Who Is Kurapika?

Kurapika is one of the main protagonists of the manga and anime series Hunter x Hunter. He is the sole surviving member of the Kurta clan and a Blacklist Hunter whose life is consumed by a quest for revenge against the Phantom Troupe. Despite his self-destructive path for revenge, Kurapika deeply values his friends Gon, Killua, and Leorio. Though, he has sometimes been willing to put his personal mission aside to help them.

Appearance

Kurapika is a slender, androgynous-looking individual with medium blond hair. His slim, attractive appearance even allows him to pass as a woman during the Yorknew City arc when abducting Chrollo Lucilfer. A defining feature is his eyes, which are normally brown but turn a brilliant, scarlet red when he experiences intense emotion. Following the early parts of the story, Kurapika begins wearing black contact lenses to hide his Scarlet Eyes and avoid detection.

Kurapika wears a blue tabard with an orange or red hem over a white, full-body training suit. He also wears Chinese-style flats and a single silver or ruby drop earring in his left ear. This outfit is switched for a blue or black suit with a necktie and dress shoes during the Yorknew City arc, then later switched again during the Succession Contest arc. As a royal bodyguard, he wears a uniform that consists of a blue suit, tie, and a blazer with a gold capital "H" on the breast.

Personality

Kurapika is a character of contrasts. He is focused and ruthless, but simultaneously compassionate and loyal. He is often cold and calculating, but can become emotional and rage-driven. He is reserved and introverted, yet is often put into leadership positions that showcase his ability to understand social and personal motivations far more than his standoffish nature would initially indicate. 

Kurapika maintains a collected and logical demeanor most of the time, making him an excellent strategist. However, his calm exterior conceals a deep-seated rage and vengeance. The topic of his clan or the Phantom Troupe can trigger a fierce, emotional response, causing his eyes to glow scarlet. Despite his darker mission, he can be kind, affectionate, and capable of great compassion for his friends. He deeply values his friends and is passionate about defending those he sees treated unfairly.

Background

Kurapika was born into the Kurta Clan, a peaceful group of people living in a secluded forest in the Lukso Province. They isolated themselves from the outside world due to fear and persecution. The Kurta people possess rare and beautiful irises that turn a brilliant scarlet when they experience intense emotion. This unique trait is considered one of the most beautiful treasures in the world and is highly sought after on the black market.

As a child, Kurapika nearly fell from a cliff but was saved by his best friend, Pairo, who was injured in the process. Kurapika's desire to find a cure for Pairo's injuries was his initial motivation to leave the clan and explore the outside world. After passing a series of tests to prove his maturity and knowledge, Kurapika was granted permission to leave the village.

Six weeks after Kurapika's departure, the criminal group known as the Phantom Troupe slaughtered all 128 members of the clan and gouged out their scarlet eyes. The eyes were later sold to collectors on the black market. The troupe left a calling card at the scene: "We'll accept anything you leave here, but don't ever take anything away from us". Upon learning of his clan's demise, Kurapika dedicated his life to avenging his people by retrieving all of the scarlet eyes while hunting down and eliminating the Phantom Troupe.

Kurapika participates in the Hunter Exam to gain the resources and legal authority necessary to pursue the Phantom Troupe. Here, he meets his future friends, Gon, Killua, and Leorio. During the Yorknew City arc, Kurapika directly kills Uvogin, one of the Phantom Troupe members, and indirectly kills Pakunoto, another member of the Phantom Troupe after she breaks an agreement between them. He also places a Nen curse on the Phantom Troupe leader, Chrollo Lucilfer.

Following the events of Yorknew City, Kurapika’s motivation seemed to move away from vengeance and toward recovering the scarlet eyes. Upon discovering that the remaining sets of scarlet eyes were held by a single collector, Kurapika’s drive to recover the eyes has led him to board the Black Whale ship to the Dark Continent and take part in the Succession Contest as a bodyguard for one of the Kakin princes, Prince Woble. 

Powers and Abilities

Kurapika possesses a keen intellect, sharp perception, and exceptional physical capabilities, including heightened hearing, impressive speed, agility, and endurance. Additionally, Kurapika’s emotional state and later his intent can activate his Scarlet Eyes, a hereditary ability that turns his eyes red. This state transforms him from a Conjurer to a Specialist, allowing him to use his Emperor Time ability, granting him 100% proficiency in all six Nen categories.

Superhuman Characteristics and Analytical Skills

• Preternatural Perception: Even before discovering Nen, he demonstrated an unusually sharp perception, noticing a proctor following him during a crucial phase of the Hunter Exam. 

• Enhanced Strength: After training, he could open a Testing Gate door weighing four tons, showcasing significant raw strength. 

• Enhanced Agility: Kurapika is highly agile, allowing him to perform acrobatic maneuvers and jump several meters to hit opponents from various angles without losing balance. 

