the most impactful part about the ending to me is that we see Komugi feeling Meruems face, she's blind, and that's how blind people get to know how a person looks, so she ends up knowing that he's not human, and still stays by his side, and never judges him or fears him, and because of the radiation poisoning, he loses his sight, and is scared of her not being there, which is why he keeps asking if she's still there, so both in the end are unable to see, yet they can both see each other more clearly than they ever could before
@@TezcatsGhost I don't think he did, I think she actually made that choice herself despite him never winning at Gungi, which to me is even more meaningful, after knowing what he looks like, and knowing that he was going to die, along with her, she made the choice to call him Meruem, and I think the reason why is because in their last moments, she decided that the honorific wasn't needed, because they were passed that level, their social standings didn't matter anymore, since they were both going to die regardless, and it's what he wanted, to be called Meruem without the honorific, she fulfilled that last wish out of love
@@TezcatsGhost he did specifically say "it looks like I didnt beat you once" so no, he did not beat her in gungi once. she chose to refer to him without the honorific because that is what he wished in the first place.
To be fair about the Youpi regression, I actually do like it because… he only regressed after The Rose was used against Meruem. To me, it felt like yet another moment of tragedy, showing that Youpi was growing into a more merciful person, that he could have improved. Could have been talked down peacefully, especially since the King was also growing more humane. But due to Netero’s attack, all that progress was in vain. So now all we’re left with are “could haves”
@@luisjauregui2197 Exactly! At the beginning he was more of a beast, following the will of the king in the most raw and instinctive way. Then through his fights, he got in touch with different emotions and perspectives, becoming more humane. But at the end, the final perspective left was to realize that even the enemies he grew to admire could commit the most brutal and atrocious act against his kind
The cool thing is that Meruem has always said this entire time “I will not repeat myself” but when it comes to getting her back her tells her that he’ll repeat himself as many times as possible
The greatest anime betrayal of all time. I remember going from crying my heart out to yelling in anger and disgust. The most misplaced fucking preview of all time.
The funny thing is, they kinda did. If I remember correctly, when this episode was broadcasted they cut to commercials after the last scene. Then after it comes back it's the episode preview, but yeah, they could have changed the music at least
I love the contrast of Gon and Meruem, Gon is a human who turns into more of a monster as the arc goes on, and Meruem who was a monster at the start, turns into more of a human as the arc goes on
AZU CRYING SOFTLY IS CRAZY. YALL GOT ME FUCKED UP ON SATURDAY MORNING AT 8 AM. AINT NO WAY BRUH IM RELIVING TRAUMA AND CONNECTING TO AZUUUUUU I LOVE THIS REACTION SO MUCH YALL ARE THE GOAT. THANK YOU ALICIASAA
I love how the deaths of the royalty here is such irony. Shiapouf, the one with class made to accompany the King as advisor dying with his face in the mud and no dignity. Neferoitou, the huntress/healer dying to a broken kid as his prey who was beyond saying. Menthruyoupi, the witless magical beast hybrid with exponential powers and potential of growth dying powerless as a dwarf to illness that no body could withstand. And Meruem, The King who was supposed to be the most powerful out of all, the one meant to stand above everyone with no regards within the hierarchy; dying beside a loved one with no amount of power being able to stop him succumbing to illness as he died for love and affection and not for war.
I was thinking the other day about how not only Meruem, but each royal guard journey got them closer to humans. Pitou went from a bloodthirsty monster that toyed with slaughtered prey to someone that protects, bargains, despairs and is grateful, even in and after their death, to serve their most important person Youpi, the most irrational at the beginning, was the one that could adapt himself. As such, he more than any other RG could bridge his feelings with those of humans. At the end, he hurtfully remembered they were in opposite sites, and his rivals would take any chance to kill the King And Pouf. Pouf was the most human of them all. Even if his power was to get in contact with other people's emotions, he was always moved by his own romantic view. His heart was full of desire, pettiness, jealousy and fear, to a point where he could sway the King's fury with pure determination, even after challenging him
so it's probably obvious but the fact that Meruem ended up blind because of the poison. His name being the light that illuminates all and his En being a radiant light getting spread. And the tragedy of Komugi's life, she only gained a pittance being a pro at gungi being told that she's good for nothing and when she makes probably her first meaningful connection, that will result in her death she's more than willing to spend the rest of her short life besides him. Also I never noticed it before but the way she feels his body to know how he looks like and despite knowing he's not human she still stays. Man I'm never ready for this shit I think that's the hardest I've cried at this scene ever.
