Gon Freecss

Gon Freecss (ゴン=フリークス, Gon Furīkusu) is a Rookie Hunter and the son of Ging Freecss. Finding his father is Gon's motivation in becoming a Hunter.

Appearance
Gon is a young boy with long spiky black green tipped hair and large, hazel brown eyes. His usual outfit is composed of a green jacket with reddish edges covering a black or white tank top underneath, green short shorts, and green, laced boots. In some arcs such as the Greed Island and Chimera Ant arcs he takes off the jacket and wears only the tank top. In the Greed Island arc and at the beginning of the Chimera Ant arc he wears the Paladin's Necklace, a Greed Island card with the ability to purge any external effects to a card the wearer is holding.

Personality


Gon is an athletic, rustic, and friendly boy who is searching for adventure. Also, he is not very good at math. However, having spent a lot of time in the woods as a child, he is very good with animals. Gon is an Enhancer, who are known for being simple-minded and determined. This determination and talent leads to both potential allies and potential enemies trusting in him and taking his side. He has inhuman senses; Gon has a heightened sense of smell almost like a dog's, he also has very good vision, as well as having very keen taste. Gon wants to become a Hunter because he wishes to find out the depths of an occupation that would cause a father to choose the profession over being with his own son.

Simultaneously, his flaws lie in his temper and impulsive nature. Gon sometimes fails to think things through and such actions lead to him suffering. Though possessing talent far beyond the norm for his age, anytime his abilities are challenged, he feels as if he has to prove his antagonist wrong.



He continually strives to obtain greater power, often becoming exceptionally stronger in his anger. But Gon's anger also leads to some extremely reckless tendencies. When his emotions are ignited, Gon becomes irrational and completely oblivious to anything else. While his will is stronger than most and he can be very level-headed, this clear mind can also make him very cold at times. When Gon is cool-headed, it is shown that he can think very creatively and thoughtful to solve a problem. The prime example is in the third stage of the Hunter Exam in which he can think clearly enough under heavy stress to find the way to get through the lock door to the finish line with all his companions by breaking the wall to lead to the finish line in time, which is the feat not even level-headed people like Kurapika or Killua can think of.

Often it is difficult for others to understand or relate Gon's actions or thoughts to what people would consider "normal" thinking, with some believing him to be a little insane. Zepile remarked on how Gon "doesn't care about the good or the bad" when he is curious or amazed. His morality is complex, almost juridical: Gon values life and ethics, but he can dissociate his personal feelings from them. For example, he thanked Binolt, a serial killer, after he helped him get stronger, and, in spite of being aware of how dangerous he is, Gon admires Hisoka for his might. Despite wanting to put a stop to the actions of the Phantom Troupe, Gon never hated them until he discovered they were capable of feeling emotion and empathy. He never judged Killua for his past as an assassin, but he snapped at Illumi when he started to suspect that, rather than Killua killing because he was not taught to value life, his family was forcing him to do so regardless of how he felt about it. Notably, however, he did not even think about warning Agon when the latter was about to cross paths with Hisoka, despite knowing fully well that the encounter would inevitably result in the man's death, all for the sake of obtaining the magician's tag.

When Kite died facing Neferpitou, Gon blamed himself for being too weak and entered a destructive and self-destructive spiral. At the apex of his mental breakdown he was willing to kill Komugi if Neferpitou did not accept his request, and ultimately accepted to give up his own life to kill the ant.

Gon is extremely confident in his abilities. Sometimes, he does not realize when the opponent is far stronger or even after he knows the opponent is stronger than him; regardless, he will continue to fight. He refuses to accept himself as inferior to any opponent that he disagrees with, including those clearly stronger than him. Togashi initially portrays this as naïveté. Aside from becoming a Hunter and finding his father, Gon desires strength above all else. Gon's greatest insecurity lies in his own weakness and not being able to protect those who are closest to him.

A running gag in the series is that he often has problem with math and numbers. The prime example is he miscalculates the weight of the challenge doors at Zoldyck's estate until Kurapika has to correct him or he misreads the price tag as five hundred, eighty million and Killua has to correct him as five billion, eight hundred million. It is also shown that if someone explains math and calculation too much to him, his head will release steam and eventually explodes like when Knuckle manages to knock him down while explaining about aura calculation.



According to himself and Killua's observation, Gon is very good at handling women of any kind. He shows no fear towards Palm Siberia and her violent outbursts, and even manages to handle her unstable personality most of the time. Gon claims he learned his way with women during his childhood experience with a group of women who visited his hometown and taught him "many things".

Background


At the age of twenty, Ging Freecss returned home to Whale Island for the first time in eight years carrying his infant son, Gon. When questioned about the child's mother, Ging simply mentions that the pair had separated. While Ging tries to leave Gon in his grandmother's care for a little while, Ging's cousin Mito is infuriated at Ging's parenting and gets custody through the courts. Ging leaves Whale Island, never to return.



Since his early youth, due to his father's absence and Mito's dislike of Ging, Gon had been told that his parents died in an accident when he was a baby. But at the age of nine, Gon is rescued from an angry mother foxbear by a man named Kite—a professional Hunter and a student of Gon's long lost father. After hitting Gon in the face, Kite attempts to kill the foxbear's cub but Gon protects it. Kite is looking for Ging as a final test before his master will consider him to be a true Hunter. Kite's admiration of Ging awakens in Gon a lifetime goal of meeting his father. In order to find and meet Ging, Gon is driven from that moment to obtain a Hunter License. He cites a desire to know what would cause Ging to choose his profession as a Hunter over being a parent as his motivation for becoming a Hunter.

Hunter Exam arc


Gon is first seen fishing on a Whale Island bog for The Master of the Swamp—a fish so enormous that five grown fishermen pulling together could not land it, but Gon succeeds in catching it after a week of work. He made a wager with his Aunt Mito Freecss that if he could catch the fish, she would allow him to take part in the Hunter Exam. After getting Mito's consent on his application to the Hunter Exam, Gon proceeds to say a bittersweet farewell to Kon; a Foxbear cub raised by the boy following his first encounter with Kite. Gon tells Kon that he is going to become a Hunter and that he will do things that the animals of the forest will not like. Since Kon is the king of the forest, he can not talk to Gon anymore. Kon walks away from Gon to a gathering of other animals. Gon returns home and speaks to Mito. She asks if Gon always knew his Father's trade, and also tells him his father left Gon with her when he was still a baby; Gon replies that being a Hunter must be an important job; that family comes second and that it is time for him to meet his father.



He is then seen preparing to board a ship heading for the Hunter exam. Everyone in the town comes to say goodbye and wish him luck. Aunt Mito comes and tells him that his father did not abandon him; she made him give up Gon through the courts. Gon says he knew because she never looks at him when she is lying. He gets on the boat and yells back to her that he will return as a great Hunter.

Preliminary Phase
The first night on the boat, there is a huge storm that tosses about most of the would-be Hunters. After the storm, the ship's drunkard of a captain walks around to see only three candidates still able to move (one of them, Gon, is running back and forth trying to take care of the sea-sick). Later on, Gon is standing on the front of the boat where he predicts they will be hit by another storm, but this time it will be three times the size as the previous night. The Captain knows he is correct and not guessing; he sees Ging in Gon. He asks who Gon's father is, and finds he is correct. The Captain shows Gon how to steer the boat and announces that the next storm was coming and that anyone who wants off should leave.



All but Gon, Kurapika, and Leorio leave. The Captain then asks why they all want to be Hunters. Gon answers immediately while the other two do not. Leorio asks why they should tell him when he just steers the ship. The Captain replies that he screens applicants and that it is up to him whether or not they pass. The remaining two tell him. While explaining, Kurapika annoys Leorio to the point where they go out into the storm to fight. When a crew member jumps in to stop them and falls overboard, Gon jumps after him, narrowly missing falling into the ocean thanks to Kurapika and Leorio grabbing his ankles in time to pull them both back on board.

