Highlights

• Mantis and Small Bear are independent Chimera Ants who survived the attack from Isaac Netero's Extermination Team. They have durable bodies and possess interesting knowledge about Chimera Ants.
• Alligator is a human-like Chimera Ant known as the "Glutton King." He is analytical and competitive, exhibiting leadership prowess and physical power.
• Baital, a former Chimera Ant Squadron Leader, had telepathic communication and aura sensing abilities. However, his fate is unknown, as he likely died during the crisis.

By the time Gon and Killua end their adventure in Greed Island, they now have to confront another growing threat: Chimera Ants. In the Hunter x Hunter universe, Chimera Ants are insects that propagate via feeding and produce advanced offspring depending on what they breed. As a result, even the Hunter Association deems Chimera Ants as a significant threat, especially in large groups.

In the case of the "Chimera Ant Arc," Gon and his team now face the threat of Meruem and his Chimera Ant colony. However, aside from Meruem himself are powerful Chimera Ants that serve in his Royal Guards, Squadron Leaders, and even Officers. Interestingly, some Chimera Ants also have some of the most interesting skill sets in the franchise.

Updated November 5, 2023 by Rhenn Taguiam: With Gon and Killua of Hunter X Hunter taking the backseat after the Chimera Ant Arc, it’s up to Kurapika and Leorio to get their time in the spotlight as they unearth the mystery behind Isaac Netero’s supposed son Beyond and his intentions in the Dark Continent. However, when their expedition ship also becomes the host to the Succession Contest between the 14 Princes of the Kakin Empire, the Hunters suddenly get their hands full.

With the Succession Contest Arc revealing new allies, more powerful enemies, and the revelation of Nen Beasts, fans may want to try remembering what unique offerings did the previous Chimera Ant Arc had to challenge Gon and Killua. However, just what happened to the series’ strongest Chimera Ants before Gon and Killua parted ways?

Warning: Major Spoilers Ahead

21 Mantis

Durable Chimera Ant Squadron Leader

While formally unnamed in both the anime and the manga, Mantis is given his name due to his appearance as an oversized Mantis. And while he’s only appeared in the story for a short time, he easily becomes one of the more notable Chimera Ants after having survived the attack from Hunter Association Chairman Isaac Netero’s Extermination Team. After Hagya declared their fellow surviving Chimera Ants as independent, Mantis has agreed and roamed away from the nest ever since.

In the manga, Mantis is assigned the rank of Squadron Leader, meaning he’s able to command around four (4) to five (5) Officers as well as dozens of Peons. He also possesses a rather durable body, as he’s able to withstand a Nen-empowered punch from Chimera Ant Officer Rammot. While his stint in the series is short, Mantis is one of the more concrete examples of a Chimera Ant in the series and was instrumental in establishing common Chimera Ant traits such as their anthropomorphic appearance and access to Nen.

What Happened To Mantis

When the Chimera Ant Queen died, Leol declared the freedom of all other Chimera Ants. Although one of the remaining Squadron Lieutenants, Mantis agreed to this decision and became an independent Chimera Ant. It’s unknown where Mantis went since leaving the Chimera Ants, however.

20 Small Bear

The Loyal Chimera Ant Squadron Leader

Similar to Mantis, Small Bear is also among the ones to be left alive by the Extermination Team, and one of the testaments that Chimera Ants have a tougher-than-usual body due to their capability of withstanding Rammot’s punch, which was empowered by Nen. He’s also one of the Chimera Ants present when Hagya decreed all of them free of the Chimera Ant hierarchy, although Small Bear was considered a Squadron Leader and as such should’ve been able to command a sizable number of Chimera Ants.

What’s interesting about Small Bear is his possession of knowledge regarding the Chimera Ants and their various inner workings. This is astonishing, especially when it’s implied that Meruem’s highest-level lieutenants can ordinarily explain the deeper aspects of Chimera Ant biology. It’s Small Bear that gave one of the earliest insights regarding the Chimera Ants to Hunters, wherein Chimera Ants regain their memories of the past even after their resurrection.

What Happened To Small Bear

Despite the death of the Chimera Ant Queen, the other Chimera Ant Lieutenants noticed that the Queen had birthed one final premature Chimera Ant. Small Bear promised to take care of this child, which turned out to be the reincarnation of Kite. Since diplomats have transformed the Chimera Ant incident into a diplomatic concern, Small Bear and other remaining Chimera Ants have been reclassified as Magical Beasts.

