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After saying goodbye more than 12 years ago, Gon Freecss and Killua Zoldyck are finally back in Hunter x Hunter. Once the 13th Hunter Chairman Election arc ended, Yoshihiro Togashi shifted the story away from its original duo, throwing the spotlight onto Kurapika, the Phantom Troupe, and the increasingly complex Succession War. For years, Gon and Killua were barely mentioned, making their surprise appearance in chapter 414 one of Hunter x Hunter’s biggest moments in recent memory.
The wait for this reunion has been agonizing. Between Togashi’s long hiatuses due to his ongoing health issues and the manga advancing by only around 75 chapters over the past decade, many fans wondered if they would ever see the two together again.
While the current storyline has been packed with incredible storytelling, Gon and Killua have been the heart of Hunter x Hunter for many readers for a long time. Their return instantly brought a wave of excitement back to the series and reminded fans why the original duo became one of shonen’s most beloved partnerships in the first place.
Gon and Killua’s return also comes at the perfect time. Anyone who stopped reading after the duo left the story, or simply fell behind because of* Hunter x Hunter*‘s long hiatuses, now has the perfect excuse to jump back in. Shueisha is currently offering a free catch-up campaign through Manga Plus, making it much easier for returning readers to get up to speed.
Because Yoshihiro Togashi’s health issues have led to frequent hiatuses over the past 12 years, the series hasn’t physically moved that far ahead. For viewers who finished the 2011 anime adaptation, the manga picks up right at chapter 340. That means lapsed fans only have to binge roughly 75 chapters to completely catch up to the current drops. For a manga that has been running for decades, that is a surprisingly manageable read.
Interactive Quiz
Weekly Shonen Jump · Ultimate Edition
How Well Do You KnowShonen Jump Anime?
Dragon Ball, created by Akira Toriyama, is one of the most influential manga ever published in Weekly Shonen Jump. The series follows Goku on his journey from a child to the universe’s greatest fighter. What is Goku’s original Saiyan name?
✓ Correct! Goku’s birth name is Kakarot, given to him on Planet Vegeta before he was sent to Earth as a baby. His Saiyan rival Vegeta famously refuses to call him “Goku” and always refers to him by his true Saiyan name, Kakarot.
✗ That answer missed harder than a filler arc! The answer is Kakarot. Vegeta is the Saiyan prince, Bardock is Goku’s father, and Raditz is Goku’s older brother. Kakarot is the Saiyan name given to Goku at birth before he was sent to Earth.
QUESTION 2 / 8HEROES
Naruto Uzumaki dreams of becoming the Hokage — the leader of his village. Throughout the series, Naruto carries a powerful entity sealed inside him since birth. What is sealed within Naruto?
BThe Curse Mark
CKurama, the Nine-Tailed Fox
✓ Correct! Kurama, the Nine-Tailed Fox, was sealed inside Naruto by his father, the Fourth Hokage Minato Namikaze, on the day of his birth. What began as a source of fear and isolation for Naruto eventually became his greatest ally and friend.
✗ That answer missed harder than a filler arc! The answer is Kurama, the Nine-Tailed Fox. The Ten-Tails is a different, more powerful beast. The Curse Mark is Orochimaru’s seal, and the Rinnegan is a legendary eye technique. Kurama was sealed in Naruto at birth by the Fourth Hokage.
QUESTION 3 / 8POWER SYSTEMS
In the manga Bleach by Tite Kubo, the main character Ichigo Kurosaki gains the powers of a Soul Reaper. Soul Reapers wield unique weapons that have names and special abilities. What are these signature weapons called?
✓ Correct! Zanpakuto are the signature weapons of Soul Reapers in Bleach. Each Zanpakuto has its own spirit and name, and a Soul Reaper must learn that name to unlock its Shikai (initial release) and eventually its Bankai (final release) forms.
✗ That answer missed harder than a filler arc! The answer is Zanpakuto. Sacred Gears are from High School DxD, Nen is the power system from Hunter x Hunter, and Bankai is actually a Zanpakuto’s final release form — not the weapon’s name itself. Zanpakuto literally means “soul-cutting sword.”
QUESTION 4 / 8VILLAINS
In Dragon Ball Z, Frieza is one of the most iconic villains in anime history. He is a tyrannical galactic emperor responsible for destroying the Saiyan homeworld. What is the name of the planet Frieza destroyed?
✓ Correct! Planet Vegeta, named after King Vegeta, was the homeworld of the Saiyan race. Frieza destroyed it with a single energy blast because he feared the growing power of the Saiyans and the legend of the Super Saiyan. Only a handful of Saiyans survived, including Goku and Vegeta.
✗ That answer missed harder than a filler arc! The answer is Planet Vegeta. Planet Namek is the home of the Namekians and the Dragon Balls, Planet Sadala is the Saiyan homeworld in Universe 6, and Earth is where Goku was raised. Frieza destroyed Planet Vegeta out of fear of the Saiyan race’s potential.
