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Hunter x Hunter: Kurapika’s Powers (Explained)

Among all of the fantasy Shonen Animes out there, Hunter X Hunter has the most complex yet interesting power dynamic.

Kurapika From Hunter X Hunter
Kurapika is driven by an intense desire to reclaim the Scarlet Eyes and exact revenge on those who killed his people.

Today, I’m going to discuss one of the four main protagonists of Hunter x Hunter, Kurapika.

Kurapika was the only one of the Kurta Clan who survived the brutal attack by the Phantom troupe. Even though he has a gentle and calm personality, he has a burning desire to avenge the death of his people and get hold of the Scarlet Eyes. 

Kurapika passed his hunter exam when he was 17 years old, he chose to become a black list hunter. He is a member of the Zodiacs with the code name Rat and he is also the boss of the Nostrade Family’s Association. 

Kurapika’s Nen is a set of chains on his right hand. Here is all you need to know about Kurapika’s powers.

What is Kurapika’s Nen type?

In the Hunter x Hunter world, every living being has an innate Aura or Nen ability that they can harness into tremendous power after strict training.

There are 6 types of Nen Aura:

  • Enhancement
  • Transmutation
  • Conjuration
  • Emission
  • Manipulation
  • Specialization

Usually, a person is limited to having only a single type of Aura. However, some strong-willed characters can learn to use other Nen abilities as well.

Kurapika’s Nen type is Conjurer. He uses his chains to conjure anything. It means he can take control of anyone or anything in his chain’s possession, no matter the strength or size. 

Another one of his abilities is Scarlet Eyes. Whenever he activates a Scarlet Eye, he enters a powerful state named the Emperor time in the series.

He can change his Aura from a Conjurer to a Specialist in this state. This means that he can master any other Nen or Aura and use it as a weapon. He can harness any ability he wants and incorporate it into his chains for an ultimate battle weapon. 

How did Kurapika get his powers?

Kurapika gets his powers from his eyes.

He is above the most powerful being in the Hunter x Hunter world since he is a Kurta. As a regular conjurer, he does have some limitations but when his Aura transforms his attack and defense become considerably strong. 

From what I have observed, Kurapika’s chains are not that powerful, it’s his scarlet eyes that get him to the state of the Emperor Time. When Kurapika’s scarlet eyes light up, his physical prowess as a Kurta is enhanced.

This leads him to have had a strong boost in Nen as well to strengthen his overall defense to counteract Uvo’s Big Bang effect.

How do Kurapika’s chains work?

Kurapika's Scarlet Eyes
Any Nen power he has is 100% effective while his eyes are crimson.

Kurapika’s power comes from his connections with the Kurta clan, his red eyes increase his Nen power and physical abilities to the maximum and he transforms into a specialist from a conjurer. When his eyes turn red he can use any Nen ability with 100% efficiency. 

Kurapika’s main weapon is his chains as a conjurer. His chains are so strong that he even held Uvogin, the strongest man of the Phantom Troupe captive.

Kurapika’s chains can pierce through the heart of his enemy and strongly wrap around the heart. Once he gets hold of his enemy’s heart, he sets two conditions for the victims to follow.

If they don’t follow them, then the chains will eventually crush their heart and kill them. He owns these chains:

ChainsLocation
Dowsing ChainRing Finger
Chain JailMiddle Finger
Judgment ChainLittle Finger
Holy ChainThumb
Steal ChainIndex Finger
About Kurapika’s abilities

However, Kurapika’s heart is wrapped with a Nen Blade chain. He is a good man who vowed to not hurt anyone other than the members of the Phantom Troupe. Hence he imposed a condition on the chains and if he violates these vows he will die. 

Every Nen ability can be strengthened by a Vow or a limit; the stricter the condition, the stronger the ability. He only uses his chain jail for Spiders.

What are all of Kurapika’s powers?

Thumb — The Holy Chain

The Holy Chain
The Holy Chain and its ability to heal in seconds.

Just like the name suggests, Kurapika’s Holy chain has healing powers.

