"This is what makes killing people so addictive! You know what gives me the most pleasure? Taking avengers like you and smacking them down!!" — Uvogin to Kurapika in "September 2nd: Part 4" |
Uvogin (ウボォーギン, Ubōgin) was the late member #11 of the Phantom Troupe, an infamous gang of criminals with class-A bounties.[2] He was the strongest in terms of physical power in the group.[3]
Appearance
Uvogin's 2011 anime adaptation design
Uvogin's manga appearance
Uvogin was the tallest and most muscular member of the Phantom Troupe. He had an unruly mane of grizzled hair, sideburns, long, thick eyebrows, and coarse hair on his shoulders, arms and chest. He had naturally tanned skin. He dressed in a wild manner, donning bearskin clothing and boots, whilst also being naturally hairy and rarely wearing a shirt. In his youth, Uvo had an Afro. His spider tattoo was located on his back, with the number 11 inscribed within.[4]
Personality
Uvogin's "gratitude"
Uvogin was a typical Enhancer: determined, head-strong, simple, and sometimes disrespectful. He was barbaric in manner, viewing even pain merely as a nuisance. Like all members of the Phantom Troupe, Uvogin never hesitated to kill and was remorseless in doing so.[3][5] He also enjoyed killing people who want revenge.[6] He was only interested in physical training and fighting.[7] He particularly enjoyed fights against skilled opponents, but he would typically rush into battle without a plan. However, despite often rushing into battle and fighting in a barbaric manner, he was extremely resourceful, being able to defeat three skilled Nen users (Porcupine, Rabid Dog, and Leech) using only his head, after being paralyzed from the neck down. Although he prefered to fight alone, Uvogin became stronger when fighting with a partner, because he fought better when there was someone else to protect. Uvogin was best friends with Nobunaga Hazama and the two brought out the best in each other during combat.[8] Uvogin, like all of the other members of the Troupe, was absolutely loyal to Chrollo and the Spiders' ideals. He disliked carrying money and claims he had absolutely no use for it, as he firmly stood in his belief that one should steal whatever they desire.[7] He would only remember people he'd killed if they gave him a tough impression.[5] He was also very punctual and often argued with Nobunaga and Franklin about their tardiness.[9]
Background
Young Uvogin
Uvogin, along with Feitan, Machi, Franklin, Nobunaga, Pakunoda, and Chrollo, was among the first Phantom Troupe members, who originate from Meteor City, a junkyard city inhabited by outcasts that refuse to be part of society.[10] People who live there do not exist in any official records, and the existence of the city itself is known to very few people.[10] It is also stated in the manga and anime that the original members of the Phantom Troupe had something to do with the bad blood between the Mafia and the Meteor born people of Junkyard City.[11] The reason why the Troupe left the city is a mystery. Later, the group was joined by more members, in accordance with Chrollo's idea of a group comprising of exactly thirteen members, including himself.
