Hisoka Morow

Hisoka Morow is one of Hunter x Hunter's most enduring antagonists — a former member of the Phantom Troupe whose defining trait is an open, almost gleeful obsession with seeking out and testing himself against powerful opponents, regardless of the danger to himself or anyone around him.

Role in the story

Hisoka's relationship to the main cast is unusual for a series antagonist: he isn't driven by ideology or personal vendetta so much as an appetite for strong fights, which puts him in orbit around protagonists Gon Freecss and Killua Zoldyck at various points without ever settling into a simple hero-versus-villain dynamic. His Nen ability, built around Transmutation, allows him to manipulate the properties of his own aura in ways that make him unpredictable in combat — a fitting match for a character whose personality is similarly difficult to pin down.

The Phantom Troupe connection

Hisoka's history with the Phantom Troupe, the organization of elite thieves he was once part of before his expulsion, remains a recurring thread in the story. His interest in the group — and specifically in members like Chrollo Lucilfer, whose ability he covets as a potential opponent — continues to surface as the story's various arcs unfold.

Why he matters in the current arc

As Hunter x Hunter's 2026 manga return picks back up mid–Succession Contest arc aboard the Black Whale, Hisoka remains one of the threads still in motion, with the Phantom Troupe's pursuit of him continuing to run alongside the succession war's political maneuvering. His unpredictability keeps him one of the more closely watched characters as the arc heads toward its resolution.