19 Alligator

Glutton King

Another of the earliest Chimera Ants introduced in the Hunter X Hunter series was Alligator. Like Mantis and Small Bear, he doesn’t necessarily have a real name and was simply considered “Alligator” in the series. Unlike other Chimera Ants, Alligator was one of the first to be considered “human-like,” which was an unprecedented development in the evolution of the species.

Contrary to his companions, Alligator is one of the noisier of the bunch, even giving himself the moniker of “Glutton King” and exhibiting evident competitiveness towards other Hunter x Hunter characters. Strength-wise, Alligator is similar to other Squadron Leaders in terms of physical power and leadership prowess. However, he’s keenly analytical, as he’s able to deduce the rate his fellow Leader Cheetu must have been running after only being aware of the location's distance, which back then was the distance between the shore and the border of the Neo-Green Land.

What Happened To Alligator

After Leol proposes that Chimera Ants should go their separate ways, Alligator agrees with this notion and has since then become independent. Upon leaving the Chimera Ant Nest, Alligator reached the Neo-Green Life (NGL) Autonomous Region, noticing that Cheetu may have gone beyond the border already. Dedicated to fulfilling his name as the “Glutton King,” Alligator resolves to indulge in all manners of hedonism upon leaving the area.

18 Baital

The Multi-Squad Commander

Recognized for his purple skin and green hoodie, Baital was one of the first Chimera Ants to be introduced in the series. Although eventually captured and killed by the Extermination Team, his nature as a former Chimera Ant Squadron Leader quickly makes him one of the more elite Chimera Ants known in the Hunter X Hunter universe.

After his introduction in the series, what little is known about Baital immediately establishes his prowess. While a bit cocky after learning to perceive aura through Nen, Baital is rather perceptive - especially when sensing something amiss in their nest before his capture. As a Squadron Leader, Baital proved to be an excellent leader quickly by being able to command multiple Chimera Ant squads at once, something his peers couldn’t do. His body is also relatively durable, as Rammot couldn’t damage him after a Nen-empowered punch.

What Happened To Baital

During the onset of the Chimera Ant Arc, Baital is one of the Chimeras tasked to rendezvous with Goran’s unit. However, their patrol ends when Baital notices Goran’s troops disappearing deep within the forest. It’s unknown what happened to Baital, although he’s likely already killed during the crisis.

17 Yunju

Muscular Squadron Leader

Yunju was a part of the Chimera Ant army and he held the position of Squadron Leader. He was so proud of his strength, that he decided to abandon his queen and took over the narcotics factor in the NGL.

Yunju was feared by his subordinates as he showed no mercy. However, he did not possess Nen and was easily dispatched by Kite.

What Happened To Yunju

After Yunju kills his henchmen out of boredom, he turns his attention to Kite, Gon, and Killua. Despite Yunju’s demonstrable strength, the resulting fight between him and Kite results in the former being shot dead by Kite’s Crazy Slots.

16 Peggy

The Knowledgeable Squadron Leader

Peggy was a Squadron Leader, which meant that he had authority over the common Chimera Ant soldiers. He spent most of his time reading books and gaining knowledge about the world. With this knowledge, Peggy was able to help Chimera Ants to awaken Nen.

Peggy's fighting capabilities remain unknown as he mainly spent his time researching and gathering intel.

What Happened To Peggy

Ever the loyal and skillful Chimera, Peggy remained attentive to the needs of the Nest, deftly reporting matters to Colt and other Lieutenants. He’s among the first to surmise that Squad Lieutenants have been slowly getting killed throughout the Chimera Ant crisis. Unfortunately, the King’s temperament after birth resulted in the immediate execution of Peggy after the latter refused to give in to his demands.

15 Bihorn

The Strongest Squadron Leader

Bihorn was well respected by his underlings. He possesses incredible physical strength and according to Pike, he is physically the strongest out of all the Squadron Leaders.

Not much is known about Bihorn's abilities, but since he used to serve as a Squadron Leader, he must have been very powerful. Bihorn awakened Nen when he was struck by a punch from Rammot.

What Happened To Bihorn

After Peggy’s horrific death at the hands of their own Chimera Ant King, Bihorn and the rest were there to listen to Leol’s suggestion of going independent. However, Bihorn refuses this notion and thinks Leol won’t get away with this act of treason. While other Chimeras leave, Bihorn stays behind. When Colt returned from the Hunted Association, Bihorn was there to announce that a majority of the Chimera Ants had already left.

14 Bloster

Blasting Lobster

Bloster is a Chimera Ant, who has the features of a lobster. He gained his Nen ability from Shaiapouf, and since he is an emitter, Bloster is capable of firing aura bullets at his targets.

