Phantom Troupe Guide - Manga Insider

About
Latest Posts

Cody is a writer who was shaped by manga and anime at a young age. From discovering series like Dragon Ball and Gundam, he fell in love with this medium. Though he walked away for a time in his teenage years, he came back in his adulthood to fall back in love with manga and anime. Nowadays, he can be found reading the latest manga series and catching up on all of the new seasonal anime. And, of course, writing about them at the same time.

Bottom Line Up Front

The Phantom Troupe is the most critical criminal organization in Hunter x Hunter. In the ongoing manga series, this group has been a significant part of several different story arcs. In addition, they are pretty much the only recurring antagonistic organization.

The Phantom Troupe comprises 13 members, each number 1-12, with 0 being given to the leader. Originally formed as a group of outcast thieves looking to survive and make money together, they have become something so much more.

They are fiercely loyal to one another and will commit horrific acts for missions to make some money. The leader decides new group members, though it is possible for a prospective new member to kill an existing member to take their place.

For Hunter x Hunter main character, Kurapika, they are his greatest enemy for the tragic massacre of his Kurta Clan. These are all of the known members of the Phantom Troupe to date:

Chrollo Lucilfer
Nobunaga Hazama
Feitan Portor
Machi Komacine
Omokage
Hisoka Morow
Kalluto Zoldyck
Phinks Macgub
Shalnark
Franklin Bordeau
Shizuku Murasaki
Pakunoda
Bonolenov Ndongo
Uvogin
Illumi Zoldyck
Kortopi

Who Is the Phantom Troupe?

The Phantom Troupe is one of the core groups in the Hunter x Hunter series. They are a band of thieves who are among the best. However, while they are known as accomplished thieves, this is almost underselling the dangerous group.

Many of the missions that the Phantom Troupe undertakes is to steal and earn money. However, they will also do other tasks at the same time. This means other evil deeds, including killing anyone who is necessary to accomplish their goals.

This is seen in the greatest evil act of the Troupe: killing the Kurta Clan. They have no qualms about other people’s lives and are highly loyal to one another. This comes from their roots as outcasts. Though the group is somewhat exclusive, new members can join.

Each person in the Phantom Troupe is numbered 1-12, except for the leader, who is known with the number 0. The numbering system is interesting since few details are made clear of what it all means. It does not seem to be a traditional ranking system or indicate their role.

The Phantom Troupe are the only major recurring villains in the Hunter x Hunter series. While others are mainly relegated to their respective arcs, the Phantom Troupe are an ever-present threat. While they do not necessarily have much beef with Gon and Killua, Kurapika’s life goal is to track them down.

And then there is the overwhelmingly complicated matter of Hisoka. While not a hero at all, he is a Hunter and crosses paths with the main characters often. As such, the overall Phantom Troupe is constantly getting involved with the central story arcs in the series.

Are They the Main Villains in Hunter x Hunter?

Given how important the Phantom Troupe is, it would not be necessarily wrong to consider them the main villains in Hunter x Hunter. Though this is not confirmed, they may be the endgame enemies. This is due to a few factors that we know.

Since the series is still ongoing, it is hard to say where the story is next. That said, no matter what, the Phantom Troupe will be part of it. They are the only major returning villains in the series that come back repeatedly. Well, except for Hisoka (more on that in a bit).

There is likely the main goal for them that is much more special than what we saw with past villains. Others like the Chimera Ants and the other players in Greed Island are only relative to their respective arcs. But the Phantom Troupe continues to be a menace across the entirety of the series.

Then there is also the matter of Kurapika. His entire life goal is to take out the Phantom Troupe, and that means they will continue to show up in the series until a resolution happens. To make matters worse, Killua now has his drama with members of the Phantom Troupe.

There are a lot of unresolved issues, and they will likely go ahead in the future. It is even possible that the Phantom Troupe will play a significant role as the main villain again in the final story arc for the series. For now, though, this is what we know about them.

Phantom Troupe History

The Phantom Troupe began with the founding members in Meteor City. This is one of the most elusive locations in the Hunter x Hunter world as it is not even known by most people. Little is known about Meteor City as it is an exciting location that the series has not visited yet.

Despite mentioning it many times in the story, we have not seen it yet. All that we know then is from the descriptions by the Phantom Troupe members. It is a city made up of outcasts that have been thrown away from society.

