EPISODE CONTEXT

Arriving at the tail end of the Hunter Exam arc, episode 20 follows the intense Gon-versus-Hanzo confrontation and pivots from physical endurance to psychological warfare, exposing the deeper stakes beneath the exam's surface. The spotlight on Illumi's influence over Killua plants critical seeds for the family dynamics explored in the next episode, 'Some × Brother × Trouble,' and the Zoldyck Family arc that follows. At just over 13% through the series' 148 episodes, this marks the emotional climax of Hunter x Hunter's opening arc and signals the show's permanent shift toward complex character psychology.