Youpi was never human to begin with, but he still developed humanity - which he threw away upon gazin at the horror of man's evolution. He chose to remain an ant, and received a swift death for it. It is tragic, I think, but in that greek kind of way.
The King's version of "Spiritual Message" (Pouf's Hatsu) is something called "Photon," the small particles of aura he puts out hit against things and he gets a brief knowledge of the object they hit against. At the very very end there, Meruem is blind also, his eyes have been decayed by the poison. He only sees the board or Komugi when his Nen touches them, and Komugi only sees anything when she touches it with her hands. They really were one and the same at the end.
Many of the scenes at the beginning of the episode are based on actual events. The pic of a man getting shot while being escorted is based on a very real and distressing video of soldiers callously killing a vietcong captain and was a significant event in the Vietnam war
I mean, there's a LITTLE more context to that photo that's been lost in the outrage over the years. The man who was killed had been captured in plain clothes (actually a war crime punishable by death under the Geneva conventions) after murdering a colonel, his wife, and all but one of his children (who was shot three times and stayed with his mother as she bled to death), because he wouldn't show him how to use a tank. The general shooting here was good friends with that colonel. Now, none of that justifies the obvious war crime here. But it does provide a little context on why it may have happened.
11:44 I don't think y'all understood what happened with Youpi but that's just me. He's still an honorable guy who became much more of a thinker. He just specifically said that he was wrong to spare the intruders because of what they were able to do to the king. Which is a fair thing to think.
Tbf it's good because he is a chimera ant and they evolve faster. Other characters need more time and experience to make a believable character development.
1. Meruem choosing Komugi, and effectively humanity, in his final hours always hits hard. Even more so when your realise that when Komugi felt his face she probably realised that he wasn't human. But she didn't care. This was a person who treated her with a level of respect & kindness even her own parents didn't. 2. Saddest part is that both Youpi and Pouf probably died in agony. You can see that Pouf was going to fulfill Meruem's final order, but died mid-flight.
@@Mare_Man Who said anything about absolving him? Would you not cry or feel something if Killua had something like this happen to him despite his death count? You can feel emotions without relying on morality when it comes to fiction.
The light that illuminates all ends up physically blind and left in the darkness, but spiratually was lead to the light by a girl whos known only darkness her entire life
This wasn’t just a great anime episode, it was one of the best written television episodes ever. Fantastic character development, even to minor or monstrous characters, and an ending that left you broken but satisfied.
I don’t know if there’s ever been a stronger turnaround from absolute irredeemable bastard, to such an emotional death. I have a tendency to cry at things only on my second watch throug, after I’ve had time to process more, but this is one of being few moments that got me fucking bawling on my first go.
This is why this arc is seen as one of the best of all anime. There's lots of parallels between everything happening. Gon is the innocent human protagonist, who ends up most like a monster out of anyone. Mereum is the monster antagonist who we all hated at first, who grew to be kind and humane at his final moments. God i love this anime.
Now that the Chimera Ant Arc is over, they should also check a video called: "Entire Chimera Ant Arc Explained through Gungi". This arc was the peak of Hunter x Hunter.
1 of the greatest love story ever made and not even the main focus ! TwT i am sad i miss the live stream but so glad you guys able to see this master piece TwT so powerful many cry and break form just this final parts words are not enough to express it all i didnt expect azu to cry that just shows how heck of a powerful this part is !
Amazing character writing and what a unique way to end a shonen arc. The Ants started heartless and cruel but had some of the biggest hearts by the end. The King, Koumugi and the royal guards were my MVP of this arc. Gon and Killua's dynamic was also amazing and how their roles have reversed from the start. Gon's naivety, which he is a kid so its understandable, really hurt their friendship while the Killua the kid assassin grows to be the better friend. Netero's death is sad considering human had the Rose all along to wipe the ants, but honestly Netero probably also wanted to fight because of his ego. He didn't do all that training just to not have any worthy opponents to fight against. I do think you guys were kind of shielding some of the main characters and humans from their rightful criticism just because usual Shonen has you cheering for the "main characters because they can do no wrong" but it is your genuine reaction. I would be interested in an arc discussion video to get a retrospect on the entire arc knowing the end result.
