This is such an amazing explanation, and this gives me so much more appreciation for HxH that I didn't have watching it years ago. Thank you for this.
KA
2021-02-26 19:26:28 +0000 UTC
My favorite episode in all anime I've ever watched.
2021-02-26 11:46:32 +0000 UTC
Welfin M.V.P. 😏
2021-02-26 08:04:39 +0000 UTC
No matter how many times ive watched this episode or watched a reaction of this episode, i still get choked up at this episode.
2021-02-26 07:18:24 +0000 UTC
Good ol 135 literally never fails to make me full on cry
SimplyMocha
2021-02-26 06:58:35 +0000 UTC
There's various little symbolisms like this through every arc
Knocking Master Jiro
2021-02-25 23:20:54 +0000 UTC
Ironic how meruem (the light that illuminates all) went blind because of the poison, and the blind girl finally „saw“ what he looked like by touching his face. Also funny how his standard line used to be: „dont make me repeat myself“ and at the end he kept repeating himself asking if komugi is still there.
Darko Petrovic
2021-02-25 22:26:51 +0000 UTC
I think this episode makes everyone have the same reaction universally. It’s beautiful. I cry every damn time. Great reaction😢.
Morgan Le Fay
2021-02-25 22:18:34 +0000 UTC
its way to hard not to cry during this ep its so tragic but beautiful
katy
2021-02-25 21:36:39 +0000 UTC
Kim jog basically had a double all dictators well not all but most of them have doubles who live there life’s and make public appearances just in case a assignation attempt so Kim Jongs double got killed the real one was chilling the whole time lol
James
2021-02-25 21:15:59 +0000 UTC
I didn't write it but thought it should be posted in case others didn't understand the meaning behind it. It makes every scene in this episode that much more painfully beautiful imo.
Jessica Sutherland
2021-02-25 20:40:08 +0000 UTC
Thank you for this detailed explanation, I never knew the Kokoriko represented what happen to Mereum in the previous episodes.
Xonok
2021-02-25 20:33:11 +0000 UTC
Obligatory explanation of what happened during the Gungi game: Kokoriko is an advanced Gungi technique developed by Komugi that centers around isolating the King (as in the Gungi piece, not the Chimera Ant), separating it from the other pieces and killing it off. Just like Netero and the Hunters were planning to do to Meruem. However, Komugi unexpectedly develops a counter to this technique in the middle of a game, meaning that the King piece (representing Meruem) no longer has to die (since he unexpectedly survived the nuke). Then, later on, when Komugi uses Kokoriko again, she actually develops a counter to the counter (“she reversed my reversal???”), representing that the King piece (Meruem) apparently actually does have to die after all (because of the Rose’s poison). However, immediately after beating Meruem using Kokoriko (symbolizing his imminent death), Komugi and Meruem start one final game together, a game that they never finish. 1-5-1 Black King -> 9-5-1 White Lieutenant General, I believe, or something to that extent. Immediately afterwards, they die together, leaving on the board Meruem’s one black piece and Komugi’s single white piece, together in Gungi forever. This represents that the two were always united through Gungi, and will continue to be together even after death, undisturbed and united for all eternity. Meruem places his piece down, symbolizing his death, and then Komugi responds by placing her piece down next to his, showing that she is perfectly willing to die at his side..
The black screen/black panels in the manga show that the Rose’s poison has made Meruem go blind. That’s why he has to keep asking Komugi if she’s still there, because he can’t see her anymore. This is ironic because his name means “the light that illuminates/shines upon all”. He even got some godlike light-related photon-based powers before his death, allowing him to fulfill his name. In addition, as they are playing in the bunker before their deaths, Meruem sees a blinding light radiating from Komugi as she “reverses his reversal”, making her “the light that illuminates even the all-powerful light”. Despite being far weaker (and blind to boot), her light shined far brighter than his. Then, as he dies, Komugi holds him and feels his head, allowing her to finally “see” or know what his face is like. Thus, as they die, Meruem joins Komugi in blindness as she joins him in death. Meruem can finally see what Komugi has been seeing all along, and knows what it feels like to be blind like her, and Komugi finally knows his face, allowing each to understand the other more as they fade away (the OST used during their death scene is called “Understanding”).
Jessica Sutherland
2021-02-25 20:24:33 +0000 UTC
If you think about it, Meruem never actually stood a chance. Netero doing what he did was to prevent as many casualties as possible, but they could've dropped a bunch of roses on the ants and killed them all like it was nothing. It just would've also killed all the people lined up.