Hunter x Hunter has a special place in the hearts of anime fans. Those who have watched the anime or read the manga know exactly what makes Hunter x Hunter so good in the first place.
Re-adapted by Madhouse in 2011, people never thought that Hunter x Hunter will claim the title of one of the greatest anime ever aired, especially since the 1999 version by Nippon Animation also was a wonderful adaptation.
Let’s start things off with world-building. The world-building in Hunter x Hunter is phenomenal. Yoshihiro Togashi (you should know this person already if you are a fan of Hunter x Hunter) has wonderfully crafted such a vast world that begs to be explored.
When the anime ended in 2013, Ging Freecs teased the fact that Chimera Ants were creatures that came from outside the world. At the moment, the manga is currently pursuing the Dark Continent Arc.
Sadly, according to the website hiatus-hiatus.github.io, which counts how many weeks it's been since the last time Togashi launched a chapter, it has been a good 137 weeks of hiatus. Imagine the story developments if Togashi continues working on the manga.
But let’s not mope around imagining something impossible. After all, there's one more reason Hunter x Hunter is adored worldwide, and it is its characters.
Hunter x Hunter has various kinds of characters, and everyone, literally every one of them, has distinct characteristics from one to another. You would never get bored of discovering the characters' individual designs, motives, natures, etc.
Although each of them is unique in their own way, there are some characters who tend to stand out because of many factors. Today, I would like to talk about a few characters who are adored by the fans. Twenty of them, to be exact.
Keep in mind that I would only mention anime only characters because of… You know, spoilers? With that being said, starting from number 20:
20. Pariston Hill
Yes, our beloved chaotic-neutral character has made it to the list. Pariston is one of the few characters in this anime who prove that the brain matters the most, even more than brawn. The way he predicted everything that was going to happen in the chairman election shows how much of a genius Pariston actually is.
His past is also shrouded by mystery, making this character even more intriguing to deep dive in. His cheerful and playful nature acts as a tool to get whatever he wants to get. It was shown that beyond that smile, he could be a cold serial killer if he needs to.
As the anime ends, all we know is that he seeks pleasure from the Hunter Association. It is interesting to see what Togashi had in mind about his fate in the near future.
19. Knuckle Bine
At the first glance, he looks like your stereotypical knucklehead (no pun intended) without the ability to calculate strategies and think calmly. While it is true to some extent, Knuckle has proved himself to be the most meticulous character on the series.
Just look at his Nen, APR. If I am being completely honest, I have not grasped the details of the calculation that made Gon explode. But his power is arguably one of the most well-thought Nen abilities out there.
Knuckle was also a really good senpai figure for both Gon and Killua, something they badly needed after losing Kite. He provided them with insights about Nen and trained them to become better than ever.
18. Ging Freecs
“The worst dad ever”. A moniker that only a few selected anime characters can achieve. And Ging most definitely fits that title.
So, why is this guy made it to the list? For starters, despite everything he has done to Gon, he did not fully abandon him. Ging constantly monitors Gon’s adventure and collects intel about him. He has faith towards Gon that he will survive despite undergoing dangerous adventures.
Ging also embodies “freedom” in the show. Sure, leaving your son to venture outside is not a responsible thing to do. But as I explained, Ging never forgot to check Gon’s being during his journey. And his motives make it clear that he means no harm to Gon. So, give him some rest. He is a bad father, yes, but not a bad person.
17. Uvogin
Some people thought Uvogin’s death was a waste since he has such an interesting personality behind that killing intent. They thought it was completely necessary to show how much more of a threat the Phantom Troupe actually is by keeping him alive.
Regardless of their opinion, Uvogin is dead. Kurapika killed him and showed us how much hatred he had towards Phantom Troupe.
Despite having such a short screen time, Uvogin has beautifully described what Phantom Troupe actually is. They might kill people, they might steal things, but they always do it together. Uvogin’s character who valued friendship and loyalty, willing to sacrifice himself to protect his colleagues (or some of you might use the word “Nakama”), is a joy to witness while it lasts.
16. Pakunoda
Another Phantom Troupe character who died at the early stage of the story, though unlike Uvogin, for some reason not a lot of people mourn over her death.
It is quite understandable when you compare the energetic, flashy, explosive Uvogin with the monotone, cold, Pakunoda. But some of the fans, including me, have seen deeper into her character.
Just like Uvogin, Pakunoda died protecting her Phantom Troupe colleagues. But there is one tiny detail that made her death more serene and meaningful. Her last exchange with Gon and Killua showed us how much she valued her comradery between her and Phantom Troupe. Pakunoda is definitely not the strongest member of the group, but she arguably has the biggest heart among them all.
