Review of Hunter x Hunter

Usually, the story in the anime adapts to the original material, the manga. Although many anime series, such as One Piece and Naruto, do an excellent job, the manga always stands out better. However, Hunter x Hunter 2011 is an exception to this trend. Hunter X Hunter follows the story of Gon Freecs, who is on a path of adventure laid down by his father, to meet him at the end. Along the way, Gon makes great friends and goes on multiple adventures, starting with becoming a hunter by passing the hunter exam. The Hunter exam is a tournament common in Shounen (mangas aimed at teenboys), intending to win the hunter license. The hunter license gives many privileges, creating various types of Hunters based on their ambitions and paths. The story progresses at a decent pace but gets darker with the passage of every arc.

The difference between HxH and other Shounen series is the manga's interpretation. While the author is a genius in his way, his overall artwork is lackluster, and his creativity shines in the distinction of characters and plots. Reading the manga can get annoying and make you lose track of things due to complex references. The anime covers these flaws and exploits the author's strengths, and the distinct character design is well portrayed in the anime. Although some of the art is toned down to make it compatible with a teen rating, it does not hamper the story pace or the character's personality. The unique music for all characters blends in, resulting in a great experience.

The series will make you laugh, feel amazed, disgusted, emotional, and sometimes all at the same time. The story never seems to drag and stays close to the original material as much as possible.