QUESTION 5 / 8CLASSICS
My Hero Academia (Boku no Hero Academia) by Kohei Horikoshi is set in a world where most people have superpowers. What is the term used for these superpowers in My Hero Academia?
DCursed Techniques
✓ Correct! In My Hero Academia, about 80% of the world’s population possesses a Quirk — a unique superpower that manifests in childhood. The protagonist Izuku Midoriya was born Quirkless but inherited the powerful Quirk “One For All” from the greatest hero, All Might.
✗ That answer missed harder than a filler arc! The answer is Quirks. Stands are from JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure, Jutsu are techniques from Naruto, and Cursed Techniques belong to Jujutsu Kaisen. In My Hero Academia, superpowers are called Quirks, and they vary wildly from person to person.
QUESTION 6 / 8POWER SYSTEMS
Jujutsu Kaisen by Gege Akutami features a power system based on negative human emotions that manifest as dangerous supernatural beings. What are these beings called?
CCursed Spirits
✓ Correct! Cursed Spirits in Jujutsu Kaisen are born from the accumulation of negative emotions like fear, hatred, and sadness leaked by humans. Jujutsu sorcerers like protagonist Yuji Itadori use cursed energy to exorcise these dangerous beings and protect humanity.
✗ That answer missed harder than a filler arc! The answer is Cursed Spirits. Hollows are from Bleach, Demons are from Demon Slayer, and Titans are from Attack on Titan. In Jujutsu Kaisen, negative human emotions give rise to Cursed Spirits that jujutsu sorcerers must exorcise.
QUESTION 7 / 8HEROES
In Demon Slayer (Kimetsu no Yaiba) by Koyoharu Gotouge, protagonist Tanjiro Kamado uses specialized sword techniques called Breathing Styles. What is the first Breathing Style that Tanjiro learns?
✓ Correct! Tanjiro learns Water Breathing from the former Water Hashira, Sakonji Urokodaki. Water Breathing is known for its fluid, adaptable movements. While Tanjiro later discovers his connection to the legendary Sun Breathing (Hinokami Kagura), Water Breathing was his first and foundational combat style.
✗ That answer missed harder than a filler arc! The answer is Water Breathing. Sun Breathing is the original style that Tanjiro discovers later through his family’s Hinokami Kagura dance. Fire Breathing and Thunder Breathing are used by other Demon Slayers. Tanjiro trained under Sakonji Urokodaki to master Water Breathing first.
QUESTION 8 / 8LEGACY
Weekly Shonen Jump has been the home of many of the biggest manga series in history. Which of these series has sold the most copies worldwide as of 2024?
✓ Correct! One Piece by Eiichiro Oda holds the record as the best-selling manga series of all time, with over 500 million copies sold worldwide. Running since 1997, the series follows Monkey D. Luffy and his crew on their quest to find the legendary treasure, the One Piece.
✗ That answer missed harder than a filler arc! The answer is One Piece. While Naruto (~250 million), Dragon Ball (~260 million), and Demon Slayer (~150 million) are all massive sellers, One Piece stands alone with over 500 million copies sold — making it the best-selling manga in history by a wide margin.
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Between Kurapika’s desperate fight to survive the Kakin princes’ deadly succession battle, the Phantom Troupe’s hunt for Hisoka, and Ging Freecss moving closer to the Dark Continent, nearly every major storyline is heading toward a collision. Gon and Killua stepping back into the picture only makes everything ahead even more exciting.
The way Yoshihiro Togashi reintroduced Gon and Killua into the narrative proves this wasn’t just some casual cameo to hype up fans; it is a brilliant setup for their official return to the main storyline. Kurapika is completely tied up in the Kakin Empire’s deadly Succession Contest, while also keeping an eye on the Phantom Troupe and navigating the dangerous royal power struggle aboard the Black Whale. With so much happening at once, he needs allies he can trust outside the ship, and there aren’t many he would rely on more than Gon and Killua.
That is what makes chapter 414 so exciting. Rather than bringing the duo back for a brief reunion, Togashi may be laying the foundation for their long-awaited return to the story. If Gon, Killua, and potentially even Alluka could end up carrying out the parts of Kurapika’s mission that he simply cannot handle from inside the Black Whale. It is a smart way to reconnect Hunter x Hunter’s original protagonists with its current storyline, while finally bringing together two parts of the series that have been separated for more than a decade.
Megumi Han, Mariya Ise, Keiji Fujiwara, Daisuke Namikawa, Miyuki Sawashiro, Kazuhiro Yamaji, Ichirô Nagai, Hiroshi Kamiya, Hisao Egawa, Maaya Uchida
Hunter × Hunter is a Japanese manga and anime franchise created by Yoshihiro Togashi. The story follows Gon Freecss, a boy who discovers his father is a legendary Hunter, and embarks on a journey to become one himself. Along the way, he encounters friends and foes in a world filled with martial arts, adventure, and paranormal elements. The franchise spans manga, multiple anime adaptations, films, OVAs, and video games.
