Summary
Between the impending release ofDragon Ball: Sparking! Zero, thespiritual successor to the classic Budokai Tenkaichi games, as wellas the recent announcement of Bleach: Rebirth of Souls, the first Bleach console game since 2011, it’s easy to forgetthat Hunter x Hunter is getting its first standalone console gamein ages.
Officially titled Hunter x Hunter: Nen x Impact,it’s a three-on-three fighting game similar to Marvel vs. Capcom. It’s being developed by Bushiroad and will be published by Arc System Works, the crew behind the likes ofGuilty GearandFighterZ. Oh,and it’s due out sometime this fall.
That said, the game is set to launch with a roster of 16 characters, and so far, the usual suspects, like Gon, Killua and Hisoka, have all been revealed. However, how the rest of that roster will shape up and just how much of the manga the game will cover remains to be seen. On Friday, it was announced that Feitan of Phantom Troupe fame will be one of those 16 characters. His announcement comes on the heels of Chrollo being revealed during Anime Expo 2024.
The Phantom Troupe Is Making Their Presence Felt
Feitan’s announcement was met with a character reveal trailer highlighting his fighting style. In it, Feitan makes use of his umbrella sword and transmutation Nen abilities. And, of course, it wouldn’t be Feitan without showcasing his Rising Sun ultimate, complete with the mid-move outfit switch.
As for Chrollo, he makes use of his Nen copying abilities to great effect. In his trailer, you can see him using several moves that he stole from other users that were showcased in the anime, including indoor fish, along with his supreme hand-to-hand combat skills.
What’s most interesting so far about Nen x Impact is that it’s focused largely on the conflict between the protagonists and the Phantom Troupe. Indeed, so far, four of the 16 characters are Phantom Troupe members (five if you count Hisoka), leaving only five roster spaces left. It’s almost a given that Illumi, a former Phantom Troupe associate, will likely take up one of those spots, but how those final four shake out will be an interesting development.
That’s because Hunter x Hunter has the entire Chimera Ant Arc that has been adapted via the anime to potentially include. And with no information on a potential Season Pass or preorder bonuses, the number of spots available against which characters have yet to be confirmed has created a somewhat sticky situation.
On the one hand, assuming Illumi is the next revealed character, the final four spots could go to Meruem, Pouf, Pitou and Youpi, which would comprise the four antagonists of that arc. Nen x Impact wouldn’t be the first game a playable Meruem would exist in, as he was a DLC character for the now delisted Jump Force.
At the same time, the game could continue to pull from the Phantom Troupe and make a character like Shalnark available. That’s not even considering the fact that Kite could be a roster member, especially considering his importance in the story. And, of course, there are other Hunter Association members, like Morel and Knuckle that could also work their way into the game.
All of this is to say that however the roster does shake out, it will be fascinating. Fans have long been clamoring for a Hunter x Hunter game, and their wishes have finally come true. The world of Yoshihiro Togashi’s iconic manga is so rich with multiple fighting styles via the Nen system that truly any character could work in this format. It’s enough to get this writer excited and the game doesn’t even have a release date.
