I don't know what the common interpretation of this moment is, but I think that this:
is Killua being pissed at Gon as well as at himself.
Like obviously he still loves Gon, and his main conflict in this moment is feeling like he couldn't do anything for Gon's sake. But this happens RIGHT after Gon pushes Killua away and says that this isn't important to Killua. And even though Killua knows that's not true, he still can't fight back without making it worse. He's doing so much for Gon!!! But Gon doesn't see it!!! And I can't imagine that Killua wouldn't feel a little angry about that, even if he'll continue to do everything for Gon's sake.
Instead he's taking it out on an enemy--which is the correct thing to do in this situation, since he has to keep fighting either way--with no time to slow down and think about what he's feeling. He's just feeling upset, pissed off, sad, and hopeless. And he can't let himself think about it, so right when he fights Youpi he shuts it down internally to focus on the fight!!! Because even if he is a little pissed at Gon, I don't think Killua thought through at all, and using Godspeed on Youpi was a way of handling it, because he'd been taught by his family to deal with emotions through violence first and foremost.
It ends up all exploding later, where he realizes what he's really feeling is a desire to help Gon when he feels like he can't do anything (except to die with him...) but in the moment his anger could be a bit toward Gon, with the rest of it directed at himself for being unable to play "his role" in their friendship (that of stopping Gon) and being ultimately unable to calm Gon down and make things okay, the way he feels like he has to do.
and it’s honestly exactly why it’s so hard for me to believe that neither killua or gon (but specially killua) have any “hard feelings” after the CAA.
like, i do agree that they most likely are or are going to be focused on the healing aspect rather than ruminating or thinking abt the past, and i don’t believe that either of them is necessarily “mad” or resentful towards one another, but still: i just don’t rly believe that killua isn’t still somewhat bothered by what gon said to him in ep. 116, specifically how it made him FEEL and how upset he was abt it.
more than that, i also believe that killua feels some kind of way abt all of the times he’s “cleaned up gon’s messes”, as his self worth had begun to develop in the anime and esp in the CAA.
i believe the point of the CAA was to deconstruct their toxic & codependent relationship, bc as lovely as it was, it was filled with its own issues (remember when gon said it’s HIS job to do and say crazy stuff, and it’s KILLUA’S job to bring him back and clean up his messes? yeah… that’s a serious problem lmao), so they could forge smth greater, form an even greater understanding and respect for themselves and each other, which is what they desperately need.
and i also believe that this had an influence over killua’s decision to depart from gon (since he’s the one who came up w the idea in the first place, i think). i think the CAA opened his eyes to the fact that he deserves better than how he’s been treating himself, and how he’s let gon been treating him (which is not a dig at gon at all !!), based on his “talk” w gon in ep. 136 where he emotionally vowed to fix gon’s mess again, just like usual, but this time, gon would have to apologize. this says to me that killua’s aware or at least somewhat aware of this problem in their relationship.
i think killua realized that he and gon don’t have the best or healthiest relationship, and that killua gave too much of himself to the point where he wore himself thin before he was even truly aware of it. if they don’t separate now, they’ll just fall back into old habits, dig up old wounds, and their codependency and toxicity will just happen all over again.
they need time, they need to grow & develop apart from one another, and killua knew that. he also most likely wants to protect both gon and his sisters from the ever-bearing threat of illumi, and the only real way to do that, esp since gon no longer has or can use his nen atm, is to leave him. splitting up like this ultimately does make all four of them safer, after all.