When they reach land, the Captain gives them a hint to head to a lone cedar tree outside of the city to find their navigators. Gon decides to go, and Kurapika decides to tag along. Leorio stays until he finds that there was another trick to weed out the weak. He then runs off to join the other two.



Later they reach a village that seems to be deserted but Gon says that he can hear them and so does Kurapika. Then the whole population of the village comes out to start The Mind-Boggling Two Choice Quiz. The leader of the village asks two questions and all they can say is 1 or 2. The man who heard the clue walks in and says he will go first. She asks him, "Men have taken your mother and your true love captive. Who do you save?" He chooses 1, the mother, thinking that is what the old lady wants him to say. She says he may go. Leorio starts yelling because of the preposterous question. Kurapika tells him to be quiet; he and Gon have figured out the riddle. She asks another impossible question and after the time limit is up, with none of them having said an answer, Leorio tries to attack her. Kurapika blocks it stating they passed, since silence was the real answer. He adds that he heard the other man scream, meaning he was killed, but no one knows how.



After a short walk, the trio reaches a house and finds the navigator couple being attacked by a magical beast called a Kiriko. The beast takes off with the lady followed by Gon and Kurapika, with Leorio staying behind to take care of the man. While chasing after the creature Gon pulls ahead of Kurapika, closes in on the Kiriko, and bashes him in the head. The Kiriko drops the wife, who is caught by Kurapika. The creature still manages to get away from Gon, who continues chasing it. Soon he comes to clearing where the creature attacks him. Gon merely greets it and asks where the one he hit went to. It is revealed that both the Kiriko and the couple are a family and the ones who would take the three to the Hunter Exam.

The next day, they arrive at a small restaurant. The disguised magical beast orders a specific meal, then the cook sits them in a room and delivers the meal. The room is actually an elevator that starts to drop. As they make their way down, Kurapika and Leorio try to find out whether Gon is taking the test for the wealth or for the adventure. He does not answer.



Gon's Hunter Exam begins with him getting targeted by Tonpa, the "Rookie Crusher". Tonpa first introduces himself as a friend trying to help Gon. Then he introduces some of the other regulars, such as Bourbon the snake charmer, Todo the wrestler, the Amori Brothers, Cherry, and Geretta the huntsman. While doing the introductions they hear a bloodcurdling scream, and they look to see a man missing his arms courtesy of Hisoka the magician who maimed him only because he bumped into him. Tonpa then offers Gon and the other two some juice. Gon, being the first to taste it, spits it back out saying it tastes funny, leading Kurapika and Leorio to dump theirs on the ground. Afterwards, Tonpa makes a hasty apology.

First Phase


Satotz, the examiner of the First Phase, begins the 287th Hunter Exam with a multi-marathon run through a tunnel underneath Zaban City. A boy on a skateboard notices Gon and introduces himself as Killua; the pair spend the majority of the First Phase getting to know each other. Gon notices Leorio faltering around the 60km mark. He stops and silently waits until Leorio gets his second wind, the man dropping his briefcase in the process. Gon uses his fishing pole to grab Leorio's attaché and carries it. After running for 80km they come to a set of stairs and start climbing, while Satotz starts to pick up the pace. Gon discusses his reasons for wanting to become a professional Hunter with Killua until the pair reach the exit of the tunnel in first place.

The First Phase continues outside, with the examinees being required to follow Satotz through the mysterious Numere Wetlands in a thick fog. Gon is warned by Killua to stay close to Satotz, as he can sense that Hisoka will use the cover of the mist to satiate his blood lust. The boys continue ahead but Gon turns around after hearing Leorio scream. Gon then saves Leorio from Hisoka, whom had been murdering applicants in an attempt to "play proctor". Gon pursues Hisoka to no avail, silently attacking until he has caught and choked. However, Hisoka takes an interest in Gon and spares the lives of him and his friends.



While Hisoka carries Leorio to the destination of the Second Phase, Gon and Kurapika follow behind him at a distance. Gon mentions that he was afraid of Hisoka and wanted to run away; but he could not; and simultaneously excited at the same time. Having the experience of mortal fear for the first time in his entire life, Gon cannot control his growing curiosity.

Second Phase


The Second Phase of the Hunter Exam takes place in the Visca Forest Reserve, where the examinees meet Gourmet Hunters (and proctors) Menchi and Buhara—whom have split the Phase into two tests. Buhara's test is to find the world's most dangerous pig and to roast it. Gon, Kurapika, and Leorio comb through the forest reserve and find a drift of Great Stamp. Amidst his battle with one of the boar, Gon again takes notice of how situations that threaten his life also give him a rush. However, he also realizes that he needs bigger thrills. Gon and his friends complete the task easily along with seventy other applicants.

Menchi's test ends up baffling nearly all of the applicants after she tells them to make sushi for her test. Due to being a traditional dish of Jappon (a slight alteration of the name Japan for those who don't know the origin of sushi), only Hanzo ends up knowing what it is (yet Menchi still fails him). Gon is clueless to a solution until it is revealed to all of the examinees, but to no avail. Menchi overreacts to the applicants' dismissive comments about Gourmet Hunters and fails the entire group as a result—forcing Netero, chairman over the Hunter Association, to intervene. The test is taken to Mt. Split-in-Half, where examinees hunt for Spider Eagle eggs. Forty-two applicants pass the Second Phase.

A Game at Midnight


The forty two remaining examinees board the Selection Committee's airship at the end of the day, where Beans explains that the next phase of the exam will begin at 8:00 A.M in the morning. As everyone rests up for tomorrow, Gon and Killua spend their time getting to know each other. Killua tells Gon about how he has run away from home in order to escape his overbearing family of assassins until being interrupted by Netero, whom offers to immediately issue the boys Hunter Licenses if they can grab a ball from him. The two give it their best efforts individually with no progress made until they attack Netero together; though they come seemingly close to succeeding, Netero shatters their hopes by proving the game impossible to win after revealing that he has not used two of his limbs at all. Killua gets frustrated, quits, and then murders two applicants after the game out of frustration. Gon, however, continues to play until he forces Netero to use his right hand through a near-suicide tactic. When he succeeds in doing so, Gon passes out in exhaustion.

Third Phase
The next morning, the Hunter Association's airship arrives at the top of Trick Tower, a prison filled with traps in order to prevent its inmates from escaping. Beans informs the 40 remaining applicants that the objective of the Third Phase is to reach the bottom of the tower alive within 72 hours. Gon and Killua survey the area and discover there to be trapdoors embedded within the floor. They report their findings to Kurapika and Leorio and each go through a trapdoor, coincidentally all landing in the same room. The four learn that they have inadvertently selected The Path of Majority Rules; Lippo, one of three proctors over the Third Phase, explains that the group is required to proceed through the tower based upon the decision belonging to the majority. However, the group is forced to team up with Tonpa after he slips through the ceiling.



After a couple hours of walking, the group comes to an arena over a seemingly bottomless pit. Their first challenge is to win 3 out of 5 competitive matches, using any type of method, against convicts sentenced to life imprisonment. Tonpa purposefully fails the first match and proves to be untrustworthy. Gon faces the next prisoner, a serial bomber by the name of Sedokan, in a match to see whose candle can burn the longest. Sedokan presents Gon the choice of one of candles, one short and one long, in a desperate choice. Gon selects the long candle, but it is later revealed that Sedokan had rigged the game for the boy to fail. Using his wits, Gon wins his match and is the first to attain victory on his team.



Kurapika manages to win his trial as well, facing off against a Phantom Troupe imposter in a death match. Leorio, pitted against a prisoner in a gambling match, loses both the round and fifty hours of their time as well. Although Killua is victorious in the fifth round, the team is forced to wait for fifty hours inside of a room due to Leorio's loss. With only nine hours remaining in the Trick Tower, the team works together until they reach a crossroad that happens to be their final test on the Path of Majority Rules. After some bickering, Gon comes up with a clever solution that allows all five to successfully pass the Third Phase of the Hunter Exam.

