Netero

Biodata

Feature	Information
Name	Isaac Netero (Netero)
Alias(es)	Chairman Netero
Gender	Male
Affiliation	Hunter Association
Occupation/Role	Chairman of the Hunter Association; Shingen-Ryu grandmaster
Status	Active
First Appearance	Chapter 10, “Boiled Eggs” 10

Appearance

Netero is an elderly, bearded man with a lean but sturdy build. He commonly wears a yukata and wooden sandals, often carrying a cup of tea; he later appears in formal kimono while presiding over the Hunter Exam’s final stage. 18 21 26

• Wrinkled face and prominent beard.
• Lean forearms with visibly pronounced veins when preparing to fight. 19 23
• Favors relaxed, informal clothing even in serious situations, including a yukata, sandals, and a shirt printed with the character for “heart.” 18 21 30
• Maintains a calm smile and casual bearing before combat, despite his immense reputation. 18 30

Personality

Netero is playful, curious, and highly observant. As Hunter Association chairman, he can turn an ordinary interaction into an examination, as when he tests Saitama through a game for the rubber ball rather than demanding a conventional demonstration. He is amused by unusual people and details, even ordering Beans to preserve Lippo’s report about Saitama’s “free cumin” as a collectible. 18

Beneath his easygoing manner is a lifelong martial artist who becomes exhilarated by a truly exceptional opponent. Saitama’s effortless superiority does not make Netero resentful; instead, it gives him the answer to the limits of his own martial arts and earns his gratitude. 21 23

He also values qualities that cannot be measured through combat statistics. During Gon’s match with Hanzo, Netero recognizes that Gon's refusal to surrender and Hanzo’s compassion determine the result more than strength or experience. 26 32

Abilities & Skills

Shingen-Ryu Martial Arts

Netero is a Shingen-Ryu grandmaster whose foundational technique is the Straight Punch Thrust. He trained by throwing ten thousand punches each day for over a decade, eventually reducing the routine from eighteen hours to one hour and developing punches faster than sound. 21

• Uses supersonic Straight Punch Thrusts from multiple angles. 21
• Can chain punches, kicks, elbows, knees, knifehand strikes, palm attacks, and techniques gathered from numerous martial-arts schools without repeating movements. 21
• His physical strength is exceptional even without Nen; he opens all seven doors of the Zoldyck family’s Trial Gate with one hand. 30
• His ordinary physical attacks fail to move or injure Saitama, despite landing repeatedly. 21

Nen Mastery

Netero possesses immense Nen control and can shift from conventional martial arts to high-output techniques when necessary. His Nen pressure is strong enough to make the air distort, drive away Bloodthirsty Butterflies, and leave Beans unable to continue recording normally. 21

• Can maintain combat-ready defensive posture without visibly telegraphing an attack. 18
• His full output is powerful enough to devastate Glasses Island’s western plateau and leave a crater marked with palm impressions. 23 25
• Prolonged use of his strongest Nen techniques exhausts him completely. 23 25

100-Type Guanyin

Netero’s signature Nen ability manifests as a colossal translucent Guanyin statue with ninety-nine visible arms. Its palms attack according to the movements and rhythm of Netero’s clasped hands. 21

• Delivers successive multi-directional palm barrages in groups of four, eight, sixteen, twenty-four, thirty-six, forty-eight, and sixty-four strikes. 22
• Can combine the techniques of multiple hands into a single overwhelming assault. 22
• Its Ninety-Ninth Hand opens and deploys all ninety-nine hands at once. 22
• The barrage destroys the surrounding volcanic platform but fails to force Saitama from his position. 22 23

Zero Hand

Zero Hand is the final form of the 100-Type Guanyin. Netero compresses all of his remaining Nen into a single beam fired from Guanyin’s mouth. 23

• Generates a beam powerful enough to illuminate the island and melt rock into glassy slag. 23
• Drains all of Netero’s Nen upon use, causing the Guanyin to disappear. 23
• Saitama avoids the beam to save a Bloodthirsty Butterfly, leaving Zero Hand unable to injure him. 23

History

Netero oversees portions of the Hunter Exam, including the Grape Spider egg trial at Mount Maku. He explains that applicants must fall into the gorge, retrieve a fragile egg, and use the updraft to return safely. 10

During the later stages of the exam, he receives Lippo’s report on Saitama’s abnormal conduct in Trick Tower and challenges him to take a rubber ball from his hand. Although the rules prohibit weapons and Nen, Saitama simply walks forward and removes the ball before Netero can react. Netero immediately awards him a Hunter License and recognizes him as the first person in 110 years whom he could not evade in time. 18

Netero later challenges Saitama on Glasses Island. His basic attacks, 100-Type Guanyin, Ninety-Ninth Hand, and Zero Hand all fail to harm him. After exhausting his Nen, Netero accepts the gap between them without bitterness; the two share the hot pot that had motivated Saitama to accept the sparring match. 21 22 23

He remains on the island for three days to recover his Nen while sharing food and hunting stories with Saitama. He then resumes his role as the final examiner, organizing the Hunter Exam’s elimination tournament and observing the candidates’ character. 24 26

Netero accompanies Gon’s group to Kukuroo Mountain, opening all seven Trial Gate doors to announce his arrival at the Zoldyck estate. There, he informs Silva and Zeno that he is completely unable to match Saitama’s strength. 30 32

Story Role / Major Arcs

• Hunter Exam

  • Oversees the Grape Spider egg test. 10
  • Challenges Saitama for the rubber ball and personally grants him Hunter status. 18
  • Presides over the final elimination tournament and evaluates the candidates’ resolve. 26 28

• Glasses Island

  • Spars with Saitama using martial arts, 100-Type Guanyin, and Zero Hand. 21 23
  • Recovers his Nen while sharing hot pot with Saitama during the tag-hunting phase. 24

• Zoldyck Family Estate

  • Accompanies Gon, Kurapika, Leorio, and Saitama to Kukuroo Mountain. 30
  • Reveals Saitama’s overwhelming superiority to Silva and Zeno. 32
  • Observes Silva’s subsequent fight with Saitama. 33 34

• Heaven’s Arena (God)

  • Appears among the cross-dimensional spectators after the system upgrades Heaven’s Arena for Saitama’s battle. 42

Relationships

• Saitama — Netero becomes fascinated after failing to prevent him from taking the rubber ball. He grants Saitama a Hunter License, challenges him to a serious sparring match, and ultimately acknowledges that Saitama stands beyond a level he can reach. 18 21 23 32
• Beans — His assistant and record keeper. Netero repeatedly directs Beans to document notable events, including Saitama’s Hunter License challenge and the Glasses Island battle. 18 21
• Gon Freecss — Netero recognizes Gon’s unusual willpower and regards his refusal to surrender as a quality that can make the impossible possible. 26 32
• Silva Zoldyck — An old acquaintance whom Netero visits at Kukuroo Mountain. He tells Silva that he is no match for Saitama and later observes Silva’s challenge. 30 32 33
• Zeno Zoldyck — An old acquaintance who meets Netero during the visit to the Zoldyck estate. 30
• Killua Zoldyck — As final examiner, Netero disqualifies Killua after he kills Bodoro during the tournament. 28

Notable Quotes

“It took this old man a full one hundred and ten years to meet someone I could not evade in time.” 18

“Not yet.” 23

“He stands on a plane I will never be able to reach.” 32