Hunter X HunterThe Succession Contest arc has been running in the manga since 2014. Centering on Kurapika, the Phantom Troupe, and the political war between the potential heirs to the Kakin Empire, this arc is full of interesting characters and dynamics between them. At the same time, many popular heroes and villains have been completely absent since the end of the Hunter Association 13th President Election arc, with some being particularly notable.
When the Succession Contest arc comes to a close, fans will finally be able to enjoy the highly anticipated Dark Continent, which has the potential to be the series’ final arc. Hunter X Hunter has a large cast of characters that haven’t been seen in many years, and if they don’t return to the Dark Continent, they may very well never be seen again.
1 Killua Zoldyck is the heart of Hunter X Hunter
Killua’s character development is one of the strongest elements of the series
Killua Zoldyck is the only character to have a main role in every arc of the Hunter X Hunter anime. From the Arc of the Hunters’ Examination to the Arc of the Election of the 13th President of the Hunters’ Association, Killua Undergoes More Development Than Any Other Anime Starlearning to love and value himself as a person, freeing himself from the toxic and abusive influence of his family, realizing how unhealthy his relationship with Gon is, and finding a new purpose in life as the protector of his little sister, Alluka.
The Succession Contest arc is a cerebral story mostly filled with heartless and selfish individuals, and that works for the Kurapika-centric story it tells. If the Dark Continent arc is to be more like the previous stories, it needs to have the emotional heart of the series, Killua, present. Fan demand for Killua’s return is also high, having always been the most popular character in Hunter X Hunter throughout his journey.
2 Ickshonpe Katocha is too strange not to be developed further.
Ickshnope came and went too quickly
The 13th Hunters Association President Election features a plethora of new elite hunters. Among these powerful individuals, Single Star Hacker Hunter Ickshonpe Katocha is by far the strangest of them all.
Beyond his bizarre appearance, Ickshonpe does not speak, only communicating through writing, and he sees his real life as being on the internet, with little regard for what is happening in reality. While these traits may seem off-putting, Ickshonpe is an acclaimed and respected Hunter, as evidenced by his exceptional performance in the 13th Hunter Association President Election, where his peers continued to vote for him for five rounds, despite him not even wanting the position of president. Ickshonpe is expected to return in the Dark Continent Arc just so fans can learn more about him.
3 Knuckle Bine became a fan favorite in the Chimera Ant arc
Knuckle is Morel’s privileged student
Knuckle is one of Gon and Killua’s key allies in their fight against the Chimera Ants. A battle-hungry brute with a tender heart of gold, Knuckle impressed more than anyone else during the fight with Menthuthuyoupiand the strength of his determination is the only reason why he, Shoot and Morel are granted clemency after their defeat.
The beings that inhabit the Dark Continent are far beyond what almost any Hunter is capable of directly combating. Knuckle’s unique Hatsu, Hakoware, is one of the Hunter Association’s best weapons for taking on superior opponents, so it would make sense for the Black Whale’s pilot, Knuckle’s teacher Morel, to take it with him. One of the series’ ongoing plot threads is also Pariston Hill’s army of chimera ants, and there are few more experienced than Knuckle at combating them.
4 The kite could be a valuable ally on the black continent
Kite is Gon’s mentor and Meruem’s twin sister.
Kite is part of Hunter X Hunter longer than almost any other character, appearing in the very first chapter of the manga alongside Gon. He inspired Gon to become a Hunter, inciting the events of the entire series and his death in the Chimera Ant Arcpushed Gon down the dark path that resulted in the loss of his Nen.
In the Hunter’s Association 13th President Election Arc, it is revealed that Kite was reborn as Meruem’s twin sister, with her old personality still largely intact. Likely possessing similar power to the fallen Chimera Ant King, Kite would be one of the strongest heroes of the Dark Continent Arc, should he be introduced. She has already assuaged Gon’s guilt over what he saw as her role in his death, but she could continue to help him regain his Nen, should he return as well. Regardless of what happens with Gon, Kite has yet to meet his own mentor, Ging Freecss, since his revival, and with Gon’s father set to become one of the stars of the Dark Continent Arc, it would be an interesting reunion.
5 Razor is one of the few people Ging trusts
Razor might be even more powerful than Hisoka
Razor is the star of one of the most popular fights in Hunter X Hunter: Greed Island Dodgeball Match. In this deadly competition, The Sadistic Game Master faces Gon, Killua, Biscuit and Hisoka at the same timeand is only narrowly beaten.
Aside from being a powerful former criminal, Razor is an old friend of Ging’s. Ging created Greed Island specifically for Gon to play on, and he trusted Razor enough to lead it. With him surrounded by enemies and the Zodiacs being unreliable allies due to their hatred of him, Ging will need people he can rely on, and Razor is strong enough to fight the best of the best.
6 Alluka Zoldyck is under Killua’s protection
Killua won’t go anywhere without his little sister
Alluka has closer ties to the Dark Continent than any other character in Hunter X HunterPeople like Beyond Netero and Zigg Zoldyck may have traveled to the most dangerous place on earth, but Alluka shares a body with Nanika, one of the Five Great Calamities. who consider the black continent as their home.
Alluka’s older brother Killua is one of the characters most desired by fans to reappear. Following the events of the Hunter Association 13th President Election Arc, Killua’s life is now dedicated to caring for Alluka and protecting her from her family and anyone else who would seek to use her wish-granting powers for their own purposes. Not only are Alluka and Nanika essential to getting a full picture of what the Dark Continent and the Calamities are, there is no way Killua could return without them.
