So far HxH, a bit at a time

kira · Post by **kira** » Sun Aug 06, 2006 4:10 pm

i dont really care. i can see kurapica as both a male and female.

it's kinda the same with ruby moon. but i thought if you were that flat, you were a guy. i could be wrong.*shrugs*

klet · Post by **klet** » Mon Aug 07, 2006 12:05 am

Kurapica speaks like a guy, so . . . .

No, honestly. Overlooking the gender-neutral "I" that he uses (watashi), all of his ending particles are distinctly male, such as "na" where a female would use "ne." As a side note, male speakers do use "ne" as well, but usually when they are speaking in the polite form. He also uses the plain coupla where most female speakers would drop it (da). Though you can argue that in many anime, girls sometimes end up speaking like guys due to various circumstances, Kurapica just seems too uptight to do so if he were a girl. He's very . . . precise, so I just don't see him doing that (sorry, I can't think of the word at the moment).

Though I will admit that when I first heard his voice, I was kind of leaning towards female, but only because I had read on this board that there was an arguement as to his gender. But, after watching a little more of the series, I grew confident that he's a guy.

Also, in the first OVA series, he insinuates that he is a guy.

When he captures Kuroro, the Spiders' leader stares at him in his hotel concierge getup. When Kurapica asks Kuroro what he's staring at, Kuroro answers:

"I just never thought the chain-user was a girl."

"I never said that. You were deceived by my outward appearance. You better be careful what you say from now on."

So, I've come to the conclusion that Kurapica is a very uptight guy.

Oh, and kira, you can find all the episodes of HxH on animesuki.com, since it hasn't been licensed yet.

They might all be in batches, though, so if you're still on dial-up, it'll probably take forever.

Most of the batches I downloaded would download the last episodes first for some reason, so I couldn't start watching while I was still downloading.

But yeah . . . GI kind of sucked.

Probably because my favorite characters are Leorio and Kuroro.

Oh! One more thing. Kuroro is incredibly hot with his hair down and eyebrows showing--none of that weird bandage crap!

I just wish he'd abandon the Japanese gangsta hairdo.

irmgaard · Post by **irmgaard** » Mon Aug 07, 2006 1:40 am

klet wrote:Kurapica speaks like a guy, so . . . .

Rukia speaks "male" Japanese.

klet wrote:Also, in the first OVA series, he insinuates that he is a guy.

I like the manga translation:"You shouldn't make assumptions about people based on their appearance"

About as ambiguous a response as you could make, I'd say.

duotrouble wrote:It was really the moment after the shower when Leorio comes in that put the nail in the coffin for me so to speak. Kurapica's reaction was ALL female.

My favorite anomalous reaction scene occurs in the luxurious upholstered train seats, when Kurapica slips down and ends up with legs akimbo and knees apart; then immediately slams them back together. Show that scene to any guy and ask for an opinion…

RX78GP02AGUNDAM · Post by **RX78GP02AGUNDAM** » Mon Aug 07, 2006 6:17 am

irmgaard wrote:I like the manga translation:"You shouldn't make assumptions about people based on their appearance"

If I were to translate it, that would be how I would word it too. The OVA translaction sounds like someone who doesnt understand English well, since the above is a common phrase. I really wouldnt determine Kurapikas gender by voice either, because the VA is female, who does both male and female (most common role seems to be the mother role).

irmgaard brought up a good point. I would bring up several more points.....but, whats the point ne?

GuyvarIII · Post by **GuyvarIII** » Mon Aug 07, 2006 9:02 am

I believed Kurapika to be a girl before the character was introduced because in the opening song she’s shown with Leorio and you hear “Koibito” (Lover). I guess you could say it’s just a song, but when Gon is shown with Killua you hear the word “Tomodachi” (Friend) and they had the whole “Tom and Huck” relation.

I was a little surprised when she was introduced and talked like a man, but then there were a bunch of scenes like the moment in trick tower when Leorio thinks it might be a good idea to have his opponent guess Kurapika’s sex and Kurapika gets defensive.

It doesn’t really matter if Kurapika’s a guy or girl. Even if he/she were suddenly revealed as a man, I would still consider the character to be feminine. By leaving the character’s sex ambiguous the creators can have Kurapika play both the male and female roles depending on the story, which can be interesting. Also Kurapika can be both role model and love interest for the fangirls. Since the character is fictitious, who cares?

klet · Post by **klet** » Mon Aug 07, 2006 3:32 pm

irmgaard wrote:
klet wrote:Kurapica speaks like a guy, so . . . .
Rukia speaks "male" Japanese.

