If you’ve spent any time in the corner of the internet where anime fans congregate, you’ve seen it. That specific, grainy frame from Hunter x Hunter. A blonde guy in a suit, staring blankly into the middle distance while submerged in a dark, literal abyss of water. It’s the kind of image that works even if you haven't watched a single second of Yoshihiro Togashi’s masterpiece. Why? Because the caption Kurapika is now drowning in an indescribable emptiness is one of the most relatable things ever written in a shonen battle manga. It’s dramatic. It’s a little "edgelord." It’s also deeply, profoundly true to the human experience of burnout and hollow victories.
Most memes die within a week. They flare up, get overused by brands on Twitter, and vanish. But this one? It’s been years. It has staying power because it perfectly captures that "I won, but at what cost?" energy that we all feel after finishing a massive project or reaching a goal that didn't actually make us happy.
The Origin Story: Chapter 339 and the Weight of Revenge
The meme didn't start as a joke. Honestly, it's one of the bleakest moments in the entire series. To understand why Kurapika is now drowning in an indescribable emptiness became a thing, you have to look at the context of Hunter x Hunter Chapter 339, titled "Silence."
Kurapika spent his entire life—literally every waking moment—obsessed with reclaiming the Scarlet Eyes of his murdered Kurta Clan. He wanted to kill the Phantom Troupe. He wanted justice. By the end of the Election Arc, he’s sitting in a room filled with the glowing eyes of his dead relatives. He’s "successful." He got what he wanted. But instead of a triumphant hero pose, Togashi gives us a shot of him sitting in a church-like setting, looking like he’s already dead inside. The narrator drops that heavy line about the "indescribable emptiness," and the fandom took it from there.
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It’s a massive tonal shift from the typical "friendship and power" tropes of the genre. Kurapika achieved his goal, and it left him hollow. People felt that.
Why the Internet Can't Let It Go
There’s a specific vibe to this meme that transcends the source material. You see it used for everything from failing an exam to finishing a 100-hour RPG and realizing you have nothing left to do with your life.
The image of Kurapika underwater is technically from the Hunter x Hunter (2011) ending credits—specifically the "Hyori Ittai" sequence. It’s beautiful. The blue hues, the bubbles, the suit. It looks like a high-fashion melancholy ad. This aesthetic appeal is half the battle. People love sharing things that look "cool" even if they are sad.
- Post-Con Depression: Use it after a big event.
- The Sunday Scaries: That 8:00 PM feeling on a Sunday night.
- Gacha Hell: When you spend 200 dollars and don't get the character you wanted.
It’s flexible. It’s versatile. It’s basically the "This is Fine" dog for people who like anime and existential dread.
The Contrast of the "Success" Meme
Usually, memes about success are loud. They are about winning. But Kurapika represents the dark side of ambition. He’s the guy who worked the 80-hour week to get the promotion and then realized he hates his boss and has no friends left.
When people post that Kurapika is now drowning in an indescribable emptiness, they are often venting about the futility of the grind. It’s a way to acknowledge that sometimes, getting what you want is the worst thing that can happen to you. It's a very Gen Z and Millennial sentiment—this idea that the systems we navigate are exhausting and the rewards are often just more work or a sense of "is this it?"
Misconceptions About the Line
A lot of people think this was a fan translation or a "bootleg" scanlation error. It wasn't. While the exact wording varies slightly between the official VIZ translation and the various fan groups (some use "void" instead of "emptiness"), the core sentiment is 100% canon. Togashi is a writer who loves deconstructing his characters. He didn't want Kurapika to be happy. He wanted him to be a cautionary tale about what happens when you let hate drive your life.
Another weird misconception is that Kurapika is actually dying in that scene. He’s not. He’s just... chilling? Well, not chilling. He’s vibrating with existential angst. In the current "Succession Contest" arc of the manga, he’s still very much alive and still very much drowning in responsibilities. The emptiness followed him right into the next story.
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How to Use the Meme (Without Being Cringe)
Look, if you want to use this meme effectively, you have to understand the timing. It’s not for minor inconveniences. That’s for other memes. This is for the "big" emptiness.
- The Completionist Void: You just finished a 300-episode series. Now what?
- The Burnout Phase: You’ve been grinding for a month and finally hit the deadline. You don't feel relieved; you feel like a ghost.
- The Social Battery Death: You’re at a party, it’s 2:00 AM, and you’re staring at a wall while people dance around you.
It’s about that specific feeling of being "submerged." The world is loud, but you’re underwater.
The Cultural Impact on Hunter x Hunter’s Legacy
The meme has actually done a lot to keep the series in the public eye during Togashi’s frequent (and well-documented) health-related hiatuses. When there are no new chapters for years at a time, fans survive on memes. This particular image has become a shorthand for the fandom’s state of being. We are all Kurapika, sitting in the dark, waiting for the boat to reach its destination—both in the story and in real life.
It’s also spawned a massive wave of fan art. Artists take the "drowning" concept and apply it to other characters or situations. You’ll see variations with characters from Genshin Impact, Jujutsu Kaisen, or even just cats. The composition—one person floating in the dark—is a masterclass in visual storytelling.
Moving Beyond the Void
So, what do you do when you feel like you’re drowning in an indescribable emptiness?
In the story, Kurapika eventually finds a new purpose—protecting a baby (Prince Woble). It’s a bit of a shift from "revenge" to "nurturing." There’s a lesson there. The emptiness usually comes when we finish a goal that was self-centered or fueled by negativity. Filling that void usually requires looking outward.
If you’re stuck in that Kurapika-style funk, the best move isn't to fight the water. It’s to find something else to swim toward.
Actionable Takeaways for the Existentially Bored
- Audit your goals: If the thing you’re working toward feels like it’s going to leave you empty, maybe pivot now before you hit the "church scene" of your own life.
- Embrace the pause: Sometimes the emptiness is just your brain’s way of saying it needs a break. Don't rush to fill the void with more scrolling or more work.
- Find your Prince Woble: Find a project or a person that requires your care rather than just your "grind." It’s the canon way to stop drowning.
Kurapika is now drowning in an indescribable emptiness is more than a meme. It’s a mirror. It shows us that achievement without peace is just another kind of failure. Use the meme, laugh at the sadness, but don't stay underwater forever.
Next Steps for Fans: Check out the official VIZ translations of the Succession Contest arc to see how Kurapika is handling his "emptiness" in the latest chapters. You can also re-watch the Yorknew City arc to see the buildup to his current mental state, specifically focusing on his internal monologues about the "scarlet eyes." If you're feeling the "post-series void," try picking up YuYu Hakusho, Togashi’s earlier work, which deals with similar themes of duty and exhaustion.