The finale of IT: Welcome to Derry aired on 14th December 2025, and Pennywise did not just come back strong – he reminded me why the creepy clown vibe still hits hard. The show takes me into that dread, cosmic horror, and the idea that evil stays around because people often look away. Pennywise now feels less like a slasher villain and more like a timeless nightmare.

Meanwhile, there’s another thing that comes to my mind right now – who, if anyone, could actually rival Pennywise? Surprisingly, the answer is not coming from another horror movie villain – it is coming from an anime show, and the name that keeps coming up stronger than others is Hisoka Morow from Hunter x Hunter.

Hunter x Hunter‘s Hisoka Is Pennywise’s Only Anime Clown Rival

Hisoka Morow is not scary just because he looks like a clown – he’s scary because he acts like one and then casually ruins lives with a smile. In Hunter x Hunter, Hisoka is strong, selfish, and completely ruled by his obsession with the battles of tough opponents. The scary part is not just that he wants to fight – rather, it is how excited he gets when he senses potential.

He has had lots of opportunities to kill Gon and his friends; however, he does not. That was not out of mercy but out of anticipation. To him, the idea that Gon is to get stronger later on is far more exciting than an easy kill now.

That patience makes him feel predatory rather than smart. You never feel relieved when Hisoka lets someone live – you know in your head that it just means he is saving them for later.

Like Pennywise, Hisoka thrives in unpredictability. One moment, he is joking, flirting, or acting bored. Next, he is tearing somebody apart without a second thought.

Age, gender, and morality mean nothing to him – if you catch his eye, then you are in danger. That boundary-less vibe is just what makes him feel so unsafe – on screen and in your head.

Why Hisoka Outshines Every Other Terrifying Anime Clown

Anime has actually given birth to some truly terrifying clowns – Piedmon, Death 13, Quetzalcoatl, and so on. There are the nightmare-fueled monsters, sadistic madmen, and villains that look like they crawled out of a fever dream. A lot of them are visually scary, some are very violent, and a few stay with you in your mind for a whole arc or episode.

Hisoka from Hunter x Hunter. | Credit: Madhouse

However, where other anime clowns usually rely on shock value, power or just being gross, Hisoka works on tension. You don’t know when he will act, who he is going to go after or if he is trolling or hunting. This constant uneasiness is what makes him similar to Pennywise than any other anime clown.

Both Pennywise and Hisoka weaponize unpredictability, psychological pressure, and their performance to their advantage. Besides that, they do not just want to kill you – they want to enjoy it at the same time.

SeriesIMDb RatingWhere to WatchIT: Welcome to Derry (2025)8.0/10HBO MaxHunter x Hunter (2011 – 2014)9.0/10Crunchyroll

So in the end, after watching the finale of Welcome to Derry, I can say that Pennywise stands tall as horror’s ultimate clown. However, when it comes to anime, only Hunter x Hunter‘s Hisoka feels like he belongs in the same convo. Not just on the grounds of being stronger or louder, but because he unsettles you for a really long time after the scene has ended – and that is the type of fear that stays with you.

Hunter x Hunter is currently available to watch on Crunchyroll

IT: Welcome to Derry is currently available to watch on HBO Max.
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