I love how the things that make gon seem adorable and innocent and the things that make him seem ruthless and terrifying are completely connected
he’s clueless about a lot of things (including some normal perceptions of morality)
he’s extremely forgiving (even when the person in question has done awful things that just didn’t happen to affect him personally)
he’s very trusting (because he can afford to be; if the person in question turns out to betray him he can just tear them apart and continue on his way)
he cares deeply for his friends (and has absolutely zero mercy for those who hurt them)
he deals with everything through unfailing optimism (and breaks down in spectacularly destructive ways when that optimism finally fails him)
he loves the thrill of adventure (especially combat)
i love gon. i love how complex and layered he is and how he turns the “plucky innocent shonen protagonist” trope completely on its head. I love Hunter x Hunter so much
I know others have talked about this but I wanna too because it’s cute and sad and I like it. A little call and response that occurs through the first game in JP. This one is very bittersweet as it tracks the breakdown of their relationship and Riku’s attempt to cling onto his connection with Sora, appealing to his emotions by using a familiar phrase they’ve shared since childhood.
Riku: Hey, Sora. Do you think we can catch it, just us?
Sora: If it’s Riku and me, we can do it!
Riku: Can it be defeated?
Sora: We can do it! If it’s Riku and me.
Riku: How about it, Sora? Let’s save Kairi together. If it’s me and you, we can do it.
This is Riku’s last attempt to appeal to Sora and immediately after, Sora draws the keyblade, having forgotten his childhood promise to keep Riku on the right path. In Riku’s mind this marks the severance of their established roles and bond. From now on, he hyper-focuses on Kairi, who does need saving, and shuts Sora out.
I haven’t noticed it outside of KH1 but it is referenced in CoM, when Sora meets Repliku for the second time. But the roles are reversed, and Sora is the one reaching out, trying to hold on to their connection while Repliku is the one who turns his weapon on Sora. Sora even does the same signature outstretched hand move.
Sora: If you have time to fight, let’s save Namine together!
Repliku: ‘Together’? So like you. You’re always stepping on my heart like that!
KilluGon reference in the Succession War arc (Togashi himself made a submission to the killugon playlist) (NOT CLICKBAIT!)
guys holy shit okay so I was looking through the succession war arc because I wanted to find that panel of the CANON HXH LESBIAN KISS but I got sidetracked and started reading chapter 375 where I found something that ended up changing my entire life trajectory :
Here in chapter 375, Tyson is giving "the teachings of love" . Tyson goes on speech that could easily apply to both Gon and Killua post-separation. We're not too sure of what the two are currently up to, but it's reasonable to assume that this is how they feel, considering they had wished to always be by each other's sides.
And then in the next panel, it is said that the speech was just a rip off of Nishino Kana's lyrics. "Darling" and "No Matter How Much" (Tatoe Donna Ni) are the two mentioned Nishino Kana songs.
Out of curiosity, I looked up both songs and the english translated lyrics of them.
That's when it happened...
and
It's pretty damn obvious so I won't dissect it too much, but both lyrics could apply to Gon and Killua. "Darling" being from Killua's side and "No Matter How Much" from Gon's.
you must be pretty strange for someone who's said to be selfish.
i wish i hadn't said those selfish things, if i could erase what i said that day...
i have to pick up all of your scraps, always always i grumble.
i got too spoiled by your kindness.
for someone who wants to be by your side forever and ever.
if i'd stuck it out, would you still be by my side?
I mean, c'mon. The lyrics are soooo killugon coded, and the fact that Togashi paired these two particular songs together. There's no way someone could listen to them and not make the connection to Gon and Killua.
I even added some silly little visuals for your convenience :
Feel free to interpret this as platonic if you want. Idk how, but go ahead!
This was all just an observation of the two particular songs mentioned after a speech about missing someone and wishing you could go back to those days. It could totally just be a coincidence. Just Togashi being the silly man he is, picking two completely random songs that have absolutely no significance whatsoever to the previous events of the main storyline while being totally unaware of the similarities!
Well, that's all I have to say for today. These breadcrumbs will keep me fed for a good while. If you've made it this far, thank you for reading. I have lots of drafts for killugon evidence that I hope to post soon.
"the best part of kamen rider is the story-" WRONG. The best part is finishing a season and going onto tumblr to look at drawings of the characters kissing
