Ging Freecss

Ging Freecss (ジン=フリークス) is the famous father of Gon Freecss.

He is a Double Star Archaeological Hunter even though he can apply for a Triple Star License. Including a former Zodiac with the codename Boar. Finding Ging is Gon's only motivation for becoming a Hunter. In the 1999 HxH anime series, he is reveal to be the son in law of Abe, and is the husband of Gon's mother. Including the brother in law of Gon's aunt, Mito Freecss. Ging is described as a person that is sweet and kind, but likes to travel as well. Also in the Japanese version of the 1999 anime series, his name is Jin Freaks.

Background

Ging was born on the year of 1967. However his parents are never seen. During his childhood while being a young pre teen, Ging would mostly prefer to be left alone. He and Mito Freecss are cousins. In the 1999 HxH anime series, they are in laws instead of cousins while Abe is Mito's mother. Ging left Whale Island to take the 267th Hunter Examination not to long before turning 12 years old. Right after his departure in the manga, Mito's parents, and his father had all died consecutively. He was the only participant to pass the 267th Hunter Exam. Later on Ging returned to Whale Island ten years later afterward with a two year old boy name Gon. He intended to leave Gon in the custody of Abe for a while, while also telling her that he and Gon's mother had separated for unknown reasons when she had asked him about his wife. However, he lost the custody of his only son in court to Mito. After becoming a licensed Hunter, Ging devoted himself to the excavation and preservation of archaeological ruins. He used his own great fortune to accomplish a perfect preservation and restoration of the ruins so that everyone can see them. His achievements in archaeology are now considered as an exemplary model for working on the ruins throughout the entire world.

Ging has become very rich and he is also as powerful as a president of a country. He is currently a Double Star Hunter and qualifies for a Triple-Star License, but because of his shyness and stubbornness, he has not applied for one. He has, however, remained a mysterious figure and information about him is classified even in the official Hunters database. Ging is also the main creator of the Nen-based game Greed Island. Chairman Netero once told Biscuit that Ging was one of the five best Nen users in the world. After Netero's death, it is revealed that Ging is one of the twelve Hunters hand-picked by the former Chairman to be in charge of the election for a new Hunter chairman: the Zodiacs. They all were given code names based on the signs of the famous Chinese zodiac legend, with Ging being known as "the Boar".

Personality

Ging Freecss has a very shy and stubborn personality, even to the point that he only wants his son Gon to meet him all alone and also claims that it would be cowardly of Gon to bring a friend to meet him, therefore causing one of his friends to wonder if he is afraid of crowds. Judging by his actions at the New Hunter Chairman Election to ensure Netero's will be carried out, he seems to respect the late Chairman considerably. Ging is also rather volatile, yet extremely intelligent. In spite of his ability to make a flawless plan in years of advance, but in reality he occasionally acts without knowing why, surprising even himself.

According to his friends, Ging has a childlike enthusiasm, going on about a game he created. He is also somewhat dismissive, as seen when he changed Dwun's name without the latter's consent and permission or when he refused to explain more details to Elena. Still his charm would draw more colleagues later on in his life. Additionally, Ging admires people who rely on their own capabilities to achieve their goals, as his challenges to Gon and Kite prove, and who show passion in what they do: in fact, Ging is, above all, an enthusiast Hunter. He is always after something, no matter how far from where he starts, but aside from the goal, it is the quest that he enjoys.

However Mito and Leorio both believe that he is a horrible father and a scumbag as from Mito's point of view he refuses to raise his only son when he was an infant and when Gon was hospitalized he while talking to Leorio refused to visited him as Ging told his son's friends to go visit him. This made him get a punch by Leorio who told him to go to hell.

But he also foreshadowed Gon would do with his life.

