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Discover why Gon from Hunter x Hunter is one of the most unique shonen protagonists. Explore his role, moral ambiguity and more.
In the world of shonen anime and manga, protagonists often follow a set of defined standards: they are optimistic, determined, and never ignore injustice. Hunter x Hunter is a distinctive anime that subverts most shonen tropes, and this starts right from its main character.
Gon Freecss, a young and bubbly boy, is a very deceptive figure. While he seems simple and innocent at first glance, there are multiple layers of depth and masterful writing behind what is apparent. These are easy to miss when first watching the series, but fans gain a new appreciation when they take a closer look.
Hence, here is how Gon from Hunter x Hunter is one of the most unique shonen protagonists.
Who Is Gon in Hunter x Hunter?
Gon Freecss is the young teenage protagonist of Hunter x Hunter who embarks on a journey from Whale Island to become a Hunter. He is a happy and friendly boy who is quick to get close to others. At the same time, Gon is also extremely brave, going to any lengths for his loved ones.
He shares a strong relationship with Killua, Leorio, and Kurapika, friends who joined him during the Hunter Examination. Throughout the series, Gon has taken several valiant actions for their sake. He cut up his own eye to save Killua from his family and faced the Phantom Troupe for Kurapika.
In spite of his young age, this protagonist rapidly gains strength, showing prodigious talent with Nen. As an enhancer, his Jajanken ability steals the spotlight in every arc and is capable of harming the strongest in the series. Gon’s key character trait is his charisma and ability to bring people closer.
When others see a young kid working so hard, they can’t help but be moved into action themselves. However, apart from this, Hunter x Hunter takes a very different approach with this character. Rather than actively trying to portray him heroically, Togashi develops Gon’s character in an extremely honest manner.
Gon’s Motivations in Hunter x Hunter
Gon’s uniqueness in shonen anime is revealed right from the very beginning when the story reveals his motivations. His father, Ging, had abandoned their family for the sake of becoming a Hunter and exploring the world. Gon held no resentment towards Ging but rather idolized him.
He was captivated by his father’s goal, which was alluring enough for him to leave his loved ones. Hence, Gon wished to experience this himself, setting out to gain the credentials and find his father. While this may not seem special at first glance, it is quite rare in anime such as these.
Most shonen protagonists try carving out their own path, with hopes of creating a brighter future for those around them. Obvious examples of these include the freedom-seeking Luffy and the selfless Naruto. Gon, on the other hand, has no wish to do so. This is a refreshing take that aligns with Gon’s mental age since he is a kid.
Throughout his journey, Hunter x Hunter remains consistent with Gon’s motivations, befitting his stature. He is quick to trust others and wishes to enjoy his time with his friends. While this would simply make him a likeable character, Togashi goes one step further and shows both sides of the fence of Gon’s personality.
The Innocence and Naivety of Gon
Hunter x Hunter hints from the start that Gon is an innocent character who is naive to the ways of the world. Unlike Killua, who is raised as an assassin and understands the complexities of people, Gon approaches life with an unwaveringly optimistic and simplistic worldview.
This is in line with him being a young boy, but there is another trait that perfectly defines him – selfishness. This is not done on purpose but rather comes with the territory of his naivety. Gon has a very black-and-white take on the world, where he doesn’t try searching for objective good. Rather, Gon’s scale of right and wrong is completely based upon his warped view of things.
This was best seen in the Yorknew City Arc, where he admonished the Phantom Troupe for taking lives and not caring about innocent people. This is a trap Gon sets for himself, however, as it points out his hypocrisy.
A mere few episodes prior, Gon had seen multiple examinees die during the Hunter Exam but made no effort to help them. His own friend Killua is a cold murderer, but Gon has never pointed it out, even showing apparent fascination with the deuteragonist’s profession. This continues throughout the series, where Gon never tries to see things deeper and always takes them at face value.
He trusts his friends and those who have helped him grow. Therefore, Gon believes them to be good, or at least sees potential in them to change. However, he shows complete animosity towards those who have nothing to do with him. While this trait of Gon’s may annoy some, it shows the creator’s masterful character writing. Rather than trying to portray Gon as a hero, he shows a child acting like a child.
Gon’s Moral Complexity
Every point mentioned about Gon so far leads to one common hypothesis – he is an extremely complex character. However, this is not a regular complexity through easily seen struggles, as shown in Eren or Light Yagami’s case. Rather, it is a more subtle form developed from Gon’s binary view of good and evil.
The best example of this is the Phantom Troupe, each of whose members Gon completely hated. He stated that the reason for this was their position as “villains,” but there is a much simpler explanation – they are Kurapika’s enemies.
Gon himself does not realize the flawed ways of his thinking since there has been no one to teach him better. Referring back to the earlier point, he thinks of those close to him as good and those who harm his friends as bad. This is also evident with Hisoka, whom Gon has seen kill others.
Despite this, Gon has never shown an ounce of hatred towards Hisoka that he showed to the Phantom Troupe. This is, yet again, because Hisoka helped Gon. He pushed the protagonist to develop his Nen and helped him in the dodgeball game on Greed Island. Resultantly, Gon doesn’t see Hisoka as evil, but rather just as a dangerous individual in his life.
But as we have come to expect from Togashi, he never stays stagnant with Gon’s character. He takes full advantage of his hypocritical nature, making him go into internal turmoil. This boiled over in the Chimera Ant Arc.
Gon’s Struggle With His Dark Side
A major reason why the Chimera Ant Arc is a masterpiece is because it finally shows Gon confront his morally ambiguous nature. The protagonist had been bloodthirsty and out for revenge ever since Pitou attacked his mentor, Kite.
He isolated himself from others, disregarding his own safety and his friends’ concerns. This already showcased the evolution of Gon’s character. However, the main moment came when Gon realized that people could not be easily defined as good or evil. Gon had always seen the ants in this arc as monsters since they couldn’t be classified as anything else if they had killed his friend.
However, when he finally faced Pitou, he saw them actively trying to save Komugi for Meruem. This was his breaking point since he couldn’t understand their actions. A villain who had harmed his friend was actively working to save a young girl. Hunter x Hunter puts a clever spin on this, not showing Gon having a moment of realization, but rather throwing him into mental frustration.
His self-centrism showed here yet again when he threatened to harm Komugi if Pitou did not save Kite. This would have been completely out of character for Gon in previous arcs, but fans understood this choice after witnessing his psychological descent.
Finally, when Gon realized Pitou had already killed Kite, he did not wish to agonize over their position as “good” or “evil” any longer. He gave in to his dark side, sticking by the naivety of his age. Therefore, blessed with powers that were too much for him to handle, he sacrificed his Nen to kill Pitou. Gon had done what he actively preached against, killing another person for his selfish means.
However, as we have already stated, this is not a writing flaw, but rather the beauty of Gon’s character. His being a child makes him “consistently inconsistent”, frequently taking actions that don’t align with his words. Therefore, he is different from most other shonen protagonists who take a more Mary Sue approach.
Conclusion
Gon Freecss is one of the most unique protagonists in shonen anime and manga due to his complex motivations, moral ambiguity, and tragic descent into darkness. Unlike conventional heroes who fight for justice and follow a clear moral compass, Gon’s journey is deeply personal and often selfish, making him a refreshingly unpredictable character.
Hunter x Hunter never tries to actively teach Gon about the faults of his ways, but rather inflicts him with confusion whenever he runs into a situation he doesn’t understand. Even after his self-destruction against Pitou, he gets healed and holds true to his original ideals. Hence, when Gon returns to the manga, we will be looking forward to seeing his complexity more.
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