Summary

• Tokiyuki and Gon excel in battle, coming alive during intense moments.
• Both characters have great friends who bring out the best in them.
• Despite their humility, Tokiyuki and Gon possess immense hidden strength.

The Elusive Samurai has quickly become Manga Award for its story and its main character, Tokiyuki Hojo, taking the world by storm by simply running away. He's more than elusive, however, as he has a couple of qualities in common with fellow shōnen hero Gon from Hunter x Hunter.

They're both surrounded by helpful, ionate friends, they're both way more powerful than they give themselves credit for, and most of all, they both come alive on the battlefield.

Tokiyuki has spent most of the series running from his problems, but that hasn't exactly been a bad thing. It's the reason he survived the decimation of his village, and later in the series, his elusiveness proves to be one of his deadliest qualities as well.

Gon & Tokiyuki Come Alive On the Battlefield

They're at Their Best During the Toughest Moments

Outside of battle, Gon and Tokiyuki are both normal preteen kids. During battle they come alive. Gon is usually a relatively serious kid who is willing to do anything for his friends, so it's not too surprising to see him willing to fight tough opponents ferociously. Tokiyuki is the opposite. He was destined to become the Shogun before his clan was annihilated, leading him to be a relatively carefree and lazy person who didn't like the idea of fighting.

Once Tokiyuki finds out his uncle betrayed his brother and had him killed, everything changes. He realizes that he can't just run from his problems and lures his uncle to a spot where he can defeat him. During the hottest moments of the battle, when Tokiyuki has to dodge all of his uncle's attacks one-on-one, the Elusive Samurai is seen smiling ear to ear. He loves the heat of battle and loves the danger he's in, a complete 180 from the timid boy who was seen just before the fight.

Gon can also find his deepest determination and grit during battle. In the Heaven's Arena Arc, Gon is matched against killer-clown Hisoka. Hisoka has been nothing but intimidating up until this point in the series, showing a brutal and lethal side of life preteen Gon hasn't seen before. Even through Hisoka's immense killing intent, Gon manages to charge at the Phantom Troupe member and strikes him repeatedly.

Gon and Tokiyuki Both Have Great Friends

Their Friends Are Able To Get the Best Out of Them

Gon's friends are some of the best parts of Hunter x Hunter. Whether it's Leorio punching Ging in the face for being a bad father, Kurapika undertaking dangerous missions to get closer to avenging his clan, or Killua just being Killua, they add a lot to the overall narrative and are always there for Gon when it counts. Tokiyuki is lucky to be surrounded by equally competent allies who bring the best out of him. Without his new leader, Yorishige Suwa, he'd be dead like the rest of his clan.

Not only does Yorishige bring Tokiyuki to his shrine, saving him from his prefecture, he also introduces him to the people who will become his closest allies. First, he assigns his daughter Shizuku to be Tokiyuki's retainer. Then, he introduces him to two more of his new retainers in Kojiro Nezu and Ayako Mochizuki. Once Tokiyuki is united with his friends/allies, he's able to start his revenge plan. His first step is to kill his treacherous uncle, which he did with the help of his three retainers.

Gon and Tokiyuki are Both More Powerful Than They Think

Behind Their Humility Is a Mountain of Strength

Gon and Tokiyuki are both incredibly humble. While they are both capable of much more than they let on, they usually play their hands close to their chest. Without Yorishige, Tokiyuki would be stuck in his shell, afraid of the outside world and the possibilities that lie within it. With Yorishige, however, Tokiyuki is seen at his absolute best. Yorishige is constantly putting Tokiyuki in danger, only for Tokiyuki to rise to the occasion in style.

Gon's friends also help him discover his power, but in a very different way than in The Elusive Samurai. Gon's friends are usually tasked with calming Gon down, rather than ramping him up. When he fought Neferpitou, Gon sacrificed everything he could to ensure he would destroy the Royal Guard at the cost of his own future. If Killua didn't show up, he would've died to Neferpitou's ability due to his blinding rage.

With their friends, Gon and Takiyuki are able to find a happy medium between cowardice and reckless abandon. Their friends are able to get the most out of them, helping them with their goals and making sure they're never too far if they're needed.