10 Strongest Hunter x Hunter Characters

Warning: The following contains spoilers for Hunter x Hunter beyond the anime.

Hunter x Hunter‘s power system is often regarded as one of the best in anime. The concept of Nen is based on the idea that a person can manipulate their life energy, or aura. The power is kept hidden from the public due to its potential dangers. With the possible exception of supernatural creatures, every powerful individual can utilize some form of Nen.

Since learning Nen is mandatory for their profession, Hunters account for many of the world’s strongest people. There are some, such as the Zoldyck Family, who use their Nen abilities for other purposes and therefore have no need for a Hunter license. Many characters have yet to showcase their powers. While Ging Freecss, Pariston Hill, and The Zodiacs are said to be outstanding Nen users, there is little to no evidence of their skill.

10

Tserriednich Hui Guo Rou Is A Dangerous Nen Prodigy

Fourth Prince of the Kakin Empire

Despite his lack of experience, Tserriednich is one of the most dangerous villains in the series. The Kakin prince participates in a Succession War against his siblings, during which he manifests a parasitic Nen Beast. His sinister personality is threatening enough, but his talent for Nen is particularly terrifying. Described as a prodigy, Tserriednich learns to control the flow of his aura in less than one day. He soon learns advanced techniques like Gyo and subconsciously develops a complex Hatsu.

Parallel Future allows Tserriednich to see ten seconds into the future by closing his eyes and activating his Zetsu. Time does not pass in the real world, and events occur exactly as envisioned. If the fourth prince maintains this state after the first vision, he will continue to receive premonitions while the real world unfolds before him. Aside from his powerful Nen ability, Tserriednich has demonstrated incredible intelligence and influence. These factors, combined with his power, can pose a massive threat in the future. Fans can only speculate how powerful he will become as he gains more experience with Nen.

9

Kurapika Is The Only Nen User To Fall Into Two Categories

Boss of the Nostrade Family and Rat of the Zodiacs

As the Kurta Clan’s only survivor, Kurapika’s eyes turn scarlet when he experiences intense emotion. Unlike those with multiple affinities, the Blacklist Hunter can change his Nen category. His scarlet eyes cause his aura to spike, transforming him from a Conjurer to a Specialist. Kurapika gains an ability called Emperor Time, which allows him to use all Nen Types at one hundred percent. However, his level of mastery of the other types remains unchanged. Unfortunately, Emperor Time forces Kurapika to lose an hour of his lifespan for every second he spends in the state.

Many of Kurapika’s attacks are designed for revenge against the Phantom Troupe. His signature ability, Chain Jail, forces the target into a state of Zetsu by shutting off their aura. The attack’s amplified power results from a Limitation, which will kill the chain user if used on someone outside the Troupe. In addition to the Judgement Chain, Kurapika’s chains can heal, steal abilities, and heighten perception. A rare individual with access to every Nen category, he incorporates elements of Emission, Manipulation, Enhancement, and Transmutation into his attacks. Kurapika’s exceptional intelligence, combat ability, and talent for Nen make him a truly well-rounded individual.

8

Hisoka Morow Has An Incredible Obsession With Battle

Hunter and Former Phantom Troupe Member

Hisoka’s clown-like appearance and flamboyant personality have established him as a fan-favorite character. A self-serving individual, he prioritizes pleasure above all else, regardless of the consequences. Depending on the situation, he can present himself as an antagonist, supporting character, or anti-hero. Hisoka’s lust for battle leads him to seek out strong opponents and spare anyone he deems “worthy” of fighting in the future. An intelligent person and remarkable combatant, he possesses a high level of proficiency in Nen. His signature ability, Bungee Gum, is a versatile Hatsu with the properties of both rubber and gum.

Combined with Texture Surprise, Bungee Gum can reattach limbs and reproduce body parts. Hisoka has demonstrated incredible proficiency in controlling the shape of his aura. After dying at Chrollo’s hands, he imposes a condition that allows Bungee Gum to restart his heart and lungs. Aside from Hatsu, Hisoka can skillfully apply advanced techniques and combine different types of Nen into his attacks. The Transmuter’s extreme bloodlust also gives him an upper hand in many battles. His post-mortem Nen

is partly the result of an intense desire to kill the Phantom Troupe.

