Gon Freecss’ fishing rod is an iconic feature of his early character design in Hunter x Hunter. Yet much like Killua’s skateboard or Kurapika’s dual blades, Gon’s fishing rod disappears without notice as the story becomes darker and the series’ famous nen system is introduced for more intricate battles. Gon develops his Jajanken and begins to rely more on his pure power than the stealthy tactics he would once employ using his fishing rod.
The fishing rod featured in some of Gon’s greatest moments during the “Hunter Exam” and “Heaven’s Arena” arcs before being retired. What happened to that fishing rod, and should it have stayed a part of Gon’s toolkit? While Gon’s Jajanken is a beautifully simplistic signature move in its own right, it’s intriguing to think what might have happened if Gon had developed his hatsu around his fishing rod instead.
What Happened to Gon’s Fishing Rod in Hunter x Hunter?
Along with Gon himself, his fishing rod made its first appearance in the very first episode of Hunter x Hunter. Gon uses it to catch the Lord of the Lake, a ginormous fish that resides in the swamps of Whale Island. He then takes his rod with him to the Hunter Exam, where he notably uses it to steal his target Hisoka’s badge from him. Gon not only uses his fishing rod to catch objects from a distance; he can swing the ball of the line around as a weapon strong enough to bruise Hisoka’s face. Gon also employed the rod in one of his matches against Gido in Heaven’s Arena, using it to lift pieces of the floor board and use them as a part of his battle strategy.
While the 2011 Hunter x Hunter anime never shows what happens to Gon’s fishing rod, its fate is clearer in the manga. During the “Greed Island” arc, Gon is shown with the fishing rod when first encountering the sick villagers. Later, he then leaves the villagers — without his jacket and the rod — meaning he likely left the rod along with his other clothing at the village. In the 2011 anime, Gon’s fishing rod is cut from Greed Island; therefore, it’s possible he leaves it back at his house on Whale Island when he and his best friend Killua visit his home after the “Heaven’s Arena” arc.
The Fishing Rod vs. Jajanken: Which Fighting Style Suits Gon Best?
Gon’s primary nen type within Hunter x Hunter’s nen system is Enhancement, meaning he can physically strengthen himself and surrounding objects of his choosing. After gaining a finer control over his nen, Gon creates a hatsu — modeled after rock-paper-scissors — and calls it Jajanken. While it allows for mixups between his powerful rock, distance-based emission attack paper and the mid-ranged scissors blade, this hatsu has weaknesses in terms of its overall startup time and flexibility in battle.
If Gon were to form his hatsu around his fishing rod, the most obvious way would be to upgrade parts of the rod — like strengthening the ball further or enhancing the line to shoot out and retract even quicker. Gon could also draw from Emission and Transmutation nen types, and possibly either shoot out aura — through flicking his fishing rod or surrounding the ending hook with aura — so it would have even greater range.
While building his hatsu around his fishing rod would give Gon more flexibility and range in his attacks, it also doesn’t quite fit with his personality type. While Gon is a clever fighter, he is also a headstrong and stubborn puncher who loves to use his fists in battle, a common archetype for a shonen protagonist. Using his aura primarily to enhance an object rather than himself would detract from his preferred fighting style, and would limit his mobility in battle.
Instead, Gon’s best usage of his fishing rod in Hunter x Hunter may come in tandem with his Jajanken. If he were to use his Jajanken as his primary mixup in battle, he could also hang on to his fishing rod for special occasions where he needs to close the distance or grab surrounding pieces of the environment. Gon would thus become a much more unpredictable fighter who could use both his nen and the terrain to keep his opponent in a constant state of guessing.
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