Blue Angel
19-12-2003, 05:13 PM
<<Lead Characters
Gon Freecss
http://www.hunterhq.com/character/images/main1.jpg
Biodata
Birthday- 5 May
Place of birth- Whale Island
Height- 154cm
Weight- 49kg
Blood type- O
Hatsu- Kyouka
Seiyuu
Takeuchi Junko
Background
The son of the legendary Hunter Ging Freecss, Gon was left in the care of his aunt since infancy, his father was never heard of since. During his youth, Gon met another Hunter, Carter, who was once Ging's apprentice. That fateful meeting made Gon all the more intrigued to meet his father, and also gave him the hope and inspiration to take the Hunter license.
Talents
A naturally optimistic youth, Gon's friendliness and innocence has charmed and won many trusted friends to his side, including Kurapica and Kihlua. With an uncanny and extraordinary sense of smell, taste and hearing, Gon's instinct has aided his friends through many tough obstacles during the Hunter exam. Gon has another remarkable talent, being able to talk to and befriend with animals easily.
Fighting Ability
Gon has an unusual choice of a weapon, which is a fishing rod. Though it doesn't deal much damage to his enemies, Gon is able to accurately swing and 'hook' it onto targets, proving itself to be useful time and time again.
Nen ability
Out of the 6 main nen types, Gon proves to be a Kyouka which is a ‘Strengthen type’. People belonging to such a category excel in attack and defense, and also have the ability to heal themselves quickly. Building on this type, Gon has sharpened his use of nen, and has managed to increase his attack power with his fists, dealing more damage than before.
Some personal comments-
After watching the anime series, he has somehow managed to become my favourite character in the Hunter series, even though he ranks a distant third in character polls. I can't help but root for him and wish for his success in the story. In fact, both Aroe and I created a shrine specially dedicated to this green hunter, called AppleJuice. More feelings and impressions of him are available there (since the space here is limited ^_^). In fact, if you're a fan of Gon - you shouldn't give this site a miss!
Killua Zaoldyeck
http://www.hunterhq.com/character/images/main3.jpg
Biodata
Birthday-7 July
Place of birth- Kukulu Mountain
Nen type- Manipulative
Height- 158cm
Weight- 49kg
Blood type- B
Hatsu- Enka
Seiyuu
Mitsuhashi Kanako
Background
Killua was born to a family of renowned assassins, the Zaoldyeck family. Showing great promise from birth, Killua has already mastered many killing techniques at a tender age, and is set to be one of the best assassins the family has produced. Bored and tired of killing, Killua unexpectedly rebelled against his family, injuring both his mother and brother, and ran away to join the Hunter exam. Meeting with Gon during the first obstacle, Killua saw Gon as a friendly competitor, and ended up becoming fast friends.
Attributes
From the outside, Killua seems just to be the boy next door, cheeky, cheerful and full of mischievous ideas. However, his ruthlessness and aptitude in killing shows the other side of him--deadly, violent and bloodthirsty. Having been repeatedly tortured since birth, Killua has been conditioned to possess extreme tolerance for poison, electrocution and pain. Possessing both extraordinary agility and strength to match, Killua is one mean killing machine--definitely not one to be trifled with, as many of his adverseries had seen. However, his greatest flaw is to fear characters more powerful than him, like his elder brother.
Fighting ability
Killua does not use any weapons in combat. Instead, he uses his hands that change into razor sharp claws at will, delivering a swift and fatal attack, that can rip out beating hearts or behead opponents in a split second.
Nen Ability
As an Enka person, who can transform the nen into any substance at their will, Killua is busily practising this ability. So far, he has managed to successfully transform his surrounding nen into an electrically charged form, producing volts of electricity. The inspiration for this has been attributed to the daily doses of shock therapy he received at home, a favourite torture device of his brother, Milluki.
Kurapica
http://www.hunterhq.com/character/images/main_kura2.jpg
Biodata
Birthday- 4 April
Height- 171cm
Weight- 59kg
Blood type- AB
Hatsu- Gugenka and Tokushitsu
Seiyuu
Kaida Yuki
Background
Kurapica is a member of the Kuruta tribe, a reticient group of people that chose to leave in obscurity. They possess a pair of eyes that turn flaming red in times of anger or serious agitation. The legendary brilliance of such scarlet eyes caused them to be in high demand as a collector's treasure.
A few years ago, the Phantom Brigade came to Kurapica's hometown and massacred all the members of his tribe, leaving behind scores of dead bodies with eyes gorged out in their wake. As the last surviving member of his tribe, Kurapica vows to gain back all the stolen eyes of his people, by tracking the brigade down and seek revenge. Even if this entails sacrificing his life.
Personality
Kurapica is a level headed and intelligent individual, possessing knowledge of a great variety of things. Of sound judgement, his in-depth and cool analysis has saved his friends from the brink of death many times. Needless to say, his quickmindedness and bargaining technique has also saved him from being killed by oppressively powerful enemies like Hisoka.
Nen ability
Kurapica is a Gugenka, one that can fashion objects that act according to his imagination. The weapon that he creates is a unique form--extending from his fingers of his right hand are five chains, which were specially created to deal vengeance upon the Phantom Brigade.
http://www.hunterhq.com/character/images/main_kura3.jpg
Blood red eyes..
When Kurapica's eyes turn red, his special ability, Tokushitsu, surfaces. All nen abilities besides Gugenka would be increased to 100% efficiency, making him virtually invincible during this span of time.
To increase his effectiveness against the formidable Phantom Brigade, Kurapica places strict restrictions on the usage of his nen blades:
http://www.hunterhq.com/character/images/main_kurapica_hand.gif
Use of each finger:
Thumb- Healing
Shaped like a cross, it cures wounds by drawing from the Kyouka ability. When Kurapica is in tokushitsu, it can heal serious injuries in seconds.
Third finger- Immobility
Wraps around enemies, restricting movement. Also forcefully causes captured person to enter setsu (a crippling effect that diminishes their nen abilities). Restricted only in dealing with brigade members, with the violation resulting in Kurapica's death.
