10 Best-Written Hunter x Hunter Characters

Most shōnen franchises relegate villains, giving them the role of foil and nothing more. Hunter x Hunter does the exact opposite, creating compelling villains through absurdly good writing that gives them personalities that feel almost too understandable. They're also some of the most well-written characters in the series, showing the depth of creator Yoshihiro Togashi's writing acumen.

Kite

Kite deserved more time on-screen, and yet, he played the small role given to him perfectly. He's a stoic, protective character who laid down his life to protect Gon and Killua from Pitou, and when he came back to life as an Ant, he consoled Gon beautifully.

Not everybody has the charisma of Leorio, the cynicism of Killua, or the outrageous carelessness of Gon. Kite is a simple-minded Hunter who played his role, and the series would've felt like it was missing something substantial if he wasn't in it.

Nobunaga Hazama

Out of all the legs of the Spider, Nobunaga is the most well-written. He seems like a very real, detached person who doesn't care about anything but his fellow Troupe members. He's a master swordsman, a brutal warrior, and after Uvogin's murder, a deeply attached comrade.

Most villains are one-sided. They only exist to be dominated by the hero, but Nobunaga's emotional depth proves that he's much more than that. Sure, he's more than willing to be a terrifying villain, but his conversation with Gon showed that there is much more to this character than we might initially think.

Neferpitou

Neferpitou has a range of emotions that many couldn't have seen coming. For most of the series, she's a bloodthirsty monster who doesn't care about much more than combat. Once Gon holds Komugi hostage, however, he devotion to the King shines brightly.

Neferpitou's devotion to Meruem is one of the best parts of her character. Watching her try to protect him after Netero flings her away from the palace is amazing, and nothing is quite as jaw-dropping as seeing her gratutity while dying to Gon, knowing that she, in a way, shielded her King from what is assuredly fatal damage.

Meruem

Meruem might not seem like a well-written character on the surface. He's pretty single-minded, nearly untouchable, and devoid of many emotions. That's exactly who he was meant to be; as the King, he was born in a league of his own, and his character reflects that masterfully.

Meruem acts as a perfect foil to Chairman Netero. Meruem was born the strongest, never knew what it was like to be weak, and despises vulnerability in every form. His monstrous nature suited his role as the strongest Ant masterfully, and like many of the other villains in Hunter x Hunter, there was nobody else who could've played his role better.

Isaac Netero

Isaac Netero's character shouldn't be taken for granted. Almost every anime series has an old, wise character who is more powerful than anyone else around them. All too often, however, these characters are incredibly boring because of how powerful they are, as there is no real reason for them to lose.

Mereum brought the best out of Netero. The Ant King didn't give the Chairman of the Hunter's Association a reason to live: he gave him a reason to die. Netero is a beast of a character, and his final bout against Mereum proved that he's in a league of his own in more ways than one.

Leorio Paradinight

Leorio Paradinight is the voice of reason within his group. Gon, Killua, and Kurapika might be the most unhinged trio in anime, and Leorio has the near-impossible job of keeping them all together. Leorio isn't perfect though, as his outburst against Ging proved that he's more than willing to go off the deep end if the situation calls for it.

Leorio's character is exciting because of how well-rounded he is. He's focused on the future, still living in the present, and well aware of the past. He's the most mature friend Gon and Killua have, and without him, their lives would undoubtedly be worse.

Hisoka Morow

There's crazy, there's incredibly deranged, and then way after both of those is Hisoka Morow. Hisoka is a wildly powerful character who can't be kept in check by anyone or anything, and that's just one of the reasons as to why he's such a great character.

Hisoka's goals are never easy to understand. He's a ruthless murderer during some arcs and a crucial ally in others. He's an obstacle to overcome and someone who shouldn't be messed with simultaneously. Like the leader of the Phantom Troupe, his hard-to-understand mentality makes him one of the best villains in anime.

Chrollo Lucilfer

Chrollo Lucilfer is a perfect example of the less-is-more mentality. He's rarely on-screen, almost never speaks, and yet when he does, he commands every second he's part of. Chrollo is the enigmatic leader of the Phantom Troupe, one of the best villain groups in anime, and there's nobody in any anime franchise who could play his role better than him.

So little has been revealed about Chrollo that it's almost absurd how prominent he is in the story. Nothing about him feels real, and yet, he feels like the realest character in the series. He's a walking mystery, and we can only hope that more of his story gets revealed in the future.

Kurapika

Kurapika's rage defines Hunter x Hunter. For a large portion of the story, even Gon and Killua are relegated to the side to make room for Kurapika's anguish and destructive tendencies. At his core, Kurapika feels like a tragic character of Shakespearean proportions, and there's nothing anyone can do to save him.

After the slaughter of his clan, Kurapika has been solely focused on vengeance. There are moments in the series in which he's able to relax, like when he's around Gon, Killua, and Leorio, and those moments just make his anger hurt viewers even more. If he is able to avenge his clan, there won't be anything left for the final member of the Kurta Clan.

Gon Freecss/Killua Zoldyck

Gon Freecss and Killua Zoldyck are two sides of the same coin. They're perfect opposites in every way: Killua comes from a dark place, is defined by a black-and-white color palate that reflects his initial mentality, and is one of the cruelest characters in the beginning of the series. Gon is incredibly naive, filled with color in every aspect of his character, and starts the series overflowing with kindness.

Saying that either one of these characters is better written than the other defeats the purpose of Hunter x Hunter. The series itself is a story of these two boys' respective paths. They bring the best out of one another, and neither would be able to accomplish his goals without the other.

Hunter x Hunter watches Gon descend into darkness quickly and brutally. It's hard to remember that, at the beginning of the series, he was just a boy from a small island who wanted to meet his father. After the Chimera Ant Arc, Gon is one of the most unhinged characters in anime, willing to sacrifice every ounce of his existence if it means killing Neferpitou.

Killua slowly becomes more human throughout the series. As a kid who grew up in a family of assassins, it's no wonder that he needed to learn how to be empathetic, and that's exactly where Gon helped him. Together, they become so much more than they ever were as individuals, and that might be the entire point of Hunter x Hunter.