Fourth Phase


The fourth phase is a manhunt on Zevil Island, wherein the 25 remaining competitors being required to target and acquire their prey's number badge. Gon draws Hisoka and is thrilled by the hunt. Upon arrival, Gon struggles to come up with a way to acquire Hisoka's badge until he observes a hunt for the first time (as Pokkle does so in front of him). Thus, Gon spends an entire day and his next morning learning how to hunt through attempting to reel in live prey using his fishing rod. Gon realizes that hunting requires waiting to strike as your prey attacks his own target; he chooses this method to attempt to steal Hisoka's badge. With his training completed, Gon thereafter utilizes Hemotropic Butterflies (a type of butterfly attracted to the scent of blood) to stalk Hisoka. Gon finds the man, naturally silences his presence by slowing his heart rate and stopping his breathing, and lies in wait.

Gon waits until Goz, another applicant, accosts Hisoka for a fight in front of him. He sees it as his chance to put his new skills into practice, but Hisoka refuses to fight the suicidal warrior. Gittarackur suddenly intervenes and kills Goz, his target. Gon watches as Hisoka and Gittarackur have a conversation as if they were friends, the new party giving the magician a badge he took from another applicant.



Night falls and Hisoka resumes stalking for prey, eventually spotting Kurapika and Leorio from a distance; he chooses to pursue them. Gon follows behind Hisoka and realizes that his two new friends are being targeted. Conflicted, Gon initially decides to stick with his plan until he realizes that it would also mean sacrificing his friends, thereafter resolving to help them if the situation took a turn for the worst. The duo manages to negotiate their way out of any danger from Hisoka and Gon continues to watch him. Hisoka's blood lust flares overnight and shoots a terrible fear through Gon. It is the first time he ever feels such an ominous aura.

The next day, Gon manages to get Hisoka's numbered plate and is temporarily paralyzed when shot by Geretta with a blow dart coated in a muscle relaxant. Hisoka then kills Geretta, but gives Gon back his plate and then his own. Gon manages to stand to his feet and refuses Hisoka's charity, insisting the magician takes back his plate. The former refuses, punching the latter and declaring that he will not take his badge back until he can retaliate. Gon spends the night quietly seething over the violation to his pride.



During the Fourth Phase's final day, Gon finds Leorio and Kurapika and chooses to help Leorio to acquire his target's badge from Ponzu. He is confronted by Kurapika after the phase ends. Gon confesses what happened to him and expresses the humiliation and frustration he feels from losing, shedding tears. Kurapika lifts his spirits as the two head towards the Hunter Exam's Final Phase.

Final Phase


The final phase was a tournament with each of the participants. After being selected by the judges as being the most exceptional applicants, Hanzo and Gon face off first. Gon is outmatched when it comes to combat, but his unwillingness to submit causes Hanzo to forfeit the battle—making Gon the first applicant to pass the 287th Hunter Exam. At first Gon refuses to accept the win, insisting that the two of them (he and Hanzo) can figure out a way to have a proper match. Hanzo, annoyed, knocks Gon out and the boy does not awake until the Exam has ended. Satotz fills in the details and explains to Gon that only two people did not pass the exam—Bodoro and Killua. It is revealed that Gittarackur is actually an alias for Killua's older brother, Illumi. Killua was manipulated into murdering another contestant and subsequently failed the exam. Gon, enraged, confronts Illumi, breaking the assassin's wrist in the process, and gets Killua's address. Gon, Kurapika, and Leorio all then depart to Killua's home on Kukuroo Mountain.

Zoldyck Family arc


Along with Kurapika and Leorio, Gon heads to Killua's house on Kukuroo Mountain in order to bring him back. After reaching the Zoldyck estate, the trio is blocked by the a gate requiring 4 tons of force to open. Gon attempts to reason with a Zoldyck butler named Gotoh but reaches an impasse, the latter adamantly opposed to his entry. Gon then tries to break into the estate on an impulse until he is calmed down by Zebro, the gatekeeper. Zebro introduces the trio to Mike—the trained Zoldyck attack dog—putting a great fear into Gon.

Zebro takes the trio back to his quarters near Kukuroo Mountain and allows them to weight train under him for two weeks, in order to gain the strength to open the Testing Gate themselves. They then proceed toward the mountain and are again blocked—this time, by a butler's apprentice named Canary. Ordered never to let anyone pass, she expels intruders through force. Gon spends the day walking toward her and, consequently, getting walloped by her. His tenacity touches Canary, who wavers and leads the trio to the butlers' quarters in order to meet with Killua.

While the trio waits for Killua to arrive, Gotoh, infuriated by the audacity of Gon to try and remove Killua from his family, threatens the lives of the trio and Canary under the guise of a game. Thanks to some quick thinking and sharp eyesight, Gon is victorious and earns Gotoh's approval. Killua arrives and the reunited four depart from Padokea.



As the four head to the nearest airport, the four discuss their plans now that the Hunter Exam has ended. Gon, still angry about his humiliation in the Fourth Phase, wishes to find Hisoka, punch him in the face, and return the badge he was given. Kurapika plans to go to Yorknew City on September 1st for the Southernpiece Auction due to a tip he received from Hisoka regarding the Phantom Troupe. Leorio informs the group of his immediate plans to study for his medical school exams. The four vow to reunite in Yorknew City in September and the elder two depart. With Killua as his sole companion, Gon is at a loss as to how to accomplish his immediate goal. Killua suggests training their combat skills and earning money at Heaven's Arena.

Heaven's Arena arc


Gon and Killua reach Heaven's Arena. Although Gon has never really fought before, he discovers that his strength has increased considerably after training at Kukuroo Mountain. As the pair quietly battles their way up toward the 200th floor of Heaven's Arena, Gon silently relishes in his power. Gon and Killua meet a boy named Zushi, the young student of Shingen-ryū kung fu and the disciple of Wing. Killua feels ominous vibrations from the child, intuitively recognizing that Zushi has learned the same skill as Illumi. As such, the pair seeks out Wing to learn the same skill. Wing teaches them of "Nen", initially lying to the pair about the technique.



The duo reaches the 200th floor of Heaven's Arena and encounter Hisoka, who forms an invisible wall and refuses to let the pair advance until they have learned Nen. Wing finally decides to train the pair in Shingen-ryū and teaches them of the true Nen—a skill utilizing the technician's life energy for combat. Gon and Killua immediately are recognized to have immense talent in learning it and are able to pass through Hisoka's wall. The magician is impressed and agrees to duel Gon if he can win a match on the 200th floor.

Gon fights against Gido the day after learning Nen. It is revealed that Gon naturally learned Zetsu—one of the Four Major Principles—during the Fourth Phase of the Hunter Exam. He utilizes it without ever intending to actually win the match, nearly losing his life as a result; the boy is solely consumed with a lust for battle. After understanding this, Wing cannot help but fear that he has made a terrible mistake.



Gon and Killua spent several months mastering the Four Major Principles of Nen. After winning multiple matches on the 200th floor of Heaven's Arena, Gon eventually fights Hisoka and returns his badge. Gon loses in the end by TKO and Hisoka says that the next time the two fight, their match will be to the death. Gon and Killua leave Heaven's Arena after the match and head home for Whale Island.

Yorknew City arc
After going in Heaven's Arena, Gon invited Killua to go home with him in Whale Island. There, they discovered from Mito that Gon's father Ging left a recorded message. Along with the message, Ging has also left a ring and memory card, and the pair discovers that Ging had created a game called Greed Island. Gon and Killua decide to head to Yorknew City in late August for the Southernpiece Auction in order to win Greed Island.

Gon and Killua meet with Leorio in Yorknew City. They try different methods to make enough money to buy Greed Island, a video game that could help Gon find his father. While searching for the game, Gon and Killua encounter the Phantom Troupe, who are responsible for killing Kurapika's clan.



