Hunter x Hunter 36 – Hisoka Is a Moe Fan

Good, sweet Christ, that camera angle. Hisoka is such a fucking pedophile.

I’ve finally become used to Daisuke Namikawa’s performance as Hisoka. At first it didn’t seem like the right fit because Namikawa’s is so cool, deep and smooth. It’s a good villain voice, but the traits that make Hisoka a good villain are a bit different than the normal villainous traits. Doesn’t help that the man who voiced Hisoka in the ’99 series, Hiroki Takahashi, made such a distinct mark on the demented clown. (Fun fact: Takahashi also voices Harima in School Rumble, which is such a different voice that it’s almost creepy.)

Describing Takahashi’s Hisoka is . . . difficult. It’s probably better to listen: Here’s a sample from the ’99 version of this episode. It’ll probably sound weird to those used to Namikawa’s Hisoka. I love this voice, though. Right when you hear it, you know there’s something off about Hisoka. The goofy clown look is funny, but the voice makes one thing, “Wow, what the hell is up with this guy?” It’s such an unexpected approach to a big shonen villain; the contrast between voice and appearance works perfectly.

Namikawa’s voice is more standard. It’s steely and strong, but also with a slickness that suggests deception and danger. Definitely villainous, but not so much what makes Hisoka so god damn creepy. But the show has gone so far with the pedophilia angle that it seems less a suggestion and more a booming exclamation. (This is present in the ’99 series, as well, but not to as quite a loud degree. Actually, I think it’s more accurate to say Hisoka gets off on beating the powerful, and the fact that it’s children he’s going after is just to make it creepier.) The relentless flirting and clowngasmic thoughts as Gon beats the shit out of Hisoka are just . . . out there. And Namikawa is totally game for it. I can only imagine how awkward it must have been in the recording studio the day they kicked this out.

God damn it, Hisoka.

Anyway, the episode itself is good. The rest of the fight doesn’t meet the gloriously animated heights as the last five minutes of the previous episode, but only a fool would have expected that. It’s a great moment when Gon defiantly gives Hisoka back the badge that Hisoka disdainfully gave him during the Hunter Exam. That pride, man. That pride. Rest of the battle is just Hisoka being an asshole to Gon and toying with him for the hell of it. Even with the beating Hisoka gives Gon here, you can be sure he still isn’t going 100 percent. If he did, well, it wouldn’t be pretty.

Next episode features Gon and Killua going back to Whale Island for good fun time fun. That should probably be done with in an episode or two at most. I figure then we’ll see what Kurapika has been up to since it’s really important for the upcoming arc. I’m beyond hyped for this shit, because it’s by far the best part of Hunter x Hunter I’ve seen animated.