For the most part of the series, Hibari is portrayed as an supporting character, taking little to no interest in the events that surround the protagonist, Tsuna Sawada.

He has ranked as one of the most popular characters in every official Shonen Jump poll of the series, taking the top spot twice.

In an annual survey conducted by Japanese music distributor Recochoku, Hibari has been named the number one anime character that people would like to marry for two consecutive years.

Head of the Middle School's Discipline Committee of Prefects, who are actually all delinquents, Hibari is known for using his status to enforce his own order throughout all of Namimori Town.

[7] Though he has a preference for strong opponents, taking a special interest in the Arcobaleno baby, Reborn, he has no qualms in beating down those he deem weak, whom he calls "herbivores".

[8] These traits make him an optimal candidate for the Vongola's Cloud Guardian, who is the one who protects the family from outside opposition while remaining a standalone force.

He is ranked as the strongest Namimori student by the young statistician, Futa, and is also remarked to have an unlimited potential for growth by the Chiavarone's Mafia boss, Dino.

Hibari possesses strong amounts of wave energy, so much so that when his future self uses normal rings, they shatter shortly after.

Future Hibari has also acquired special boxes which release flame covered tonfas or hedgehogs when activated by his rings.

When he uses the bracelet to summon Roll and activates its Cambio Forma state, Hibari's uniform and tonfas are altered.

[11][13] He also explains to Tsuna's group about the special boxes, which Hibari had been researching, having even started an organization called "The Foundation".

[27] After reuniting and returning to Namimori, Hibari encounters future Dino, who teaches him how to control his box weapon.

[15] After returning to his own time, the arrival of the Shimon Family at Namimori results in him briefly clashing with one of its members, Adelheid Suzuki, who desired the disbandment of Hibari's Disciplinary Committee.

During the second day of the battle, Hibari fights against Varia together with Fon, disqualifying Levi A Than, Lussuria, Belphegor, and Squalo.

reader base, ranking as the fourth most popular character with a total of 1769 votes in the official Shonen Jump poll of the series.

As of 2008, the Japanese music distributor Recochoku had made two annual surveys of which anime characters people would like to marry.

[47] Manga News noted that despite Hibari's introduced as an anti-hero, he is shown as a strong character who might become one of Tsuna's strongest allies thanks to this skills in combat.

[49] Although Sam Kusek from popcultureshock.com liked Hibari's fighting scenes in volume 9 from the series, he mentioned that the "real winners" were Tsuna and Mukuro Rokudo.

gashapon, Anime News Network's Rob Bricken commented he was confused why Hibari's figure is dressed as a policeman despite praising how it is done.