Appearance

1999

In the 1999 anime series Ging Freecss seems to be a short individual, by being only a bit taller than his son. He shares Gon's hazel eyes. He has untrimmed facial hair, pale skin, eyebrows and black spiky hair. In an old picture, he wear a blue hat, a blue scarf and a black outfit while he had a motorcycle. While he was on a rock, he wore a gray shirt and black pants with black shoes. During his introduction, Ging wears a turban like cap on his head most of the time, with some hair locks protruding out from it. He also wears plain baggy white pants and a long sleeve shirt. On top of that, he has a slip-on-head cloth that looks like a tank top and stretches down to the waist, and hangs off the waist all the way down to the knees without covering the sides of his legs; and he fastens that cloth with a black belt-like band around his waist. Ging dons a normal dark blue/grey scarf wrapped around his neck and long skinny black crew boots.

2011

In the 2011 anime series Ging Freecss seems to be a short individual, by being only a bit taller than his son. He shares Gon's hazel eyes. He has untrimmed facial hair and black spiky hair. During his introduction, Ging wears a turban-like cap on his head most of the time, with some hair locks protruding out from it. He also wears plain baggy white pants and a long sleeve shirt. On top of that, he has a slip on head cloth that looks like a tank top and stretches down to the waist, and hangs off the waist all the way down to the knees without covering the sides of his legs; and he fastens that cloth with a black belt-like band around his waist. Ging dons a normal dark blue/grey scarf wrapped around his neck and long skinny black crew boots.

Abilities

During his time as a Zodiac, Ging Freecss's authority in the Hunters Association was inferior only to those of the chairman and the vice-chairman. Even after quitting the group, he still has access to all the benefits granted by his status as a Hunter: well actually, due to the fact that no information on Ging is available on the net, Kurapika assumed that he must have the power and wealth of a president. With Beyond Netero arrested by the Hunters Association, he is also the de facto leader of the expedition team. His abilities are yet to be fully revealed, but being part of the Zodiacs, a Double Star hunter who can qualify for a Triple Star License, having managed to beat and capture Razor who is also a powerful Nen user himself, Ging is bound to be extremely proficient in Nen. Former Chairman Netero supported this theory by calling him one of the five best Nen users in the world, and Hisoka Morow is extremely interested in him.

A direct example of his strength is given when he fought most of the Hunters Association without so much as getting a scratch on himself (although it should be noted it was a comical scene, and no one was trying to cause serious injuries). He also repeatedly threatened Pariston, a fellow former Zodiac, showing many times he has extreme confidence in his own skills. Aside from being famous for his power, Ging is known for the number of difficult missions that he has completed for the Hunter Association as well as for his ability to disappear without leaving a trace, to the point that not even the Zodiacs can find him. He also seems to know how to use the mysterious runes that are affected by Nen, leaving Gon a box that could be opened only with his aura.

Immense Speed

Ging grabbed by the waist, lifted up, and faked a punch at Usamen, who was approaching him with hostile intentions, before the other could react. The speed of his movement and the power behind it were such that Usamen actually believed, for a moment, that he had been struck several times. This is all the more impressive considering the inner group of Beyond's followers seems to be composed of highly powerful individuals. Earlier on in the series, when Gon climbed up the World Tree, Ging commented on the time that took Gon to reach the top of the tree past the 500 meters point, and said that he got tired of waiting for him, thus showing that Ging is on a completely different level of speed, although it should be noted that this was Gon's first attempt to climb the World's Tree and Ging told him it was "not bad for Gon's first time". Furthermore, he was seen simultaneously avoiding a spray of gunfire fired at close range by three Nen users while casually engaging Pariston in conversation.

Enhanced Adaptability

He talked and laughed on top of the World Tree for many hours without looking troubled by the low oxygen level and temperature.

Genius-Level Intellect

Ging is arguably one of the most intelligent characters of the series. He has foreseen most of Gon's choices and actions since leaving home, including his participation in the Hunter Exam, the permanence in Greed Island and his meeting with Kite. He also guessed correctly what the process to decide the rules of the election would be and ensured his own would win, outmaneuvering the rest of the Zodiacs.

