The Chimera Ant arc is one of the most captivating anddarkest storylinesin Hunter x Hunter, transforming what began as a seemingly standardshonenadventure into a profound exploration of humanity, identity, and power.
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This arc introduced some of the most terrifying andpowerful enemiesin the series. Unlike any threat before them, these creatures blended human intelligence with animalistic instincts, creating a new breed of predators far beyond the limits of ordinary beings.
From squadron leaders with unique abilities to the Royal Guards protecting their King, here are eight Chimera Ants that represent the pinnacle of power within their species.
The Invisible Hand of Justice
Meleoron might not possess theraw physical strengthof his Chimera Ant counterparts, but his unique ability makes him one of the most tactically valuable fighters in the entire series. With his God’s Accomplice (his Nen ability), he can render himself and anyone he touches completely undetectable.
During the Palace Invasion, his partnership with Knuckle proved devastating. Combining Meleoron’s perfect stealth with Knuckle’s APR ability, they created a strategy that even the Royal Guards couldn’t counter.
Unlike many Chimera Ants who embraced their predatory nature, Meleoron retained his human memories and developed a strong moral compass. This conscience led him to betray the Chimera Ant hierarchy and ally with the Hunters.
A Wing and a Prayer
Colt stood apart from other Chimera Ants, not for his strength, but for his unwavering sense of duty. He carried the memories of a young boy named Kurt, who died trying to protect his sister Reina, and that instinct forsafeguarding othersremained deeply ingrained in him even after his rebirth as a Chimera Ant.
As a Squadron Leader, Colt possessed impressive flight capabilities and combat skills, making him a formidable warrior. But his true strength lay not in his physical abilities but in his unshakable loyalty. When the Queen was mortally wounded after Netero’s team attacked, Colt made a desperate decision to reach out to human hunters for help. He was even willing to offer his own life if it meant saving hers, a plea that showcased a depth of emotion rarely seen among Chimera Ants.
After the Queen’s death, Colt took responsibility for the premature King’s twin sister, whom he named Reina in honor of his human sibling. This act of compassion solidified his transformation. Unlike most Chimera Ants, Colt did not seek power or domination. Instead, he chose to protect and nurture life, proving that remnants of his humanity had never truly faded.
Speed Kills
Few creatures in the Hunter x Hunter universe could match Cheetu’s blinding speed. This cheetah-based Chimera Ant Squadron Leader moved so fast that even experienced Hunters like Morel and Knuckle struggled to keep up with him.
His natural physical gifts were enhanced further when he developedNen abilities, creating a deadly combination that made him nearly untouchable in combat. Cheetu’s primary weakness wasn’t his physical prowess but his overconfidence and childish personality.
During his confrontation with Morel, Cheetu revealed a specially created Nen space that trapped opponents in a game of tag, showcasing both his creativity and his playful, if somewhat immature, approach to battle. When this proved ineffective, he quickly developed another ability, demonstrating his rapid evolution as a fighter.
Cheetu’s inability to think strategically despite his impressive talents became his downfall. When facing Silva Zoldyck, his speed couldn’t save him from a carefully planned ambush, resulting in his instant death. In a cruel twist of irony, the predator became prey to a more experienced hunter.
King of Adaptation
Leol, originally named Hagya, this lion-human hybrid commanded respect as a Squadron Leader through his intelligence and ability to manipulate others to his advantage.
Leol’s Rental Pod ability made him particularly threatening, which allowed him to borrow other people’s Nen abilities after they fulfilled certain conditions. This made him unpredictable in combat, as opponents never knew which stolen power he might deploy next.
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During his underwater battle with Morel, Leol demonstrated both his tactical thinking and his fatal flaw, arrogance. He believed he had secured victory by borrowing an ability perfect for the environment, only to discover that Morel had manipulated him into choosing the battlefield specifically to counter that technique.
4Neferpitou
The Deadly Grace
Neferpitou’s introduction sent shockwaves through the Hunter x Hunter fanbase when they effortlessly decapitated Kite, one of the series' most capable Hunters. This cat-like Royal Guard combined unparalleled agility with terrifying combat instincts, creating a lethal predator that even Chairman Netero acknowledged as a formidable threat.
Their En could extend over two kilometers, creating a vast and precise sensory field that nothing could approach the palace undetected. This defensive capability was matched by offensive Nen abilities like Doctor Blythe, which allowed them to manipulate bodies with puppet-like strings, and Terpsichore, which enhanced their already supernatural physical abilities.
Neferpitou was frightening because of their childlike curiosity and complete moral detachment. They displayed genuine interest in learning about their victims, turning Kite’s corpse into a training puppet not out of cruelty, but from a detached scientific fascination.
3Shaiapouf
The Puppet Master
Shaiapouf embodied the perfect combination of psychological manipulation and physical strength. As the most mentally complex of the Royal Guards, this butterfly-human hybrid focused not just on protecting the King’s body, but also on safeguarding what he believed was the King’s purpose.
His abilities reflected his manipulative nature. With Spiritual Message, Shaiapouf could release scales that allowed him to read others' emotions, giving him unprecedented insight into his opponents' psychological states. His Beelzebub ability let him divide his body into microscopic pieces, making him nearly impossible to kill while allowing him to simultaneously infiltrate, spy, and attack from multiple angles.
During the Palace Invasion, Shaiapouf’s true battle was ideological. He feared Komugi’s influence on the King more than any Hunter’s attack, seeing the human girl as a threat to Meruem’s destiny as the perfect ruler. This led to his most desperate actions, as he plotted to eliminate her while maintaining his facade of perfect loyalty.
Shaiapouf was dangerous because of his unwavering conviction. Even when facing certain defeat, his dedication to his vision of the King’s greatness never faltered, driving him to fight until his body literally disintegrated from the poison that claimed all the Royal Guards.
2Menthuthuyoupi
The Monster Who Found Mercy
Menthuthuyoupi stood as the physical embodiment of raw power among the Royal Guards. Unlike his companions who contained human genetic material, Youpi was created purely from magical beasts, resulting in a creature of unprecedented physical strength and destructive capability.
His ability to transform his body at will made him a nightmare to fight against. When provoked, Youpi could sprout additional limbs, wings, and eyes, or even increase his overall size dramatically. This transformative power peaked with his Rage Blast, which converted his anger into explosive energy capable of obliterating entire sections of the palace.
Youpi’s immense physical resilience was demonstrated when he survived numerous attacks that would have killed any other character, including direct hits from Killua’s Godspeed. Only the radioactive poison that eventually killed Meruem could bring down this juggernaut of destruction.
The Ultimate Life Form.
Meruem entered the world by tearing himself from his mother’s womb, killing her in the process. His violent birth foreshadowed the unparalleled power of the Chimera Ant King. His physical abilities exceeded anything seen in the series, combining extraordinary strength, speed, and durability that made even the formidable Royal Guards seem weak by comparison.
Meruem’s rapid intellectual development distinguished him from all others. Within days of his birth, he mastered complex games like chess and Go, surpassing world champions with his perfect memory and analytical abilities. This made him not just physically dominant but mentally unmatched as well.
His battle with Chairman Netero revealed the true extent of his power. Despite Netero’s Buddha technique landing thousands of powerful blows, Meruem emerged largely unharmed before dismembering the Chairman. Only Netero’s ultimate sacrifice, detonating the Poor Man’s Rose bomb implanted in his body, could significantly injure the King.
Through his relationship with Komugi, a blind human girl who repeatedly defeated him at Gungi, Meruem discovered something more valuable than power. In his final moments, poisoned and dying, the once-merciless King found peace carrying Komugi in his arms, having learned that connection and love transcended even his perfect design.
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