With 36 volumes, 400 chapters, and 148 episodes, Yoshihiro Togashi’s Hunter x Hunter is bound to have several deaths to its name. Thousands have died in the series’ long run, from nameless mafia henchmen to big-name villains and the titular Hunters themselves. Hunter x Hunter pulls no punches and isn’t afraid to gravely injure or kill off even its strongest or most prominent characters.
The most notable deaths have effectively altered the course of the story, given the major plot implications whenever someone is killed. Some deaths demonstrated a character’s true power, whereas others kickstarted an entire arc. That said, nearly every death is a crucial milestone that guides the narrative forward.
Updated on November 14, 2023, by Ajay Aravind: Hunter x Hunter has been languishing in hiatus limbo for a painfully long time, even though the most recent chapter was released on December 26th, 2022. Fans have no idea when their beloved manga is going to return to full speed, but that makes the payoff all the more worthwhile. As such, we've updated this list of the most important deaths in Hunter x Hunter with some more information.
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1 Johness' Gruesome Execution Is Performed By Killua Zoldyck
Episode 11: "Trouble × With × The Gamble"
Gon, Killua, Leorio, Kurapika, and Tonpa encountered Johness during the 287th Hunter Exam’s third phase. Before being imprisoned in the Trick Tower, Johness was a notorious mass murderer who had taken 146 lives by tearing people apart with his bare hands. In a moment of poetic justice, Killua killed Johness by sharpening his nails and tearing out Johness’ heart.
Johness leaving the world was insignificant to the plot, but this moment was a demonstration of a Zoldyck’s lethal power, and Killua’s first real-time kill in front of the others. He’d already mentioned that he was a trained assassin, but he had yet to showcase his deadly skills. Johness' execution exemplified Killua's strength and set the stage for his deadly abilities.
2 Hisoka Decimates Kastro During Their Heavens Arena Rematch
Episode 32: "A × Surprising × Win"
Prior to the Heavens Arena arc, most of Hisoka’s power was essentially unknown. Nen itself was still a new concept to Gon and Killua. But once his rematch with Kastro came around, Hisoka proved himself a highly intelligent fighter as well as a powerful Nen user. It was here that he demonstrated his battle strategy and his iconic Nen techniques.
Hisoka used Zetsu to mask his aura before unleashing Bungee Gum and Texture Surprise, both Transmutation Nen abilities. Texture Surprise made his severed arm look completely healed, whereas Bungee Gum sealed Kastro's fate. While Hisoka’s incredible strength was shown before in the Hunter Exam, Kastro's death effectively proved his combat prowess.
3 Kurapika Kills Uvogin As Revenge For The Phantom Troupe's Crimes
Episode 47: "Condition × And × Condition"
Uvogin was one of the most abhorrent Hunter x Hunter villains, explaining why his hubris ended up being his downfall. When Uvogin found the mysterious Chain User with Shalnark’s help, he let Kurapika choose where he wanted to die, believing that he would easily defeat his opponent.
The tables quickly turned in the Gordeau Desert, where Kurapika’s vengeance for his Kurta Clan and his chain Nen overpowered Uvogin. When Uvogin still wouldn’t meet his demands to reveal the Troupe’s location, Kurapika surrounded his heart with his Judgment Chain, which eventually killed Uvogin for his non-compliance. Uvogin's death deeply affected his comrades, who subsequently went on a massacre spree.
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4 Pakunoda Lovingly Sacrifices Herself To Provide Her Crew With Information
Episode 58: "Signal × To × Retreat"
Pakunoda’s flashback gave a brief backstory of the Phantom Troupe and showed her as another founding member from Meteor City. Though she wasn’t one of the strongest members of the Troupe physically, her loyalty to the Spiders and to Chrollo proved unbreakable, and her dying use of her Nen was instrumental to the Troupe’s future maneuvers.
After the Troupe captured Gon and Killua, and Kurapika – still acting as the unknown Chain User – captured Chrollo, Kurapika demanded that Pakunoda come alone to meet them. Pakunoda later sacrificed herself, giving her memories over to the Troupe, thereby providing them with information about Kurapika and Chrollo in exchange for her life.
5 Kurt And Reina Are Killed And Transformed Into Chimera Ants
Episode 77: "Unease × And × Sighting"
Young siblings Kurt and Reina of NGL were among the first humans to be fed to the Chimera Ant Queen. This was the starting point of the Chimera Ant arc, and it showed the kind of horrific destruction the Ants would bring. Kurt’s rebirth as Colt eventually became one of the arc’s primary turning points, as Colt was the first Ant to show residual memories of his human life.
