to watch someone you love so deeply drown in their own grief and not being able to help them is one of the worst things one can go through, especially when you get dismissed and insulted so coldly by them. Regarding this, I think it's important to point out that the reversal of roles here does not only apply to the Ants and the Hunters, but also to Gon and Killua. As Killua throughout the show starts to find the "light", Gon slowly descends into darkness, and I honestly think that this among so many other things makes Togashi a pure genius when it comes to writing.
I thought the Ging hate was mostly a meme, but it seems genuine lol. Ging never sent Gon on a crusade. He quite literally told Gon on the tape he listened to with Killua that he doesn't want to see Gon and would run away if he sensed him. He honestly has a "find me or don't" attitude. Like if Gon wants to find him, he provided tools and training for him (greed island or Kite if he's unwilling to meet alone), if Gon doesn't want to find him, then it's fair enough and he offered to tell Gon about his mother, which Gon rejected.
if gon was an adult, sure. But gon is his literal child lol. It’s not the same. He can’t just cop out, and be like “find me or don’t”, that’s just shitty. Having a child and being so irresponsible is not a nice character trait. So I totally get their hate for him.
On sidenote, regarding the plothole with Killua and Dragon Dive. That really is so easy to fix. It’s well established that each character has a distinct aura. Remember when Killua compared Pitou’s to Hisoka and his brother’s? Everyone has their flavor. Killua has been familiar with Nen since way back, specifically Illumi’s aura. He just didn’t understand wtf it was until meeting Wing. That said, it would make sense how Killua was instantly able to recognize his grandpa from the aura alone. The stretchy part is him knowing the term “Dragon Dive.” Which again, is easily fixable with a few appropriately done flashbacks. But If he would’ve just said something along the lines of “that’s grandpa’s aura,” then everything would check out.
Two potential explanations. 1. Sometime after Heavens Arena Killua is in contact with his grandfather and they discuss nen. Definitely possible considering he messaged his brother for the nen website info plus were both in Yorknew during the auction. 2. Killua has always known about his families nen, he just didn't know it was "nen". From the start he's been able to turn is fingers into knives, create duplicate images of himself and move 8 tons of rock without the use or knowledge of nen. He may have thought his families abilities were just advanced assasination techniques he'd eventually learn. The big question is WHY did his family not tell him about nen, and I think the answer is because they thought a more mature Killua would create a more advanced hatsu, which I think they were spot on about.
gon's voice actor when he was saying how dare you try to act like you want to save her after what you did to Kite...omg that was so heartbreaking
Funny enough this ep is not even top 3 of chimera arc in my opinion 🙄
It’s easily top 3 lol. Cause some of the other great episodes had some weird fluff or hammy moments sprinkled in otherwise very good parts. This ep was CLEAN. No fluff or minor weak points to bring it down or add unnecessary mood whiplash.
Lola is one of the few to bring up one of the criticisms I rarely see for this arc (at least among reactors) which is gon and kite’s relationship doesn’t seem fleshed out enough to warrant his extreme reaction here. Like if it was Killua or Mito that Pitou killed, yeah, zero issues/surprise with Gon’s reaction, everyone can buy it immediately. That being said I did arrive at the same headcannon, Kite is Gon’s earliest and most crucial connection to Ging, and yeah watching the 1999 is important to connect this fact more clearly (it’s also in the manga so this version is canon). But again, it’s still headcannon and there are shows like The Wire where you don’t tend to need to resort to headcannon like this because the buildup is more organic and fleshed out. I would have liked Gon and Kite’s relationship to be more established (maybe even just a bit more screen time and interactions) before his death to not have the same nagging thought when these parts of Gon’s anger comes out. But all that being said, I still think this episode is a peak episode in terms of execution. The voice acting and animation quality is phenomenal. The empty window symbolism (that’s what it was, not meleron or some incoming enemy lol) and black empty door symbol behind gon at the end is a bit heavy handed but a nice choice to reflect gon’s mental state right now and not something you see in this anime that often so it was relatively unique here.