Meruems death is also so sad because we literally have witnessed his entire life in the show, from birth to death and every single impactful moment he felt
I really like how this arc shines a spotlight and then puts into question a bunch of common shounen tropes. The protagonist is consumed by rage, but instead of empowering him with righteous retribution, it destroys him inside out while he murders one of the most redeemable antagonists. The arc does not end in a climatic showdown with destiny in the balance, a grand confrontation of wills, a hype-inducing battle. It fizzles out slowly and tragically. The monster, the "big bad" was the purest of them all, and dies in peace. Victory is not a celebration of humanity's indomitable spirit, but proof of it's unmatched malice. Winning not by being better, but by being the absolute worst. Chimera Ants are an infestation, humans are a world ending, grudgy, self-harming scourge. But don't worry Alicia, Leorio will heal your emotional scars.
The other day I got to the stream right as the final frame of komugi was on screen lol, this where the episodes I was looking forward to the most also.
It’s the perfect ending Willing to show compassion for someone weaker, someone who hated him even Repeating himself, almost kneeling before Palm just to find Komugi Someone on Reddit even made a whole ass analysis on their final game and the symbology of the strategy and how it tied up to their relationship lmao It’s an amazing arc, people hold Chimera Ants to an extreme high regard and it’s not without reason Goodnight, Meruem, you had more growth in a single day than more than half of the human population do in their entire lives.
i don't think i have known any not to cry some of the harder cries in there life watching this, I don't even know how many times i have seen it and i still cry every time. truly beautiful and tragic
episode 135 is why Komugi is best girl her only care was Gungi; but as much as she changed Meruem; she herself became attached to a person so in the end she loved someone enough to die with them. Meruem was not very human at all until he met Komugi and she made him become a better man. Best romance story I know and its not even a romance arc or series. I read this ending before watching it and it got me into watching Hunter X Hunter from the beginning and its remake no less. Best scene of Hunter X Hunter period to me. The ending of the anime is the moment that hyped me for anything else... but is only second place to this.
This made me cry when I first watched this show. I don’t usually cry at media but this just broke me. And I even knew it was coming, I watched this whole show because I wanted the context behind this one scene
Every single time... the tears, the snot... I can't stop them... I've watched it so many times and it always leads to the same feeling. One of the best episodes of anything of all time...
I consider this to be the most heartbreaking arc in anime history period. No matter how many times I see it, it always makes me tear up and puts my stomach in knots
One of the rare moments in an anime where the death of the big boss antagonist is bitter sweet and at the end you feel nothing but remorse, sadness and empathy for them 😭
I can't even gather enough energy to write enough about how amazing this end is T.T He was born a monster and died a person. In likely the greatest character arc I've ever seen.
in the end, it wasn't gon or killua who save the world. it was the love of a blind girl and a game that saved the world. and if you need anymore proof of it............the way komugi tells meruem good night is how wives say good night to their husbands when they turn in for bed early in japan.
This arc is about how love can turn a human into a monster but that same love can also turn a monster into a human. Ngl, when I click on this video I didn't expect to cry, this is like the fifth time I watch this and I always forget how perfect it was.
youpi regressed only cuz his new found honor was shattered by them nuking king, like if u watch this series second time alot of things u will view differently and your understanding of some characters becomes much clearer
It's been years since I watched Hunter x Hunter, and I haven't been keeping up with Alicia's reactions to it, but as soon as I saw the title of this video, I knew what episode she was on.
They've always cared for her though. They've wanted her to die for what it would do for the story, similarly to how they care a lot for Gon but still wanted him to snap. At least that's how I interpreted it.
That final scene makes me cry every time I see it. Even just a still image will tear me up. The absolute beauty of the pure love, from a 40-day-old murderous bug man, after our main character and the chairman fell into such darkness. That's how you know the writer's done a fantastic job, you go from hoping the main cast are able to kill him, to not wanting him to go. And I just love that, this entire time, he's always said "Don't make me repeat myself". Yet, with Komugi, he doesn't hesitate to repeat himself.
This episode cemented this arc as my all time favorite arc in media. And Meruem as one of (if not the best) written characters in media. Going from an absolute monster to that is just so amazingly well done and feels so real. I've seen that end scene dozens of times and it still gets me everytime 🥹 RIP to my favorite anime "couple"💜
I just cant stop the floodgates at this episode! 😭 Btw this a great nature vs nurture mesage too! Merumen started as a animal but through life experience he become something much greater! Its true to Youpi and Pitou too. May the loyality remain but they grow to be much more. And Pouf is alvays felt the opposite he stayed to be a ant.
