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 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!