Hunter Exam

The Hunter Exam is held only once per year. Registration for each annual exam concludes on December 31st, with the exam occurring soon after. Due to the huge numbers of people that register for the exam, the Hunters Association hires agents to cut down on the number of registrants that make it to the exam site by weeding out those that show little promise, for example, by guiding a ship carrying registrants through a storm, or by redirecting and ambushing buses carrying registrants. Those that manage to pass by these agents are then challenged to find the exam site itself, as prospective examinees are only given the date, time, and general location of that year's exam. Those that manage to find the exam site in time are given number tags in the order of their arrival.

The Hunter Exam itself is conducted by licensed Hunters, chosen by the ruling Committee of the Hunters Association, that take on the duty for free. The exam actually consists of five or six separate exams, determined ahead of time by the chosen examiners and the Hunters Committee. The exams differ from year to year, though there are usually elements of combat involved. The exams are also frequently deadly, such that fatalities and casualties among the examinees are both common and expected. Finally, there is no guarantee that any examinee will pass the Hunter Exam; years in which no examinees pass are common.

The Hunter License

Benefits
Being licensed as an official Hunter bestows a number of desirable benefits on the licensee. Because of this, huge numbers of people register for the licensing exam, which is held only once per year, even though fatalities among the exam takers are common, and even expected. The first and foremost is the recognition a license holder can enjoy, being one of the few in the world who owns a license. Hunters are commonly seen at the head of whatever field they pursue, and experienced Hunters are virtually guaranteed lucrative offers of employment from people or organizations seeking the most capable agents possible.

There are also many material benefits to being a licensed Hunter, which include:

• 1. 95% of all public facilities can be used at no cost. Furthermore, all such services are provided at first class.
• 2. Unrivaled freedom to travel around the world. Access is granted to about 90% of countries which normally restrict the entry of outsiders, and access to 75% of areas that the general public is prohibited from entering.
• 3. Almost no legal responsibility for murder.
• 4. The ability to sell the Hunter License as a valuable collector's item. Though only the original owner of a Hunter License can take advantage of the normal benefits, it can be still sold for enough money to support them self for at least 7 generations in luxury.
• 5. The ability to use the license as collateral for a zero-interest loan of 100 million jenny (approximately 90 million yen) at any bank.
• 6. Access to the secret Hunters Only Website, where secret intelligence about various subjects, uploaded by other Hunters, can be purchased.

Appearance
A Hunter license looks similar to a credit card, but slightly thicker and with an inbuilt computer chip. The front shows the licensee's Hunter rank, while the back has a magnetic strip with a unique serial number that identifies each individual to their license. The card can's magnetic strip also allows it to be swiped through machines to verify its authenticity and to access special services.

Ranks
Upon passing the Hunter Exam, candidates will receive a standard Hunter License. However, Hunters can be awarded with stars for significant contributions to society.

• 1 Star - Given to hunters who have made a significant contribution to a part of society.
• 2 Star - Given to hunters who have made significant contributions to several fields.
• 3 Star - Given to hunters who have made extraordinary contributions to society over several fields. This is the rarest and most difficult rank to obtain, and is considered a great honor. The number of 3-Star hunters is about 10.

Types of Hunters

Official Hunters, ones who have passed the Hunter Examination, usually choose to align their careers as Hunters along specialized paths. The following list comprises the different types of Hunters that have appeared in the manga.

• Blacklist Hunters - Blacklist Hunters dedicate their skills to tracking down dangerous and wanted criminals. Aspiring Blacklist Hunters often have intentions of justice or revenge, although many do it simply for the wealth gained from the profession.
• Treasure Hunters- Treasure Hunters scour the world in search of rare and valuable items. Hunters who take this path tend to be the most adventurous, or the most greedy.
• Gourmet Hunters - The goal of a Gourmet Hunter is to find and collect rare ingredients, then bring their flavors to life by using new and creative styles of cooking. The second test of the Hunter exam, illustrated the creed of the Gourmet Hunter. Though never stated explicitly, most Gourmet Hunters probably use specialized Nen abilities in their field.
• Archaeological Hunters - Archeological Hunters are dedicated to uncovering ruins and reviving ancient societies. Ging Freecss is the most famous Archaeological Hunter--he has made unparalleled contributions to this area of study.
• Beast Hunters - Beast Hunters are Hunters that feel a deep love for nature; their job involves the study and preservation of undiscovered animal species. Kite, Knuckle, and Shoot are all Beast Hunters.
• Music Hunters - Catered toward the musically talented, Music Hunters are ones in pursuit of rare musical pieces. Melody is a Hunter of this category.
• Contract Hunters - They find rich people and make deals/contracts with them.
• Temp Hunters - Hunters with government jobs subcontracted to them from the Hunters Association. Depending on the difficulty of the job and risks involved, Temp Hunters are guaranteed a certain sum for whatever job taken. As such, many Hunters choose to make this their career and subsequently ridiculed by professional Hunters for doing so.