Hunter X Hunter: How Strong Was Meruem?

As a seasoned connoisseur of Hunter x Hunter, I must say that Meruem, the King of Ants, is a character unlike any other. His power and potential are so immense that it leaves one’s mind boggled.

This article contains spoilers for ten Hunter x Hunter manga and anime.

Key Takeaways

Meruem, the King of the Chimera Ants, is the most powerful villain in Hunter X Hunter’s Chimera Ant arc.
Meruem’s ability to absorb Nen and grow stronger makes him unmatched by any character in the series.
No one, not even strong characters like Netero or Adult Gon, can compare to the limitless potential of Meruem’s power growth.

The captivating tale known as “Hunter X Hunter” has amassed a dedicated fanbase over time, eagerly anticipating fresh instalments penned by author Yoshihiro Togashi, who occasionally takes extended breaks. Lately, there’s been exciting news – the manga is set to resume publication, bringing delight to fans everywhere. The 2011 anime adaptation played a significant role in making it popular, and it encompassed all storylines up until the conclusion of the 13th Election arc. Interestingly, it’s the sole anime adaptation that tackled the Chimera Ant arc – widely considered one of the most acclaimed story arcs to emerge from this manga.

The Chimera Ant saga has been widely praised for its exceptional narrative structure and development. It commenced in the manga at chapter 186 and ended at chapter 318, equivalent to episodes 76 to 136 of the anime series. This arc is currently the longest in Hunter x Hunter, unfolding after the events of the Greed Island arc, where Gon reconnects with an old acquaintance, Kite. Meruem, the primary antagonist of this storyline, is a character known for his immense power among fans, often ranked among the most powerful individuals within the story, if not the most powerful. Although viewers were given a glimpse of Meruem’s abilities during the Chimera Ant arc, the full extent of his power remained unexplored, leaving fans with only a partial understanding of his true terror.

Who is Meruem?

The King of the Chimera Ants
The Most Powerful Antagonist Seen So Far

The Chimera Ants are anthropomorphic ants that evolved to have mixed animal attributes after their queen consumed all sorts of animals. She notably birthed a group of very powerful ants, the 3 Royal guards, starting with Neferpitou – all of this before birthing the most powerful creature, Meruem, who becomes the King of the Chimera Ants.

In the hands of an incompetent, power brings nothing but ruin

In the manga, Meruem is the strongest offspring born to the Chimera Ant Queen, making his debut in chapter 213. Physically, he resembles other Chimera Ants but appears more robotic than animal-like, with some turtle characteristics. Despite being compact in size, he’s exceptionally muscular and has a green body. He wields an impressive tail that functions as a weapon, complete with a tall stinger. His appearance bears a striking resemblance to the character Cell from the Dragon Ball series.

Following his birth, Meruem displayed a harsh disposition and an air of superiority towards all others, aligning with the Queen’s ambition to create an ideal offspring. However, as the story unfolded, and Meruum encountered Komugi, a blind girl, in the game of Gungi, where he suffered repeated defeats, his character underwent significant transformation and mental evolution. Rather than viewing humans with contempt, he began to perceive them as beings capable of greatness. This perspective was further reinforced when he engaged in combat with Netero, the Chief of the Hunter Association.

Meruem Had Incredible Powers And Skill Up His Sleeve

Meruem Absorbs The Nen of People He Consumes

Nen Type: Emitter

Hunter x Hunter is a long-running series with over 300 chapters, and none have managed to match the prowess of Meruem. Even as a newborn just a month old, he demonstrated incredible strength and abilities that suggested he was the perfect being. Fans initially believed his Nen abilities fell under the Specialist category, since Togashi had not yet confirmed it, but this assumption proved reasonable. However, it was later discovered at an exhibition from notes by Togashi that Meruem is actually an Emitter, a fact fans were able to confirm. His unique ability lies in his power to absorb other people’s Nen by consuming them.

In every facet, Meruem exhibits awe-inspiring abilities. His strength, endurance, toughness, speed, and dexterity are all remarkably well-balanced, with no discernible weaknesses. Additionally, his intelligence is remarkable, bordering on extraordinary. To summarize, he’s more than just a prodigy. These abilities were put to the test during his encounter with Netero. Despite Netero being one of the strongest Nen users, even in old age, he was no match for Meruem. In their fight, Netero had to resort to using his Poor Man’s Rose, a powerful technique that required him to sacrifice himself.

Meruem’s resilience was extraordinary; he endured this, severely wounded, and eventually healed by devouring parts of Shaiapouf and Menthuthuyoupi. This act not only aided his recovery but also boosted his power to new heights. If he was already the pinnacle of existence, he had transcended that level. Now, he could wield abilities obtained from consuming Nen users.

Given additional time, a mere fraction of his power could have been all I’d be dealing with. Each time he devoured another Nen user, his power escalated exponentially. Thus, the most effective strategy to halt this menace seemed to be to eliminate him as swiftly as possible.

Can Anyone Compare To Meruem In Hunter X Hunter?

Netero and Adult Gon Wouldn’t be Able to Beat The King

In the series ‘Hunter x Hunter’, no character comes close to matching Meruem’s prowess. Even the incredibly powerful Netero, known for his mastery over Nen, could barely contain Meruem for a brief period before losing an arm and a leg. This was despite having ample time to ready his 0th hand, a move so potent it led him to decide on his own demise.

One person who, based on what Neferpitou said, could rival the king was Gon in his adult form. Gon sacrificed his nen to attain this form to kill Neferpitou so he was certainly extremely powerful. However, Pitou was talking about Meruem pre-explosion, who was a lot weaker compared to his newer form.

Meruem was merely a month old during the Chimera Ant arc, which left ample room for him to expand his power exponentially and boasted nearly unbounded potential. Considering he outmatched characters like Netero at that tender age, it’s conceivable that he would have been indomitable after a year, potentially being invincible against any combination of characters. His strength lies in his ability to grow by absorbing others, making his growth limitless.

Some personalities who might momentarily captivate him include Ging Freecs, Chrollo, or even his Royal Guards. To be clear, none of these characters match the king’s perfection, and it seems extremely improbable that any character will surpass his greatness as the narrative unfolds further.

Meruum, the Ruler of Ant Colony. I’m guessing you’re unfamiliar with it? It’s unlikely that you grasp the depth of cruelty hidden within the human spirit.

It’s plausible that a resident of the Unknown Land could equal or even outshine King Meruem, but since we, the audience, haven’t explored the Dark Continent yet, it remains to be seen if this will occur anytime soon. Given the current progression of the story, it seems like we might not venture into the Dark Continent for a while.

From the mysterious land known as the Dark Continent, a unique character named Nanika might have the chance to defeat Meruem. With extraordinary powers, Nanika seems capable of fulfilling any wish. However, a wish to kill Meruem could potentially lead to the next wisher receiving requests that are incredibly challenging, and if they fail, it may result in the loss of many lives – possibly hundreds, if not thousands.

You can access the acclaimed manga “Hunter x Hunter” through Viz Media. Fans can legally and at no cost read it on the Shonen Jump and Manga Plus app. Excitingly, the manga is scheduled to resume publication on October 7th, 2024.

2024-09-18 03:33