Plot
Yorknew City arc
Uvogin first appears with the rest of the Phantom Troupe during their meeting in Yorknew City on August 31st, where Chrollo discusses their plans for the day. He tells everyone that they are going to take every item at the Underground Auction. Uvogin tells Chrollo that if he's serious since they would have the entire Mafia chasing after them if they did that. Chrollo then asks if he's scared, but Uvogin tells him that he's only excited. The Troupe then get ready for the auction.[12] Uvogin, Machi, Feitan, Shalnark, Nobunaga, Shizuku, and Franklin head to the auction, while the rest stay behind. The Phantom Troupe arrive at the Underground Auction, and kill all the guests,[13] but they find out that the items are gone. The rest of the Troupe are forced to leave empty handed, and Uvo phones Chrollo on how they were unable to find the missing items.[14]
Uvogin speculates that there might be a Judas amongst them, but Chrollo replies that the Mafia would have to offer them something that they don't already have, and that reason was why there was no auction items was because they needed to be more cautious this time. Uvo tells Chrollo that before they killed the auctioneer, he said that one of the Ten Dons sent one of the Shadow Beasts named Owl earlier to retrieve the auction goods. Chrollo replies that the 10 Dons by now should realize that are dealing with Nen, since they are missing their guest at the auction, and are most likely to send one of the Shadow Beasts after them. Uvo and the rest of the Troupe are later assigned to lure out the said Shadow Beast, by Chrollo, to hopefully find the missing auction items.[14] They all head to the Gordeau Desert and wait for the Mafia Community to strike. The community, who have found out where they are located, offered them a choice. Uvogin tells the others, that he'll take care of the Mafia Community, and the Shadow Beasts. Uvogin quickly kills all of the members from the community with ease. Kurapika and the rest of the Nostrade bodyguards watch the carnage from afar, when four Shadow Beasts, and elite Nen-using soldiers under the direct command of the Mafia's Ten Dons, arrive to deal with the Troupe. The four Shadow Beasts, Worm, Leech, Rabid Dog, and Porcupine engage in battle with Uvo.[3]
Uvogin kills Leech
Worm however is the first to be killed, by Uvo's Big Bang Impact. Though Uvo does kill one of the Shadow Beasts, he lets his guard down for Rabid Dog to attack. Rabid Dog bites Uvogin, administering neurotoxin to him in the process, shortly after, this takes effect, paralyzing Uvogin from the neck down. This allows Leech to infect Uvogin with his parasitic leeches (Spotted Leeches). Uvogin is able to kill Leech, while he is doing this, by biting a portion of his head of (being only paralyzed from the neck down). He then proceeds to kill Rabid Dog by spitting out a small fragment of Leech's skull, like a bullet. This leaves one Shadow Beast alive, attached to his arm. To deal with this Uvogin releases a loud sound wave from his mouth, killing Porcupine.[4] At this moment, Kurapika takes advantage of Uvogin's paralysis, and captures him with the Chain Jail Nen ability, quickly driving away from the canyon with the other bodyguards.[15] Uvogin is then interrogated by Dalzollene, to reveal the information about the other Spiders.[16]
Uvogin's full power in his death match with Kurapika which is in the shape of a mushroom cloud
Uvo, however, is not scared by Dalzollene's threats, and offers him a choice in sparing their lives. Dalzollene refuses Uvogin's offers, and leaves him to die in the hands of the community. The Spiders kill the remaining Shadow Beasts, disguise themselves as Mafia members again, and rescue Uvogin, killing Dalzollene.[16] Kurapika and the other bodyguards escape and leave the base and go into hiding. Seeking revenge on Kurapika for capturing him after his battle with the Shadow Beasts, Uvogin tracks Kurapika to the hotel where Neon Nostrade and the rest of her bodyguards are staying.[7] They agree to fight one-on-one in a small canyon on the outskirts of Yorknew City.[17]
Uvogin's last moment
