I've been a fan of the Hunter x Hunter series since I was about 10, so I naturally get excited whenever I get to do Hunter tattoos on clients. There are a bunch of ways that you can go about them, with the last Hunter x Hunter tattoo I did being this simple outline of Gon and Killua hugging each other.
Now when I say there's a bunch of ways to go about Hunter tattoos, I mean it. On top of the Gon and Killua tattoo, I said I did, you can get the Spider from the Phantom troupe tattooed, the Hunters' License sign, or even one of your favorite characters, like Hisoka or Kurta. So today, I thought about running through some of the most popular Hunter x Hunter tattoos around.
In the Hunter x Hunter series, spiders are the Phantom Troupe's symbol. Each of the 13 members has a spider tattooed somewhere on their body, being a symbol of loyalty and dedication to the group.
A spider tattoo can represent the group - they're known to be anti-heroes who don't care about anything except for themselves. But also, a spider can be a neat tattoo idea if you're not a fan of Anime tattoos that scream 'anime' too much.
Here's a fun take on the Hunter tattoo design:
Like I said, each of the 13 Phantom troupe members has spiders tattooed somewhere on their body, like Franklin has his on his upper right arm, while Nobunaga has his on his left shoulder. You could get the spider tattoo on the exact same spot as your favorite Phantom Troupe member.
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If you want something more simple, you can always get a simple outline of one of your favorite Hunter x Hunter characters. You'd basically do a tattoo of them that's just a black outline with no coloring or shading inside. As I said, the most recent Hunter x Hunter tattoo I did was this simple outline of Gon and Killua.
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The Hunter license is an integral part of the series, being a special badge that lets you "hunt" for secret treasures and rare creatures. A Hunter license tattoo would be a more simple way to pay homage to the show that's discreet.
In the Anime television show, you need to put a lot of work in to get the badge, making a hunter license sign tattoo a good way to represent personal achievement and dedication too.
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Gon Freecss is the main character of the show, and it revolves around him becoming a Hunter to find his father, the Legendary hunter, Ging. The series essentially follows his adventures and the friends he makes along the way.
Gon Freecss is a very determined character, with nothing stopping him from finding his father which may be a quality that you share. He's also shown a lot of personal growth throughout the show, so he can make for a good Hunter x Hunter tattoo if you love the series and also want to represent your growth.
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Killua and Gon Freecss are the best of friends, with Killua showing unwavering loyalty to Gon throughout the show. Killua comes from a family of assasins, yet overcomes his assasin conditioning and faces his fears which makes him a nice tattoo if you want to showcase your own personal growth.
Although you could get a standalone Killua tattoo, a lot of the clients I've done Killua tattoos for have wanted tattoo designs with both him and Gon Freecss together. Perhaps you can go this route as well.
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Manga series a lot of the time are nostalgic: they're usually released first and then adapted into Anime years after. This is exactly the same with the Anime series Hunter x Hunter, as the Manga for it was first released in 1998, having a short anime adaption in 1999 and then a full one in 2011.
I know a lot of clients that come in for Manga panel tattoos because they used to read them as kids and want to honor their childhood, with the Hunter x Hunter manga no different.
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I spoke about the Phantom Troupe earlier, but you could also get a tattoo of its fearless leader, Chrollo Lucilfer. He just oozes charisma and is known for his strategic thinking, making him the perfect tattoo if you also resonate with these personality traits.
As he is the leader of the Phantom troupe, a neat Hunter x Hunter tattoo idea would be of him with the other troupe members. I did one like this a while back, but the tattoo was kind of big, being on the client's thigh so keep this in mind if you'd also like to go this route.
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Hisoka is probably the most cunning character in the show, being known for his antics. But he's also a super strong hunter, always having a knack for going up against strong opponents. A Hisoka tattoo would be a good idea if you feel like you resonate with these personality traits.
As a tattoo idea, you can either get a portrait of him or do what one of my clients did. Since Hisoka is so cunning, almost like a Jester, one of my regulars got him as a part of the Joker tarot card. She was very big into spirituality and astrology and also loved the Hunter x Hunter series, so the design ended up representing her very well.
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Isaac Netero, also known as the chairman of the Hunter association is by far one of the strongest Hunters in the series. As a tattoo, an Isaac Netero design can represent power and determination. However, he also has this calm, zen, personality that you can honor.
Speaking of his calm personality, if you take a look at the back of his shirt, there's a Kanji for "mind' on it. If you want something a bit more discreet that emphasizes how zen he is, you can get the kanji for mind tattooed on yourself.
