Hunter X Hunter General Discussion
- Thread starter NikaInParis
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I don't think we're supposed to keep up with the story arcs of each characters. I think it's meant to fuck up our brains. Literature did this many times and people complained at first and afterwards they understood the great shit that it was.
Togashi already said that he wanted to bloat this arc way more than the Marineford war in One Piece. And yes the expedition arc was announced back in 2012 and Marineford was around 2010. Yes we're all old grumpy mofos now.
Togashi already said that he wanted to bloat this arc way more than the Marineford war in One Piece. And yes the expedition arc was announced back in 2012 and Marineford was around 2010. Yes we're all old grumpy mofos now.
The difference between the Succession War and Marineford is that one is understandably chaotic but far less complex
In Marineford there were various characters that you didn’t know much about but their allegiances and purpose were made incredibly clear from the jump
The Succession War is filled with murder and deception. You have to juggle shifting allegiances while also committing their nen ability (whatever it may be) to memory
I think you could have a teenager with an average reading level go through Marineford and they’d understand most things. The Succession War? No shot
In the HxH subreddit they have multiple alignment charts and location trackers that are updated every chapter because most people just can’t keep up. I think when we get to that point it’s just too much
I’ve said this before but I understand why Togashi is writing this way. I just don’t think this is the best way to go about it
In Marineford there were various characters that you didn’t know much about but their allegiances and purpose were made incredibly clear from the jump
The Succession War is filled with murder and deception. You have to juggle shifting allegiances while also committing their nen ability (whatever it may be) to memory
I think you could have a teenager with an average reading level go through Marineford and they’d understand most things. The Succession War? No shot
In the HxH subreddit they have multiple alignment charts and location trackers that are updated every chapter because most people just can’t keep up. I think when we get to that point it’s just too much
I’ve said this before but I understand why Togashi is writing this way. I just don’t think this is the best way to go about it
Main reason why there is a chart on the subreddit is because of the multiple breaks over the last decade and more.
But even then I already said why this isn't bad to write a story hard to follow. There are books with hundreds and hundreds of characters already in existence that were heavily criticized in their time and received praise years after because they were "impossible to decipher".
I have to do stuff so here is a ChatGPT explanation (I kinda agree with it and it only scratches the top of this topic):
But even then I already said why this isn't bad to write a story hard to follow. There are books with hundreds and hundreds of characters already in existence that were heavily criticized in their time and received praise years after because they were "impossible to decipher".
I have to do stuff so here is a ChatGPT explanation (I kinda agree with it and it only scratches the top of this topic):
Postmodern Aspects of the Succession War Arc
The Succession War arc is arguably the most complex and psychologically intense arc in Hunter x Hunter. Its postmodern qualities can be seen in several ways:
1. Fragmentation & Nonlinear Narrative
Stream of Consciousness in the Succession War
1. Heavy Use of Internal Monologues
So… Is the Succession War Arc Postmodern?
In many ways, yes:
The Succession War arc is arguably the most complex and psychologically intense arc in Hunter x Hunter. Its postmodern qualities can be seen in several ways:
1. Fragmentation & Nonlinear Narrative
- The arc doesn’t follow a single protagonist or linear path. Instead, it presents multiple overlapping narratives from different princes, guards, Kurapika’s group, the mafia, and the Phantom Troupe.
- The story is deliberately disjointed, echoing the postmodern rejection of grand, cohesive narratives.
- Each character operates within their own moral framework and subjective worldview, with no clear "hero" or "villain" dominating the arc.
- This aligns with postmodernism's tendency to deconstruct binaries (good/evil, order/chaos, etc.) and show how reality is constructed through perspectives.
- The Nen Beast system introduces an unseen layer of influence, almost like a commentary on invisible forces shaping characters’ lives—which can be interpreted as a postmodern metaphor.
- Togashi also plays with genre expectations—this is technically a shonen manga, yet it slows down into a psychological and political chess match, subverting the typical genre beats.
Stream of Consciousness in the Succession War
1. Heavy Use of Internal Monologues
- The arc relies heavily on internal dialogue—we are often inside the minds of characters like Kurapika, Halkenburg, and the bodyguards.
- These monologues sometimes reflect disorganized, emotionally charged, or morally conflicted thought processes, mimicking stream of consciousness techniques found in modernist/postmodern literature (think Virginia Woolf, James Joyce).
- Togashi often stacks multiple character thoughts within a single panel—you might see 3–4 characters thinking simultaneously about one event, creating a textual collage of mental states.
- This mirrors stream-of-consciousness writing, where the narrative becomes less about plot and more about the internal rhythm of thought.
So… Is the Succession War Arc Postmodern?
In many ways, yes:
- It deconstructs traditional narrative structure.
- It emphasizes internal psychology over external action.
- It embraces ambiguity, multiple truths, and moral relativism.
- It plays with format and genre.
- And yes, it incorporates a manga-adapted form of stream of consciousness, which is rare and sophisticated.
