The Chunin Exam functions like any other competition, with winners advancing and losers eliminated through single elimination. The Hunter Exam has the opposite effect. Only one person will fail the final exam; everyone else will pass and receive their Hunter’s License.
The Chunin Exam has two potentially lethal parts: the forest and fights with other examinees. In the latter, killing is discouraged, and they will usually intervene to stop it. The Hunter Exam has its own lethal animal part (with a much higher body count), the tower, and the badge part, where killing other examinees is acceptable.
Conversely, the Hunter Exam is an unnecessary bloodbath; several steps are basically how many of you can survive massively fatal stuff,‘ and putting examinees in combat with serial killers is standard procedure.
Naruto and Hunter x Hunter have two of the most iconic exam arcs in Anime. Read on to learn more about the similarities and differences that exist between the Chunin Exam and Hunter Exam arcs.
What is Naruto?
Masashi Kishimoto wrote and drew the Japanese comic series Naruto.
It chronicles the story of Naruto Uzumaki, a teenage ninja who wants acclaim from his classmates and aspires to become the Hokage or village leader. The story is divided into two sections, the first taking place during Naruto’s pre-teen years and the second throughout his adolescence.
The series is based on Kishimoto’s two one-shot manga: Karakuri (1995), which garnered Kishimoto an honorable mention in Shueisha’s monthly Hop Step Award the following year, and Naruto (1997).
Naruto was serialized in Shueisha’s Weekly Shnen Jump magazine from 1999 to 2014 and published in tankbon (book) form in 72 volumes.
What is Hunter x Hunter?
Yoshihiro Togashi’s Hunter Hunter, or “Hunter Hunter,” is a Japanese manga series written and presented by him.
Since March 16, 1998, it has been serialized in Weekly Shnen Jump magazine, while the manga has frequently taken long breaks since 2006. As of November 2019, 392 chapters have been compiled into 37 tankōbon volumes (chapter collections) by Shueisha in Japan. The plot revolves around a young boy named Gon Freecss, who discovers that his father, whom he was told had abandoned him when he was a child, is actually a world-renowned Hunter.
Hunters have licensed professions specializing in but are not limited to, fantastic pursuits such as locating rare or unidentified animal species, treasure hunting, surveying unexplored enclaves, or hunting down lawless individuals.
The Protagonists of Naruto and Hunter × Hunter
The protagonists of Naruto are the followings.
- Naruto Uzumaki
- Sasuke Uchiha
- Sakura Haruno
- Kakashi Hatake
Naruto Uzumaki, Sasuke Uchiha, Sakura Haruno, and Kakashi Hatake are the protagonists of the famous Naruto Anime series. They are fellows of Konohagakure’s “Team 7” (Dainanahan). The team disbands following Sasuke Uchiha’s defection and Naruto’s departure from Konohagakure at the end of Part I.
I have added a youtube video showing more about Chunin Game.
During Part II, the team reforms as “Team Kakashi” (, Kakashi-Han) with two new members: Sai, who takes over for Sasuke, and Yamato, who takes over as acting Captain. Team 7 reunites during the Fourth Great Ninja War to fight Madara Uchiha, who later becomes Kaguya tsutsuki. Naruto and Sasuke will have their final battle after the War is over. After the battle, Team 7 is permanently reunited.
The protagonists of Hunter × Hunter are the followings.
- Gon Freecss
- Killua Zoldyck
- Kurapika
- Leorio Paradinight
Yoshihiro Togashi’s Hunter Hunter Manga series features a diverse cast of characters. It takes place in a fictitious universe in which licensed specialists known as Hunters travel the world performing special tasks ranging from treasure hunting to assassination.
The story begins with Gon Freecss and his quest to become a Hunter in order to find his father, Ging, who is a famous Hunter himself. Along the way, Gon encounters and befriends Killua Zoldyck, Kurapika, and Leorio Paradinight.
Chunin Exam and Hunter Exam
As Gon and Naruto, and their allies discovered the games are treacherous and notoriously difficult to win. We can best appreciate the Anime’s distinctiveness and the many ways the trials are similar to one another by measuring similarities and differences between the two exams.
I have added a table below showing the basic similarities and dissimilarities between the Chunin Exam and the Hunter Exam.
| Number | Similarities | Dissimilarities |
| 1. | Both are potentially lethal. | The procedure of the tournaments. |
| 2. | Each has hunting assignments. | The intended contestants don’t have much in common. |
| 3. | They don’t profile their nominees. | Threats from third parties. |
| 4. | Each began the true journey of the main protagonist. | Each exam assesses success in a different way. |
| 5. | Both competitions are mentally demanding. | The reward proposed for success. |
Don’t fret because I am going to explain the table in detail right now.
Main Similarities and Differences Between Chunin Game and Hunter X Hunter
The similarities and differences between Chinun Game and Hunter X Hunter Game are given below.
Similarities
The similarities between Chinun Game and Hunter X Hunter Game are given below.
Both are Potentially Lethal
The unfortunate truth about both exams is that they carry a high level of risk for those who choose to take them. The Chunin Exam has sinister ninjas willing to use the Forest of Death’s deception to kill their opponents, as Dosu intended for Rock Lee.
