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Year: 2011-2014
Genre: Adventure, Comedy, Drama, Fantasy, Tournament
Episodes: 148
Rating: 5 out of 5
For years I’ve heard that Hunter x Hunter was one of the best anime series ever. Whenever I hear that, I have reservations about a series because there are quite a few of those anime series. I am here to say that Hunter x Hunter is the shit. It is an excellent, fantastic, amazing, and high-intensity anime. The start was a little slow, but if you can hang on to the very end, I guarantee you will stand and applaud because it is that good. I want to be a hunter and be part of the Hunter’s Association.
Overview
In a world with vast amounts of people and species, Hunters are the job everyone wants but is hard to obtain. Hunters are licensed, elite members of humanity who are capable of tracking down secret treasures, rare beasts, or even other individuals. Pretty much, they do it all and are the leaders in exploring unknown territory. One becomes a Hunter by passing the Hunter Examination. The examination is one of the most difficult in existence, where a high-level selection process begins with many of the participants die.
Hunter x Hunter follows the journey of Gon Freecss. Gon is a kind, always smiling, sometimes airheaded 12-year-old who wants to find his father, Ging. Ging is a LEGENDARY hunter who dipped out on Gon because he wants to explore the world and is pretty much a deadbeat father. Gon wishes to walk in his father’s path and become a Hunter. Gon sets out on his journey to one day meet his father again. Along the way, Gon meets and befriends Leorio Paladiknight, a medical student, Kurapika, a young boy looking to get vengeance for his family, and ex-assassin Killua Zoldyck. Gon’s journey soon takes him around the world with massive amounts of training and the many battles he will face.
Review:
I will first admit that Hunter x Hunter starts off really slow for me. I wondered why anyone would like this anime because it seemed the same, but once you get to the Chimera Ant arc, that is when shit goes down. Everything was a major build-up to that, and the anime seemed to say f-it; we are going to really show you how an anime should be done.
The first season was a nice jump-off that was a little slow but really introduced you to some main characters like Gon and Killua. The first season revolves around the Hunter Exam and Gon’s adventure to find his absent but legendary father, Ging. Gon’s primary mission is to get his Hunter’s license. The arc also introduces the legendary and person you want to avoid being around Hisoka. The first season really sets the tone for the anime because you can’t help but love Gon. He is so nice and loveable. He never seems upset and wants to help everyone, even if it might hurt him. What I like about the first season is that it’s manageable but a way to get you to feel the atmosphere and learn why many characters want a hunter’s license.
The second season is more of a learning season for Gon and Killua. In this season, we actually lose two characters from the previous arc and mainly focus on how to produce Nen. The Heavens Arena arc is also a fighting tournament where Gon and Killua train and make money. I want to say that one of the best characters is introduced Zushi. I found him to be cute and one that wants to be a hard worker. That was a side track. In this one, we see the fight between Gon and Hisoka. Also, Hisoka was a terror in the previous arc, but his killing instinct and wanting to test Gon was insane. Homeboy is straight-up terrifying. Yet, the fight was incredible against each other because Gon only wanted to score one punch against Hisoka, which sent homeboy into ecstasy. Even though the arc was fine, and the action was decent, it seemed to be a really slow burn.
The third season was where it was at for me with the Phantom Troupe arc. This is where shit really gets serious in the series. This is where Kurapika takes center stage as he becomes a bodyguard and fights several members of Phantom Troupe for killing his whole family or tribe. We learn about the Troupe, their leader, and Hisoka’s deception. We even see a badass fight between Killua’s dad and grandpa versus Phantom Troupe’s leader. This season really brings you in and makes you really want to watch the anime. If you can make it to this arc, it is a high-octane ride with later episodes.
The fourth season was the Greed Island arc. I found this season, meh. It did propel the story somewhat, with Gon and Killua getting stronger, but the action was okay and even felt off a little. Greed Island is a video game created by Ging Freecss and ten of his friends. It was designed exclusively for Hunters who know Nen. Only 100 copies of the game were sold, and it is a prized item worldwide, selling for billions. The anime shows players are physically transported into the World of Greed Island. If a player wins, they can leave the game. The only highlight of this arc was the introduction of Biscuit Krueger. Biscuit is a freakin BOSS, and I love her. She is also the teacher of Wing. She plays no games with Gon and Killua and whips their ass into shape while increasing their Nen abilities. The arc does show tremendous growth the in the main characters. It was fun to watch the characters play a game by collecting cards. It was almost like collecting Pokemon cards. The arc also gives more clues on where Ging is and resolves Gon to finally find his deadbeat dad.
