Hunter x Hunter, Vol. 34: Battle to the Death

Hunter × Hunter [ハンター×ハンター] #34

by Yoshihiro Togashi

It's the fight everyone's been waiting for—Hisoka versus Chrollo! Robbed of his chance to fight Chrollo before, Hisoka's been itching to take on the former leader of the Phantom Troupe for a long time, and that day has finally come. With both combatants armed with incredible powers, it's a thrilling battle that defies the imagination! Find out which of these two titans wins!

Genres: Manga, Fantasy, Graphic Novels, Shonen, Comics, Action, Fiction

208 pages, Kindle Edition

First published June 26, 2017

About the author

Yoshihiro Togashi (冨樫義博) is a manga artist. Credited in Chinese translations as Fu Jian Yi Bo.

He began drawing manga at an early age; while he attended college, the publisher Shueisha recognized his talent. Togashi has authored numerous manga series in different genres during the past three decades. He is perhaps best known for writing and illustrating the YuYu Hakusho and Hunter × Hunter series, both of which have been published in the popular Weekly Shōnen Jump magazine. Togashi is married to Naoko Takeuchi, the author of Sailor Moon.

Reviews

[Nicole · Rating 5 out of 5]

OMG IM SO HAPPY THAT I CANT BELIEVEEE IT. FINALLY A 34th VOLUME. IM CRYING FROM HAPPINESS!!

[katelyn]

shakespeare has been real quiet since togashi dropped this..........

[Morgane Moncomble · Rating 5 out of 5]

THE combat que j’attendais depuis si longtemps aaaahhhh 🤯😂

[h · Rating 4 out of 5]

why does togashi draw hisoka’s ass like that

[Dimitris · Rating 5 out of 5]

Finally the fight I was waiting for!!! It would look amazing in the 2030 anime....

[Christina Pilkington · Rating 4 out of 5]

The volume jumps into the action right away. Talk about a fight scene! I'm not the biggest fan of fight scenes, so it got a little long for me, but even I have to admit that it was pretty epic. There's a reason why Hisoka is my favorite character in Hunter x Hunter!

Also, the journey is about to start and I'm excited! I loved what we learned right before the ending. I need to know more now! And what about that cliffhanger of an ending? I'm just glad I have the next volume ready to go!

[hotsake (André Troesch) · Rating 4 out of 5]

It‘s about time that this series started to pick up again. The fight at the beginning was fun and the book ended on an interesting note but frankly I was bored by everything else.

[Natalie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This volume started off with a bang as we finally got the Hisoka vs. Chrollo fight that's been hinted at for so many chapters and honestly... super impressive but also rather hard to keep track of with all the different tactics and nen abilities being used 8'D Super interesting over all though and I honestly love Hisoka so it was nice to have a more central focus on him for a while c:

And the way that battle ended, and the aftermath of it? Wow. Super impressed and really surprised by the outcome o.O Curious to see where things will go now...

Aside from that... it appears that the "succession games" have begun on the trip for the Dark Continent, though so far none of the princes have been taken out (that I know of). Wonder who will be the first to go...

Chapter notes below for reference:


Chapter 351.
We’re back at the Heaven’s Arena again? And… Hisoka and Chrollo are about to battle? And a battle to the death at that? This will be GOOOOOOOOD.
--
Okay honestly, using the judge as your puppet and weapon in the battle is just rude. That poor judge.
--
Huh. Chrollo’s not using the book for that one… is that one of his own abilities?
--
He’s adapted his book, with a bookmark! XD
--
Side note: Can I just say how mean it is that the judge died during their “one-on-one” battle? 8’D

Chapter 352.
:O That’s one of the Spider’s abilities!
--
This book ability of Chrollo’s is really effing confusing.

Chapter 353.
Welp. Hisoka’s getting the shit beaten out of him… and he loves it XD But he’s definitely working out his counter-attack. At this point it could really go either way.

Chapter 354.
...I don’t get it. What did Hisoka just work out from Chrollo’s fighting style after defeating “Chrollo” (aka one of his puppets). Who has the upper hand here?

Chapter 355.
So is this Chrollo’s big attack on Hisoka then? I mean regardless, Hisoka’s still having a LOT of fun 8’D
--
Smart. Hisoka used his bungee gum to detonate a bunch of the puppet-bombs.
--
OH MY GAWD THE HEAD WAS A BOMB THIS WHOLE TIME. WHAAAAATTT?

