Animezing Series: HUNTER X HUNTER (2011)

Long anime can be taxing to watch, and I feel there’s nothing worse than committing yourself to countless hours of a series not knowing if the time you’re committing will pay off in the end. For this reason, I was wary when I jumped into Hunter X Hunter. While it appears within the top 20 of great anime, it’s often overlooked or ignored when discussions about “the best of the best” come into play. I can understand why, as I can see the show may not appeal to everyone, and at 56 hours total for the series, you’re going to want to decide if it’s for you before jumping in.

Let me save some of you a long read and just say right now I loved it, but not right off the bat.

Gon Frecess (the hero of the story) was not initially all that likable to me. At his base, he’s the archetypal bonehead with a big heart who has extraordinary potential. The only difference between Gon and someone like Ash Ketchum is he actually wants to find his dick of a father. At the beginning of the series, this certainly rings true, but this cliche is quickly quashed by the supporting characters he meets along the way. Gon is surrounded by a cast of unique individuals who carry the story or flat out steal the show when he may fall a bit short.

While many of these characters (much to your dismay) will come and go with little or no mention later, Killua remains a constant companion to Gon throughout the series. At its core, this show is about the friendship and adventures these two boys share, and it’s essentially why I believe this show maintains its position near the top of anime lists. The bromance between these two reminded me of some of my best friends and really captures the bond two great friends share. You won’t really see this start to unfold until about episode 20, but the hunter exam arc will keep you drawn in while you wait.

Speaking of which, this series has some crazy arcs that shake up the dynamic and keep things from getting stagnant. We're talking underground auctions with mob bosses to a video game kind of jump, but in no way does it ever feel forced or like it doesn’t belong in the story. The longest of these arcs is near the end and nearly 50 episodes long. Although it takes up the final third of the series, the “Chimera Ant” saga features some of the greatest action you’ll see in the series and features some of the greatest episodes to be sure.

I also enjoy the strength disparity between the main characters and people they meet. Suffice it to say Gon and Killua aren’t the strongest fighters in this world, nor will they ever be. In fact, there are quite a few minor characters who hold strength levels that dwarf many of the main heroes. It gives a sense of vulnerability to the heroes when you know they may not always succeed and kept me from yawning every time Gon entered a battle “he couldn’t win.” 

Where does the series fall short? Mind you, overall I loved the series and thought it was worth the time, but as I’ve been connected with it for a literal two days of my life, I have three qualms that lingered after the final episode…

• The introduction and drop off of characters- You’ll meet a ton of awesome characters throughout the series. Some will be around several episodes, some you’ll see twice and never again. The saddening part is the show really works to get you to feel for some characters and then completely stiffs you on checking in with them on the series end. This is especially true for one character, and if you watch, you’ll know who.
• DBZ lifts- Yeah this isn’t the first anime to pull from one of the most successful anime of all time, and when you do a fighting-based show rooted in inner strength, it’s hard not to draw some inspiration. Shonen Jump is Shonen Jump after all, and they go with what works. That being said, there are two enemies you’ll meet in this series and be able to say which DBZ villain they are meant to emulate beyond a shadow of a doubt.  
• The ending was good, but it left me wanting more. Coming out of the longest arc in the series and then wrapping things up in 12 episodes was not nearly enough for me. This makes sense, though, as I read the manga has yet another story arc beyond where the anime ends. They heavily hint at this in the final episode, but there is much doubt among fans the final story arc (WHICH SEEMS TO BE THE COOLEST) will be animated.

Those things aside, this was a damn good series that I in no way regret watching. If you were someone who finished the series five months ago I’m sure you’ll agree, and if you’re a fan of action heavy anime with little throwaway episodes then this series is worth your time. The full series can be found on Crunchyroll and I’m sure other outlets as well. MAKE SURE YOU WATCH THE REBOOT AND NOT THE 99 VERSION (although, it’s not too bad either).