Hunter x Hunter: Hunter Exam Arc, Explained

Key Takeaways

• Hunter x Hunter is part of the golden age of Shōnen Jump with iconic characters and settings.
• The iconic Exam arc in Hunter x Hunter sets the stage for a legendary animanga story.
• The Hunter Exam arc is filled with challenges and tests, showcasing each character’s skills.

Hunter x Hunter is among the likes of Dragonball, One Piece, Slam Dunk and more as part of the golden age of Shōnen Jump. Receiving two anime adapations, one in 1999 and one more recently in 2011, Hunter x Hunter is nearly required viewing for anyone who wants to understand the landscape of animanga as a whole.

The characters, power system, philosophical questions, and settings all lend themselves to making Hunter x Hunter not only one of the best animanga stories, but perhaps one of the most legendary stories in any medium. But, before diving into human-sized ants and mind-bending displays of power, we must begin with the very beginning of Hunter x Hunter; the Exam arc. If fans have already watched a good amount of shōnen anime, then odds are they will understand the prevalence of this trope. Many shōnen stories, especially battle shōnen, will have an exam arc present in one way or another; the Chunin Exams, UA and Hero License Exams and many more. Hunter x Hunter presents arguably one of the most iconic of them all. So let’s begin with a breakdown of this iconic beginning to an iconic story.

This article is about the 2011 Hunter x Hunter animated series. There may be some differences from the 1999 animated series.

The Journey Begins

Gon Makes an Immediate Impression

We learn what the “Hunter” in Hunter x Hunter means almost instantly, as the story begins with Gon simply fishing near his home on Whale Island. He made a deal with his aunt; if he catches a legendary fish that even many grown men couldn’t catch on their own, she would allow him to take the Hunter exams.

While we don’t learn the entire lore of the Hunters, we learn what Gon’s motivation is after his aunt asks him why he wants to be a hunter. In a flashback, we see that when he was a much smaller child, Gon was attacked and almost killed by a foxbear, before he was saved by a man, Kite, who is revealed to be a Hunter looking for his mentor, who we later learn is Gon’s Father. Gon was originally told that his parents had both died, so this revelation was incredibly shocking for Gon. Kite goes on to tell Gon many stories about his father, and we learn a bit about what a “Hunter” in this story is. From Kite’s stories, a Hunter is a grand adventurer, seeking all the wonders that the world has to offer. From that point on, Gon decides that he wants to be a Hunter as well.

In the present, Gon finally lands the legendary fish and Mito, Gon’s aunt, honors her part of the bargain, and allows Gon to board the ship that will take him to the storied Hunter Exam. As Gon waves goodbye to Mito and the other islanders, he promises to one day return as a great Hunter.

“I’ll do my best. I promise to become a Hunter!” – Gon Freecss

The Test Before the Test

The Trip to the Exam Presents Its Own Challenges

After a rough storm causes a rough night for the hunter exam hopefuls onboard the ship, Gon and 2 other examinees are the only ones to remain after Gon predicts the boat will run into another storm. After seeing a strong resemblance in Gon, the ship captain reveals that he knew Ging, Gon’s father, as well. The 2 hunters who remain with Gon on the ship are named Leorio and Kurapika, and we learn their motives for taking the hunter exam when it is revealed that the Captain is actually a screener for the hunter exams, and helps decide who is worthy of taking them. Leorio and Kurapika begin to clash, as Leorio’s motive is to seek revenge while Kurapika is seemingly seeking fortune. But after an accident during a storm sends a crewmate overboard, they, together with Gon, work together to save the crew member and are approved to continue on to the Hunter Exams.

After receiving a hint from the ship captain, the group makes their way to the exam destination and run into a few more obstacles. First, a tough quiz asks them to consider who they would leave behind, their daughter or their son. In the end, the group remain silent, which is revealed to be the correct answer, as the question is truly unanswerable. However, this question remains a relevant philosophical point moving forward.

In what is their final obstacle before reaching the exam, the group arrives at a forest inhabited by massive mythical creatures, Kirikos, who, after being bested, reveal that they are actually navigators who can show them the way to the Hunter exam area. As another reward for beating them and revealing their true identities, the Kirikos then fly the trio to the exam location.

The Exam Begins

1st phase

404 examinees begin the exam. An exam proctor, Satotz, reveals that it is in fact the 287th hunter exam, and makes a seemingly simple declaration for the first test of the exam; examinees must simply follow him through a tunnel to the location of the second phase. However, he suddenly begins to pick up incredible speed, causing many of the examinees to drop out while in pursuit. While following Satotz, another examinee, Killua, decides to tag along with Gon after learning that they are the same age.

When their nearly 30km run is finally over, they are then introduced to a swampy area, with Satotz warning the examinees that nearly everything in the swamp should be considered an enemy, with traps and trials abound. But the true threat of this phase is revealed when one of the participants, Hisoka, begins to eliminate many of the other contestants. Our trio tries to fight him off, and while they don’t defeat him, he acknowledges their efforts before escaping.