Fourth finger- Investigation
Kurapica uses this frequently under normal situations, for defence and attack purposes. It is also useful for other investigative activities, like determining the location of missing individuals.
Small finger- Judgement
A small nen blade enters the victim's body and stabs the heart. Kurapica sets a condition and if the victim breaches it, he would lose his life. Only can be of use when Kurapica is in tokushitsu.
Some Comments
Alternative spellings of his name- Kurapica, Curarpikt (heavens, how do you pronounce this??)
Possible meanings of his name-->
Kura:: Shares the same first 2 syllables with Kurama, a character in Yoshihiro Togashi's other famous work Yuu Yuu Hakusho. Both also share similar characters too. More on this below..
Pika/Pica:: Used in printing- to represent a character size 12pts equivalent to 1/6 inches. (i.e a rather small size- and Kurapica's far from that!)
Origins-->
I've read somewhere that Yoshihiro-sensei got the inspiration of Kurapica from an insect, but I can't verify whether it's true or not.
Male/ Female??-->
Lots of readers and fans of the series often speculate about the gender of Kurapica- on some aspects, he certainly resembles a female- his pretty features, the sometimes narrow waist, the voice (earlier episodes of the anime); Kurapica's modesty- remember the explosive reaction from Leorio emerging naked from the shower? Various mannerisms contribute to this impression.
However, it seems now that it's about 99% confirmed that Kurapica is male: why?
Incident 1:: Kuroro mentions that he didn't expect that his abductor would be female (Kurapica's disguise). Kurapica retorts while removing the wig, "Did I ever say that I'm female? You should never judge people by their appearances."
Incident 2:: The cover of book 14 tells it all. Picture shows Kurapica's upper half nake torso- and it's completely flat. Various scenes in the anime episodes also hint this- the episode where he trains with the nen sensei shows one scene where his body in entwined in chains- showing a hint of his flat-chest.
Kurpica vs Kurama-->
I'm sure fans of both Yuu yuu hakusho and Hunter x Hunter would make such a comparison. Personally, I preferred Kurama as he is more compassionate, with a higher EQ quotient than Kurapica (Kurapica fans- don't impale me here! It's only my impression!) Kurapica also seems more hardheaded as compared to Kurama who takes things better with greater ease.
In terms of personality- both are strategists with leadership qualities- and possess excellent skills of deduction and analysis. Weapons are also *quite* similar- Kurama with his signature thorn-studded whip, and Kurapica with his chains- instruments that deal more pain than actual damage, and can trap opponents within.
Leorio
http://www.hunterhq.com/character/images/main_leorio.jpg
Biodata
Birthday- 3 March
Place of birth- Unknown
Nen type- Unknown
Height- 193cm
Weight- 85kg
Blood type- O
Seiyuu
Goda Hozumi
Background
Much is unknown about Leorio. What we do know is that he once lost a close friend to a debilitating illness. Leorio feels deeply remorseful about not saving his friend, due to lack of money and knowledge in curing the illness. Thus, he aspires to become a doctor--one that not only cures the ill of their disease, but also waives the fee for the poor. In this light, his outwardly superficial reason to join the Hunter Exams in the pursuit of great wealth has a nobler justification--the money he gains is used not only to fund for his medical school fees, but also to pay for the medicine and other miscellaneous expenditures when treating the poor.
(N.B:: When asked for his main reason for joining the Hunter Exam, his immediate reply was to earn lots of money, becoming rich, which greatly annoyed Kurapica initially)
Personality
Leorio is not one who balks and retreats when faced against overwhelming odds in battle. A loyal, trustworthy ally who greatly values the ties of friendship, he acts like the 'big brother' of the group. However, his impulsive and brash nature has sometimes caused more trouble to people around him. Another flair he has is his ability to 'straight-talk' past any situation at hand.
(N.B:: As in the arm-wresting stall he managed to set-up and become the spokesperson for)
Bargaining is one of his strengths, some say inherent nature, as he is able to haggle his way with shopkeepers and cut prices down to a unimaginable level.
(N.B:: When Gon and Killua wanted to purchase handphones at Auction City, Leorio managed to cut down its original price by about 1/3, and bragged that his was bought at a cheaper price. Passers-by even clapped and cheered during the successful purchase!)
Hunter Judges
Hmm.. what would the exam be without the introduction of any illustrious Hunter judges? Though all were somewhat eccentric in character, they were very effective in whittling down the numbers of candidates down to a handful. Here is a brief description of each of them:-
http://www.hunterhq.com/character/images/judge_sado.jpg
Sadotsu
With a face that appears to pop right out from Poker card illustrations, one wonders how to treat Sadotsu seriously. Another rising question is his ability to speak, judging from his apparent lack of any oratorical organ on his face. (i.e-- he's missing a mouth!!)
Sadotsu was the first of the appointed judges that greeted the candidates, and the test of the first stage was the test of the candidate's stamina. While he merrily lead them on a physically exhausting marathon, leading the pack with huge easy strides, the runners panted and were very tired.
As a Hunter archaeologist in his normal profession, he was also inspired by Ging in taking up the Hunter license. One who initially felt a strong civic duty to carry out his role as a judge, he had progressively taken a liking to Gon and wished to help him. Quite a compassionate person, actually.
http://www.hunterhq.com/character/images/judge_fuha.jpg
Fuhara
Menchi's companion in the second exam, a hulking figure with a large potbelly and an even larger appetite. Fuhara's easy-going nature contrasts with Menchi's highly selective one.
Fuhara was the judge in the first round of stage 2- and his condition for passing the round was for the candidates to hunt down the wild boar that is in the nearby forest, bringing the carcass for him roasted. It was an easy task (and interesting too- as you get to see the various methods Gon, Leorio and Killua used to get the animal) and almost all the candidates managed to bring one back for Fuhara to savour- which he did with great relish; gobbling them down and leaving a large heap of bones beside him.
http://www.hunterhq.com/character/images/judge_mench.jpg
Menchi
Picky, picky, picky is what I'll call her- but it fits her profession very well, being the Gastronomic hunter she is, and one of the world's best at that. Coupled with Menchi's sensitive and highly selective sense of taste and culinary skills is a physically fit body that enables her to carry out the search of unique foods and culinary experiences- in dangerous places.