• Enhanced Endurance: His physical and mental determination, fueled by his hatred for the Phantom Troupe, allows him to endure injuries, such as Uvogin breaking his arm, with surprising resilience. 

• Genius-Level Intellect: Kurapika is one of the most brilliant characters in the series, possessing a remarkable ability to think through and deduce complex information rapidly. 

• Strategic Thinking: His exceptional tactical and intellectual capabilities allow him to devise and execute effective plans. 

• Analytical Mind: His intellect allows him to quickly understand and exploit situations, a trait that complements his Nen abilities.

Nen Affinity and Abilities

Nen (念) is a fundamental power system that allows individuals to control their life energy, known as aura. By manipulating their aura, Nen users can create unique supernatural abilities called Hatsu, enhancing their physical capabilities or creating complex, personal powers. 

• Nen Affinity: Kurapika is unique in that he has two Nen affinities. He is naturally a Conjurer, but when his eyes turn scarlet, his Nen affinity switches to a Specialist. As a Conjurer, Kurapika's primary ability is to materialize objects from his aura. As a Specialist his Nen abilities don't fit into the six main Nen categories. While sometimes associated with charismatic but distant personalities, Specialists' core defining feature is the unique, indefinable nature of their Nen abilities.

• Emperor Time (Specialization): When his eyes turn scarlet, Kurapika becomes a Nen Specialist, granting him 100% mastery over all Nen types. This dramatically increases the power and effectiveness of all his abilities. However, using Emperor Time shortens Kurapika's lifespan. The strain is so severe that prolonged use can leave him bedridden for extended periods, as seen after the Yorknew City arc. Despite this drawback, it is a core component of his Nen, required for accessing the full power of some of his chains. 

• Conjured Chains: Kurapika can conjure five distinct chains from the fingers of his right hand. Some of these are restricted by a "Vow," a self-imposed limitation that greatly enhances their power but carries a severe risk. 

  • Thumb - Holy Chain (Healing Thumb): Tipped with a cross, this chain can rapidly heal injuries. Its healing power is significantly amplified when Kurapika activates Emperor Time, allowing him to mend even broken bones in minutes. 

  • Middle Finger - Chain Jail: This chain wraps around a target, forcing them into a state of Zetsu and restraining them with immense strength. This ability is exclusively for use against members of the Phantom Troupe. If Kurapika uses it on anyone else, he will die, a restriction that makes the chain's binding power virtually unbreakable. 

  • Ring Finger - Dowsing Chain: Ending in a small ball, this chain is primarily used for investigative purposes, such as locating missing people or identifying lies. During Emperor Time, its lie-detection ability is so potent it can function through video footage. 

  • Little Finger - Judgment Chain: This chain pierces the target's chest and wraps around their heart. Kurapika can set two conditions, which the target must obey. If they break the vow, the chain crushes their heart, killing them instantly. It can only be used while Emperor Time is active. 

  • Index Finger - Steal Chain and Stealth Dolphin: This chain ends in a syringe. By stabbing a target, Kurapika can drain their aura and steal their Nen ability, which he can then use or loan it to another person to use. Stealth Dolphin is a Nen beast created with this ability that analyzes the stolen power. Kurapika must remain in Emperor Time while the stolen ability is in use. This complex ability requires Emperor Time to fully access the stolen ability's details and to transfer it to others, but the initial act of stealing does not. Additionally, Kurapika can only steal one ability at a time.

Goals and Reputation

Kurapika's main goals are to avenge his clan and recover their stolen Scarlet Eyes, which were gouged out after the Kurta Clan massacre. His reputation is that of a calm and intelligent individual, though his deep-seated rage against the Phantom Troupe makes him a relentless and sometimes ruthless hunter. He originally aimed to kill every member of the Troupe to satisfy his vengeance, developing his Nen ability Chain Jail specifically to incapacitate them. While his focus has evolved, his vow to bring the Spiders (Phantom Troupe) to justice remains a fundamental aspect of his character.

Kurapika has dedicated himself to finding and collecting every last pair of Scarlet Eyes, a quest that takes him down a dark and self-destructive path. This objective has recently become his primary focus, with his hunt for the Phantom Troupe taking a temporary backseat. He uses his position as a Zodiac to get closer to the Fourth Prince of Kakin, who possesses a large collection of the eyes. 

Throughout his journey, Kurapika has grappled with the conflicting priorities of revenge and friendship. In the Yorknew City arc, he was ultimately willing to spare Chrollo Lucilfer to save Gon and Killua. More recently, his responsibilities as a bodyguard for Queen Oito and Prince Woble on the Black Whale have forced him to re-evaluate his priorities once more, placing the protection of innocents above his personal vendetta.