Pariston Hill is a master manipulator with a charismatic facade. Often seen with a wide, unsettling grin, he likes to provoke others through sarcasm and subtle insults. He does these things and acts like this because he likes to be hated and uses others as his peers to keep himself entertained. Besides this, Pariston is highly competent, intelligent, and has the charisma to rally people to his cause.
Netero chose Pariston because of the challenge it was to deal with him, claiming he wanted to have someone he couldn’t stand as a vice chairman.
Pariston in the 13th Hunter Election Arc
Stirring the Pot
After Netero’s death during the Chimera Ant crisis, the Hunter Association faced a leadership vacuum. The Zodiacs, the Association’s elite, convened to elect the next Chairman, but Pariston’s presence quickly turned the process into a battleground. Even though most of his peers outright distrusted him, they struggled to pin him down.
Twisting the Rules
Pariston thrived during the election chaos, shaping convoluted voting rules that stalled progress and frustrated his rivals. He exploited the requirement for a majority vote, ensuring countless rounds of inconclusive ballots. Each delay gave him more time to entertain himself with the entire situation.
Cheadle tried repeatedly to counter his schemes. But no matter how carefully she planned, Pariston sidestepped her with infuriating ease, often apologizing in a way that felt more mocking than sincere. His dismissive attitude only made her angrier.
A Game of Wits
Ging Freecss, the Boar Zodiac, was one of the few who could match Pariston’s mental games. Unlike others, Ging didn’t take Pariston’s antics personally. Instead, he treated him like a puzzle to solve. Their exchanges were sharp and full of subtext, Ging mocked Pariston’s lack of genuine ambition, while Pariston found endless amusement in Ging’s detached attitude.
Pariston’s crowning move came during the final voting rounds. Through careful manipulation, he secured victory, but in a twist, he immediately resigned. By handing the position to Cheadle, he proved he was never interested in power for its own sake.
Joining Beyond Netero on the Dark Continent
A New Playground
After stepping down as Vice Chairman and leaving the Zodiacs, Pariston aligned himself with Beyond Netero, Isaac Netero’s son, who planned an expedition to the Dark Continent. For Pariston, this venture was a chance to expand his web of manipulation to a larger, more unpredictable stage. He even brought along 5,000 Chimera Ant hybrids, a move that suggested he was ready to spark chaos on a global scale if it suited his plans.
Stirring Trouble
Pariston served as Beyond’s right-hand man, balancing loyalty among the expedition team while keeping the Hunter Association guessing. He didn’t seem to care about the expedition’s success or failure. Instead, he thrived on the unpredictability of the situation, always prepared to escalate tension just to see how others would react. His willingness to use the Chimera Ants as leverage reinforced the idea that Pariston isn’t afraid to gamble with high stakes if it means stirring up the pot.
The Ging Factor
Pariston has an ongoing rivalry with Ging, who also joined Beyond’s team. Their dynamic is a psychological tug-of-war.
Ging described Pariston as someone who destroys under the pretense of affection, while Pariston found Ging’s laid-back approach to life equally irritating and entertaining. Their back-and-forth became a game within the larger chaos of the expedition, with each trying to outmaneuver the other at every turn.
What Happened Behind Closed Doors
Disappearances Under His Watch
During Pariston’s three years as Vice Chairman, the disappearance of 18 Hunters became a dark stain on the Association. Normally, the organization saw an average of 0.2 disappearances per year, making this sudden spike impossible to ignore. While there wasn’t enough evidence to accuse Pariston directly, the pattern pointed to his involvement. These disappearances weren’t random, they seemed designed to weaken the Association’s unity and trust, giving Pariston more influence.
Building a Hidden Army
Pariston also capitalized on the influx of temporary Hunters, members who weren’t fully integrated into the organization. While most of the Zodiacs dismissed these Hunters as expendable, Pariston saw an opportunity. By treating them with uncharacteristic warmth and making promises others wouldn’t, he earned their loyalty. This group became a hidden network of followers he could rely on, a quiet but powerful advantage within the Association.
Pariston’s abilities
Brilliant Mind
Pariston is one of the smartest characters in the series. He always stays ahead of the game, predicting outcomes and twisting situations to suit his goals. During the 13th Chairman Election, he planned every move flawlessly, outsmarting opponents like Cheadle and even catching Ging Freecss off guard. His ability to predict Gon’s recovery, despite the odds, shows his sharp observation skills and talent for thinking ahead.
Physical Skills
Pariston rarely fights, but he has shown remarkable speed and reflexes. At one point, he dodged bullets while running down a staircase, even with his back turned and mid-conversation. This suggests he’s in excellent shape and may use Nen to boost his agility.
Nen Abilities
Pariston’s Nen category hasn’t been revealed, but many fans guess he might be a Transmuter because of his crafty and unpredictable nature. Transmuters are creative and capable of surprising others with how they use their aura, which fits Pariston’s style. While he hasn’t demonstrated specific Nen powers, the fact that Netero chose him as part of the Zodiac Twelve shows he’s highly skilled with Nen.
Although Pariston’s exact Nen category hasn’t been revealed, his position as a member of the Zodiac Twelve, chosen by Isaac Netero, strongly suggests he’s a world-class Nen user.
