Summary

• Yoshihiro Togashi, the author of Hunter X Hunter, has revealed one possible finale for the series that fans should consider canon only in case of his untimely demise.
• Togashi has been struggling with his health, resulting in inconsistent release schedules for the manga series.
• Togashi has also revealed he has three possible endings in mind for the series, and his favorite one is the one fans will dislike the most.

Yoshihiro Togashi, the author of Hunter X Hunter, revealed a possible finale for his series in case of the acclaimed creator's untimely demise. The author has been struggling with his health for some time now, resulting in several hiatuses for the manga series. While he has been releasing new chapters recently, the schedule has been highly inconsistent, and there are still concerns about his well-being. It appears that Togashi is taking a gradual approach to his return, easing himself back into the demands of the series.

In an online interview with TV Asahi's Iwakura and Yoshizumi Show that will air on November 21st but has already been leaked online, Togashi revealed that he has already thought of three possible endings for the series. He did not share any details about them, but disclosed instead a fourth ending, which he discarded. The interview has been translated by X Pewpiece.

Togashi added that, in case he should away before concluding the series, fans should consider this discarded scenario as the actual ending of Hunter x Hunter.

Togashi's Favorite Hunter x Hunter Ending Is The One That Fans Will Hate The Most

The author revealed he has three possible scenarios in mind for Hunter x Hunter's finale

According to Pewpiece, the translation is as follows:

Regarding the ending, I have prepared three scenarios: A, B, and C. When considering the proportional reaction from readers, ranging from satisfaction to dissatisfaction, the ending A is deemed satisfactory by 80%, and unsatisfactory by 20%. This does not necessarily imply a high rating, but for me, reaching it will be secure in a way that doesn't complicate matters with excessive criticism, in my belief.

As for ending B, opinions will be divided similarly between satisfaction and dissatisfaction. For ending C, I anticipate a satisfaction rate of 10% and dissatisfaction rate of 90%. Why do I keep it present, even with a high rate of dissatisfaction? That's because it is my personal preference, but fundamentally, I want to think to the utmost extent about an ending to the point where I might not choose any of these three and create what I find most enjoyable, which is my ideal and goal.

To give you a clearer picture, I will share scenario D, which fell out of the candidate scenarios for the ending. If fate takes me before finishing the manga, consider it the manga's ending. I would be happy if you forgive me for that.

The Ending (D)

Next to the lake, a girl named Jin, holding a fishing rod, stands motionless. Suddenly, the rod shakes violently, and Jin, startled, exclaims, "I got him! I got the Lake Lord!" She skillfully lifts the Lake Lord onto her shoulders and stands before a woman, saying, "As I promised, I caught the Lake Lord! Mom!" Jin approaches the woman and ionately declares, "You must not tell me again. You must become a hunter."

The woman, with no tricks left, nods her head. Jin, still carrying the Lake Lord on her shoulder, walks away. The mother comments to her husband that Jin's dream is to never leave the island and inherit their place. The father agrees, laughing, and the mother expresses her dissatisfaction, saying, "Perhaps her desires will change later. But I want to know, you and Jin, why are you like this? Surely it's because of the blood of Grandma Mito and Grandma Noko."

The woman seems unaware that Grandma Mito and Grandma Noko are not related by blood, and the father smiles knowingly. The woman, expressing her unwillingness as a mother, adds, "But Grandpa Gon was a famous hunter... and this girl will one day leave the island."

Jin insists, "I will never leave!" Although she is no longer visible in the heart of the forest, she hears her parents' conversation and responds defiantly. The father, amused, says, "You have a sharp eye."

The scene changes to the shop continuing its work from Mito's days. The Lake Lord has been cleanly cut, and its internal parts sorted. Jin thinks to herself while working, "Mom never understands. When Grandpa speaks joyfully about his memories of being a hunter, Grandma Noko quietly moves away from her seat. Every time Grandpa Gon affirms, her belief is heard from someone. She strikes the cutting board forcefully with a knife (I'm tired of this!!) To wait for someone's return after months and years of sadness crushes my heart... I make someone wait for me! I. Then the door opens, and a warm voice echoes. A chubby little child enters, holding a plant.

