my blog contains generalized, varied thoughts on the ants, while if you'd like to see anything worthwhile, it's best to check out the rg and analysis tags
for a quick search on web browser: gorteaus.tumblr.com/tagged/(tag here) <- remove parenthesis of course
sideblog exists primarily as an archive for my thoughts on the chimera ant arc (particularly pertaining to certain characters) as i believe there's some aspects to their arcs overlooked. i occasionally reblog other text posts, art and mangacaps as well
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Thereβs a mini essay waiting to be written about the heavy inspiration taken from Dragon Ball Z in Togashiβs creation of the Chimera Ant Arc but moreso how Meruem being modeled after Perfect Cell is something that went deeper than just appearance as it is also plays heavily on one of the subthemes of the arc.
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Somewhere approaching the end of my Hunter x Hunter rewatch over a year ago, I couldnβt help but think, βI truly wish Youpi and Pitou had shared more meaningful interactions with one another.β
It wasn't sometime until later I realized, maybe thatβs the point.
Since the invasionβs arrival kickstarts much of the events which lead to the guardsβ development, the connections between them begin to take on a new perspective as well. Notably:
In the tower, Pitou and Pouf share a tense dichotomy with one another over the invasion.
Pouf only grows increasingly wary of the new changes he finds to have taken root within Pitou and Youpi alike.
Much later, Youpi and Pouf share a brief allyship in their endeavor to keep Komugi from Meruem.
From these relations, something stood out to me in particular:
Pitou and Youpi are the only two guards that never share any significant interaction during the latter half of the arc.
In fact, from the moment the invasion begins, the two never meet each other face to face at all.
Now, Iβd like to preface with a brief disclaimer of sorts.Β
My primary thesis focuses the idea that Pitou and Youpiβs notable lack of association over the course of the invasion mightβve tied back to the narrative in a much more deliberate way than I initially thought, but I should also note this post was originally part of a much larger analysis that has been split up for accessibility.
While the other half to this is not a necessary read, the previous write-up of mine addresses aspects of Youpiβs character that provide greater context important for setting the foundation to the conclusion Iβve come to here.
Of one of these aspects is the way in which Youpiβs development over the first half of the invasion heavily leans into his newly discovered sympathy for humanity. A key scene Iβve chosen to highlight follows shortly after Pouf and Youpi reunite, and Youpi himself comes to an epiphany regarding what heβs been told.
It doesnβt skip my notice that even before Youpi has been asked to give a stance on Pitouβs dilemma, in response to the other's situation (and his defense of Komugi), we do get this:
A sincere understanding of Pitouβs behavior.
With this revelation in mind, I turn to chapter 295, because itβs illuminating in one of two things.
1) A shift in Pitou's goals:
And 2). How isolated he truly believes he is, especially in respect to the other guards.
Because 5 chapters after Youpi has come to his epiphany and 4 chapters before Youpi and Pouf reach the king, Pitou thinks this:
That Pitou came to the conclusion that the two other guards didnβt care for Komugi made perfect sense, and in my first few reads of this scene, I hadnβt paid much attention to the particular mention of Youpi here. But after a far more thorough read of chapter 290, I could do nothing but think about it, because it appears that this estimation hadnβt been made on any current knowledge of Youpiβs new developments, only past information.Β
Consider that a face to face encounter and a single line of dialogue was all Pouf needed to evaluate the changes taken root within Youpi.
Pitou on the other hand, wouldnβt have been aware of any of the changes Youpi has undergone when he hasnβt been present for even so much as a direct encounter.
Whereas Pouf had met that change with suspicion and mistrustβ¦
β¦Pitouβs reaction likely would be the opposite, as would it have been a situation heβd be able to utilize to full advantage.
Not only has Pitou been physically isolated from his allies for much of the present conflict, he genuinely considers himself to be alone in his care for Komugi, because the Pitou that believes as such both was present for and remembers when Youpi said this:
Pitou doesnβt need somebody who's ambivalent about Komugi, he needs someone whoβd understand his desire to defend her (of which weβd seen prior in Youpi).
Because part of his struggle doesn't solely lie in healing and protecting her, it's also entrusting her to someone who could guard and safely deliver her to Meruem once he leaves with Gon.
