Review of Hunter x Hunter
I lot of people who dislike shonen have this misconception that all long running series are alike such as Dragon Ball or Naruto and thus give up on any potential great series that have great writing and character development such as Hunter x Hunter. I say to those who dislike shonen I do not blame you. However HxH isn't your typical shonen that tries to impress you with big fights and explosions but rather it gives you a well written and executed story and fights that are amazing because of what they symbolize. Story & World - 10 The world in this anime is very creative anddetailed allowing for complete immersion. This benefits the overall story as it allows the viewer to get completely dragged into the story and the world at the same time. The concept of Hunters is an exciting concept as it allows our main character to start his adventure. Hunters are people who travel and explore different aspects of the world and discover the unknown. This is a perfect combination for the world itself since the Hunter universe is well built and makes us want to see more of it. The concept of a Hunter allows for a reason to explore this beautiful world and see the unseen. The story is both light hearted and dark at times. Do not let its exterior fool you. This anime may look "happy" and "kiddy" on the outside but it can be just as dark as anime such as Attack on Titan at times. This anime mixes both light tone and dark tone elements together and I personally love both themes.
Characters - 10
Characters are equally as important when it comes to creating a masterful story. You can't have a good story unless you have engaging characters and the same can be said for vice versa. Hunter x Hunter definitely doesn't fail when it comes to creating complex and interesting characters.
The relationship between Gon and Killua is extremely well done. We see their friendship and bond strengthen throughout the series to the point where you begin to deeply admire their relationship. This is strongly influenced by Killua's past. This is one of the more heart-warming aspects of this series. The writer allows a great deal of insight into our main protagonists psychology through narration. This adds to the intensity and emotion as we see our character develop. This show has the best and most intense development I have ever seen in a shonen. Not just for a shonen but overall as well. An example would be the emotional physiological trauma we see one of our main characters experience. It is intense and shocking at the same time and will have you at the edge of your seat. We see Gon's innocence completely destroyed at one point and see a completely darker side to him.
Kurapika is also one such character who we get to see a darker side too. At the beginning we know he's hell bent on revenge but unlike some people (Sasuke) he's not willing to sacrifice his friends for it. At the beginning he's introduced as a clever and calculative thinker. Later on we see a completely different side to him in the eyes of his families killers. He becomes cold hearted and brutal. A truly disturbing aspect, one which will send shivers down your spine.
The side characters are some of the best and most exciting side characters a series can have. We have Hisoka the weird, pedophile who gets turned on by... even weirder things. The phantom troupe. They're incredible villains. However there's more to them than just being villains. They have a more complex psychology. Sure they "kill" and do bad things but it's the relationships they have with one another that sparks my interest about them. Along with each member of the troupe being very unique with very different personalities from each other. It's interesting to watch how everything plays out when they interact with each other. Their relationship is complex and you're not fully sure what to think of it. Do they care about each other? Or do they want to kill each other? These characters are only a few of the many interesting side characters we have in the show. I haven't even gotten to the Zoldycks yet.
Sound/Art - 10/10 MOVIE QUALITY
This is where Hunter x Hunter shines even brighter. The animation is consistently amazing throughout the series. Madhouse truly are to be thanked for this. This series wouldn't be as good if it weren't for the amazing execution and direction of each episode. The ost's are amazing especially in the chimera ant arc. If it weren't for the amazing ost's some scenes wouldn't be as impactful as they are. The openings and credit songs are amazing. They're very memorable and catchy and offer a sort of nostalgic feel because of how they're able to capture the series.
Overall - Masterpiece!
If you're looking for a great story and characters with a lot of shock factor and twists this is a perfect anime. The world and characters easily get you attached and there's a lot of shock factor because of the well done twists which will honestly leave you jaw dropped. This anime is also perfect if you're looking for something less cliche in the shonen genre and something unique. This anime easily impresses anyone who has a taste for artisticness when it comes to Hunter x Hunter. Hunter x Hunter is an art. Truly a rare and amazing gem.