Menchi was one of the 2 judges that presided over the second stage of the Exam. Her exam topic was to prepare a piece of sushi for her to taste. If it meets up to her expectations (which is very very stringent) the candidate would have passed the stage.
(Eveyone was also very baffled as to what sushi was- as they didn't know what cuisine it is, so it was very funny seeing Killua, Kurapica and Gon give their versions of sushi to eat, only to get rejected by Menchi)
http://www.hunterhq.com/character/images/judge_liba.jpg
Liba
The judge of the 3rd stage- with a pair of red sunshades and punky hairdo. Looks to be a slightly perverse character, with a sly look with eyes that are almost identical to the foxes in the preliminary stages. He concocts up many devious ideas- in the Tower of tricks, the hurricane storm and the number tag stages- that test the candidates in different aspects of group dynamics- both in a communal and individual front.
http://www.hunterhq.com/character/images/judge_net.jpg
Netero
This old man is none other than the head of the Hunter committee- which presides over the awarding of hunter licenses to suitable candidates that passed the test. Netero made a rather stunning entry in his first appearance-making a free-fall jump from the hunter blimp (flying at a very high altitude) without a parachute, landing squaring on his feet, without any sign of damage. His legs must have been created with steel!
A highly eccentric old man with many unconventional ideas, (Netero's idea of the final stage of the exam is surely unconventional enough!) even Hisoka seems to be wary of this figure. I wonder what would happen if he ever got to engage with a one-on-one battle with Zeno (Killua's grandfather)- another wizened but powerful fella.
http://www.hunterhq.com/character/images/judge_potato.jpg
Netero's Secretary
Looks to be a talking potato-head, though one thing we can be sure of is that his brain's certainly stuffed with things other than starch. Highly factual and exacting in his words- the secretary was the one who gave a presentation on the uses of the Hunter license to the successful candidates of the Exam. He can really become a very successful spokesman of Calbee Potato Chips.
<<Hunter Candidates
Candidates of the Hunter Exam
http://www.hunterhq.com/character/images/title_huntcand.jpg
Besides the main characters of the series, there were an additional 400 people who had taken the Exam with the same dream of obtaining the Hunter license. Although some have met rather untimely ends during the course of the exam, they were nonetheless very colourful and unforgettable characters that spiced up the storyline. Here are some of the more prominent characters listed below in numerical order of the Hunter number tag.
http://www.hunterhq.com/character/images/hunt_tonba.jpg
Outcome:
Disqualified at stage 4.
Tonba
No. 16
Nicknamed the 'newbie killer' by other candidates with more experience taking the exam, Tonba has taken the exam for 25 consecutive terms, but has somehow never managed to pass. He often brags of his experience to newbies and then offers a helping hand. Of course, this is merely subterfuge as he takes a perverse pleasure in sabotaging their attempts to get the license.
This time around, he trailed Gon, Kihlua, Kurapica and Leorio, attempting various means to foil their advancement, like spiking drinks with a strong laxative, feigning tiredness to delay progress, and other nasty tactics. To his chagrin, these had no measurable effect on their progress.
http://www.hunterhq.com/character/images/hunt_bakuru.jpg
Outcome:
Successfully got Hunter license.
Bokuru
No. 53
This has been the second attempt for Bokuru to pass the Exam. He's an accomplished archer that carries a bow and shaft of arrows wherever he goes. The arrows are tipped with a potent tranquiliser that even with a small nick, induces paralysis for any person for up to a week. Bokuru's aim in life is to become a successful wildlife hunter through obtaining the license.
During the discussion that took place after the end of the Exam, Bokuru had lingering doubts over the way Kurapica had passed the last stage. In fact, he was always wary of Kurapica as he excelled on all aspects of character.
http://www.hunterhq.com/character/images/hunt_anita.jpg Outcome:
Disqualified at stage 2
Anita
No. 111
As a result of tracking down the assassins who had killed her father, Anita sneaked up onto the Hunter blimp as an illegal stowaway. Her main target-- to attack Kihlua, as his family was responsible for the murder. Yet, she ultimately realised her mistake as she found out that the much beloved father she knew was actually a prominent drug-trafficker in the black market, who had made many enemies. The assassins were merely doing their job and should not be held responsible for his death. Having this revelation, Anita parted amicably from the Exam.
http://www.hunterhq.com/character/images/hunt_suoer.jpg
Outcome:
Disqualified at stage 4.
Suoer
No. 118
With a trained monkey that follows him wherever he goes, Suoer teamed up with Tonba to steal Leorio's number tag at stage 4 of the exam. However, the tables were turned on the duo when Kurapica intervened and foiled their plot, resulting for the pair to get kicked out of the exam. Even his monkey did the final act of 'betrayal' by sidling up to Kurapica, revealing the hidden location of Leorio's hidden tag.
http://www.hunterhq.com/character/images/hunt_bodoro.jpg
Outcome:
Killed at final stage.
Bodoro
No. 191
A strict, stubborn old man, Bodoro wishes only to fight against adults, not little kids as what he deemed Gon and Kihlua to be, when interviewed with Netero. Managing to reach the final stage, he was unluckily at the receiving end of Kihlua's sudden outburst of violence, and was killed as a result.
http://www.hunterhq.com/character/images/hunt_mori.jpg Outcome:
Disqualified at stage 4.
The Mori Brothers
No. 197, 198, 199
Being more of pen-knife weilding junkies than real fighters, much of their success in the Hunter exam is due to the close-knit cooperation between them. Always appearing in a trio, the brothers share a close bond between each other. During stage 4, Kihlua managed to get hold of the youngest brother, who was stalking him at that time. To save his life, the 2 older brothers willingly gave up their hunter tags.
Candidates of the Hunter Exam
http://www.hunterhq.com/character/images/hunt_hornet.jpg
Outcome:
Disqualified at stage 4.