Uvogin meets Kurapika at the specified destination, where Kurapika asks him if he remembered the Kurta genocide, though he does not remember.[5] They begin their fight, with Kurapika seemingly being able to endure all of his blows. Kurapika eventually captures Uvogin with his Chain Jail,[6] and questions him about the location and abilities of the other Phantom Troupe members. Uvogin refuses to answer any questions, only begging Kurapika to "kill me". Finally, Kurapika pierces Uvogin's chest with the Judgment Chain ability, giving Uvogin the condition that he must answer all questions honestly and promising Uvogin that if he did so, then Kurapika would let Uvogin live at least a little while longer. Kurapika once again asks Uvogin the location of the other Troupe members, to which Uvogin only smiles and tells him to go to hell. Kurapika's Judgment Chain crushes Uvogin's heart, instantly killing him. Uvogin is buried in an unmarked grave at the site of their battle.[18] His death rattles the rest of the Troupe, especially Nobunaga,[9] such that they massacre the Mafia to avenge their fallen comrade.[19][20]
Equipment
Clubs: In the past, when fighting alongside Nobunaga, Uvogin was shown wielding two large clubs made out of wood.[8]
Abilities & Powers
Due to Uvogin being born in Meteor City, his existence is not recorded in any database, which makes obtaining information about him nearly impossible.[10] Uvogin boasts the strongest body in the Phantom Troupe, and is best suited for close-ranged combat, including against armed crowds.[3] On top of his appalling brawn and aura, Kurapika identifies as one of the pillars of Uvogin's power his unflinching spirit, which allows him to utilize his aura efficiently regardless of the direness of his conditions.[16] Despite his penchant for fighting by himself, he is strongest when fighting alongside a partner, particularly against multiple enemies, as it gives him the chance to protect someone.[8] According to Chrollo, Uvogin can overpower just about anyone but is at a disadvantage against the complex abilities used by Manipulators and Conjurers.[18] He does not appear to rely on any kind of martial art, resorting to simple, wide swings that make full use of his brawn and build. Uvogin has the unique ability to tell the time by gauging how long has passed since his last meal.[16]
"Rock Storm" (破岩弾ん！！, Kurae)
Immense Strength: Uvogin is one of the strongest humans in the series, ranking first in arm wrestling even in the Phantom Troupe, whose members are all endowed with superhuman brawn.[18] He can destroy the rock, tear apart normal humans with a swing of his arm, and bend reinforced metal with ease. It takes just one hit for him to kill an average person or weaker Nen users. He can throw rocks over a distance of more than one mile, giving them the strength of sniper bullets. Moreover, he can stop a bullet fired at point-blank range with just his teeth.[3] He can bite through the skulls of competent Nen users, and by hitting the ground, he can raise large dust smokescreens,[6] create deep holes or send boulders flying against his enemy.
Enhanced Speed and Reflexes: Uvogin showcased superhuman speed when confronting the mobsters, mowing down a countless number of them in mere minutes. His reflexes are superb, as he was able to catch a bullet with his teeth[3] and avoid Kurapika's Chain Jail, which can bind its target in 0.5 seconds.[6]
Advanced Agility: Uvogin is able to jump from one building to another with ease.[7]
Enhanced Durability: Even without aura, Uvogin's body is sturdier than average, which he demonstrated by surviving a beating from Kurapika while the latter was using Ryu or Ko and has his physical strength enhanced by his Scarlet Eyes and Emperor Time, although it should be noted Kurapika did not intend to kill him.[18]
Enhanced Stamina: Uvo was capable of exterminating an army of Mafia members and confronting four Shadow Beasts minutes later, all without breaking a sweat.[3][4] Later that same night, he also fought Kurapika without his abilities seemingly being affected.[6]
Enhanced Endurance: Uvogin is very resistant to pain, as he didn't react when Kurapika hit his nose heavily, possibly breaking it.[16] He could bear the latter's tremendous beating without selling out his comrades or passing out.[18] He did not even flinch when Rabid Dog ripped off two chunks of his flesh, when Porcupine impaled him with his hair, and when Leech dag into his wound to embed leech eggs in his flesh.[4]
Advanced Toxin Resistance: Dalzollene claimed he had to use a triple dose of muscle relaxant gas to hold him down; however, Uvogin was fully awake when the Phantom Troupe came to rescue him and capable of speaking normally.[16] Nonetheless, he was affected by Rabid Dog's tranquilizer,[4] and he needed Shizuku to remove the chemicals in his body to be able to move again.[16] He was also able to function normally despite the large amount of beer he consumed.