7 Shoot McMahon belongs to the rest of his team
Shoot is set to join Morel and Knuckle on the Dark Continent
Alongside Knuckle, Shoot is one of Morel’s two apprentices.. As Morel is currently piloting the Black Whale on its journey to the Dark Continent, it makes sense that Shoot would be there alongside his master.
Shoot more than proves his worth as a Hunter during the Chimera Ant Arc, lasting longer against Menthuthuyoupi in single combat than most, even if it was only for a few seconds. While this fight left him horribly beaten, it also helped him come out of his shell for the first time, filling him with a sense of warrior pride he had never felt before. With a better attitude and the newly developed ability to float while using his incredible Hatsu, Hotel Rafflesia, there is no telling what Shoot could accomplish on the Dark Continent.
8 Canary would be happier with Killua
Canary deserves to separate from the Zoldyck family
Canary only has a small role in Hunter X Hunterbut fans have been asking for more from him for a long time. An apprentice butler for the Zolydck familyCanary cares more about Killua than her duties, and after wanting him to make friends for so long, it would only be fitting that she would abandon her cruel employers to travel with him and Alluka.
Even without knowing Nen, Canary would be useless in combat on the Dark Continent. She could still be a vital emotional support for Killua and Alluka, however, and the dynamic between the three could be extremely entertaining. Having learned what friendship looks like through his time with Gon, Killua can now give Canary the relationship she’s wanted with him since they were little.
9 Silva Zoldyck will not give up his quest for his children
Silva still wants Killua to be his heir
The patriarch of the Zoldyck family has been considered a threat since Hunter X Hunter‘m the first arcs. One of the most powerful Nen masters and assassins in the worldSilva allowed Killua to travel with Gon at the end of the Zoldyck Family arc with the hope that his prodigious son would eventually return of his own accord, but is now vengeful towards him, as he completely turned his back on his family and took Alluka with him.
A fight between Silva and Killua seemed inevitable for a very long time, and it’s something many would still like to see, especially after the cruelty Silva displayed towards Alluka during the 13th Hunter Association President Election. On top of not having fought his son yet, Silva has yet to participate in a single full fight in the series, with his brief encounter with Chrollo and Zeno being cut short, and his casual killing of Cheetu requiring only a single hit. Silva still wants to force Killua to become an assassin and re-imprison Alluka, and fans still want an epic battle between father and son.
10 Gon Freecss Continues to Be the Face of Hunter X Hunter
A ten-year absence has not diminished Gon’s fame.
Kurapika Kurta was the main character of Hunter X Hunter for over a decade, while Gon Freecss has not appeared outside of brief cameos since the end of the anime. Despite this, Gon remains the public face of the seriesand the character synonymous with Hunter X Hunter. Even the cover of the manga’s final volume features him on the cover, skyrocketing fans’ hopes that he will return even before the Succession Contest arc reaches its conclusion.
Gon currently lives in his original home on Whale Island with his aunt Mito, having resumed his basic education. Now a teenager, his heart still yearns for adventure, but having lost his ability to use Nen in the contract he made to kill Neferpitou, a normal, monotonous life is what awaits him now. Gon’s return to Hunter X Hunter isn’t essential, as he’s already accomplished his main goal of finding and meeting Ging, but his inclusion in the Dark Continent Arc would be a way to provide closure in multiple ways. Gon’s journey to regain Nen could see him fully learn from the mistakes that led him to become an adult Gon in the first place, and his growth into a better, more mature person could also allow him to repair his broken relationship with Killua, allowing the most beloved duo in history to have a happy ending.
Just as Gon deserves the chance to rebuild his relationship with his closest friend, he deserves one last encounter with his longtime enemy, Hisoka. Gon and Hisoka have had a mutual desire to fight each other since the Hunter Exam arc, but despite his best efforts, Gon has never defeated the magician. The last time Gon and Hisoka saw each other was when they formed a tenuous alliance on Greed Island, and since then, Hisoka has become a much greater threat, with his death at the hands of Chrollo, and his subsequent rebirth, making him more powerful than ever, and sending him into a murderous rage for revenge. It’s unclear if Hisoka will even make it to the Dark Continent, or if he’ll fall to the Phantom Troupe once again, but a final showdown between the series’ most iconic hero and villain on the world’s most dangerous battlefield would be an incredible way to end the series.
Hunter X Hunter
Hunter X Hunter is a long-running manga series by YuYu Hakusho creator Yoshihiro Togashi. It has seen two anime adaptations, one in 1999 and one in 2011, as well as several films, OVAs, and video games. Hunter X Hunter follows the adventures of Gon Freecss as he attempts to follow in his father’s footsteps to become a Hunter by passing the notoriously difficult Hunter Trials. Along the way, he teams up with other characters including Kurapika, Leorio, and Killua.
- Created by
- Yoshihiro Togashi
- First film
- Hunter × Hunter – Jump Super Anime Tour 98
- Latest movie
- Hunter × Hunter: The Final Mission
- First TV show
- Hunter x Hunter (1999)
- Casting
- Megumi Han, Mariya Ise, Cristina Vee, Matthew Mercer, Erika Harlacher, Miyuki Sawashiro, Junko Takeuchi
- Character(s)
- Hisoka Morow, Kurapika, Gon Freecss, Killua Zoldyck