15. Alluka Zoldyck
Compared to some other characters, his screen time is not as big as theirs, yet. However, he managed to steal the show because of 2 factors: his overpowering Nen ability and the most important thing, his cuteness. Yes, he is extremely adorable.
Having dressed like a female, some people, including me, might wonder why someone as cute as her is actually a “him”. Anime logic has gone too far this time. But worry not, it appears that our Killua refers to Alluka as his sister. So you can call Alluka using “she”. I am going to stick with “he” because that is how Hunterpedia pronounces Alluka.
Alluka’s addition to the series makes it more colorful although she came in one of the most emotion-draining arcs.
14. Shaiapouf
Hunter X Hunter has shown us many forms of loyalties to a person, group, or even a thing. One of the most prime examples of this is beautifully performed by one of The Royal Guards, Shaiapouf.
Shaiapouf is not the strongest Royal Guards. Sure he can fight, but that duty will be performed better by Neferpitou or Menthuthuyoupi. One thing he can do better is, yes you guess it, is making strategies, mostly to his beloved king, Meruem.
We have seen him manipulating things behind the scenes. Starting from Neferpitou, Komugi, and even the king himself. At glance, what he did was nasty and dirty. However, from his point of view, all he wanted was Meruem to be happy and protected. Even if what he did were wrong, there is no denying that Shaiapouf only, I mean, ONLY thinks for Meruem. Now that is what we call loyalty.
13. Illumi Zoldyck
This guy right here, has a potential to become the most dangerous character in Hunter x Hunter. We have seen him pulling different strings behind that curtain. Whenever Illumi appears, you know something bad is coming up real quick.
He is not only gifted by his assassin skills, Illumi is also considerably smart and cunning. The way he put a needle inside Killua’s head and manipulated him indirectly shows how dangerous Illumi actually is.
Still, nobody could fully hate him. His antics are sometimes fun to watch, especially when he is with Hisoka. Overall, just like Pariston, I personally could not hardly wait to see him back in action. He is the true embodiment of “the element of chaos” on the show.
12. Feitan Portor
People might argue there are more interesting characters than Feitan. But, it is quite difficult to find other characters who are more badass than him. For some fans, they know exactly how cool Feitan actually is at the very first glance.
The De facto leader of Phantom Troupe really does prove his looks are exactly as menacing as his skill sets. It is pretty hard not to feel goosebumps when he released his Nen power against Zazan.
Outside battles, Feitan also shows that he is capable of goofing around and doing something fun with his comrades. It looks minor, but it is another great example of Togashi portraying 2 sides of coins on every Hunter x Hunter character.
11. Neferpitou
The Royal Guards has once again proved to be some of the best characters in Hunter x Hunter. In Neferpitou’s case, her greatest moment came just after her death when she fought adult Gon.
Ever since her introduction, Neferpitou is portrayed as a bloodthirsty character who loves to kill and torture her opponent. Togashi rarely portrays her as a loyal guard like Shaiapouf and Menthuthuyoupi (Youpi does care about Meruem but he is not so good at thinking and feeling it).
But the moment before she died, she showed that she is as loyal as Shaiapouf. She felt relieved that Gon was specifically targeting her instead of Meruem. Her loyalty was even beyond life and death, being able to awaken her Nen to protect her King. Neferpitou showed that she is more than your average fight-lover character.
10. Isaac Netero
It is a shame that we can only enjoy his battle once and for all. But boy, I think we all agree that his fight against Meruem is arguably the best fight in Hunter x Hunter. Some might think it is one of the best fights in Anime history.
Being one of the strongest characters, Netero always does what he does best: having fun whenever he has time to do so. But, you guys already know this type of character. When something big occurs, he is the last person you would like to mess with.
His willingness to sacrifice himself against Meruem shows how serious Netero is with the current situation. At his last moment, he magnificently portrays the brutality of humankind, and how the sky is only the limit for human’s evolution.
9. Komugi
She is the sole reason why Meruem is willing to abandon his life as a King, and prefers to play Gungi with her for the rest of his life. Sadly the term “rest of his life” is not as long as people think, because we all know what was happening after that.
Starting as a useless crybaby, Komugi slowly starts showing why she is the perfect match for Meruem. She is the only character who was brave enough to deny Meruem's order, even after he threatened to kill her. Her compassion and humbleness were also enough to melt the coldest ice.
Komugi is always there for Meruem, even though she only accompanies him for playing Gungi. They are only apart when Meruem fought Netero, and at that time Meruem has changed to become more humane than human beings themselves. It is all thanks to Komugi that we witness one of the greatest character developments in any Anime.
8. Leorio Paladiknight
He is a real brother figure of Gon. Despite showing many flaws such as quick tempered, perverted, and reckless, Leorio has proven himself to be one of the best allies Gon ever had.