I understand this line of thinking, but in my opinion shonen mcs, especially Gon, are established with some form of extremism toward their goals/beliefs. Gon is a character who instantaneously forms friendships and will risk his life for people he has no familiarity with (think back in the first few episodes where he jumped to saved the sailor man for instance). Kite being the only tangible connection he has toward Ging (a person he has an unorthodox obsession with ) as well as Kite himself being a top tier hunter (a profession he also idolizes to an unhealthy degree) are a very sick combination for his reaction here. It also is very reminiscent of when Kite instilled Gon with his first lesson back in the forest when he wandered into foxbear territory. Gon's reaction is more than just Kite as well, he has a confidence in his strength and ability to beat the odds that stays consistent even when he knows he can't win. Kite is the first character to be in a spot of trouble that Gon feels responsible for, and he can't resort to fighting with his relatively recent learning of nen or kill the enemy that he believed to be so coldhearted that they couldn't adopt a human-esque understanding of people. It's above Kite when a core aspect of Gon's character, his lowkey insecurity with his strength (more firmly established when he was defeated by knuckle), is targetted with the writing.
As much as I adore hunter x hunter, and this development with gon, I think if this had happened to a character besides kite, gon’s reaction would’ve made so much more sense. Leorio, kurapika, ging, literally anyone else that we’ve got to know a little more from the start. But, we all know togashi isn’t that kind of writer, he’s much more spontaneous.
I dunno. It's just that Kite is the VERY first character introduced in Hunter x Hunter. The whole thing begins with him starting Gon on his Hunter quest. It's his longest relationship beyond Mito and was a very impactful experience(despite it being brief). Having his respect for Kite reinforced during their reunion makes his fate all the more tragic.
Honestly one of the best discussions I ve seen for this episode. I have seen a lot of people reacting to this episode and almost no one made the connection that Gon's rage is largely due to his abandonment issues from Ging, alot of people don't really understand Gon's character. Goes to show that you understand the characters well
As a fandom we were obviously all waiting for this moment with baited breath and as always, you guys delivered. I also love how you talk about the pacing, the mangaka's health, and the state of the story with equal parts frustration, appreciation and empathy. You're only two people but you each bring like three perspectives lol. Can't wait for the rest of the arc with you.
Yall reactions & discussions was worth every penny of this Patreon. Lola you was speaking nothing but facts this episode about Gon. I truly feel like Gon’s rage is stemmed not only about his guilt about Kite but also about him not being able to see Ging. Gon has risked his life severel times for the journey of his father he’s NEVER seen before. And Pitou unfortunately thought Gon wasn’t a threat at the moment but little did she know that was her death flag. As for Killua & Gon , I didn’t agree with Gon lashing out Killua but i totally understood Gon’s frustration as it is true (imo) that Killua’s doesn’t care as much for Kite as much as Gon do only because Gon has past relations with Kite and Killua is only kinda here for Gon’s journey.
I think this episode perfectly encapsulates the tragedy of grief. Grief is change, and it can transform us into someone we are not, and by consequence it can affect those around us. While this may be true, I also don't agree with the way Gon treated Killua.
Also, Hisoka sat that way at Heaven's Arena. More commonly, we see the King sit that way
Cine
Joder, esto sí es cine
My watch gave my a high heart rate warning while watching this one lol.
I think I'm in the 1% thats trying to wait for the fully processed version lmao. I'll give it like another 15 minutes then watch it anyway haha really excited for the discussion!
What’s the difference?
Yes, Lola. This response is why some of us (me lol) were so persistent on the episode 1 of the 1999. Something to keep in mind is that Gon grew up thinking his parents were dead. It wasn't until his meeting with Kite that he realized that his father existed and his Hunter journey began a couple years later. What an episode. Glad it met your expectations! I know that long intro was killing you
The questions in the beginning about Zeno being able to sustain his power even without staying close to it are valid. Nen is a very interesting power system and can work in many ways, for example, it was already told us that some people develop or apply their nen into certain activies without even knowing about it, like Komugi, and also nen can survive even after the person's death, which is called residual nen or post-mortem nen, which is why the Phantom Troupe didn't killed Kurapika, because the nen he put on Chrollo could sustain and intensify after Kurapika's death. People can die, but it's like nen is immortal and can work solo by itself after being released, like an independent force.
I feel like it's mostly Emission training, no?
If it wasn’t for Killua, Gon would have killed both Pitou and Kogumi lol.. I understand that is not fair that these chimeras should be judge harshly because they haven’t fully developed and are still learning about themselves. With that said, I can also understand why some might feel these chimeras should be exterminated since the King make it clearly he is a threat to humanity. Can humans coexist with chimeras..? ¯\_(ツ)_/ we can barely coexist among ourselves lol so there is that.. regarding Gon, I’m a very biased since I like Gon a lot so I can’t objectively said he can’t get his revenge… like I said earlier, if it wasn’t for Killua then Gon was ready to cross a certain line..and to be fair, Kite might not be important to us or Killua for that matter but for Gon it might be a representation or a reminder of Gin, someone who so far it’s the ultimate objective of Gon. Great discussion at the end. I can’t wait to see how you guys feel about this arc and certain characters!