True that. But, Rukia is also characterized as a tomboy, and I honestly think that a female Kurapica would find something fundamentally wrong in doing so.

irmgaard wrote:
klet wrote:Also, in the first OVA series, he insinuates that he is a guy.
I like the manga translation:"You shouldn't make assumptions about people based on their appearance"

About as ambiguous a response as you could make, I'd say.

Oh, I agree that the response is very ambiguous, no matter which translation you look at.

Personally, I like comparing both literal translations and "spirit of the words" translations, because the real meaning is usually somewhere inbetween the two. Laying that aside for the moment, I drew my conclusion based on the dialogue before and the circumstances surrounding the dialogue. How does it play out in the manga? I've never actually read more than the first chapter preview in Shonen Jump, so I'm rather curious.

As far as opening and closing animations go . . . I don't give them too much credit. I've seen someone argue a romantic relationship between Gon and Killua based on the second closing, and I'd think Saiyuki had boy tentacle pr0n if I based my opinion on the second opening.

I'll definately agree that Kurapica has some decidedly feminine characteristics, though.

Lynxa · Post by **Lynxa** » Mon Aug 07, 2006 3:42 pm

klet wrote:
irmgaard wrote:
klet wrote:Kurapica speaks like a guy, so . . . .
Rukia speaks "male" Japanese.
True that. But, Rukia is also characterized as a tomboy, and I honestly think that a female Kurapica would find something fundamentally wrong in doing so.

That is a good point :hitting:

I'll definately agree that Kurapica has some decidedly feminine characteristics, though.

It puts the "she" in "Bishie"!

kira · Post by **kira** » Mon Aug 07, 2006 3:56 pm

klet, no worries. i have dsl. i cant find it in anime-suki. i found the first 10 ep. through anime-infux. i found 11-15 through miyuki(go through the database they have for fansubs.

*looks at chris's post*i thought the friend was directed at kurapika and leorio. and the lover was directed at killua. unless i'm watching the way gon looks at them wrong when it says that part.

klet, even i can see the bondage in the second saiyuki op(still time).

Hisoka · Post by **Hisoka** » Mon Aug 07, 2006 9:25 pm

In the official Hunters guide (which I have) it says Kurapica is a dude. Not that I ever even for a second questioned his gender. It's also the same guide where we all discovered that Karuto, Killua's "sister" was indeed a male.

klet · Post by **klet** » Mon Aug 07, 2006 9:42 pm

Hisoka wrote:It's also the same guide where we all discovered that Karuto, Killua's "sister" was indeed a male.

Now, there's something to worry about.

Though they did always say "brothers" rather than "siblings." But I was starting to think that it was a translation error on the fansubbers' part. I guess that destroys that theory.

RX78GP02AGUNDAM · Post by **RX78GP02AGUNDAM** » Mon Aug 07, 2006 9:51 pm

The GUIDE IS WHACKED! Plus, we already knew Karuto was a dude. Like i said before, only suckers buys those.

wELCOME cONSUMER · Post by **wELCOME cONSUMER** » Mon Aug 07, 2006 9:56 pm

RX78GP02AGUNDAM wrote:The GUIDE IS WHACKED!

Sound logic if I've ever heard it

irmgaard · Post by **irmgaard** » Mon Aug 07, 2006 11:19 pm

RX78GP02AGUNDAM wrote: Plus, we already knew Karuto was a dude.

I too have never read or seen anything that described Kalluto as anything other than male, the youngest of the five Zaoldyeck brothers. He's just dressed as a girl.

You shouldn't make assumptions about people based on their appearance

duotrouble · Post by **duotrouble** » Tue Aug 08, 2006 10:44 am

irmgaard wrote:You shouldn't make assumptions about people based on their appearance

Truer words have never been spoken!

Yup! I never questioned that Karuto was a male.

birdie · Post by **birdie** » Tue Aug 08, 2006 9:46 pm

Wow, I thought I would wait until I finally finished the entire series, but having been stuck on Greed Island for over a year I just can't hold it in any longer.

I really hated this series and I don't understand what everyone loved about it. I have joked about starting a "I hated HxH" thread but I held off because, well...I didn't really think about it that much. This thread resurrected the absolute disappointment I felt watching this series and I have one question: "What did you like about it?"

What I disliked:
Gon was too freakin' earnest
Kuripica was too rude - I can't abide rude children
Leorio - his purpose - to drive people to their destinations, worth all that trouble to get a Hunter license
Hisoka - never really lived up to the psycho killer rep IMHO
Kuroro - ditto
The rest of the Spiders - Double Ditto

I was one disappointed Togashi fan when I finally ended my quest on Greed Island.

Now this isn't meant as a put down for all you fans, I just had to vent....I had been really interested in this show because of all the fan hype and I really feel I missed something there. Clue me in.....what did I miss???