Ponzu
No. 289
Being the only prominent female who managed to enter the last few stages of the exam, Ponzu's secret weapon lies in the pink round hat she wears. For living beneath it are a pack of stinging hornets that emerge and attack people that threaten her. Although being a minor character in the series, her cute and girlish charm has won her some fans who voted for her in an early Hunter poll.
http://www.hunterhq.com/character/images/hunt_hanso.jpg
Outcome:
Successfully got Hunter license
Hanso
No. 294
Breaking the stereotyped figure of a silent ninja, Hanzo has a very talkative and somewhat charismatic personality. Having undergone a vigorous and strict physical training since young, his body is both supple and strong, with a fighting ability that far surpasses Gon, as seen in the final match between the two.
Supplementing this is a handful of -underhand- tactics which he can resort to when the situation requires of him, as a ninja is well versed in the art of torture and camouflage. During the match with Gon, he tried to force Gon into submission by fracturing his arm, but to no effect, due to Gon's strong will. In the hurricane alert in Stage 3 of the exam, Hanzo was appointed leader fo the escape mission, and acted to supervise the tasks for other candidates to perform.
http://www.hunterhq.com/character/images/hunt_datai.jpg
Outcome:
Successfully got Hunter license.
Datakuru
No. 301
An eerie pinheaded freak that keeps silent most of the time save for the creaking, chattering noises he makes, Datakuru hides a secret identity. For beneath the ugly facade is Kihlua's older brother, Yellmi, who wishes to obtain the license "for ease of carrying out certain tasks". Well, it sure did fool Kihlua, who did not notice this until being given a rude shock when Datakuru reverted back to his true form in the match between him and Kihlua.
http://www.hunterhq.com/character/images/zao_irumi2.jpg
Throughout the Exam, he was seen to be acting in collaboration with Hisoka, being old friends, no doubt.
http://www.hunterhq.com/character/images/hunt_gereda.jpg
Outcome:
Killed at stage 4.
Gereda
No. 384
A man with some African (?) origins, Gereda is adept in hunting down animals, and is a frequent candidate for the Exam. His weapon is a blowpipe with darts laced with a neurological poison that immobilises victims. He can track down his victim and lie undetected in the shadows, until opportunity strikes before he makes the deadly move. Gon was the unfortunate victim in stage 4, and had his number tag taken from him. Even more unfortunate was the eventual fate of Gereda, who was killed by the hands of Hisoka, being Hisoka's target.
<<Genei Ryodan
Kuroro Lucifer
http://www.hunterhq.com/character/images/main5.jpg
Leader of the Genei Ryodan
Age: 26
Hatsu Ability: Gugenka and Tokushitsu
Appearance
This enigmatic figure is the head of the Phantom Brigade. Appearance-wise, he is a cool and handsome looking young man, immaculately groomed and well-dressed, complete with an exquisite fur coat that he always wears.
Personality
Kuroro seems to be a rather book-loving figure, as he's always seen holding a tome and reading it intently. He seems to be a silent and introspective figure, one who plans ideas ahead of him, which reminds me a lot of Kurapica. In fact, you could call him Kurapica's contrasting counterpart, possessing rather similar traits but using it for opposing purposes- for masterminding flawless criminal activities.
Although being the leader of the team, Kuroro has no qualms about losing his life for the sake of the Brigade's continued survival, as he has mentioned this before to the members, and this has no doubt led to increasing faith and loyalty in him and his decisions. Although he is always accompanied by 2 other members that act as bodyguards during his meetings with the brigade, Kuroro seems to be very trusting of his members- and is oblivious to Hisoka's hidden intentions.
With the exception of Hisoka, it seems that the rest of the brigade members have pledged their unswerving loyalty to Kuroro. Much of this faith, no doubt, is due to the selfless leadership and ingenious strategic decisions that have enabled the Phantom Brigade to thrive, crime after crime.
Double Self
http://www.hunterhq.com/character/images/phant_kuro2.jpg Kuroro's friendly other self
Whenever Kuroro's not with the members, his alter-ego surfaces- he uses a cloth to bandage up the forehead cross and lets his fringe down- becoming a amicable, friendly chap that engages in conversation easily with others. Well, he even goes into a friendly banter and jokes around! (This is very unlike his 'leader' persona)
Fighting Ability
One often wonders of Kuroro's fighting abilities, as his perceived bookish attitude raises doubts about his fighting competence. It turns out that the book he always carry along with him is the most crucial -and useful- weapon that anyone could possess. For Kuroro is a 'materialise' person- the book was fashioned from his imagination. Recorded within its pages are all the unique nen abilities that he has managed to 'rob' thus far, which had to be done under very stringent conditions. All that is required is for Kuroro to flip open a certain page, and summon up the ability he so wishes to use.
This pilfering ability of his has enabled Kuroro to collect a vast repertoire of interesting nen abilities, which include conjuring up a fish monster that can sustain the life of its victim even after consuming all of its internal organs and body parts; summoning up an angelic spirit that can foretell the future fate of an individual.
In terms of actual physical fighting capability, Kuroro is able to effectively defend against the combined attacks of both Zeno and Silva, Killua's grandfather and father respectively, who are infamously known as the most effective assassins in the world.
Details of Kuroro's Tokushitsu Ability
http://www.hunterhq.com/character/images/phant_kuro3.jpg
The Bandit's Secret>- Kuroro in action
Enables him to rob any nen ability for his own use, causing the victim to be unable to use it any longer. The stolen ability will be recorded in the pages of his materialised book <the Bandit's secret>, with Kuroro able to call up the ability to his wishes.
The usage of the pilfered abilities are regardless governed by very strict regulations:
A)He must satisfy 4 conditions to successfully steal the victim's ability:
1. Witness the nen ability in action
2. Enquire about the ability; the victim must answer about it in return
3. Victim's hand must touch the palm print on Kuroro's book cover
4. Steps 1 to 3 must be completed within an hour.
B)To use the abilities, Kuroro must materialise the book and hold it in his right hand. The page containing the victim's ability must be kept open throughout the process
C)Once the victim dies, the ability will also be correspondingly deleted from the pages.