Both of them found out that Phantom Troupe members are worth millions of money when caught, so they set out to capture them. Gon, Killua, and Leorio found Nobunaga and Machi, who are currently posing as a couple to lure out the "Chain User". The two Spiders ended up catching Gon and Killua instead, with the aid of Phinks and Pakunoda.



They are brought back to their hideout, where they find Hisoka. Nobunaga challenges Gon in an arm-wrestling match, after he learned that Shizuku lost to Gon. He defeated Nobunaga after a losing streak, and Nobunaga finally decides to make them part of the Troupe. Gon and Killua are locked in a room, with Nobunaga guarding the only entrance. They finally made it out using the things they learned from Zepile.

After aiding Kurapika with the Troupe members, Gon and Killua finally gained access to Greed Island, the seemingly-magical video game that absorbs players within. The goal of the game is to collect a number of set cards, although almost everything in the game, from food to money, can be turned into cards.

Greed Island arc
Gon and Killua enter Tsezguerra's qualifying test for Greed Island players. After training for four days, Gon and Killua manage to pass with ease; Killua displays his use of electricity while Gon shows Tsezguerra his new-found ability using Ko.

Gon is the first one to enter the game and meets Goreinu. Not long after, he and Killua begin to wander around in the prairie until they are approached by Latarza who frequently preys on newcomers. Despite Killua lying to Latarza, he uses the Trace (G.I card) on Killua. When Killua intimidates Latarza with implied death threats, he returns to Masadora.



After learning of a serial bomber murdering players within Greed Island, Gon and Killua are approached by Nickes to join a players' alliance attempting to clear the game using a systematic approach. Gon deems it unfair and declines immediately, choosing to play the game his way. At a clear disadvantage, the duo becomes a prime target for players with much more experience than them. But to their fortune, Gon and Killua find an incredible trainer in Biscuit Krueger—a master of Shingen-ryū kung fu.



Grinding the progress of their game to a screeching halt, Biscuit Krueger teaches the boys advance techniques in Nen for their own use,  finally allowing them to play as competitors instead of as victims. Gon and Killua begin to develop their Hatsu—the final and most important of the Four Major Principles of Nen. After learning the origins of the game rock-paper-scissors, Gon bases his Hatsu around it. As the boys' training concludes, they begin their quest to complete the game. The duo now becomes a trio; their group advances through Greed Island with incredible efficiency.



On the hunt to obtain a rare card within the game, Gon faces an incredible challenge in overcoming Razor-—a master of the game and Ging's friend—through a game of dodge ball with deadly consequences. Gon is fascinated by the strength Razor displays and driven to prove his own strength against the man. For the first time, Gon's inner monologue consciously acknowledges a desire for more power. Through the adversity of their match, Gon discovers how to utilize his strength and displays the immense power of his Nen ability.



Genthru, only two cards away from completing Greed Island, discovers Gon to be in possession of one of the remaining cards. The Bomber threatens the boy's life and yet Gon, not intimidated, challenges the Bomb Devils after the dodge ball match against Razor. Eventually, the trio of Gon, Killua, and Biscuit face off against the trio of Genthru, Sub, and Bara. The protagonists draft a plan to win against the more experienced Bomb Devils—Biscuit training Gon to counter Genthru's Little Flower using Gyo.



Gon's conditions of his match are the same as the conditions in his match against Hanzo during the Hunter Exam—the first person to give up will lose. Though Gon agrees to utilize Killua and Biscuit's plan during his fight against Genthru, Gon's pride as a warrior prohibits him from carrying it out until he is seen as an equal match against his foe. Gon forsakes the plan and is beaten, yet refuses to submit against Genthru—proving the boy's worth in the Bomber's eyes and forcing the latter to utilize his ability. Gon reveals the extent to which he wishes to crush his own enemy, allowing Genthru to destroy his hands in order to successfully damage the man through an aura-enhanced kick to the jaw.



Due to shock, Genthru trips and manages to dodge Gon's Jajanken: Rock. Successfully shaken, Genthru continues his attempts to gain a psychological advantage over Gon instead of using using force, only fooling Gon by playing to the boy's willingness to trust others and falsely surrendering. Genthru immediately crushes Gon's throat and damage his windpipe; though Gon can barely speak, it only makes him enraged. Gon soaks Genthru with gasoline to neutralize Genthru's use of his Little Flower ability. Genthru finally decides to use his Countdown ability to end Gon's life. When the requirements have been met, Gon finally carries out Killua and Biscuit's plan. He hits the ground with Rock and reveals that underneath them was a pitfall. Through ingenuity and cunning, Gon traps Genthru inside the pit and uses Rock to land a final blow on Genthru. After meeting up with Killua and Bisky, Gon's injuries are healed with the use of Breath of Archangel.



Gon ended up being the first person to clear the game and, as part of his reward, is allowed to take three cards to be used in the real world. Using the card 'Accompany', Gon and Killua travel to a player under the user name 'Nigg', who they believe to be Ging. They invite Biscuit to join them, but she refuses as she starts to feel like a mother to them. They parted ways and Gon and Killua made their way to Ging. The card takes them to Kakin and they meet Kite once again.

Chimera Ant arc


Kite explains to Gon he has been on Greed Island on Ging's request, and that Gon's use of "Accompany" instead of "Magnetic Force" caused him to meet Kite and not Ging, who wanted to make sure Gon and him would be alone if they were to meet. They enjoy eating dinner while Kite tells stories of his life with Ging. Both Gon and Killua are left in awe by the revelation that Ging is a Double Star Hunter who can also qualify to become a Triple Star Hunter. Kite also tells Gon that he was finally able to find Ging. He explains his mission to do a biological survey, and returns to his group. Alongside Kite, Gon and Killua briefly work as biological researchers, finding a great number of new species thanks to their affinity with nature. As they investigate a giant insect limb found on the country's shores, the group discover it came from a man-sized Chimera Ant Queen—an insect that devours other insects and animals, and then gives birth to progeny that inherit the characteristics of the different species it has eaten.



Kite bets that the Queen Chimera Ant was washed onto an anarcho-primitivist, autonomous nation called Neo-Green Life. With his hunch, they head to NGL to eliminate the Chimera Ants. Upon entering NGL, only Gon, Killua, Kite, Stick Dinner, and Podungo Lapoy are able to proceed due to the country's strict rules. After receiving an SOS message from Ponzu, Kite, Gon and Killua rush to help. The first Chimera Ant they encounter is Rammot. Gon and Killua tag-teamed to beat him up. After Gon lands a near-fatal blow, Rammot is saved by his Squadron Leader, Colt.



The trio discovers the hidden side of NGL: a narcotics factory once commandeered by the former kingpin of NGL, Gyro. While they are inside they encounter Yunju's team. After seeing Yunju kill Spot and Rover, Gon is convinced to fight with the intention of killing the Chimera Ants. He defeats Centipede by using his transmutation Nen ability for the first time (Jajanken: Scissors). However, Kite is the one to finish the ant by shooting it in the head. Kite warns Gon to destroy the heads of Chimera Ants, as they can regenerate damage to their body within a day if the head is not destroyed.



While Gon is taught the survivalist lessons of hunting by Kite, the trio advances towards the Chimera Ant nest--encountering and fighting along each step of the way. Nearly 2 kilometers away from the nest, they are quickly thwarted by Neferpitou: a Royal Guard to the unborn Chimera Ant King who gravely wounds Kite. Gon immediately rages and prepares for battle but Killua knocks his friend unconscious to retreat out of the country whilst leaving Kite to deal with the threat himself. Reinforcements finally arrive in the forms of Morel Mackernasey, Knov, and Hunter Association Chairman Netero. Since the boys have decided to leave the country, Netero posits a challenge to the boys for re-entry into NGL. While Killua has been visibly shaken by the encounter with Neferpitou, Gon vows to become stronger and to rescue Kite.



