Gon Freecss is the best known protagonist of Hunter X Hunter. However, not every arc of the series has primarily focused on him. The Yorknew City arc positioned Kurapika Kurta as the protagonist, the 13th Hunter Chairman Election arc primarily centered around Killua Zoldyck, and the most recent arcs, the Dark Continent Expedition and Succession Content arcs, have put the spotlight squarely on Kurapika again, this time without Gon and Killua even being present. With the Succession Contest arc pitting Kurapika against Prince Tserriednich for the last of his people's scarlet eyes, this could be the end of his story.
Hunter X Hunter is famous for its subversion of shōnen tropes, and it's lack of attachment to a singular main character is a great example of that. This is a series where every character has their own story, their own mission, and could potentially be the hero of their own anime. When the Succession Contest arc ends, and the story progresses to the Dark Continent arc, there are several characters who would work better as the protagonist than Kurapika, especially if he collects the final scarlet eyes. Kurapika has been the protagonist of "Hunter X Hunter" for the past two arcs, but the Dark Continent Arc needs a new lead.
Ging is Prepared for Anything
Ging Freecss is the father of Gon, and one of the most skilled Nen users in the world of Hunter X Hunter. For much of the series, Gon's goal was to find his absent father and meet him. Fans eventually met Ging before his son did, and learned that Ging isn't just a deadbeat dad, but a jerk disliked by everyone around him, most especially his fellow elite hunters, the Zodiacs. Ging is selfish, rude, abrasive, and inconsiderate, but, as shown through his heartwarming conversation with Gon atop the World Tree and his determination to stop the plans of the villainous Pariston Hill, his goals are ultimately noble.
Currently, Ging is sailing towards the Dark Continent aboard The Black Whale, aiming to stop whatever Pariston is planning once they get there. As Chairman Isaac Netero's former right hand and a terrifyingly skilled politician in possession of an army of captured Chimera Ants, Pariston is one of the biggest threats on The Black Whale. Putting the focus on Ging and Pariston's rivalry could be incredible to witness, and the story being centered on the conflict between two middle-aged men would cement Hunter X Hunter's transformation into a more adult-oriented series. The Dark Continent is home to the most powerful and deadly monsters in the world of Hunter X Hunter, The Five Calamities, and while Kurapika is a skilled hunter, a veteran master like Ging would be better suited for facing these threats.
Leorio Deserves His Time to Shine
Despite being promoted as one of the four central characters of Hunter X Hunter, Leorio Paradinight has rarely received significant focus. Following the initial Hunter Exam and Zoldyck Family arcs, Leorio has either played a small role or not appeared at all in every following arc. The only exception to this is the Thirteenth Hunter Chairman Election arc, but, even there, he played third fiddle to Killua and Ging. The most striking fact about Leorio's lack of relevance is that he's never had a single fight in the entire series. From the beginning, Leorio's goal has been to become a doctor, and while that's a noble profession, his lack of combat training has resulted in him being continuously sidelined.
Following his performance as a frontrunner for the position of Chairman in the Thirteenth Hunter Chairman Election arc and the departures of Ging and Parison from their ranks, Leorio was recruited by the new Hunter Association Chairwoman, Cheadle Yorkshire, to become not only a Zodiac, but her medical apprentice. Leorio is currently aboard The Black Whale, studying from his new master and learning new techniques that will be invaluable on the hazardous Dark Continent. The Dark Continent has long been illegal to travel to because of how dangerous it is, and while Kurapika is a strategic mastermind who never loses his cool, centering Leorio would allow for a showcase of the true horrors of this land. Hunter X Hunter often changes genres between arcs, and giving Leorio the spotlight he's long deserved in a horror story would breathe new energy into the manga.
Chrollo Would Make a Perfect Villain Protagonist
Chrollo Lucilfer is one of Hunter X Hunter's longest running and most popular villains. The leader of The Phantom Troupe, Chrollo is one of the most skilled Nen users in the world and one of its most feared criminals. He is responsible for the massacre of the Kurta Clan and for terrorizing Gon and his friends in Yorknew City.
Since the Yorknew City arc, Chrollo and the Troupe have been utilized not as antagonists, but as the villain protagonists of their own story. In the Greed Island arc, the Troupe worked to restore Chrollo's Nen. In the Chimera Ant arc, they defended their home of Meteor City from invaders. In the Succession Contest arc, they ride aboard The Black Whale, hunting Hisoka Morrow to avenge the murders of their friends, and getting into trouble with the mafia. This arc has even revealed the tragic backstory of The Phantom Troupe, making fans love and sympathize with them more than ever.
Should Chrollo succeed in surviving the voyage to the Dark Continent and finishing off Hisoka for good, Hunter X Hunter could follow the trend with how his character has been treated since Yorknew City and make him the new protagonist. With his vast arsenal of stolen Hatsus, genius intellect, and ruthless attitude, there are few who would be better suited to navigating the Dark Continent. With Hisoka, and likely several more Troupe members, dead, Chrollo and the remaining Spiders will be left to figure out what's next for them and decide if they want to change how they live their lives or carry on as usual. Either way, Chrollo's top priority will always be the Troupe's survival, and his goal for the time being will be to find powerful and useful members of the Expedition Team to join The Phantom Troupe. Aiding them in exploring the dangerous island would certainly help with gaining their favor.
Gon and Killua Could Make a Stunning Comeback
Gon and Killua are the faces of Hunter X Hunter. Although they've been absent from the story since 2012, they remain far and away the most iconic characters in the series. This is owed to the story almost exclusively focusing on the two's adventures for the majority of its run, making them the most popular characters with the most merchandise. With Kurapika's story coming to a close, the Dark Continent arc could be the chance for Gon and Killua to regain their lost prominence.
Since losing his Nen at the end of the Chimera Ant arc and meeting Ging at the end of the Thirteenth Hunter Chairman Election arc, Gon has been living in his childhood home on Whale Island, resuming normal studies with his Aunt Mito. While Gon needed peace and quiet after the various traumas he experienced, his heart still possesses a lust for adventure. Seeing him work to earn back his Nen so he could join his dad on the Expedition Team would be a captivating story on his own, and him being thrust into the dangers of the Dark Continent would be an opportunity to showcase how much he's grown.
Killua has been traveling the world with his younger sister, Alluka, since parting ways with Gon. On the run from their evil family of assassins, Killua has found his purpose in protecting Alluka and showing her the world she was never allowed into. Putting the focus back on Killua would allow for the opportunity for him to face his father, Silva, who's long remained in the background of the story and who wants to make his children come home. Additionally, Alluka isn't the only inhabitant of her body. She shares her body with the wish-granting Nanika, a being originally hailing from the Dark Continent. Killua and Alluka arriving on the Dark Continent would give the Expedition Team access to someone who knows all about it, first-hand.
Ging, Leorio, Chrollo, and Gon and Killua are all more than suitable replacements for Kurapika as the protagonist of the Dark Continent arc. There are even more, however unlikely, characters who would make perfect leads, such as Morel, Machi and Cheadle. Fans won't know who the lead of the arc is until the Succession Content arc comes to a close and its survivors are confirmed.
