Zepile

Zepile (ゼパイル, Zepairu) is an antiques trader who helps Gon raise funds for the Southernpiece Auction in Yorknew City. He was also Examinee #1,100 in the 288th Hunter Examination.

Appearance


Zepile is a man who has short, light brown hair with long sideburns on both sides of his face. His most prominent feature is his wavy, thick, brown eyebrows. He wears a red blazer with black stripes on edges, a white shirt underneath, which has a large collar that reveals a large amount of his chest and a dark pants.

Yorknew City arc
While Gon and Killua scour the Bull Market to bid on valuable items. However every item they bid on, they're outbid by someone named Zepile. Though the boys manage to procure some valuable items and sell them to a local pawnbroker. One of the items they tried to pawn was a wooden statue that the pawn broker claimed it wasn't of great value so he offered to buy it off of them for 80k Jenny and to check the age of the wood. Zepile then enters the shop and claims the broker was taking advantage of the boys on the wooden statue. He then details the history behind the wooden statue and that the pawn broker was planning on stealing the contents within the wooden statue. The pawn broker flabbergasted by Zepile's deduction tries utter something in his defense, but Zepile simply smirks.



Back in the Bull Market, the boys thank Zepile for helping them. Zepile modestly claims it was nothing and simply wants 20% of the contents of the wooden statue, but Killua says they'll buy him lunch, to which he agrees too. At a restaurant, Zepile enjoys his meal and after learning how the boys managed to get a hold of such valuable items from using their Nen abilities and that they're trying to accumulate a large sum of money to buy the game Greed Island in order to meet Gon's Father Ging Freecss. Zepile then explains to them that he's a former counterfeit maker and whenever he finds his old counterfeits on the market he tries to buy, no matter what the price. Zepile also asks the boys if there's anyway that he can help them, because he felt inspired to help them after talking with them and really enjoyed their conversation they just had with one another.

Sometime afterwards Zepile hammer and chisels open up the wooden statue revealing the treasures inside. Zepile examines the contents and claims even if they sold it all at a low price they'd get 300 million Jenny for it all. This excites the boys Zepile suggests they sell the contents at the Preview Market and on the way there he explains what the Preview Market is all about. At the Preview Market they're greeted by Koneruto an after examining the treasures offers 250 Million for the treasures, but Zepile refuses. Although disappointed Koneruto understands and leads them to the presentation room and as he leaves he signals someone. A large group of people then enter the presentation room and one of the people in the crowd voices his doubt of the authenticity of the items making Zepile grow anxious.



The man continues to doubt the authenticity of the items, even though Zepile tried his best to reassure the treasures value, the man still manages to sway the crowd to his favor. Afterwards in the Bull Market, Zepile curses the man that questioned the authenticity of the treasures. The boys inquire what tactics the man used to man the crowd question the authenticity of the treasures, so Zepile explains it all to the boys until their friend Leorio gets in contact with them to inform them that he's got a lead on the Phantom Troupe. The boys then rush away to meet Leorio leaving Zepile in charge of the biding process. Though reluctant at first, gives in and tells the boys to count on him. While the boys tail the Phantom Troupe, Killua has Leorio contact Zepile, to help him Preview Market bidding. The boys use what Zepile taught them to escape their imprisonment by Nobunaga.



As soon as the boys return to the hotel they were staying at, they find Leorio and Zepile enjoying themselves with some drinks and snacks. The boys thank Zepile for teaching them the bluff tactics earlier. Zepile was thankful for their praise and according to Leorio he learned a lot from the stories that Zepile told him about. The following day Leorio and Zepile sell the treasures at the auction for 355 Million Jenny, although Leorio was elated by the profits made, Zepile was dour and surly, claiming they could have made more than 400 Million. Leorio stated if they all split the money in half they'd have 177 Million for themselves, this makes Zepile question Leorio's friendship with the boys. Kurapika then contacts Leorio to meet up with him, so Zepile goes to the bank to validate the check and then find more items to sell. Zepile's location during the the Phantom Troupe hunt in Yorknew City is revealed on a map.

Greed Island arc
Sometime after Kurapika does the exchange for Chrollo Lucilfer, he goes into a coma and Zepile comes and visits him to see how he's doing. Leorio tells Zepile that his fever hasn't gone down in the slightest and 24 hours has already past. Zepile then comments that Kurapika's in a deep sleep, but he needs the rest. Melody then tells Zepile that her flute has no effect on Kurapika and doesn't think that he has an ordinary fever due to fatigue or illness. Zepile then says that if worst comes to worst then they'll have to call a doctor no matter what the risks and if they can't bring him to a hospital he'll have a friend of his come by and check up on him. Melody pleased with Zepile's sentiment thanks him.