It's an emotional double team - you're both overwhelmingly happy that they've found their lives' purposes in each other and also utterly devastated that they're dying
Notice how this entire time the king has made it abundantly clear he will not repeat himself. But when negotiating for komugi here he says he will repeat himself as many times as he needs.
Something I'd like to mention. When we saw Meruem's En last episode it was a "light that illuminates all" like his name suggests. But his light was a cold blue, a light that illuminates but does not warm. It isn't until he remembers Komugi that the color and warmth return to his life. The light may illuminate but it cannot comfort one in the same way love can.
I don't cry much, but there are a few things that always make me cry. HxH 135 being one of them. Especially the end when the king starts asking if Komugi is still there because he starts going blind. Just such a beautiful episode.
This episode took a lot out of me. I still cry every time I see it. Just hearing the tiredness in his voice as he keeps asking for Komugi is tough, and she just keeps responding.
the most impactful part about the ending to me is that we see Komugi feeling Meruems face, she's blind, and that's how blind people get to know how a person looks, so she ends up knowing that he's not human, and still stays by his side, and never judges him or fears him, and because of the radiation poisoning, he loses his sight, and is scared of her not being there, which is why he keeps asking if she's still there, so both in the end are unable to see, yet they can both see each other more clearly than they ever could before
on top of that in the last line komuga called him "meruem" without honorific implying that he did end up succeeding in besting her at the very end
@@TezcatsGhost I don't think he did, I think she actually made that choice herself despite him never winning at Gungi, which to me is even more meaningful, after knowing what he looks like, and knowing that he was going to die, along with her, she made the choice to call him Meruem, and I think the reason why is because in their last moments, she decided that the honorific wasn't needed, because they were passed that level, their social standings didn't matter anymore, since they were both going to die regardless, and it's what he wanted, to be called Meruem without the honorific, she fulfilled that last wish out of love
It's too beautifull I can't 😭
@@TezcatsGhost he did specifically say "it looks like I didnt beat you once" so no, he did not beat her in gungi once. she chose to refer to him without the honorific because that is what he wished in the first place.
Being devastated about Meruem and Komugi’s fate is probably a rite of passage
If someone doesn’t cry at that scene, then I honestly don’t think they deserve to keep watching the show
And getting caught off guard with that loud happy circus music afterwards
@@tinidor08ikno it always ruins the mood lol
@@Bigvig_of_bogvog What about people who physically can’t cry no matter how much they want to.
the weeb version of a canon event
To be fair about the Youpi regression, I actually do like it because… he only regressed after The Rose was used against Meruem. To me, it felt like yet another moment of tragedy, showing that Youpi was growing into a more merciful person, that he could have improved. Could have been talked down peacefully, especially since the King was also growing more humane. But due to Netero’s attack, all that progress was in vain. So now all we’re left with are “could haves”
Yeah, if you saw a nuclear explosion for the first time you would also fucking hate humanity, so there's that too
@@luisjauregui2197 Exactly! At the beginning he was more of a beast, following the will of the king in the most raw and instinctive way. Then through his fights, he got in touch with different emotions and perspectives, becoming more humane. But at the end, the final perspective left was to realize that even the enemies he grew to admire could commit the most brutal and atrocious act against his kind
I don’t understand how people consider it a regression though. In what way did he regress?
@@HiImDaisy Yeah it's still character progression just not in a positive way
People siding with the hunters morally is cope, because if you gave the king another month or 2 of growth he'd have created a utopía 😂
The cool thing is that Meruem has always said this entire time “I will not repeat myself” but when it comes to getting her back her tells her that he’ll repeat himself as many times as possible
The preview music was a bigger villain than Pouf
The greatest anime betrayal of all time.
I remember going from crying my heart out to yelling in anger and disgust.
The most misplaced fucking preview of all time.
They removed the OP, they changed the ED, why couldn't they remove the fucking preview 😭💢
The funny thing is, they kinda did. If I remember correctly, when this episode was broadcasted they cut to commercials after the last scene. Then after it comes back it's the episode preview, but yeah, they could have changed the music at least
You are my special after Sukuna's rampage but on steroids 💀
@@furiousdestroyah9999 nah that one goes hard
Here it is, the death of Meruem, in the arms of the one human he cared for more than anything.
