Hunter × Hunter Chapter 53: Double

In the arena, Hisoka and Kastro clash violently. Hisoka shouts 'I'VE CHANGED A LOT IN 2 YEARS.' while Kastro yells 'DON'T HOLD BACK, HISOKA!' as massive impact effects and the cry 'OUAAAAAAA!' explode across the ring. The banner below reads 'N°53 DOUBLE'. Below the main panel, a long-haired woman states 'THE NEXT SHOT, I WON'T HOLD BACK.' Hisoka, bruised and sweating, glares forward. Gon reacts in shock, exclaiming 'WHAT WAS THAT?! AN ILLUSION ...?!' while narration explains 'HISOKA COULDN'T DODGE THIS FAST PUNCH, AND LOST SOME POINTS!!!' and 'IT'S KASTRO WHO'S OPENED HOSTILITIES!!!' with sound effects 'WAH' and 'dh' marking the strike.

A dramatic full-page illustration opens the chapter, showing a figure in an elaborate, tattered outfit suspended in midair. The character grips a massive curved blade mounted on a long pole, the weapon arcing dramatically around their body. Long hair flows wildly to one side, and the figure's face bears a confident, intense expression. Bandages wrap the legs and arms, while the clothing features a mix of dark patterns, light panels, and ornate shoulder armor. The composition is framed by bold black borders, with the chapter number and title prominently displayed at the bottom: a rectangular box reading "053" next to the large stylized word "DOUBLE" and an arrow-like symbol. A small heart shape hangs below the title.

The fight continues with rapid exchanges. In a close-up, a face with a star marking declares, "HOLDING BACK OR NOT, I'M THE ONE WHO DECIDES." A female voice responds from off-panel with "REALLY?" The next panel shows Hisoka in a fighting stance, one leg raised, as the word "SUIII..." appears beside him. A massive impact erupts with the onomatopoeia "DAM AHHH" and motion lines, accompanied by the shout "THEN DECIDE QUICKLY !!" Hisoka's fist smashes forward. A close-up reveals a star-marked face with a determined expression. The sequence ends with a powerful strike: an opponent is sent flying amid "ZAR" and "ZAR" sound effects, while Hisoka stands in the background wearing a shirt marked with a cross and spade symbol.

Killua surges forward, hair whipping wildly as he drives a massive fist straight toward his opponent's face. The white-haired fighter leans back with a visible sweat drop, eyes narrowed. A sharp "VLAM" erupts across the panel as the blow lands. In the lower half of the page the impact detonates outward; Killua is hurled backward, body twisting, while his opponent is also blasted away amid flying debris and radiating shock lines.

Narration reads: "I HAD DODGED HIS ATTACK, BUT...?" A small inset shows a figure slammed against a striped wall, limbs splayed. The next wide panel depicts the white-haired fighter being driven violently into the ground, body arched, dust and fragments exploding outward. Three rapid lower panels follow: a shattering "SHAT", a spinning tumble labeled "GADAM", and a final close-up of the fighter's determined face amid flying rubble.

A powerful impact lands as the spiky-haired fighter with star tattoos on his face reels from a strike, his body twisting under the force marked by the large SFX TADAN. His expression remains focused despite the blow. In quick succession, close-up panels capture his determined gaze and the long-haired opponent's sharp, intense stare. The spiky-haired fighter raises his wrapped hands defensively, gripping his own wrist while maintaining a serious posture amid motion lines and impact effects. Additional close-ups highlight the star tattoo on his cheek and the long-haired fighter's narrowed eyes and clenched teeth, showing both combatants locked in a tense exchange of blows.

A massive downward strike crashes with explosive force, sending debris and impact effects flying as the long-haired fighter is driven to the ground. The headband-wearing man in the foreground shouts with wide eyes and an open mouth, raising a peace-sign hand while declaring the hit. Narration boxes detail the ongoing assault: the score is now 4 to 0, with Kastro continuing his sequence of terrible hits. The long-haired fighter lies sprawled amid rubble and motion lines as the headband man reacts in shock, questioning if what he saw was real. Multiple SFX including BADAM, VLLAM, BROUHA, and tap effects emphasize the relentless barrage.

