One of the best parts ofHunter x Hunteris that fights rarely come down to raw strength. Power matters, sure, but strategy almost always takes the spotlight. It’s not about who can hit the hardest. It’s about who can think the fastest, adapt under pressure, and use their quirks or limitations as an advantage.
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That’s why the series stands out from other shounen. Every major fight feels like a high-stakes chess match, where predicting an opponent’s next move is just as crucial as landing a hit. This tactical depth sets the series apart from other shounen, making each battle a test of intellect as much as endurance.Fighters must analyze, pivot, and outmaneuver their opponents in real time, leading to some of the most intense and rewarding moments in the series.
7Knuckle and Shoot vs. Youpi
Outsmarting Raw Power with Precision
This fight had no business being as good as it was.Youpi, one of the Chimera Ant Royal Guards, had raw power on a different level. Knuckle and Shoot had to work together using precise coordination, decoys, and carefully timed Nen abilities to even survive.
Knuckle’s ability, Hakoware, applied interest to the damage done, but getting it to stick meant landing calculated blows. Shoot, who rarely fought head-on, relied on stealth and manipulation with his floating hands.Neither one could overpower Youpi, but they managed to throw him off balance mentally.The fact that they held their ground and even made Youpi start thinking before acting says everything about how tactical the fight was.
6Kurapika vs. Uvogin
A Perfectly Executed Trap Disguised as a Fight
Kurapika’s fight with Uvogin is short but brutal, and it’s a masterclass in planning. Kurapika didn’t just go in with a power boost. He built his Nen entirely around beating the Phantom Troupe, and this fight shows exactly how precise that setup is.
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He uses chains that can only work on the Troupe, and he locks Uvogin down before the guy even realizes what’s happening. Uvogin expects a brawl.Kurapika gives him a death sentence. The fight is less of a clash and more of a trap being sprung. Kurapika understood his opponent’s weaknesses, planned for them, and never gave him a chance to adapt.
5Gon and Killua vs. Genthru (Greed Island)
A Multi-Step Strategy That Paid Off
This one often gets overlooked, but Gon andKillua’sfinal fight in Greed Island is one of their most cerebral moments. They’re not fighting with overwhelming power. They’re using teamwork, feints, and a full understanding of Genthru’s abilities to outmaneuver him.
Killua sets traps. Gon tanks hits at specific times, not randomly, but based on calculated risks. Genthru thinks he has them figured out, but the boys have spent the entire arc learning how to counter him.The payoff is not just Gon landing a punch. It’s the realization that the whole fight was built around a multi-step setup.They weren’t just reacting. They were thinking moves ahead.
4Hisoka vs. Kastro
Observation, Adaptation, and Psychological Warfare
Hisoka doesn’t just win this fight with power. He wins it by outsmarting an opponent who seemed to have the upper hand with a double ability. Kastro’s afterimage technique was confusing and fast, and most fighters would have been completely thrown off.
But Hisoka watches closely, plays along, and slowly pieces it together. He doesn’t panic. He waits for an opening and uses his Bungee Gum to fake his own injury, reposition, and turn the fight in his favor. The entire battle is a slow burn of observation and adaptation. Hisoka didn’t just outfight Kastro. He out-thought him from the start.
3Chrollo vs. Hisoka
A Battle Won Before It Even Started
This one is all about setup. Chrollo comes into the fight having stolen and prepared several abilities, each one designed to work together. He uses fakes, distractions, and terrain control to completely overwhelm Hisoka, who relies on improvisation.
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The beauty of this fight lies in how Chrollo utilizes other people’s Nen skills, much like pieces on a chessboard. He sets clones to confuse, bookmarks to keep track, and uses people in the audience as bait. Hisoka is no slouch, but Chrollo turns the fight into something he controls from start to finish.It’s not just a battle. It’s a fully orchestrated trap, and Chrollo never loses control of the board.
2Meruem vs. Komugi (Gungi Matches)
The Most Intense Fight Without a Single Punch
Okay, technically not a physical fight, but you’d be missing the point to leave this off the list.Meruem’s matches with Komugi are pure mental warfare. He starts out thinking he’s unbeatable, and Komugi dismantles him with strategy, patience, and confidence in her skill.
It’s one of the few times in the series where the power dynamic is reversed without any violence. Meruem, the supposed apex predator, gets humbled repeatedly, not by a Nen ability, but by someone who simply understands their craft better than he does. Watching him lose over and over isn’t just satisfying, it’s transformative.This “battle” reshapes how Meruem sees humans, and it happens entirely through mind games.
1Gon, Killua, and Biscuit vs. Razor (Greed Island Dodgeball)
The Ultimate Team Strategy in a Dodgeball War
No fight shows off group strategy quite like this one. Razor is ridiculously strong and has home-field advantage. Gon and Killua know they can’t beat him through brute force, so they figure out ways to turn a literal dodgeball game into a war of tactics.
They pass, redirect, take intentional hits, and even use Razor’s rules against him.Biscuitacts as the anchor, making sure their plan holds together. Gon’s final throw isn’t just about strength. It’s about perfectly setting up the moment. Every move in this fight is based on collaboration, timing, and knowing when to risk everything.It’s fun, intense, and clever in a way few anime battles are. That’s why it sits at the top of this list.
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