He cared so much he didn't want to kill to be with her because that would make Komugi dislike him
And then her love would be forced for him
The sentence "I was born for this moment" is so perfectly fitting and beautiful. It might be the single best piece of writing from Togashi IMO
Yeah. This is part of why this arc is seen as one of the best arcs in anime.
To add to how hard hitting this is, the way she responds after he tells her about the poison is an old school acceptance of a marriage proposal.
...I could have gone to sleep without reading this, man 🥺😭😭
I love the contrast of Gon and Meruem, Gon is a human who turns into more of a monster as the arc goes on, and Meruem who was a monster at the start, turns into more of a human as the arc goes on
Here another gut punch, when he asked her if she is still there, that was because he became blind, just like her
Yeah.. that's what i was thinking, when he started asking if she's there, it's because he became blind as well. 😭
Meruem developed so much he's repeating himself.
Mike are u still there
AZU CRYING SOFTLY IS CRAZY. YALL GOT ME FUCKED UP ON SATURDAY MORNING AT 8 AM. AINT NO WAY BRUH IM RELIVING TRAUMA AND CONNECTING TO AZUUUUUU
I LOVE THIS REACTION SO MUCH YALL ARE THE GOAT. THANK YOU ALICIASAA
I love how the deaths of the royalty here is such irony.
Shiapouf, the one with class made to accompany the King as advisor dying with his face in the mud and no dignity.
Neferoitou, the huntress/healer dying to a broken kid as his prey who was beyond saying.
Menthruyoupi, the witless magical beast hybrid with exponential powers and potential of growth dying powerless as a dwarf to illness that no body could withstand.
And Meruem, The King who was supposed to be the most powerful out of all, the one meant to stand above everyone with no regards within the hierarchy; dying beside a loved one with no amount of power being able to stop him succumbing to illness as he died for love and affection and not for war.
I was thinking the other day about how not only Meruem, but each royal guard journey got them closer to humans.
Pitou went from a bloodthirsty monster that toyed with slaughtered prey to someone that protects, bargains, despairs and is grateful, even in and after their death, to serve their most important person
Youpi, the most irrational at the beginning, was the one that could adapt himself. As such, he more than any other RG could bridge his feelings with those of humans. At the end, he hurtfully remembered they were in opposite sites, and his rivals would take any chance to kill the King
And Pouf. Pouf was the most human of them all. Even if his power was to get in contact with other people's emotions, he was always moved by his own romantic view. His heart was full of desire, pettiness, jealousy and fear, to a point where he could sway the King's fury with pure determination, even after challenging him
Born for war, died for love
38:00 I’ve NEVER seen azu’s face like this😭
so it's probably obvious but the fact that Meruem ended up blind because of the poison. His name being the light that illuminates all and his En being a radiant light getting spread. And the tragedy of Komugi's life, she only gained a pittance being a pro at gungi being told that she's good for nothing and when she makes probably her first meaningful connection, that will result in her death she's more than willing to spend the rest of her short life besides him. Also I never noticed it before but the way she feels his body to know how he looks like and despite knowing he's not human she still stays.
Man I'm never ready for this shit I think that's the hardest I've cried at this scene ever.
Youpi was never human to begin with, but he still developed humanity - which he threw away upon gazin at the horror of man's evolution. He chose to remain an ant, and received a swift death for it. It is tragic, I think, but in that greek kind of way.
The King's version of "Spiritual Message" (Pouf's Hatsu) is something called "Photon," the small particles of aura he puts out hit against things and he gets a brief knowledge of the object they hit against.
At the very very end there, Meruem is blind also, his eyes have been decayed by the poison.
He only sees the board or Komugi when his Nen touches them, and Komugi only sees anything when she touches it with her hands. They really were one and the same at the end.
Many of the scenes at the beginning of the episode are based on actual events. The pic of a man getting shot while being escorted is based on a very real and distressing video of soldiers callously killing a vietcong captain and was a significant event in the Vietnam war
I mean, there's a LITTLE more context to that photo that's been lost in the outrage over the years. The man who was killed had been captured in plain clothes (actually a war crime punishable by death under the Geneva conventions) after murdering a colonel, his wife, and all but one of his children (who was shot three times and stayed with his mother as she bled to death), because he wouldn't show him how to use a tank. The general shooting here was good friends with that colonel.
