6 Hunter x Hunter Characters With the Darkest Backstories, Ranked

Even among other shonen anime, Hunter x Hunter probably has some of the most brutal character backstories. Some are so dark that the characters could become villains after struggling through it all. But out of the many, a few Hunter x Hunter character backstories are arguably the darkest. What had they not suffered? From poor upbringing to constant subjection to torture, or even having their entire clan destroyed, these characters had it the worst.

6 Morena Had the Most Brutal Upbringing As One of the Royals

Morena Prudo from Hunter x Hunter | Credits: Shueisha

Despite being one of the specialist Nen users, Morena Prudo had such a bleak early life. The fact that she was the illegitimate child of the Kakin royal family caused most of her misfortune. Instead of being treated as a noble, she was constantly ignored. People regarded her as a disposable object. Therefore, her descent into the world of crime makes sense. Morena genuinely wanted to tear down the entire system. Still, her early life was within the royal walls, so it couldn’t be as bad as the top 5 on the list.

5 Alluka’s Entire Childhood Was Defined by Fear and Rejection

Nanika from Hunter X Hunter | Credits: Madhouse

Alluka wasn’t exactly physically abused or tortured or anything like Killua was. But her past does sound even more traumatic because everyone else around her feared her. So, throughout her childhood, she was treated as something dangerous that needed to be controlled. Even other members of the Zoldyck family were terrified of her inner alter persona, Nanika. But the sad thing is that Alluka never had control over her reality-bending powers. So, from a child’s POV, it was absolutely horrible, which deserves the 5th position on the list.

4 Gyro’s Tragic Past Is Enough to Shape a Potential Master Villain

Gyro from Hunter X Hunter | Credits: Shueisha

Gyro might just be the most mysterious character in Hunter x Hunter. But the manga has already revealed how pathetic his childhood was, thanks to his father. While he constantly wanted his father’s approval, the father in question constantly beat and mistreated him. The very feeling that no one in this world truly cared about him pushed him down the path of becoming a potential master of evil. Despite being reborn as a Chimera Ant, Gyro couldn’t forget his deep hatred. Therefore, he deserves the 4th spot.

3 Chrollo Grew Up in the Harshest Environment of Meteor City

Chrollo Lucilfer from Hunter x Hunter | Credits: Madhouse

Meteor City is arguably the most infamous place in the entire Hunter x Hunter universe, a place where people are essentially abandoned by society. So, there’s poverty, violence, and almost no protection for the people residing there. Thus, Togashi’s favorite Phantom Troupe member, Chrollo, had a hellish childhood. He had to endure the pain of his childhood friend, Sarasa’s brutal murder. This alone deserves Chrollo the 3rd rank on the list. Thus, his entering the criminal world makes sense, to be honest.

2 Killua Was Constantly Subjected to Physical & Mental Torture

Killua from Hunter X Hunter | Credits: Madhouse

If you think you know parental abuse, like most Asian kids do, then you couldn’t even comprehend how cruel Killua‘s past was. His childhood is arguably the clearest example of systematic abuse, claiming 2nd place. Since he was born into the Zoldyck family, he was subjected to many forms of torture himself. The family members believed they were doing it for his own good, so that he could become the finest assassin. His older brother Illumi even implanted a needle into his head, which would create fear within Killua of fighting stronger opponents!

1 Kurapika Lost Everything With the Destruction of His Entire Clan

Both anime and manga fans could’ve guessed that the very top spot for the HxH character with the darkest backstory is reserved for the strongest Blacklist Hunter, Kurapika. His entire clan was brutally murdered while he was out; hence, he became the lone survivor. The Phantom Troupe, led by Chrollo, slaughtered the Kurta Clan, and from then on, Kurapika swore to get revenge. Family, loved ones- he lost everything. Even his Chain-based Nen abilities are built around this obsession with revenge. So he very much deserves the top spot.

So, how much do you agree with the ranking? Feel free to discuss in the comments.

The Hunter x Hunter anime is currently available to watch on Crunchyroll.