15 Most Powerful Hunter X Hunter Characters Ranked

There are a lot of impressive abilities on "Hunter x Hunter" that defy the natural order of our known universe. None are as magical, though, as Nanika's ability to grant basically any wish somebody makes of it. Nanika is essentially a genie who has implanted itself in the body of Killua Zoldyck's sister. Its powers are such that it can restore Gon to life after he essentially dies due to the vow Gon makes in order to kill Pitou (more on that later). Despite all that power, though, Nanika is limited like the Genie from "Aladdin" — it can only use its powers to grant other people's wishes, though it can demand them to fulfill its requests in exchange, regardless how outlandish. Death greets the wisher who doesn't meet its demands.

Since it can't make wishes for itself, though, Nanika (Japanese for "Something") is basically powerless and defenseless, thus the reason it's so low on this list. One doesn't have to worry for Nanika's safety, though. Killua is its favorite and especially after it agrees to heal Gon, Killua is basically dedicated to being its bodyguard. Wish-granting abilities and a super-strong protector? Yeah, Nanika is pretty powerful.

Youpi is the brute of Meruem's royal guards. A massive creature with a bit less brains than the other two, he can handle seemingly anybody in a fight. The monster never loses a battle, and when he seems to be pushed to his limit he simply evolves into something stronger. Even when he fights Morel and Knuckle and Killua lands a lightning strike at him and follows with Godspeed attacks, Youpi only becomes excited to continue fighting these powerful hunters. During the fight, though, he oddly matures and decides not to kill his vanquished enemies.

Youpi seems to have no weakness except for possibly lacking intelligence and strategy — though he gains even that. At the same time, he is a loyal servant to the king which somewhat hinders him. He gives of himself to revive King Meruem, and he dies of the radioactive poison that kills Meruem, a poison Youpi only encounters out of loyalty to the king. While a physical specimen, his life is short and his stock of strategy and wisdom is little.

Yes, Cheadle is a powerful Nen user. As a Three-Star Hunter, she is at the top of the Hunter Association, even if she is a medical-type Disease Hunter. Her real strength, though, lies in her intelligence and loyalty. Cheadle really emerges as a champion of deceased Chairman Netero during the arc dedicated to finding his successor — and by matching wits with other top Hunters to try and fulfill Netero's will and ensure strong leadership.

Eventually her demeanor and strength impresses everybody. She sees the man who wins the election, Pariston, as a manipulative opponent and throughout the process she's constantly trying to thwart his efforts. Though after he wins he surprises everybody by naming her vice president, then resigning so she can be president. Which means that as "Hunter x Hunter" the anime comes to a close, and Cheadle is chairman of the legendary Hunter Association. So, regardless her physical abilities, the fact that Cheadle runs the largest organization of badasses in the world makes her very powerful.

It's difficult to gauge exactly how powerful Hisoka is. It's hard to say if he's ever been actually challenged in the anime. Although in the manga, Chrollo lays an elaborate plan to kill him and does kill him. However, Hisoka comes back to life.

Hisoka is maybe the most frightening participant in Gon and Killua's Hunter Exam. His power there and in the Heavens Arena Arc are what first inspire Gon to grow his strength and become a rival to Hisoka. Hisoka's Nen Bungee Gum allows him to perform some truly confusing slights of hand (literally, like, he can lose his hand and reattach it). His whole look is frightening, that of an evil clown driven by bloodlust. What is more frightening, though, is that Hisoka can back up his "amusing" guise with inventive and befuddling ways of killing nearly all who cross his path. Oh yeah, and he has lethal card-throwing abilities.

Gon begins his quest to become a Hunter to try and understand who his dad is and why the old man chose to pursue the life of a Hunter instead of meeting — much less raising — his only son. As Gon continues his quest and Hunters ask who he is, the mention of his father arouses exclamations of awe from everybody.

Ging is a Two-Star Ruins Hunter who could apply to be a Three-Star Hunter. Netero, at some point, said Ging is one of the top five Nen users in the world, and Chairman Netero does not appear to be a person who exaggerates. Not only are Ging's skills (including his ability to copy other people's abilities merely by experiencing them) next-level, he also created "Greed Island." "Greed Island" is a game that allows Hunters to enter a Nen-powered video game world. The game plays a huge part in Gon and Killua's quest to become stronger — but the Nen brilliance and creativity in making the game alone establishes Ging as a truly powerful character. 

And the universal reverence establishes him as a real boss.

The Zoldyck family of assassins may be the greatest assassin family in the "Hunter x Hunter" world. We first get a glimpse of them when Gon meets Killua, the only other kid in the Hunter Test who is stronger than the grownups. He's also preternaturally adept at assassin skills. Later, we meet the eldest living member of the family after they bring Killua back into the fold: Zeno. Actually, the family is torturing Killua for leaving the family to take the test but Zeno tells them to stop torturing him. Zeno is old, and smaller than his lion-maned son Silva. Yet don't let that fool you: Zeno is a SAVAGE.

To start, he can change his aura into the form of a massive dragon. His Nen abilities are amazing, obviously, but so is his ability to understand Nen, like when he deduces Chrollo's multiple conditions for stealing somebody's abilities. He is so strong that many people compare him to Chairman Netero, and Zeno is confident enough to admit that, while he has known Netero for many years, he's not at the same level. The sign of a true warrior is admitting one's own shortcomings. He is also a man of principle, shaken to the point of leaving the battle against the Chimera Ants when he thinks he has injured a civilian he was not hired to kill. Silva may be physically stronger — taking in the whole package, however, Zeno has the advantage.

Netero is the Chairman of the Hunter Association for the majority of the series, first appearing during Gon and Killua's Hunter examination. In one scene Gon and Killua, who have already mastered some advanced assassin techniques, try to take a ball from him. Netero keeps them at bay with ease, though he also identifies how amazing they will be in the future. But his true power is revealed when he fights Meruem.

Zeno Zoldyck, patriarch emeritus of the Zoldyck family of legendary assassins, discusses how Netero is probably the most powerful warrior in the world. He readily admits that he is not as strong as Netero. Netero's 100-Type Guanyin Bodhisattva is the only attack to ever phase the great King Meruem. The First Hand from the attack draws blood. Finally, even in death, Netero is insanely-powerful. He was implanted with the Miniature Rose, an atomic bomb, set to go off if he ever loses. It does just that, taking Meruem to the brink of death. And while Meruem is revived by his retainers, that explosion eventually kills the seemingly-unkillable Chimera Ant king Meruem through the fallout.

The Ant King Meruem has never lost in combat. Nobody ever came close to hurting him except for Netero, the Chairman of the Hunter organization, who had to pull out every stop in his arsenal. When Netero dies in the battle, his checkmate move is essentially an atomic bomb — the Miniature Rose — that had been implanted inside him. It would flatten whole cities. Meruem is fatally wounded but alive enough that his royal guards Pouf and Youpi are able to revive him by letting him feed on them.

Meruem is also brilliant, as demonstrated when he plays masters in strategy games (Shogi, Chess, Go) and defeats them all (except for the poor, blind girl Komugi whose continual defeat of Meruem awakens compassion in the king). Plus, he's tough enough that he cuts off his own arm without flinching. He only dies from the radioactive fallout from Netero's Miniature Rose but still has never been defeated directly in combat.