#gon-san posts

Hey nonnie, I actually have some theories on the hand situation. I’ll give you a real answer :D

Hands can carry (lol puns) a ton of symbolic meaning, right? Just think if the phrases we use in English that feature the word: Let’s give her a hand (praise). I need a hand (assistance). I know it like the back of my hand (self familiarity). Caught red-handed (guilty). And so on.

I think the hand-gazing imagery Togashi equips in Gon-san has layered meaning: recognition of new power (especially since Gon uses his hands for jajanken), the unfamiliar transformed self, and guilt. Since the first two are fairly straight-forward, I’ll dive into the last one.

Once Gon decided to take blame for Kite’s injuries (and, as he learns later, his death), guilt took root and began to grow. It may even be the strongest driving force behind Gon’s actions in the CAA. I believe part of what Gon-san sees on his hand is blood - both of Kite in the past (guilt) and Pitou in the future (revenge). When Killua arrives, Gon-san’s hand-gazing reappears to answer the question, “Gon, is that you?” He raises his open palms to eye level for painful observation - a physical expression of “what have I done?” and “what have I become?” It isn’t until Gon-san loses a hand along with his arm that his oppressive guilt eases. In this way, Gon-san getting to be “like [Kite] was back then” serves as a payment on his perceived debt to Kite. It’s a very unhealthy “eye-for-an-eye” style of payment but it seems to work for Gon-san.

All that and, really, the pose looks hella cool. Good on ya, Togashi.