Gon's psychosis?

gedata said:
flawed hero
I still think he's a good kid

hyperknees91 said:
Gon isn't really what I would call a hero. He doesn't really do things because it's the right thing to do...not inherently anyway. He's much more of a blood knight, like Hisoka. He does things for the thrill of it, and anything that hampers those thrills makes him rage. There is also all the stuff you mentioned about morality that plays a factor as well.

More than likely as the series goes on, we might see Gon eventually become like Hisoka who has no sense of morality anymore and simply lives for seeking thrills. He's kind of the opposite of Kurapika who feels compelled to fight, but absolutely hates the process. For Gon the reason may eventually become an excuse so that he can fight.

jkzmo said:
I don't really see Gon as a 'hero', like, most of the Shonen heroes we see. I just don't get that 'feel' from him, you know what I'm saying? It's kinda hard to explain. lol.

When I first watched HxH (2011), I wasn't ALL FOR IT. It seemed a little childish-looking to me. It was by accident that I had watched it because a friend of mine decided we should watch the series instead of a boring film. The plot seemed simple enough: a 12-year old boy who is going to become a hunter in order to find his father, then many sub-stories along the way. My first impression of Gon was that, on the outside, he seemed like any normal shonen kid: a bit clueless, somewhat naive, innocent, sincere, friendly, etc. But for some reason, I couldn't put my finger at it at the time, I felt perplexed about him. LOL. It was annoying because everytime I watch him, I feel sort of bothered by him. So I decided to continue watching the entire series and eventually read the manga. I was still a bit loss until Chimera Ant Arc Manga. After what happened in the first and mid-half of the arc, what was perplexing me about the boy was finally answered. This is a boy--not even a lifetime with him could his character be fully expressed. I agree with what those characters have to say about him: He is bottomless. Totally unpredictable. His appearance have deceived me. LOL. I remember a person saying to me: what is evil about somebody or something is that you don't see it right away. This totally applies to Gon. You can never tell.

I don't know what a hero means through and through. But in most shonen series, the heroes are dyed-in-the-wool with their morals. Unlike Gon. You don't really see him exercise morals in the story. lol. I'd also say that he doesn't feel obliged he should be a savior of human kind. He only wants to be involve when there is something that is beneficial to him. lol. Just my observations though.

I do agree that Togashi planned this entire thing about Gon. I mean, I don't think I'd be having a very odd vibe about the kid in the beginning if it wasn't there in the beginning.

MrAM said:
Ah, I love this topic.

When I first started HxH 2011, Gon didn't leave much an impression on me. If anything, I thought he was the weak link in the show. I kept telling myself that he was unbelievably generic, right to his sharp, spiky hair. It took me a little while to realize that something was seriously wrong with Gon. As of now, I think he's absolutely fascinating from a character perspective.

The thing is, there really is technically nothing wrong with Gon. He's a kid, in the truest sense of the world. Think about how most kids act. They are usually selfish, because they think the world revolves around them. Many have a natural curiosity, love to explore and try new things, are naiive, gullible, lovable, cheerful, etc. Gon fits all these criteria, and yet he's an insanely creepy character..and therein lies the genius of Togashi's writing. He created an uneasy and uncomfortable character simply by making him a kid.

Most children don't have proper moral compasses. They don't debate moral and ethical dilemmas. They see the world very simplistically. If they like something, it's good, if not, then it's not. Now take this childish mentality and put into a world of death and darkness. The results are scary.

Gon comes across as a bit of a psycho at times, and that's totally intentional on Togashi's part. He has no problem befriending assassins and forgiving crazed murderers. Why? Because they're interesting, and they haven't hurt him personally. Sounds ridiculous? Not in Gon's mind. He has no morality at all, just what he likes. Do you really want to give this kid a lot of power?