In order to enter NGL, Gon and Killua engage Morel's students Knuckle Bine and Shoot McMahon in battle. Each pair has two tokens and to pass the challenge, the pair must acquire the opponent's two tokens. Right after meeting Palm Siberia, Knov's student, Biscuit shows up in their hotel room and offers Gon and Killua to resume their training to beat Knuckle and Shoot. She trains them to maintain a state of Ren for three hours, which will increase their stamina within battle. Hours later, Gon collapses a few seconds before Killua, and they instantly fall asleep. Biscuit uses her ability to reduce their fatigue.

The next day Gon and Killua meet Knuckle, who intimidates them and challenges them to a fight. He orders them to punch him in order to show how strong he really is. They are allowed to punch Knuckle many times and if he doesn't move from his post, Gon and Killua will have to leave their tokens behind. Gon steps forward to accept the match and starts off immediately with Rock. Upon contact, Knuckle loses consciousness and is taken back into the inn by Gon and Killua. The following morning, they share breakfast prepared by Palm and Knuckle calls Gon a good kid. However, he insists again that Gon and Killua won't be able to defeat him within the twenty days left.



The boys spend the rest of the month training themselves by maintaining Ren for three hours and subsequently heading off to challenge Knuckle once more. However, their powers are not enough to defeat him. Two nights before the deadline, Gon challenges Knuckle again while Killua remains on the sidelines. The fight begins and Gon uses his speed against Knuckle. Gon seems to be at the disadvantage. Knuckle proceeds to inform Gon that his technique has two major weaknesses: first, it takes too long to charge; second, the technique is too risky. The more aura concentrated on the fist, the less aura there is to protect the body. Gon exploits Knuckle's sympathy for his enemies and craftily discovers a way to strengthen his weaknesses amidst the battle. However, he exhausts his stamina before being able to land a decisive blow.

The Queen dies during labor, and the Chimera Ant King and his Chimera Ants flee the N.G.L., secretly overthrowing the government of the nearby Republic of East Gorteau soon thereafter. Under the guise of the former King of the Republic, Meruem initiates the process of forcibly awakening Nen in the civilians of East Gorteau in order to form his own personal army to conquer the world — resulting in the deaths of millions unable to awaken Nen. As Ants formerly under the Queen's rule rejoin the King, the Hunter Association mobilizes quickly to stop the oncoming genocide by sending in an extermination team of Hunters to Republic of East Gorteau. Distraught over the murder of Kite at the hands of the Royal Guards, Gon and Killua join the extermination team in order to take revenge for their friend. The extermination team consists of Morel's students: Shoot and Knuckle, and Knov's student Palm.

He and Killua sneak in, and then split up as Killua warns the citizens of their impending doom. While Gon is alone, a Squadron Leader takes an undue interest in him, and sends his soldiers Snake, then Hollow and Bat to test him. Gon defeats the three of them, earning the Squadron Leader's respect. He reveals himself to Gon, and explains his abilities pertaining invisibility, and his goal: to kill the King to avenge Peggy's death. Gon introduces him to the other members of the extermination team.



After some encounters with Youpi and Pouf, even seeing the King from the distance who was to be fighting Netero himself, he finally meets Pitou. When he sees Pitou healing Komugi instead of Kite, he is enraged; barely able to restrain himself. With Killua's advice, he gives Pitou one hour to heal Komugi's major wounds, and then they would go see Kite. The hour passes, and the two of them head to Peijin. In the end, when Pitou stated that they were unable to save his friend Kite, he unleashes all the anger and sorrow he was keeping within him, turning into an older version of himself and using all his potential in one instant to kill his enemy. He effortlessly defeats Neferpitou, and keeps hammering their skull until it cracks, remembering Kite's lesson. Just as he delivers the finishing blow, a horrified Killua arrives. As Gon acknowledges his presence, Pitou's corpse starts moving again thanks to Terpsichora. Killua pushes him out of the way, but Gon loses an arm in the attack. However, he claims to be fine and even happy, since he looks just like Kite did in his final moments. He proceeds to beat up and impale the headless body with his own severed arm. Before using one last Jajanken, he turns to Killua, who begs him to stop. Shedding one tear, Gon carries out the attack.

In the aftermath, he was was unconscious by releasing such tremendous power. Killua then took him to the rest of his friends. Gon currently resides in a Hospital with the rest of the Hunters that were part of the Chimera Ant extermination team. The Doctor informs Knov and Knuckle that Gon is in an extremely dangerous state, and requires life support. The Doctor thinks to himself saying he has never seen something this gruesome happen to a 12 year old boy in a single night.

13th Hunter Chairman Election arc


During the events of the Hunter Chairman Election, Gon is lying in a hospital and is severely injured. Killua goes back home at Kukuroo Mountain to seek help from his younger sibling Alluka Zoldyck. He leaves with her, accompanied by some of the Zoldyck Family butlers. On route to the hospital he faces his older brother Illumi who teams up with Hisoka to stop them. After overcoming this, Killua and Alluka finally arrive at Gon's room and the latter proceeds to heal Gon. As Alluka is healing Gon she emits a large energy wave, the wave is so powerful that everyone in the vicinity of the Hunter Association's building felt it; Cheadle states that she has never felt anything like it before.



As Pariston is giving his final speech to the public, Morel opens the back doors screaming at Leorio and Gon walks through fully healed. As everyone is happy to see that Gon is fine, he notices Dwun and List and in between Ging, he goes and walks towards Ging and they finally meet for the first time since Mito took custody of Gon. Gon then starts crying about what happened to Kite but Ging tells Gon it is not his fault. As Gon leaves with Leorio, Ging says he'll wait for him. Gon later meets with Kite and apologizes to her. They both agree that they need more training and promise to protect each other by fighting side by side. Kite tells Gon to go after Ging and should she need his help she'll contact him and Killua. Gon goes to meet Ging but is informed by Beans that he has already left and will wait for him at the top of the World Tree.



Gon, accompanied by Killua and Alluka, travel to the World Tree together. Killua tells Gon that Alluka is the one who healed him. When he asked why he wasn't told sooner, Killua explained about Alluka's powers and that they have "complicated family issues". Killua then tells Gon that he plans on traveling the world with Alluka, and that he's resolved to spend the rest of his life protecting her no matter what. However, Alluka tells Gon that she will be "hugging" her older brother only for awhile, but after that she wants Gon to play and hang out with Killua again. Gon and Killua say their goodbyes while promising to stay in touch and always be friends. Gon then climbs the World Tree and meets Ging. They talk about how Ging first started out as a Hunter and what he's looking for and why he is how he is. He tells Gon about the "outside world", and the fact that the Chimera Ants originated from said place. He explains to Gon that the world is a vast place with so many secrets and that he should take his time on his own journey.

After talking some more Gon returns Ging's Hunter License. When Gon returns to Kite and her exploration team he sees a flock of birds and takes a picture sending it to Knuckle, Shoot, Palm, Ikalgo, Meleoron, and the rest of his friends at the hospital, along with Killua, Alluka, and Leorio.

Dark Continent Expedition arc
Gon is first shown in this arc where it is revealed that he cannot use his aura. Gon has a brief discussion with Ging over the phone about not being able to use aura, after which Ging suggested that Gon probably just can't see it because he has reverted back to "normal". Ging stated that since Gon "threw it all away" as one of the conditions to increase his power enough to beat Pitou, then surviving that ordeal should be more than enough, and to expect or ask for more would be audacious and for which he has to pay a price. Ging then suggested that this is the best time for Gon to take some time to discover and decide what he would like to do from now on, implying that he could remain a "normal" person or re-awaken his abilities and continue being a Hunter with a new goal. Arriving on Whale Island, he is greeted joyously by his aunt Mito and his great grandma. Gon confesses while talking with Mito that he never really wanted to meet Ging, but simply wanted to "find" him. Inferring that Gon is now normal, Mito then takes out stacks of books and papers, telling Gon that he needs to complete four semesters' worth of schoolwork that he missed while he was gone adventuring as a Hunter to get a learning certificate from the schooling and welfare office. Furthermore, he also has to write 10,000 words of activities report of what he has done until now and 30 pages of career record. This upsets Gon, but Mito reminds him that his status as a Hunter has granted him a number of exemptions involving his schoolwork, and that the challenge of his make-up work pales in comparison to the many trials he's overcome.

