Yoshihiro Togashi has been working on Hunter x Hunter for over two decades now. The story, both through the anime and the manga, has progressed beautifully, building up the anticipation for fans to reach its inevitable ending one day. The project isn’t Togashi’s first major one, so he already had experience when it came to Shonen Jump and even the way fans perceive content.
When the series first began, there were many ideas Togashi was met with that he wanted to incorporate into the story. Some ultimately worked and others were scrapped by his editor even before they could be manifested.
Although some of his ideas were rejected, that is not to say that it wasn’t the right thing. More so considering how his editor changed a crucial aspect of Hunter x Hunter, saving its beginning.
Yoshihiro Togashi Wanted a Different Beginning
In an interview with Iwakura and Yoshizumi’s Show via an exchange of letters, Yoshihiro Togashi revealed that his original intentions with Gon’s story in Hunter x Hunter were completely different. Instead of passing his exam at once, Gon was supposed to fail and train, leading to a time skip. The story would then go on by showing him pass after so much hard work.
The story would then have followed an adult Gon instead of the kid fans grew to love. Although Togashi hadn’t decided on what the exam would include, he was rather proud of the idea. That was until his editor completely rejected it. The protagonist was instead meant to pass the exam with flying colors.
Remnants of the original concept remained through Killua’s story though. He was the one who ended up failing the exam and taking it again instead.
Time Skips, Flashbacks, and the Bildungsroman
Time skips are often used in shows, animes, mangas, movies, etc to quicken the pacing of the projects. Mostly used in the midst of the works, time skips give stories a boost when they need one. Time skips, although a wonderful concept to utilize, take away from the story if used in the beginning.
It can often come out as a lack of established ideas and reduce the chances of fans being able to connect with the characters. Time skips work in the central settings because characters and the audiences already have bonds that make them want to know more. The beginning lacks that interest. Flashbacks, on the other hand, counter that problem.
Flashbacks act as a way to show the character’s growth. They reveal secrets and they show the ups and downs that these characters face. The growth of a character establishes a humanistic perspective for audiences that shows change throughout the years rather than in a snap.
Hunter x Hunter’s anime is available to watch on Crunchyroll, and the manga can be read on Viz Media.
