The plot thickens in HUNTER X HUNTER chapter 401 as Kurapika’s ongoing process of forcibly awakening Nen abilities in the princes’ bodyguards reveals several shocking secrets about the Kakin royal family and Beyond Netero’s hidden motives. All of this serves to add yet another layer to the already complex interlocking web of relationships underpinning the Succession Contest arc, but does this series really need any more intrigue?

Let’s get this out of the way first: HUNTER X HUNTER is back! The hiatus this time around wasn’t as long as the gap between chapters 390 and 391 (184 days, according to the very handy Hiatus x Hiatus website) but it still feels like an event every time Yoshihiro Togashi decides to put out a batch of chapters. It just so happens that the predecessor to this column on OTAQUEST was never able to cover a chapter due to unfortunate timing, so it feels extra special to finally get to cover this series in real time.

In any case, the numerous bombshells dropped in HUNTER X HUNTER chapter 401 definitely make it feel like a worthy return. To start things off, Longhi comes clean about already being able to use Nen, proving Furykov’s suspicions about her true from all the way back in chapter 369. She then goes on to reveal that not only is she Beyond Netero’s daughter, she’s one of many of Beyond’s offspring that have been inserted into the Kakin monarchy - including perhaps one of the princes themselves.

Beyond Netero has been suspiciously quiet ever since boarding the Black Whale in chapter 359, especially after making such a strong first impression. He honestly felt like more of a plot device used by Togashi to kickstart the expedition to the Dark Continent after revealing it at the end of the Chairman Election arc, but chapter 401 makes it clear that he still has a part to play. Exactly what he stands to gain by influencing the outcome of the Kakin succession, however, remains to be seen.

Whether or not you can find it in yourself to care about yet another wild card among the dozens of other unpredictable plot elements Togashi has introduced thus far really comes down to a matter of personal choice. Especially with HUNTER X HUNTER’s incredibly irregular serialization schedule, many have simply concluded that they will never live to see the end of this arc, while others are genuinely invested and actively trying to figure out where the story might end up going. 

My perspective is somewhere in the middle. Even though I’ve loved a lot of what Togashi has done in terms of characters and abilities in the Succession Contest arc, part of me can’t help but worry that he will never be able to deliver on the sheer amount of plot points he has set up. In many ways, HUNTER X HUNTER chapter 401 really feels like it sums up the condition of being a fan of this series in the current year: feel free to get excited, but don’t expect any payoff any time soon.

You can read HUNTER X HUNTER chapter 401 for free via VIZ Media’s Shonen Jump.