Shalnark was a member of the Phantom Troupe in the anime and manga ‘Hunter × Hunter’. He was a major member of the Troupe, and he died in Chapter #357 of the manga – named “Unfortunate: Part 2”. Shalnark was killed by Hisoka, a Hunter and former member of the Troupe.
How Did Shalnark Die?
When Chrollo entered into a deathmatch with Hisoka in Chapter #357 of the manga, Shalnark gave his Nen abilities, phone and antennae to Chrollo to help him defeat Hisoka.
This left Shalnark vulnerable, and when Hisoka swiftly attacked him after throwing Kortopi’s severed head (Kortopi was a fellow member of the Phantom Troupe) in his direction, Shalnark was easily defeated.
Hisoka quickly killed Shalnark, and strung his body up on a playset. He left Kortopi’s head lying at Shalnark’s feet.
Who Was Shalnark?
Due to Shalnark being born in Meteor City, not much is known about his beginnings. He was one of the original members of the Phantom Troupe, recruited by Chrollo Lucilfer in Meteor City. In addition, he also passed the Hunter exam.
He participated in the genocide of the Kurta Clan, and joined the other Troupe members in Yorknew City, where they attacked the Nostrade Family mafia organization at an Underground Auction. The group escaped via hot-air balloon, which Shalnark operated.
In later times, Shalnark and some of the other Troupe members entered ‘Greed Island’. This brought about a new arc in the Hunter × Hunter series: the ‘Greed Island’ arc.
What Is “Greed Island”?
Greed Island is a dangerous video game from the Hunter × Hunter series. It is played on the JoyStation Console, and is difficult to find: it’s out of print and thus sells at auctions for at least 
The game transports its players into the “Greed Island” world, and their bodies are only released from the game when they die (at which point they die in the real world too), win, or leave the game. The game is meant only for Hunters, and can only be played by Nen users.
Shalnark realised that Greed Island was in fact a real place in the real world, on an island east of Yorknew City. He and other members of the Phantom Troupe tried to enter the real-world island, but were unsuccessful.
Wait… What Is The Phantom Troupe?
The Phantom Troupe (often called just the ‘Troupe’) is an infamous group of thieves and criminals in the Hunter × Hunter universe. The group is also known as the “Spider” and its members the “Spiders”, each one with a numbered tattoo of a twelve-legged spider. The group currently has around ten members.
A new member can join the group only by killing a current member, thereby taking their place. In addition, the group leader can fill any other vacancies, and other members can offer nominations.
The Troupe is ruthless and bloodthirsty, but its members (excluding Hisoka) care deeply for one another. They regularly come to the aid of Meteor City, protecting it against threats and invasions – an example of this is seen in the ‘Chimera Ant’ arc, where the Troupe protects the City from an onslaught of giant ants that can take on the traits of other species.
What Did Shalnark Look Like?
Shalnark had short blond hair and a young-looking face. He had bright green eyes, wore lavender clothing and was very muscular.
In the 1999 anime episodes, Shalnark had brown hair, and his outfit was dark red as opposed to lavender.
His spider tattoo was never shown, but he was known to have had it as a member of the Phantom Troupe.
What Was Shalnark’s Personality Like?
Shalnark was highly intelligent and resourceful. He was loyal, polite and strategic, often chiming in to be the voice of reason in tense situations.
Shalnark got along with everyone in the Troupe, but was especially close to Uvogin. He didn’t value his life as much as the lives of those around him, seeing the abilities of Shizuku and Pakunoda as rare and valuable as opposed to his own ‘replaceable’ abilities.
Shalnark was fond of electronics, and saw the victims he controlled with his phone to be little more than puppets. Knowing this, it is possible that Shalnark was one of the more ruthless and cold-hearted members of the group, despite his innocent and cheery disposition.
What Were Shalnark’s Abilities?
Shalnark was one of the Troupe’s most effective information gatherers. He was fiercely intelligent and had an eclectic knowledge of a wide range, which made him extremely valuable to the group – for instance, he knew how to pilot a hot-air balloon to transport the Troupe away from the Nostrade Family.
Shalnark had enhanced strength and agility, along with advanced speed. This enhanced speed enabled him to avoid many attacks and when he placed himself in autopilot mode, this skill increased tenfold.
In terms of Nen, Shalnark was a Manipulator. He used his bat-shaped phone to implant an antenna into his targets, allowing him to completely control them. If he stuck the antenna into himself, he could significantly enhance his own abilities (and put his body on ‘autopilot’ mode).
What Is Nen?
Nen is a technique that allows a living being to manipulate and use their life energy, or aura. A person who uses Nen is referred to as a “Nen-user” or “ nōryokusha”, while those who cannot are known as “non-user” or “ippanjin”.
Using Nen is considered dangerous as through it, one can become extremely powerful.
