Leorio Paridinight

Leorio Paradinight

(レオリオ＝パラディナイト, Reorio Paradinaito) is a rookie Hunter and member of the Zodiacs with the codename "Boar" (To me, I). He is currently a medical student, studying to become a doctor.

Appearance

Leorio is a tall, manly-looking, and rather muscular young man with small, brown eyes, black hair, and a short spiked haircut. He usually wears a dark blue business suit, black shoes, and a pair of tea-colored sunglasses. Some of the characters, such as Killua at the beginning of the story, mistake Leorio for an old man, but he is actually much younger than he appears, as he was a teenager at the beginning of the series.

Personality

Leorio is initially introduced as a very selfish narcissist who places great importance on material wealth. Despite his claims 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 funds necessary for his medical education. Due to his first fight with Kurapika, as well as the test on the way to the navigator's cabin, he seems to have a sensitivity towards those who do not take him seriously or treat him with disrespect. His true priorities seem to be friends first, then his dream of becoming a great doctor, and everything else after. Leorio is not one to back down and retreat when faced with overwhelming odds in battle. A loyal and reliable ally who highly values ​​the bonds of friendship, he acts as the "big brother" of the group. He often provides comic relief; Killua sometimes ridicules him for his comparatively older age, though he swears that his appearance is that of a mere teenager. His impulsive and brash nature has sometimes caused more trouble for the people around him. Another talent he has is his ability to "speak his mind" in many situations that are put before him. It can be seen that his closest relationship in the group is with Kurapika because they have spent the most time together. At the end of the Yorknew City arc, Melody states that he has "the nicest heartbeat in the city", stating that "it's warm and soft" and that he would make a better doctor than a hunter.

Past

Leorio once lost a close friend (a boy named Pietro in the 1999 anime adaptation) to a debilitating illness. Leorio feels deeply regretful that he was unable to save his friend, as the illness was entirely curable, but required surgery that he could not afford. Thus, he aspires to become a doctor, someone who not only cures the sick of their illnesses, but also works pro-bono for people who cannot afford it. In this sense, his seemingly shallow reason for joining the Hunter Exams in pursuit of great wealth is given a more noble justification: the money he earns is used not only to fund his medical school fees, but also to pay for medicine and other miscellaneous expenses when he treats those who cannot afford them.

Respective reasons

"I'm a simple guy. I thought I'd become a doctor... so I could cure a kid with the same disease and tell his parents they didn't owe me anything! Me... a doctor! What a joke! Do you know how much it costs to even try to become a doctor? It's unbelievable! It's always about money! Always! That's why I want it!" — Leorio, to Kurapika in “Respective Reasons”