Summary

• The Chimera Ant Arc in Hunter X Hunter is considered the peak of the series, offering rich character development and intense battles.
• The arc's length allows for multiple character focuses and intricate plotting, adding depth to the war-tactic storyline.
• Gon's character reaches a breaking point in the arc, showcasing a darker side never seen before, making it a pivotal moment in the series.

Hunter X Hunter (2011) is undoubtedly one of the greatest anime ever made, and it still has a strong fanbase years after its end. This remake did right by Yoshihiro Togashi's influential manga, and one storyline was enhanced significantly by the passionate team at Madhouse and everyone involved.

Right after the Greed Island arc came the famed and intense Chimera Ant Arc, which went from chapter #186 to chapter #318, and episode #76 to episode #136. It is easily one of the best arcs in shonen history. Although the series contains another masterpiece storyline called the Yorknew City Arc, the Chimera Ant arc is considered by many as the peak of Hunter X Hunter, and for good reason.

After clearing the Greed Island game, Gon and Killua were teleported to Kite, Ging's student. Realizing that spending time with Kite was Ging's plan to develop Gon, the two boys journeyed with him on a dangerous and mysterious expedition. Kite and his group were investigating a human-size Chimera Ant queen in order to prevent the worst-case scenario of the animal developing a taste for human beings. Their investigation took them to the autonomous country NGL, a perfect breeding habitat for the ants, but they had no idea that this investigation snowballed into a catastrophe that could lead to humanity's extinction.

The Length Is the Arc's Biggest Advantage

The Controversial Pacing Intensified the Best Moments

A common criticism about the arc is the length, and although it isn't nearly as long as other arcs in other series, it was the longest in Hunter X Hunter. However, the fact that there was enough time to focus on multiple characters, shift from many locations, and give each prologue enough development is undoubtedly the biggest pro of the arc. The pacing was quite slow at times, especially at the beginning of the Palace Attack, but this was necessary as there was so much happening that the narrator had to explain, so the viewer could understand what was going on.

Character Development Was Paramount to the Story

The Characters Made the Arc as Amazing as It Is

A highlight of the Chimera Ant arc was the way that Togashi fleshed out multiple characters, gave some of them beautiful backstories, and made them develop in both positive and negative ways. Whether it be Killua escaping Illumi's mental prison, Knov's loss of hope, Shoot overcoming his cowardice, Meruem finding his light, and many more, the characters truly make the arc as enjoyable as it is. The action might have been the pillar of the storyline, but seeing both Chimeras and humans progressing made the watching experience much more interesting.

The character that best demonstrates this is the King of the Ants, Meruem. He starts as a cruel being who killed his own mother. His pride and sense of superiority were breeder into his genes, which explains his disdain for anyone he considered lesser. However, his life changes when he meets the blind Komugi, whose only achievement in the world was being the best at the niche board game, Gungi. Meruem lost to her at the game every time, despite his superior intellect, and his ego simply wouldn't allow it. Thus began an obsession to beat her that flourished into genuine care for her wellbeing, and he spent his last moments with Komugi, leading to the most heartbreaking moment in the series.

Battles Weren't the Main Focus

Scheming and Tactics Were a Big Part of the Arc

Hunter X Hunter is by definition an action anime, and one of the best at it. However, the Chimera Ant arc was more than just fights and battles, and portrayed war realistically. The scheming and tactics on display were truly as interesting as it gets and made the fights all the more enjoyable. Both sides' plotting that led up to the Palace Attack made it that much more epic, and the fact that the meticulous planning was shown instead of being brushed over for fights made the Chimera Ant arc one of the best war arcs yet.

The reality of the world was depicted very beautifully, and although many of the ants were evil, the series also showed that there were others capable of kindness. Their difference in nature is due to the Queen devouring humans, and the ants taking the qualities of the human they took traits from. Themes such as companionship, sacrifice, compassion, duty, and more were represented in such a grueling arc, and the story's complexity differentiated from the typical battle shonen.

The Arc Featured a New Side of Gon Never Seen Before

Gon Reached His Breaking Point

Gon Freecs was always a peculiar main character. He exhibits the usual traits of a shonen protagonist, such as a bubbly and kind personality. However, he never saw the world using the black-and-white lens like most main characters in the demographic, but was only guided by his curiosity and would ignore morally incorrect actions if they interested him enough, as Zephile put it.

Although he saw his fair share of death, Gon didn't lose anyone close to him. When he realized that Kite was gone forever, Gon's bloodlust spiked to incredible levels, and the rage he felt for both Neferpitou and his own weakness led him to seriously threaten to kill Komugi, who was an innocent person. This went against everything he stood for, and this heartbreaking character development made the arc that much more intense. Realizing that Kite would never return was simply the breaking point, and this led to the most epic and furious rage moment in anime that left him on the brink of death.

With Togashi now returning to work on the Hunter X Hunter manga, it is hopeful that he will yet again set a new standard and surpass the writing abilities he demonstrated in the Chimera Ant arc, and with how the Succession War arc is going on, he just might. However, this incredible story still stands at the pinnacle of anime for its amazing and captivating storyline, and it is still Hunter X Hunter's best arc yet.