Since its debut in 1998, Hunter x Hunter has introduced some very powerful characters. Here are ten of the strongest fighters in the series.
Since 1998, Hunter x Hunter has been one of Shonen Jump’s most popular series. It has produced a manga as well as two anime and movie adaptations. Despite some frequently prolonged hiatuses, the manga is ongoing and is currently up to 390 chapters.
Over the years, the series has introduced some exceptional characters like protagonists Gon Freecss and his friend Killua Zoldyck, not to mention that there are plenty of other characters that have performed feats that make them some of the strongest fighters in anime. Without further ado, here is a list of the 10 strongest characters in Hunter x Hunter. Fair warning there will be some manga spoilers.
Zeno Zoldyck
Zeno Zoldyck may be old, but that doesn’t stop him from being one of the most lethal assassins in Hunter x Hunter. His physical strength far exceeds his age, and his speed and fighting prowess were enough to put Chrollo Lucifer, the leader of the Phantom Troupe, on the defensive.
As a Transmuter, he manipulates his Nen aura and changes its shape to form dragon-like constructs. While it is mainly an offensive move, he also uses this technique to transport himself and others across vast distances. With his Dragon Dive technique, he can create hundreds of aura dragons that rain down like meteors, causing widespread devastation. Overall, not bad for an old man.
Hisoka Morow
With an alias like the Grim Reaper, Hisoka Morow is the last person you’d want to cross paths with. While not exactly evil, Hisoka takes extreme satisfaction in fighting and killing strong opponents. As a former member of the Phantom Troupe, he ranked third in terms of pure physical strength.
His Nen ability Bungee Gum, which gives his aura the properties of rubber and gum, is very versatile. Along with his other ability Texture Surprise, he can recreate missing limbs and simulate the appearance of human skin. In the manga, he manages to bring himself back to life after losing a match against Chrollo. Considering that Nen becomes stronger after death, Hisoka’s threat level has never been higher.
Silva Zoldyck
As the current head of the Zoldyck family, Silva Zoldyck is a very dangerous man. Much like his son Killua, he is immune to even the most lethal poisons and can perform superhuman feats. One example is how he jumped down from the sky and literally got the drop on a Chimera Ant squadron leader, crushing its head with a single blow.
He’s also personally defeated a member of the Phantom Troupe, further supporting that he is not to be taken lightly. In terms of his Nen ability, he is an Emitter and a Transmuter with some expertise as an Enhancer. Using his Nen, Silva converts his aura into large orbs of destructive energy.
Chrollo Lucifer
As the leader of the Phantom Troupe, Chrollo is one of the strongest characters in Hunter x Hunter. The fact that he fought both Silva and Zeno, while holding back and still survived, speaks volumes of his power. Even Zeno admits that if Chrollo fought seriously, even he would have trouble defeating him.
As a Specialist, Chrollo is a powerful Nen user who can take away and use the abilities of others. In the past, Chrollo could only use one ability at a time. In the manga, he overcomes this weakness and can use two abilities simultaneously. He is also the first character to mortally wound Hisoka.
Shaiapouf
From the moment that Shaiapouf and the other Royal Guards were born, they possessed incredible power. In a short period of time, he developed an aura output that surpassed even that of Isaac Netero, the Chairman of the Hunter Association. He possesses immense physical strength and can run and fly at supersonic speeds. His powers include using scale dust to hypnotize humans, turning people into Chimera Ants and even bestowing Nen abilities onto others.
He can also create copies of himself, decreasing in size with every copy he makes. By creating thousands of miniature copies, he can infiltrate even the most secure locations and spy on his enemies without detection.
Menthuthuyoupi (Youpi)
In terms of both appearance and power, Menthuthuyoupi is nothing short of a monster. Unlike other human-Chimera Ant hybrids, he is a fusion between a Chimera Ant and a Magical Beast. This gives him the unique ability to control and modify any part of his body. He can grow extra arms and eyes, grow animal wings to fly, as well as morph his limbs into blades.
When enraged, he pressurizes and stores his aura, gathering large quantities of energy. Once he reaches his limit, he unleashes the power in a massive explosion. After learning to control his rage, he channels it into a new and more powerful transformation that easily overpowers his enemies.
Neferpitou
Compared to the rest of the Royal Guard, Neferpitou is undoubtedly the strongest of the three. They—his gender remains ambiguous—are so strong that they can travel great distances in a single leap. Their aura is so terrifying that it instills fear in even the strongest of Hunters.
Their Nen ability allows them to summon different types of puppets to either heal wounds through advanced surgery or even take control of others. Neferpitou’s desire to serve the Chimera Ant King Meruem is so strong that even after their death, one of their Nen puppet’s continued to exist. By manipulating their corpse, the puppet allowed them to continue fighting for the sake of protecting Meruem.
Gon Freecss (Adult)
Despite his young age, Gon’s mastery of Nen, along with his Jajanken ability, makes him a strong fighter. After his friend Kite is captured and killed by the Chimera Ants, he becomes consumed by revenge, which changes not just his personality, but his aura as well. After confronting Neferpitou who was responsible for killing Kite, he made a Nen Contract to increase his strength.
By sacrificing his lifeforce and natural talents, his body forcible aged to a state where he could beat Neferpitou. In his adult form, he becomes just as powerful as Meruem. As a result, Neferpitou is powerless to stop Gon from crushing his head in just two blows.
Isaac Netero
As the Chairman of the Hunter Association, Netero spent years training both his body and Nen ability to their peak. In his prime, he was considered the most powerful Hunter and Nen user in the world. He is also the fastest character, surpassing even Meruem’s speed, despite being over 100 years old.
His Nen ability allows him to summon the 100-Type Guanyin Bodhisattva. This Nen construct can unleash over 1000 devastating blows in under a minute. His most powerful move, the Zero Hand, drains his life force to fire a beam of immense destructive energy. Although he may have lost against Meruem, he is the first and only person to make him experience true fear.
Meruem
From the moment of his birth, Meruem was already more powerful than any other character in the series. He is extremely intelligent, able to process thousands of possible scenarios in mere seconds, and was strong enough to push back against the hands of Netero’s 100-Type Guanyin Bodhisattva.
His body was also durable enough to allow him to survive the equivalent of a nuclear explosion, although it did reduce him to a near-death state. He has the power to become stronger by consuming Nen users, obtaining their Nen abilities in the process. After absorbing the majority of Shaiapouf and Menthuthuyoupi’s powers, he not only recovers, but he also obtains their abilities, which he can then use on a more advanced scale.
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