Gon opens the fight with an acrobatic flurry of mid-air kicks and punches — he has to compensate for his much shorter height — but Hisoka blocks and dodges them all without moving a step. Gon’s attacks occur in a single take, with cuts only coming when one of Hisoka’s strikes makes contact. Despite there being much more movement than in a boxing match, this draws attention to the stream of punches the same way.
Gon resorts to some trickery, lifting a stone floor tile and shattering it in Hisoka’s direction. He hides behind the largest piece and dives towards Hisoka, finally landing the punch on his face. The punch is played three times, each from a different angle, the last showing Hisoka falling straight toward the screen. Once the scene cuts away to a wide shot of the fighters resuming their stances, the sound evaporates, only returning once Gon and Hisoka have made eye contact. Both the audio and visuals are focused on them first and foremost — the rest of the room might as well not exist.
Gon throws the badge back at Hisoka, but from there, the match goes in the magician’s favor. With his “Bungee Gum” Nen ability, Hisoka throws Gon around like a doll and ultimately knocks him out with a rock to the face. Despite defeating Gon, Hisoka is convinced more than ever that the boy will one day be a worthy opponent. This outcome is reminiscent of “Rocky,” the parent franchise of “Creed” — Gon lost the match, but he achieved a personal victory all the same.
