Review of Hunter x Hunter

Hunter x Hunter is often regarded as one of the best shonen of all time and that has inspired quite a bit of other anime, the biggest one that comes to mind is Naruto. So of course I came into this with high expectations. Were those expectations met? To be honest, yes and no. Let’s just get into the review. Characters The main cast consists of 4 characters. Gon, Kurapika, Killua, and Lerio. The main cast is very good, as every character has an interesting backstory and their own unique goals that are mostly met by the end of the show. Gon is the main protagonist formost of the show. I say most of the show as there are arcs where other characters get more spotlight, but for the most part, he is the main character. I enjoyed his character. He’s not annoying, unlike most young shonen protagonists. He’s upbeat, but his serious moments are very awesome. Of course, Adult Gon is one of the craziest moments I’ve ever seen in an anime. His journey is what makes up this show and it’s very satisfying to see it end at the end of the show. Kurapika is the exact opposite of Gon. A very serious character who has a sadder backstory than Gon does. His journey is also a very satisfying one. His chains really show off how Nen is such a cool power system. We move into Killua who is just a very cool character. I really wish the Zoldycks would’ve gotten ever more explored as they are such an interesting part of the show. I’m sure they do in the manga, but still. Leorio is the most uninteresting character of the bunch. He’s still a good character. His hate against healthcare is kind of funny with recent events that have happened. I loved the last arc when he got Nen, and while I know his character is more fleshed out in the manga, I wish it was like that here.

Other than the main cast we have other characters like Hisoka who is pervy but cool as hell. His powers also really show off how cool Nen is. Bisky is another interesting character who’s kind of annoying in opinion but I wish we got more moments with her strong side. Meruem is one of the best if not the best anime villain ever. His arc is just perfect from start to finish. There’s other characters, but I don’t want this to take forever so just assume I like pretty much every other character to some degree if I don’t say otherwise later.

Arcs

Hunter Exam (8/10)
A very good introduction arc. You learn about every character and what they want to achieve without going into too much depth. Those episodes against the prisoners were really great and so was the start to Hisoka and Gon. The ending was also very interesting with Illumi and Killua. Just a very good arc overall.

Heaven’s Arena (7/10)
A good arc that introduces Nen, but could’ve used more fights. Nen is a very good power system since there’s so much you can do with it because there’s no real limits established which I like. It allows for interesting powers like Killua’s lightning and Bungee Gum to exist in the same universe. Hisoka vs Gon was amazing but other than that the arc didn’t have too many cool fights which is weird considering it should have lots more fights because of the setting. Still enjoyed it.

Yorknew City (10/10)
The best arc in the series in my opinion. The phantom troupe are second only to the akatsuki in best anime villain group. Each have their own unique powers and personalities. Kurapika also has such an awesome arc here. His chains are awesome and restrictions are such a cool idea that are done very well. The fights are amazing. Especially Kurapika vs Uvogin. It’s a very well paced arc that never stops being insanely entertaining.

Greed Island (7/10)
A good arc that gets repetitive at some points. The whole idea of cards and monopolizing them was kind of dumb in my opinion. I know it adds tension, but it just feels silly to me. I like the dodgeball episodes a lot and the bomber has some cool moments, but other than that the arc doesn’t have many interesting fights. Gon and Killua develop well here though, and it’s not boring so it’s a pretty good arc.

Chimera Ant (9/10)
An amazing arc with some pacing issues. I was told this was the best arc in the series, and it’s really great. The fights, kite, and Meruem really make this arc stand out. But man can it get boring. With 60 episodes, you spend most of the time of the show in this arc, and you can really feel it. Some of the chimaera ants had too much focus on them that was unneeded as they’re just not great characters in the first place. Meruem vs Netero was amazing and the last 10ish episodes with the raid on the palace were peak. There’s so much good in this arc I could go on and on

13th Chairman Election (8/10)
Killua and Alluka was really good while the election was kind of boring. The relationship between Killua and Alluka was the main selling point of this arc for me. It’s really good. Alluka has a lot of depth to her and was a very good character. The election itself was alright, nothing great but not bad. It wraps up the anime well enough that someone could watch Hunter x Hunter anime only.

So yeah, I loved this show. I do think it’s slightly overrated but still amazing. I have heard the chimera ant arc is better on a rewatch, so maybe I’ll like it better then. Other than that, I’m going to miss this anime. I do plan on reading the manga as there’s a lot I still want to know and this story is so good that I will read it all instead of skipping