7

Zeno Zoldyck Has Polished His Nen to Perfection

Assassin and Patriarch of the Zoldyck Family

According to a chart produced by Yoshiro Togashi for a Hunter x Hunter exhibition, Zeno has achieved the highest levels of mastery in Nen. He has spent decades honing his skills and is flawless in the application of Nen techniques. Aside from his proficiency in different categories of Nen, Zeno is a powerful combatant with amazing mental fortitude. While he may be often outclassed in terms of raw strength, Zeno is one of the finest Nen users in the series.

As a professional assassin and former head of the Zoldyck family, Zeno is an exceptionally skilled Nen user. He employs Transmutation techniques to create aura dragons that he can maintain from a distance and hold for prolonged periods. While the average Nen master can cover a radius of 50 meters, Zeno can extend his En to a radius of 300 meters. The assassin has excellent control over his aura, shown by how he uses Gyo to force Chrollo Lucilfer to fight more seriously. Zeno’s impeccable abilities are acknowledged by Netero, who hires him to assist the Extermination Team.

6

Chrollo Lucilfer Can Use Stolen Abilities From Any Nen Category

Leader of the Phantom Troupe

Despite his sophisticated mannerisms, Chrollo Lucilfer is a well-known menace to society. He is captured by Kurapika in Yorknew City and forced to comply with the rules of the Judgment Chain. Later, a Nen Exorcist lifts the condition, restoring Chrollo to his former power. His ability, Skill Hunter, allows him to summon a book and steal Nen abilities from people. These abilities can come from any Nen category, and will usually disappear when the target dies. Though Skill Hunter is an exceedingly powerful ability, it is subjected to strict conditions and limitations.

Chrollo is a brilliant individual and a skilled combatant. He is strong enough to put Silva and Zeno Zoldyck on edge, forcing the duo to risk their lives to defeat him. Zeno even says that while he would win in a one-on-one battle, it would be a different story if Chrollo was trying to kill him. The Specialist is shown using multiple stolen Nen abilities at the same time, indicating that he possesses tremendous levels of aura in his body. Furthermore, he uses his deep understanding of Nen to find a loophole for Skill Hunter’s major limitation.

5

The Royal Guards: Neferpitou (Pitou), Shaiapouf (Pouf), Menthuthuyoupi (Youpi)

Chimera Ant King’s Royal Guards

Hatched by the Ant Queen to protect Meruem, the Royal Guards rank directly below him in the Chimera Ant hierarchy. They are born with immense strength and the ability to use Nen. Initially a united front, Meruem’s relationship with Komugi separates the trio and elicits different reactions from each guard. While Pitou risks their life to protect Komugi, Pouf attempts to harm the girl behind the King’s back. Youpi, on the other hand, shows indifference while maintaining his loyalty to Meruem. The three Chimera Ants are powerful enough to frighten veteran Nen users like Knov.

The Royal Guards are high-level Nen users with powerful physical abilities. Youpi’s abilities are offensive, and include a shape-shifting skill known as Metamorphosis. Pouf’s Hatsu focuses on support and includes abilities like Cocoon and Spiritual Message, which bestow Nen and hypnotize others. Pitou is the most balanced of the three, with Doctor Blythe providing medical support and Terpsichora providing assistance in combat. While the Royal Guards are mostly equal in strength, Pitou is usually considered the more powerful of the three. The Ant’s undying loyalty to Meruem causes them to exhibit powerful post-mortem Nen.

4

Adult Gon Freecss Shows The Hunter At His Most Powerful

Rookie Hunter

After clearing Greed Island, Gon and Killua meet Ging’s former apprentice, Kite. As the three spend time together, the young protagonist becomes attached to his new mentor. Gon initially believes Kite is alive after his fight with Neferpitou; however, he soon learns the truth and prepares to confront the Royal Guard. The boy uncharacteristically shows his ruthless side by forcing Pitou to fight by threatening Komugi’s life. When the two finally battle, Gon’s inability to cope with Kite’s death causes him to experience severe emotional trauma.

