Hunter x Hunter is a beloved shonen anime with a cherished cast of complex characters, and few of them are as consistently entertaining as Leorio. Leorio Paradiknight is a character that is often underestimated or seen as a source of comic relief in the series when compared to his companions. However, even some of his goofier moments speak to the true depth of his character, which is why many fans of Hunter x Hunter have come to appreciate Leorio for his three-dimensionality.
Despite being a part of many moments of comic relief throughout the show, Leorio is a multifaceted character with great emotional awareness who deeply cares about his friends and is determined to fulfill his dream of helping others. These are some of his best moments— throughout both the 1999 and 2011 series and two Hunter x Hunter films—which serve to illustrate that depth of character.
10 Leorio Punches Ging
This is a huge moment in Hunter x Hunter and definitely big for fans of Leorio. It’s easy to see that Leorio cares for Gon and is understandably distraught by his condition in the hospital, so the anger he feels toward the man who is Gon’s biological father is understandable. Gon has spent all this time looking for Ging, and his father won’t even visit him in the hospital when he’s unwell. As someone who cares deeply and has always puts his friends first, Leorio doesn’t take kindly to the aloof responses Ging grants him when questioned. Leorio landing a punch on Ging further displays the affection he holds for his friends and how upset the whole situation makes him. Though the attack was undoubtedly impulsive, it ends up earning him a lot of respect both from characters in the series and fans.
9 Melody Tells Leorio He Has the Most Pleasant Heartbeat
This is a really sweet moment of connection between Leorio and Melody that also seems to offer viewers additional insight into Leorio’s nature. Both Melody and Leorio are people who clearly care about their mutual connection, Kurapika. Kurapika’s on a difficult path, and throughout the series the audience gets glimpses into just how worried Leorio is about him. In this scene, where Melody comments that Leorio “has the most pleasant heartbeat” in the city, viewers are once again reminded of his kind nature. Melody also goes on to say that he’d be suited to a profession such as a teacher or doctor, reaffirming Leorio’s path and that everything about him seems to speak to his wish to help others.
8 The Zoldyck Gate Proves Leorio’s Strength
This particular scene, despite also being in the manga, is not in the 2011 version of the anime. In the original anime, when Kurapika, Gon, and Leorio are training to open the Testing Gate at the Zoldyck’s, they are eventually able to open the first door. However, Leorio is the only one of the three able to open up to the gate’s second door, which weighs a total of 8 tons. Aside from Killua, who is able to open up to the fifth door, this seems indicative of the fact that Leorio is the member of the group with the most physical strength.
7 Leorio Reveals His True Goal
In the beginning of Hunter x Hunter, Leorio states that he wants to become a Hunter so that he can get rich, though it’s eventually revealed that his motivations are more complex. During the first phase of the exam in the 1999 anime, Leorio is exposed to the hallucinogenic effects of a dangerous plant. These effects force him to grapple with manifestations of his past trauma and the friend that he lost when he was young.
In the 2011 version of the anime, fans do get a scene of him younger and his friend falling ill as well. Both of these scenes offer viewers insight into Leorio’s true motivations for becoming a Hunter and how, at the end of the day, he doesn’t want anyone to suffer in the same way. Like all of these scenes, this one shows that Leorio is a multidimensional character with his own distinct, and ultimately tragic, reasons for wanting to be a Hunter.
6 Leorio Helps the Kiriko Family
In both versions of the anime, Leorio’s treatment of the wounded man in the Kiriko incident is applauded. Additionally, the man remarks that he was moved by the way Leorio continuously reassured him about his wife. Leorio’s dedication toward learning proper medical treatment and his kind heart are ultimately what earn him passage to the Hunter Exam. In the 1999 version of the anime, Leorio is also perceptive enough to eventually notice that the wound on one of the Kiriko’s is fake and that the Kiriko has a needle mark, which means he is likely the man that Leorio treated initially.
