Two of the series’ most notorious antagonists were pitted against one another in the Hunter x Hunter manga, but the critical battle was never given the opportunity to be animated. One of the most anticipated bouts in the whole Hunter x Hunter manga series could not make it into the 2011 anime adaptation for one simple reason: it had not yet been written in the original manga. In addition to its action sequences, the popular series is also notorious for taking lengthy hiatuses, which can last for months (or even years) at a period, allowing fans to catch up on their favourite characters’ lives.
Despite the fact that there hasn’t been a new chapter published in three years (at the time of this writing), Hunter x Hunter hasn’t been officially concluded. Yoshihiro Togashi, the story’s creator, has been beset by health issues, which have prevented him from working on the series as rigorously as fans would have hoped. When the 2011 anime adaptation caught up to the manga timeline, it created its own conclusion; however, many additional chapters have been released in the years since, including the long-awaited all-out fight between the chaotically villainous Hisoka and the leader of the Phantom Troupe Chrollo, which was originally scheduled for release in 2011.
Hisoka is competing in the competition known as Heaven’s Arena in the Hunter x Hunter manga chapter 351, which was first published in 2016. Hisoka had previously been revealed to hold a very high rank in the competition before this. Hisoka has a strong desire to battle powerful opponents, such as Chrollo, to the point that he went through a lengthy process to become a member of the Troupe simply to have the opportunity.
Chrollo is promoted to the position of Floor Master in Heaven’s Arena, putting him on an equal footing with Hisoka.
In what Hisoka had hoped would be a no-holds-barred fight to the death, the two are finally able to do so. Previously, their only chance had been after Chrollo’s nen abilities were sealed back in chapter 119, which would have resulted in him only being able to fight at a fraction of his normal power.
Hisoka had established himself as a terrible adversary, willing to do things such as cut off his own limbs as part of his fight techniques and behaving mercilessly towards his opponents, killing more than a handful of them as part of his battle methods. Furthermore, Chrollo has been shown to be highly powerful, and many characters have expressed fear or reverence for him, even after his talents have been shut away.
The battle between the two villains is one of the most severe in the history of Hunter × Hunter, as neither is concerned about bringing innocent bystanders into the ring if doing so will give them an advantage over their opponent. Chrollo demonstrates a range of powers, many of which are new and powerful, and the conflict eventually comes to a close with a large explosion that leaves many people dead, including one of the participants.
Hisoka and Chrollo’s brawl in Heaven’s Arena is one of the rare few bouts that truly managed to deliver on everything that it had promised, especially considering that it had been built up to for over 200 chapters. A terrifying look into the task that still lies ahead for Kurapika and his other characters, especially given how hard they had previously suffered against Hisoka, is provided by the appearance of Chrollo in full force. We should be grateful that the anime ended before this manga arc could be translated into English, because it provides an important turning point in Hisoka’s character’s development that was never fully resolved in a satisfying fashion.