Driven by his intense rage and sorrow, Gon makes a vow that lets him sacrifice all the Nen he will ever have. The extreme surge in power transforms the child into an adult, allowing him to reach his full potential. Gon brutally massacres Pitou, but his actions drain his life energy and put him on life support until Nanika saves him. Additionally, it’s speculated by Pitou that he may never be able to use Nen again. While Adult Gon is one of the strongest characters in the series, he is the result of an extreme Nen contract.

3

Isaac Netero Devoted His Life To Prayer And Martial Arts

Chairman of the Hunter Association and Grandmaster of the Shingen-ryu School of Kung Fu

In his prime, Isaac Netero was recognized as the greatest Nen user and the most powerful Hunter in the world. He continues to maintain much of his strength, despite claiming otherwise. To show his appreciation for martial arts, Netero partook in a two-year ritual where he fired ten thousand punches and offered ten thousand prayers each day. He soon achieves enlightenment and returns to his dojo to become the new grandmaster of Shingen-ryu. While the journey to the Dark Continent has a survival rate of 0.04 percent, Netero is able to return from both his voyages unscathed.

Using his 100-Type Guanyin Bodhisattva, Netero performs supersonic hand movements to launch thousands of attacks in less than a second. Meruem praises his strikes, acknowledging them as flawless. Despite his severed limbs, the Chairman uses his incredible endurance to invoke the Zero Hand technique and injure the King. He emits a bloodlust so powerful that it causes the Chimera Ant to experience fear for the first time. Even more impressive is that Netero’s Nen ability makes use of the types he’s in theory less proficient at, Manipulation and either Emission or Conjuration, which goes against the basic teachings of Nen.

2

Meruem Is Born To Outclass Human Nen Users

King of the Chimera Ants

An overwhelmingly powerful individual, Meruem initially sees humans as nothing more than livestock. This sentiment changes after he meets a blind Gungi champion named Komugi, who leads him to question his identity and place in the world. Meruem tells Netero that he no longer views humans as livestock and that he believes power exists to protect the weak. As the two engage in a heated battle, Meruem completely outclasses the strongest human and Hunter, but is still poisoned to death by the Poor Man’s Rose. The King soon realizes his love for Komugi, and the two share an emotional moment before succumbing to the effects of Netero’s bomb.

To give birth to Meruem, the Chimera Ant Queen consumes human Nen users. The young king’s unprecedented capacity for growth allows him to learn new skills and retain large amounts of information. Despite having little experience in battle, he analyzes Netero’s movements and scares the Hunter with his threatening Ren. His intense power eventually forces the world’s strongest Hunter to sacrifice his life in hopes of defeating him. Meruem possesses a terrifying ability that lets him devour Nen users and grow his aura. This ability, combined with his physical and intellectual superiority, establishes him as a major threat to humankind.

1

Nanika (Alluka Zoldyck) Is A Mysterious Creature With Infinite Power

Dark Continent Creature

Nanika is commonly thought to be Ai, one of the Five Threats humanity brought back from the Dark Continent. At some point, it possessed Alluka Zoldyck’s body and began sharing an empathetic link with its host. The creature’s wish-granting ability manifests when someone fulfills three of Alluka’s requests. However, the greater the wish, the more difficult the next three requests will be. After a servant wished to become a billionaire, Alluka asked the next person for several of their internal organs. Their failure to comply resulted in them, as well as other innocent people, being brutally killed. Only Killua is able to circumvent these rules.

Nanika’s wish-granting ability operates on a balanced system and is said to be limitless. When Killua asks Nanika to heal Gon, it requests physical contact with its target and soon falls asleep, bypassing all repercussions. The strong aura released from Gon’s body hints that Nanika’s ability is Nen-based. While it’s speculated that the aura could belong to Gon, this is unlikely since his aura nodes are currently closed. Yoshiro Togashi also revealed in his exhibition that Alluka has extreme Nen proficiency. While Nanika’s ability relies on strict conditions, its infinite power to grant any wish makes it the strongest character in Hunter x Hunter.

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