Weβll never know what Pitou had been intending to say here before heβd been cut off by Gon, but given Komugi and the urgency surrounding his current situation, Iβm willing to bank on the idea that his request had to do with her continued safety / ensuring she reached the king.
Inevitably, Komugi is taken hostage in the first place because there is no one else Pitou can entrust her to for her protection.
I also find the implications of Knuckleβs presence in chapter 295 equally intriguing here.
Knuckle, one of the key hunters present in the battle against Menthuthuyoupi, considers sharing key developments regarding the latter...Β
...and stops before he can mention anything of true gravitas.
It is less so his reasons for doing so that catch my attention, as it is rather, what he knows that could have led to Gonβs hesitation and doubt. Itβs the implications of what heβs about to say- everything that heβd been preparing to share- Youpiβs ability to change, his decision to spare the hunters, his newfound appreciation of humanity.
Knuckle specifically mentions Youpi here only to pause once of the implications this new information could have on Gonβs mental state settle, but itβs also notable that this is news that would have been vital to Pitou even if it is information that would have, admittedly, reached him far too late to have been able to be acted upon.Β
Knuckleβs internal dialogue leads us to consider only one party here, but I sincerely believe that heβs been framed besides not just one, but two people whom his information would have greatly affected.Β
Everything about this scene and the weight of whatβs been left unsaid is incredibly pointed to me.
There isnβt a ton of discussion about Youpiβs thematic relevance to the Chimera Ant Arc (which is understandable. I do believe his character is pretty hard to parse), so this write-up has essentially been a long time coming.
Bear with me here, because thereβs plenty beneath the cut.
The In-Between
In terms of thematic development of the guard, Youpi appears to be a middle way of all sorts between all three.
As has been pointed out by others before me (and with far more eloquence), Pitou is introduced to the audience as a character who lacks the ability to empathize with others.
By the end of his arc, he becomes largely characterized by his ability to sympathize with humanity.
Whereas Pouf is defined by his lack of it. His resentment only continues to increase, if anything, as the arc progresses.Β
Youpiβs growth over the invasion and his subsequent ability to sympathize with the opponent mirrors Pitou in that regard. His struggle against the hunters takes him from being rather simple-minded in his view of humanity to being able to express awe and respect for his enemies.
He extends mercy to the hunters and honors Knuckleβs deal despite having gained the upper hand in a situation that would easily enable him to kill them.
On the flipside, the poor manβs rose and the near-death of the king quickly saps Youpi of any sympathy he has for the extermination team.
If Pitouβs growth could be abbreviated as positive with Poufβs as negative, then Youpiβs character development could surely be described as having undergone both positive and negative change.
Iβd also like to note that it isn't just these specific occurrences that make Youpiβs arc reminiscent of both Pouf and Pitouβs opposing natures however. I present a small but important scene that occurs shortly after Pouf and Youpiβs reunion wherein the former relays details of the palace invasion.
Iβd like to draw attention to these series of panels:
Having been presented with Pitouβs struggle through a recount of events, Youpi is given insight to the situation. As in, he now possesses a deep understanding of the otherβs actions (healing and defending Komugi) as a result of his own encounters and change in character. After all, he himself has bridged the gap between he and his opponents through honor and mercy.
Later down the line unfortunately, true to his nature of balance and much in line with Poufβs own schemes, he goes from understanding Pitouβs desire to keep Komugi safe, to thinking this:
But keep Youpi's previous insight in mind.
Because itβll be important for a concept Iβd like to revisit in a later post.
Nen Ability
Itβs a recurring motif throughout Hunter x Hunterβs storyline that nen abilities often reflect the nature of their users.
The power of transformation and Rage Blast are both respectively associated with Youpi over the invasion. Earlier outlines for this post initially only planned to cover Youpiβs ability to shapeshift (as I found the flexibility of this ability similar to the malleability of his character) without taking his Rage Blast into deeper account. From there, I intended to segue into Rage Incarnate until it occurred to me a couple weeks ago as of publishing this now, that both abilities are inextricably tied to his evolution in that they must be considered together.
Youpi's Rage Incarnate is neither uniquely a result of his ability to control his explosions or solely an offshoot of his transformation.Β
It is just as much the power to control his rage...