These aura bullets are very powerful and can easily destroy a bulletproof door. Bloster's physical strength allows him to tear apart humans with his claws very easily.

What Happened To Bloster

After the suggestion of Chimera Ants becoming independent, Bloster was among the first to accept this suggestion. This decision brings him to the Royal Palace of East Gorteau, where he swears allegiance to the King in exchange for a Nen ability, which he was then tasked to use in capturing rebels in the nearby area of Peijin. After several fights, Bloster eventually leaves with Welfin and Shidore on the way to Meteor City, making a short stop in NGL. He brings Shidore to her village and communicates on her behalf. And while he’s prepared to leave, Shidore asks him to stay, with the two settling down permanently in the area.

13 Rammot

Bladed-Feather Hunter

Although only an officer within Squadron Leader Colt’s squad, Rammot is quite an obscure but skilled individual. Compared to other Chimera Ants, Rammot doesn’t possess just one animal sub-type but rather two (2) - the rabbit and the shrike. What perhaps makes Rammot remarkable is his possession of a sadistic streak, which gives him all the more incentive to maximize his newfound abilities as a Chimera Ant.

Due to his animal origins, Rammot enjoys advanced smell over traditional Chimera Ant qualities such as enhanced strength, speed, reflexes, and durability. Moreover, Rammot is rather a skilled martial artist as he’s able to fight both Killua and Gon even after activating their Nen-enhanced defenses.

What Happened To Rammot

When Rammot leaves the Chimera Ant Nest after the Queen’s injury, he ventures into the Republic of Rokario. Upon noticing Gon and Killua’s scent, the hunter rushes down to try to kill the defenseless Gon, leaving Killua to protect him. The resulting conflict will have Killua decapitate Rammot.

12 Welfin

Organic Missile Launcher

Welfin is a powerful Chimera Ant, who formerly served as a Squadron Leader. He is a clever individual and he's able to sniff out enemies with his extraordinary sense of smell. Furthermore, Welfin also possesses high intelligence, which makes him a dangerous opponent.

Welfin is a conjuror and can use his Nen ability at a decent level. However, since he never gained enough experience in battles, there are a lot of things that Welfin still doesn't know about his ability.

What Happened To Welfin

After dropping off Bloster with Shidore, he’s left accompanying Hina and Bizeff to Meteor City. Welfin enjoys a few beers during the trip, telling his companions that this journey won’t leave him with something to fear after almost dying twice during the crisis.

11 Kite

Reincarnated Hunter

Despite not having a rank and being freshly revived, his status as one of the strongest is derived by virtue of potential. It's likely that Kite not only inherited his original Nen abilities but also inherited them in an enhanced way.

Thanks to his training as a Hunter, Kite possesses enhanced strength, durability, speed, and stamina. As a Conjurer trained by Ging Freecs himself, Kite can manifest his Nen in numerous forms. His main ability, Crazy Slots, allows him to summon up to nine different weapons - with one that Kite only uses if he doesn't want to die. Apparently, this Crazy Slots number was so powerful that Kite manifested as Meruem's twin in his rebirth.

What Happened To Kite

Despite Kite defeating a large number of Chimera Ants, his skill wasn’t enough to save him from the dextrous Neferpitou. The latter kept his severed head while the rest of Kite’s body was reanimated as a training dummy. Unbeknownst to the others, the Chimera Ant Queen birthed a last child before collapsing, with Colt promising to protect it. This turned out to be a reincarnation of Kite, who aged to become a young girl at the end of the arc. Gon reunites with the reincarnated Kite during the 13th Hunter Chairman Election Arc where they also part ways, swearing they will protect each other the next time they meet.

10 Meleoron

Pacifist Invisibile Man

Albeit only as strong as the common Chimera Ant soldier, Meleoron isn't a pushover as a Squadron Leader. His chameleon genes provide him with impeccable speed and charisma - plus the innate ability to turn invisible to the naked eye. Regardless, this does endow him with mastery over stealth.

In fact, his penchant for stealth extends to his Nen. As a Specialist, Meleoron can fine-tune Nen to keep his special abilities secret. His Perfect Plan allows Meleoron to maximize his invisible - becoming completely invisible even to Nen users. Likewise, God's Accomplice allows him to camouflage anything else he touches. Why rely on strength if one can avoid becoming hit in the first place?