Chapter 356.
Hisoka’s doing bloody well, especially considering one hand is missing all the fingers 8’D
--
Biggggg explosion, but Hisoka’s still going strong 8’D Also… WHY THE HELL IS THE AUDIENCE STILL THERE WATCHING. THIS THING IS FILMED SO IF YOU WANT TO SEE IT GO ELSEWHERE WHERE YOU’LL BE SAFE YOU *MORONS*
--
There goes Hisoka’s right leg.
--
...There’s no way that Hisoka’s going to actually die, right?

Chapter 357.
Hisoka’s a casualty? I don’t believe you :|
--
Nope. Even with a body. Still don’t believe you.
--
AHA. I WAS RIGHT! He used some weird Nen ability to revive himself after death.
--
...Why not let her just heal you? Wouldn’t that be better than creating a bunch of rubber prosthetic limbs that you’d presumably need to keep active with Nen at all times?
--
Huh. So Hisoka now wants to fight and kill all the Spiders. Sure. Makes sense. It’s Hisoka after all.
--
That didn’t take long. He’s already killed Kortopi o.O (The one with the cloning ability).
--
And there goes Shalnark too. That was QUICK.

Chapter 358.
Anddd we’re back to the Princes/Dark Continent Arc. Looks like everyone’s setting sail now…
--
I really love that the “Black Whale” boat is so big that it has its very own lake… with another massive boat planted in it. It’s hilarious XD
--
Oh good! The princes are only allowed to hunt (and be hunted) on the top two tiers of the boat, meaning that (theoretically) the general public won’t be caught in the crossfiles.
--
Oh good. Massively high crime rates in the “general” sectors… in an enclosed space… on a ship… this is going to go well ._.
--
Uh oh. What did Kurapika sense there?

Chapter 359.
Hi Leorio! You look right in your element in the medical clinic c:
--
...Blood drained from the body? Sounds like Shizuku and her vacuum.
--
Whoa… So Kurapika is the only member of the 14th Prince’s guard detail who knows the full circumstances of the “infighting” between the princes? o.O
--
So are these two princes making an alliance to increase their odds?
--
There goes more bodyguards...

Chapter 360.
Whoa… that’s messed up. So the longer a queen has been with the King, the more power she has over those less “old” than her… as you can only get a guard that is 100% on your side once there is someone lower than you, so with 7 queens lower than you you’d have 7 guards that are fully yours… but if there were seven queens HIGHER than you you would likely have seven guards who are each beholden to one of the “more mature” queens. This is MESSED UP.
--
Huh. So the princes get Nen abilities only through the urn? o.O
--
A parasitic nen ability? Is that perhaps one of the “five threats” from the Dark Continent?
--
WHAT THE HELL IS THAT? Is that just a bunch of those guardian beast things that are a result of the urn?
--
Whoaaa… so the princes are going to kill each other subconsciously?
--
Does one of the parasites have the ability to mind control others? Because that would explain that guard suddenly deciding to kill two others just because “something told him to”...

[Nicholas Poh · Rating 5 out of 5]

"HISOOOOKKAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA MOOOOOOORRRRRRRROOOOOOOOOOWWWWWWWW!!!
VEEEEEERSUUUUUS!!
CHROOOOLLLLOOOOOOOOO LUUUUUUCIIIIIIIILLLLLFEEEEEEEEEEEER!!!"

The duel between Hisoka and Chrollo has been one that Yoshihiro Togashi has teased for a long time (more than 15 years ago during the Yorknew City arc), and it does not disappoint. From the very first chapter, Togashi promises a battle to the death, a promise which he manages to keep while simultaneously upending the expectations of his readers.

Still, on initial read, one might wonder: why now? After all, there has been no hint that such a showdown was imminent. The preceding volume dealt with various characters' motivations and preparations for their journey to the Dark Continent, and Chrollo has been waiting in the wings ever since his confrontation with Kurapika in Yorknew City. However, the placement of the fight at this point in the narrative was not only deliberate, but absolutely necessary. With its aftermath, Togashi unvevils the purpose for its inclusion, and deftly ties it back to the main story.