Heaven's Arena Standing
The following are the results of Gon in Heaven's Arena:

Equipment
Fishing Rod: Back in Whale Island, Gon used a telescopic fishing rod to practice his hobby of angling. During the Hunter Exam, he showed the ability to use it as a makeshift weapon, striking the opponent from afar with its heavy float and grabbing faraway objects with the hook. He carried it with him when he went to talk to Killua at the Zoldyck Mansion, but did not use it again until he fought Gido at Heaven's Arena. He then presumably left it at his house on Whale Island. Both the fishing rod and the wire are very durable, as they were used to lift and throw a 1-ton flagstone and did not snap. The float is heavy enough to leave a visible bruise on Hisoka's face when he was hit with it. The fishing rod is rather plain, being composed only of a handle and a rod, lacking any reel or guides. There are slight differences in its depiction in each media: in the manga, it is light brown in color, with white bandages wrapped around the handle; in the 1999 anime, the bandages are red-brown. The material it is made out of is unknown, but was shown to be very durable and flexible. In the in the 2011 anime, the fishing rod is made out of metal and is silver, with dark gray bandages. When extended, it is taller than Gon, but its length decreases considerably when retracted. In the manga and both anime, Gon uses it in conjunction with a three-pronged hook and a big, spherical, red float. In the 1999 anime, this fishing rod was revealed by Mito to belong to Gin, who used it to catch a Master of the Swamp when he was a kid.

Abilities & Powers
Gon has all the benefits granted by his status as a Hunter. At the beginning of the series he had a fishing rod that he could swing with baffling accuracy, even managing to catch Hisoka's tag from afar while the latter was moving at high speed. The fishing rod can also be used as an offensive weapon if the situation asks for it. During the Hunter Exam, Gon was often praised for his powers of observation, agility, and stamina. In battle, he thinks quickly for any alternative solutions and strategies. His most remarkable quality, however, is the uncanny, bottomless potential he is gifted with. Many powerful characters such as Hisoka, Wing, Biscuit, and Razor were left astounded when they grasped the full extent of Gon's talent, which is often described as being limitless. This allows him to learn extremely quickly, and that is true especially in the field of Nen, with an aptitude like his being very rare. Even prior to learning it, he managed to use Zetsu on one occasion.

Together with his potential, it is his strength of mind that continuously leaves more experienced and skilled fighters dumbstruck. As an Enhancer, he should be fairly balanced between offense and defense, but he prefers to go on the offensive, as his stubbornness tends to come out during combat. Because of it, he sometimes charges in recklessly, but at the same time doesn't give up until he can't move anymore. He is quite proficient in close combat after being trained in the basics of Shingen-ryū kung fu by Biscuit Krueger, as well as through natural experience. Although this quality often goes unnoticed, Gon can focus intensely even in the worst circumstances. At the start of the series, he was much weaker than Killua; however, as the two trained, he slowly reduced the gap between their power, to the point that a few characters put the two of them on the same level during the Chimera Ants saga.

Other abilities include sleeping with a larger part of his brain awake than normal, thanks to Biscuit's training, and holding his breath for some minutes even if fatigued. After leaving Greed Island, due to his prowess in Nen, Gon became able to blend with nature more easily, which allowed him to find multiple new species of animals at a rate that astounded Kite's companions.

Enhanced Vision: Gon's eyesight exceeds that of a normal human. He was able to spot several examinees in the woods from the top of a tree, a feat that Kurapika judged impossible by human standards. He can spot details so small he was able to tell two Kiriko apart, as well as their sex, which Kurapika and Leorio failed to do even after the reveal.

Enhanced Hearing: Gon's sense of hearing is even superior to his vision, and allows him to fight even in pitch-black darkness. He can hear the sound of a bat's wing cutting through the air and determine its position. He can also detect differences in pitch that most other humans would be unable to perceive. During the Hunter Exam, it allowed him to sense Geretta's presence.

Enhanced Taste: Since taste is vital to surviving in the woods, Gon trained his tongue to the point he can detect substances that are considered tasteless.

Immense Smell: Gon's sense of smell is extremely advanced, causing him to be often compared to a dog. He was able to track down Leorio by the scent of his cologne from several miles away and Ponzu with the simple information she used chemical weapons.

Preternatural Perception: Through no rational process, Gon was able to determine Majitani was not a threat without having ever fought before, a sensation he described as a "chill". However, his inexperience prevented him from making more accurate estimations, which in fact were often rectified by Killua. His instincts became sharper after gaining more battle experience and improving his Nen abilities. Like other perceptive fighters, Gon is capable of detecting the gazes of others. He was able to sense Meleoron's presence despite the latter specializing in erasing it.

Enhanced Strength: Prior to the Hunter Exam, Gon was able to effortlessly transport a Master of the Swamp while running, a fish so heavy that five grown men could not land it by pulling together. After training for 20 days at the Zoldyck Family's estate, he became capable of pushing a gate weighing 4 tons open, as well as of shattering rock pillars with a punch and sending opponents several times his size than him crashing into a wall a few dozen meters awayby pushing with just one hand. Later on, at Heaven's Arena, he proved strong enough to lift and throw the ring's stone tiles without effort, snap a metal rod in two with a punch, and break a Nen user's wrists in a split second just by grabbing them. He was able to beat Shizuku, ranked 12th in the Phantom Troupe, in arm-wrestling, and once also Nobunaga, ranked ninth, while using Ren. It is unknown how much he can press after learning Nen, but the power of his Rock has shown to terrorize even experienced Nen users. With the same attack, he was allegedly able to blast a Chimera Ant to another country.



Enhanced Speed and Reflexes: During the Hunter Exam Gon regarded his speed as his primary asset in combat, earning Hanzo's praise despite being slower than him. His quickness enabled him to dodge some of Hisoka's attacks as well as surprise him for a moment. Despite Hisoka proving faster than him, Gon was nonetheless able to follow his movements with his eyes. On Greed Island, he was able to cover a distance of several meters and steal a card from a weak Nen user's hand before the latter could notice. Coupled with his superhuman eyesight, Gon's quick reflexes allow him to always win at rock-paper-scissors by looking at the opponent's fist right before the throw. He was able to see through the last stage of Gotoh's coin game, whereas Leorio and Kurapika were not able to follow his movements at all. Through Biscuit's training, Gon ended up becoming Killua's equal in both running speed and reactions, despite initially being slower. He was also able to keep up with Kite and eventually to trade blows evenly with Knuckle, although his movement speed remained lower than the Beast Hunter's. Gon is also a fast climber, taking about 20 minutes to climb up the irregular surface of a tree 1784 meters high after the first 500 meters.

Enhanced Agility: Gon can run and jump from one tree to another with such agility he easily caught up with a Kiriko. He has a vertical leap of a few meters, which he can increase to over 16 meters by using Nen. In combat, he can use his agility to strike from unexpected angles and to find his balance quickly after taking a hit or dodging.

Enhanced Stamina: Gon was able to complete a long-distance run more than 80 kilometers long, and taking place on uneven terrains such as ascending stairs and a swamp, without exhibiting the slightest sign of fatigue. In his first match against Gido, he kept dodging 50 spinning tops for about one hour while in a state of Zetsu. He fought Binolt for 10 days straight while keeping his guard up even as he slept. He was also noted to recover from exhaustion very rapidly.



Enhanced Endurance: Gon has shown to be able to keep fighting even while in tremendous of pain. This is mostly due to his obstinacy and determination more than to a physical predisposition. He did not surrender after three hours of Hanzo hitting him with specialist knowledge or when the shinobi broke his arm. He could withstand having his right arm severely scorched and his left one blown off by Genthru after taking a beating from him and later having his windpipe crushed, and managed to charge Rock twice and win nonetheless.

Enhanced Adaptability: He talked and laughed on top of the World Tree for many hours without looking troubled by the low oxygen level or temperature.