يتبع ... :ciao:
Gon Freecss
http://www.hunterhq.com/character/images/main1.jpg
Biodata
Birthday- 5 May
Place of birth- Whale Island
Height- 154cm
Weight- 49kg
Blood type- O
Hatsu- Kyouka
Seiyuu
Takeuchi Junko
Background
The son of the legendary Hunter Ging Freecss, Gon was left in the care of his aunt since infancy, his father was never heard of since. During his youth, Gon met another Hunter, Carter, who was once Ging's apprentice. That fateful meeting made Gon all the more intrigued to meet his father, and also gave him the hope and inspiration to take the Hunter license.
Talents
A naturally optimistic youth, Gon's friendliness and innocence has charmed and won many trusted friends to his side, including Kurapica and Kihlua. With an uncanny and extraordinary sense of smell, taste and hearing, Gon's instinct has aided his friends through many tough obstacles during the Hunter exam. Gon has another remarkable talent, being able to talk to and befriend with animals easily.
Fighting Ability
Gon has an unusual choice of a weapon, which is a fishing rod. Though it doesn't deal much damage to his enemies, Gon is able to accurately swing and 'hook' it onto targets, proving itself to be useful time and time again.
Nen ability
Out of the 6 main nen types, Gon proves to be a Kyouka which is a ‘Strengthen type’. People belonging to such a category excel in attack and defense, and also have the ability to heal themselves quickly. Building on this type, Gon has sharpened his use of nen, and has managed to increase his attack power with his fists, dealing more damage than before.
Some personal comments-
After watching the anime series, he has somehow managed to become my favourite character in the Hunter series, even though he ranks a distant third in character polls. I can't help but root for him and wish for his success in the story. In fact, both Aroe and I created a shrine specially dedicated to this green hunter, called AppleJuice. More feelings and impressions of him are available there (since the space here is limited ^_^). In fact, if you're a fan of Gon - you shouldn't give this site a miss!
Killua Zaoldyeck
http://www.hunterhq.com/character/images/main3.jpg
Biodata
Birthday-7 July
Place of birth- Kukulu Mountain
Nen type- Manipulative
Height- 158cm
Weight- 49kg
Blood type- B
Hatsu- Enka
Seiyuu
Mitsuhashi Kanako
Background
Killua was born to a family of renowned assassins, the Zaoldyeck family. Showing great promise from birth, Killua has already mastered many killing techniques at a tender age, and is set to be one of the best assassins the family has produced. Bored and tired of killing, Killua unexpectedly rebelled against his family, injuring both his mother and brother, and ran away to join the Hunter exam. Meeting with Gon during the first obstacle, Killua saw Gon as a friendly competitor, and ended up becoming fast friends.
Attributes
From the outside, Killua seems just to be the boy next door, cheeky, cheerful and full of mischievous ideas. However, his ruthlessness and aptitude in killing shows the other side of him--deadly, violent and bloodthirsty. Having been repeatedly tortured since birth, Killua has been conditioned to possess extreme tolerance for poison, electrocution and pain. Possessing both extraordinary agility and strength to match, Killua is one mean killing machine--definitely not one to be trifled with, as many of his adverseries had seen. However, his greatest flaw is to fear characters more powerful than him, like his elder brother.
Fighting ability
Killua does not use any weapons in combat. Instead, he uses his hands that change into razor sharp claws at will, delivering a swift and fatal attack, that can rip out beating hearts or behead opponents in a split second.
Nen Ability
As an Enka person, who can transform the nen into any substance at their will, Killua is busily practising this ability. So far, he has managed to successfully transform his surrounding nen into an electrically charged form, producing volts of electricity. The inspiration for this has been attributed to the daily doses of shock therapy he received at home, a favourite torture device of his brother, Milluki.
Kurapica
http://www.hunterhq.com/character/images/main_kura2.jpg
Biodata
Birthday- 4 April
Height- 171cm
Weight- 59kg
Blood type- AB
Hatsu- Gugenka and Tokushitsu
Seiyuu
Kaida Yuki
Background
Kurapica is a member of the Kuruta tribe, a reticient group of people that chose to leave in obscurity. They possess a pair of eyes that turn flaming red in times of anger or serious agitation. The legendary brilliance of such scarlet eyes caused them to be in high demand as a collector's treasure.
A few years ago, the Phantom Brigade came to Kurapica's hometown and massacred all the members of his tribe, leaving behind scores of dead bodies with eyes gorged out in their wake. As the last surviving member of his tribe, Kurapica vows to gain back all the stolen eyes of his people, by tracking the brigade down and seek revenge. Even if this entails sacrificing his life.
Personality
Kurapica is a level headed and intelligent individual, possessing knowledge of a great variety of things. Of sound judgement, his in-depth and cool analysis has saved his friends from the brink of death many times. Needless to say, his quickmindedness and bargaining technique has also saved him from being killed by oppressively powerful enemies like Hisoka.
Nen ability
Kurapica is a Gugenka, one that can fashion objects that act according to his imagination. The weapon that he creates is a unique form--extending from his fingers of his right hand are five chains, which were specially created to deal vengeance upon the Phantom Brigade.
http://www.hunterhq.com/character/images/main_kura3.jpg
Blood red eyes..
When Kurapica's eyes turn red, his special ability, Tokushitsu, surfaces. All nen abilities besides Gugenka would be increased to 100% efficiency, making him virtually invincible during this span of time.
To increase his effectiveness against the formidable Phantom Brigade, Kurapica places strict restrictions on the usage of his nen blades:
http://www.hunterhq.com/character/images/main_kurapica_hand.gif
Use of each finger:
Thumb- Healing
Shaped like a cross, it cures wounds by drawing from the Kyouka ability. When Kurapica is in tokushitsu, it can heal serious injuries in seconds.
Third finger- Immobility
Wraps around enemies, restricting movement. Also forcefully causes captured person to enter setsu (a crippling effect that diminishes their nen abilities). Restricted only in dealing with brigade members, with the violation resulting in Kurapica's death.
