Chrollo’s abilities are da bomb

“Explosion”

Dang it Togashi-sensei, you’re really doing a pretty convincing job of selling the idea that Hisoka is in big trouble, aren’t you? This match has already cost Hisoka an arm and a leg, and he seems to have done nothing to remotely concern Chrollo so far. I still don’t buy it that the indefatigable and indestructible pervert-clown-magician is going down this ignominiously, but we’re probably raching a breaking point either way.

I’m not exactly sure at what point Hisoka lost that leg, but it’s clear that everything that’s happened in this fight has broken according to Chrollo’s plans. That’s what’s really surprising here – not so much that Chrollo has Nen abilities more varied and flexible than Hisoka (that was a given), but that he seems to be winning the strategic battle too. These exploding puppets are only the latest gambit that Hisoka didn’t see coming, and nothing Hisoka has tried seems to have given him a leg up (not that he has one to spare) on Chrollo even for a moment. Things seem pretty grim.

The question, really, is where Hisoka goes from here. His wry “If I’m gonna die anyway…” suggests that he has one last trump to play – if nothing else, perhaps an attempt to take Chrollo out with him. But I have more faith in both Hisoka and Togashi-sensei than that. Hisoka has never been anything less than surprising, and the only surprise here would be if doesn’t surprise us. Hisoka’s reserves of cunning have always appeared inexhaustible, and he seems to enjoy being an overpowered deviant way to much to meekly accept death at the hands of a seemingly stronger opponent. I do think we’re nearing the end here either way, because Hisoka is either dead or he’s about to pull something really outrageous out of his ass. And he’d better, because it looks like that’s what it’s going to take to turn the tide against Chrollo.

There was other major Hunter X Hunter news this week apart from a new chapter. Remember that April Fool’s “joke” by Ishida Sui (Tokyo Ghoul) – that he was writing a H x H spinoff featuring Hisoka’s origin story? Turns out it was no joke – though whether that was the plan all along, I don’t know. Today Ishida-sensei released a 69-page Hisoka chapter, officially sanctioned and approved by Togashi. There’s also an interview with both men (it does seem to contain spoilers about this current fight if the auto-translations are correct, so beware), in which it seems clear that Togashi was pleased with what Ishida came up with. This is a pretty cool development, and I certainly hope both the chapter and the interview are translated because they look like fascinating reading…

So much for those stylish heels

13 Comments

    1. things would have been so different had this fight took place in that desert.

      The title pretty much matches my evaluation with Chrollo. Seriously, the fact that his ability is completely dependent in stolen abilities is one thing, it’s sad that he doesn’t have a unique ability of his own, but the fact that he went as far as to use the innocent audience is another thing.

      L002
  1. Ahhh! I really hope Hisoka pulls something out of his ass. Normally I’d think there’s no way the author would kill such a disturbingly popular character that’s yet to fight seriously with our MCs but this is Togashi so not only is it entirely possible, it’s pretty likely. And I can’t tell if this origin story is a good or bad sign.

    Skye
  2. Damm… the fact that there’s now an origin story chapter makes it more likely Hisoka isn’t coming out of this alive. If he does indeed die, I wonder how Gon would react to the news.

    EamonX
  3. “the only surprise here would be if doesn’t surprise us. ” Exactly !
    see if this was a normal 2-way fight , hisoka winning wouldn’t be a thing to talk about but this fight ??? If he does what is expected and turns things around then , well , he did what was expected and that would seriously hurt the image of this masterpiece anime but then again this is how I feel about it

    Urahara
  4. wow, how did i go from dying for the day that hisoka gets destroyed to being worried this might be the end for him. I LOVE THIS MANGA!!!!

    i guess it comes down to which ‘smug unbeatable badass’ you want to see beaten into the dirt more.

    and I want it to be CHROLLO and his deus ex book!!!!

    BROOKLYN otaku
  5. Hisoka has another ability, Transmuter Master! he can copy Transmuter techniques regardless of who use it but there is a risk involved… He probably didn’t try yet using those copied techniques yet…. I could see him using those techniques now as he’s gonna die anyway, might as well gamble against Chrollo.

    pedohisoka
    1. In another word, an aspull, as much as Togashi tries to dress it up as a legit way for Hisoka to come out victorious. I just hope the ridiculousness and convenience doesn’t reach the level of Alluka :/

      Hmph!
  6. I can’t shake off the feeling that Hisoka might have some sort of phoenix ability, which allows him to be revived and becoming even stronger. it’s the way how he loves to fight and gets aroused by a strong opponent that I’m getting this feeling, along with the thought of how he was able to survive for so long with the way he loves doing fights like these.

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