This is seen in the fact that all Meteor City residents are essentially nonexistent. Though we do not know what country this city is in, it does not matter as the residents of the town do not legally exist. They have no official residency or documents that prove that they are citizens of that nation.

In addition, the city is known as a junkyard, so it is possible that it is a dirty and crime-ridden place. It is presumed that Meteor City is a hazardous place to live for its citizens. Most likely because of this, a few city members banded together at a very young age.

Those are the founding members of the Phantom Troupe who would become infamous villains. They were founded by Chrollo along with six other Spiders. They include Feitan, Franklin, Machi, Nobunaga, Pakunoda, and Uvogin.

They stood by each other’s backs as this group and are even more loyal to one another than the later members. Since the creation of the Phantom Troupe, there have been several different members that have gone throughout its ranks, and it is not exactly the same as it was at the beginning.

Spiders and Organization Explained

The Spiders is a nickname for the members of the Phantom Troupe. This is due to the spider-shaped tattoo that each of them wears somewhere on their body. This is known from a couple of the members who have shown their unique tattoos.

The spider is shaped with 12 legs, representing each member of the Phantom Troupe. The head or main body of the spider represents the leader of them, Chrollo. In addition to the shape of the spider, there is a number that is placed on the tattoo that shows the placement of that specific person.

It is presumed that Chrollo has a 0 on his tattoo, while this has not actually been seen before. The organization of the Troupe is quite bizarre and hidden. All that is known in the series is that Chrollo is the group leader and not much else.

There are some roles that a few of the members have, but that is it. Feitan is the substitute leader for the group if something happens to Chrollo or he is not around. In addition, there is an attack squad in the group that is focused on fighting.

Each of them has their own Nen powers and abilities, but it seems that the numbers do not play into this. Just because someone is a higher number does not necessarily mean they are more robust. They will do arm wrestling to see who the more powerful members are.

For the most part, there is a lot of autonomy that the members of the group have. They are usually free to go about their missions and business in their own ways.

This is especially seen in someone like Hisoka, who is a member of the Hunters Association, who are the “good guys” while being part of the “bad guys” at the same time.

How New Members Join the Group

Initially, the Phantom Troupe began with less than the max 13 members. As such, they have a way of letting new members join them. This is something that we have directly seen before in the series. New members can only join the group by being approved by the leader, Chrollo.

Unfortunately, he is the only one who can make that decision. The other Spiders are able to influence the decision but they have no ultimate say over the matter. This does mean that someone can nominate a person to join the group but it is up to Chrollo to make the final decision.

In addition, one of the most common ways for a new member to join is to have a prospective Spider kill a the existing member. Despite this crazy act, they can possibly take the place of that person if they wish to. This is another situation that we have heard of before in Hunter x Hunter.

The Troupe also does not have to have a full set of members at one time. It is possible for the group to be less than the max 13 without that being an issue. This is another instance that we have seen in the series before. This leaves room when it happens for new members to join.

All Known Members of the Phantom Troupe

To help with getting to know the Phantom Troupe better, we are going to break down all of the members. These are the known members of the Phantom Troupe that we have seen so far. To be clear, there is a chance that there are other members beyond these.

However, we have not seen or learned about them thus far in the series. In addition, it is worth noting that there are going to be some spoiler-related moments detailed in these character descriptions. I will make sure not to spoil unnecessary events but you will find out about the outcome of some characters.

To be able to talk about some of the characters, it is crucial to reveal the fates of some of them. This is due to the fact that some members have replaced others. At the same time, there are also some spoilers for who joins the Phantom Troupe later in the series. With this in mind, here’s what you should know about all of the Phantom Troupe members we know about.

Chrollo Lucilfer: Number 0

Going in numerical order, we have the leader of them all, Chrollo. Chrollo is the mysterious, attractive, and menacing head honcho of the group. He is the founder of the Phantom Troupe and the enemy that no one wants to mess with.

His Nen ability is an insane one, allowing him to copy the skills of other characters and use them in battle. However, he does not rely too heavily on this ability. He is an intimidating foe without it as seen in the fact that Kurapika sealed his ability.

Even without his ability, he is able to destroy enemies with his bare hands and brute force. With his ability intact, though, he is nigh unstoppable as seen in his ability to defeat even Hisoka.

Nobunaga Hazama: 1

Nobunaga is one of the founding members of the Troupe. He has a distinct appearance and name that reference the older time period of Japan. He wields a katana in battle and is a thorough fighter. He also has one of the stranger personalities of the group.

