Hunter X Hunter TPB (2005 Viz) comic books 2005

Volume 1- 1st printing. Story and art by Yoshihiro Togashi. Hunters are a special breed, dedicated to tracking down treasures, magical beasts, and even other men. But such pursuits require a license, and less than one in a hundred thousand can pass the grueling qualification exam. Those who do pass gain access to restricted areas, amazing stores of information, and the right to call themselves Hunters. Gon might be a country boy, but he has high aspirations. Despite his Aunt Mito's protests, Gon decides to follow in his father's footsteps and become a legendary Hunter. Gon and the other Hunter hopefuls begin their journey by storm-tossed ship. Having survived the terrors of the high seas, Gon and his companions now have to prove their worth in a variety of tests in order to find the elusive Exam Hall. Softcover, 188 pages, B&W. Cover price $7.99.

Volume 2 - 1st Printing. Story, art, and cover by Yoshihiro Togashi. Gon and his friends Leorio and Kurapika have more to worry about than just the Hunter Exam--their fellow applicants are deadly serious. Hisoka, the mad magician, nearly kills them in a mock test and Killua reveals that appearances can be deceiving. Then there are the tests, which prove to be as varied as they are difficult. The picky proctors of the second exam demand the applicants perform culinary feats of wonder, and it takes the intervention of the President of the Hunter Association Review Board to convince them to let anyone pass at all! Softcover, 5-in x 7-in., 192 pages, B&W. Cover price $9.99.

Volume 3 - 1st Printing. Story, art, and cover by Yoshihiro Togashi. Gon and his teammates have been challenged by a group of criminals hired by the Hunter Association. Gon wins with wits, and Kurapika's red-eyed rage assures a victory. But Leorio is all out of luck, and loses precious time for his team. It's up to Killua to save the day with a gruesome display of his assassin skills. With time running out, it takes ingenuity and brute force to beat the clock and the test. The fourth exam finds the team stranded on an island for a battle royale. Can Gon get the best of Hisoka, or will he be...eliminated? Softcover, 5-in x 7-in., 192 pages, B&W. Cover price $9.99.

Volume 4 - 1st Printing. Story, art, and cover by Yoshihiro Togashi. The fourth exam rages on as the Hunter hopefuls try to gain points by stealing each other's badges. Gon, Kurapika, and Leorio fall into a trap set for another applicant and must face a pit full of poisonous snakes. When Leorio is bitten, Gon braves the snakes to snatch the antidote and a badge! Finally, the friends reach the end of the exams and the ultimate "reverse tournament"--the winner of each round automatically passes the Hunter exam, but the defeated keep competing against each other until the last candidate standing fails the exam. Killing an opponent means immediate failure--will Killua's rage stand in the way of his dream to become a Hunter? Softcover, 5-in x 7-in., 192 pages, B&W. Cover price $9.99.

Volume 5 - 1st Printing. Story, art, and cover by Yoshihiro Togashi. Gon's new friend Killua may have run away from home, but that doesn't mean his family is willing to let him leave. Killua's parents sent his older brother Illumi to keep an eye on him during the Hunter Exam, and now Illumi has convinced Killua to return to the family business of assassination. Gon is convinced that Killua must have been brainwashed, and sets out with Leorio and Kurapika to make an intervention. But before the newly licensed Hunters can try to talk some sense into Killua, they have to make it past the unstoppable guard beast that is trained to eat all visitors! Softcover, 5-in x 7-in., 192 pages, B&W. Cover price $9.99.