Hunter x Hunter 2011

[Buffalobiian]

I'm starting to assume that Kite calls all of his rolls bad spins if the limitation of their usefulness somehow augments his nen as a condition...

The machine also said he never rolls a bad roll. Based on that, I reason that it must choose the best nen ability for the task - along with the limitation that would make it "troublesome".

-Shoot raging ant in the head, but you have one second.
-Eliminate all ants in the area, might kill your friends.

Besides being troublesome though, I wonder how it uses up Kite's nen? Is it the summon, or the attack? For example, if Kite was low on reserves, will he be:

-unable to summon the gun?
-unable to maintain the summon of the gun?
-unable to fire the gun?

[shinta|hikari]

I think the roll is random, and that is part of what makes it troublesome. I think that having no bad rolls simply means that all the weapons are good. Kite may just be too picky, or the other unrevealed weapons are simply that much more powerful.

Has there ever been an issue of Nen running out in the show?

[Buffalobiian]

Has there ever been an issue of Nen running out in the show?

Gon passed out before in dodgeball, while Killua says that his lightning drains him very quickly.

[DarthEnderX]

Rammot wasn't in two pieces. All of these grunts were, and it wasn't just limbs they lost. When your body isn't anymore supported by a full complement of vital internal organs, your life expectancy gets kind of low.

Except for the animals that that kind of thing isn't an issue for, some of which could be used in the makeup of any of those ants.

Who knows what kind of starfish DNA or whatever could be in them.

[Kraco]

They wouldn't live long enough for starfish DNA to save them. Like I said, it wasn't a limb they lost. Only some really fancy nen technique might help, but none of these grunts obviously have such.

[DarthEnderX]

Honestly, I'm pretty displeased with this new development of Nen for the Chimera ants.

It just feels like the writer is being lazy. We have to perfectly established methods through which the Ants could have obtained Nen, but because neither one is convenient for the story, it feels like he just ass-pulled a new one.

They wouldn't live long enough for starfish DNA to save them.

That was just an example. There are other animals in the world, some of which are capable of regrowing entire vital organs.

And that's just the real world. The Hunter X Hunter world is full of fictional animals. Who knows what kind of natural abilities they might have.

[Buffalobiian]

Honestly, I'm pretty displeased with this new development of Nen for the Chimera ants.

It just feels like the writer is being lazy. We have to perfectly established methods through which the Ants could have obtained Nen, but because neither one is convenient for the story, it feels like he just ass-pulled a new one.

This gives the ants time to learn and develop techniques instead of just being nen powerhouses though. Colt is already trying to reproduce the effect on himself while Peggy is about to study Rammot. It'd make more sense for the higher-ups to figure out abilities now and have them teach it to the Royal Guards and King, instead of having the King magically being born a Nen master from the start.

In any case, it feels better than being a "random" event. If none of the Ants had Nen so far, it doesn't seem likely that they'd just "spontaneously" get it at this point - and only the Guards/King are left to be born. Plus, we've had plenty of characterisation so far and it'd be a waste to use them as easy cannon fodder.

[MFauli]

Honestly, I'm pretty displeased with this new development of Nen for the Chimera ants.

It just feels like the writer is being lazy. We have to perfectly established methods through which the Ants could have obtained Nen, but because neither one is convenient for the story, it feels like he just ass-pulled a new one.

And I feel it´s fine, because it´s really just what I´ve been speculating about. The chimera ants are natural nen-users, they just need a catalyst of sorts to change it from a passive to an active ability.

[shinta|hikari]

I think the reason they can use Nen is not because the ants have an affinity towards it, but because they ate humans, who can use Nen if they are trained to do so. As Colt has been saying several times, they can do what humans can do.

[Archangel]

It's pretty simple:

- Their human characteristics allow them to use Nen

- Their Nen was forcefully activated by being attacked by it

[DarthEnderX]

It'd make more sense for the higher-ups to figure out abilities now and have them teach it to the Royal Guards and King, instead of having the King magically being born a Nen master from the start.

It DOESN'T make sense though. It doesn't fit with either the the way Nen abilities have been introduced in the past, or with how phagogenesis works.

Having someone who knows Nen teach them how to use it(or be forced to teach them)? That's fine. Have them eat someone who knows it and learn it that way? Also fine.

Developing it spontaneously just from getting hit with it? Feels like a total ass-pull.

- Their Nen was forcefully activated by being attacked by it

Which would be fine if that was a thing that had ever existed in the series before now.

I never said it was complicated. I'm saying it violates the setting as has been established up until this point.

[Archangel]

Which would be fine if that was a thing that had ever existed in the series before now.

... like when Wing did the exact same thing to forcefully activate Gon and Killua's Nen?

[neflight86]

Hmm.... I seem to recall that incredibly talented people could use Nen without realizing it, and that it was a power attainable by anyone if they trained long enough...

The chimera ants, being made of humans (possibly multiple per), having some concentration of nen talent within them doesn't feel too far fetched.

Also, there was some foreshadowing when the captain-class ant could perceive Pokkle's light arrow to catch it. The same thing happened to Kurapika when deciding to dodge that acorn from his soon to be teacher way back when. That (perception) was explained as an affinity for learning to use Nen; the same thing these ants have. Another instance was when Hisoka's aura kept G&K from advancing to register for their fights, yet the red-herring attendant was unaffected as far as we were shown.

As for the trauma unlocking nen, that also appears in line with what Wing did to the two boys at Heaven's arena. He explained that nen could have both evil or non-evil (offensive, really) application; a chance he did not want them to take. As I understand it, the handy-capable trio likely learned/unlocked nen the same way Rammot just did. Three similar cases, but Wing was willing to pull the punch.

I can't really defend the position beyond that, but it is enough to allow me to suspend disbelief.

[DarthEnderX]

... like when Wing did the exact same thing to forcefully activate Gon and Killua's Nen?

I...hmm...

Alright, withdrawn.

[Archangel]

I...hmm...

Alright, withdrawn.

Good boy.

[Buffalobiian]

Episode 84 is out!!

[Carnage]

I dont know how they air this on Saturday mornings in Japan...

[Buffalobiian]

See how scary these ants are? Not only do they learn things by eating people now, they also learn by delving into your bloody mind. My fear of them stems for their amoral pursuit of being the strongest being possible - it means they'll stop at nothing, and nothing can stop them (if given the correct circumstance).

Being "outclassed" as a species is probably a good way to describe it too.

[MFauli]

This is the most gruesome, cruel anime this season. Sorry, Shingeki no Kyojin, but you´re outclassed in that category ... by a "shounen"-series.

I felt so sorry for Pokkle. What do you do in that situation? Nothing. There´s exactly nothing you can do. You´re these monsters´ helpless prey.

I hate Neferpitou (though I love her appearance, come on, catgirls!). Always hate these situations where previously confident, strong characters fall to their knees because suddenly a 100 times stronger ally appears. Hope, some human puts Neferpitou in her place in an upcoming fight.

[Kraco]

I'm starting to think Kite is pretty arrogant thinking he can take down these enemies only by himself and two kids still very much in the middle of their development. I feel the speed and ease the ants develop with is bullshit, but I guess it was a simple way to make a really horrible enemy out of nowhere. And I still think Kite should have contracted an insecticide manufacturer...

Pokkle really spilled the beans this time.