This particular storytelling maneuver has allowed Togashi to change the motivations of the combatants significantly. Hisoka is no longer content to let Chrollo dictate the terms of battle, and is determined to slaughter the rest of the Phantom Troupe. And Chrollo is sure to be enraged at the death of his brethren. It is hard to imagine that he will continue to view Hisoka as a tiresome distraction.

At the same time, it has allowed Togashi to place Hisoka, Chrollo, and the Phantom Troupe on a boat with Kurapika, Leorio, the Zodiacs, the Kakin Princes, and two hundred thousand unwitting civilians. Chekov's Bomb has been planted, awaiting the most inopportune moment to go off. If the events at Heaven's Arena are any indication, the result will be a bloodbath.

In Hunter x Hunter, characters' abilities have always been a reflection their personalities, and Togashi uses here this to great effect. Bungee Gum (which has the properties of both rubber and gum) is an extremely simple ability to use, but is flexible enough to be used in a wide variety of situations. It is perfectly suited for Hisoka, who enters the fight without any plan or preparation, confident of his ability to improvise on the fly. On the other hand, Chrollo has meticulously planned the fight down to the last detail, choosing the time and location of the fight, and even the exact abilities he needs to win. Skill Hunter allows Chrollo to steal abilities and store them in a conjured book for future use under certain conditions. One such condition requires him to hold the book open with his right hand in order to use the ability on the open page. Chrollo has even picked up a new skill, a bookmark which allows him to fight with both hands, and even combine multiple different abilities to devastating effect. This comes at the cost of even more restrictions, and complicates the fight even further. The result is the most complex battle Togashi has ever written, one which juxtaposes the characters and their fighting styles perfectly. My favorite moment: a two-page spread in which Hisoka uses the bodies of audience members as a wrecking ball to fend off an army of Chrollo's puppets. It is wonderfully deranged, and shows just how little both combatants value human life.

The final three chapters shift the spotlight back to Kurapika during the Black Whale's departure. Even with minimal pagetime, Togashi breathes life into his growing cast of characters, effortlessly infusing them with personality. With the multitude of characters and warring factions in play, the upcoming Succession War promises to be his most complicated story arc yet.

[Monsour · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hisuka vs Chrollo

A shounen fight that feels like your reading a thick ass book with pictures.

AND ITS AWESOME!!

[T.R. Preston · Rating 5 out of 5]

OMG YEEEEEESSS!!!! Hisoka vs Chrollo is one of the best fights in Manga history. I've reread it easily twenty times.

[Loulou11 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mon préféré pour l’instant

[Mahra · Rating 5 out of 5]

setting sail to the dark continent~

1. hisoka is back and better than ever!

2. he killed two of the spiders and omg...

3. hisoka is some insane character i want him to sail with us on the dark continent.

4. poor machi

5. the black whale is somewhat reminding me of Titanic when they had poor services for the public and luxurious stuff for the rich.

6. the biggest threat out of all the princes is the 1st prince.

7. i was shook/smitten when kurapika got out his chain and gun and was like "If you lie this chain will spin and if it spins, i shoot"

8. the nen beasts are something scary and unpredictable. and no i am never free.

onto the next volume

[Ashley]

i feel like weve been waiting for this battle for aaaages

[DonutKnow · Rating 4 out of 5]

Whooo, things are getting very interesting here! I wonder who is using nen? And what events will befall the attendees of the voyage to the Dark Continent?!

I also very much appreciated Togashi's commentary of Hisoka and Chrollo's battle, and although this review might not get to him, I believe in his creative abilities and am a strong supporter of his work with Hunter X Hunter. Go Togashi! We believe in you!

[keigo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hisoka que demonios

[Pimplop · Rating 4 out of 5]

Con el problema físico que tiene Togashi, entiendo sus pausas con la obra.
Aborrezco que los fans lo tilden de vago porque no les saca un capítulo a la semana. Mi única explicación a esto es que creen que dibujar es super fácil y pueden criticar lo que quieran sólo por ser fans.

Sobre los capítulos de este año: Estoy muy contenta y satisfecha con la calidad que el manga está mostrando hasta ahora.
El hecho de que se planteen cinco enemigos con fuerza desproporcional, las habilidades desconocidas de Kurapika, que Gon tenga que recuperar su poder nen, que Hisoka quiera matar a las arañas
me parecen buenas tramas; sin contar la de los otros personajes.