Kastro leans in close with a cold stare and declares, "AND YOU'LL DIE WITHOUT HAVING UNDERSTOOD ANYTHING." He continues, "CONTINUE LIKE THIS..." and asks, "YOU STILL HAVEN'T CHANGED YOUR MIND?" Hisoka is hurled through the air in a violent impact, limbs flailing as he crashes down. The referee stares in shock, sweat flying from his face. Hisoka lands hard on the arena floor, skidding to a stop amid debris and broken tiles. He touches his face and mutters, "I WASN'T DREAMING..." The crowd erupts as voices shout, "THAT'S TRUE!! HE DISAPPEARED! THAT'S WHAT WE ALL SAW!" and "I THOUGHT YOU DISAPPEARED..." Hisoka crouches low, breathing heavily, while Kastro's long hair flows dramatically in the foreground.

Hisoka sits with his hand to his chin, deep in thought. Kastro's profile appears beside him as he states, "NO... THE IMAGE IS FALSE." Kastro continues, "YOU WERE UNDER MY EYES. I THOUGHT THE MATTER WAS DECIDED, AND THEN, IN A FRACTION OF A SECOND, YOU ENDED UP BEHIND ME..." Hisoka's hands are shown in close-up while he analyzes the situation. Kastro concludes, "AN ILLOGISM... YES, THAT'S IT." Hisoka warns, "NEXT TIME, I'LL TAKE AN ARM FROM YOU." Kastro replies, "I WON'T WAIT ANY LONGER." and adds, "YOU'RE WASTING YOUR TIME." Kastro grips Hisoka's hand and says, "YOU CAN KEEP YOUR HAUGHTY FACE, I DON'T CARE. IF YOU KEEP LEAKING, YOU WON'T SOLVE THE MYSTERY."

Kastro lunges forward in a fierce martial arts stance, his body twisting mid-air as he delivers a powerful strike. The impact lands with a resounding BAM, sending shockwaves through the arena. A voice declares that until the moment you understand the expanse of my strength. Kastro presses the assault, his hand clawed like a tiger's. The announcer cries out that Kastro is the first to really get serious in the match. There! The "Bite of the Tiger"!! The technique is explained as imitating a tiger's claws and fangs with the hands to mutilate the opponent. Experts can cut immense tree trunks in half with it. Hisoka still hasn't understood the real strength of Kastro. In the stands, a small spiky-haired spectator watches intently while another figure admits, "Well, I don't understand a lot either..."

In the darkened arena, a lone figure stands over a collapsed opponent. A voice warns that if he doesn't react, he's gonna get killed. Kastro's face twists with intensity as he shouts HERE I COME!! and charges. Sharp ZAT and TAC sound effects mark rapid strikes landing across the scene. Hisoka's eyes narrow in focus while Gon watches with wide-eyed shock. Multiple TAC impacts flash as Kastro's assault continues, blades or claws tearing through the air toward the fallen fighter.

A muscular fighter with light hair and a heart emblem on his top stands in a dramatic pose, one arm extended forward as he declares, "I'M GIVING IT TO YOU. ♥." His confident stance fills the panel against a dark background. Below, his opponent with spiky dark hair glares intensely, thinking "PROVOCATION OR TRAP? PFF!" In the large bottom panel the two clash violently. The spiky-haired fighter lunges with a powerful punch while the light-haired fighter meets the attack head-on, shouting "WHATEVER, I'LL TAKE IT!" Motion lines and impact effects emphasize the force of the exchange as the fighters' bodies twist in combat.

The fight erupts into rapid motion. The light-haired fighter extends his arm, releasing a burst of energy marked "ZAT" and "SHUU" as his opponent is hurled backward through the air. Below, the spiky-haired fighter is sent flying with a heavy impact "ZLAM" while the light-haired fighter shouts "THIS WAY, RIGHT SIDE!!!" and points sharply to his right. The spiky-haired fighter's body twists mid-air amid swirling motion lines and debris, his expression showing pain and surprise as the light-haired fighter maintains a focused, commanding posture.

The crowd erupts in shock as a mangled arm twists violently in the air, spectators screaming 'OOH!' and 'AAAAH!' while someone cries out about 'HIS ARM...'. Hisoka, face bloodied with a star marking on his cheek, glares coldly and warns, 'IF YOU THINK EVERYTHING WILL HAPPEN AS YOU PLANNED, YOU'RE MAKING A HUGE MISTAKE.' A sharp 'BATAM' impact rings out as Hisoka snaps 'SHUT UP!' and retorts that the outcome 'THAT WAS INCLUDED IN MY PLANS.' Below, the fighters clash in a blur of motion lines and debris, Kastro lunging forward with flowing hair while Hisoka counters amid the chaos.