Later that day Zepile along with Gon and Killua all dressed up in fancy suits take a taxi down to the Southernpiece auction house in order to win a copy of Greed Island at the auction. When the trio arrive at the auction house Gon notes that even though they're well dressed they still attract attention, to which Zepile says it's because kids don't normally come to the auction house. When the auction finally starts and the Auctioneer lady starts the bidding process, Gon asks Zepile if you indicate the price with your hand after seeing many of the auction attendees do so with their hands. Zepile responds yes since the Auctioneer announces the number of the one who makes the highest bid.



Gon then asks what a certain hand signal means and unknowingly doubles the price to the last bid. Zepile then screams into Gon's face that he's an idiot and that he just doubled the last bid and goes onto say since Gon's number was called, they'll be in serious trouble trying to get out of it giving an excuse like, "It was a mistake." With the Auctioneer lady announcing no higher bids Gon worries what they can do now. Zepile nervous out of his mind tells the boys that if the auction ends at that price and it's discovered that they don't have enough Jenny to pay for the Greed Island Game then the worst case scenario would be they'd be accused of fraudulent participation, be forbidden to bid any higher, and then be taken to jail. However #16 bids higher saving them from such a fate. While Gon shakes off the situation with a sigh of relief, Killua scolds Gon for not being careful, and Zepile also takes a sigh of relief and thinks to himself that they almost died.

Five days later after the auction, Zepile is briefly shown trying to appraising a pot to a client and later that very same day he catches up with Leorio, Gon, and Killua. Zepile then gives Gon his check book back while saying he changed his 80 Million into 100 Million as he promised. Gon and Killua look at Gon's checkbook and Gon is surprised to see that Zepile was right. Zepile then claims with that he should be able to buy back his Hunter License. Killua praises Zepile's work, while Zepile being modest says that when you already have 80 Million, making it into 100 Million is not that hard. Zepile then explains that all you have to do is buy items for cheap and then sell them for high prices.

However Gon a bit skeptical asks Zepile that he managed to do it all in five days, but Zepile then assures Gon that he seriously did and had to be vigilant to avoid any counterfeits items. Zepile also mentions that Gon entrusted his entire fortune with him, so he pulled out all of the stops. Gon then thanks Zepile for what he did and Leorio then comments they owe Zepile one and that if he hadn't worked then he was ready to deposit his own Hunter License. Zepile then tells them that there's no need to thank him and as per their agreement he's taken 40% of the profits. Gon is surprised by this since it means Zepile made 40 Million dollars in just 5 days.

Zepile then tells Gon to not forget that he's a professional himself and to not hesitate whatsoever to call him again in the future. Zepile then says his goodbyes and as he leaves Gon yells goodbye to him as he smokes on a cigarette. When Zepile was outside he blows the smoke from his cigarette in the air and scolds himself for being so stupid. It's then revealed that Zepile only managed to win 15 Million Jenny and took a loan from an underground bank for the other 5 Million Jenny. Zepile then thinks in hindsight that if only he told Gon he'd given the money back on the 9th and not the 8th.

A flashback reveals that Zepile being cocky says that all Gon needs is 20 Million Jenny to get his Hunter License back, let him take care of it and to get all of the Jenny back by the 10th would be too easy, so he'd have it all back to Gon on the 8th for sure. But it turns out the Knife and Jewel he could sell for 8 Million Jenny, but couldn't cash the 300 Million Jenny check before the 10th. Back to the present Zepile thinks after saying something so cocky he couldn't back out of it, or else he'd rather die. Zepile then sits on a bench in a park and contemplates how he can pay back the money he owes and that he can't brag anymore.

Zepile continues to contemplate that if he needs a starting amount and should have borrowed 10 Million more Jenny. Zepile then goes onto to think that the Hunter License is really something, since you don't have to pay any interest on it's value and the pawnbroker gives you 100 Million Jenny in return, but he knows places where he could pawn it at 10-20 times more than the original pawn value. Zepile then gets an idea and says to himself that all he has to do is become a Hunter himself and sell his license, which would allow him to be debt free for life. Zepile then runs off and exclaims that he shouldn't wavier as chances like these never wait and that he has to find out how he can register for the Hunter Exam.



On the day of the 288th Hunter Examination, Zepile is shown to be one of the examinees, but is knocked unconscious by Killua, whom also knocks out all of the other applicants in order to finish the Exam quickly as possible.

Abilities & Powers
Zepile is a skilled sculptor, able to craft as well as recognize credible fakes. He is the one who taught Gon the methods to open a wooden chest. Furthermore, Zepile is knowledgeable in the workings and proceedings of auctions, enough to act as a guide to Gon and Killua.

Nen
Zepile is a Nen genius; he uses Nen unconsciously to make his works of art more attractive.

Trivia

 * Zepile's 2011 Japanese voice actor, Masami Kikuchi, voiced Wing in the 1999 anime adaption.
 * According to the "Hunter × Hunter Manual" section found in the Yu ☆ Yu ☆ Hakusho official character book (Shueisha Jump remix), Zepile's stats are: