Review of Hunter x Hunter

When they say "Wait 'til you get to the Chimera Ant arc", they aren't fucking around. I'm choosing to write this as more of a loose structuring of my thoughts after finishing this absolutely stellar anime, rather than breaking my review into separate, organized components. I also wanted to comment on how all of the top reviews are 10s. I thought it was "undeserved" and "exaggerated" at first, but believe me, this show is 100% a 10. Hunter x Hunter is commonly referred to by many as the "greatest shounen of all time", and while FMA:B currently holds a higher rating here, I think if thestatement were amended to "greatest traditional shounen of all time" it would be undoubtedly true.

Though the pacing can be a bit of a slog at times, specifically during some of the earlier arcs, it's HxH's ability to consistently improve, with each arc (post-Heaven's Arena, good lord what a drag) better than the last (with Chimera Ant being the peak, but let's just pretend that the Election Arc doesn't really count).

HxH also excels in its ability to develop its characters in a realistic manner, without succumbing to some of the classic shounen tropes like power escalation, and further manages to create attainable goals for each of the characters and managing to deliver on many of those goals throughout the show's runtime.

I'm now realizing as I'm typing this up that it's really difficult to collect my thoughts on how absolutely wonderful this show is without spoiling anything, so I guess my bottom line is: just try this show. Yes, as I stated before the pacing can be a little problematic, and not all of the episodes are amazing, but the end product, the destination, will make you remember just what you and all of the characters went through to get there. There are plenty of unforgettable, heartfelt, and magnificent moments scattered throughout this show, and it was a genuine blast and a privilege to bear witness to what HxH has to offer.

Keep in mind, this show will probably never be finished, but what currently exists is absolutely splendid and well worth the effort to watch. Enjoy yourselves, and thank me later.