Like most shonen anime, Hunter x Hunter features young likable protagonists as they venture off to achieve their goals. In many ways, Hunter x Hunter deconstructs common tropes within its genre. For the most part, the series succeeds at exploring unexpectedly dark themes and presenting characters as complex individuals.
However, over the course of six seasons, Hunter x Hunter has missed out on multiple opportunities for character development. Also, many fans agree that certain moments can be uncomfortable to watch. These moments have left fans questioning how the creators let some episodes air without realizing how their choices would affect viewers. These mistakes still haunt the show.
10 Some Characters Deserved More Screen Time
Some characters deserved more time. Ponzu and Pokkle were interesting characters with unique combat abilities. Introduced in the Hunter Exam arc, they reappeared in the Chimera Ant arc only to meet their ends a few episodes in. This left viewers wanting more of the bee-loving Ponzu and skilled archer Pokkle.
Kite also deserved more screen time. As Kite was Gon’s mentor, his death came as a shock and was a major breaking point for Gon. In the anime Kite made his debut during the Chimera Ant arc, while in the manga he was introduced in the first chapter. As a result, his death in the show lacked some of the emotional impact that it had in the manga.
9 Aunt Mito Should Have Had A Bigger Role
With Gon’s biological mother unknown, Mito is Gon’s maternal figure. She adopted Gon when Ging proved to be an inadequate guardian and raised him as her son. Mito has had more influence on Gon’s growth than anyone else. Yet, after Gon leaves Whale Island to pursue his dream of becoming a Hunter, Mito rarely appears.
Mito was present in Gon’s more than his father, and deserved a larger role. Gon had two father figures – his biological father and Kite, who stepped into the role in Ging’s absence. But Gon had only one mother figure. Mito’s lack of screen time leaves viewers wanting more from her character.
8 Genthru Is A Boring Antagonist Compared To Others
Ask anyone to list the villains in Hunter x Hunter, and they might leave out Genthru, Greed Island’s main antagonist. Genthru, also known as the Bomber, was a formidable opponent with his ability to plant Nen bombs. However, he was not well-rounded as a character and his motivations were shallow, making him a forgettable villain.
Compared to the series’ other antagonists, Genthru falls short. Chrollo, Hisoka, Meruem, and other villains have complex motives or backstories. They break stereotypes for villains and are truly terrifying at times. Genthru, whose only real motivation is money, falls into the done-to-death trope of the money-hungry villain.
7 Some Characters Fall Into Lazy Tropes
Overall, Hunter x Hunter does a great job at subverting common tropes. While Gon, Killua, and many central characters share similarities with shonen character tropes, they are multifaceted characters with unique desires and motivations. Unfortunately, not every character avoids falling into a trope.
Buhara is a proctor during the Hunter Exam arc, his entire personality surrounds eating enormous quantities of food. His most prominent feature is his huge, protruding belly. Viewers have likely seen similar characters in other series. As a result, Buhara is not a memorable character. While it’s impossible to avoid tropes completely, designing characters solely on existing tropes comes off as lazy writing.
6 Recap Episodes Are Unnecessary
A minor complaint that many viewers have is the addition of recap episodes. The series features two recap episodes, one during the Hunter Exam Arc and one during the Zoldyck Family arc. Both are sequences of earlier scenes framed in letters that Gon writes to Aunt Mito.
No one likes filler episodes, and many choose to skip them entirely. They can be especially frustrating when a show releases one episode at a time and the long-awaited continuation is just a recap of what has come before. The recap episodes in Hunter x Hunter were unnecessary additions to the series.
5 Gon’s Date With Palm Was Inappropriate
During the Chimera Ant Arc, Palm asks Gon out on a date and the two spend the day at several romantic venues. This pairing is creepy due to the age difference between Palm and Gon. Palm is in her twenties while Gon is literally a 12 years old child. From the start, Killua is suspicious of Palm’s intentions, and rightfully so.
Palm’s romantic feelings for Gon come out of nowhere, and the date sequence does not fit in with the tone of the rest of the Chimera Ant Arc. Palm’s behavior is inappropriate and gross. As an adult, she should know better. More importantly, the show’s creators should have known better.
4 Pike’s Creepiness Was Over-The-Top
The Chimera Ant Pike’s character design is nightmare-inducing. Part-spider, part-old man, Pike’s main personality trait is his infatuation with female Chimera Ant Zazan. He basically worships her.
Pike’s character design is excessively creepy. His main attack is called “Love Shower,” and it’s just as bad as it sounds. He attacks by shooting a sticky white substance from his rear end that forms spiderwebs. His design and weirdly sexual behavior distract from the show and feel out of place in the bleakness that is the Chimera Ant arc’s tone.
3 Pouf And Youpi Revived Meruem In An Uncomfortable Way
Near the end of the Chimera Ant arc, Pouf and Youpi sacrifice their bodies to revive their king. Their willingness to serve their king surpasses happiness and dives into pleasure with a drawn-out scene of the ordeal. They show enraptured expressions while bursts of light surround their genital regions. This and their constant moaning not-so-subtly suggest that they are experiencing sexual pleasure.
While Pouf and Youpi’s behavior makes sense, as they were programmed from conception to serve Meruem, many find this scene to be excessive. Many fans find it difficult and uncomfortable to sit through.
2 Podungo’s Design Is A Stereotype Of Blackness
Podungo Lapoy is a minor character who first appears during the Chimera Ant Arc. Podungo has dark skin, cartoonishly big lips and eyes, and a button-shaped nose. Her design resembles historical portrayals of Black people in cartoons, television, and other media. These portrayals were meant to mock Black features and are incredibly racist.
Podungo is not the only dark-skinned character in the series, but the creators should have known better regardless. The show should have updated Podungo’s design or removed the character altogether, as her presence adds little anyway.
1 Lin Koshi Is A Racist Caricature
Lin Koshi is a minor character who appears alongside Podungo Lapoy in the Chimera Ant Arc. His squinty eyes covered by glasses, buck teeth, and tiny frame all make him resemble racist caricatures of Chinese people.
Intentional or not, Lin Koshi’s character design sends a hurtful message to many viewers. Japan has a long history of treating Chinese people poorly, and the creators of Hunter x Hunter should have been aware of how viewers would perceive Lin Koshi. They could have easily altered his design or excluded him from the show entirely.
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