His predictions regarding the election for the new chairman of the Hunter Association were accurate and even Cheadle, despite disliking him and being extremely smart herself, asked him for advice. He manipulated Leorio, a person he knew nothing of, so that he could become a hindrance to Pariston's victory, which he actually did.

Furthermore, when Ging got rid of the Nen users from Muherr's party at the underground level and was going back up to the the castle, he pointed out to Pariston that if he wants to see his abilities he has to come at him rather than building up badly designed self-serving scenarios, showing his superiority as a battle analyst even during conflict. It can be affirmed that Ging's preeminent mental skills are his deductive intelligence, quickness of mind and versatility. Ging is extremely knowledgeable in a great number of fields, although he claimed he only studies what he is interested into.

Polyglot

Ging is hinted to be able to speak several languages, surpassing Curly, a professor at Varvard University, in his own field every time they have had a contest. Among the languages he knows is Ancient Kappese.

Nen

Ging's standing within the Hunters Association and Netero's praise speak for his mastery over Nen. A first example of this is given when he is seen playing Ibokuri, a game in which one moves around their aura to do tricks: A self-proclaimed master of Ibokuri was left flabbergasted by Ging's capacities, as he created multiple bubbles of aura, altering their shapes, sizes, direction and individual speed.

As Ging himself admitted, however, this game has nothing to do with one's actual abilities, being no different than spinning a pen on one's fingers. Since creating shapes with one's aura is considered a Transmutation ability, Ging might be very skilled in this field. Although it is still unknown which Nen category he falls into, he showed extreme prowess in Emission when he put his aura in a tape with the order that it self deletes after playing. The command activated perfectly ten years afterwards, and the aura was strong enough to block Killua's punch.

A true testament to Ging's skills in offensive Nen was given when he was attacked by Muherr's henchmen. On that occasion, he copied Leorio's Warping Punch perfectly and at the first attempt. He later on explained he can mimic other people's techniques. Not all of the conditions are revealed, but one of them is that he must be struck by the attack at least once, if it is physical. However, he explained it is merely a natural talent, not a Nen ability. Deducing how Leorio must have created his ability, Ging devised, basing on his speculations, a method to detect people which consists in spreading one's aura like ultrasounds, and again he managed the first time he tried.

Since he deemed this technique to be stealthier than En, it is very likely he can also use En. He also showcased above-average proficiency in the Emission category by hurling two large projectiles of Nen at the same number of enemies who were leaning against a very thick wall: not only did he unleash an attack that went through more than one meter of rock in an instant, he also did not seem to need any time to charge it, despite throwing two balls of aura and each of them packing considerable power.

Hunter X Hunter (Anime)

Yorknew City arc

Ging Freecss makes his first unofficial "appearance" when Gon and Killua listen to a tape recording left by him. When played, Ging's voice greets Gon and congratulates him on becoming a Hunter but then asks if he wants to see him. The tape specifies if Gon wants to see him, continue listening and if he doesn't, simply stop the tape. With Gon deciding to continue listening, the tape then inquires if he's prepared because Hunters are selfish people and abandon things to acquire things that they want and if Gon feels like, "he wants to see him if he can". Then he better stop listening to the tape right then and there. Still Gon continues to listen as Ging snickers and says he really must want to see him, but he doesn't want to see him. Or rather he doesn't know how to see him, since he gave up being a father to be what he really is, which he admits is quite selfish. And it'd be at least 10 years before he actually listens to this tape, but even during that time, there are things that will never change and he is what he is.

