“Disappointment”
Dang it Togashi-sensei, you’re really doing a pretty convincing job of selling the idea that Hisoka is in big trouble, aren’t you? This match has already cost Hisoka an arm and a leg, and he seems to have done nothing to remotely concern Chrollo so far. I still don’t buy it that the indefatigable and indestructible pervert-clown-magician is going down this ignominiously, but we’re probably raching a breaking point either way.
I’m not exactly sure at what point Hisoka lost that leg, but it’s clear that everything that’s happened in this fight has broken according to Chrollo’s plans. That’s what’s really surprising here – not so much that Chrollo has Nen abilities more varied and flexible than Hisoka (that was a given), but that he seems to be winning the strategic battle too. These exploding puppets are only the latest gambit that Hisoka didn’t see coming, and nothing Hisoka has tried seems to have given him a leg up (not that he has one to spare) on Chrollo even for a moment. Things seem pretty grim.
The question, really, is where Hisoka goes from here. His wry “If I’m gonna die anyway…” suggests that he has one last trump to play – if nothing else, perhaps an attempt to take Chrollo out with him. But I have more faith in both Hisoka and Togashi-sensei than that. Hisoka has never been anything less than surprising, and the only surprise here would be if doesn’t surprise us. Hisoka’s reserves of cunning have always appeared inexhaustible, and he seems to enjoy being an overpowered deviant way to much to meekly accept death at the hands of a seemingly stronger opponent. I do think we’re nearing the end here either way, because Hisoka is either dead or he’s about to pull something really outrageous out of his ass. And he’d better, because it looks like that’s what it’s going to take to turn the tide against Chrollo.
There was other major Hunter X Hunter news this week apart from a new chapter. Remember that April Fool’s “joke” by Ishida Sui (Tokyo Ghoul) – that he was writing a H x H spinoff featuring Hisoka’s origin story? Turns out it was no joke – though whether that was the plan all along, I don’t know. Today Ishida-sensei released a 69-page Hisoka chapter, officially sanctioned and approved by Togashi. There’s also an interview with both men (it does seem to contain spoilers about this current fight if the auto-translations are correct, so beware), in which it seems clear that Togashi was pleased with what Ishida came up with. This is a pretty cool development, and I certainly hope both the chapter and the interview are translated because they look like fascinating reading…
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June 3, 2016 at 3:51 amit breaks my heart that Hisoka is gonna die,he has been my hero since I was 15,now I’m 28
hgfdsahjkl
June 3, 2016 at 3:54 amhe lost his leg during the exploision on the 2nd floor,in the heat of the moment and adrenaline rush,he didnt realize that it was blown away not just injuried,seems that he is gonna try something suicidal,either way is gonna die
AS
June 3, 2016 at 5:37 amI’ve translated part of the interview for a friend and it was no joke: Ishida has been working on that chapter for over a year by now. The online Jump manga platform asked Ishida to make something for them back then and the idea of making something focused on Hisoka (his ultimate favourite character and, from how it sounds, the reason he started to draw) kind of came into discussion. Everyone (including the editorial) got excited and ended up asking Togashi for permission. He said that they could go ahead freely. Ishida spent over a year in it because it’s something he was going to show to his idol, so it had to be PERFECT.
From what I remember, they also comment things like how Togashi writes (his characters seem to take control of the story a lot, and he likes it that way better) and Togashi’s impressions of Ishida’s work. There are more to it, but that was the most interesting bits I caught when helping out my friend.
Guardian Enzo
June 3, 2016 at 8:25 amThank you – that’s a really nice thing to hear. Hero worship among mangaka always makes me smile, and I’m sure Togashi was extremely flattered by this (if envious of Ishida’s superhuman workrate).
When I write fiction I very much work on that template – I like to let the characters control the story, because I think you get a more natural end result that way. It can be scary sometimes though.
Yana Anastasova
June 3, 2016 at 10:07 amI had no idea you wrote fiction, Enzo! What genre? Care to share some of your work with your fans here at LiA?
elianthos
June 3, 2016 at 4:22 pm@Yana Anastova: you can read (some of’) his fanfictions on fanfiction.net https://www.fanfiction.net/u/22453/GuardianEnzo . *stage-whisper* the Moribito sequel! the Moribito sequel! It’s good. Further reason for (re)watching the anime if you haven’t already ;D
Andrew
June 3, 2016 at 6:24 amI get the feeling this is the moment that Togashi immediately shifts back to Gon, or the DC, and we only get to hear about what happened or maybe get a one or two panel flashback when the fight inevitably affects *something* in another part of the HxH world. I almost kinda hope he does that because I’m not sure I know how to really deal with the idea of Hisoka actually being killed off.
Chrollo really did seem pretty confident about his 100% chance of victory though.
elianthos
June 3, 2016 at 4:50 pmOy oy that’s not the time to go Valar Morhghuli-ing yourself yet Hisocchi, remember the shotas :p. But seriously even leaving asides the players’ personalities I’d find odd for the fight to end in such a overally linear one-sided downward. Some upset seems in order. Talking of which I’m just preparing myself for Togashi to hop back to the DC plotline anytime too ( :,D ).
Earthling Zing
June 3, 2016 at 7:01 pmI don’t think too highly of Ishida’s work(his panelling is really hard to follow), but its nice to see that he spent so much effort on something for Togashi’s manga.
Here’s a link to the translated interview I found, spoilers for that Hisoka prequel contained inside:
http://apforums.net/showthread.php?t=41290&page=129&p=3652375&viewfull=1#post3652375
Earthling Zing
June 3, 2016 at 7:02 pmOops wrong link, heres the right one:
http://chiggix.tumblr.com/post/145336753292/%E5%86%A8%E6%A8%AB%E7%BE%A9%E5%8D%9A-%E7%9F%B3%E7%94%B0%E3%82%B9%E3%82%A4-%E7%89%B9%E5%88%A5%E5%AF%BE%E8%AB%87-%E5%B0%91%E5%B9%B4%E3%82%B8%E3%83%A3%E3%83%B3%E3%83%97
Guardian Enzo
June 3, 2016 at 8:43 pmAwesome, thank you. Now – someone translate the chapter!
Kanmuru
June 5, 2016 at 8:11 pmThe chapter is translated at Manga Stream!