Hunter x Hunter is Yoshihiro Togashi's cerebral follow up to Yu Yu Hakusho that more than lived up to the legacy of being a Shounen elite. Its power systems, writing, and character designs have all had the effect of making this series just so hard to forget out of the sea of Shounen anime out there.
Each character is incredibly well defined with motivations, abilities, and looks that all serve to make some of the most tangible anime characters to ever give anyone real life chills. However, they haven't always been winners. As one can see throughout the series, Togashi has pivoted and changed the series through a variety of arcs.
So much so, the beginning and its alum are near unrecognizable from where the series is now, slowly becoming lost within the passages of the viewers' minds. To give a short reminder to the Hunter x Hunter faithful out there. here's a few characters from the Hunter Exam arc that definitely existed.
10 Bodoro
Every now and then, an elderly anime character appears on the scene and instantly screams to the fans, "I'm a big deal." Whether its Master Roshi or Toad Sage Jiraiya, elderly anime characters who are masters of martial arts just carry this air of mystery and respect about them. Unfortunately, that very air was blown out of Bodoro once he failed the Hunter Exam.
It really seemed like he was going to play some honorable, kung fu master role. He was tough and held a strong code of honor. It's just unfortunate that he wasn't up to snuff in a fight against Hisoka which is even more disappointing considering that fans may never learn what Hisoka told him to stop the fight.
9 Goz
Goz was an aesthetically similar character to Bodoro. He was a respectable martial artist, possibly arriving from a similar, competing clan, who entered the Hunter Exam as a test of his strength and principle. If anything, it's just interesting to see so many characters of majesty just torn apart by the actual large scale of series.
In Goz's case, he wanted to die in the exam with a warrior's death. After having been mortally wounded by a disguised Illumi, he sought after Hisoka. However, Hisoka would nonchalantly wave him away, leaving Illumi to instantly kill Goz from the shadows.
8 Todo
Does anyone remember Yajirobe from Dragon Ball? He was the heavy, arrogant guy from the original series who would carry around a sword and act like a big deal. When Todo entered Hunter x Hunter, it seemed like he was could've played that role. Beyond just being heavy, Todo was an experienced fighter who dreamed of being a blacklist Hunter.
However, after disrespecting one of his examiners and underestimating her Gourmet Hunter exam, Todo would inevitably fail. It seemed towards the end, though, that he had earned a newfound respect for Gourmet Hunters and would return a better man. However, fans may never know considering that Killua defeated him and a variety of others the following year to get through his exam a little quicker.
7 Nicholas
Nicholas was a unique figure among the examiners. While most were martial artists and trained killers, it seemed like Nicholas was just a below-average guy with an above-average intellect.
Using that intellect and a really good computer, he'd easily find his way through the preliminary stages of the Hunter Exam, perhaps proving that there's more to Hunters than just pure strength and fighting ability. However, he would prove that one would need that too, as he would quickly fail one of the earlier, physical tests.
6 Tonpa
If there was ever anyone to remember from the Hunter Exam Arc, it was Tonpa. He was just an incredibly annoying antagonist doing everything that he could to wreck the chances of other examiners. He had gained the infamous title "Rookie Crusher" and would use those talents to poison other people, create tension for the dungeon portion, and steal badges during the free-for-all.
If anything, he was really priming himself to be the reoccurring, comic relief villain of the series, a la Team Rocket, the Red Ribbon Army, or Buggy the Clown. Sadly, however, he would remain within as the simple Rookie Crusher, as he would not join the Hunter crew after the Exam and would later be easily defeated by Killua the following year.
5 Geretta
Geretta had a lot going on as a top competitor within the Hunter Exam. He was already an experienced hunter with an incredibly distinct weapon. He'd use both to easily take Gon's badge during the latter half of the Exam, giving Gon a harsh lesson in the larger, more primal world of hunters.
Unfortunately, Hisoka would sweep in to take him out, finding more promise within Gon than an actually trained hunter. Not to take anything away from Hisoka's judgement, but Geretta could've been a pretty interesting character for the series. It was just sad to see him go.
4 The Amori Brothers
The Amori Brothers are proof that human characters in great numbers don't really mean much within a Shounen anime. This group was one of the most experienced examiners going into the arc, having bettered their skills and teamwork after annual, repeated attempts at the Hunter Exam.
And while that concept could've been aesthetically interesting further down the road (and it was going up against Killua), they sadly proved that they need a few more years and possibly a few more brothers to pass the exam.
3 Ponzu
Considering that there were very minimal female characters in this arc, one would think at least one would be the stand out for the series' lead heroine. Given her simple, Shounen character design and hunter acumen, Ponzu was a prime candidate. This would not be the case.
She would create one of the tensest scenes early on in the series but would inevitably fail as the exam went on. To make matters worse, she would die a horrifying death during the Chimera Ant Arc, serving as simple fodder for the ants' growing threat.
2 Pokkle
While Ponzu's death wasn't exactly the most delightful sight, Pokkle's would prove to be more worrying, considering that the Chimera Ants would use him to discover Nen abilities. Acting as that catalyst would, unfortunately, be the greatest contribution that Pokkle would ever make to the series.
While a young and ambitious competitor during the exam, Pokkle would prove to be a little too human against the others and would only pass the exam due to Killua arrogantly passing him over. Thinking over it now, he would probably be alive today if Killua didn't do him that favor. The ants might've even missed Nen abilities in their entirety if Pokkle failed. Strange how such a minor decision and a minor character could have such an effect on a series.
1 Hanzo
Hanzo really seemed like he should've been a more memorable, reoccurring character. He was a genuine ninja whose physical abilities easily helped him rank high within the Hunter Exam. His clash with Gon was not only humanizing for the main character's overall outlook but a visceral display of how vicious this series can get.
It is insinuated that he got some Nen training afterward and was part of Gon's bodyguard crew during the Chairman Election, but that doesn't really seem like a lot for one of the most dangerous and instantly interesting characters for the series' early days. He's a missed opportunity if nothing else.