Hunter × Hunter

Whale Island's quiet shores hosted a young boy named Gon Freecss who spent his days fishing until a stranger named Kite arrived with news that changed everything. Gon learned his father Ging was not dead but a legendary Hunter, a title reserved for those who master dangerous professions or explore forbidden lands. This revelation sparked a journey where Gon took the Hunter Examination, a test designed to filter out the weak and identify those with exceptional resolve.

The exam introduced Gon to three other candidates who would become his lifelong friends: Kurapika, seeking vengeance against the Phantom Troupe; Leorio Paradinight, desperate for money to attend medical school; and Killua Zoldyck, an assassin running from his family's deadly legacy. Their paths diverged after graduation as they pursued individual goals, yet their bond remained unbreakable through encounters in Greed Island and the terrifying Chimera Ant arc.

Yoshihiro Togashi launched this serialized adventure in Weekly Shōnen Jump on March 3, 1998, following his earlier success with Yu Yu Hakusho. The series has accumulated 38 collected volumes by late 2026, selling over 84 million copies worldwide before hitting its current hiatus due to the author's chronic health issues. Critics often point to the Nen power system and the moral complexity of the Chimera Ant storyline as defining moments that set the work apart from typical shōnen fare. [편집]