...as it is transformation.
It is both.
The catalyst for Youpi's development can only ever exist because he takes two distinctly separate abilities and combines them. Rage Incarnate represents a unification of two wildly opposing concepts. Not just one or the other.
To drive the point home, a particular panel that I believe highlights the duality of Youpiβs nature:
He embodies both destruction and creation. Rage and transformation. Sympathy and a loss of it. Halves that are simultaneous and opposite.
The last panel is fairly direct- reciprocal (present or existing on both sides; each to the other; mutual) emotions which coexist in perfect balance. Youpiβs development is all about the concept of embodying emotions that should conflict but donβt. Thereβs a reason why his growth is kickstarted among other things by not just his ability to specifically control his anger, but in allowing rage to consume him whilst remaining calm.
The Rule of Three
Here is where I do think Youpiβs character may be lost on some. He doesnβt adhere to one end of the proverbial scale or the other- while he doesnβt exactly hold Meruem to the invisible ideal Pouf does, he neither quite measures up to Pitouβs standard of being able to protect Meruemβs best interests either (there's extenuating circumstances within the arc that result in this, but weβll get to that in a bit).Β
I drawback to a certain scene before the invasion, a subtle and yet key moment emphasized time and time again as fundamental in both the foreshadowing of Pitou, Pouf and Youpiβs ideology. Meruem asks each of the guards of his name.
Many others before me have already pointed out how each response closely follows along the lines of their development. To Pouf, Mereuem is simply the king. His role and title as ruler is inextricable from the person and the individual.
On the flipside, Neferpitou focuses Meruemβs feelings and places them in higher emphasis. Pitouβs response is one that both conceptualizes and prioritizes Meruem as an individual with his own wants and desires independent of his rank.
And Youpi is leftβ¦
β¦unable to answer.Β
At the time of his response, a lack opinion could largely be attributed to his simple and uncomplicated nature, though by the moment of the invasion and his subsequent evolution, I believe his lack of response to be less of the idea that he is loyal to Meruem in the simplest way, but more so the fact that he simply doesnβt fit into any of the sharp contrasts that Pitou and Pouf represent.
Consider the framing of this scene.Β
Pitou and Pouf are visually posited as direct opposites of one another.
Whereas Youpi quite literally exists as the medium to Pitou and Poufβs ideology in Meruemβs line of questioning.
(I donβt think the line of procession that Togashi has specifically underscored for their ideologies here is a happy coincidence either, considering the order in which they've been positioned before Meruem is anything but.)
And this makes incredible sense if one were to view the royal guards as a collective, from Pouf to Youpi to Pitou, as a progression in sympathies- in not only their ability to sympathize with humanity as a whole, but a mirror in the way they come to view Komugi towards the end of the invasion.
Pitou desires to keep Komugi safe at all costs and as such, goes above and beyond to protect her. All he wants is for her to live. Pouf wants to kill her. Youpi goes from being neutral on Komugi, to understanding Pitouβs desire to protect her, to neither wanting to save or kill her, but desiring to keep her away from Meruem for reasons neither uniquely linked to any other ideology.
If Pouf and Pitou represent polar opposites and weβre meant to take all three guards as representative of different phases of sorts, then from one end point to another, there must surely exist a transitional phase, the in-between.
Varied Motivations
I elaborate on a topic briefly touched in the previous section as I feel it deserved a breakdown of its own.Β
One of the fascinating things about the chimera ants is that the royal guardβs ideologies (and therefore their views on Komugi) develop and exist independently of one anotherβs influences.
So while Youpi and Pouf find brief common ground over their desire to keep Komugi away from Meruem towards the end of the chimera ant arc, they do so for wildly different reasons.
And I believe Youpi's desire to keep Komugi away from Meruem is neither uniquely linked to Poufβs ideology (nor his newfound hatred of humanity).
Youpiβs thought process is a fairly subtle nod in a series of easy-to-miss panels, but fairly important in the implications they hold.
Interesting to note is the use of βUs,β in the translation here, with the panel accompanying this dialogue framing all three. It implies that Youpi is not just singularly concerned with the impact Komugi may have on Meruem, and suggests that heβs referring to not just an individual, but a dynamic that affects all three in turn; something likewise involving Youpi himself and Pouf whom are not relevant or contingent to Meruemβs status as all-ruling king.
