Review of Hunter x Hunter

"Gon, you are light... sometimes, you shine so brightly I must look away. But even so, is it still okay if I stay by your side?" --- Killua This is my second review, so I'm still figuring out the ropes - if you haven't seen Hunter X Hunter 2011, I hope this helps push you toward watching it! And if you have seen it, I hope this helps fill in the void left by the series' ending. As many know, HxH 2011 ended two days ago, and even now, I still kinda tear up when thinking about it. I chose the above quote because I very muchfeel that way toward HxH 2011 - it's an utterly brilliant anime that is sometime too great for its own good, but in the end, I would have given anything to keep watching it - to stay by its side.

I came late to the HxH scene - when I first heard of HxH, I was in a depressive slump in the Fall of 2013, and the series was in the middle of its sixth arc (the Chimera Ant Arc). Hiding from my friends, I was kinda looking for something to just fill my time - what I found in HxH 2011 ended up blowing me away - it lifted me up, restored my faith in myself and in other things, and it helped carry me to where I am now. I can safely say that HxH 2011 has been the most influential anime I've ever seen, and it count myself extremely blessed that I discovered it when I did.

For the sake of this review, I'll be going through each of the categories, explaining my scores for each one, and then concluding with my final thoughts.

Story: 9
The HxH story is EPIC. While I normally hate that word, I can't think of a better adjective for what HxH achieves. The story spans seven completed arcs (the eighth is currently in the works and manga-only), and it covers every possible story type. From romance to drama to intrigue to espionage to politics to adventure to horror to suspense to simply relishing in the power of undeniable friendship, HxH 2011 has something for everyone. The first arc (Hunter Exam Arc) is more exploratory in nature, as it sets the stage for the HxH world and introduces us to the characters. The second arc (Zoldyck Family Arc) really starts to bring the characters to life, as you get to see more into their personalities and hearts, and the third arc (Heavens Arena Arc) ups the stakes and lets us fall even more in love with the characters. The fourth arc (Yorknew City Arc) takes a much darker turn and helps us see the HxH world from a drastically different perspective, and the fifth arc (Greed Island Arc) introduces new plot elements while expounding on the characters even more. The sixth arc gets even darker as it introduces a menace unlike any the HxH world has seen before, but admittedly, this is where some pacing issues come into play. The seventh arc also is a lot slower than the previous arcs, but it is where a lot of the intrigue and politics come into play (albeit, this is why the seventh arc is a lot more serious and seemingly “dull” than other arcs, although I found it fascinating as a political science major). The eighth arc has yet to be adapted to anime, and actually, HxH 2011 ended before they could explore it. Altogether, the story does a wonderful job of keeping you interested and engaged (I only gave it a “9” instead of a “10” because of pacing issues that appear in later arcs), and it leads directly into the next category…

Character: 10
If you noticed I kept saying the word “character” during my “Story” segment, that’s because arguably, HxH 2011 shines most when it comes to its diverse and incredibly-well fleshed-out characters. From the naïve and determined Gon, to the sinister yet sincere Killua, to the blunt yet considerate Leorio, to the vicious but kind Kurapika, each and every one of the main cast is amazingly well-developed and irritably loveable. And this is not to say that each of the main characters is perfect – if anything, it’s their imperfections that drive them to such great heights.

Gon isn’t your typical anime protagonist: while he IS headstrong and innocent, he has a fantastic strategic mind, and… he gets his butt kicked. A lot. While some have complained about this, I feel that it lends strength to Gon’s character as a whole. While he is phenomenally talented, he keeps finding himself pitted against similarly-talented opponents with vastly more experience than himself. And so, realistically, he wins some, and loses a bunch more. But that gives him an aura of realism. He’s not your typical hyper-powered Shonen character that always manages to win on pure willpower alone. Instead, he’s great (yes), a genius (definitely), amazingly skilled (indeed), but also realistic. And this makes you care about him. When he goes into a fight, you can’t be sure whether he’ll emerge unscathed, or even if he’ll emerge at all. You worry for him, and as you watch him try his best to do his best, you root for him earnestly and with complete genuineness. What’s even better about him, though, is his attitude. He’s always positive, even in the face of defeat, and he always tries to learn from his mistakes. I actually started watching HxH with my younger, 7-year-old brother, since he’s prone to fits of anger and resentment, so I figured it would be good to have Gon as a role model for my brother. And sure enough, my brother constantly felt uplifted by Gon – he was always saying things like “He’s so happy. He’s really happy. I wish I was like him. He’s so great.” You can’t help but fall in love with Gon, and as he adventures through the HxH world, you feel that you’re right alongside him.

Killua is amazing as well. He has a viciously dark past, and he tends to lapse into wrong/morally questionable tendencies, and that’s also what gives him a realistic edge. He earnestly seeks to be better, and partly, he wants to atone for the wrongdoings he’s done by serving alongside Gon. As such, we get to watch him traverse through the HxH as he discovers himself, discovers what it means to truly live, discovers what it means to have friends, and discovers how to care deeply for others. Plus, whenever he does one of his cat faces, your heart can’t help but melt (you have to watch the show to know what I mean, haha). So by the time you reach Episode 147, you truly feel the show has ended then and there. I won’t spoil anything, I promise, but even though the anime ended on Episode 148, Episode 147 was the true ending in my mind.

Leorio and Kurapika unfortunately receive less screen-time than Gon and Killua as HxH progress further on into its story. But the screen-time they do get in the first four arcs is magnificent, and it causes you to fall in love with them too. Leorio comes across as oafish and selfish, but he has a completely different side to him that makes the soft side of you cry every time you think about it. And Kurapika comes across as single-minded, but he’s one of the most grounded and well-intentioned characters in the series.

