SerpApi.Org
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 & Killua's Highly Anticipated Return Makes This The Perfect Time To Read Hunter x Hunter
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.
And it is a journey worth taking. Hunter x Hunter may have moved away from Gon and Killua after the Election arc, but the Succession Contest has grown into one of Togashi's most ambitious stories. The story has transformed into a massive, claustrophobic battle royale aboard the Black Whale ship.
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.
Hunter X Hunter Proves Gon And Killua's Return Is Far More Than A Simple Cameo
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.