Ging appears seated atop a magical beast and says "Bo", while the magical beast also says "Bo" and a giant winged magical beast, which the magical beast is seated upon says "Bo" and flies away. Ging's tape continues on saying that he's doing some crazy things, while Gon has been listening to the tape, so if he wants to see him come and find him, and restates that he doesn't want to see him and that he'll run if he knows he's close. So Ging challenges Gon to hunt and catch him, because he's now a Hunter as well. As Killua tries to stop the tape, Gon stops him, claiming there's more. Ging then says he almost forgot to ask him if he wants to know anything about his mother and if he wants to know then keep listening otherwise, but Gon stops the tape, content that Mito is his mother.[12]

13th Hunter Chairman Election arc

After Netero leaves a video of his last will, stating that he's resigning as chairman, and the new chairman will be determined by election, so that all members of the association should cast their votes. If voter participation does not exceed 95% the election is void, and another will be held. Netero gives the date of the election, but leaves the method of the election for the Zodiacs to decide.[13] Ging, as one of the Zodiacs, and out of respect for Netero, is called in to help decide the rules for the election of the new chairman. Saiyu jokes about how Ging actually showed up when he usually never shows up to these type of meetings and points "Rat" as a trash for being late. Vice-Chairman Pariston shows up late, which annoys most of the Zodiacs except Ging. Pariston puts himself up as a candidate for the position, and suggests not to have an election anymore, which angers the Zodiacs. Ginta threatens to kill Pariston because of his brash attitude, while Ging keeps his cool and analyzes the situation. Ging then announces his candidacy and states that he will continue Netero's legacy.[5]

The rest of the Zodiacs doubt the motive behind Ging's candidacy, stating that they want neither Pariston nor Ging for the position. Pariston then brings up Gon's near death condition in the discussion, stating he'll pay him a visit (and possibly a hint that he's going to harm Gon), which Ging counters by stating that Gon won't die easily and that he trusts that his son will survive the ordeal. Cheadle brings up the idea that the rules for the election should be decided by drawing lots, and everyone agreed. Each Zodiac then proceeds to write down their own rules in a piece of paper and have Beans pick a draw. The draw turns out to be Ging's rules. It is later revealed that two days prior to the Zodiacs' meeting, Ging conspired with Beans by giving him a set of rules for the Chairman Election. Based on each Zodiac's personality, he was able to deduce the outcome of the meeting beforehand.[5]

Having met all conditions said by Ging, Beans picked Ging's set of rules (unknown to the other Zodiacs):

1. Every single Hunter is a candidate and a voter.

2. If the candidate with the most votes hasn't achieved the majority of the votes, the candidates will be cut down to 16 participants. If the latter rule will not work the candidates for the position will be cut in half until there's a winner.

3. If the voting rate is less than 95% the election should be re-processed.

4. All voters must write their names on their vote. All nameless votes will be considered null and void.

5. Ging will be the chairman of the election committee. (This rule is a bluff so the others will accept his first four rules.)

The fifth rule is changed as suggested by Pariston, to which Ging complies with and aggravates the other Zodiacs.[5]

Ging gets 15th place in the First Election for the 13th Hunter Chairman and with voting rate only at 87.7%, the conditions were not met, so a re-election had to be held.[5] The conditions were also not met for the Second Election for the 13th Hunter Chairman[14] and Third Election for the 13th Hunter Chairman and it is unknown what place Ging ranked in those elections.[15] At a conference, the Zodiacs talked to the public about voting for the new Chairman. When they open up to questions, Leorio asks him why he hasn't gone to see Gon when everyone else has. They get into an argument that ends when Leorio punches the table he was standing on, breaking it and causing a black portal to appear. Another black portal appears under Ging with a fist popping out that punches him in the face. This allows the Fourth Election for the 13th Hunter Chairman to finally fulfill the 3rd rule and in it Ging lands in 16th place.[16] Ging is however eliminated in the Fifth Election for the 13th Hunter Chairman where he landed in 13th place. When interviewed to give a "Loser Speech", he uses a stuffed panda in his place.[17]