Hisoka's hand snaps shut around an unseen object with a 'CATCH!' sound as he declares 'HE! HE! HE! I SEE.' A speech bubble reveals 'THE SECRET OF YOUR STRENGTH.' Kastro stands revealed in full, confirming 'THAT'S IT EXACTLY' while offering 'CONGRATULATIONS.' He questions 'IS YOUR DOUBLE...' and the crowd murmurs 'A DOUBLE...?' and 'WHAT'S HE TALKING ABOUT?' as Kastro's duplicate appears beside him. Hisoka brings a finger to his lips in thought amid swirling 'SUUU' energy and audience reactions.

The arena crowd erupts in shock, mouths open and arms raised as two identical long-haired figures materialize side by side on the fighting platform. Large black sound effects explode across the panel while a smaller "TADAN" marks the sudden appearance. Both figures wear flowing cloaks, their serious expressions fixed forward. Below, spectators lean over the railing, shouting in disbelief. The page ends with tight close-ups of the two identical faces, long hair framing sharp eyes and neutral mouths, emphasizing their perfect resemblance.

Kastro stands with a hand near his mouth, sweat visible, declaring he was unsure if the attack was an illusion. A small figure below questions whether the opponent has a twin brother. Another panel shows two cloaked figures facing each other as voices wonder if Kastro multiplied or divided. Kastro, identified as the guy called Doppel Gingers, wipes his face while confirming "Right." A long text box explains the Doppel Gingers ability from the Encyclopedia of Supernatural Apparitions, noting that the double appears only in the eyes of the original or those who know him well, drains energy, and can cause exhaustion or headaches when it vanishes. The page ends with a partial view of a hand and cloak edge.

Hisoka stands with a confident smirk, one hand on his hip as he addresses Kastro. "YOU SEE, AS YOU TOLD ME, I STOPPED LEAKING. I OPENED MY EYES AND SAW. ♥" He continues, "I SAW I WAS RIGHT TO THINK YOU DISAPPEARED." Kastro's face appears in close-up, sweat visible, replying, "ONLY BECAUSE ALTHOUGH YOU DISAPPEARED, YOUR ENERGY WAS STILL NEAR ME..." Hisoka presses on, "BUT ABOVE ALL BECAUSE RIGHT BEFORE YOU DISAPPEARED..." Kastro counters in another panel, "BEFORE YOU DISAPPEAR, YOU MULTIPLY YOURSELF. I FELT IT HAD INCREASED... AFTER, WHY DID I HAVE AN IMPRESSION OF ILLUSIONISM?" Kastro stands with arms crossed, listening as someone off-panel states, "IT'S ALL OF YOUR HONOR HAVING UNDERSTOOD IT." Gon appears in the lower panels, watching intently with a serious expression. Hisoka explains the difficulty of the technique, "EVEN FOR A PROFESSIONAL, FINDING THE TRICK DURING A FIGHT IS VERY HARD." Kastro responds, "YOU RECEIVED HIS ATTACKS, SO YOU MUST UNDERSTAND THAT." Hisoka details his double's function, "HIS ROOMY AND LIGHT CLOTHES MULTIPLY THE BLIND SPOTS, AND THAT'S ANOTHER REASON WHY THAT WORKS..." Kastro demonstrates the move, "I REACHED, THANKS TO NEN, TO CREATE A DOUBLE. I SEND MY DOUBLE SIMULATING AN ATTACK, AND I GO TO A BLIND SPOT. AT THE MOMENT WHEN YOU'RE GOING TO RESPOND, I ERASE MY DOUBLE AND ATTACK YOU."

Kastro glares with a fierce expression, asking, "WILL YOU STILL ACT ARROGANT?" Hisoka replies calmly, "I'M GONNA TAKE YOUR LEFT ARM." Kastro lunges forward with claws extended, shouting, "YOU'LL SEE WHAT NEN HELPED ME CREATE! THE TRUE TIGER CLAW!" He names the technique, "I GAVE IT A NAME: THE TRUE TIGER CLAW!!" An unseen voice notes, "AHH NOTICE THAT KASTRO DIDN'T LOOK TOO FAR FOR THAT NAME!" Kastro slashes repeatedly with "ZAT" and "Zip" sound effects as Hisoka is struck. Hisoka takes heavy damage, blood visible, thinking, "IT WOULD EVEN GIVE ME THE ENVY OF BEGINNING." A large impact SFX "TOHAA" accompanies the blow. In the final panel Kastro's face appears determined, sweat on his brow, while Hisoka's clawed hand remains in view.