Review of Hunter x Hunter
Whenever Shonen Jump releases anime based on a popular manga they are usually for the fighting and story enthusiasts. Hunter X Hunter is a show that balances the two perfectly in the form of a Yin-Yang. Although this story is fiction, it’s still based on some part of the truth of the real world we reside in. The story is brutal, deep, emotional, breathtaking and much more! A story that is different, but yet has the same basic elements you would expect from a Shonen anime. I won’t go into details of the story or the arc because I can’t mention that without spoilingbut I’m going to express what I can in whatever words while keep it short and sweet.
Hunter X Hunter mainly focuses on a Young boy named Gon Freecss who like his father wants to become a Hunter. He wants to experience what the world of Hunters is like and why his father left him to attain the wonders of that world. You can say that Gon wants to look for his father and ask him this question and that sets a goal for the narrative for the anime. Now, with this type of narrative, the Hunter X Hunter universe sets itself to become everlasting much like One-Piece and Toriko, where various arcs can come about without going astray from the initial plot and connect each other with everything else within the medium. You can think of it as a programming flowchart that is always connected to the main command. What really sets the story apart from others is the way it’s told. Its starts of slow, puzzling and full of questions but slowly starts to unravel itself and it gets really interesting as the arcs progress forward. Personally, no arc for me was boring. Every single one of them had something different and unique to offer from the introduction to new characters to foes and bros and new unexplored land which keep everything fresh and interesting. This is something that I feel makes Togashi-sensei such a spectacular author. Another great thing about the series is that Gon isn't the only main character of the series. There are a few more who are later introduced in the series which is what makes Hunter X Hunter special and different which hence makes more room for different types of arcs with different variations.
As you go deeper into the story you will see how complex, intriguing and thought provoking Hunter X Hunter actually becomes. A lot of the arcs in this show changed my perspective of how I looked at the world and the kind of potential it has of becoming, but at the same time it also made me think about the type of creation we are and negative impacts it brings to the table.
In terms of animation and sound, this show probably has the most beautiful and the most precise animation I have seen for a long running series. The manga was very lucky to not have been picked by garbage studios like Toei or A-1, instead it was picked up by one of the best ones in Japan, Mad-House. Mad-House studio is known for its amazing animation and to have consistency in all of its long running 148 episodes is a feat. Animation is spectacular. Togashi isn’t a very good drawer when compared to other manga artists but the anime comes and rescues that part of the story. As for OST, it’s pretty good. There are tracks that are pretty awesome here and there and fit the mood perfectly. You will enjoy the animation and sound for this show. I follow some of the staff members who work on Hunter X Hunter at Madhouse Studios and they love this manga very much and they put a lot of effort to make it perfect.
Finally, I know I’ve praised this show a lot, but I feel there is no reason not because, as I see it, Hunter X Hunter is a masterpiece. It is slow to start off with like any other show, but once you get past the first few episodes, you will start to enjoy the show and that’s mainly what hooks a person as he/she starts to gain interest. I always mention this is the reviews and tell people that fighting isn’t everything in a Shonen manga/anime. Sometimes having a good story that keeps the audience at bay and keeps them guessing is what you need in a story and Hunter X Hunter delivers. Over the course of 3 years this show has become my favorite anime of all time and it was sad to see it come to an end. Sure the manga still continues (very slowly) but surely so I hope to see more of it in the future. With that I say good-bye to a spectacular anime which is a MUST watch for all!
Final Score: Master Piece (10/10)