Hunter x Hunter: Negotiation Card Game Explained

Within three chapters, Yoshihiro Togashi has given Hunter x Hunter yet another game unique to its setting that holds important social commentary while also connecting itself to one of the most unique Nen abilities in the entire series.

Purpose of the Game

The game divides the players into two: the parent, who is the Heil-Ly Mafia family boss, Morena Prudo, and the child, the recruit, in this case Borksen.

The parent is the dealer while the child is the player, so they can be referred to as such throughout the explanation.

The reason why they are labeled as parent and child is because the Mafia, the Yakuza and similar crime organizations consider themselves “families”.

The boss or godfather (or in this case, godmother) imposes a pact upon members so that they will become part of the Mafia family instead of their birth ones.

This game is to create an illusion of free choice in the captured person so that when they witness their loss, it is something formed from their own decisions rather than luck or systemic manipulation.

This diagram is a handy shortcut for organizing information on each card and their associated rules.

The Child Card Deck (Borksen)

Morena’s explanation of the rules begins with the Child Player’s Cards.

The player has five cards, which represent how the Child has fewer choices than the Parent, who is the dealer.

As the dealer, she has seven cards and decides what cards are used.

As such, the player can have any Card on their deck that the dealer can give them, which indicates the type of choices they are permitted to have.

The cards are shuffled randomly for the Child Player in every turn and face downward so the Child Player does not know which card is chosen.

The last remaining card on the Child Player’s deck determines their fate while the Parent Player’s deck represents the questions or knowledge the Child Player is permitted to ask and therefore that deck will never run out of cards.

1. Yes Card: The player chooses the become a member of the Heil-Ly Family and must become Morena’s obedient subordinate (Child).
2. No Card: The player chooses to be against the Heil-Ly Family and will be treated as “Other”, as someone to kill for the sake of points for Morena’s Contagion game.
3. Joker: It can become a “Yes” or “No” card at the Child Player’s discretion.
4. Return Card: The player will bring back any cards that have been thrown into the grave
5. X Card: The player will no longer be involved with the Heil-Ly Family in such a way that Morena and her subordinates will actively avoid any contact with the player or their contacts.

The Parent Card Deck (Morena Prudo)

In contrast, Morena, the Parent Player, has seven cards facing up, which allows the Child to ask any question but in reality is unable to fully comprehend as they have only four turns to be able to acquire any information.

1. Aim Card: The dealer will explain their goals and their reasons for recruiting the player (Borksen).
2. Power Card: The dealer will explain her ability in as much detail as Borksen wants, until she understands.
3. Question A Card: The dealer will answer all the questions the player has for her, except questions relating to her goals or her ability yet will only answer with “Yes”, “No”, or “Yes and No”.
4. Question B Card: The player can ask more detailed questions about the final question she asked when “Question A” was picked, but only the final question.
5.  “Yes?” or “No?” Cards: The dealer will explain what happens in detail if the player is left with a “Yes” or “No” card as her final card.
6. Deal Card: The dealer will ask the player to grant a “small request” of hers, and if the player does so, she can pick a card from the grave to return. However, if the player does not grant the dealer’s “small request”, it becomes the dealer’s turn, and the dealer can eliminate one of the player’s remaining cards, increasing the risk of loss for the player and punishing the Child Player for “disobeying” or refusing the parent.

The player and dealer are also bound not to cheat and can be permitted to agree on a way to properly respond to “Yes” or “No” questions to prevent cheating.

Vow and Limitations: Negotiation’s Binding Power and Connection to Contagion

In Chapter 409: “Negotiation, Part 3”, we learn that Negotiation is actually part of Morena’s Nen ability, Contagion, which has the following requirements:

1. Both she (as the dealer) and the other person (as the player) must play the Negotiation card game, and the Yes Card must be the player’s last card. Because there is a  chance of losing with either the “No”, “Joker”, or “X” Cards, this condition is a Limitation as there is risk on both sides: the player might choose No and die and the dealer provides information about Contagion.
2. Morena must kiss the other person.
3. The other person must be present while Morena or one of her allies commits a murder.

Contagion has the game of Negotiation as Step 1 out of 3 in the process of making someone a player, with the Deal Card used to fulfill Step 2, which is for the dealer to kiss the player.

Step 3 can only happen when the player is compelled by the Negotiation Card Game to say Yes.

The X Card exists as a major risk to Morena’s ploy because it gives the Child Player a 20% chance of surviving the Contagion Game without becoming a player or prey to be killed.

In the same chapter, we also see that cheating can be prevented by forcing the player to comply to Morena’s objectives.

Bork had placed a mark on the cards when there were only three of them left.

Bork managed to win the game by acquiring the Return Card, allowing her to choose between which between the “Yes” and “No” cards to bring back from the graveyard.

However, this activated the Nen that defined the game’s rules, resulting in Borksen choosing the “Yes” card, the desired outcome for Morena.

CLICK HERE TO JOIN THE ANIME EXPLAINED WHATSAPP GROUP CHAT NOW!