Timeline

The following is a list of events as they take place in the world of Hunter × Hunter, starting from the past and heading towards the present storyline. Part of the information is unreliable, has been or may in the future be subjected to retcons. As is the case for the year the series is set in, in the event of contradictory information, the most recent version is taken to overwrite the other.

In the case of the Yorknew City arc, the calendar matches that of real-life year 1999, whereas the Succession Contest arc, set in in-universe 2001, follows the calendar of the year 2017. The specific days of the week were not retconned in the following timeline.

Based on estimations that may or may not be correct

Retconned out of canon

Dubious canonicity (Databook or conflicting information)

Over 500 years ago (circa 1500)

 * Meteor City is purportedly founded by a dictator who wants to partition the human race.

About 300 years ago (circa 1700)

 * Don Freecss travels to the Dark Continent.
 * Wooden vaults are used by rich individuals to evade taxes.

Over 200 years ago (before 1800)

 * The V5 sign a treaty forbidding travel to the Dark Continent.

Between 120 and 110 years ago (between 1879 and 1889)

 * Isaac Netero is born.
 * Maha Zoldyck is born.

Around 100 years ago (circa 1899)

 * Benny Delon is active as a serial killer and blacksmith.

98 years ago (1901)

 * Maha Zoldyck is born.

68 or 67 years ago (1931 or 1932)

 * Zeno Zoldyck is born.

At least 64 years ago (before 1945)

 * Winter: Netero retreats to the mountains and expresses his gratitude with 10,000 punches a day.

At least 62 years ago (before 1947)

 * Netero completes the cycle before the sun sets.

At least 60 years ago (before 1949)

 * Netero completes the cycle in under one hour.

58 or 57 years ago (1941 or 1942)

 * Biscuit Krueger is born.

Nearly 50 years ago (after 1949)

 * Beyond journeys to the Dark Continent and brings back the Zobae Disease.

47 or 46 years ago (1952 or 1953)

 * Silva Zoldyck is born.

At least 45 years ago (before 1954)

 * Tonpa is born.

43 or 42 years ago (1956 or 1957)

 * Kikyo Zoldyck is born.

At least 42 years ago (before 1957)

 * Gyro is born.

40 years ago (1959)

 * Biscuit starts training in Nen.

At least 35 years ago (1964)

 * Tonpa attempts his first Hunter Exam at the age of 10.

At least 33 years ago (1966)

 * Netero is elected Chairman of the Hunter Association.

32 years ago (1967)

 * Ging Freecss is born.

At least 30 years ago ( before 1969)

 * Gyro kills his father and leaves the construction camp.

29 years ago, 1970

 * Kakin shifts from social imperialism to parliamentary democracy during "The Most Silent Revolution in History".
 * Ming Jol-ik secretly retires, leaving a figurehead to rule in his stead.
 * September 8th: Nobunaga Hazama is born.

28 or 27 years ago (1971 or 1972)

 * Shoot McMahon is born.

27 or 26 years ago (1972 or 1973)

 * Chrollo Lucilfer is born.

25 or 24 years ago (1974 or 1975)

 * Illumi Zoldyck is born.

23 years ago (1976)

 * Mito Freecss is born.

22 or 21 years ago (1977 or 1978)

 * Palm Siberia is born.

At least 21 years ago (before 1978)

 * Gyro establishes NGL.

21 years ago (1978)

 * Ging leaves Whale Island. Shortly afterwards, Mito's parents die.

20 years ago (1979)

 * January: The 267th Hunter Exam takes place and is passed by Ging.
 * Zebro is hired as the Zoldyck Family's groundskeeper.

20 or 19 years ago (1978 or 1979)

 * Milluki Zoldyck is born.

19 years ago (1980)

 * March 3rd: Leorio Paradinight is born.
 * Tsezguerra, Barry, Kess and Rodriot begin to work together.
 * Ging begins to study archeologists' websites and blogs.

19 or 18 years ago (1980 or 1981)

 * Hanzo is born.

18 or 17 years ago (1981 or 1982)

 * Milluki Zoldyck is born.
 * Neon Nostrade is born.

17 years ago (1982)

 * April 4th: Kurapika is born.
 * Ging sets up a nonprofit corporation to repair and research an ancient royal burying ground.

Around 13 years ago (circa 1986)

 * Canary is born.

At least 12 years ago (before 1987)

 * NGL becomes a nation and Gyro its king.