This self-realization was later reflected in Welfin, Palm, and others. Colt’s caring nature also transferred into his Ant mind, and he surrendered to Morel, Knov, and the Hunter Association. Though this was all for the sake of the Queen who eventually perished, Colt's information was essential to the Hunters who later battled at the palace.
6 Pokkle Dies In Agony While Neferpitou Tinkers With His Brain
Episode 84: "A × Fated × Awakening"
If Kurt and Reina’s deaths kickstarted the Chimera Ant arc, Pokkle’s set it at full speed. Further, Pokkle was the first Hunter to die on-screen, as no other Hunter had been killed until that point. A fearful Pokkle was discovered by Neferpitou, changing the course of the arc for the worse.
Pitou probed Pokkle’s brain and learned about Nen: its user categories and how to identify them, and that increased aura means increased power. This not only introduced Nen to all Ants who could then begin to use it. In addition, this knowledge turned Pitou into one of the most terrifying Chimera Ants in Hunter x Hunter.
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7 Pitou Decapitates Kite After A Seemingly Effortless Battle
Episode 85: "Light × And × Darkness"
As an incredibly strong Hunter and a friend of Ging, Kite’s death was one of the most shocking in Hunter x Hunter. His last moments alive occurred when he sensed Pitou’s menacing aura, commanded Gon and Killua to run, and subsequently lost his arm to Pitou’s attack. The next time he was shown, he was already dead, with Pitou cradling his severed head.
Aside from proving Pitou’s malice and demonstrating the power of their aura, Kite’s presumed disappearance was Gon’s driving force during the Chimera Ant arc. In fact, all of his actions were aimed toward the goal of getting Kite back. Gon's rage and despair upon finding out that Kite had been dead the whole time gave him the dangerous strength to kill Pitou during their final encounter.
8 Killua Kills Rammot After Removing Illumi's Nen Needle From His Head
Episode 94: "Friend × And × Journey"
Like Johness, Rammot was no major character, his death was vital for Killua. The two had met once before, with Killua using Thunderbolt on Rammot before Gon struck the Ant with his Rock punch. The trauma to Rammot’s body led him to develop Nen aura and, upon encountering Killua a second time, he was sure that Killua would be no match.
At first, Rammot had the upper hand, as Killua was too focused on Illumi’s manipulative words clogging up his mental landscape. But Killua’s desire to protect Gon overcame his fear of Illumi, giving him the willpower to extract his big brother's needle from his head. The Nen ability that Illumi had literally embedded into Killua no longer burdened him, and he decapitated Rammot in seconds.
9 Feitan Vaporizes Zazan In A Fiery Display Of Overwhelming Force
Episode 97: "Carnage × And × Devastation"
The Chimera Ants were not contained to NGL alone. Members of the Phantom Troupe returned to find that the Ants had invaded Meteor City, where Zazan had made a massive nest and proclaimed herself the Queen. Feitan took on Zazan first with his sword, and finally by protecting himself with Pain Packer and unleashing Rising Sun, burning Zazan alive along with anything else in the vicinity.
Though the other Troupe members demonstrated lethal power against other Ants in the nest, Feitan proved that he was leagues ahead in Nen ability, impressing Kalluto, yet another Zoldyck assassin. The Troupe continued to be a threat in Hunter x Hunter long after the anime adaptation stopped airing.
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10 Netero's Ultimate Gambit Pays Off When His Poison Kills Meruem
Episode 126: "Zero × And × Rose"
Even against someone like Meruem, Isaac Netero's self-sacrifice was staggering at the very least. In the battle between the greatest Hunter and the Chimera Ant King, Netero chose to use his ultimate option after failing to defeat Meruem with his 100-Type Guanyin Bodhisattva. He plunged his fingers into his own heart to activate the Poor Man’s Rose bomb, blowing up himself and Meruem in the process.
Netero’s sheer strength of will was a testament to the strength of humanity, which Netero summed up in his words, “Don’t underestimate the human race, Meruem.” The bomb eventually led to Youpi, Shaiapouf, Meruem, and Komugi’s deaths due to its poison release. Netero’s death paved the way for the next storyline, titled the 13th Hunter Chairman Election arc.
Hunter x Hunter
Gon Freecss aspires to become a Hunter, an exceptional being capable of greatness. With his friends and his potential, he seeks out his father, who left him when he was younger.
- Genre
- Adventure, Fantasy, Martial Arts
- Number of Seasons
- 6
- Debut Date
- October 2, 2011
- Studio
- Madhouse, Shueisha
