Review of Hunter x Hunter

The standout feature of Hunter x Hunter is strong abstract reasoning. Togashi reveals a wide breadth of interest and good knowledge of fundamentals. Understanding an idea and applying it in a natural way is harder than it looks. HxH is full of entertaining games, contests, and puzzles. One character has a unit limit of 216, equal to (2x3)^(3). Writers with weak maths default to numbers like 250. Hisoka’s card trick in the colosseum is an algebra problem. I doubt I’m the only one who paused for the satisfaction of solving it first. The difficulty level is accessible to the audience.Killua’s manipulation of reflexes is fun biology. It hits a “seems plausible” sweet spot and accurately describes how the neurological command system works. Carbon dioxide asphyxiation is relevant in one scene. HxH uses it properly, times the reveal delightfully, and finishes with appropriate detail, explaining that the relative concentration matters, not just the presence of the gas. Togashi is skilled at strategy games like shogi and go. You can tell by his comments on player psychology. He applies game theory directly, not just in toy situations: the Zoldyck family professional philosophy of risk aversion is a good example. The election arc includes valuable insight on the mentality of a masterful game player.

Adept analytical skills tend not to mix with potent people skills and Togashi is no exception. The vast majority of Hunter x Hunter’s characters have one or two personality traits. HxH borrows liberally: you have seen these personalities many times before. Design is a mishmash of tropes (e.g. Neferpitou) and clothing (e.g. Phinks) that often conflicts in tone with the character’s role in the story. Each arc removes most of the previous side characters and introduces many more. This rotation shields Togashi from the challenge of developing side characters further. He does a creditable job with one main character. The other has some of the worst character progression I’ve seen in a while. Togashi’s middling understanding of human nature keeps HxH from being a masterpiece.

Hunter x Hunter is still a great story. Togashi’s abstract wisdom is worth a lot. Scene after scene reflects philosophical truths about the world. Here’s one: there is no “right side” and “wrong side.” Everyone stands up for their brethren. Justice to one person is injustice to another. Against a backdrop of one-dimensional protagonists, the Spider and Meruem stand out. At times, their behavior is unequivocally evil. However, Togashi refuses to keep it that simple. He honours them. They have virtue. Their dreams matter. HxH invites us to care about them, and we do, sometimes deeply. This embeds a profound lesson about the tragedy of life into the story. These antagonists are magnificent.

Anime-specific:
The music is very good. Some songs don’t match thematically (e.g. “Kyrie eleison” is a poor fit in scenes where it is used).

Significant stretches have inefficient exposition. This mainly occurs during the Chimera Ant arc, which has a lot of atrocious material for a story whose core is good. Outside of this arc, HxH is not oppressively draggy.

The directors give special attention to key emotional moments of the star antagonists. Well played.

Hunter x Hunter is an excellent watch.