Obvio que quiero que siga dibujando, pero la salud es primero.
Qué se recupere bien y que vuelva con diez capítulos más, ojalá incluya pronto a Leorio :^(

[claire]

when i say i’m disappointed in this volume…

i literally started reading this series so i could read this volume. it’s not covered in the anime, despite being set up in season three (right? someone fact check me), and i needed to see chrollo vs. hisoka to finally know peace with this series.

and so i’ve done it. i read THIRTY-THREE prior volumes to get the full extent of this series, everything that was covered in the anime and everything that wasn’t, just to get to this moment. and it was a let down!! the fight felt so rushed, it was randomly placed in the larger context of an arc i didn’t care about, and it was so underwhelming. you mean hisoka can just will himself back to life?? like why are we STILL drawing this out?? this was like a trial run of what i was promised and i don’t want to stick around anymore to see the real thing.

seriously though, this is how i felt in the trenches of the ant arc when i wanted to give up. this stupid succession battle of people i don’t know or care about is meaningless to me. where are gon and killua, you know, the heart of this series?

[Frey · Rating 3 out of 5]

J'avais arrêté plusieurs mois la série et ben...



Reprendre est difficile, d'autant qu'on s'éloigne de plus en plus du shonen un peu léger du début.

[Tytus]

chrollo cheesed my boy..

[C · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kurapika with a gun is my religion

[Pablo Ortega Mesa · Rating 5 out of 5]

beet fight ever !

[catherine ♡ · Rating 2 out of 5]

I feel like I'm the only person that just isn't clicking with this manga much in general, and even this arc seems very convoluted, with a LOT of text exposition.

[Erik Esshagen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Damn this one gooood

[yel ᰔ · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 of 5 stars

-----

[Nehemiah Bekele · Rating 5 out of 5]

Chrollo is fucking insane, the negligence of humanity he carries is actually sickening, but jesus Christ it makes for an incredible battle

[Irene ♡ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Woooweeee! Hisoka x Chrollo finally face each other in an insane showdown, and our hunters finally set sails for the dark continent – quickly to realise the Kakin king's seed urn ceremony has produced some unknown dangers.

PS. The artist failing to spell his characters' names in latin letters for his sketches in this volume is a riot. My personal favourite is "Quwrof Wrlccywrlfh" (Chrollo Lucifer). ♡

[Hala · Rating 5 out of 5]

I never expect their fight to be in the middle of dark continent arc but WOW a great fight i never expect Hisoka would be this insane afterward about phantom troop. And im highly expect he is hiding himself now as one of the princes of kaken

[Corey Thibodeaux · Rating 5 out of 5]

Out of nowhere, this volume had probably the coolest fight in the entire series. In Heavens Arena, no less.



I do not know how you can conceive a power like Chrollo's and write it the way Togashi does. Genius. I couldn't follow the bookmark/copy/sun/moon sequence, so I just accepted it and enjoyed the ride.

HXH is giving some Yorknew City arc characters major screen time again (Phantom Troupe, Kurapika). Some characters I liked died. So it goes. The ramifications will be huge, I assume.

I guess we have to accept the main plot is on the giant whale boat now. I'll be more mentally prepared to discuss the princes by next volume. My question: How many HxH volumes equals two months of the princes all going for each others' throats? I want to get to the Dark Continent.

[Bumbo · Rating 4 out of 5]

This volume was mainly a very exciting fight that we've been waiting a looong time for. And I think it delivered. This series has always been wordy when it comes to explaining fights. But lately, it has been trending towards an overly-verbose style. It's not a big deal, as I just skimmed over a couple paragraphs of the more intricate explanations. I get the idea of how their powers work, I read the explanations for the interesting interplay of their abilities, and when I start to get bored I skip a sentence or two and trust Togashi has shown his math. I don't think there's a way around all the talking either, since a lot of it is stuff that can't be shown instead of told.

Anyway, this volume is good stuff. A well earned volume of action that came as a pleasant surprise. Hisoka vs Chrollo was a long time coming and was worth the wait. Plus, more of either of those guys is never a bad thing. Hisoka seeking to assassinate the assassins will be a interesting angle. I'm especially surprised by one of his first targets. I wonder if this'll create problems between him and Illumi when he tries to take out Kalluto. Speaking of, I'd love to see Illumi in action. He's a potentailly fun character that hasn't gotten a lot of play.