Fourth finger- Investigation
Kurapica uses this frequently under normal situations, for defence and attack purposes. It is also useful for other investigative activities, like determining the location of missing individuals.
Small finger- Judgement
A small nen blade enters the victim's body and stabs the heart. Kurapica sets a condition and if the victim breaches it, he would lose his life. Only can be of use when Kurapica is in tokushitsu.
Some Comments
Alternative spellings of his name- Kurapica, Curarpikt (heavens, how do you pronounce this??)
Possible meanings of his name-->
Kura:: Shares the same first 2 syllables with Kurama, a character in Yoshihiro Togashi's other famous work Yuu Yuu Hakusho. Both also share similar characters too. More on this below..
Pika/Pica:: Used in printing- to represent a character size 12pts equivalent to 1/6 inches. (i.e a rather small size- and Kurapica's far from that!)
Origins-->
I've read somewhere that Yoshihiro-sensei got the inspiration of Kurapica from an insect, but I can't verify whether it's true or not.
Male/ Female??-->
Lots of readers and fans of the series often speculate about the gender of Kurapica- on some aspects, he certainly resembles a female- his pretty features, the sometimes narrow waist, the voice (earlier episodes of the anime); Kurapica's modesty- remember the explosive reaction from Leorio emerging naked from the shower? Various mannerisms contribute to this impression.
However, it seems now that it's about 99% confirmed that Kurapica is male: why?
Incident 1:: Kuroro mentions that he didn't expect that his abductor would be female (Kurapica's disguise). Kurapica retorts while removing the wig, "Did I ever say that I'm female? You should never judge people by their appearances."
Incident 2:: The cover of book 14 tells it all. Picture shows Kurapica's upper half nake torso- and it's completely flat. Various scenes in the anime episodes also hint this- the episode where he trains with the nen sensei shows one scene where his body in entwined in chains- showing a hint of his flat-chest.
Kurpica vs Kurama-->
I'm sure fans of both Yuu yuu hakusho and Hunter x Hunter would make such a comparison. Personally, I preferred Kurama as he is more compassionate, with a higher EQ quotient than Kurapica (Kurapica fans- don't impale me here! It's only my impression!) Kurapica also seems more hardheaded as compared to Kurama who takes things better with greater ease.
In terms of personality- both are strategists with leadership qualities- and possess excellent skills of deduction and analysis. Weapons are also *quite* similar- Kurama with his signature thorn-studded whip, and Kurapica with his chains- instruments that deal more pain than actual damage, and can trap opponents within.
Leorio
http://www.hunterhq.com/character/images/main_leorio.jpg
Biodata
Birthday- 3 March
Place of birth- Unknown
Nen type- Unknown
Height- 193cm
Weight- 85kg
Blood type- O
Seiyuu
Goda Hozumi
Background
Much is unknown about Leorio. What we do know is that he once lost a close friend to a debilitating illness. Leorio feels deeply remorseful about not saving his friend, due to lack of money and knowledge in curing the illness. Thus, he aspires to become a doctor--one that not only cures the ill of their disease, but also waives the fee for the poor. In this light, his outwardly superficial reason to join the Hunter Exams in the pursuit of great wealth has a nobler justification--the money he gains is used not only to fund for his medical school fees, but also to pay for the medicine and other miscellaneous expenditures when treating the poor.
(N.B:: When asked for his main reason for joining the Hunter Exam, his immediate reply was to earn lots of money, becoming rich, which greatly annoyed Kurapica initially)
Personality
Leorio is not one who balks and retreats when faced against overwhelming odds in battle. A loyal, trustworthy ally who greatly values the ties of friendship, he acts like the 'big brother' of the group. However, his impulsive and brash nature has sometimes caused more trouble to people around him. Another flair he has is his ability to 'straight-talk' past any situation at hand.
(N.B:: As in the arm-wresting stall he managed to set-up and become the spokesperson for)
Bargaining is one of his strengths, some say inherent nature, as he is able to haggle his way with shopkeepers and cut prices down to a unimaginable level.
(N.B:: When Gon and Killua wanted to purchase handphones at Auction City, Leorio managed to cut down its original price by about 1/3, and bragged that his was bought at a cheaper price. Passers-by even clapped and cheered during the successful purchase!)
Hunter Judges
Hmm.. what would the exam be without the introduction of any illustrious Hunter judges? Though all were somewhat eccentric in character, they were very effective in whittling down the numbers of candidates down to a handful. Here is a brief description of each of them:-
http://www.hunterhq.com/character/images/judge_sado.jpg
Sadotsu
With a face that appears to pop right out from Poker card illustrations, one wonders how to treat Sadotsu seriously. Another rising question is his ability to speak, judging from his apparent lack of any oratorical organ on his face. (i.e-- he's missing a mouth!!)
Sadotsu was the first of the appointed judges that greeted the candidates, and the test of the first stage was the test of the candidate's stamina. While he merrily lead them on a physically exhausting marathon, leading the pack with huge easy strides, the runners panted and were very tired.
As a Hunter archaeologist in his normal profession, he was also inspired by Ging in taking up the Hunter license. One who initially felt a strong civic duty to carry out his role as a judge, he had progressively taken a liking to Gon and wished to help him. Quite a compassionate person, actually.
http://www.hunterhq.com/character/images/judge_fuha.jpg
Fuhara
Menchi's companion in the second exam, a hulking figure with a large potbelly and an even larger appetite. Fuhara's easy-going nature contrasts with Menchi's highly selective one.
Fuhara was the judge in the first round of stage 2- and his condition for passing the round was for the candidates to hunt down the wild boar that is in the nearby forest, bringing the carcass for him roasted. It was an easy task (and interesting too- as you get to see the various methods Gon, Leorio and Killua used to get the animal) and almost all the candidates managed to bring one back for Fuhara to savour- which he did with great relish; gobbling them down and leaving a large heap of bones beside him.
http://www.hunterhq.com/character/images/judge_mench.jpg
Menchi
Picky, picky, picky is what I'll call her- but it fits her profession very well, being the Gastronomic hunter she is, and one of the world's best at that. Coupled with Menchi's sensitive and highly selective sense of taste and culinary skills is a physically fit body that enables her to carry out the search of unique foods and culinary experiences- in dangerous places.