Advanced Poison Resistance: When Geretta paralyzed him during the Hunter Exam, he claimed that Gon would be unable to move for 10 days, whereas Hisoka believed that four would suffice; however, Gon stood back up minutes after the poison had taken effect.

Healing Factor: Gon heals extremely quickly. This fact is not only thanks to his being an Enhancer, since there have been instances of it happening even before he learned Nen, such as when his broken arm healed completely from a clean fracture in 10 days. After Wing opened his aura nodes, Gon made a full recovery from a broken radius and ulna, a cracked humerus, three rib fractures and 12 cracks in one month instead of the predicted four, all the while without using Nen. When Genthru blew off his left hand, the bleeding stopped instantaneously.

Keen Intellect: Gon has often astounded allies and opponents alike with his ability to think outside the box, finding a new perspective with which to look at a problem to solve it. He demonstrated this ability twice during the third phase of the Hunter Exam, blowing out Sedokan's candle instead of looking after his own, and choosing the long path to the goal only to break down the wall separating it from the short one, sidestepping Lippo's forced choice. Instead of fighting Nobunaga, he applied his knowledge of ostomy to find an alternative way of escaping. He was also the one who suggested Killua and he auction off items to raise a profit before attending the auction themselves as buyers, and later that they seek to be hired by Battera instead of purchasing Greed Island. He also has a good memory, which allowed him to win the quiz to obtain Ruler's Blessing. He is also fairly intuitive and, when fully focused, has occasionally shown the ability to think faster than the likes of Killua and Morel through cutting out everything that is not relevant. He is, however, notoriously inept at math.

Proficient Strategist: Gon's exceptional capacity for lateral thinking extends to battle tactics, making him wholly unpredictable. He managed to surprise Netero three times during their ball game. He devised simple but effective strategies to defeat Gido and Riehlvelt using his surroundings, and resorted to a similar method to land a punch on Hisoka. His willingness to take significant damage to land a critical hit would have allowed him to defeat Genthru without relying on Killua's plan had the latter not been saved by a fortuitous coincidence. Against Hollow and Bat he displayed decent analytical skills, identifying the mechanics behind their coordinated attacks and turning them against the duo.

Proficient Hand-to-Hand Combatant: Gon lacks formal training in hand-to-hand combat, having only received instructions from Killua prior to entering Greed Island. However, he proved to be an extremely crafty brawler time and time again. After 10 days of relentless fighting against Binolt, he was able to spar with Killua on equal ground while using Ryu both through the Flowing Dance, in which practitioners must share a similar level of similar skill, and at full speed. He was able to surprise Genthru and Hisoka with his abilities at close quarters, although he was outmatched in both cases. After the Bomb Devil crushed his windpipe, Gon accurately predicted he would go for the back of his neck next and focused his aura there, showing the ability to anticipate his opponents without seeing them. Killua noted that he improves at a tremendous rate when in real combat situations. In just 20 days, Gon managed to significantly reduce the gap between himself and Knuckle, a veteran of over 5000 battles who employs unarmed combat as his main means of offense. Gon's fighting style is punch-based, often including flurries of blows and his unpredictable tactics  as well as the occasional kick when the position makes it more convenient.

Proficient Weapon Specialist: Gon has shown to be adept at using his fishing rod both as a club and a whip-like weapon (striking the opponent with the float). He is so skilled that he can grab distant objects with the hook, his highest accomplishment being managing to steal Hisoka's tag despite the latter's speed and keen senses. At Heaven's Arena, Gon has used his fishing rod to lift a flagstone to stop Gido's spinning.

Stealth Expert: Gon managed to tail Hisoka for a whole day without being detected. His aptitude at concealing his presence is an entirely natural skill, which was not achieved through any form of training, but rather his continuous being in contact with the wilderness. Unbeknownst to him, this feat was rendered possible by his unwitting use of Zetsu as well as by his intents being drowned out by Hisoka's own blood lust.
 * Expert in Tailing: He shadowed Nobunaga and Machi around Yorknew City with the two of them failing to spot him, although they clearly sensed his presence.

Skilled Fisherman: At the age of 10, Gon managed to catch the Swamp King, a fish that nobody had been able to hook for years.

Zoological Knowledge: Gon is very knowledgeable about several orders and species of animals and, to a lesser extent, plants, partly due to his living on Whale Island. This expertise proved particularly useful against the Chimera Ants. However, he appears to lack even basic knowledge concerning Magical Beasts.

Animal Empathy: Gon has managed to forge a bond with a Foxbear cub despite them usually not allowing humans to tame them, and the two even became friends in later years, with each comprehending what the other was trying to communicate. When he left to take the Hunter Exam, he told the Captain he knew a storm was coming partially because the seagulls had told him so. Being liked by animals is a characteristic that is often attributed to good Hunters, and indeed his proficiency in Nen made it easier for him to melt into nature and use his five senses to the fullest, which resulted in him discovering new animal species. However, he was unable to form a bond with Mike, as he himself immediately understood upon looking into his eyes.

Nen
Gon is an Enhancer and is thus endowed with great strength and recuperative abilities. Thanks to Biscuit's training he has trained in at least two other Nen types, Emission and Transmutation, which he later honed to a high enough level to create working Hatsu abilities. Originally, he exhibited greater skills in Emission than in Transmutation, but by the time he met Kite in NGL, he had become more proficient in the latter category than in the former, as evidenced by his Hatsu abilities. Gon has also mastered the four basic techniques and at least five of the advanced ones (the possible exceptions being In and En, although he can use Ren to sense attacks he would otherwise be unable to react to). Gon's talent can be found only in one out of ten million people. He performed Ten successfully with next to no instructions, a feat which Wing described as both "amazing" and "terrifying", and learned Gyo in only one night. In normal conditions, he was able to maintain Ren for three hours outside of combat without the slightest difficulty. With this technique he could pulverize objects strengthened with aura thrown at him by a fellow Enhancer even in the early stages of his training. When trying to develop a Hatsu ability, he discovered the advanced technique Ko on his own after Wing suggested he show Tsezguerra all he had learned at the same time. Likewise, he learned to use Shu simply by imagining the technique, and he succeeded on the first try. This means that together with Zetsu, which he managed to utilize before even being introduced to the concept of Nen, Gon was able to discover three out of eleven techniques by himself.

Outside of Hatsu abilities, Gon's proficiency in Enhancement manifested chiefly in his extraordinary durability. He took a severe beating from Genthru, surviving attacks to areas he barely guarded with aura, whereas Killua reckoned that a single direct attack from Sub, another Bomb Devil, would put him out of commission. Baro, whose rolling attack could fell a thick tree, failed to inflict significant damage despite Gon being caught off guard. Not even Hollow, a fellow Nen user, was able to inflict the lightest wound with his feathers or multiple blows despite being strong enough to casually knock down a tree with one punch and to redirect Gon's Paper by throwing a rock. Conversely, Gon's own attacks were strong enough to rattle Hisoka's and Genthru's arm when they blocked one of his kicks in spite of their superior expertise in Nen. Killua once struck him with Ryu or Ko from behind and without holding back while Gon was using Ken; Gon lost consciousness, but came to only a few hours later with no lasting damage or injury.

While Killua was generally regarded as the one with the best control of his aura out of the two, Gon was often praised by foes and allies alike for the great quantity of it he was able to release. According to Knuckle, the sheer size of Gon's aura during Ken was comparable to that of a mid-ranking pro (1800 aura, as per his system of measurement, while his total aura poll amounted to about 21,500). Combined with his skills in Enhancement, Gon's Hatsu technique, which boasted an even greater output (more than 2000 aura), exceeded Knuckle's defensive abilities, as the latter was knocked out by it. Such formidable output caused Razor to call Gon a "monster". However, his lack of experience made his aura flow easy to read, and caused him to waste a lot of energy (10 aura per second instead of 6), particularly when he used Emission. Kite described Gon as a "slow starter", viewing this trait as a weakness. On the other hand, Gon's main strength consisted in his ability to increase the his aura output during a fight. This process was largely unconscious and depended heavily on his mental state. Determination and anger, in particular, granted him incredible boosts. The increase in power used to be so great that an enraged Gon's Rock might have been able to kill Morel, a seasoned Hunter with nearly three times his total aura, whereas before the same attack caused Knuckle to faint, but no lasting injury. When he and Killua prepared to fight Neferpitou in the Royal Palace of East Gorteau, Killua stated that he had never seen his friend give off such a strong aura, leading him to believe that not even the Royal Guard could oppose him without using Nen.

