Gon Freecss is freakishly strong given the premise he lives in. His strength and determination have provided leeway to thrilling action sequences in the show and his path on becoming the strongest nen user ever!
The name Gon Freecss suggests an image of an older man – maybe in his 50s – in one’s mind, doesn’t it? However, HunterxHunter provides a character design of a small 12-year-old with spiky long hair to carry that name. An intimidating name for a not so intimidating child? Hold that thought!
Gon is not one of the strongest characters in the anime, however, he has the potential to become one given his iron will and natural prowess.
However, when Gon sacrifices all his Nen in the Chimera Ant arc, his power was momentarily equivalent to Meruem. Currently in the manga, due to this reckless decision, Gon lacks enough Nen to utilize and is recovering.
How Strong is Gon Freecs?
It’s been established repeatedly through his interactions with Hisoka, Hanzo and Killua that Gon is not the strongest of them all.
But Gon does possesses an incredible amount of strength that is fueled by his strong resolve. Beyond that, Gon does have various useful skills that makes him an effective Hunter.
He’s managed to win some tough battles even though he barely scrapes by.
The interesting thing about Gon’s fighting style is that it doesn’t purely end at the physical parameters of his body and his Nen potential – it’s his monstrous resolve and lack of second thought that allows him to flourish even in the riskiest of battles.
Most fighters exercise caution and strategy in their fights, however, Gon pushes through these in an attempt to defeat his opponent allowing him to pull off risky moves and arrive at situations that most fighters are likely not to be in.
This is impressive indeed and really fun to watch however such a strategy in fighting always comes with a price. Gon’s inexperience and lack of strength was something he’d overcome with his monstrous resolve.
But that, in a way, does backfire when he sacrifices all of his Nen to fight Neferpitou.
On the flip side, it is this reckless decision that allows us to finally witness the mad potential this kid was packing.
He uses an immensely powerful Rock and Jajanken against Neferpitou in a brutal conclusion of the aftermath of Kite’s death. The amount of Nen potential utilized in that event ages Gon making him, what it is termed as, ‘Adult’ Gon.
So, Gon definitely can be frighteningly strong once he gains experience and the right utilization of his powers. But let’s get to the root of his strengths, shall we?
I. Where’s All That Natural Ability Coming From?
The story of Gon Freecss is his journey to find his father Ging Freecss after discovering that he was a renowned Hunter.
Now, having Ging Freecss as his father was definitely favorable to him because it did provide a natural advantage in terms of abilities.
It is important to remember that Gon is an Enhancer, therefore, he uses his Nen abilities to increase his physical prowess.
His attacks are heavily dependent on his physical abilities and therefore, his vast amount of Nen potential cater to these needs.
These vast reserves of Nen potential can simply be explained by the inheritance of similar genes as his father. It’s the old debate of nature vs nuture here! And Gon seems to have nature on his side.
He was explicitly praised for his observational skills, agility and stamina during the Hunter Exam. Other than his physical abilities, Gon also uses a fishing rod as his weapon.
He was once able to catch Hisoka’s tag from a great distance even while Hisoka was moving at high speed.
Given the nature of his strengths, Gon always goes for the offense which seems better suited to his abilities and personality. Beyond this, Gon has heightened senses – enough to stand out.
His enhanced vision is far superior than that of a normal human, his hearing aids him in fights that visually impair him and his heightened sense of smell is celebrated to be as advanced as a dog’s.
Moreover, Gon also possesses a preternatural perception that comes in the form of “chills” but it definitely makes his instincts quite useful. Gon is specially known for his reflexes, agility, stamina and speed.
These really complement his highly destructive offense attacks. He is also a proficient hand-to-hand combatant having learnt Shingen-ryu kung fu techniques by Wing. But one of the most impressive abilities is his endurance and adaptability.
After having his right arm severely burnt, his left arm blown and his windpipe crushed, Gon still managed to perform Rock and win the fight against Genthru.
II. It’s Not All Natural! Gon Trains As Well
Part of the reason why Gon is able to properly utilize his natural strengths is through training. It is extremely crucial to train and develop your strengths and Gon adhered to that knowledge.
Having trained at the Zoldyck’s, he was easily able to open doors that weighed 4 tonnes! It’s almost astonishing to see doors weighing 4 tonnes being opened by a kid, I’ll tell you.
If he’s trained to open the Testing Gates at Zoldyck, then you can tell that Gon has a ridiculous amount of arm strength.
Moreover, under Biscuit’s Training, Gon was also able to enhance his speed and reflexes to match Killua despite being slower initially.
III. What About His Vast Nen Potential?
While Killua was praised for his control over Nen, Gon was praised for the amount he was able to release. There is no denial of the fact that Gon is well endowed with strength and recuperative abilities as an Enhancer.
But he also actively works on his Nen abilities, for example, he trains in Emission and Transmutation as well under Biscuit.
Gon has already mastered the four basic techniques and at least, five of the advanced ones making him quite a formidable opponent.
He can also read the opponent’s aura flow along with the amount being deployed – while he may be a rookie in that regard, it’s impressive nonetheless.
His durability as a Nen user was quite remarkable as well given the dire circumstances that he has put himself in and managed to survive (beatings from Gethru, sacrificing his Nen etc).
But Gon’s signature Nen ability is Jajanken which consists of Rock, his main attack which delivers a devastating punch, Paper, a long-range attack that fire balls of aura from his palm and Scissors, a mid-range attack which forms a blade of aura between his index and middle fingers.
IV. Mental Abilities
Gon is extremely smart and intuitive in battle. He manages to think of alternative solutions that help him and his friends survive in battle.
But one of the significant abilities of his is his iron will to persevere in battle. His resolve allows him to win battles against opponents that are likely to even be physically stronger than him.
His mental fortitude is also one of the reasons that fuel his stamina and durability in battles letting him emerge victorious even at great costs.
Is Gon Powerless Now?
Gon used all of his Nen abilities to kill Neferpitou and in doing so, he was unable to use his Nen abilities having exhausted it.
However, Alluka reverts Gon back to his usual state so it ca be inferred he can use a bit of his Nen abilities. Ging tells Gon that he must be thankful for surviving such a reckless feat with what he has now.
He urges Gon to rediscover what he wants to do in life. Therefore, Gon goes to White Island with Mito to decide what he wishes to do in life and help slowly replenish his Nen.
Since then, the story has shifted focus to Kurapika but we have no reason to believe that Gon will remain powerless.
Gon is definitely powerful for his age and he is actively growing strong in terms of mental, physical and Nen abilities.
However, he is not yet the strongest character in the series. Given the setback after the events with Neferpitou, his current abilities remain undisclosed.
About Hunter x Hunter
Hunter x Hunter is a Shonen anime adapted from the manga of the same name.
The story follows the adventures of a young boy, Gon discovering that his father wasn’t really dead but a legendary Hunter. Instead of feeling dejected, Gon decides to follow the footsteps of his father and become a great Hunter himself.
However, the job of a Hunter isn’t an easy one, and Gon needs to pass an exam to become an official hunter. He makes friends on this journey, and they all must help each other overcome any obstacles.
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