Now, none of that justifies the obvious war crime here. But it does provide a little context on why it may have happened.
11:44 I don't think y'all understood what happened with Youpi but that's just me.
He's still an honorable guy who became much more of a thinker. He just specifically said that he was wrong to spare the intruders because of what they were able to do to the king. Which is a fair thing to think.
I have heard that "I may not be worthy, but please allow me to join you". That Komugi says is a very old Japanese way to except a marriage proposal
Meruem got more character development in a couple of days than most characters in years.
Tbf it's good because he is a chimera ant and they evolve faster. Other characters need more time and experience to make a believable character development.
@@mewthreeraven Also, he was born basically yesterday. Less time to solidify his personality.
So it ends, in happiness in abysmal despair. One pair smiles as others cry. A king bowing to a queen to find his end in warm embrace.
1. Meruem choosing Komugi, and effectively humanity, in his final hours always hits hard. Even more so when your realise that when Komugi felt his face she probably realised that he wasn't human. But she didn't care. This was a person who treated her with a level of respect & kindness even her own parents didn't.
2. Saddest part is that both Youpi and Pouf probably died in agony. You can see that Pouf was going to fulfill Meruem's final order, but died mid-flight.
Meruem prolly my favourite character in the show by a lot tbf, every time i see this episode it cements that thought even more
The cimera ant arc really is an emotional minefield start to finish
We hated this character the day he was born to crying at his final moments
Who the fuck is "we?" He was badass from the start.
@@VBandit47 I guess all 67 of us and counting if people still like the comment
He literally ate children.
We?
He's still a monster. Developing human emotion doesn't absolve him of his actions up to that point.
@@Mare_Man Who said anything about absolving him? Would you not cry or feel something if Killua had something like this happen to him despite his death count? You can feel emotions without relying on morality when it comes to fiction.
The light that illuminates all ends up physically blind and left in the darkness, but spiratually was lead to the light by a girl whos known only darkness her entire life
This wasn’t just a great anime episode, it was one of the best written television episodes ever. Fantastic character development, even to minor or monstrous characters, and an ending that left you broken but satisfied.
I don’t know if there’s ever been a stronger turnaround from absolute irredeemable bastard, to such an emotional death. I have a tendency to cry at things only on my second watch throug, after I’ve had time to process more, but this is one of being few moments that got me fucking bawling on my first go.
This is why this arc is seen as one of the best of all anime.
There's lots of parallels between everything happening.
Gon is the innocent human protagonist, who ends up most like a monster out of anyone.
Mereum is the monster antagonist who we all hated at first, who grew to be kind and humane at his final moments.
God i love this anime.
Ngl I loved the duo reaction on hxh.
Can't believe it's already pretty much over.
One more semi-arc then it's done(Leorio carried with that speech alone and the well deserved punch)
Hopefully they’ll react to more anime together
The ending of the Chimera Ants arc is truly generational. The arc in general was peak shounen
This has to be the most wholesome and saddest couple I've seen in an anime. Incrdible ending for an arc.
Now that the Chimera Ant Arc is over, they should also check a video called: "Entire Chimera Ant Arc Explained through Gungi". This arc was the peak of Hunter x Hunter.
1 of the greatest love story ever made and not even the main focus !
TwT i am sad i miss the live stream but so glad you guys able to see this master piece TwT so powerful many cry and break form just this final parts words are not enough to express it all
i didnt expect azu to cry that just shows how heck of a powerful this part is !
Meruem did kneel down twice in his whole life not when fighting but when komugi was hit by dragon dive and when he carried and put her beside pitou
Honestly I really like the end of Pouf, for all he tried to serve the king, he ended up accomplishing nothing and died alone and forgotten
Alicia crying is why I watch this, NOW MORE SUFFERING
Had she reacted to Demon Slayer yet?
If you want more suffering, check the next few days of One Piece
Yes I absolutely need her to react to "Ano Hana" and "Violet Evergarden"
Amazing character writing and what a unique way to end a shonen arc.
The Ants started heartless and cruel but had some of the biggest hearts by the end. The King, Koumugi and the royal guards were my MVP of this arc.
Gon and Killua's dynamic was also amazing and how their roles have reversed from the start.
Gon's naivety, which he is a kid so its understandable, really hurt their friendship while the Killua the kid assassin grows to be the better friend.
