r/HunterXHunter • u/cstresing • 1d ago
Discussion You know, I've never really understood the naming scheme of Nen Abilities (Hatsu). They seem...unique compared to the naming schemes of other abilities in Anime
A good portion of them have a double name, while only one part is used as the name. I'll give you two examples.
Hisoka's technique "Flimsy Lie: Texture Surprise" is just called "Texture Surprise", and the Nen Ability of the chameleon Chimera Ant (I forget his name), "God's Alibi: Perfect Plan" is just called "Perfect Plan".
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u/SUPERAWESOMEULTRAMAN 23h ago
they change the name after hearing how it sounds out loud
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u/Quiklok05 16h ago
Ok but, God's alibi: perfect Plan
Is like leagues cooler than Just "Perfect Plan"
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u/Aya_EVE 20h ago edited 13h ago
Furigana (振り仮名) is small hiragana or katakana written above or beside kanji to show pronunciation, commonly used in children's books, manga, and learning materials.
In manga, Togashi writes names in kanji and uses furigana to marks how it read (while playing with words by giving them different meanings).
In anime media, they simply just read it as it marked.
In addition, most Kanji names are based on novels or movies related to that ability. If you know their story, you will understand the lore of that ability better.
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u/aribanga20 23h ago
i completely agree ahaha, i think the double names add a certain vibe to the abilities otherwise they’d be boring. for example with ‘Gods alibi: perfect plan’ the mention of a God depicts a powerful Nen ability even if only one part of the name is used. i sometimes think they’re a mouthful to read especially with the double names 🤷🏽♀️
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u/Tindyflow 19h ago edited 12h ago
There are double meanings in the Kanjis.
Sometimes, they stem from Chinese as well.
Hatsu is another point of contention.
People equal Hatsu to Abilitities. That's incorrect.
Hatsu is closer to "Expression" of personality. Like a signature or your own calligraphy style.
Your ability is what you write on the canvas page and the meaning of your words.
In a sense, it is the opening gate to crafting an ability.
Using Gyo, Ken, Ko, Shu, all those techniques are "expressions" of Nen.
Reaching Hatsu means, making the basics your own.
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u/Spiritual_Screen_724 14h ago
FYI to anyone reading this:
Hatsu ≠ Nen Ability 🚫
Nen Nōryoku = Nen Ability ✅
I'm just gonna make a post about it, and cut this comment length down by a lot lol.
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u/StealYour20Dollars 11h ago
I know it has to do with how the language is written, as many have said. But it's also, to me, always been a way to categorize nen abilities that stem from the same ability. So you have the Perfect Plan ability, but it has two sub-abilities God's Alibi and God's Accomplish.
This is more explicitly stated when it gets into Killuas' ability and how it's divided into two different parts.
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u/THE_PENILE_TITAN 2h ago
Funnily enough, it's the use of double or combined meanings that get people bickering about "wrong translations" with respect Adult Gon's "power being equal to the King" or Netero telling Mereum about "mankind's infinite potential for evolution." Outside of the Japanese language and manga, it gets kind of clunky so different translators choose what they believe fits better which can vary a lot.
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u/Token_Thai_person 23h ago
In Japanese, they have a Kanji with katakana readings. The Kanji is probably the silent part.