Even though this power is exclusively possessed by people with Enhancer Auras, Kurapika has trained himself to use this Hatsu with the help of his chain. The chain has some engraved stuff and it is shaped like a small cross. 

Normally, his Holy Chain can cure minor injuries or bruises in no time. But when he activates his Scarlet Eyes, his Holy Chain receives a considerable boost in power. During this state, this chain can heal broken bones, ruptured organs, and whatnot in a matter of seconds. 

Index Finger — Steal Chain

The steal chain located on Kurapika’s Index finger has the most interesting and unique ability. The steal chain like the name suggests can steal the Nen abilities of whoever it captures.

It is shaped like a metal syringe, it stabs the enemy target, and sucks Nen into the syringe. The person goes into the state of Zetsu which is the absence of Nen from a body. 

After a person’s ability is stolen, he cannot use it until Kurapika returns that ability to them. 

Additionally, if he activates Emperor Time, Kurapika can call forth the Stealth Dolphin, an ability that evaluates stolen abilities and grants him temporary access to them as well as the option to lend them to others. However, it’s important to note that every time Kurapika utilizes Emperor Time in this condition, he shortens his life by one hour.

Middle Finger — Chain Jail

Chain Jail is a chain with what seems to be a little hook at one end. Chain Jail has the power to covertly surround the victim, encircle their entire body, and trap them to the point where they are unable to move at all.

Additionally, Chain Jail will put the victim into the Zetsu state, which stops them from utilizing their Nen at all, as if that weren’t enough. The only way the victim may escape Chain Jail is by using force.

However, not even the most powerful member of the Phantom Troupe, Uvogin, can break the bond.

Ring Finger — Dowsing Chain

There is a little ball fastened to the Dowsing Chain. The Dowsing Chain is one of Kurapika’s most useful and distinctive skills, despite its simple facade.

Like a regular power chain, he can use it to both strike and protect. But this chain also has a dowsing power, exactly like its name suggests.

A Dowsing Chain may be used, among other things, to discover a lost person or item and to establish whether or not a person is telling the truth. Kurapika may use the Dowsing Chain power while in Emperor Time.

Dowsing Chain
Using a dowsing chain, among other things, can help you find a misplaced object or person and determine whether or not someone is telling the truth.

Little Finger — Judgment Chain

The Judgment Chain is shaped like a little cross with a pointed edge that gives it the appearance of a tiny dagger. The Judgment Chain has the power to enforce an unbreakable rule on someone, as the name implies.

Kurapika will shoot this chain through the target’s chest to use it; it will then instantly wrap the target’s heart and direct its dagger towards it. At least two rules can be established by Kurapika for the target to abide by.

No matter how far away the target is from Kurapika, the chain will instantaneously destroy their heart if they violate his rules.

Kurapiak Using his Judgement chain on Uvogin

Who snatched Kurapika’s eyes?

Pairo snatched Kurapika’s eyes.

They meet Leorio and find that he and Kurapika were researching a report of a survivor of Kurapika’s Kurta Clan until they met a little boy whom Kurapika recognized as his childhood friend Pairo, who attacked him and stole his eyes.

Unconscious since then, Kurapika awakens among the others, and soon after, he sees through his stolen eyes a man with a spider tattoo on his right palm, the same as the Phantom Troupe members.

Why is Kurapika so powerful?

Kurapika is powerful since he is a Kurta Clan member.

When his eyes turn crimson, it boosts his physical and nen talents and transforms him into a specialist rather than a conjurer. His specialty talent (Emperor Time) allows him unlimited use of all nen categories.

Every nen ability can be increased with a condition, and the more stringent the requirement, the more strong the ability. His chain jail is solely for Spiders, which isn’t something you’d want to do in the HxH universe. Fortunately for him, he is a kurta with a high hax ability.

Conclusion

  • Kurapika’s innate Hatsu is Conjurer.
  • He has also acquired the ability of a specialist and an enhancer. 
  • All his 5 fingers possess chains, each of which bears a unique ability.
  • The main source of Kurapika’s power is his Scarlet Eyes. 

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