Netero's death is sad considering human had the Rose all along to wipe the ants, but honestly Netero probably also wanted to fight because of his ego. He didn't do all that training just to not have any worthy opponents to fight against.
I do think you guys were kind of shielding some of the main characters and humans from their rightful criticism just because usual Shonen has you cheering for the "main characters because they can do no wrong" but it is your genuine reaction. I would be interested in an arc discussion video to get a retrospect on the entire arc knowing the end result.
Yessssss, THE episodes is here
The final time she called him Meruem without honorific... even though he never won.
Meruems death is also so sad because we literally have witnessed his entire life in the show, from birth to death and every single impactful moment he felt
I really like how this arc shines a spotlight and then puts into question a bunch of common shounen tropes.
The protagonist is consumed by rage, but instead of empowering him with righteous retribution, it destroys him inside out while he murders one of the most redeemable antagonists.
The arc does not end in a climatic showdown with destiny in the balance, a grand confrontation of wills, a hype-inducing battle. It fizzles out slowly and tragically. The monster, the "big bad" was the purest of them all, and dies in peace.
Victory is not a celebration of humanity's indomitable spirit, but proof of it's unmatched malice. Winning not by being better, but by being the absolute worst. Chimera Ants are an infestation, humans are a world ending, grudgy, self-harming scourge.
But don't worry Alicia, Leorio will heal your emotional scars.
Meruem repeating himself is such peak writing, also been waiting for this since you started HxH
The other day I got to the stream right as the final frame of komugi was on screen lol, this where the episodes I was looking forward to the most also.
It’s the perfect ending
Willing to show compassion for someone weaker, someone who hated him even
Repeating himself, almost kneeling before Palm just to find Komugi
Someone on Reddit even made a whole ass analysis on their final game and the symbology of the strategy and how it tied up to their relationship lmao
It’s an amazing arc, people hold Chimera Ants to an extreme high regard and it’s not without reason
Goodnight, Meruem, you had more growth in a single day than more than half of the human population do in their entire lives.
Meruem after being born: DO NOT MAKE ME REPEAT MYSELF
Meruem right before dying: I'll repeat myself
True character growth!
As a Canadian, I would like to say;
War crimes are bad.
It ain't a war crime the first time.
i don't think i have known any not to cry some of the harder cries in there life watching this, I don't even know how many times i have seen it and i still cry every time. truly beautiful and tragic
episode 135 is why Komugi is best girl
her only care was Gungi; but as much as she changed Meruem; she herself became attached to a person so in the end she loved someone enough to die with them.
Meruem was not very human at all until he met Komugi and she made him become a better man.
Best romance story I know and its not even a romance arc or series.
I read this ending before watching it and it got me into watching Hunter X Hunter from the beginning and its remake no less.
Best scene of Hunter X Hunter period to me. The ending of the anime is the moment that hyped me for anything else... but is only second place to this.
This...this is what I came for...amazing reaction T^T
This made me cry when I first watched this show. I don’t usually cry at media but this just broke me. And I even knew it was coming, I watched this whole show because I wanted the context behind this one scene
Togashi's biggest strength when it comes to writing is relationships of all kinds between characters and this episode just really hammered that home.
Welfin cannonically stopped Meruem's dark urge
Every single time... the tears, the snot... I can't stop them... I've watched it so many times and it always leads to the same feeling. One of the best episodes of anything of all time...
Time to cry bois
I consider this to be the most heartbreaking arc in anime history period. No matter how many times I see it, it always makes me tear up and puts my stomach in knots
One of the rare moments in an anime where the death of the big boss antagonist is bitter sweet and at the end you feel nothing but remorse, sadness and empathy for them 😭
I can't even gather enough energy to write enough about how amazing this end is T.T
He was born a monster and died a person. In likely the greatest character arc I've ever seen.
in the end, it wasn't gon or killua who save the world.
it was the love of a blind girl and a game that saved the world.
and if you need anymore proof of it............the way komugi tells meruem good night is how wives say good night to their husbands when they turn in for bed early in japan.
no matter how many times i rewatch this ep I always cry ....
One of the few moments that deserve being called peak fiction
This is among my fav arcs of all time, damnit, both of them are so precious
I cry every single time. What a journey this arc takes us on.
What a solid conclusion to the arc. Even on multiple rewatch, Chimera Ant arc is incredible!
Rest in peace, Meruem and Komugi
I cry at the ending every time! It has to be one of the most well written deaths in any media.