Menchi was one of the 2 judges that presided over the second stage of the Exam. Her exam topic was to prepare a piece of sushi for her to taste. If it meets up to her expectations (which is very very stringent) the candidate would have passed the stage.
(Eveyone was also very baffled as to what sushi was- as they didn't know what cuisine it is, so it was very funny seeing Killua, Kurapica and Gon give their versions of sushi to eat, only to get rejected by Menchi)
http://www.hunterhq.com/character/images/judge_liba.jpg
Liba
The judge of the 3rd stage- with a pair of red sunshades and punky hairdo. Looks to be a slightly perverse character, with a sly look with eyes that are almost identical to the foxes in the preliminary stages. He concocts up many devious ideas- in the Tower of tricks, the hurricane storm and the number tag stages- that test the candidates in different aspects of group dynamics- both in a communal and individual front.
http://www.hunterhq.com/character/images/judge_net.jpg
Netero
This old man is none other than the head of the Hunter committee- which presides over the awarding of hunter licenses to suitable candidates that passed the test. Netero made a rather stunning entry in his first appearance-making a free-fall jump from the hunter blimp (flying at a very high altitude) without a parachute, landing squaring on his feet, without any sign of damage. His legs must have been created with steel!
A highly eccentric old man with many unconventional ideas, (Netero's idea of the final stage of the exam is surely unconventional enough!) even Hisoka seems to be wary of this figure. I wonder what would happen if he ever got to engage with a one-on-one battle with Zeno (Killua's grandfather)- another wizened but powerful fella.
http://www.hunterhq.com/character/images/judge_potato.jpg
Netero's Secretary
Looks to be a talking potato-head, though one thing we can be sure of is that his brain's certainly stuffed with things other than starch. Highly factual and exacting in his words- the secretary was the one who gave a presentation on the uses of the Hunter license to the successful candidates of the Exam. He can really become a very successful spokesman of Calbee Potato Chips.
<<Hunter Candidates
Candidates of the Hunter Exam
http://www.hunterhq.com/character/images/title_huntcand.jpg
Besides the main characters of the series, there were an additional 400 people who had taken the Exam with the same dream of obtaining the Hunter license. Although some have met rather untimely ends during the course of the exam, they were nonetheless very colourful and unforgettable characters that spiced up the storyline. Here are some of the more prominent characters listed below in numerical order of the Hunter number tag.
http://www.hunterhq.com/character/images/hunt_tonba.jpg
Outcome:
Disqualified at stage 4.
Tonba
No. 16
Nicknamed the 'newbie killer' by other candidates with more experience taking the exam, Tonba has taken the exam for 25 consecutive terms, but has somehow never managed to pass. He often brags of his experience to newbies and then offers a helping hand. Of course, this is merely subterfuge as he takes a perverse pleasure in sabotaging their attempts to get the license.
This time around, he trailed Gon, Kihlua, Kurapica and Leorio, attempting various means to foil their advancement, like spiking drinks with a strong laxative, feigning tiredness to delay progress, and other nasty tactics. To his chagrin, these had no measurable effect on their progress.
http://www.hunterhq.com/character/images/hunt_bakuru.jpg
Outcome:
Successfully got Hunter license.
Bokuru
No. 53
This has been the second attempt for Bokuru to pass the Exam. He's an accomplished archer that carries a bow and shaft of arrows wherever he goes. The arrows are tipped with a potent tranquiliser that even with a small nick, induces paralysis for any person for up to a week. Bokuru's aim in life is to become a successful wildlife hunter through obtaining the license.
During the discussion that took place after the end of the Exam, Bokuru had lingering doubts over the way Kurapica had passed the last stage. In fact, he was always wary of Kurapica as he excelled on all aspects of character.
http://www.hunterhq.com/character/images/hunt_anita.jpg Outcome:
Disqualified at stage 2
Anita
No. 111
As a result of tracking down the assassins who had killed her father, Anita sneaked up onto the Hunter blimp as an illegal stowaway. Her main target-- to attack Kihlua, as his family was responsible for the murder. Yet, she ultimately realised her mistake as she found out that the much beloved father she knew was actually a prominent drug-trafficker in the black market, who had made many enemies. The assassins were merely doing their job and should not be held responsible for his death. Having this revelation, Anita parted amicably from the Exam.
http://www.hunterhq.com/character/images/hunt_suoer.jpg
Outcome:
Disqualified at stage 4.
Suoer
No. 118
With a trained monkey that follows him wherever he goes, Suoer teamed up with Tonba to steal Leorio's number tag at stage 4 of the exam. However, the tables were turned on the duo when Kurapica intervened and foiled their plot, resulting for the pair to get kicked out of the exam. Even his monkey did the final act of 'betrayal' by sidling up to Kurapica, revealing the hidden location of Leorio's hidden tag.
http://www.hunterhq.com/character/images/hunt_bodoro.jpg
Outcome:
Killed at final stage.
Bodoro
No. 191
A strict, stubborn old man, Bodoro wishes only to fight against adults, not little kids as what he deemed Gon and Kihlua to be, when interviewed with Netero. Managing to reach the final stage, he was unluckily at the receiving end of Kihlua's sudden outburst of violence, and was killed as a result.
http://www.hunterhq.com/character/images/hunt_mori.jpg Outcome:
Disqualified at stage 4.
The Mori Brothers
No. 197, 198, 199
Being more of pen-knife weilding junkies than real fighters, much of their success in the Hunter exam is due to the close-knit cooperation between them. Always appearing in a trio, the brothers share a close bond between each other. During stage 4, Kihlua managed to get hold of the youngest brother, who was stalking him at that time. To save his life, the 2 older brothers willingly gave up their hunter tags.
Candidates of the Hunter Exam
http://www.hunterhq.com/character/images/hunt_hornet.jpg
Outcome:
Disqualified at stage 4.