The child exclaims, "I caught the Lake Lord for real! Well, let's honor the whole island with it!" Jin replies, "I always... always wanted to be with the person I want to be with. Together, always!" The child agrees, "Yes!" Both of them, with broad smiles on their faces, cook the food. A bird flies away from the island, over a town and its people. The son of one of them, the daughter of another, and the grandchild of another live in different places, exchanging smiles. They might be the children of that character and the grandchildren of that character. The bird flies away into the distance.

In the background, a figure watches the scene.

The End.

Togashi expects that the first ending will be well-received, with around 50 percent of readers satisfied and 20 percent dissatisfied. Option B will be evenly split between satisfied and dissatisfied readers. However, the third option would have only a 10 percent satisfaction rate and a 90 percent dissatisfaction rate. Togashi its that his favorite way to conclude the series would be the one that fans will dislike the most. He wishes to find an ending that he truly loves, and that fans will be satisfied with, instead of considering any of these three options.

Though Hunter x Hunter's anime ends with the Election Arc, the manga has continued well past that. The anime's ending is equivalent to chapter 339 of the manga, while the series' latest chapter (released on December 25th 2022) is its 400th.

What is bound to make more waves, however, is that Togashi revealed a fourth option that he has already discarded, but fans can consider canon in the event of his ing. This ending focuses on Jin, Gon's granddaughter, as she is fishing for the "Lake Lord", the same fish that Gon caught at the start of his adventure. Contrary to Gon, however, Jin captures the giant fish to get her mother to stop pressuring her to become a Hunter.

The young woman says that she could never let her loved ones wait endlessly for her like Gon and the other Hunters did, but her parents recognize that her talent will one day bring her away from Whale Island. The ending also reveals that Gon has become a famous and strong hunter and that he is married to Noko, one of the few children who grew up with him. The series ends with a bird flying over different places, showing many new characters who could be the children or grandchildren of the protagonists of Hunter x Hunter.

Togashi Shares A Discarded Hunter x Hunter Finale With Fans

Although this news does sound ominous, there's some important context that is easy to miss. Togashi said clearly that this is simply an ending he discarded, so there is no risk of spoilers in sharing it with his fans. The reason why he specified this should be considered canon in case of his ing is probably because he still has not decided which of the other three valid possible endings he will use.

Who is Gon's Wife in Hunter x Hunter's Non-Canon Ending?

Regardless of the ending's canonicity though, there is a great deal to unpack for longtime fans of the series. Though it appeared to be a relatively minor point for Togashi, many fans will fixate on the identity of Gon's wife, Noko. Noko is an incredibly minor character from Whale Island, Gon's original home. She appears alongside a handful of other background characters to see Gon off when he departs Whale Island. The only reason her name is known is that Gon later tells Killua that Noko was the only other child on Whale Island.

Slightly more of Noko is seen in Hunter x Hunter's 2011 anime, where she's seen visibly worried about Gon as he leaves.

Beyond the revelation that Gon becomes a world-famous hunter, marries Noko, and lives out the rest of his days on Whale Island, there isn't much to ending D. Togashi mentions that children and grandchildren of other characters may have been featured, but leaves that vague. The biggest mystery about the ending is who the figure watching the scene is. Without the context of the lead-up to the ending, it's impossible to say whether the figure is friend or foe.

As interesting and potentially exciting as ending D is, fans can only hope it never sees the light of day. While Togashi has suffered from health issues for a long time, he has also resumed working on Hunter X Hunter on a loosely regular schedule, which bodes well for his well-being. Hopefully, Hunter x Hunter fans will be able to read the finale of this generational saga crafted by the hands of its creator.

Hunter x Hunter is available from Viz Media and Manga Plus.

Read on Manga Plus

Source: @pewpiece (X)