His Hatsu ability was called Jajanken ( ジャジャン 拳(けん) ) a play on the Japanese word for rock-paper-scissors "Janken", and the word "Jajan" (a Japanese interjection akin to the word "Ta-dah"). Gon first got the idea after learning the dangerous roots of the game within martial arts. Jajanken consisted of three parts. Gon's main attack was Rock, a simple but devastating punch concentrating all his aura into his fist through Ko. His long-ranged attack was Paper, an emitted attack that fires a ball of aura from his palm; this used to be his weakest attack, the ball being somewhat slow, not that powerful and easy to block or change course for someone using Ko. His mid-ranged attack was Scissors, a transmuted blade of aura attached to his index and middle fingers, capable of slicing through a Chimera Ant. Gon prefaced each attack with the chant "First comes rock! Rock, paper..." ( 最(さい)初</rb>(</rp>しょ</rt>)</rp>はグー！ ジャン！！ ケン！！！ 〈……〉！！！！, Saisho wa Gū! Jan!! Ken!!! [...] !!!!), which was followed by the name of the attack. Since all three attacks were charged the same way, Gon could decide to switch from one to another even after the preparations started, in order to adapt should the opponent come closer or back away. Later on, he became capable of charging Jajanken even while running.

The long charging time made Jajanken difficult to use in actual combat, although the risks it posed were at the core of its power. Nevertheless, through a technique called "Round 2" (あいこで Aiko de), Gon was capable of mustering twice the normal amount of aura so as to use two Jajanken attacks in quick succession, eliminating the need to perform the chant twice. The name of this technique was shouted after the first attack and immediately before the second.

After the siege on the palace, through a Contract, Gon sacrificed all of his inborn talent in order to gain immense power, with which he managed to single-handedly defeat one of the Royal Guards. He used this ability without any prior training, the only knowledge on Vows he possessed at the time deriving from Kurapika's explanation of his Hatsu. However, as a result, his body started to decay soon after the fight, and even after being wished back to full health, Gon lost the capacity to use or perceive his aura. Ging cryptically stated Gon has only been turned back to "normal", and should consider himself lucky as he could have lost a lot more. Whether or not he can still potentially re-acquire his Nen is currently unknown.

Quotes

 * (Quoting Mito) "If you want to get to know someone, find out what makes them angry."
 * (To Nobunaga) "Being able to cry for his companion. I was thinking you couldn't cry, nor did you have a heart. But in that case why... even a little... don't you share that feeling... with all the people you kill !!"
 * (To Chrollo Lucilfer) "May I ask you something? How do you... kill people with no connection with you?"
 * (To Tsezguerra) "I can't do this without Killua."
 * (To Killua) "I swear... I'll take on that bastard myself."
 * (To Neferpitou) "I don't care if this is the end... So I'll use it all. And I'll kill you! Pitou!!"
 * (To Killua) "Wherever we go, we'll always be friends!"

Trivia



 * Gon finds solving mathematical and logical problems difficult. This is rendered by smoke coming out of his ears, and occasionally by his head exploding.
 * The unusual name of his Hatsu was created when Gon stuttered the word "janken" when informing the Hunter Knuckle Bine about the name of his ability.
 * Gon was seen with heavy or significant damage done to one of his arms in every arc of the series except for the Yorknew City arc and the Dark Continent Expedition arc, in which he has yet to play a major role: his left arm was broken by Hanzo in the final stage of the Hunter Exam and healed in the middle of his visit to the Zoldyck mansion; his right arm was broken by Gido in Heaven's Arena; his right arm was blown apart by Genthru in their battle, and his throat severely damaged; in his adult form, his right arm was ripped off by a decapitated Neferpitou; and Killua held his withered hand in the 13th Hunter Chairman Election arc while asking Alluka to heal him.
 * It should however be noted that in the Yorknew City arc, the back of his right hand bled from being slammed onto the table by Nobunaga repeatedly in their arm wrestling matches, and that in the current arc he is unable to use Nen.
 * According to the "Hunter × Hunter Manual" section found in the Yu ☆ Yu ☆ Hakusho official character book (Shueisha Jump remix), Gon's stats are:

Anime and Manga Differences

 * Gon typically speaks in an informal manner about Ging, tending to call his father his "old man" (and then by his first name, "Ging") in the manga and 2011 series. The 1999 anime adaptation opts for a more formal approach, with Gon referring to Ging as his "father".
 * According to 1999 anime adaption Gon's Hunter License number is 109824803287, whereas no license number is given in the manga.

Intertextuality and References



 * Gon has some similarities with the main character of YuYu Hakusho's Yusuke Urameshi:
 * Both ranked 3rd on their respective series in a Character Popularity Poll.
 * Both transformed in their respective series. Gon transformed into an unknown form, while Yusuke transformed into a Mazoku, their hair growing long.
 * Both were raised during their childhood by a woman, Gon's aunt and Yusuke's mother, and both of their fathers were missing during their childhood days (though Gon met his father as the series progressed). Yusuke met his ancestral demon father during the final arc.
 * Both have killed for the sake of revenge. Yusuke killed Younger Toguro to get revenge for Genkai, while Gon killed Neferpitou to get revenge for Kite.
 * Both have green outfits.
 * Both have a similar, blunt fighting style that requires much less strategizing than some of their comrades. They've used some similar techniques, such as hiding among falling rubble in order to surprise their opponent (Gon breaks a tile while fighting Hisoka, Yusuke uses the rubble created when the Younger Toguro demolishes the fighting ring).
 * Both use energy punches: Rock (Gon) and Spirit Punch (Yusuke).
 * Gon's Jajanken: Scissors is similar to Kazuma Kuwabara's Spirit Sword, another character of YuYu Hakusho.
 * Gon is also similar to young Goku from the popular series Dragon Ball:
 * Both have spiky dark hair and occasional animalistic tendencies.
 * Both are rather naive and have problems with numbers.
 * Both learn to become stronger.
 * Like Gon, Goku used janken based techniques when he was a child.
 * Both were raised by someone who was not their parent.
 * Both can transform to increase their power and aura, and in both cases the transformation affects their hair.
 * Attempting to take the ball off Netero was similar to Goku's training while trying to catch Korin.

Miscellaneous

 * Gon ranked 3rd in all three character popularity polls that have been conducted so far by Weekly Shonen Jump, below both Killua and Kurapika.
 * Junko Takeuchi also voices Naruto Uzumaki from the series Naruto. However, she does not reprise her role as Gon Freecss for the 2011 series of the anime.
 * In Malay, Gon Freecss is called Gon Si Pelik (The Weird Gon).
 * Gon's Hatsu abilities are an explicit reference to the game of rock-paper-scissors. The technique "Round 2" is also named after this game, as the exclamation he uses - "aiko de" - is part of the exclamation "Aiko desho!" (あいこでしょ！), which is chanted in the event of a tie.
 * Gon's adult form has sparked a meme with his fans referring to him as "Gon-san", although his official name might be "Hunter Gon" according to the figure manufactured by Bandai. The reason they did this was apparently because, "It was impossible to refer to him without a honorific at the time".
 * Gon's birthday is on the same day as the Japanese celebration of Children's Day.
 * Gon shares his birthday with One Piece's main protagonist Monkey D. Luffy.
 * Additionally, the number of the month and day of his birthday are the same: Gon shares this characteristic with the other three protagonists and Hisoka.

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