Hunter X Hunter Dark Continent Creatures.
In the last episode of the 2011 edition of the anime, Ging mentions the Dark Continent to Gon.
Note – If you are an anime-only watcher just read Dark Continent Expedition Arc in Manga chapters 340-348 before proceeding further.
Based on records, humans went to Dark Continent five times and each time they brought back a threat with them. A book called “Journey to the New World” contains legendary text about the Dark Continent but it is considered fiction by many people. But the books explain several inexplicable occurrences in the known world. There are five known threats so far to mankind.
Known Creatures in Dark Continent |
|---|
| 1. Chimera Ants |
| 2. World Tree |
| 3. Hellbell |
| 4. Brion |
| 5. Ai |
| 6. Pap |
| 7. An unnamed Herb for All-illnesses |
| 8. Nitro Rice |
| 9. Gatekeepers |
| 10. Magical Beasts |
| 11. Don Freecs |
| 12. Metallion |
| 13. Zobae Disease |
1. Chimera Ants
Chimera Ants, which the humans fought are from the Dark Continent. They are of an average size of two meters. But Chimera Ants isn’t something new to the known Hunter X Hunter world since Chimera Ants of size 10cm is common in the known world.
By eating other creatures, a Chimera Ant queen can impart the characteristics of the ingested creatures onto the next generation of Chimera Ants it gives birth to. Even the Chimera Ants that caused so much destruction are classified as just a B-level threat (Though it is unclear if it is for an average Chimera ant or all ants including even Mereum and Royal guards.).
2. World Tree
World Tree in the “known” world is the longest tree known to mankind. But it is only a sapling that has only enough nutrients to grow up to 1784 meters. Ging explains that a “real” World Tree takes root on a mountain, intakes magma, surpasses the atmosphere, and becomes even bigger at the world’s “outside”.
3. Hellbell
Hellbell is a mysterious snake-like being and one of the five threats. It lives in the swamplands situated south of Mobius in the Dark Continent. It has two tails and a bell-like lump thus known as Hellbell. They infect the prey with homicidal desire and they have a danger rank of A.
Federation of Ochima did an expedition to the Dark Continent in the south of Lake Mobius searching for the longevity food, Nitro Rice. Hellbell annihilated 99% of their forces, leaving only 11 survivors, a testament to its power.
4. Brion
Brion has a human-like body with a spherical ball as his head. The United States of Saherta went through the north of Lake Mobius in the Dark Continent and ended up in a sea of trees. After entering that for 400km, they found the ruins of an ancient city with a mysterious labyrinth. It was there they found some herbs able to cure 10,000 different illnesses.
Brion, the guardian of the ruins, destroyed them effortlessly, leaving only 2 survivors. Their current threat level is A.
Brion revelation is the most interesting of the five threats. They have a human-like body and they guard an ancient city. It may be proof of the presence of humans like intelligent beings. Also, Ging refers to it as a plant weapon that doesn’t add up to its physical structure.
5. Ai
The appearance of Ai is not clearly shown, they seem like a gaseous mass with limb-like extension. The Mimbo Republic with the help of the Hunter Association sent an expedition to the Dark Continent searching for the Trinity Elixir, they were surrounded by Ai. Only three survivors returned but without a shred of their sanity. Currently, their danger level is A.
Nanika
Nanika residing in the body of Alluka is revealed as Ai from Dark Continent. Ai is given the title “Codependence of Desire” which may explain its relationship with Alluka and Killua. Ai seems to have an intelligence to a kid level and also has a feeling of sadness as seen when Killua asks Nanika to never come back.
Ging explains that the effects of Ai are still in the world. Description of Ai as a blackish gaseous form resembles Alluka in Nanika’s form. Also, Nanika says the word “Ai”, which is the name of the threat.
For detailed analysis on Alluka and Nanika, their powers, rules and their character click here.
6. Pap
Pap’s appearance is mysterious, but it has feelers which it inserts in the skulls of its human victims. Begerossé Union sent 1000 people into an expedition to the north of Lake Mobius in the Dark Continent. They found a rare mineral called Unmanned Rock, even with one small bead that can generate 20,000 kilowatts of power for one entire day.
Unfortunately for them, Pap destroyed them and left only seven survivors. Some of its victims were also found in the known world. Pap has a danger ranking of A.
7. Zobae Disease
Zobae is a mysterious sickness and one of the Five Threats in the Dark Continent. The Kukan’yu Kingdom including Beyond Netero embarked on an expedition to the Dark Continent to search the alchemical plant Metallion. They were successful in their retrieval but on the return trip, the group lost its way, took the wrong route.
Its members ended up contracting the Zobae Disease. Only seven survived including Beyond and a Hunter infected by the disease. At the end of the expedition, the plant withered and died. Its danger rank is B+. It has a high fatality rate, and of the expedition who contracted it, only one survived out of all the members.
The only known survivor, a Hunter, obtained the uncanny capacity to live entirely self-sufficiently for 50 years practically immune to death. It seems self-sustenance is achieved through feeding on one’s own flesh, and that the disease greatly accelerates the regeneration of tissues.
It is unclear whether this disease is caused by a living thing like a microbe.
8. An unnamed Herb to cure all kinds of diseases.
It is a plant found in the Dark Continent which is capable of curing ten thousand diseases. Brion the plant weapon guards the Herb in the mysterious labyrinth city on the North shore of Lake Mobius. The United States of Saherta sent an expedition to obtain it but only two survived.
9. Nitro Rice
It is the ultimate secret to longevity, presumably a cereal found in the Dark Continent. Found in the swamps south of Lake Mobius, it is inhabited by Hellbells. The Federation of Ochima attempted to retrieve it, but 99% of the members of the expedition fell prey to the Hellbells that inhabited those swamps, with only 11 of them surviving.
10. Metallion
It is a plant with unknown properties known as the Alchemy plant. The Kukan’yu Kingdom managed to get the plant but went off-route on the way back. Many members contracted Zobae, and the plant died. There were only six survivors including Beyond Netero and a Hunter that had been infected by the disease.
11. Don Freecs
Don Freecs is the only possible human being living in Dark Continent. Ging explains that the author of “Journey to the New World” is Don Freecs who entered Dark Continent 300 years ago.
It has two volumes, East and West out of which only East volume is found. Ging hypothesizes that Don Freecs is still writing the book and alive using Nitro rice and “cure-all” herb. Don Freecs shares the same surname with Ging, though unclear what their relationship is.
12. Gatekeepers/Guides
Gatekeepers are a clan of Magical beasts that control the New Continent and act as the guardians of the Dark Continent. They are the only ones capable of guiding the humans to the Dark Continent.
Guides send a threat along with the returned visitors for rude human behavior. Not a lot is known about the Gatekeepers yet. But we see an image of a well-built gate which suggests that the gatekeepers may have high intelligence and civilization.
13. Magical Beasts
Magical Beasts in the world are believed to originate from the Dark Continent.
Final Thoughts
As every fan of HxH, I am really excited about the adventures on the Dark Continent. Though it is a huge doubt that we will ever get to see it, but thinking and analyzing about it in the meantime keeps me interested in it. If you have any other info or if I am mistaken somewhere do comment on it.
