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Leorio Paradinight

Leorio Paradinight is a rookie Hunter and currently a medical student, as well as a member of the Zodiacs with the codename "Boar". He is part of the Science Division, created in preparation for the voyage to the Dark Continent. Leorio is a tall, manly-looking, fairly muscular young man with small brown eyes, black hair, and a spiked crew cut. Despite his mature appearance, he is a teenager. He typically wears a dark blue business suit, black shoes, and a pair of teashade sunglasses. Despite his elderly appearance, he was still a teenager at the beginning of the series.


Leorio is initially introduced as a very selfish narcissist who places great emphasis on material wealth. Despite his assertions that he is only after money, he eventually reveals to Kurapika that his dream is to one day become a doctor in order to help the poor. He believes that all things in the world (lives, dreams, etc.) can be bought and that becoming a Hunter will provide him with the necessary funds for his medical education. Due to his first spat with Kurapika, as well as the test on the way to the navigator's cabin, it seems that he has a sensitivity for those who do not take him seriously or treat him with disrespect. His real priorities seem to be friends first, then his dream of becoming a great doctor, with everything else afterwards. Leorio is not one to balk and retreat when faced with overwhelming odds in battle. A loyal, trustworthy ally who greatly values the ties of friendship, he acts like the 'big brother' of the group. He often provides comic relief; Killua sometimes ridicules him for his comparatively older age, although he swears that his appearance is that of a mere teenager. His impulsive and brash nature has sometimes caused more trouble for people around him. Another flair he has is his ability to 'straight-talk' through many situations at hand. It could be seen that his closest relationship in the group is with Kurapika because they have spent the most time with each other. At the tail end of the Yorknew arc, Melody claims that he has "the nicest heartbeat in the city," stating that "it's warm and gentle" and that he would make for a better doctor than a Hunter.


Leorio once lost a close friend (a boy named Pietro in the 1999 anime adaptation) to a debilitating illness. Leorio feels deeply remorseful about being unable to save his friend, as the illness was entirely curable but required a surgery he could not afford. Thus, he aspires to become a doctor one whom not only cures the ill of their diseases, but also one who works pro-bono for people who cannot afford it. In this light, his outwardly superficial reason to join the Hunter Exams in the pursuit of great wealth gains a more noble justification the money he earns is used not only to fund his medical school fees, but also to pay for the medicine and other miscellaneous expenditures when treating those who can not afford it. Leorio, examinee #403, makes his first appearance on board the ship that goes from Whale Island, Gon's hometown, to a testing site of the 287th Hunter Examination. He, Gon and Kurapika, are the only 3 candidates who are not affected by the brutal storm the night before. The captain reveals that he is an examiner and asks them why they want to become Hunters. With some reluctance, Kurapika replies that he wants to capture the Phantom Troupe. Leorio on the other hand answers the captain that he is attracted by the material possessions provided by being a Hunter. The two have a quarrel over their different opinions and decide to end it with a fight out on the deck while another storm is raging. When they are about to start, a crew member is knocked off the deck by a piece of wood broken off from a yard. Gon jumps off the deck to catch him and in turn is kept from falling into the sea by Kurapika and Leorio. After the incident they apologize to and make up with each other. Seeing that the captain laughs and decides to take the trio to the nearest testing place, Zaban City. In Zaban City, following Gon, Kurapika and Leorio head for a tree on a mountain that the captain instructed them to go to. They encounter a group of people on the way and a very old lady, who is also an examiner, asks them a question which they only have 5 seconds to answer. The question is such a dilemma that none of them can give an answer before time is up. Getting annoyed, Leorio picks up a wooden stick and attacks her but he is blocked by Kurapika, who explains to him that they have passed because keeping silent is the correct answer to this question. The old lady then tells them to go to a house in the forest to find a couple, who will be their navigators if they consider the trio qualified. Upon entering the house, they see a wounded man lying on the floor and a woman being held captive by a Kiriko. The monster flees as soon as it sees them. Telling Leorio to take care of the husband, Kurapika and Gon chase after it and force it to let go of the wife. Kurapika catches her and notices the strange tattoos on her hands and face. Leorio then shows up and says that there is nothing to worry about the husband. Kurapika suddenly hits Leorio in the face with his wooden sword. It turns out this Leorio is a Kiriko in disguise. After the monster runs away, he asks the wife who she really is, to which her answer is a strange smile. Meanwhile Gon is able to tell 2 identical-looking Kirikos apart, which greatly surprises them. The 2 Kirikos and the husband and wife, who are actually their son and daughter, then explain to the trio how they have qualified for the next test —Kurapika for his vast knowledge, Leorio for his good medical skill and confidence, and Gon for his extraordinary movement and observation and fly them to the next testing site.

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