But HxH’s outstanding characters don’t just end with the four main characters. Indeed, it’s amazing how fleshed out almost all of the series’ characters are – you come to truly care for all of them. From Hanzo to Beans, from to Biscuit to Goreinu, from Kite to Knov and Knuckle and Morel and Palm and Shoot, from Wing to Netero, from Cheadle to Pariston, from Pokkle to Satoz, etc. – HxH very much distinguishes itself from other anime by having a tremendous cast of well-defined characters. And this isn’t even mentioning the Ants and the Phantom Troupe and Zoldycks and the Butlers and the Mafia and the Greed Island Players and the Heavens Arena Contestants and the Hunters… and you’d think that with all these characters, it would be easy to lose track of some. And admittedly, HxH does to some extent. It’s inevitable, really. But aside from the very few that fall between the cracks, HxH manages to paint realistic portraits for all of its characters – to the point where even if you don’t love them, you still are rooting for them and are vested in them and want to see them succeed and do well.

And this extends even to the villains. Never before in anime have I become attached (in some form or another) to almost EVERY SINGLE villain in the show. From the Phantom Troupe to Hisoka (who is possibly my favorite character in the show) to Meruem (another one of my favorite characters), you come to care about the villains so much that you laugh with them, feel shocked with them, and even cry with them. When Meruem’s story concluded in the sixth arc and the anime moved on, I was moved to tears at the thought of leaving behind such an incredible character, even though he was the “bad guy”. And oh goodness, Hisoka is amazing. Just watch the show. He’s fantastic. Trust me. A little weird, yes, but aren’t we all in some form or another? And his villainous side is so… unique… that I became instantly fascinated with him.

I could go on about the characters for forever, but at risk of a never-ending review, I’ll push on to the next category…

Art: 10
There is never a single lazy moment in HxH 2011 animation. All of the artwork pops with detail and care and love and diligence. All of the animations are fluid and minutely detailed, all of the characters are distinctive and eye-catching, and all of the vistas are breathtaking and invoke a sense of wonder. Even during episodes that are less action-packed, HxH routinely avoids flashback and pointless/useless filler animation, and it constantly takes the time to intricately lay out a vivid display of visual goodness. Indeed, the artwork is so smooth and amazing and engaging that I’ve come to set a new standard for anime art.

Sound: 10
The sound in is fantastic. Every visual effect is accompanied by an equally dazzling audio effect, the music is dynamic and invocative, and the ending songs are all great. Some may look at the fact that HxH 2011 uses a single opening song for all 148 episodes as a negative thing, but I like to see it as a huge positive – I came to fall in love with the song “Departure”, and now, “Departure” and “Hunter X Hunter” are indistinguishable my mind. If anything, I gave the sound an “8” because while it’s amazing, it doesn’t really stick out in my mind as much as “art” and “story” and “characters” do for HxH 2011. And admittedly, 148 episodes in, it would have been nice to hear a few new tracks added to the HxH 2011 OST. But again, this is a very minor nitpick with an otherwise fantastic score and audio effect reel.

Furthermore, all of the voice acting is terrific as well. All of the main characters are wonderfully voiced, and all of the supporting characters are just as well cast. Indeed, I can’t really think of any voices that were out of place or not well done. The voice acting is just that good.

Enjoyment: 10
As I’ve said in the beginning and throughout my review, HxH 2011 is a rollercoaster of feels and thrills. It introduces you to a magnificent world, lines up a host of enjoyable and realistic characters, and then lets you explore it from the pretty to the gritty. No expense is spared in this phenomenal anime, no corners are cut, no cop-outs are taken. And even better, the show does a great job of showing you instead of telling you, although this later lapses in the sixth arc (although it probably would have been impossible to do that arc justice without the telling it gives you, due to the intricate nature of that arc). You get to see and experience and discover the world through the eyes of characters you love and can relate to, and you get to have a blast while doing so. What more could you ask for from an anime? Or rather, what more could you ask for from such a wonderful adventure?

Overall: 10
Ultimately, you’ve probably heard a lot of hype about Hunter X Hunter 2011 – almost too much hype, probably. And often times, such hype can easily paint a picture of something that’s too good to be true. And if you’ve read this review to the end, then you’ve gotten another massive dose of hype. So instead of reading/hearing more hype, do yourself a favor by ignoring it all and instead finding out firsthand. Go watch the first few episodes Hunter X Hunter 2011. It starts a tad slow, but it quickly builds up, and soon, you probably won’t be able to stop watching. I made it through sixty-some episodes in a few days – once I started, I couldn’t stop. It was that good.

Why is it so good? Because HxH truly cares. It cares about its characters, it cares about its story, it cares about its world, and it cares about its viewers. It doesn’t string you along, or set you up for some cheap storytelling tricks, or waste your time. It stays to the point, it does its best to deliver a wonderful tale of courage and adventure, and stays true to itself throughout the whole experience. For that’s what HxH 2011 genuinely is – an experience. It’s not something that be truly summed up in words alone – it’s something that must be seen and heard and felt firsthand with Gon, Killua, Leorio, and Kurapika.

So go watch Hunter X Hunter 2011. I promise you, by the time you conclude your journey – your adventure – you’ll be glad you did so. And you’ll wish you could stay by its side for just a little while longer… :)

As for me, I’m gonna go grab some tissues and cry… it’ll probably be another decade before we get more HxH… :(