Greed Island Starting Point

Greed Island Starting Point
Kanji	スタート()地(ち)点(てん)()()()()()()()
Rōmaji	Sutāto Chiten
Also known as	Shiso Tree (シソの()木(き)()()()()()()()(), Shiso no Ki)
Location Statistics
Located in	Greed Island
Controlled by	Eta (Entrance Building) Other G.I. Game Masters
Debut
Manga Debut	Chapter 127
Anime Debut	Episode 74 (1999) Episode 60 (2011)

The Greed Island Starting Point (スタート()地(ち)点(てん)()()()()()()(), Sutāto Chiten—lit. "Start Point"), also known as the "Shiso Tree" (シソの()木(き)()()()()()()()(), Shiso no Ki), is a location surrounded by vast grassy plains where players teleport to when they enter Greed Island.

Overview

With designs on the floor and all the walls, Eta waits inside the tower and greets every player, sitting in a floating mechanism and explaining the basic rules of the game. The tower itself has a separate room attached to it where players initially enter, with a short hallway leading to the main room with Eta. Wood, stone, and straw make up the outside of the tower, with a staircase descending around a large pillar in the center and four smaller pillars further supporting the overall structure.

The "Origin" card can be used to send a target player directly to the Starting Point.

Plot

Greed Island arc

Gon learning about the game from Eta

After Gon enters Greed Island's Starting Point, Eta greets him and relays a message from Ging, who congratulates Gon and tells him that he is in a game that he created with his friends, adding that Gon shouldn't expect any clues to find his location and that he just wanted to show off the game they made together. Eta then explains all the basic rules of the game in detail, leaving Gon overloaded with information. Gon walks down the stairs and finds himself looking out across a huge, grassy plain. He then senses that something is watching him, but doesn't see any sign of people. Goreinu enters the game and walks past Gon, and two other players meet up and also sense that they're being watched, with one realizing that it must be a human and adding that they must not be any good since they're being so obvious. As the two make their way across the plain, Gon is filled with excitement as he begins to play the game his father made.

Killua meets up with Gon and thanks him for waiting, also sensing that they're being watched. Gon says that everyone else went in one of two directions, and Killua correctly guesses both of them, saying that that's where he feels the eyes from. The two decide by rock-paper-scissors which way to go, and making their way across the plain, Gon tells Killua that Ging only left behind a message telling him to enjoy the game. The two discuss the information about the game they got from Eta at the Starting Point.

Outside Antokiba, Nickes' alliance tells the new recruits that one of their members will be there in two minutes, adding that they (the new recruits) will need to exit the game temporarily and then wait by the Starting Point. The ten new recruits wait around the Starting Point, and Jispa arrives to take them to the alliance's hideout, using "Accompany" to travel to Kosofftro. On the empty map that Gon and Killua buy, the Shiso Tree and Antokiba are marked.

Bara threatening Nickes' alliance

Several members from Nickes' alliance wait by the Starting Point, and Bara descends the stairs and tosses over a plastic bag containing Puhat's severed head. He says that if they don't bring the 81 cards next time, the promised deal is off. He asks for a "Leave" card, but Assam speaks up and says that they can't just give him one since they're so rare. Bara explains that it's impossible to disarm the bombs if he doesn't go back, revealing that he is part of the Bomber. He says that Genthru is the leader, with himself and Sub acting as his wingmen, explaining that the three of them can put their right thumbs together and say a word to eliminate any planted bombs.

Bara says that they all can just die while he takes his time going back, but another member speaks up and hands him a "Leave" card. Bara punches him in the face and sends him to the ground, angry that they didn't just do that in the first place and telling them to have three more "Leave" cards ready when they make the exchange. Elsewhere, as several members of the Phantom Troupe make their way by boat toward the island, Eta detects them and calls them intruders.

Killua returning to the game after passing the Hunter Exam

After passing the 288th Hunter Exam, Killua goes back through the Starting Point and sees Eta again, who welcomes him and confirms his identity. She asks if he wants her to explain the game, but Killua politely declines. While collecting specified slot cards, Biscuit leads Gon and Killua south from the Starting Point and says that there are three cards at Dorias.

As Gon, Killua, and Biscuit continue to train in the badlands, Goreinu uses "Contact" on Killua and apologizes for not getting in touch sooner. Using a telescope in the distance, he reveals that Tsezguerra and the others probably won't be coming back since the Bombers are waiting at the Starting Point. He adds that they won't return unless he sends a messenger to their hideout, and Biscuit points out that Tsezguerra will lose all his card data. Goreinu assures them that he has the rare cards, but Biscuit worries that Genthru used "Clairvoyance" to check their cards and saw that they weren't carrying any rare ones.

The Bombers waiting to see if Tsezguerra and his team return to the game

Outside the Starting Point, Sub says that Tsezguerra and his team will lose their card data if they don't return in the next five minutes. Genthru replies that they should wait to make sure that they don't make it back in time, and Bara wonders if the group would really quit. Sub points out that the four have been working together for 20 years, and Genthru notes that they gave up after their ambush plan failed, guessing that they ran away with Battera to keep them from getting the reward money. They say that they used "Clairvoyance" to check their cards and confirmed that they had the 96 among them.

Bara wonders why Battera sent the soldiers away, but Genthru says that it would have been more of an issue if Tsezguerra had done so. After he tells the two that they should stop speculating, the five minutes pass and the three celebrate their victory over Tsezguerra. Genthru pulls out an "Accompany" card and tells them that it's time to get "Plot of Beach" from the kids. Sub and Bara agree that they should head to Masadora first to buy more "Accompany" cards, with the three rocketing toward the city soon after.

Eta announcing the quiz contest

After Gon puts "Panda Maid" into his book, Eta makes an announcement to all the players on the island, telling them that someone has collected 99 specified slot cards. She says that a quiz contest consisting of 100 questions about the cards will be held in ten minutes, revealing that the player with the most correct answers will receive the final card, "Ruler's Blessing". After asking all 100 questions, Eta says that time is up and prepares to announce the results. Everyone waits with bated breath, and she announces that Gon is the winner with a score of 87 out of 100.

Trivia

• An illustration of the Shiso Tree appears on the "Origin" card.

Intertextuality and References

• Its in-game title may have been inspired by the culinary and ornamental plant called shiso. The herb's name is a word based on the Chinese zǐsū (紫苏/紫蘇), whose second character (蘇) means "to be resurrected, revived, rehabilitated", much like the concept of a video game's starting point.

Translations around the World

Language		Name
French		Arbre de Shin Arbre de Perilla de Nankin
Russian		Стартовая точка (Startovaya tochka)