What Happened To Meleoron

Hell-bent on avenging his foster father, Meleoron attempts to land a hit on Meruem while the rest of his new team fulfills their plan to fight the Chimera Ant King. Unfortunately, Meruem’s tremendous Nen ends up knocking out Meleoron. After the events of the Chimera Ant Arc, he’s seen taking care of a bedridden Shoot McMahon. He’s also seen in the hospital awaiting Gon’s recovery and was one of the first to see Gon’s pictures of swan that he sent when he arrived home.

9 Colt

Kite’s Caretaker

Condor-like Colt used his specialized flying skills in service of the Chimera Ant Queen. As a Squadron Leader, he possesses remarkable strength, speed, durability, and stamina. While he awakened his Nen, he could only see and sense aura - but not have honed it yet to awaken his abilities.

However, Colt is no pushover. His main gift after his rebirth as a Chimera Ant is his keen intellect. He's developed the capability of adjusting to combat situations quickly, up to the point of developing unique strategies to best unknown foes. Despite his lack of Nen abilities, Colt makes up for it with his strategic prowess.

What Happened To Colt

When the Chimera Ant Queen dies after releasing one last child, Colt swears to take care of the infant as his own. This turned out to be the reincarnation of Kite, whom Colt named Reina. After the Chimera Ant Crisis, Colt told the Hunter Association that the Royal Guards would be reorganizing the Chimera Ants in the Republic of East Gorteau to avoid any further conflicts.

8 Cheetu

Speed King

Named after his connection with the cheetah, Cheetu is the fastest among the Chimera Ant's Squadron Leaders. As a Chimera Ant, he already possesses remarkable hand-to-hand combat prowess and enhanced stamina - fit for his surprisingly ridiculous speed. He can react to - and dodge - bullets with ease as he's capable of reaching at least 200km/h in just a second.

In terms of Nen, Cheetu is a Conjuration Specialist. Unfortunately, being a new Nen user, he still needs assistance to properly control his abilities. Having died earlier, Cheetu wasn't able to unleash his true potential.

What Happened To Cheetu

While patrolling Meruem’s palace, Cheetu spots Zeno Zoldyck on an assassination mission. After catching up to him outside, he attempts to extract information. As their talks turn into annoyance, Cheetu says it’s not his choice to fight Zeno either. However, Zeno only tells Cheetu to look behind him before Silva Zoldyck lands from above and crushes Cheetu to death.

7 Leol

Nen Borrower

Don't mind Leol's swagger - his strength and charisma befit someone bestowed with lion genes. As a Chimera Ant, Leol possesses incredible strength, durability, and stamina. However, his special genes gave Leol remarkable strength - and even accuracy, being able to not only throw a harpoon at sonic speed but also hit a whale in the deep sea.

As a Specialist, Leol has the remarkable ability to "borrow" Nen's abilities temporarily with his Rental Pod. Leol can obtain Nen's abilities to augment his physical fighting style. Perhaps more remarkable is Leol's knack for adaptability - as he's capable of figuring out a borrowed ability's strengths and taking advantage of them rather quickly.

What Happened To Leol

During the Extermination Team’s visit to Mereum’s palace, Leol faces the Sea Hunter Morel Mackernasey. This was appropriate, as Leol fights Morel with Inamura’s Big Wall that engulfs the whole area in water. When Leol uses his ability to plunge Morel underwater, bubbles suddenly appear around him, as though trying to fool him where Morel will reemerge. Suddenly, Leol feels a tightness in his chest before falling completely, realizing Morel used his smoke pipe to kill him with CO2.

6 Zazan

Scorpion Queen

While a self-proclaimed Chimera Ant Queen, Zazan does have the strength and cunning to prove her worth as a Squadron Leader. Her nature as a Chimera Ant alone bestowed Zazan with tremendous strength, speed, durability, and reflexes. Moreover, her scorpion genes blessed her with a stinger capable of dismantling Hunters with an extremely potent neurotoxin.

As a Manipulator, Zazan can tinker with her Nen to give her two remarkable Nen abilities. Her Queen Shot allows her to transform stung humans into human-animal hybrids that follow her every command. Meanwhile, her Monster Queen Form bestows her with monstrous strength when she pulls out her stinger.

What Happened To Zazan

After the death of the Chimera Ant Queen, Zazan decides to venture out on her own and become her version of the Chimera Ant Queen. She settles in Meteor City where she establishes a nest and starts creating mutants out of the populace. Unfortunately for her, the locals had warned the returning Phantom Troupe of her presence, and they decided to end her reign within the day. She largely fights Feitan, who initially doesn’t do much harm to her until he uses his Rising Sun Nen ability to incinerate her to death.

