Testing Gate

The Testing Gate (試(ため)しの()門(もん)()()()()()()(), Tameshi no Mon) is the main gateway to the Zoldyck Family's estate, guarded by Zebro.^[1]

Overview[]

It consists of seven doors. Each of the two panels of the first, smallest door weighs two tons, and a bigger panel weighs twice as much as the panel immediately preceding it. The gate is designed so that it opens the door corresponding to the strength of the pushing force.^[1] In order to enter the estate safely, one must open the Testing Gate. Those who enter the estate in any other way will be at risk of being attacked and killed by Mike, a trained giant guard dog of the Zoldyck Family.^[2]

Before Killua receives any form of Nen training, he could open up to the third door, weighing 16 tons in total. After spending 20 days training with heavy equipment, Gon, Kurapika, and Leorio could also open it, but only Leorio could open up to the second door, which weighs 8 tons.^[2] When Killua returns home after the Chimera Ant Extermination mission, he opens the fifth door, weighing 64 tons.^[3]

Number (Symbol*)	Weight	Who can open
1st (一)	4 tons	Zebro,[1] Gon*, Kurapika*[4]
2nd (二)	8 tons	Leorio*[4]
3rd (三)	16 tons	Killua*[1]
4th (Ⅰ三, Ⅸ, 匚)	32 tons
5th (Λ)	64 tons	Killua*[3]
6th (ΛⅠ, N)	128 tons
7th (ⅠΛⅠ, W)	256 tons

Trivia[]

• The symbols on the gate resembles, as a whole, the Roman numerals and the Chinese/Japanese numerals.
  • The 1^st, 2^nd, and 3^rd doors have almost identical marks to, respectively: 一 (ichi, 1), 二 (ni, 2), and 三 (san, 3) of the Japanese numerals. Less likely a sideways version of the Ⅰ, Ⅱ, and Ⅲ of the Roman numerals.
  • The 4^th door have a mark that could be: the concatenation of Ⅰ or a standing 一 (ichi, 1) with a sideways version of Ⅲ or 三 (san, 3) adding a total of 4, most likely a type of amalgamation between the Japanese and the Roman numerals. Or yet, less likely, a rearrangement of the letters that compose the alternative form for 4 (Ⅳ) in Roman numerals (ⅠⅠⅠⅠ).
    • For some reason only in the 2011 anime series adaptation the fourth mark is different, firstly, a Roman numeral Ⅸ (9) with underline and overline. A possibility is the confusion between an intended Ⅴ (5) and Ⅹ (10), since 4 is Ⅳ. At a later moment, when Killua opened the gate until the 5^th door,^[5] the mark was distinctly different from before, similar to 匚 or a square without the right-hand line.
  • The 5^th, 6^th and 7^th doors have similar marks to, respectively: an upside down Ⅴ, an upside down Ⅵ, and a rearranged-upside down Ⅶ.
    • For some reason only in the 2011 anime series adaptation the sixth and seventh marks seem slightly different, respectively, appearing more like an italicized uppercase letter n (N) and a W.
• In the manga, the only ones that were directly shown opening the gate are: Zebro (the 1^st door, two times),^[1][2] Killua (only the first time, until the 3^rd door),^[1] and Leorio (only the first time, the 1^st door).^[2]
• Since he managed to enter the Zoldyck premises, Muna is implied to have opened the Testing Gate.^[6]

Anime and Manga Differences[]

• In the 1999 anime series adaptation, the only ones that were directly shown opening the gate are: Zebro (the 1^st door, two times),^[7][8] Gon (the 1^st door), and Leorio (the 1^st door, slightly).^[8]
• In the 2011 anime series adaptation, the only ones that were directly shown opening the gate are: Zebro (the 1^st door),^[9] Killua (until the 3^rd and the 5^th door after),^[9][10][5] Leorio and Kurapika together (the 1^st door, minimally), and Leorio, Kurapika, and Gon as a team (the 1^st door).^[10] Unlike the manga and the 1999 anime version, neither Leorio nor Kurapika nor Gon were able to open the gate alone.

Intertextuality and References[]

• In chapter 68 of Me & Roboco, the Testing gate is featured as a trial to prove yourself worthy of entering the JUMP Editorial Department.

References[]