One of the foundational things that frustrates me about fandom narrative surrounding hxh is the idea that Leorio and Kurapika are Killua and Gon’s parents. While I understand that they are older have generally protective, positive feelings towards the boys, I think it misunderstands and downplays one of the best themes of the series:
No one is these kids parents.
Killua and Gon spend the series hopping from frying pan to fire and back again without supervision or much outside assistance much of the time. The core question of the series is “is being a hero actually good for kids?”
Over and over throughout ther series youre forced to watch as childlike innoncence constantly worsens the torture of conflict. The fact gon expects better of the world and the people in it leads to constant heartbreak.
The first time they meet and Gon establishes his non-existant self worth by jumping off the side of the boat, (presuming that two strangers would catch him and if he died then Eh) Kurapika and Leorio react in horror, they view his actions as totally suicidal and berate him for his foolishness. He quickly establishes that his idealism and lack of self-worth are entangled; his life isnt worth much because all people are good.
It wasnt a risk at all because leorio and kurapika are good people and would certainly catch him, and it wasnt much of a risk because even if Gon does accept hes good (something he never expresses), good men are plentiful and he can be replaced.
Later, Kurapika and Leorio watch as Hanzo beats the shit out of a child. The conflict is severely worsened by Gon’s idealism, his belief in fairness and his desire to prove his worth through contribution, both good desires, push a small concession into a broken arm and a severe concussion.
Later, when Canary is again beating a child to a pulp, Kurapika and Leorio seem to have learned their lesson now. Gon can rely on them to not react at all as he gets beaten into a bloody heap.
They leave him in the next arc.
There can be no argument that Gon and Killua have any lasting positive relationship with any adults. Even the adults responsible for their raising, Mito and Zoldycks, have highly strained relationships with their children. The Boys have no close relationships outside of each other, at least not by the animated series ending. Kurapika and leorio are family, but not family you see often.
To claim Killua and Gon have parents at all is to ankle shank one of the strongest emotional throughlines of the series; where are the fucking adults? The real adults, the adultier adults. The adults who treat Killua and Gon like children. (Knov & Morel basically patronize peers rather than genuinely treat them like kids)
They are nowhere. The boys do not have parents. They spend the entire series outgrowing their circumstances, changing themselves and others around them. They’re growing up.
But I dont think you could call it a childhood.
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