Summary
As most fans of the medium will agree, Nen is one of the most unique power systems in anime and manga history. Its blend of different aspects,such as Nen types(Enhancement, Transmutation, Emission, Conjuration, Manipulation, and Specialization), the Four Major Nen Principles (Ten, Zetsu, Ren, Hatsu), and Advanced Nen Techniques (Gyo, In, En, Sho, Ko, Ken, Ryu), all come together for a well-detailed and intriguing power system.
One of the many detailed aspects of Nen is Nen Exorcism. Nen Exorcism is a niche aspect of Nen use, making it a rare and unique ability in theHunter x Hunterworld. A disadvantage of being a Nen Exorcist is that it lacks versatility, but regardless, Nen Exorcists are in high demand because of Nen curses.
Nen Curses And Exorcisms
The Reason For Nen Exorcists' High Demand
Nen curses area unique application of Nenthat is used to cause an affliction to an individual. The type and the effect of Nen curses vary from individual to individual as does the condition required to break the Nen curse. Most Nen curses that have been present inHunter x Hunterare a result of conjuration as seen in the case of Kurapika’s judgment chain and Emission in the case of Knuckle’s Hakoware.
Nen Exorcism isn’t as simple as disabling or removing a curse. Because of the nature of Nen, a Nen curse doesn’t just stop existing after exorcism but instead, the curse is inflicted on the exorcist as the aura and curse take a new form rather than the original bearer of the curse. The form the aura and curse takes depends on the Exorcist’s Nen type. Even though the original bearer of the Nen curse is freed, the Nen Exorcists are forced to live with the curse unless either of these three conditions are satisfied. The first is for the Nen Exorcist to satisfy the condition originally imposed by the caster. The second is for the death of the person inflicted with the curse. The final way toget rid of the Nen curseis the death of the caster. However, this isn’t applicable to Post Mortem Nen curse, because, like the name suggests, the curse effects begin after the caster’s death.
The case of the Post Mortem curse is completely different and the most difficult type of Nen curse to exorcize because the caster of the Nen Curse has died before the exorcism takes place. The Nen used completely surpasses that of living Nen users with only a few Exorcists being able to exorcize this curse once the victim has been inflicted. It was stated that there are less than 10 Exorcists in the world ofHunter x Huntercapable of such a feat. Only four Nen Exorcists have appeared in the story so far, and only two of them have shown how their exorcism works.
Abengane’s Exorcism, Explained
The First Exorcist To Debut In The Series
Abengane was the first exorcist introduced in theHunter x Hunterstory. He debuted inthe Greed Island arcin chapter 125 of the manga and episode 60 of the 2011 anime adaptation. Alongside Gon and Killua, Abengane was one of the 20 Nen users who passed Tsezguera’s trial and were allowed to enter the greed island game at Battera’s mansion. After Genthru revealed himself to be a traitor and explained how he activated his countdown ability on all the alliance members, he asked for all of their spell cards and 90 specified slot cards before he used the Leave card to flee the scene. Abengane realized he had been cursed by Genthru, so he tried to exorcize his curse himself.
Abengane is a conjurer, and his exorcism allows him to remove the effects of the Nen curse. Due to his Nen type, the aura takes the form of a Nen beast. The appearance and size of the Nen beast are dependent on the power of the curse.
Abengane exorcism requires him to burn a campfire in a forest, then he holds a wooden effigy and begins to chant a series of prayers to the forest spirits. He uses a branch of leaves to decorate the wooden effigy which he then throws into the campfire. The campfire burns erratically and the aura of flora and fauna of the forest while working with Abengane’saura conjures a Nen beast, which wraps itself around Abengane.
This Nen beast was around Abungane until the condition to break the curse placed by Genthru was satisfied—which was to touch Genthru and say:
I have caught the bomber.
The downside to Abungane exorcism is his inability to gauge the strength of the Nen curse until he has started the exorcism ritual. A portion of the Greed Island arc was focused on the members of the Phantom Troupe seeking an exorcist to break Kurapika’s judgment chain placed on Chrollo. Abengane was located using Kalluty’s ability and Hisoka negotiated with him to help remove Chrollo’s curse. Although the exorcism wasn’t seen, it succeeded as Chrollo appeared once more in the succession arc without the effects of the curse. However, due tothe nature of Kurapika’s curse, which doesn’t have a condition to break it, Abengane is most likely stuck with the large Nen beast created from this exorcism without any hope of fulfilling the condition to break it.
Hina Exorcism Appears To Be A Bit More Advanced
The Chimera Ants’ Hidden Gem
Hina, formerly known as Hirin,is a chimera ant introducedin the Chimera Ant arc in chapter 192 and episode 81. She was a former squad captain in Leol’s squad and one of the few chimera ants who looked almost completely human.
Hina’s physical abilities such as strength and speed are barely above those of a normal human but her Nen ability is where she excels.
Hina is a specialist, so her exorcism takes a different shape and approach to Abengane’s. The true extent of her ability was showcased when she helped Cheetu, another chimera ant, exorcize the curse placed on it by Knuckles.
Hina’s exorcism did not require an extensive ritual like Abengane’s, as she simply removed the curse from Cheetu and stored the aura in her belly, causing it to inflate. The size of her belly reflects the size of the curse, and in this case, she appeared like a pregnant woman after the exorcism was completed.
Only two other Exorcists have been seen in the entire story. the first is a nameless Hunter Association Exorcist who tried to help Gon at the end of Chimera Ant Arc but she deemed the curse too powerful and claimed no other Exorcist in the world couldexorcize the curse Gonhad placed on himself. The second Exorcist is Umanma who was introduced in the Succession War arc. She is a private guard of the Second Prince, Camilla. The fact that these four are the only Nen Exorcists we have met with the abilities of two of them being a complete mystery after 400 chapters ofHunter x Huntereffectively portrays just how skilled and rare they are.
Hunter x Hunteris available to watch onCrunchyroll.
Hunter x Hunter
In Hunter x Hunter, young Gon Freecss discovers his long-lost father is a legendary Hunter, an elite class of adventurer with the license to go anywhere or do almost anything. Determined to find him, Gon sets out to pass the Hunter Examination, a life-threatening challenge that draws hundreds of hopefuls seeking fortune, fame, and adventure. Along the way, Gon becomes friends with other candidates, including the vengeful Kurapika, the ambitious Leorio, and the enigmatic Killua. Together, they face a world filled with bizarre creatures, sinister criminals, and unpredictable adventures.