The perils of the Hunter Exam are more varied but still severe. Candidates must dive into vast ravines, attack colossal monsters, and even compete against one another. Given Hisoka’s massacre of many participants, it’s just as dangerous as its Naruto counterpart, if not more so.
Each Has Hunting Assignments
Both exams include a test in which they must obtain items from other participants in order to advance to the next stage. For the Chunin Exam, this manifests as the ninja’s need to seize heaven and earth scrolls. As a result, aspiring shinobi must exercise caution when selecting fights.
The Hunter Exam is slightly different but fundamentally similar. Every participant is given a badge for their target; if they collect the insignia they have been given (or a greater quantity of the trinkets held by unrelated competitors), they will advance to the next round.
They Don’t Profile Their Nominees
Both the Chunin and Hunter Exams have demonstrated a dismal ability to profile their participants. The former was infiltrated by Orochimaru himself, resulting in a citywide disaster and Sasuke’s subsequent defection from the Leaf.
The latter contained Hisoka and Illumi Zoldyck, both of whom would go on to join the Phantom Troupe (an organization whose illicit activities are not covered by the Hunter’s License’s generous provisions). However, because of his inherent lust for danger, Isaac Netero was less concerned about the identity of the Hunters than Sarutobi was.
Each Started The Main Protagonist’s True Journey
On a narrative level, there is a similarity between the two tests. Each exam marked the beginning of the hero’s true journey and paved the way for the events that followed.
Despite the fact that Naruto did not pass the exam, he learned a lot about the realities of the shinobi world. While Gon graduated and obtained his Hunter’s License, he learned more about Killua’s nature and was inspired to follow him home, saving him from his domineering family.
Both Competitions Are Mentally Demanding
The exams have been purposefully designed so that only the most tenacious competitors will pass. In Naruto’s case, he was forced to excel in a taxing written test overseen by the village’s inquisitor, a man who promised he would never be able to take the trial again if he did not successfully answer the final question.
While the Hunters’ predicament is less intellectual, it is no less terrifying. They were told to jump into large chasms despite the fact that many of their users (including all of the series’ heroes) had not yet mastered Nen.
Differences
The differences between Chunin Exam and Hunter Exam are given below.
The Procedure Of The Tournaments
While the fact that each exam concludes with a tournament is a similarity, they are run in such a way that it cannot be counted as such. The Chunin Exam functions like any other competition, with winners advancing and losers eliminated through single elimination.
The Hunter Exam has the opposite effect. Only one person will fail the final exam; everyone else will pass and receive their Hunter’s License. Killua lost in the first canon instance because he violated the competition’s only rule, which was not to kill his opponent.
The Contestants Don’t Have Much In Common
Though older contestants (such as Kabuto or the lesser-known Kosuke Maruboshi) may participate in the Chunin Exams, it is primarily intended for children who want to advance their status from genin and begin their careers as respected ninjas.
The Hunter Exam, on the other hand, is intended for participants of all ages and walks of life. Killua killed an elderly man to disqualify himself, demonstrating how varied the test that Netero devised was.
Threats From Third Parties
As difficult as the Chunin Exam was, the only danger its competitors faced was each other. This resulted in a straightforward and predictable contest that was at least somewhat manageable for proctors.
In contrast, the Hunter Exam used career criminals (including mass murderers) to provide a wide range of challenges that its candidates will face in the real world. This introduces a rogue element to the competition, one that foreshadows danger for those who attempt to continue.
Each Exam Assesses Success in a Different Way
One peculiar aspect of the Chunin Exam is that passing it does not guarantee promotion (and hence, fulfill their intention for taking it in the first place). Despite the fact that Shikamaru forfeited his match against Temari, he was chosen to graduate regardless of his intentional failure.
The Hunter Exam, on the other hand, functions much more like a traditional competition. While the number of victors is significantly reduced, those who win are not subject to their own sensei’s arbitrary judgment in determining whether or not they passed.
The Reward Proposed For Success
The rewards for passing both exams are desirable, but they are fundamentally different. In the case of the Chunin Exams, the winners are promoted and become respected members of the shinobi world. It’s more of a rite of passage than a mind-boggling feat.
The Hunter’s License, on the other hand, gives its owner tremendous freedom and is extremely valuable if sold. However, given all of the other possibilities (including reduced responsibility for the murder itself), cashing in is unwise.
Conclusion
The Chunin Exam works in the same way as any other competition, with winners advancing and losers eliminated via single elimination. The Hunter Exam, on the other hand, has the opposite effect. Only one person will fail the final exam, while all others will pass and receive their Hunter’s License.
The forest and fights with other examinees are both potentially lethal parts of the chunin exam. Killing is discouraged in the latter, and they will usually intervene to stop it. The Hunter exam has its own lethal animal section (with a much higher body count), a tower, and a badge section in which killing other examinees is acceptable.
The hunter exam, on the other hand, is a bloodbath; several steps are basically ‘how many of you can survive massively fatal stuff,’ and putting examinees in combat with serial killers is standard procedure.
A few similarities between Chinun Exam and Hunter Exam have been provided below.
- Both are potentially lethal.
- Each has hunting assignments.
- They don’t profile their nominees.