Review of Hunter x Hunter
Hunter x Hunter is my favourite anime of all time. It is a timeless masterpiece that no other series thus far - even the 2011 remake - had been able to replicate. People often like to compare this to 2011 original, which is paced faster, brighter and much better animated. They say the 2011 is the superior show because it has none of the fillers. Indeed, most anime fillers are terrible. They're known as fillers because they break the momentum of whatever arc that's ongoing and are usually introduced as a way to buy time. In the original hunter x hunter, however, the fillers arewhat built the momentum. In the 2011 version, we are introduced to a kid named Gon who wants to be a hunter and find his missing father. He meets 2 of his companions on a boat and they go on a journey together. That's it. The bare minimum. The original, however, broke this introduction into several episodes and created a sense of scale for the story's setting. We see how things come to be, where things are going, and we understand how perilous the journey is going to be. Each of the characters is carefully introduced. Their motivations and dreams are foreshadowed, giving you plenty of time to bind with them. There's also an unmistakenly mature undertone that's sorely missing in the remake.
In comparison, the 2011 version is like a kid show, whereas the original was a complete story for people who enjoys a good story told with care and love.
Even comparing to other animes, Hunter x hunter is ahead of its time. The soundtrack is nothing short of amazing (The opening song is the first Japanese song I learned to sing without actively learning because of how catchy it is). The voice actings are top notch. The sound effects - though simplistic - are extremely effective. The color of the anime is dull, clunky and washed out, but that's only compared to today's standard, and really shouldn't bother anyone. They give the anime a more grownup feel, which helps later on when the story took a dark turn during the York Shin Arc. In fact, there are few fight scenes where I feel the original did much better, if not more realistically.
As for the story, it is a de-constructions of shonen tropes done so masterfully many thought it was just the story about a typical shonen boy's journey to find his father.
Spoiler: it was not.
As a 12 years old kid, Gon possessed a moral ambiguity that almost seemed creepy at times. A normal boy would've reacted with scorn when he learned he had been abandoned by his father at birth. Not Gon. He looked up to his father, who chose his work over him, with revere. He's also not opposed to two people dueling with knife and swords on a boat that's caught in a terrible storm. There are many moments here in the original that establishes Gon as an interesting and worthy protagonist to follow.
In the 2011 version? He's a boy who wants to become a hunter and find his father. Done. Let's show the audience some fight scenes before they fall asleep.
The original hunter x hunter is an achievement because it established a few important things: (A) Fillers don't have to suck (B) Not staying faithful to the source material can be a good thing (C) When it comes to anime, you can still do a lot without all the fancy modern technologies. (If this anime doesn't convince you, look at Ghost in the Shell.)
Reading this review, you might think I have nothing good to say about the remake, but that's simply not true. The 2011 Hunter x Hunter is a very competent, enjoyable anime. However, the 1999 Hunter X Hunter is a timeless masterpiece. It's an anime that require you to invest some time to watch, but once you do, it is going to be an experience you'll never forget. Even if you've seen the remake or read the manga.
A must watch for all lovers of anime!