He does not seem overly evil like some of the other members of the group, like Chrollo, for instance. That said, he is a horrible person, having participated in the Kurta Clan incident. Even still, he is a smart member of the group and someone who can be somewhat reasoned with.

Feitan Portor: 2

Feitan is a bizarre member of the Troupe and also one of the most terrifying. Currently seen as one of the leaders of the group, he is the interim. With Chrollo being out of commission due to the events with Kurapika, Feitan has taken over the Troupe and plays a major role.

Feitan also plays a horrible role in the activities of the group, being the torturer of them. He will question and interrogate enemies, using nasty methods to get it done. Feitan has a harsh personality and there is almost no good that can be seen in him. He does not even shy away from antagonizing his own teammates in the group.

Machi Komacine: 3

There are few female members of the Troupe and Machi is one of them. She is also one of the founding members of the team as well, coming from Meteor City. She has a beautiful and attractive personality, one that is intimidating but also quite different from the rest of the group.

Her pink hair and traditional garments help her to stand out as a more “normal” person in appearance. Machi is not a person that should be messed with, however. She has a harsh personality that hides the passion and caring that she has for Chrollo.

She will do anything for him and will even fight her fellow members to protect Chrollo. She is also the healer in the group, giving her the dual-sided nature of being a lifesaver and life taker at the same time.

Omokage: 4 (former member)

It is worth noting that Omokage is the only member of the Troupe who is not canon to the manga. This is due to his appearance in the Phantom Rouge anime film. He was the previous holder of the 4th spot in the team before Hisoka took his place.

He grew up as a doll maker prior to joining the Troupe. In the story of Phantom Rouge, it is revealed that he wanted to join the group to make a collection of soul dolls. He wished to make a soul doll out of every member of the group.

He departed the Phantom Troupe with the conclusion of his mission. Presumably, he is alive at this point in the story since he is one of the only former members who chose to leave on his own. That said, he is not canon in the manga at this time so it is uncertain if he will ever make a reappearance.

Hisoka Morow: 4 (former member)

Hisoka Morow is one of the main characters of Hunter x Hunter. He is a former member of the group and was also numbered four. After defeating Omokage’s soul doll, he was able to take over as the next Troupe member. However, this origin story is technically not canon to the manga yet.

As such, the Hisoka that is canon to the manga and anime is that he is member number four at the start of the series. When we meet him, he is joining the Hunters Association and eventually doubles as a Hunter and Phantom Troupe member at the same time.

His Nen power allows him to use bungee gum to add a sticky material to his body composition. He is unbelievably powerful and a deadly killer that does not hesitate to eliminate his foes in a fraction of a second. He is one of the main people who comes across Gon and the gang throughout the series, being obsessed with the main heroes.

Hisoka is very much unlike any of the other Troupe members. He joined after the events with the Kurta Clan and had nothing to do with that.

His clown-like appearance carries over to his wild personality that is eccentric and passionate. He left the Phantom Troupe after the events of the Yorknew City arc with his intention of defeating Chrollo someday. Most recently in the manga, he has defeated a couple of members of the Troupe and is being hunted down for his betrayal.

Kalluto Zoldyck: 4

Kalluto Zoldyck is a member of the assassin Zoldyck family and the younger brother of main character Killua and villain Illumi. Yet another owner of the number 4 spot in the Troupe, he took over the spot that was left behind after Hisoka departed.

Kalluto is young and inexperienced. Though he has immense talent that makes him a rightful member of the group, he has a lot to learn from his new teammates. Being the younger brother of Killua, it is possible that they will have to face each other as enemies someday.

Phinks Macgub: 5

Phinks is one of the original members of the Troupe, hailing from Meteor City. He has an upfront and brash personality, picking fights quite often. That said, he is a loyal follower of Chrollo.

It also appears that he seems to have a fascinating interest in Shizuku. In addition, he attempts to a mentor of sorts for Kalluto when he joins.

Shalnark: 6 (former member)

One of the other OG members of the Phantom Troupe is Shalnark. A now-former member of the group, he was unique in being part of the Hunters Association. This is interesting since only Hisoka and later Illumi also are employed by the Association. He was, ironically, killed by Hisoka recently in the manga.

Franklin Bordeau: 7

One of the more mysterious members of the Troupe, at least to me, is Franklin. He appears in many of the events that the rest of the group is in but he has uncertain goals.

