Hunter x Hunter (HUNTER×HUNTER)
最初はグー、ジャンケン、ポン！
Saisho wa gū, janken, pon!
“First comes rock... rock, paper, scissors, go!”
— Gon Freecss
Answer both practice questions correctly to complete this line.
Not yetThe scene
This is not really a Gon quote — it is the chant every child in Japan grows up with, and Gon's Nen ability ジャジャン拳 (Jajanken) is built directly on it: his グー (rock) is a devastating enhanced punch, チョキ (scissors) a cutting blade, パー (paper) a projectile blast. He develops the technique during the Greed Island arc (the exact episode it is completed in is unconfirmed). The strongest move in his arsenal is named after a playground game — which tells you everything about Gon.
Word by word
| Japanese | Romaji | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 最初 | saisho | first, the beginning — 'first of all...' |
| グー | gū | rock — a closed fist (from ぐっ, the sound of squeezing tight) |
| ジャンケン | janken | rock-paper-scissors itself — the name of the game |
| チョキ | choki | scissors — two fingers, from the snipping sound チョキチョキ |
| パー | pā | paper — an open hand, spread wide |
Grammar notes
最初は〜: 'first comes...'
最初はグー literally means 'first, rock'. 最初は〜 is the everyday pattern for the opening step of anything: 最初は手を洗います (first, wash your hands), 最初は緊張した (I was nervous at first). The chant's first half is just a normal Japanese sentence wearing a playground rhythm.
Reveal on ポン: the rhythm of the game
Unlike the English 'rock, paper, scissors, shoot!', the Japanese chant front-loads a ready call: both players show rock during 最初はグー, bounce their fists through ジャンケン, and reveal on ポン. A tie is あいこ, and you go again with あいこでしょ. The chant IS the rulebook — timing included.
Can you say this in real life?
One hundred percent real-life Japanese: adults genuinely settle small disputes — who pays, who presents first — with a quick ジャンケン, chant included. Learn the rhythm and you can join in anywhere. One warning: regional and generational variants exist, so if the other person's chant differs slightly, that is normal, not a trick.
Practice
Q1. What is this chant for?
Q2. The chant always starts: 「最初は＿＿！」
Read & Watch Hunter x Hunter
The best way to enjoy this line in the wild is to meet it in the original work. Official places to read and watch Hunter x Hunter will be listed here.
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