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Kurapika's the last surviving member of the Kurta clan, and the bulk of the storyline revolves around him seeking revenge against the Phantom Troupe for assassinating his clan and stealing their Scarlet Eyes. He's definitely a character that's been through a lot, which can make him a good Hunter x Hunter tattoo if you've also experienced a lot of loss yourself.
At the same time, a Kurapika tattoo can symbolize determination - nothing will stop him from seeking justice for his clan which you can pay tribute to.
Kurapika's main ability is 'Nen': he uses chains as a form of combat. One of the more interesting Hunter x Hunter tattoos that I've done was this
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You can also get a Hunter x Hunter tattoo on your leg. Depending on where on your leg you're getting tattooed, you might have a big canvas to work with, like your thigh. I'd say the thigh is the perfect spot if you want to do a fight scene or a whole panel from the Hunter x Hunter manga series.
Also, the upper outer thigh doesn't hurt that much. I always advise newbies to get this part of their leg tattooed if they want a leg tattoo but don't have the best pain tolerance.
Just remember that if you want something more discreet, and are thinking of getting a tattoo near your ankle, it can hurt a lot. There's just a lot of bone and thin skin here.
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Arm tattoos work well if you want a Hunter tattoo that's more noticeable. You can also go all out with the arm tattoo and get a full or half sleeve if you want. A full sleeve is essentially a tattoo design that stretches from the top of your shoulder to your wrist, while a half sleeve is a tattoo design that's half of that.
They're relatively big, making sleeves a good idea if you want something more detailed - the last Hunter x Hunter sleeve I actually did was a black and white piece of Gon versus Hanzo.
This goes without saying, but more sleeves can be a bit more expensive, especially if you're going to add color and not just do black ink.
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The back is a pretty big space, making it an ideal spot for a very intricate back tattoo. Many of the Hunter x Hunter back tattoos that I've done have been fight scenes, with the last one being a manga panel of Hisoka versus Kastro.
If you don't have the best pain tolerance, my piece of advice would be to not get your spine area tattooed. There are a lot of sensitive nerve endings here, with one of my clients even almost passing out from getting their spine tattooed once.
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Last but not least, you can go for a chest Hunter tattoo. If the show means a lot to you, this is probably the best place to get a Hunter x Hunter tattoo, considering you'd have the tattoo design near your heart. So the best choice to probably get here would be your favorite character from the show.
When it comes to getting the upper chest tattooed, though, remember that a collarbone tattoo can hurt a lot. This shouldn't come as a surprise, considering it is so bony.
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You can represent your love for the hit Manga series Hunter x Hunter, with tattoos inspired by it. You don't have to get too complicated with the tattoo design, as something more simple like a Hunter license sign, or even a Phantom Troupe spider can work.
More specifically, if you feel like you resonate with a particular character from the show, you can get them tattooed. For instance, if you feel like you also share some of Hisuka's personality traits, and are also a bit cunning yourself, a Hunter tattoo design of him may be a good idea.
But if you also feel like you're a very loyal person, you can perhaps get a tattoo of Killua. He's incredibly loyal to his best friend, Gon, making this a fitting tattoo choice if you feel this way too.
Hisoka's 'tattoos' are actually makeup. This explains why the star on his cheek changes color from arc to arc.
Let's talk about this body art:
The teardrop on his left cheek is hard to miss and is supposed to represent sadness, emphasizing the grief in his past.
But he also has a spider on his right arm. It's supposed to be a reference to his Bungee Gum ability that lets him move and crawl around like a spider. But as a tattoo artist, I'd say that the spider can also represent his darker, more potent side.
If you were to look at his left arm, there's actually a clown there. It's a reference to his mischievous nature: this actually ties in with a Hisoka tattoo that one of my clients once got. He got Hisoka as the Magician tarot card which is known for its depiction.
Last but not least, there is a heart on Hisoka's chest. You'd expect it to represent love or something to that effect, but it's actually a symbol of his desire to find someone who can challenge him and give him a good fight.
To body art collectors, Hunter tattoos are the perfect way to represent the Manga and anime series. But it also ties in traits from some of your favorite characters in the show with yourself, like Killua's love for his best friend, or how cunning Hisoka is.
All in all, I hope you found this ultimate guide useful, and are able to use my ultimate Hunter x Hunter tattoos list to find the right Hunter x Hunter tattoo for useful!
