Togashi Reveals The Rarity of Each Nen Type

This article contains spoilers for the Hunter x Hunter manga.

Key Takeaways

• Enhancers are 27% of the population, the most common Nen type in HxH, with abilities showcased in the series.
• Emission users make up 24%, skilled in long-range attacks. Notable characters include Leorio and Meruem.
• Specialists are the rarest Nen type at 0.033% of the population, showcasing unique abilities in HxH.

Togashi dropped a pretty major reveal in HxH 408, as he revealed through Morena the approximates of the rarity of each nen type.

Many fans have definitely always wondered about this particular statistic, and now, finally, they have their question answered as Morena Prudo shows the fruits of her research.

Morena Reveals the Prevalence of Each Nen Type Among People

The Results Are From Her Own Research

This week, Togashi dropped quite an interesting chapter of HxH. One very intriguing part of the chapter centered on Togashi dropping a pie chart, indicating the prevalence of all the Nen types.

With application and effort, anyone can learn nen. That’s why care must be taken in choosing who shall learn. — Wing

These numbers are from Morena’s own research and not, per se, official numbers, but these could be as close as fans get to a clearer view of which Nen types are rare and uncommon and which are the most prevalent among people.

The Most Common – Enhancement

27% of the Population

Enhancers make up the majority when it comes to Nen types. They are the most common, and that might not really come as a surprise to many, as the HxH series has definitely showcased many Enhancers. Morena’s research indicates Enhancers make up 27% of people, putting them at more than 1/4 of the population.

An Enhancer is someone whose Nen aura can increase their abilities. This can manifest in many creative ways, as seen recently with Dogman, where he can enhance his sense of smell to detect others’ auras, even if unawakened to Nen.

Undoubtedly, the most well-known Enhancer in the series is Gon, the protagonist of the series, as well as the legendary Isaac Netero. While the most common Nen type, it does not mean it’s in any way bad.

Emission

24% of the Population

The second most common Nen type, just behind Enhancement, is none other than Emission. Emitters make up 24% of the population based on what Morena has said, making them pretty much almost 1 in every 4 people, which is quite common.

Emitters are people who use their aura and separate it from their body without much trouble. Emitters are usually especially good with long-range attacks, thanks to that. In its simplest forms, it can simply be projectile launching, in more complex forms, it can be something like teleportation.

Some very notable emitters in HxH include one of the main characters, Leorio, and also, the strongest character seen so far in HxH, Meruem, the Ant King. Emission is common, but can be extremely powerful, nevertheless.

Transmutation

19% of the Population

Transmuters are somewhat in the middle when it comes to how common they are. Based on what Morena’s results came up with, they make up around 19% of the population.

Transmuters are Nen users who can change the properties of their aura, and that can be quite versatile. The Nen user could change their aura to anything, like electricity, or even something like gum, all depending on what the user wants.

HxH has seen many interesting Transmuters, with the major one being Killua. Hisoka, Youpi, and Biscuit are all also very notable Transmuters. Transmuters are not uncommon based on the number given by Morena, but they aren’t as common as the other two before it either, being closer to 1 in every 5 people.

Manipulation

15% of the Population

Manipulation is one of the least common Nen types in HxH. Morena shows that based on her research, they’re only around 15% of the population, which is quite a difference when compared to Enhancers, who are 27% for example.

As the name implies, Manipulation allows one to use their aura to control other things, be they living or nonliving. Manipulators can be quite fearsome if they can control their enemies, which could end any fight very quickly.

Perhaps the most popular manipulator in the series is none other than Illumi Zoldyck, the eldest son of the Zoldyck family. Besides him, characters like Pouf, Shalnark, and Morel are all pretty well-known Manipulators in HxH. As one of the rarest types of nen, it makes manipulators even more fearsome as they’re not as likely to be encountered as some other nen types.

Conjuration

15% of the Population

Just like Manipulation, Conjuration only makes up 15% of the population, following what Morena has revealed in HxH 408. In other words, both Manipulation and Conjuration are the second rarest Nen types in HxH, only when both are combined do they reach a number similar to Enhancement. This means that in HxH, it would be a lot less likely to encounter someone using Manipulation or Conjuration, compared to someone with Enhancement or Emission.

Conjuration is, as implied, the ability to create something with aura. It can be confused with Transmutation, as both look similar, but Conjurers’ creations are more independent from them.

The most well-known Conjurer in HxH is definitely Kurapika, one of the main four of the series. Other very notable conjurers in HxH include Kite, Shizuku, and Hinrigh, among others.

The Rarest Nen Type – Specialization

0.033% of the Population

Unsurprisingly to fans, the rarest Nen type is Specialization, which wasn’t hard to figure out, even without the numbers. However, many fans probably do not realize exactly how rare it is in the HxH world. Morena reveals that only 0.033% of the population are Specialists, which makes it about 1 in every 3000 people. Comparing it to Enhancement, which is closer to 1 in 4 people, it is quite a difference. Despite how rare it is, fans have still seen many powerful specialists in HxH, which is due to the fact that these Specialist Nen users stand out and have some of the best potential to become top Nen users.

I’ve done my own research, so there might be some margin of error, but I believe that specialists are about one in every 3000 people. — Morena Prudo

Specialists are unique in every way. Their aura doesn’t follow any strict rules, and they’re a perfect way for Togashi to showcase unique and incredible abilities that do not fit any of the other types. Their rarity makes it such that they can be quite versatile.

One of the most popular specialist in HxH is Chrollo Lucilfer, the leader of the Phantom Troupe, who developed an ability that can steal others’ nen abilities. Morena herself is also a specialist. One can also not forget Kurapika. While he’s a Conjurer, he becomes a Specialist when his eyes turn red and can use any Nen type with 100% proficiency. Besides these, other notable Specialists include Pitou, Pakunoda, and Tserriednich.

Hunter x Hunter is available to read via Viz Media. The series can be read by the fans officially and for free on the Shonen Jump and the Manga Plus app. The release date for the next chapter of Hunter x Hunter, Hunter x Hunter chapter 408, is set to be November 24th, 2024.