Drawing upon a relationship which impacts he and Pouf all the same and fearing a wedge within their bond with Meruem, it appears Youpi planned to keep Komugi from Meruem- not because he decided that Meruemβs current state was actually conducive to his role as pinnacle of all, or even that he feared a difference in the kingβs domineering personality- but ironically, the opposite. Though Meruem has retained a large degree of his original personality since rebirth, heβs undergone plenty of change.
What's changed about him exactly, and what do Pouf and Youpi now share with Meruem? My first thought seems to be the most obvious here- Youpi and Pouf revived Meruem. In doing so, they are now a part of him and say as much themselves -Β
- itβs an absolute honor as a guard.
Both are bonded with him, both are capable of feeling his emotions, and not only do they share this connection, Meruem can feel theirs as well. Heβs become capable of empathizing with them on a level he previously could not. Whereas he used to ignore them at best and slap them around at worst, he now offers to help Pouf when he begins to display signs of distress.
β¦and offers Youpi mercy and leniency in the face of his perceived short-comings.
We can see that Meruemβs new disposition has a notable effect on Youpi.
I found the inclusion of Poufβs reaction to be important here as well. His expression falters because his joy has been overridden by the guilt he feels- he already has been and is conspiring against the king as his goals have always centered Meruemβs sovereignty. By contrast, Youpi lacks guilt as he is yet to hide anything from Meruem or even consider doing such.
This lends credence to the theory that his decision to scheme against the king did not occur in wake of Meruemβs loss of memory, and sometime in between the new changes displayed within Meruem and their arrival to the palace, as was it likely inspired because of these particular developments.
I was genuinely curious at first as to what impact Youpi believed Komugi would have on his and Poufβs relationship with Meruem, but one of the things that hadnβt initially occurred to me (and I think is important to remember) is that Meruemβs journey in sympathizing with others through his interactions with Komugi wasnβt an immediate process nor was it apparent to his guards right off the bat.
Only Pitou is ever given the full impression of Meruem and Komugiβs growing relationship through key incidents.
Up until then, the consensus on Komugi's impact seems to be one generally shared (by Pitou and Youpi at the least):
And a misconception that puts Youpi's actions during the latter act of the invasion into context.
Thereβs a lot more that I could elaborate on in regards to this, but considering this analysis is already quite a read, thatβs probably a post for another time.
Final
This section exists to help me conclude my write-up here. Considering Youpi is a terribly neglected character when it comes to read-throughs, watch-throughs, and thematic examinations of the CAA, I felt the extensive analysis was warranted.Β
A previous post of mine a few months ago attempted to explore the hatsu of the royal guard from the perspective of Doctor Blythe and Rage Incarnateβs similarities, but failed to notice a key element of Beelzebubβs growth.
The focus of this post is less so the matter of individual evolution or lack thereof in their abilities (this development ends up being something they all display at one point or another as Iβll get to in a bit) as it is a bit more of a short look at Beelzebub.
Considering that abilities are an expression of the user (there are countless examples of this within the storyline itself), I share some brief thoughts about this ability and how the manner in which it develops potentially ties back to this concept.
Beelzebub's power is one that lends itself toward a multitude of functions, being that of evasion and escape, surveillance, and (with respect to Meruem's ability) restoration, with deception being chief among them.
With deception in mind, I believe Beelzebubβs subsequent evolution to be representative of a shift in how he does so over the arc.
Pouf has been shown to use this in one of two ways.
To fool the enemy.
And in the second half of the invasion, to fool his allies.
...With this new development quite literally marked through the progression of Beelzebub aiding him in tailoring his voice and appearance to his situation.
The extremely brief appearance of this new ability could be entirely coincidental with its one-off appearance (this evolution occurs only 15 chapters before the arc final, after all).
But itβs also not lost on me that Pouf seems to have forgone much of his calculative prowess and planning with Beelzebub in favor of his haste and desperation to kill Komugi toward the end of the invasion.
And if only somewhat unrelated to Beelzebub's development here, I do see how this could showcase a progressive spiral from his previous meticulous planning to his increasing desperation with regards to Komugi.
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