Don't fret girls, the show and the manga (there are plenty of chapters after the end of the show btw) have many many good things yet to come.
this episode is unbelievably heart breaking
7:41 I didn't understand the joke but I laughed my ass off for no reason
Let's shout her name: MEGUMI HAN. Gon's voice actress is forever inscribed in anime history
I've been looking forward to getting to this episode ever since we started the arc! I genuinely didn't think that Gon and Killua would ever have conflict with each other. But this show did it and in a way that makes total sense. Heartbreaking.
lmaooo that's how we all felt about the wolf when watching
Regarding the idea of evolution in these Chimera ants, I think one thing will remain forever true. That no matter how much they evolve, they will still never be humans (in our eyes). They may possess human-like qualities, but at the end of the day, we can't compare our ability to forgive human monsters (ie: bombers, phantom troupe, etc), because that human aspect still unites us. Whereas with chimeras, it does not. So, not only does the trajectory of their evolution remain unknown, but also the fact that they will always remain a different species, who are more powerful than humans. And as humans, we would never let that stand, or leave it to chance that there might be peace between the species. I'm not saying it's right or wrong, just that there would always be a difference in how we as society would relate to chimeras.
one of my favorites scenes from the show, the way gon talks to killua is so sad :(
Usually when they say it's processing they're talking about the video getting uploaded...
This is a tremendous, landmark episode in anime. For once, you really see the flaws of the protagonist that were hinted at all along being laid bare. If you think back even to the Phantom troupe, Gon was really angry when he saw that the troupe cared about each other but not others. And he hates that even on behalf of Kurapika. So one can imagine how it must feel now that he is on the receiving end himself. And of course, it's a bit hypocritical from Gon because he himself has no limits when it comes to what he will do for his friends.
that is some RAW RAGE right there, especially that expression in min 16:03, I think everyone might have done that same expression a couple times in their lives, maybe in their childhood, when you do not know what to do with your wrath but let it consume you for a moment, that right there is its face.
Also as I keep going I think y'all have had the best takes on this arc so far out of any reactor I've seen. Loving it. So glad you're appreciating Pitou's character, definitely one of my favorites in the whole series.
It's Baka, Lola. Not baga :)
Still watching you're discussion (loving it so far) but wanted to comment on your discussion about Pitou's development. I definitely think there's notable development there, even if it isn't the most obvious development in the arc. I think of the three guards, her loyalty towards the King is the most empathetic - Youpi's feels more biological, Pouf's is more fanatical, but Pitou really cares for the King's wellbeing. Their responses to the King's question about his name display this- Pouf goes into ideology claiming he is called "King", Youpi can't even process it, but Pitou says the King should choose the name he's most comfortable with. And I think it's that genuine care that shapes her development, and changes her behavior in subtle ways over time- but I think the biggest key moment was when the King asked Pitou for help, both in desperation and not phrased as a command, but a geniune request for help. Pitou's reaction and tears said it all, and I think it's a big part of why she behaves the way she does about this task. I don't think the Pitou from episode 85 would have acted like this if the King had randomly asked her to protect someone (she obviously would have obeyed though of course). edited: of course y'all came back around later and touched on some of this yourselves as well, not very surprising lol.
I've seen this episode so many times, and I still shed tears watching this reaction
I appreciate your work.. thank you
Yeah, I still remember how this episode floored me when I watched it for the first time. I just couldn't get over how tense and powerful it was. I still can't get over it.
I remember being 12 when this episode originally aired. I lost my shit and then I had to wait a whole week for the next episode. Crazy
We're finally at the part shown in the opening... when Killua holds a weird caterpillar and it gets all wiggly and Killua gets scared
Gon's voice actress was amazing in this episode
one of the all time voice performances
Oh, hr long. Did something interesting happen in this episode? I forgot.
LETS GO, LETS FUCKIN GO!!!!
ITS HERE
Hmm I have patience.. I can wait until is fully processed :))). (I’m actually lying)
Finally here.
Thank you!
YAYYY!
"it's not fully processed yet" Screw that, I'm diving in!