Review of Hunter x Hunter

Manga (and comics) is a media that has been widely disregarded by adults and critics because of its childish art, or target audience (which are mainly kids and teenagers). This is especially true for Hunter x Hunter as it was published in weekly shonen jump. A first glance at this anime has put off many viewers. But for what seems to be a kid's show, underneath it lies a rich story masterfully executed, characters so unique and likable, and themes so profound and relevant. Webegin our story with the protagonist Gon Freecss as he embarks on a journey to find his dad. But as they point it out in the anime itself, it's never truly about the destination, but rather the journey and the people you have experienced them with. The story is very structural at first glance. There is a clear beginning, middle, and end, separated with arcs that flawlessly flow into the next one. One thing the author does here is that he uses the first few arcs to set up the universe, and the characters. He then meticulously develops each character throughout the series which might be a slow pace for some people, but is absolutely necessary for a big payoff at the later parts in the story.

Speaking of characters, that would probably be my favorite thing about this series: Character development. It's safe to say that you'd like almost all of the characters. Whether they are villains, allies or just the henchmen, each character has a clear motivation to do what they are doing. Some are righteous and some are devious, and all of them act within their nature without becoming too one dimensional.

All in all I would say this is a must watch for anyone who likes a masterfully crafted story, whether you're an anime fan or not. And if you invest enough time in this series it will easily earn a spot in your top 10 list guaranteed.