He does appear to not be as wild and unhinged as some of the other Spiders. He is also not predicted to die unlike the five members that will supposedly die against Kurapika.

Shizuku Murasaki: 8

Shizuku Murasaki is one of the only other female members of the Troupe. She had contact and a brief relationship with Gon and the gang during the Yorknew City arc.

She is a thoughtful Spider and is able to win fights in methodical ways. Unfortunately, she is one of the five members who is predicted to die in the future if she fights Kurapika. She joined after the death of a currently mysterious eighth Spider.

Pakunoda: 9 (former member)

One of the other Meteor City residents to start the Troupe is Pakunoda. She played an important role in the Yorknew City arc, meeting with Kurapika and learning the truth.

Kurapika put a chain on her heart, forcing Pakunoda to not reveal information about the Hunter. However, Pakunoda broke this rule and was killed by the Judgement Chain in the process.

Bonolenov Ndongo: 10

Bonolenov is by far the most unknown member of the Troupe. Though he appears in the various arcs that the other members are in like Greed Island and Yorknew City, he does little in each of them.

His largest appearance is in the Chimera Ant arc where he removes his bandages to show the holes that were forcibly made in his body.

Uvogin: 11 (former member)

Uvogin is one of the first Phantom Troupe members that we meet in the series and the first to die. He is known to have the most physical strength out of any member in the group.

As such, his battle with Kurapika is intense and he is eventually defeated. He was one of the original members and participated in the genocide of the Kurta Clan.

Illumi Zoldyck: 11

A major villain in the Hunter x Hunter series from the beginning, Illumi Zoldyck is the older brother of main character Killua and also a Hunter. He antagonizes his brother and eventually takes Uvogin’s spot in the Troupe. He is technically friends with Hisoka (supposedly) and yet they are enemies much of the time.

Kortopi: 12 (former member)

Kortopi is another mysterious member of the group. Not doing much in the series, he is most known for his odd appearance and ability to copy items. He seems to be an information gatherer for the team. He is later murdered by Hisoka after his loss to Chrollo at the same time as Shalnark.

FAQs

Question: Who was Phantom Troupe Number 4 Before Hisoka?

Answer: The fourth-numbered member of the Phantom Troupe was Omokage prior to Hisoka joining. However, it is worth noting that there are some issues with this. For one, this happened in the Phantom Rouge movie that is not directly considered canon to the manga.
As such, it is possible that you could believe that Omokage is not the actual member of the Troupe before Hisoka. That is completely valid but ultimately pointless at this time. It does not look like the manga has any intention of addressing this topic anytime soon so it is the best answer we have for now.

Question: Who is the Strongest in the Phantom Troupe?

Answer: The strongest member of the Phantom Troupe is none other than Chrollo, in my opinion. Though this has not been directly confirmed, I think it is hard to argue other than him. Of course, going into this reasoning is a bit spoilery.
Chrollo is the leader of the group but this is not just for show. His Nen power is insanely amazing, allowing him to copy other Nen abilities and use them. This, coupled with his base power makes him the strongest in the group.
The other person that you could make an argument for is Hisoka. Or, well, he could have been the strongest member when he was part of the Troupe.
However, there is evidence to suggest that Hisoka is second to Chrollo. His loss most recently in the manga in his long-awaited fight against Chrollo makes it clear who the stronger member is right now.

Question: Who is Number 2 in the Phantom Troupe?

Answer: This question could be taken in two different ways. It could be seen as wondering who has the number 2 as their placement in the Troupe or who is the second in charge in the group. When it comes to the person who holds the number 2 position, that is Feitan Portor.
Feitan is numbered two. Ironically, he is also the same answer to the other side of the question. He is formerly the interim leader for the group when Chrollo is not around. As such, if there is anyone who would be considered next in charge, it is Feitan.
Now, if we are talking about the second most powerful member of the Troupe, that will obviously go to Hisoka. Illumi is another strong member but I think that Hisoka would defeat him in battle.

Conclusion

The Hunter x Hunter Phantom Troupe plays a significant role in the series. However, it is worth noting that this organization is just one part of the manga and anime. There is still so much more to this series beyond just these few characters.

As such, we have created a general Hunter x Hunter characters guide that you should check out. It includes details on not just the Phantom Troupe but all of the other main and supporting characters you should know about. Be sure to give it a read.