a gremlin

#6 (tie): Ch. 36, "Assassins have no use for friends." 99 notes.

Several people called this one "THE Illumi panel," and I have to agree. If you needed to extrapolate his entire character out from a single panel, this is the one I'd choose. He's aloof, he's violent, he's a hypocrite, he's a floating pair of eyes in a blank void. What more could we want from a panel?

#6 (tie): Ch. 323, "And people say I'm crazy." 99 notes.

And, on the other hand, we've got the panel that shows off a very different aspect of his character. He's also clueless! He's just explained that Killua loves Illumi more than anyone else in the world, and Hisoka, along with the audience, reacts to that with disbelief. How could Illumi possibly believe that after all of their terrible interactions? It's simple: Illumi is deeply sheltered, has a deeply unhealthy understanding of love and mentorship, and is also kinda stupid. What a treat, to have this all expressed so efficiently in this panel. Plus, it's great when Illumi smiles!

#5. Ch. 36, "Heard you stabbed Mom and Milluki." 108 notes.

You just can't go wrong with playing Zoldyck family violence for laughs. This solidifies the tone Zoldycks are going to get throughout the series, but also sells Illumi as not just a weirdo (affectionately) but also an annoying older brother, poking at Killua's teen rebellion the same way my sister used to with me. Fewer parental stabbings on my end, though. Illumi also just looks great here - love his big ears and tiny mouth!

#4. Ch. 36, "You're just not qualified to make friends." 109 notes.

And, in the same scene, we get the other classic Zoldyck tone - horrifically controlling behavior and a terrified Killua. Again, this panel is a powerhouse in terms of establishing Illumi's character and his relationship with Killua. Despite its extremely clear meaning - Killua is under Illumi's thumb, and has been taught he doesn't need or deserve friendship - there's also some lovely ambiguities here. What does "qualification" mean in this context? Why exactly does Illumi object to Killua's friendships, and is it the same reason that Kikyo and Silva do? It's a great panel.

#3. Ch. 115, First Popularity Contest. 114 notes.

I'm honestly surprised this one made the cut! Clearly, there's a feeling of fellowship between current fans and the fans of this original popularity contest. 8th place isn't bad, after all. My personal favorite thing is that one of the explanations for voting is just "He's Killua's Brother!!" He sure is. Based on the notes, though, many people are also delighted by how prominent his ears are here. And they're right to be!

#2. Ch. 323, "Two more couples to confirm the rules." 116 notes.

FLAME PANTS FLAME PANTS FLAME PANTS. Sure, it's neat exploring Illumi's interpretation of Alluka's powers and the family's responses. It's neat seeing Hisoka engaging with this exposition. But the flame pants really steal the show here.

#1. Ch. 210, Extremely Pretty Illumi. 152 notes.