12 years ago, 1987

 * Three members of a TV crew attempt to shoot a documentary in NGL and are arrested.
 * Ging and his friends create Greed Island.
 * May 5th: Gon Freecss is born.
 * July 7th: Killua Zoldyck is born.

Over 11 years ago (before 1988)

 * Battera's lover falls into a coma after an accident.

Around 11 years ago (circa 1988)

 * Ging takes Gon to Greed Island.
 * Ging encounters the Captain.
 * Ging takes Gon to Whale Island.

11 years ago (1988)

 * Battera offers rewards for Greed Island cartridges.
 * Alluka Zoldyck is born.

10 years ago (1989)

 * Kalluto Zoldyck is born.
 * A tramp from Meteor City is arrested under false charges.
 * Mike becomes the Zoldyck Family's watchdog.

9 years ago (1990)

 * Killua begins to train in tailing.

9 or 8 years ago (1990 or 1991)

 * Kurt is born.

7 years ago (1992)

 * The tramp from Meteor City is revealed to be innocent, and his fellow citizens blow themselves up together with 31 people involved in his trial.
 * Milluki leaves the Zoldyck mansion for the last time in seven years.
 * Leorio has his first drink.

6 years ago (1993)

 * Killua challenges the Heaven's Arena for the first time.
 * Two months later: Killua reaches the 150th floor.

Over 5 years ago (before 1994)

 * Chrollo founds the Phantom Troupe.

5 years ago (1994)

 * Between January and September 2nd: The Kurta Clan is exterminated by the Phantom Troupe.
 * Killua reaches the 199th floor of the Heaven's Arena.
 * Genthru, Jispa, Kazsule and 7 others form an alliance to clear Greed Island.

5 or 4 years ago (1995)

 * Reina is born.

4 years ago (1995)

 * Kite heads to Whale Island to look for Ging and meets Gon, who tames Kon.

3 years ago (1996)

 * The 284th Hunter Exam takes place, and Pokkle fails during the 4th phase.
 * Around June: The Phantom Troupe gathers in its entirety for the last time in three years.
 * Seaquant hires 100 thugs to storm the Zoldyck mansion, but they are defeated by Canary.
 * Silva kills Phantom Troupe member #8.

2 years ago (1997)

 * Hisoka Morow joins the Phantom Troupe.
 * Hisoka "initiates" Kastro to Nen at the Heaven's Arena.
 * Kite and the Amateur Hunters are hired by Kakin to conduct a biological survey.
 * Pariston Hill is appointed Vice Chairman of the Hunter Association.

1 year ago (1998)

 * January: The 286th Hunter Exam takes place. Hisoka is disqualified after nearly killing Togari.
 * Muherr makes Golem's acquaintance.

At least 2 months ago (before October 1998)

 * Zushi becomes Wing's pupil.

Between December 27th and December 31st, 1998

 * Gon catches the Master of the Swamp.
 * Mito signs Gon's Hunter Exam application.

January 1st, 1999 (Fri)

 * The Greed Island cartridges in Jeitsari's possession are donated to the Southernpiece Auction House.

January 3rd or 4th, 1999 (Sun/Mon)

 * Gon leaves Whale Island.
 * Gon meets Kurapika and Leorio on the Captain's ship.

January 6th, 1999 (Wed)

 * The Captain drops Gon, Kurapika and Leorio in the vicinity of Zaban City.
 * The trio passes the Quizzing Lady's test.
 * 4 hours later: The trio passes the Kiriko's tests.

January 7th, 1999 (Thu)

 * The 287th Hunter Exam begins.
 * Roughly three hours later: The applicants clear the first 40 kilometers of the marathon.
 * Roughly three hours later: The applicants minus Nicholas clear the first 80 kilometers of the marathon.
 * 12:00: The second phase begins.
 * 20:05: Beans announces when Trick Tower will be reached.

January 8th, 1999 (Fri)

 * 00:05: Gon and Killua join forces against Netero.
 * 01:15: Killua gives up.
 * 04:19: Gon forces Netero to use his right hand and falls asleep.
 * 09:30: Arrival at Trick Tower (90 minute delay requested by Netero).
 * 10:11: Gon, Killua, Kurapika, and Leorio enter Trick Tower.
 * 12:08: Tonpa enters the Trick Tower.
 * 12:13: The five begin their trial.
 * Around 12:35: Gon's contest against Sedokan begins.
 * 15:47: Hisoka passes the third phase.
 * 21:33: Killua begins to suspect Majitani is playing possum.
 * 21:45: Leorio loses his contest against Leroute.
 * 21:47: The five enter the isolation room.