Ging next appears in conversation with Cheadle, explaining how to defeat Pariston. He tells Cheadle that Pariston isn't interested in winning or losing and that the election is only a game to him. When Cheadle asks Ging what will happen if things continue as they are, Ging answers by saying that after the Eighth Election only she and Pariston will remain, but in the next one on one election Pariston will lower the voting percentage by exerting his influence on Temp Hunters to get them to abstain from voting. Ging says that Pariston will play around until "X Day".[18]

Ging then proclaims that out of the four remaining candidates left, the one who carries on Netero's will is Pariston. This angers Cheadle who says she only wants him to tell her when "X Day" will be. Ging starts by saying that the day Netero blew himself up, 100 large Hunter Association airships headed into the Republic of East Gorteau and that this wasn't recorded by the books. The airships picked up around 5,000 hybrid cocoons that the Chimera Ants had left around and that every single one of them can use Nen and that they've all probably hatched by now. He says that Pariston wants to play with them and deduces that X Day is the day of the New Hunter Exam, but says the situation could change depending on how one interprets Hunter Bylaws.[18]

When the 8th Election is about to begin, Pyon asks the Hunters to stay until the 13th Chairman Election is decided and is shown as the Zodiacs have blocked all the entrances, Ging and Pariston make eye contact and Ging says to himself "This is Bad".[18] After Gon was healed, he and the other Hunters entered the election hall, resulting in Ging being finally found by Gon.[19] Gon apologizes, still feeling responsible for what happened to Kite. Ging tells him that it wasn't his fault and that Kite was still alive, because of his Crazy Slots ability, which Ging himself taught him. He suggested that Gon should go see Kite again, after being shouted at by the other Hunters. He picks a fight with the Hunters in the election hall, after promising Gon that they can talk later. Ging is left dumbfound after the Ninth Election for the 13th Hunter Chairman, when Pariston resigns as Chairman and makes Cheadle the Chairman.[20]

Later, Gon and Ging meet at the World Tree. There, Ging talks about why he wanted to be a Hunter. He reveals that there is much more to the world than most people don't know and that is the Dark Continent. He tells Gon that the Chimera Ants also originated from there and that even Ging isn't qualified to go there yet.[21] Gon returns his Double-Star Hunter License to him and they talk about their adventures with each other.[22]

Quotes

(to Mito) I'm looking for something
That's just who I am
Catch me if you can

Relationships

Knownable Relatives

Unnamed Mother (dead)
Unnamed Father (dead)
Gon's Mother (Wife)
Gon Freecss (Son)
Abe (Mother in law)
Mito Freecss (Sister in law)

Trivia

The 1999 Animation adaptation of Hunter × Hunter changes Ging's familial relationships. Mito was changed into his sister in law, whereas his wife was changed to be Mito's youngest sister. While Abe was changed to be his mother-in-law, rather than his grandmother.
In the 1999 series, Ging bears a striking resemblance to Yusuke Urameshi from the YuYu Hakusho (Anime).
Ging's name in Greed Island, "Nigg", was changed in the Viz translation into "Ngig".
According to 1999 anime adaptation Ging's Hunter License number is 10982 480 35267,[31] whereas only a partial license number is given in the manga (...0...5267)[2] and none in the 2011 anime adaptation.[32]
Ging resembles Yusuke Urameshi, the protagonist of Togashi's previous series YuYu Hakusho, in his physical stature, facial structure, and carefree, selfish attitude. Both even favor brawling and emission attacks, with all of Ging's Nen attacks shown thus far being emission type-attacks and Yusuke's signature Spirit Gun and Spirit Shotgun variant.
His birth year is 1967.

Voice Actors

Japanese : Hiroki Tochi (1999 series), Rikiya Koyama (2011 series)
Japanese voice actress : Urara Takano (Child)
English voice actress : Elinor Holt (Child)
English : Ben Jeffery (1999 series), ??? (2011 series)

all information on Ging Freecsss came from http://hunterxhunter.wikia.com/wiki/Ging_Freecss