This Might be the Most Hated Character in Hunter x Hunter

Highlights

Ging Freecss, the father of Gon in Hunter x Hunter, is hated by fans for his actions, which include abandoning his son and prioritizing his personal goals over parental responsibilities.
Ging created a dangerous game called Greed Island, which could have potentially gotten Gon killed on his journey to find him, instead of spending time with him.
Ging refused to visit Gon, even when he was on the brink of death, further contributing to the negative sentiment towards him and the strained relationship between him and his son.

Hunter x Hunter follows the adventures of Gon Freecss, a young fisherman aspiring to become a Hunter. Throughout his quest, Gon forms lasting friendships with several characters who support him on his journey - Killua Zoldyck, Leorio, and Kurapika. Each character aspires to become a Hunter, with personal goals of their own. Killua wants to break free from his legendary assassin family and live his own life. Leorio wants to amass wealth and become a doctor to provide free medical services without charge after losing a childhood friend.

Kurapika’s desire to become a Hunter stems from seeking revenge for his clan. Gon’s dream of becoming a Hunter is driven by his goal of finding his father, Ging Freecss, who abandoned him as a baby. Although Ging is a renowned Hunter, and Hunter x Hunter is filled with villains like Chrollo and Hisoka, as well as literal murderous ants, no character in Hunter x Hunter receives more hate than Ging... and he deserves it.

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Who is Ging Freecss?

Ging Freecss is the father of Gon. Ging is acknowledged as one of the five best Hunters in the world, as stated by the former Chairman Netero. Additionally, he holds a position as one of the Zodiacs, which is the high council of the Hunter Association comprising twelve top Hunters.

Abandoning Gon is Only One of the Reasons Ging is Hated

Like Gon, Ging pursued becoming a Hunter at a very young age, leaving his home on Whale Island as a child. He displayed remarkable skill, being the only examinee to pass the 267th Hunter Exam. After an absence of over a decade, he returned alone with a two-year-old Gon. The identity and whereabouts of Gon’s mother have not been confirmed. Planning on leaving Gon with his grandmother, who passed away while he was gone, Ging ended up leaving Gon in the care of his cousin, Mito. While gone, Ging did not try to contact Gon, leaving him without any clarity or information on him or his whereabouts.

Hunter x Hunter lord of the lake gon grandaughter

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Gon Became a Hunter Because of Ging

Being a Hunter is not for the weak. In order to become a Hunter, a series of challenges must be passed, which results in some losing their lives. However, the danger doesn’t stop at the exams, the life of a Hunter is a dangerous one. Typically, Hunters devote their lives to finding priceless items, mystical places, and the unseen wonders of the world, including strange beasts. Because Gon’s only reason for becoming a Hunter was to get closer to his father, Ging put him into the direct line of a life of peril.

Ging Created a Game Where Gon Could Have Gotten Killed

After returning to his home, Whale Island, with Killua, Gon stumbles across a game left to him by Ging. The game, Green Island, was created by Ging. It can only be played by someone who possesses Nen, with the main objective being to collect 100 cards scattered throughout the world. Each card possesses a unique ability. Whoever collects all the cards is granted the opportunity to make a wish. While the game sounds pretty innocuous, it is anything but. Greed Island is filled with rare and dangerous creatures, as well as other Hunters who have no problems attacking or murdering to try to win. Ging not only abandoned Gon as a child, he created a game that could potentially get him killed on his journey to find him. Not only that, Greed Island is a very intricate game, which more than likely took a lot of time to create. Once again, instead of spending time with Gon, Ging prioritized his personal goals over parental responsibilities.

Ging Sent Gon to Meet Kite Instead of Himself

After winning Greed Island, Gon and Killua used the Accompany card, a spell card that allows the user to be transported to a previously visited city or a previously met player of their choice. However, the card did not send Gon and Killua to Ging, but instead to his mentee, Kite. If Gon had used the Accompany card by himself, he would have been instantly transported to Ging. Knowing how much Gon wanted to meet him, the decision to not let him meet him because he was with a friend may suggest Ging's prioritization of his own objectives over meeting Gon's emotional needs or desires for a more direct father-son interaction. This further illustrates the lack of care shown to Gon.

Ging Didn’t Visit Gon Even on the Brink of Death

Ging didn’t visit Gon even on the brink of death. In the Chimera Ant arc, Gon faces near life-ending injuries. After discovering that Neferpitou lied about being able to bring Kite back to life, Gon sacrifices his own potential and lifespan to gain an overwhelming surge of power, transforming into an older, more powerful version of himself. This transformation nearly kills him. During the Election Arc, Gon is lying in the hospital on the verge of death. However, Ging refuses to visit him. When angrily confronted by Leorio, Ging remains steadfast in not going to see Gon, leading Leorio to use his Nen technique and punch him in the face. Eventually, Gon is saved by Killua’s sister, Alluka, who uses her powers to heal him. Gon then rushes to the election to meet Ging. After a tearful greeting, Ging sends Gon to apologize to Kite, who has been reincarnated as a young female Chimera Ant. Although Ging and Gon eventually reunite, the fact that Ging did not visit Gon when he was on the brink of death once again contributes to the negative sentiment towards him.

From abandoning his son Gon as a child to creating perilous challenges like Greed Island, Ging's actions evoke a sense of neglect and a prioritization of personal pursuits over parental responsibilities. The strained relationship between Gon and Ging, punctuated by missed opportunities for connection and understanding, shows a complete lack of care. Despite Ging's undeniable prowess as a Hunter, the emotional void left in his wake casts a shadow over his character, leaving fans with a mix of frustration and sympathy for a father whose ambitions seemingly took precedence over the bond with his son.

Hunter x Hunter is available for streaming on Prime Video.