One prime example is how he boldly showed his Nen ability in front of spectators, and punched Ging with it. For your information, exposing your Nen to others might endanger the user since now other Hunter can use that information for their own benefits. What Leorio did to support Gon, even though it is not as big as other characters, was amazing on its own.
In the past there are other occasions where Leorio helped Gon. And back to the “loyalty” topic, Togashi gives us another extremely loyal character in the form of Leorio.
7. Kite
If Feitan is arguably the most badass antagonist, some might argue Kite is the most badass protagonist in the series. And it is quite easy to understand why exactly.
Kite is known as a skilled Hunter. He also has a vast knowledge about different kinds of species, which truly shows how dedicated he actually is to his job. Ging played quite a role to shape Kite's skill as a Hunter, and now he influenced Gon and Killua to be like him.
Behind the stern demeanor, Kite has a soft spot towards Gon. Even though his actions might seem rough, he did that so he can protect and teach Gon about what being a Hunter truly means. That is why Gon was absolutely enraged and frustrated when he knew he couldn't save that one person he owed the most.
6. Chrollo Lucilfer
Here it is, your favorite spider. The head of the table, The Almighty Chrollo Lucilfer. When fans speak about Chrollo, 2 things that they always mention are: personality and most important thing, skills.
Calm and reserved are perhaps 2 words that explain Chrollo's character the best. We never see him panicking no matter what the situation is. I could say normal people will panic if their Nen is sealed by Kurapika's “Judgement Chain”. But not Chrollo. It is like he knows that he will eventually be freed from that.
Extremely skilled are perhaps 2 words that explain Chrollo's combat skill the best. Despite not fighting seriously, surviving against 2 monsters being Zeno and Silva Zoldyck is not an easy task. And in the manga, we also have seen another match of him (not going to spoil it here. Go read the manga to know which battle). Chrollo is amazing. End of debate.
5. Gon Freecs
Some of you might think, “why is the main character not in the first place”? Well, that is because Hunter x Hunter has so many amazing characters, that I have to put Gon in the 5th place. When you see other characters who topped Gon, you will quickly understand why.
Gon's character development is simply amazing. Starting from a naive kid who sought after his father, then he slowly turned into a monster who sought vengeance for his mentor.
People might like other characters in Hunter x Hunter, but there is no way they are going to hate our main character. Gon is simply too lovable to hate, and fans will agree with that.
4. Kurapika
Other than Gon and Killua, Kurapika is the only character who has his own saga, having a lead role in Yorknew Arc and one other arc in the manga (again, I am not going to spoil it). Thus, some of the fans might understand his character more than any other characters in the series.
Kurapika is the embodiment of hatred in Hunter x Hunter. He spent his life looking to get stronger so that he can avenge his Kurta Clan after being slaughtered by Phantom Troupe. But because of this, his character felt so humane, despite being quite edgy at some point.
But being alone for most of his time, making him extremely vulnerable from inside. He can get easily manipulated if a person wants to do so. Which is why he enjoys being accompanied by Gon and friends despite straying from his main goal.
3. Hisoka Morow
It is quite difficult to grasp what Hisoka's real motives are in the series. All we know is that he enjoys fighting and is willing to do anything to fight someone strong, or even stronger than him.
Like a Joker, his appearance can be a good fortune or bad omen. Most of the time, he sided with other antagonists and tried to disrupt our main character's plan. But sometimes, he joined Gon and helped him to finish whatever he has started.
Regardless of what his true intentions are, people never dislike him in general. Fans love seeing him. His antics are sometimes creepy, but funny at the same time. And we know whenever he makes an appearance, we are most likely going to enjoy a good action scene.
2. Killua Zoldyck
Gon's best friend (personal note: stop saying Killua is Gon's boyfriend. It is creepy to ship two teenage boys) is arguably the most beloved character in the series.
Killua is a mix between chill, funny, and cool at the same time. It is your stereotypical protagonist sidekick to be honest. But this kind of sidekick tends to be a bit edgy because the author tried so hard to make them look cool. Killua is not anything like that.
His edginess is on the right amount. And whenever it shows, it really is understandable considering his past is quite dark. But most of the time, Killua is simply trying to be a normal kid who loves playing around and having fun. He rarely acts like an edgy boy unless the situation forced him to.
1. Meruem
There is no denying that Meruem has one of the greatest character changes in the series, maybe in the anime history. Starting as a tyrannical lord who wants power, into a humble leader who simply wants to play gungi with his best friend.
Meruem also portrays an analogy of “The Rules of Survival”, being a creature who tried to survive, and lost to human beings because humankind is willing to cease their humanity in order to survive, something that other animals might not be able to do.
There is not much to say about Meruem, apart from thank you Yoshiro Togashi for creating such a wonderful character in the series.
source https://wealthofgeeks.com/best-hunter-x-hunter-characters/
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