Amateur Strategist: Despite preferring to fight frontally, he is able to come up with crafty diversions.[6] He was able to determine the trajectory of two sniper bullets,[3] and his knowledge of Nen allowed him to deduce that something was off about Kurapika's abilities. Still, he was easily outsmarted by the latter.[6]
Hand-to-Hand Combatant: Uvogin holds some skills in bare-handed combat, although he mainly relies on sheer strength to overpower and crush his opponents. His blows usually have his full weight behind them, meaning he aims to maximize their power even if it means leaving an opening for the opponent.[6] He always bested his partner Nobunaga in unarmed combat.[9] Due to his powerful aura armor, chances of him being injured are slim, but his sloppy fighting style caused him to be captured and beaten by Kurapika.[6]
Master Thrower: Uvogin demonstrated a high degree of accuracy, killing two snipers atop a rocky formation far away from him by hurling one stone no bigger than the palm of his hand at each of them.[3]
Nen
Uvogin is an Enhancer, so he focuses his aura on strengthening his natural abilities and gifts. He uses his great talent for Enhancement skills to increase his monstrous brawn and raise his durability to vastly superhuman levels. His aura output is enormous, as acknowledged by Kurapika.[3] When he engulfs himself in Ken, Uvogin's body becomes impervious to most blunt trauma, and even sniper bullets have no effect on him. He is highly resilient to heat and explosions as well. Even anti-tank bazookas are useless.[3] However, there have been instances where other Nen practitioners managed to injure him, two of which being members of the Shadow Beasts,[4] whereas the third was Kurapika's punch when Uvogin was restrained.[16] Later, when Uvogin was using only half of his power, not even Kurapika's blows during Emperor Time were able to injure him, despite hurting him.[6]
Uvogin's enhanced scream
By merely focusing his aura into his hand and swinging it, he can break the ground in front of himself and hurl rocks at the target.[6] Even when he spits an object, if powered with Shu, acquires tremendous piercing power, suggesting he also has some skill at Emission. Uvogin can enhance his voice to release a shout strong enough to kill an unsuspecting person at close range.[4] His mastery of Enhancement also grants him a powerful healing factor, which allowed the wounds caused by Rabid Dog to stop bleeding in minutes, if not in mere seconds.[4][15] He can also use Gyo, In,[6] and Ko[4] proficiently, the latter of which implies a working command of Ten, Ren, Gyo, Zetsu, and Hatsu.[21]
Template:Uvogin/Nen ability
Battles
| Battles |
|---|
Quotes
- "I wanted to be stronger than anything... Simply... to be strong."[3]
- (To the Shadow Beasts) "I only need to be able to move from my neck up to take care all of you."[4]
- (To Shalnark and Machi) "Tell Chrollo I can't go back until I settle the score with that chain dude."[7]
- (To Shalnark) "I never carry cash, unlike you. I steal whatever I want."[7]
- (To Kurapika) "On your own? I'm impressed. Where do you want to die? I'll let you choose."[17]
- (To Kurapika) "Which is more powerful? Your grudge or me?! Bring it on!!"[22]
- (To Kurapika) "Kill me."[18]
- (Uvogin's last words) "Get lost. Fool."[18]
Trivia
- In the official databook, his name is also spelled as "Wbererguin".[1]
Anime and Manga Differences
- In the 2011 anime adaptation, the energy wave Uvogin released by activating Ren at full power caused a rocky wall behind him to break.[23]
Intertextuality and References
- It should be noted that Uvogin is not the sole character created by Togashi to win a fight using nothing but his head due to his body being paralyzed: in YuYu Hakusho, a restrained Kurama defeated Gama by swinging his Rose Whip while it was in his hair.
- Uvogin's 2011 voice actor, Akio Ōtsuka also voices Rider of Fate/Zero, to whom Uvogin bears many similarities. Both characters take pleasure in battle and destruction. They are also have immense height, size, and battle with a roar. Interestingly, both characters are slain by their hearts being stabbed with both of them bound in supernatural chains. Their killers (Gilgamesh and Kurapika) have fair hair, are red-eyed and fair-skinned.