Ponzu
No. 289
Being the only prominent female who managed to enter the last few stages of the exam, Ponzu's secret weapon lies in the pink round hat she wears. For living beneath it are a pack of stinging hornets that emerge and attack people that threaten her. Although being a minor character in the series, her cute and girlish charm has won her some fans who voted for her in an early Hunter poll.
http://www.hunterhq.com/character/images/hunt_hanso.jpg
Outcome:
Successfully got Hunter license
Hanso
No. 294
Breaking the stereotyped figure of a silent ninja, Hanzo has a very talkative and somewhat charismatic personality. Having undergone a vigorous and strict physical training since young, his body is both supple and strong, with a fighting ability that far surpasses Gon, as seen in the final match between the two.
Supplementing this is a handful of -underhand- tactics which he can resort to when the situation requires of him, as a ninja is well versed in the art of torture and camouflage. During the match with Gon, he tried to force Gon into submission by fracturing his arm, but to no effect, due to Gon's strong will. In the hurricane alert in Stage 3 of the exam, Hanzo was appointed leader fo the escape mission, and acted to supervise the tasks for other candidates to perform.
http://www.hunterhq.com/character/images/hunt_datai.jpg
Outcome:
Successfully got Hunter license.
Datakuru
No. 301
An eerie pinheaded freak that keeps silent most of the time save for the creaking, chattering noises he makes, Datakuru hides a secret identity. For beneath the ugly facade is Kihlua's older brother, Yellmi, who wishes to obtain the license "for ease of carrying out certain tasks". Well, it sure did fool Kihlua, who did not notice this until being given a rude shock when Datakuru reverted back to his true form in the match between him and Kihlua.
http://www.hunterhq.com/character/images/zao_irumi2.jpg
Throughout the Exam, he was seen to be acting in collaboration with Hisoka, being old friends, no doubt.
http://www.hunterhq.com/character/images/hunt_gereda.jpg
Outcome:
Killed at stage 4.
Gereda
No. 384
A man with some African (?) origins, Gereda is adept in hunting down animals, and is a frequent candidate for the Exam. His weapon is a blowpipe with darts laced with a neurological poison that immobilises victims. He can track down his victim and lie undetected in the shadows, until opportunity strikes before he makes the deadly move. Gon was the unfortunate victim in stage 4, and had his number tag taken from him. Even more unfortunate was the eventual fate of Gereda, who was killed by the hands of Hisoka, being Hisoka's target.
<<Genei Ryodan
Kuroro Lucifer
http://www.hunterhq.com/character/images/main5.jpg
Leader of the Genei Ryodan
Age: 26
Hatsu Ability: Gugenka and Tokushitsu
Appearance
This enigmatic figure is the head of the Phantom Brigade. Appearance-wise, he is a cool and handsome looking young man, immaculately groomed and well-dressed, complete with an exquisite fur coat that he always wears.
Personality
Kuroro seems to be a rather book-loving figure, as he's always seen holding a tome and reading it intently. He seems to be a silent and introspective figure, one who plans ideas ahead of him, which reminds me a lot of Kurapica. In fact, you could call him Kurapica's contrasting counterpart, possessing rather similar traits but using it for opposing purposes- for masterminding flawless criminal activities.
Although being the leader of the team, Kuroro has no qualms about losing his life for the sake of the Brigade's continued survival, as he has mentioned this before to the members, and this has no doubt led to increasing faith and loyalty in him and his decisions. Although he is always accompanied by 2 other members that act as bodyguards during his meetings with the brigade, Kuroro seems to be very trusting of his members- and is oblivious to Hisoka's hidden intentions.
With the exception of Hisoka, it seems that the rest of the brigade members have pledged their unswerving loyalty to Kuroro. Much of this faith, no doubt, is due to the selfless leadership and ingenious strategic decisions that have enabled the Phantom Brigade to thrive, crime after crime.
Double Self
http://www.hunterhq.com/character/images/phant_kuro2.jpg Kuroro's friendly other self
Whenever Kuroro's not with the members, his alter-ego surfaces- he uses a cloth to bandage up the forehead cross and lets his fringe down- becoming a amicable, friendly chap that engages in conversation easily with others. Well, he even goes into a friendly banter and jokes around! (This is very unlike his 'leader' persona)
Fighting Ability
One often wonders of Kuroro's fighting abilities, as his perceived bookish attitude raises doubts about his fighting competence. It turns out that the book he always carry along with him is the most crucial -and useful- weapon that anyone could possess. For Kuroro is a 'materialise' person- the book was fashioned from his imagination. Recorded within its pages are all the unique nen abilities that he has managed to 'rob' thus far, which had to be done under very stringent conditions. All that is required is for Kuroro to flip open a certain page, and summon up the ability he so wishes to use.
This pilfering ability of his has enabled Kuroro to collect a vast repertoire of interesting nen abilities, which include conjuring up a fish monster that can sustain the life of its victim even after consuming all of its internal organs and body parts; summoning up an angelic spirit that can foretell the future fate of an individual.
In terms of actual physical fighting capability, Kuroro is able to effectively defend against the combined attacks of both Zeno and Silva, Killua's grandfather and father respectively, who are infamously known as the most effective assassins in the world.
Details of Kuroro's Tokushitsu Ability
http://www.hunterhq.com/character/images/phant_kuro3.jpg
The Bandit's Secret>- Kuroro in action
Enables him to rob any nen ability for his own use, causing the victim to be unable to use it any longer. The stolen ability will be recorded in the pages of his materialised book <the Bandit's secret>, with Kuroro able to call up the ability to his wishes.
The usage of the pilfered abilities are regardless governed by very strict regulations:
A)He must satisfy 4 conditions to successfully steal the victim's ability:
1. Witness the nen ability in action
2. Enquire about the ability; the victim must answer about it in return
3. Victim's hand must touch the palm print on Kuroro's book cover
4. Steps 1 to 3 must be completed within an hour.
B)To use the abilities, Kuroro must materialise the book and hold it in his right hand. The page containing the victim's ability must be kept open throughout the process
C)Once the victim dies, the ability will also be correspondingly deleted from the pages.
يتبع ... :ciao: