Review of Hunter x Hunter

Hunter X Hunter, to be concise, is a stellar anime overall, especially for a Shounen. Many Shounen anime have a tendency to repeat themselves, rehashing the same tropes that have been used since Dragonball's debut in the 1980s. In addition most lack quality writing, well-developed characters, poor pacing, have an emphasis on style over substance. This being said, Hunter x Hunter (2011) not only avoids these flaws, but goes above and beyond what is to be expected from the genre, and is an excellent anime regardless of target audience or genre. Story: (9/10) + Strong Plot + Rich world/setting + Well-written fights -sluggish pacing at times
- overuse of narration.
The story begins as one might expect of an action/adventure series. There is a clear objective for the protagonist from the get-go, and quickly proceeds to the first arc. There is not much explanation of the setting initially but is gradually revealed throughout the series. Given how many episodes there are (148), the series can take its time to create the world and develop the setting. This may be an advantage for the series in that it doesn't have to overwhelm the viewers with information at the beginning, but it also presents a challenge in that the world has to be fully-fleshed out, and must provide very unique story arcs and characters. Thankfully, the series does both in spades. The world is massive, while fascinating. Every location and destination feels different, and has significant depth for the characters to explore. In doing so, each arc provides unique tasks, characters, and challenges, for the main cast to overcome. The world-building is simply among the best there is.
Given the setting, there is both a complex overarching plot, and the story arcs themselves. Events may happen or occur in the background outside the story-arc, but it never becomes difficult to understand or follow. This fact that the story isn't confusing and overly-complicated does not mean the writing suffers. On the contrary, the writing is superior to most shows, anime or otherwise, I've seen. The plot does not become repetitive, and you can never expect what happens next. As you think you've got it all figured out, there's a twist, yet it never comes across as silly or unrealistic. I've found that there are very few plot holes or inconsistencies throughout the entire story.
One of the best and attractive aspects of Hunter x Hunter by far, is its fights. Even if the plot and writing overall were sub-par, the way the fights are orchestrated and presented could still redeem much of the series. I've found that the writing of the fights is among the best I"ve ever seen. They are complex, filled with twists, and never become stale. Without spoiling it, the way the characters fight tend to be very different, and characters will use every advantage they can in order to win. Though there are some stomps in the series, fights are not decided necessarilly by any one factor. Some characters counter each others' fighting styles, are stronger, smarter, faster etc, but rarely is the fight decided by any one factor. Fights can last anywhere from a few seconds, to 20 or so episodes, and although a fight may be very lopsided, they keep you on the edge of your seat. The fighters, especially towards the end of the series, are very tactically savvy and intelligent. There were many times where I thought I was an idiot compared to the characters in the show, but this is more of a testament to the excellence of the writing than my own stupidity, or at least I would hope so. You will seldom find anime with fights as well-written and executed as Hunter x Hunter.
Like any series, the story is not perfect. My biggest criticism of the anime is the pacing. There are times when conflicts and story arcs feel dragged on for way too long, and there are points within the series where I would complain "Just move on already". The pacing is by far the weakest aspect of the series. The other qualm I had with the story, which is somewhat related to the pacing, is the amount of superfluous explanation. Resolution and explanation is difficult to criticize because preference varies from person to person, and explanation must strike a fine balance between outright subjectivity and utter lack of clarity, to excessive explanation. There are certainly times where there is some explanation and resolution is to be desired, but it's absurd to explain every single mundane aspect of a story. One of the most frustrating moments in the series is when the narrator explains how the passcode to an elevator works for about eight minutes. While some narration may be effective, it is important to allow the viewer to think for themselves from time to time. Other than that though, I don't have much to gripe about.

Art (10/10)
+ Stellar animation
+ Vibrant characters/locations
+ Beautiful fights

Once again, Madhouse proves that they are among the best in the business. I've always though that viewers have put too much emphasis on the quality of the animation, and will simply avoid excellent anime simply because it isn't as crisp in comparison. Anime most certainly is a visual media, and while animation is important, it is only part of the visual experience. In addition, the quality of the animation should not be evaluated on just as smooth or beautiful it is, but on whether or not it enhances or detracts from the series. For an action-packed series like Hunter x Hunter, animation is very important, but for a comedy or slice of life anime, it isn't quite as important. Even with inferior quality animation, superior direction and technical aspects such as lighting, angles, and detail can certainly compensate. Recycling models and crappy drawing can significantly detract from the visuals in an anime, regardless of its generation.
The animation in Hunter x Hunter, is everything one would want in an action anime. Beautiful lighting, crisp movements, and smooth frames are prevalent throughout the series, and despite its length, never really suffers. The fights are simply spectacular. During the less action-packed moments, there is a large amount of attention to detail. The visual quality of the scenes in many anime in this genre tends to suffer, but in Hunter x Hunter, this is certainly not the case. Characters move realistically, are often times moving, rather than standing still with only their mouths moving, and you can notice the subtlest facial expressions of the characters. The overall quality, as well as the consistency, of the animation makes most series, regardless of genre, pale in comparison.
Art, depending on the series, can vary dramatically, and thus not all series should be evaluated the same way. Are the characters supposed to be realistic? Do the characters all look the same? Do the side characters have as much attention to detail as the main cast? I don't believe art as a whole, can't and should not be valuated objectively. This being said,, there is not an excuse to be lazy. In the case of Hunter x Hunter, the setting is rather fantastical. The characters are intended to be distinct and very easy to differentiate. In other words, it's perfectly fine if it isn't completely realistic. As for how Hunter x Hunter manages to illustrate its world, it does so extremely well. There are innumerable characters, but they all look varied, and are well-drawn. They are eye-catching and easily maintain the attention of the viewer. The diversity of the world matches the diversity of the cast. As an integral part of world-building, it is imperative that the settings be able to reflect the progress in the story and the characters' transitions from one place to another. A world as large as Hunter x Hunter's should heterogeneous with plenty of variety. Hunter x Hunter is just this, and is truly a sight to behold.
I would have to be very nit picky if I was to criticize the visuals of Hunter x Hunter. Honestly, my only complaint is that it is occasionally difficult to tell where characters are in fights \, and the shots taken could be taken at better angles. These are more subjective though, and I'm sure plenty would, understandably, disagree.

Sound (7/10)
+ Excellent voice acting
+ Music is used appropriately.
- Unmemorable soundtrack
In all honesty, the sound for Hunter x Hunter is its weakest aspect. Its biggest strength lays with its characters. Every character’s personality is well conveyed and interesting. None of the characters feel cheesy or lacking. Whether the character is comical, serious, lighthearted, or devious, it is easy to discern how the character is attempting to sound like, regardless of what the character actually may be thinking. Subtle changes in tone are well captured, and none of the characters are monotonous. As will be mentioned later in this review, the voices are inextricable from the characters themselves.
This all being said, the soundtrack is nothing out of the ordinary. For such a long series, one would expect a large variety of tracks, and maybe some noteworthy ones. This, unfortunately, is not the case. In the beginning, instrumental versions of the opening and the insert-song are used frequently, and get old very quickly. In all of the series, I cannot think of a noteworthy track. Luckily, the music that is used is used appropriately. It successfully conveys the mood of what is occurring. More importantly, it does not play music irrelevant to the setting. There are no melancholic tracks during comical moments and vice-versa. Overall, the sound is certainly not bad, but you will be disappointed if you are planning to add some anime tracks to your playlist.
Characters (9/10)
+ Strong protagonists and antagonists
+ No foils or characters as mere plot devices
+ Significant depth within characters
+ Characters behave somewhat realistically
+ Complex and intriguing relationships

- Character development occurs late in the series
Shounen anime are not known for their strong characters. By “strong” I don’t mean strong physically or mentally, but strong as far as a well-written character. Protagonists tend to have a notorious reputation for having one-dimensional personalities, little depth, a small amount of character development. This phenomenon pervades innumerable anime, and is one of the reasons why many “mainstream” anime are considered by some to be overrated. The side-characters are little different, with recycled tropes such as the whimpy guy, the mentor, the obligatory female character, etc. Luckily, Hunter x Hunter avoids this issue entirely. I won’t spoil much about the two protagonists, but it’s impossible to evaluate the characters without talking about them somewhat.
Gon is the primary protagonist of Hunter x Hunter. At first glance, he seems little different than many protagonists in Shounen. He’s a young boy, energetic, ambitious, and fairly strong. He has one general goal that persists through the entirety of the series, and goals that span each story arc. For most of the first arc, he maintains this appearance. However, he quickly realizes that he is not nearly as strong as he think he is, and that the world is far more complicated than he had imagined. Neverthe less, he persists and become stronger. One unique aspect of Gon is just how weak he is. Sure, he’s much stronger than the average citizen, but he is outclassed by many of his opponents. Instead of charging at his opponents, he must be resourceful and cunning if he wants to win. As he accumulates experience, he becomes a more skilled fighter and tactician, relying on his wits as much as his strength, leading to even more dynamic and interesting fights as the series progresses. In regards to Gon’s morality, as well as what he believes, he somewhat differs than most protagonists. He is most certainly likeable, and tries to do the “right” thing, but oftentimes his naivety and his easily earned trust gets him into trouble. The series conveys the message that the world and its characters are far more grey. The result of all this, is that Gon does not shape the world, but is shaped by the world.

Killua is the secondary protagonist of the series. In many ways, he is portrayed as the opposite of Gon. He is far more serious, mature, and calculating. However, Killua is more than just a foil for Gon, but a character who both influences and is influenced by Gon. While Killua’s character and actions embody the cold hearted nature of the world, he finds what he has been missing throughout his life in Gon. It is through gone in which Killua experiences the majority of his development although he does experience development on his own. Unlike Gon, Killua is fairly powerful from the beginning. He’s a very experienced fighter and relies on tactics and cunning more than brute force, although he is in no way physically weak.
This contrast between protagonists, often portrayed as hero vs anti-hero, is a frequent trope in Shounen anime, but the way through which this contrast is explored is unique in Hunter x Hunter. As aforementioned, the two protagonists influence each other and complement each other. Gon certainly receives more attention during the beginning of the show, but further in they share almost the same amount of screentime. If there is any apparent lack of depth in either character, it is compensated for through the other protagonist’s presence.

An action/adventure Shounen style anime is incomplete without its villains, and Hunter x Hunter’s villains are some of the most memorable I’ve ever seen. Although they are sometimes portrayed as obstacles for the main cast to defeat, they are never mere obstacles, but rather fully-fleshed out characters. No two villains are alike, and they each have their own personalities, complex relationships, motives, and emotions. This may not seem anything extraordinary, but for many villains in anime or any other media, these features are often lacking. Most villains are known just for their motives and actions, and nothing else. With some exceptions, the majority of villains cannot be seen as wholly evil. They show sides of humanity, and in some cases it is hard to debate their own motives. It is one thing to give a villain depth, but it is much harder to make a villain dynamic. There are plenty of series that have character development, or substantive backstories for their villains, but oftentimes the development of the villains themselves is neglected. In Hunter x Hunter however, the villains, whether they be major or minor, feel far more human. They question their motives, show signs of weakness, and react to situations very differently. Because of the series’ scope, many of the villains appear and disappear, but most of them are very memorable and easily recognizable. One would think that with a series as large as Hunter x Hunter, the villains would become stale as they are introduced, but each one feels unique.
I do have a few, albeit minor, criticisms of the show’s characters. The biggest one being the lack of development for most of the series. Ironically, most of the side cast and villains have far more time actually developing their character for most of the series. It is only in the latter half of the anime where we get to see the protagonists start to change significantly. My other criticism would not apply to the source material, but to the anime. The series is long, but does not encompass the entirety of the source material. As a result, there are several characters who have a great deal of time spent developing their character, only to have them disappear from the anime entirely.

Overall (10/10)
Hunter x Hunter is a must-watch for any fan of action/adventure anime. Whether it be for someone new to the medium, or for a veteran, this series is everything one would want out of the genre. Its rich world and story, its diverse and dynamic set of characters, and incredible fights are sure to keep one’s attention for the whole 148 episodes.