- Uvogin shares some similarities with Younger Toguro, another villain from a Togashi's series YuYu Hakusho:
- they both are the physically strongest members of their gang;
- they both unleash their powers gradually and announcing the percentage of strength they are using;
- and both were killed by people who wanted revenge. Yusuke killed Younger Toguro because he wanted revenge for Genkai, Kurapika killed Uvogin because he wanted revenge for the Kurta clan.
- Uvogin is presumably inspired by Yujiro Hanma, the primary antagonist of the Baki franchise and the father the protagonist Baki Hanma. Both have the same design, merits, and mannerism.
Miscellaneous
- In the second character popularity poll for Hunter × Hunter, Uvogin took 12th place with 174 votes.
- In the third character popularity poll for Hunter × Hunter, Uvogin took 26th place with 51 votes.
- In the 2011 anime, Uvogin shares the same voice actor as Mizaistom Nana.
- In the movie Hunter × Hunter: Phantom Rouge, Uvogin returns as a puppet and attacks Gon and Killua.
Translations around the World
| Language | Name | |
|---|---|---|
 Arabic
|
أوبوغين ('Aubughin) | |
 Brazilian Portuguese
|
Ubogin | |
 Chinese
|
窩金 | |
 French
|
Uvôguine | |
 Greek
|
Ουβόγκιν (Ouvónkin) | |
 Italian
|
Uborghin* | |
 Korean
|
우보긴 (Ubogin) | |
 Russian
|
Увогин (Uvogin) | |
 Spanish
|
Ubogin* | |
 Thai
|
อุโบกิน (Xu bo kin) | |
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Hunter × Hunter Hunter Association Official Issue: Hunter's Guide; Character & World Official Databook (pg. 116)
- ↑ Hunter × Hunter - Volume 1, Chapter 2
- ↑ 3.00 3.01 3.02 3.03 3.04 3.05 3.06 3.07 3.08 3.09 3.10 3.11 3.12 3.13 Hunter × Hunter - Volume 9, Chapter 75
- ↑ 4.00 4.01 4.02 4.03 4.04 4.05 4.06 4.07 4.08 4.09 4.10 Hunter × Hunter - Volume 9, Chapter 76
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 Hunter × Hunter - Volume 9, Chapter 81
- ↑ 6.00 6.01 6.02 6.03 6.04 6.05 6.06 6.07 6.08 6.09 6.10 6.11 6.12 Hunter × Hunter - Volume 9, Chapter 82
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 7.4 7.5 Hunter × Hunter - Volume 9, Chapter 79
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 Hunter × Hunter - Volume 10, Chapter 93
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 Hunter × Hunter - Volume 10, Chapter 91
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 10.2 Hunter × Hunter - Volume 11, Chapter 102
- ↑ Hunter × Hunter - Volume 12, Chapter 105
- ↑ Hunter × Hunter - Volume 8, Chapter 71
- ↑ Hunter × Hunter - Volume 8, Chapter 73
- ↑ 14.0 14.1 Hunter × Hunter - Volume 9, Chapter 74
- ↑ 15.0 15.1 Hunter × Hunter - Volume 9, Chapter 77
- ↑ 16.0 16.1 16.2 16.3 16.4 16.5 16.6 16.7 16.8 Hunter × Hunter - Volume 9, Chapter 78
- ↑ 17.0 17.1 17.2 Hunter × Hunter - Volume 9, Chapter 80
- ↑ 18.0 18.1 18.2 18.3 18.4 18.5 18.6 18.7 Hunter × Hunter - Volume 10, Chapter 84
- ↑ Hunter × Hunter - Volume 11, Chapter 97
- ↑ Hunter × Hunter - Volume 11, Chapter 98
- ↑ Hunter × Hunter - Volume 15, Chapter 141
- ↑ 22.0 22.1 Hunter × Hunter - Volume 9, Chapter 83
- ↑ Hunter × Hunter - Episode 47 (2011)
Notes
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