Isaac Netero

Netero (ネテロ, Netero) was the chairman of the Hunters Association and was also chairman of the Selection Committee. He is one of the oldest, and one of the most powerful character in Hunter × Hunter. Netero meets his unfortunate end while fighting the King of the Chimera ants, Meryem. Netero sacrifices himself by activating the "Miniature Rose" implanted within his body. Netero's sacrifice in the explosion was enough to bring Meryem momentarily to the brink of death, and eventually slowly kill him off with the Rose's poison--making his sacrifice not in vain.

Appearance
Netero appears to be a helpless old man, but he is surprisingly fit and muscular for his age. He has a grey pony tail and very thick beard, with very large earlobes that have two ear piercings on both ears. Netero is commonly seen wearing a traditional man's kimono, and pair of geta. Durring the Chimera Ant arc he changes his appearance for his upcoming fight with Meryem, the Chimera Ant King, by trimming his beard, mustache, and pony tail. He also wears his combat uniform that has a kanji on the shirt that means "Heart" when he fights for real.

Personality
Netero was a very energetic old man, playful, and at times seemed absent minded. However he became serious when the situation called for it. He will sometimes display a large ego and a great deal of pride when it comes to his own abilities, as he took offense to Meryem's complaints, annoyed that an ant should believe itself to be stronger than him. Biscuit Krueger even stated that Netero can be a very twisted individual who is known to give people impossible assignments that would take years for one to complete. Netero even showed Meryem the extent of human cruelty, as he was seen having a cruel smile on when actived the Miniature Rose. His goal in life was to find a worthy adversary against whom he could fight with his all.

Background


Netero came from a place call "outer realm of the world"(世界的外侧),refered by Ging as places outside of the world-map. He was trained in the martial arts of Shingen-Ryu kungfu. Some years later, at the age of 46, he went to train in the mountains. During his time there he showed his gratitude to the martial arts. Every day he would do a set of ten thousand punches and prayers. On the first day of his training, it took him over eighteen hours to complete ten thousand punches. After completion of the ritual, he would collapse from exhaustion and fall into a deep sleep, only to awaken and repeat the ten thousand punches the next day. This would become Netero's daily routine for the next two years. One day after that time had passed, he realized that although he had completed his ten thousand punches, the sun had not yet set. Three years later, at the age of fifty, he had become capable of doing the ritual of ten thousand punches in under an hour. As a result, he spent the extra time in prayer, a development that led him to enlightenment. Some time later, Netero descended from the mountain, returning to the dojo he had begun his training in, and demonstrated his new strength. His time on the mountain had allowed him the ability to strike faster than the speed of sound, to the astonishment and amazement of his onlookers. Among his audience was the Grand Master of the dojo, who was moved to tears by the raw power and grace brought about by Netero's training. The man broke down at Netero's feet, begging to be trained, and offering the title of Grand Master in his stead. Netero accepted, under the lighthearted condition that he would be brought some food first.

Years later, Netero, now in his mid-sixties, sought challengers at his dojo, fighters from places far and wide, determined to defeat him. Each challenger was defeated in turn, humbled by his amazing power, never failing to show their respect with a bow. Some years later, Netero would eventually fight Zeno Zoldyck's grandfather, Maha Zoldyck, and lived to tell the tale. In addition, during this time he rose to the title of Chairman in the Hunters Association.

He was the grandmaster of Shingen-Ryu kungfu, in which Biscuit, Wing, and Zushi all practice. He was also a former member of the Seirin Group.

Abilities
Netero displays incredible strength and stamina for his age, hinted at in his first appearance, when he makes a 60-foot free-fall jump from the Judging Committee's blimp without a parachute, landing square on his feet without any sign of damage or effort. He was also a very powerful hand-to-hand combatant, capable of unleashing punches that are reported to be as fast as the speed of sound. Netero was also shown to have excellent control over his muscles, as when his leg was removed by Meryem, he managed to seal the wound by simply flexing the muscles in his thigh, preventing blood from escaping while he continued that battle.

Nen Ability
Netero is an extremely powerful nen user, claiming the title of the most powerful nen user fifty years prior to the series. His Nen type has never been revealed but is most similar to Conjuration.

Trivia

 * Netero's nen ability is similar to the 'Stand' power of the Jojo's Bizarre Adventure manga series, in which the user conjures and controls a spiritual being as a means of combat.
 * With Netero's nen ability being called 100-Type Guanyin Bodhisattva and his attack names are numbered (Zero Hand, First Hand, Third Hand, etc) it is safe to assume that Netero had 100 (if they are numbered 0-99) or 101 (it they are numbered 0-100) different attacks.
 * Netero's "Kung Fu Shingen" style and activation of the Miniature Rose by means of sticking his finger into his chest is reminiscient of the Hokuto Shinken style practiced by Kenshiro in the manga Hokuto no Ken.