Hunter x Hunter: The Six Nen Types, Explained

Hunter x Hunter: The Six Nen Types, Explained

Highlights

  • yEnhancers boost attack & defense, suitable for close combat situations.
  • Transmuters mimic elements in aura, with examples like Killua using electricity.
  • Emitters detach aura for range & effects, can also teleport and pass through matter.

As a seasoned anime enthusiast who’s spent countless hours immersed in the fantastical world of Hunter x Hunter, I must say, the Nen abilities showcased in this series are nothing short of mind-boggling! The character Chrollo Lucilfer, with his unique Specialization ability, embodies the essence of the vaguely defined yet captivating nature of this Nen type.


In the beloved manga and anime series “Hunter x Hunter”, Nen stands out as one of the intricate and pivotal power systems. Essentially, users of Nen can control their vital energy, or aura, enabling them to accomplish extraordinary deeds. With rigorous training, an individual can transform their aura into distinctive combat techniques and abilities.

An essential step in mastering one’s Nen involves identifying their inherent tendency, usually uncovered through the Water Divination method. This process helps categorize each individual’s aura into six unique categories: Enhancement, Emission, Transmutation, Conjuration, Manipulation, or Specialization. Understanding your type offers insights into skills you’ll naturally excel at and serves as a foundation for tailoring your combat style and Nen abilities accordingly.

Enhancement Nen Type

Strengthening Bodies Through Aura

Compatibilities 80% Transmutation, 80% Emission, 60% Manipulation, 60% Conjuration, 0% Specialization
Notable Enhancers Gon Freecss, Isaac Netero

Boosting your abilities through Enhancement lets you amplify the powers of objects or your own body. Users of this power can significantly improve their physical attacks and defenses, making them ideal for close-quarters fighting. A person’s aptitude in Enhancement is crucial in combat, even when no Nen ability is being used.

An exceptionally talented individual with outstanding physical fitness can make their body tougher than a tank and pack a punch forceful enough to rival that of missiles. Enhancement, the most harmoniously balanced Nen type, enables users to disperse their aura for both offense and defense. This versatility empowers them significantly by making the most of their inherent abilities.

Reason never works on Enhancers.

It’s generally thought that Enhancers don’t typically need advanced methods because their basic category already has an optimal blend of offensive and defensive attributes. This leads many to believe that most Enhancement powers are just simple or advanced uses of standard Nen techniques. However, there are some intricate enhancement abilities too, like enhancing healing abilities or boosting a target’s growth rate. Interestingly, male Enhancers generally concentrate on amplifying combat skills rather than developing supportive techniques.

Transmutation Nen Type

Transforming Aura into Elements

Compatibilities 80% Enhancement, 80% Conjuration, 60% Emission, 40% Manipulation, 0% Specialization
Notable Transmuters Hisoka, Killua Zoldyck

Transmutation enables an individual to modify the characteristics of their energy field, imitating other things or particular traits. A Transmuter can cause their energy field to mirror the inherent qualities of elements, man-made materials, and even animals. Changing the form of one’s energy field is also recognized as transmutation.

Transmuters aren’t limited to copying just solid substances alone. Instead, they can manipulate their auras to acquire specific properties, like Killua taking on electrical qualities with his aura. Or, they might bestow their aura with particular traits without necessarily replicating the entire substance. For example, Hisoka’s Bungee Gum imitates and combines the elasticity and stickiness of rubber and chewing gum, offering extraordinary flexibility, adhesion, and durability. Similarly, Machi can transform her aura into threads that have the ability to mend severed body parts by stitching together blood vessels, nerves, muscles, and bones.

My aura has qualities of both gum and rubber.

Just as Emissions create entities that are solely perceptible by Nens, constructions made through Transmission possess ethereal qualities and remain undetected by non-Nen users. Transmutation might be confused with Conjuration because of their similarities, but unlike Transmutation, which infuses aura with the ability to mimic properties, Conjuration alters aura into a replicated substance.

Emission Nen Type

Detaching Aura from the Body

Compatibilities 80% Enhancement, 80% Manipulation, 60% Transmutation, 40% Conjuration, 0% Specialization
Notable Emitters Meruem, Razor

Using emission enables a smoother distinction between one’s aura and their physical form. Due to its characteristics, emission is frequently utilized for abilities that emphasize reach and sustained effects. Common applications include firing aura-based projectiles or beams at high velocities. Although the intensity of the aura drops rapidly upon exit from the source, proficient emitters can detach their aura from their body for extended durations, over great distances, while preserving its functions. It’s worth noting that the natural, unaltered form of emitted aura appears to be spherical.

Although primarily employed for attacks, Emission can also serve various purposes such as self-propulsion, transferring the impact of another Nen type from afar, and even remotely. Advanced Emission offers abilities like teleportation and enabling auras to penetrate non-living substances. When harmonized with music, Emission can produce intriguing effects including alleviating weariness or enchanting listeners.

As an Emitter releases more of its aura away from its body, it can travel a shorter distance back to the source. Continuous emission seems to deplete the user’s aura supply over time. In exceptional instances, Emitters are capable of reabsorbing the emitted aura, but this often necessitates extra control and manipulation abilities.

Conjuration Nen Type

Generating Objects from Aura

Compatibilities 80% Transmutation, 60% Manipulation, 60% Enhancement, 40% Emission, 0% Specialization
Notable Conjurers Kurapika, Kite

Using their aura as a source, Conjurers have the remarkable ability to bring objects into existence, whether they be physical items or abstract concepts like rules and boundaries within specific spaces. Moreover, they are capable of creating their own dimensions.

Even though mastering Conjuration involves intensive visualization practice, once a skilled Conjurer learns to create a specific item, they can summon and vanish it at will whenever necessary. It’s fascinating that conjured objects possess some autonomy – they can maintain their existence under certain circumstances, even when they are away from the creator or beyond the Conjurer’s immediate control. Moreover, the durability of a conjured object often reflects the user’s skill level, but there are other factors that can enhance its toughness as well.

Just as with Manipulation, powers summoned through Conjuration are often intricate and specific, bound by certain conditions. These conditions can bolster conjured items, making them stronger. For example, Kurapika’s binding chain, conjured specifically for the Phantom Troupe, can only restrain its members. Violating this condition could lead to his own demise. This restriction gives his chain immense power, even against formidable masters like Uvogin who couldn’t break it. By imposing limitations, a Conjurer can enhance their ability, potentially creating objects with properties that approach superhuman capabilities, although they still cannot surpass them entirely.

I’ve sworn to capture the Phantom Troupe… And recover the eyes of my clan!!

Manipulation Nen Type

Controlling People and Objects

Compatibilities 80% Emission, 60% Enhancement, 60% Conjuration, 40% Transmutation, 0% Specialization
Notable Manipulators Illumi Zoldyck, Morel Mackernasey

Control over objects, whether living or inanimate, and even aura structures, is granted by the manipulation skill. A significant advantage of this skill in combat lies in the ability to dominate and influence opponents. The capabilities encompassed within Manipulation are often dreaded on the battlefield due to the possibility of the conflict concluding as soon as the user’s requirements are satisfied. It should be noted that the aura of the Manipulation user tends to merge with the target’s, although it is typically inconspicuous.

Skilled Manipulators can pour more energy, or aura, into an item than other Nen categories do. They often utilize tools they’ve been familiar with for a long time to activate their abilities. Strikingly, many Manipulators have demonstrated the ability to influence objects and sustain their powers’ effects from afar, without requiring Emission-type Nen, largely because of their chosen tool or medium.

Incredible! Following Killua’s instructions carries no risks at all. I can completely control him, and the benefits far exceed the drawbacks! What a fantastic opportunity!

Control over a manipulator often hinges on a challenging requirement to avoid potential harm or disadvantage, such as linking an object with an adversary or touching them in specific ways. The more difficult it is to meet this requirement, the greater the level of control that can be established. Additionally, the intricacy of tasks assigned varies based on the nature of the target: sentient beings and advanced machinery are capable of executing complex tasks beyond what simpler, non-living objects can manage.

Different types of Mind Manipulation

  • Soliciting Manipulation: Allows Manipulators to leave the free will of the victim intact but condition them into working in their favor through methods like rewriting memories. Requires little aura to influence multiple targets.
  • Coercive Manipulation: Exerts total control over the victim’s mind and body.
  • Pseudo-coercive Manipulation: Either takes over the body of the victim or traps them in a situation where they have no choice but to follow orders.
  • Diffusive Induction Type Manipulation: Capable of weakly coercing and influencing the emotions of a large number of people towards a certain object.

Specialization Nen Type

The vaguest Nen type

Compatibilities 80% Conjuration, 80% Manipulation, 60% Transmutation, 60% Emission, 40% Enhancement
Notable Specialists Kurapika (When his eyes turn scarlet), Chrollo Lucilfer

Specialization, in simple terms, refers to any Nen skills that don’t fall under the five primary classifications. It’s often seen as the least specific Nen type due to its versatility. Skills associated with this category typically involve intricate conditions and multiple steps, which are more complex compared to abilities from other categories.

Specialist abilities can have vastly different impacts. Some powers directly affect the Hatsu themselves, like stealing others’ Nen or changing affinity. Others grant knowledge that’s beyond ordinary reach, such as understanding past or future occurrences. The spectrum of specialization effects is broad. As a result, specialists don’t necessarily suffer as much when their Nen type is exposed compared to other users.

Making the ability yours while exploring the darkness within the soul of the original owner… that’s the true pleasure of a skilled hunter. — Chrollo

The development of specialist abilities is currently unknown as specialization does not adhere to set rules like the other five types. For some, like Neon, their ability manifested in line with a wish held since childhood. In Tserriednich’s case, a powerful ability emerged just one week after his Nen initiation without conscious effort or awareness on his part. While rare, those of adjacent categories like Manipulation or Conjuration can develop specialization later in life. This helps explain its position at the bottom of the Nen chart, as specialization is dictated more by other undefined factors than affinity for other types. However, it remains unclear whether specialization follows the same acquisition patterns, despite undoubtedly influencing the potential of neighboring types.

Hunter x Hunter can be streamed on Crunchyroll and Netflix.

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2024-07-31 18:04