5 Leorio Stands Up to Hisoka
Hisoka quickly establishes he’s a terrifying presence early on in the Hunter Exam. In spite of this, Leorio can’t bring himself to back down and ends up taking on Hisoka regardless of the odds against him. There are a lot of instances throughout the series where viewers are given glimpses into Leorio’s bravery and sense of pride. Even though he isn’t able to land a hit on Hisoka, his actions do prevent Hisoka from eliminating him on the spot like he did with over half a dozen combatants moments before. His courage against overwhelming odds might be viewed as senseless by some, but it truly speaks to his determination and definitely shines as one of his many admirable qualities.
4 Leorio’s Reaction to the Hunter Exam’s Final Round
The Final Phase of the Hunter Exam pits the remaining candidates against each other in one v. one combat. Although Leorio doesn’t get a chance to fight, audiences see a lot of his reactions to his friends on the battlefield and it continues to illuminate just how much they mean to Leorio. As one who truly seems to treasure the relationships he forges, Leorio is frequently distraught during the Final Phase because of what his friends go through.
When Gon is getting beat by Hanzo, Leorio tries to intervene, only stopping the first time when he realizes that Gon will be disqualified if he helps. Beyond that, Leorio’s actions during this phase of the Hunter Exam speak highly of his character. He says he’ll take Gon’s place, he encourages Kurapika to surrender to Hisoka because they all know what he’s capable of, he tries to cut in when Illumi tells Killua that he and Gon could never be friends. He really does not tolerate seeing his friends in pain and seems willing to do everything in his power to stop it.
3 Leorio Sticks Around for Kurapika
In this scene, during the Abandoned Warship Arc, Leorio ends up following a more withdrawn Kurapika from their shared room at the hotel. When he makes himself known, he states that he was worried about his roommate, but concedes to leave if he’s just “sticking his nose into your [Kurapika’s] business”. However, Kurapika inadvertently asks him to stay, and they end up having a really emotional moment. Leorio was willing to step away from the conversation if that’s what Kurapika wanted, but instead, it turned into an opportunity for them to connect more. Leorio’s compassion shows itself in multiple ways throughout this series and this is a great example of a quieter moment.
2 Leorio Gives Kurapika Words of Encouragement
Leorio’s time in Hunter x Hunter: The Last Mission is brief, but every second of it is solid. From the moment when he helps Kurapika during his fight with Shura, to reassuring Kurapika that he and Shura are nothing alike, and remaining at Kurapika’s side when he’s injured. He even offers some words of encouragement, which it seems Kurapika held onto in his internal struggle. The reason why audiences can assume they played a role in helping ground Kurapika is because Kurapika himself brings them up when Killua asks Leorio what he did to help in the overall situation. Leorio seems embarrassed that Kurapik heard him and quickly changes the subject, but this confirms without a doubt the meaning that his words held. And knowing that Kurapika held onto them shows their mutual appreciation for one another.
1 Leorio Tells Kurapika to Live in the Present
Again, the entirety of Hunter x Hunter: Phantom Rouge is full of great Leorio moments. One in particular that stands out is when he jumps to Kurapika’s defense during his fight against the puppet Pairo, despite already being hurt. When Kurapika is clearly hesitating in his fight, it’s Leorio who tells him that he needs to live in the present, that his friend is gone, but in order to move past it, he needs to accept it. It’s a position that Leorio has been in, as well, with his childhood friend. This is one of the many scenes that portrays Leorio’s emotional maturity and speaks to the difficulties of what he’s experienced. He’s able to learn from those experiences and use them to help others and that is such a genuinely selfless act—a true testament to his role as the heart of the group.
Without a doubt, Leorio contributes to a lot of the fun and humorous scenes in the Hunter x Hunter series. However, fans also recognize that he is an equally intricate member of the main cast with meaningful motivations. His presence helps center the group and many of his moments on screen speak to just how essential he is to his friends, and how much they mean to him. Leorio brings so much heart to Hunter x Hunter and a smile to the faces of fans everywhere—and certainly to the faces of his dearest friends.