5 Neferpitou

Top Soldier Royal Guard

Despite Neferpitou's rather thin frame, they're no pushover. Possibly coming from a feline Magical Beast, Pitou possesses unfathomable speed and reflexes. In fact, it's said that Pitou can sense objects moving as fast as Mach 1. Armed with intense agility and vastly improved senses, Pitou is already a nightmare in terms of speed.

In turn, Pitou's nature as a Specialist adds to their frightening roster of abilities. With such fine-tuned control over Nen, Pitou has become a puppeteer. Their Nen allows her to create a healing puppet (Doctor Blythe), control the corpses of others alongside their Nen abilities, or improve a puppet's performance by imbuing them with aura.

What Happened To Neferpitou

When Neferpitou shows Gon the corpse of Kite, they incur the full wrath of Gon Freecs. As he enhances his Nen with multiple conditions, Neferpitou is surprised they couldn’t land a scratch on Gon. They are defeated realizing that Gon won’t be able to use Nen using his power-up, and dies being glad to have been killed instead of Meruem. When Neferpitou’s ability makes their body fight Gon, he bashes their skull and impales their body on the ground, finally killing them.

4 Shaiapouf

The Nen Gifter

If Pitou possessed a deceptive frame, Shaiapouf possessed quite a deceptive demeanor. Possibly the calmest of the Royal Guards, Shaiapouf touts his knack for stratagems and combines it with his adaptable Nen abilities. Courtesy of his genes, Shaiapouf possesses incredible strength, stamina, and durability. With his butterfly wings, Shaiapouf can travel extremely long distances - and further travel faster with his aura.

As a Manipulation user, Shaiapouf's real power lies in the fine control of Nen. His Cocoon allows Shaiapouf to outright give Nen to others - which helped raise Meruem's colony into an army of Nen users. His Spiritual Message can help him analyze the psychological states of others quickly. He can manipulate Nen so finely that he can split himself into various miniature clones (Beelzebub) or outright take on the appearance of others (Body Reconstruction).

What Happened To Shaiapouf

When Meruem recovers his memories about Komugi, Shaiapouf confesses to hiding the information. While relieved he wasn’t executed, he follows Meruem’s orders to find Neferpitou and to interrogate - but not kill - Knuckle and Meleoron. Unfortunately, Shaiapouf would prove unable to fulfill the task as the poisonous effects of the Miniature Rose had already affected his system.

3 Menthuthuyoupi

The Loyal Guard

If it's a battle of sheer strength, then Menthuthuyoupi outclasses other Royal Guards by a long shot. Possibly courtesy of his Magical Beast genes, Menthuthuyoupi possesses ridiculous strength that rivals or even exceeds that of Chairman Netero.

Given his sheer strength, it makes sense that Menthuthuyoupi is an Enhancer. His abilities manifest in metamorphosis - allowing him to shapeshift to augment his combat needs. These include sprouting wings for flight, massive tentacles for long-ranged incursions, and extra limbs for more punching power. In his rage, his body can swell up and detonate a massive explosion. When his fury becomes too powerful to control, his Rage Incarnate transforms him into a centaur with much faster speed.

What Happened To Menthuthuyoupi

Menthuthuyoupi was the one who rescued Meruem from the Miniature Rose activated by Netero’s sacrifice in his fight against the Chimera Ant King. After these events, Youpi eventually encounters Welfin and almost resorts to fighting him before he begins to bleed from his nose. After Welfin hits him with Missileman, Youpi falls and dies from the Miniature Rose’s poison.

2 Chimera Ant Queen

Mother Of The Chimera Ants

By virtue of her status as the colony's progenitress, the Chimera Ant Queen possesses remarkable power. Being a Chimera Ant, the Queen herself is a natural predator. Possessing human-like intellect, the Queen can set traps for prey and perhaps even plot which ones to eat to maximize her abilities.

Thanks to phagogenesis, the Queen can impart the qualities of her prey to her offspring. In turn, her new Ants obtain the best characteristics of her ingested prey. The Queen can maximize phagogenesis when eating humans, as the offspring's abilities not only come with improved intelligence but also sometimes unique abilities.

What Happened To Chimera Ant Queen

When Meruem forces himself to be born against the Queen’s wishes, he leaves her critically injured and unable to bear any more children. This prompts Leol to encourage the rest of the Chimera Ants to become their independent beings. However, unbeknownst to them, the Queen’s final moments are spent giving birth to a tiny child that Colt decides to take care of.