Second phase

In this phase we are introduced to a particular type of hunter, Gourmet Hunters. With the purpose of traveling the world for more and more exotic dishes and ingredients, among other things, the gourmet hunters for this stage of the exam challenge the examinees to make dishes that will satisfy a gourmet judge with very lofty requests. The examinees mostly fail to live up to the standards of the judge, all the while hunting legendary wild game in order to get the ingredients. This causes the exam judges to declare a change for the second stage, and instead examinees are tasked with hunting for the eggs of a rare spider eagle.

We are then introduced to Netero, Chairman of the Hunter Association, and are immediately met with his extraordinary power. He promises Gon and Killua that he will grant their Hunter licenses if they can take a ball from him. They fail miserably, but Gon takes pride in the fact that he finally manages to get Netero to use his right hand when fending them off.

42 examinees remain.

“You just used your right hand — I did it!” — Gon Freecss

3rd phase

The Third Phase takes place in a location known as Trick Tower, where examinees are faced with even more trials as they attempt to descend the tower within 72 hours. Due to an obstacle in the tower which requires 5 people working together to succeed, the 4 members must add another examinee to their group. They are then faced with various matches of wit and strength from challengers provided by the examiners. The most memorable conflict perhaps occurs when Killua faces what we are told to be an extremely deadly and proficient prisoner. However, Killua swiftly removes his heart and the members exit the tower with almost no time to spare.

24 examinees remain.

4th phase

This phase of the exam is fairly straightforward. Hunters will be given one week to acquire 6 points. You receive these points based on the number of badges you have at the end of the 7 days.

The Point System is as follows:

• Examinees own badge is worth 3 points.
• Their Targets badge is worth 3 points.
• Any other badge is worth 1 point.

So, the easiest path to victory for any contestant would be to protect their badge from being taken while stealing their targets. Other assortments of points are possible but much more difficult.

Our 4 members then learn that they are none of each other’s targets, and proceed to help each other make it through this phase. This phase is excellent in showcasing the knowledge and skills of every hunter examinee. Gon’s fishing experience becomes relevant, and we see even more of Killua’s seemingly deadly nature. Hisoka appears again and is an absolute force to be reckoned with, but our 4 members manage to maneuver around him, and acquire the points every one needs to pass to the final stage.

9 examinees remain.

5th and final phase

This final test is a 1-on-1. Winners pass, and losers must attempt to fight another round. One key stipulation is that if an examinee kills another, then they will be automatically disqualified, and all other hunters will receive their license.

Gon is in the first match, and his resilience causes his opponent to concede, opting for another battle instead of finishing off Gon. After he is knocked out, Gon wakes up to the news that the final phase is over and he and all the other examinees will be receiving their licenses except for 2 exceptions; Killua and the opponent he killed.

Killua’s fight is influenced by the appearance of his brother, chastising him for his goal to be a hunter, and urging him to return to his real life’s work as an assassin. While he at first concedes, Killua ultimately returns later to finish off another contestant and is therefore disqualified from receiving his Hunter license.

7 examinees receive their license.

Post Exam

We Learn About Killua and the Zoldyck Family

Gon, Lerio and Kurapika want to continue looking for the disappeared Killua, and learns about his famous family, the Zoldyck’s, and that he has returned home to Kukuroo mountain. Gon also learns about “cyberspace”, which is essentially the Hunter x Hunter internet, where he is finally able to search for more information about Ging, only to find that powerful individuals are attempting to keep his work and identity classified.

The Zoldyck Family Estate is an incredibly imposing location, with the exterior only a harrowing precursor to the more dangerous encounters inside. The gate to the estate is nearly impossible to open, with the intruders who try to get in otherwise either being eliminated by a large monster, or stopped by the incredibly skilled butlers on the grounds.

But due to the resilience of Gon, they make their way through to the estate, only for it to be revealed that Killua is being tortured for his actions (in order to attend the hunter exam, he apparently attacked his brother and mother so that he could leave). However, the torture is called off, and soon Killua sits down with his father where they talk about what Killua wants out of life. After seeing his friends arrive to come see him, and seeing his desire to see them, Killua’s father declares that he can go, but leaves him with a final piece of wisdom; never betray your friends. But whether his father truly supported him is unclear, as he tells Killua’s mother that he let him go because he ultimately knows that he will return to him.

“I’m not here to be tested, I’m here to see my friend.” — Gon Freecss

The Hunter Exam Arc has 26 episodes in the anime, and while this article gives a brief overview of the events, this is absolutely an arc that you want to see for yourself. There is a ton of character work, interesting confrontations and gripping moments, that set up a lot to come in this legendary story.

Hunter x Hunter is now available to stream on Crunchyroll, Netflix and Hulu.