Summary
- Gon and Killua’s friendship in Hunter x Hunter is an emotional foundation for the series.
- The narrative in Hunter x Hunter subverted their relationship dynamics, leading to a heartbreaking parting.
- Gon’s pure qualities that made the friendship so strong ultimately inverted and caused the schism after darkness took hold of him.
Throughout most of the runtime of the Hunter x Hunter anime, Gon and Killua’s growing friendship was one of its emotional foundations. In between the brutal fights, character deaths, and dark twists, their relationship was something the audience could latch onto.
However, the narrative of Hunter x Hunter would not be kind to these two, eventually subverting and ultimately destroying the closeness the two had established by the end of the show. The long buildup and downfall made their role reversal poignant and delivered an emotional gut punch to audiences during the conclusion of the Chimera ant art.
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Light and Darkness
The Original Friendship Dynamic
Gon and Killua first met at the Hunter Exam, becoming fast friends thanks to Gon’s accepting and happy-go-lucky nature. Killua, who had grown up in isolation, was impressed there was someone his age who was similarly strong and was drawn to Gon’s open personality. Killua saw himself as the shadow to Gon’s light, a theme that was reflected in his powers as an assassin.
Gon, you are light. Sometimes you shine so brightly, I must look away. But even so, is it still okay for me to stay by your side?
As the show progresses, we see moments of Killua getting emotional about his friendship with Gon, to the point of trying to overcome Illumi’s programming and the role of being an assassin he was taught all his life. He saw himself as not worthy of being a friend to Gon and struggled to overcome his own insecurities to allow himself to be by Gon’s side. Gon’s natural strength and charisma drew many people around him, but he developed a special bond with Killua, seeing him as an irreplaceable friend he could put his trust in.
There’s only one reason i can focus everything i’ve got on hitting the ball. it’s because i know Killua’s the one holding It.
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Nen and Kite
Gon and Killua’s Dynamic Flips
However, as the series advances, the audience slowly sees cracks form in this relationship because Gon is not like your average anime protagonist. As they start to learn nen, Gon is shown to be prideful and harbors a deep guilt when his actions in the Chimera Ant arc lead to his mentor Kite’s death.
Gon’s training sees him consumed by guilt and rage, to the point that the show starts to draw him in heavy shadow in contrast to the way Killua sees him as a bright light. On the other hand, Killua’s nen powers around lightning culminate in his godspeed form, which has the shadowy assassin now shining brilliantly with light. Killua becomes the emotionally open character in the dynamic as shown through his relationship with Alluka, and Gon becomes closed off and consumed by rage.
Their friendship dynamic ultimately breaks in the final moments of the Chimera Ant arc, where Gon chooses to give up everything, even his own life in order to exact revenge on Neferpitou. The show treats viewers to a heart-wrenching scene as Killua shows up late to see what Gon has become. He is no longer the pure, happy-go-luck soul from the beginning. Killua has to watch Gon nearly destroy himself, to the point of barely being saved in a later arc with nen abilities.
At the end of the anime, Killua, despite going to great lengths to save Gon’s life, decides to split up from him and travel with his sibling Alluka. Killua’s arc saw him grow as a character, needing to find his own purpose by separating himself from his emotional dependence on Gon, resulting in the two going their separate ways. Similarly, Gon felt he had things of his own to figure out and returned home.
It was inevitable that their separation after such a long time together was extremely sad and tragic. Narratively, Gon essentially chose to sacrifice his role as the “anime protagonist” for temporary power and ended up normal again, leaving Killua unable to follow him as his story in Hunter x Hunter was halted.
Hunter x Hunter can be streamed on Crunchy Roll.
