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SPOILER ALERT: there are minor spoilers for those who have not read the manga. You have been warned.
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I know there was some speculation last year, and some false rumors 'round the turn of the year, that Togashi would be back with more Hunter x Hunter (manga) soon, and, thusly, that the anime would continue off of that. With the Chimera Ant arc winding down, and to be followed only by the shorter New Chairman Election Arc, its obvious now that this isn't true. Even if Togashi started releasing new chapters before the end of the Chimera Ant arc, he wouldn't be able to put enough room between the manga and the anime for the anime to complete even a single arc without having to either go on hiatus or switch to fillers.
I myself had even theorized in a few posts that the story of Hunter x Hunter might continue alone through the Madhouse anime - that perhaps Togashi would collaborate with them, guiding them through story material and overall plot progression, while the Madhouse team would execute Togashi's vision into newer, technically canon (even if they are not going off of the manga) arcs.
While I would still like that, I don't know how likely it is. I have to admit to myself that, most likely, the anime is going to end with the New Chairman Election arc. While before I didn't see how this was possible (thus why I created the Madhouse-extension theory), after revisiting that arc in the manga, I have to say that not only is it the only good place to end the anime, it is actually a perfect place to end.
The reasons I think the New Chairman Election arc is a great place to end the anime:
1) Gon meets Ging - this is obvious. Even as much as this plot thread has been invisible for much of the series, this has still been, behind the scenes, the driving plot thread of the series. It is the reason Gon became a hunter in the first place. Heck, it is the reasoning for the series name (Gon is hunting his father, who is a hunter, thus he is a "Hunter hunter"). Having the series end with Gon finally meeting his father, and beginning a new adventure with him, is a great way to end the series. Also, if Togashi does eventually return to and finish the series, and Madhouse later decides to anime the remaining chapters as "Hunter x Hunter 2", the arc in which Gon and Ging go off on an adventure together (and, as Gon's primary mission has been completed, he will need a new defining goal to achieve) is the perfect place to start that new series.
2) Gon and Killua split up - less obvious, but honestly, a bigger deal than number one. Gon and Killua's relationship is the defining feature of the series, and I'd say this is more true in the anime than in the manga. As other main and supporting characters have come and gone, these two have stayed constant. Having them split up at the end of the series is a great way to put a cap on the series, giving it that great bittersweet ending that is so perfect for ending a grand adventure. As well, the final arc sees the Killua's character arc rounding out, with him having to rush to save Gon, and with him becoming to Alluka what Gon was to him.
3) Hisoka (and Illumi) are the antagonists - even less obvious, but very important. For a number of reason. The first reason is simple - Hisoka is popular, people miss Hisoka. Having him reappear for the final arc, even just to show that he is still around and that he is still up to his sinister deeds, will please the fans. But the second reason is a little more abstract: it brings things full circle, and in a nostalgic kind of way, brings things home. The "(attempted) return to normalcy" is a common and great way to end a series. After all the crazy drama has taken place, we see the world (try) to return to the (relatively) more peaceful (or at least, comfortable) ways of before. And in a strange way, having Hisoka and Illumi appear as the antagonists does this. Because this was how we were introduced to them - as this kind of dastardly duo in the Hunter Exam arc - but as usual, Togashi throws curveballs, and we haven't seen them back in their initial role sense. Hisoka appeared again as Antagonist (with a hint of mentor figure) in the Heaven's Arena arc, and that was his last appearance as a "pure" antagonist figure. He was a supporting figure (with his own third party interests) in the York New City arc, before becoming a supporting protagonist (functionally, even if he was still an antagonistically-minded character) in the Greed Island arc. And Illumi disappeared completely, only functioning as a mental antagonist for Killua. So having them appear once again, in body, together, as antagonists, in the last arc, kind of calls back to their role in the first arc.
4) Character cameos - pretty much every (still alive) character whom Gon and Killua had had any kind of meaningful interaction with makes a cameo appearance. Leorio comes back, with arguably his biggest role in the entire series. We even catch a glimpse as to where Kurapika is, even if he doesn't appear in the plot.
