Hunter x Hunter is one of the best manga series, even after facing frustratingly long breaks over the years. Every story arc of Yoshihiro Togashi's series is spectacular; however, Chimera Ant surely stands at the top. It's the longest arc in the show that handles the main protagonist's character development perfectly.
In Chimera Arc, we are introduced to new villains in a different part of the world. The storyline features further development of our beloved characters while also giving us several iconic moments. Honestly, there are multiple reasons why Chimera Ant is the best story arc, but here we have discussed some of the primary factors that make it stand out from other story arcs of Hunter x Hunter.
7 7/7 Knov's Breakdown Over The Power Difference
Throughout the show, we were introduced to powerful nen users like Chrollo, Silva, and of course, Netero. However, the chimera ants' nen was astronomically greater, which made even some mighty hunters shiver with fear. Knov is a perfect example. He's one of the few calm and collected hunters with plenty of experience. In fact, Knov becomes a tad arrogant when he sees Gon and Killua acting like clueless children on an important mission.
However, Knov's perception of Chimera Ants changes when he senses the royal guard's nen. His casual nature alters into a mental breakdown as he gets terrified of the enemy's power. Knov becomes sick, and his hair turns white. He even loses his hair over the fear and stress of this mission. This was an excellent way of showing off the true power difference between the Chimera Ants and humans without needing to exchange fists.
6 6/7 Gon's Rage
This is possibly the best rage moment in anime history. The build-up of Gon's transformation was slow yet phenomenal. We see Gon slowly change as a person after the death of his friend Kite. We go from a happy, always laughing Gon to someone who won't even let Pitou move an inch. Honestly, it was terrifying seeing a character like Pitou trembling with fear, not only because of Gon but also after the realization that she'll die before helping out King Meruem.
Gon's transformation in itself is incredible. It seems like a tornado of hatred hit Gon as his body turns black and white, making him look demonic. He makes nen contract to unlock his true and horrifying potential. Pitou senses Gon's bloodthirst and goes into shock, almost unable to move. She realizes that Gon's power can even rival Meruem.
5 5/7 Meruem
Meruem is an interesting villain with a different perspective on life and unique ideologies that only someone in his position can see. Born a king, Meruem was already above other chimera ants. Not only that, but his power was far greater than even the royal guards. He can feast on other nen users and gain more power. He sees humanity as weak, unworthy, and hypocritical. When a woman begs to be spared, Meruem points out that hypocrisy by saying,
"Have you ever spared a pig or a cow as it begged for its life"
Meruem eventually gets bored with all the drama and starts playing chess against world champions to see if a human can rival his intelligence. He beats every opponent, except for one girl. Komugi - a helpless blind girl - walks in, and Meruem starts laughing at the fact that a blind human is challenging him. The two begin to play the board game called Gungi, and well, the Ant King faces defeat. Meruem gets obsessed with beating the girl, but he fails every time. After a while, Meruem starts liking Komugi and enjoys her company.
4 4/7 Netero VS Meruem
Netero was said to be the strongest human, but we never got to see his prowess in the previous arcs. Even with Meruem, we never saw the old man's full potential. However, what makes Ant King and Netero's fight interesting is its unfairness. Netero trained his entire life to master different fighting techniques and understanding of nen. In a sense, Netero dedicates his existence to becoming the most powerful nen user. Still, he remains no match for the recently born Ant King.
Before the fight starts, Meruem calmly sits, demanding merely a conversation and not a fight. However, Netero declines because he fears that Meruem could sway his heart. Netero has only one thing over Meruem - a piece of knowledge even the Ant King doesn't know, his own name. Before this, Meruem had only been called the King. However, with his newfound consciousness, the Ant King wants to know his name. Netero doesn't stand a chance even with his mastered nen. Regardless, Meruem gives him opportunities to not fight, and he amputates Netero's one arm, hoping the old man will stop. Netero refuses to give up because of his pride, and eventually, he sacrifices his own life to defeat the Ant King.
3 3/7 Humanity of Gon And Meruem
The dynamic between these two characters is fascinating, and they parallel each other throughout the arc. Meruem believes human life is worth nothing as Chimera Ants are much stronger and wiser. Meanwhile, Gon believes all life has some value and, as seen previously, he has a kind heart for someone who shows genuine compassion. However, Gon takes an unexpected turn once Pitou kills Kite. He cares for nothing except making sure Pitou brings Kite back to life. He doesn't value Pitou's life and promises to kill her if she moves. Pitou tries to save Komugi; however, Gon is furious that she is saving Komugi instead of bringing Kite back. He even threatens to kill Komugi - a human being who has nothing to do with his friend's death - if Pitou doesn't bring Kite back to life.
Meruem, on the other hand, killed plenty of humans at first, seeing them as an inferior species. However, Komugi shows him a different path, and he starts caring for her. Eventually, Meruem starts feeling compassion for human life. Now, he doesn't want to kill humans. Even during his fight with Netero, Meruem sees no need for violence. The Chimera Ant arc is a beautifully tragic tale of how Gon lost his humanity while Meruem, the villain, earned his.
2 2/7 The Royal Guards
Meruem's followers, Pitou, Shaiapouf (Pouf), and Menthuthuyoupi (Youpi), have vastly different personalities, yet they all have one thing in common - devout loyalty to their King. Pouf still sees humans as ants, so he starts questioning Meruem's intentions as the Ant King begins to love humanity.
Initially, Youpi was the most selfless one and followed the king's orders without a second thought. But, during his fight with Knuckle, Youpi matured in terms of personality and power. Youpi was convinced to kill his enemies, but he realized that these humans helped him see things differently, so he decided not to kill them. Knuckle also chose not to kill Youpi as he could no longer see the royal guard as a villain.
Pitou - the firstborn guard - showed some fondness for Komugi as she understood Meruem's relationship with the child. She also showed her true vulnerability to Gon and Killua by begging them for mercy because she needed to operate on Komugi. Pitou was perhaps the most loyal to Meruem himself, while Pouf and Youpi were more devout toward Meruem's goals as their king.
1 1/7 The Tragically Beautiful Ending
Netero uses the black rose and sacrifices his life to defeat Meruem. The Ant King is dying but wishes to see Komugi, a human who he once considered inferior to him. Pouf and Youpi give some of their life essences to provide Meruem the needed power to see Komugi one last time. Meruem tells Komugi that she'll die if she's close to him. She doesn't care and wants to spend her last moments with Meruem. Meruem closes his eyes, and they talk slowly. As Meruem starts to fade away, she confesses his love for the Ant King, and then he passes away.
Meanwhile, Gon has lost everything. He lays in critical condition after losing his humanity to defeat Pitou. He has lost his nen and can't speak or move. Killua is distraught and starts looking for a way to save Gon's life, or his friend will suffer the same fate as Meruem.