Watched through this series like 5 times and I still cry like hell here every time. God damn.
This arc is about how love can turn a human into a monster but that same love can also turn a monster into a human. Ngl, when I click on this video I didn't expect to cry, this is like the fifth time I watch this and I always forget how perfect it was.
youpi regressed only cuz his new found honor was shattered by them nuking king, like if u watch this series second time alot of things u will view differently and your understanding of some characters becomes much clearer
No matter how many times I watch this, I can't help but cry a bit. Meruem will always be my most favorite written character across any anime or manga.
It's been years since I watched Hunter x Hunter, and I haven't been keeping up with Alicia's reactions to it, but as soon as I saw the title of this video, I knew what episode she was on.
This episode always breaks my soul no matter how many times I watch it.At least I'm glad they were together until the end.
No matter how many times i see this I still get choked up at the end 😭
Huh. I guess we care about Komugi now, it seems 😂
Right? Big turn around from calling for the death of the completely innocent Komugi for multiple episodes previously.
They've always cared for her though. They've wanted her to die for what it would do for the story, similarly to how they care a lot for Gon but still wanted him to snap. At least that's how I interpreted it.
To think this show can still make me cry 9 years later and from a reaction video as well. 😢
That final scene makes me cry every time I see it. Even just a still image will tear me up. The absolute beauty of the pure love, from a 40-day-old murderous bug man, after our main character and the chairman fell into such darkness. That's how you know the writer's done a fantastic job, you go from hoping the main cast are able to kill him, to not wanting him to go. And I just love that, this entire time, he's always said "Don't make me repeat myself". Yet, with Komugi, he doesn't hesitate to repeat himself.
Komugi, the true Queen
Soloed the Ants
Mereum's journey to humanity, man. It's so goddamn powerful😢😢
That episode ive all been waiting for
This episode cemented this arc as my all time favorite arc in media. And Meruem as one of (if not the best) written characters in media. Going from an absolute monster to that is just so amazingly well done and feels so real.
I've seen that end scene dozens of times and it still gets me everytime 🥹
RIP to my favorite anime "couple"💜
I just cant stop the floodgates at this episode! 😭
Btw this a great nature vs nurture mesage too!
Merumen started as a animal but through life experience he become something much greater!
Its true to Youpi and Pitou too. May the loyality remain but they grow to be much more.
And Pouf is alvays felt the opposite he stayed to be a ant.
It's an emotional double team - you're both overwhelmingly happy that they've found their lives' purposes in each other and also utterly devastated that they're dying
Absolute PEAK! Most well written character death in anime, hands down.
"She's kszh she's jus'sch she's" the only proper response to episode 135
Azus spitting frfr, 🔥 👌 manipulator behavior.
Azu the type to not think about a 5 mill sacrifice for the whole workd.
"My therapist is going to hear about this" is a new level of threat I didn't expect to hear
The Chimera Ant arc is an absolute masterpiece, easily the best arc I've ever seen in anime.
How to make a grown man cry 101 : "Komugi, are you there?"
It's her response that gets me. "I never left".
Notice how this entire time the king has made it abundantly clear he will not repeat himself. But when negotiating for komugi here he says he will repeat himself as many times as he needs.
We've been waiting so long for this episode, thank you my people
Something I'd like to mention. When we saw Meruem's En last episode it was a "light that illuminates all" like his name suggests. But his light was a cold blue, a light that illuminates but does not warm. It isn't until he remembers Komugi that the color and warmth return to his life. The light may illuminate but it cannot comfort one in the same way love can.
I don't cry much, but there are a few things that always make me cry. HxH 135 being one of them. Especially the end when the king starts asking if Komugi is still there because he starts going blind. Just such a beautiful episode.
I remember while I was watching this episode, I was drinking water at the same time so that I could continue crying
Bro I thought i was ready. I watched this multiple times before, but I was still not ready.
Idc what people say, I really love Pouf. He's a really well written character in my opinion.
I always put their last scenes together. As one of the saddest moments in all of animation. Up there with grave of the fireflies
And with this, we welcome you as a true HxH fan. Meruem and Komugi's final scene is a rite of passage.
DAMMIT MAN, I SAID I WOULDNT LET IT MAKE ME CRY THIS TIME 😭
This episode took a lot out of me. I still cry every time I see it. Just hearing the tiredness in his voice as he keeps asking for Komugi is tough, and she just keeps responding.