While the manga itself doesn't position itself as an ending, it has all the elements to make a great one - its just a matter of presentation (for indeed, execution is everything, and 90% of storytelling is storyTELLING). The manga doesn't present these elements to us in the form of a finale, but the anime could change that. Without altering the content of the final arc, minor changes in the execution and presentation of these different elements could make for a fantastic finale to a fantastic series.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
I know there was some speculation last year, and some false rumors 'round the turn of the year, that Togashi would be back with more Hunter x Hunter (manga) soon, and, thusly, that the anime would continue off of that. With the Chimera Ant arc winding down, and to be followed only by the shorter New Chairman Election Arc, its obvious now that this isn't true. Even if Togashi started releasing new chapters before the end of the Chimera Ant arc, he wouldn't be able to put enough room between the manga and the anime for the anime to complete even a single arc without having to either go on hiatus or switch to fillers.
I myself had even theorized in a few posts that the story of Hunter x Hunter might continue alone through the Madhouse anime - that perhaps Togashi would collaborate with them, guiding them through story material and overall plot progression, while the Madhouse team would execute Togashi's vision into newer, technically canon (even if they are not going off of the manga) arcs.
While I would still like that, I don't know how likely it is. I have to admit to myself that, most likely, the anime is going to end with the New Chairman Election arc. While before I didn't see how this was possible (thus why I created the Madhouse-extension theory), after revisiting that arc in the manga, I have to say that not only is it the only good place to end the anime, it is actually a perfect place to end.
The reasons I think the New Chairman Election arc is a great place to end the anime:
1) Gon meets Ging - this is obvious. Even as much as this plot thread has been invisible for much of the series, this has still been, behind the scenes, the driving plot thread of the series. It is the reason Gon became a hunter in the first place. Heck, it is the reasoning for the series name (Gon is hunting his father, who is a hunter, thus he is a "Hunter hunter"). Having the series end with Gon finally meeting his father, and beginning a new adventure with him, is a great way to end the series. Also, if Togashi does eventually return to and finish the series, and Madhouse later decides to anime the remaining chapters as "Hunter x Hunter 2", the arc in which Gon and Ging go off on an adventure together (and, as Gon's primary mission has been completed, he will need a new defining goal to achieve) is the perfect place to start that new series.
2) Gon and Killua split up - less obvious, but honestly, a bigger deal than number one. Gon and Killua's relationship is the defining feature of the series, and I'd say this is more true in the anime than in the manga. As other main and supporting characters have come and gone, these two have stayed constant. Having them split up at the end of the series is a great way to put a cap on the series, giving it that great bittersweet ending that is so perfect for ending a grand adventure. As well, the final arc sees the Killua's character arc rounding out, with him having to rush to save Gon, and with him becoming to Alluka what Gon was to him.
3) Hisoka (and Illumi) are the antagonists - even less obvious, but very important. For a number of reason. The first reason is simple - Hisoka is popular, people miss Hisoka. Having him reappear for the final arc, even just to show that he is still around and that he is still up to his sinister deeds, will please the fans. But the second reason is a little more abstract: it brings things full circle, and in a nostalgic kind of way, brings things home. The "(attempted) return to normalcy" is a common and great way to end a series. After all the crazy drama has taken place, we see the world (try) to return to the (relatively) more peaceful (or at least, comfortable) ways of before. And in a strange way, having Hisoka and Illumi appear as the antagonists does this. Because this was how we were introduced to them - as this kind of dastardly duo in the Hunter Exam arc - but as usual, Togashi throws curveballs, and we haven't seen them back in their initial role sense. Hisoka appeared again as Antagonist (with a hint of mentor figure) in the Heaven's Arena arc, and that was his last appearance as a "pure" antagonist figure. He was a supporting figure (with his own third party interests) in the York New City arc, before becoming a supporting protagonist (functionally, even if he was still an antagonistically-minded character) in the Greed Island arc. And Illumi disappeared completely, only functioning as a mental antagonist for Killua. So having them appear once again, in body, together, as antagonists, in the last arc, kind of calls back to their role in the first arc.
4) Character cameos - pretty much every (still alive) character whom Gon and Killua had had any kind of meaningful interaction with makes a cameo appearance. Leorio comes back, with arguably his biggest role in the entire series. We even catch a glimpse as to where Kurapika is, even if he doesn't appear in the plot.
While the manga itself doesn't position itself as an ending, it has all the elements to make a great one - its just a matter of presentation (for indeed, execution is everything, and 90% of storytelling is storyTELLING). The manga doesn't present these elements to us in the form of a finale, but the anime could change that. Without altering the content of the final arc, minor changes in the execution and presentation of these different elements could make for a fantastic finale to a fantastic series.
Never thought about something like that.
whehehehe
. The anime can end if he return, I just want him to come back. 2 full years of hiatus in a few weeks...
But eh, that's just me.