The fifth season is by far the best! If you can make it all the way to the Chimera Ant arc, then you are in luck, and everything you ever wanted in a great anime will come to fruition. I thought the anime was okay, but this arc made sure to give everything it had to this anime. This is by far the longest arc, and this time, Gon and Killua join Kite, and his group as a species known as Chimera Ants is feasting on humans and becomes a threat to the world. This arc starts off slow because the Ant Queen is producing, but when the Queen gives birth to Neferpitou, Shaiapouf, and Menthuthuyoupi, the three Royal Guards of the King. This is when shit gets real because they are deadly, and SPOILER ALERT, Kite dies. When the Queen gives birth to the King, aka, Meruem, that is when this anime hits a whole new level. Meruem was one of the most intense villains I have seen in a good while. Dude played no games. The best part of the whole arc was when Meruem fought against Isaac Netero. That fight and its intensity was a thing of pure beauty. It was high-level and had me on the edge of my seat. When Isaac lost his arm and leg, homeboy kept fighting like it was nothing. Even with his last attack, Isaac was a freakin BOSS!! The intensity he showed to the very end before dying was a scene that should be applauded. This arc also showed the freakin mind break of Gon as he tried to get Kite fixed or revived. That was not happening as Neferpitou stoked Kite’s head in his lap. Seeing Gon as a person on a mission was terrifying. Dude’s smile completely left, and you saw the pure rage in his eyes. When Gon and Neferpitou fought, it wasn’t even a fight. It was a straight-up beatdown with Gon going into Super Saiyan mode with his hair and transforming into his adult form. I want to say that the ending with Meruem and Komugi is straight-up sad. It hits you right in the feels.
After the emotional intensity of the Chimera Ant arc, I didn’t think the anime could hang on and do any better. It followed up the fifth season with the sixth and final season of the Election arc. This season primarily served three purposes. The first one was to elect a new chairman. The second was to have Gon healed from his injuries sustained in his fight with Neferpitou. The third one was we really get to see Ging. The election was okay. It was a lot of back and forth. Was it entertaining? Yes, it was because Ging’s intellect was so far above everyone else that it was insane how he predicted what would happen. The central story of this arc is Killua trying to heal Gon. The only person who can heal him is Alluka Zoldyck. Alluka is the second youngest sibling of Killua. The other family members see Alluka as an evil object and male, but Killua sees Alluka as a female and person. Alluka is a messed-up child with a split personality named Nanika, along with the ability to grant wishes. Once a person grants three requests made by Alluka, Nanika grants their wish. There is a twist, the bigger the wish, the bigger Alluka’s demands will be for the next person. People freakin die when they can’t fulfill the demands, or they refuse Alluka. Killua is up against his family because they don’t want Alluka loose. Killua is the only one who can fully protect and understand Alluka. Killua’s travels to help Gon is intense as his brother will do everything possible to stop his brother. Ging, as we see, is an absent father, and sometimes you wonder why he even had Gon. He is a major adventurer at heart, and we learn about his past and why he is the way he is. He had a great quote about stopping on the road and seeing things bloom or something like that.
The animation was excellent, and I have to commend it. I don’t know what the first time around looked like, but the second time was fantastic. The first season’s animation is a little dated, but as time continued, it became crisp and you saw people’s aura which always adds to a great and compelling story. It was amazing when people went into bloodlust mode because the colors became dull and terrifying. It seemed like you were going into the abyss with them. When Hisoka sat at the top of the tower, his aura was dark/purple. You could tell there was evil behind it. When Gon wanted to kill Neferpitou, his eyes turned blank, his hair went wild, and his aura completely changed. It was dark and fearsome. It seemed like the more people lost their minds, evil struck them, and hatred spewed out.
As far as the characters go, there are many of them, and I will only talk about a few. The first character we have to talk about is Gon Freecss. Gon is a freakin BOSS! Gon is straight-up a dude who came from the country but is strong as hell. He gets along with animals and has superhuman senses regarding smell and sight. He is also very athletic but naïve about things as he gives everyone a chance but also seems unable to comprehend complex thoughts. Gon was raised by Mito and wants to become a Hunter to find his father, Ging, who is also a hunter. Gon’s fatal flaw is his impulsive nature and stubbornness, as Gon’s failure to think things through leads him to suffer. Gon’s Nen type is Enhancement, and his special attack is” Rock, Paper, Scissors.” Rock is his enhanced punch, Scissors transmutes a sword from his fingers for mid-ranged attacks, and Paper emits a ball of aura for long-ranged attacks. Gon hits ASAP Ferg’s New Level when he fights against Neferpitou. Homeboy becomes a straight-up adult, and his hairstyle would make the hat of Doug Dimmadome blush.
The second character we have to talk about is Killua Zoldyck. Killua is a straight-up gangster in this anime but also has some significant demons within him from dealing with his brother. Killua has a cheerful and mischievous kid who befriends Gon, but dude is a ruthless killer as he was born into the greatest family of assassins. Since birth, Killua has trained to be an assassin and thinks of the best outcomes to produce a sure outcome. He is the opposite in terms of Gon as he is calculating. Killua goes god mode during the ant arc. When he is fighting one of the three bodyguards, his hair turns white and looks like an electric bolt. There are moments when Killua is a weak link from his brother, but when he overcomes them, he would do anything for Gon.
Let me talk about one of the antagonists. Hisoka Morow is one dude you never want to meet in a dark alley or even broad daylight. This dude is straight-up EVIL. He is a magician and serial killer who combines magic tricks with violence and delights in battling those he considers strong to the point of sexual arousal. When homeboy gets sexually aroused, it gets somewhat uncomfortable. He is deceitful, playful, and narcissistic by nature. He takes a major interest in Gon, which is beyond creepy. I will give it to the character; if he is straight or bi or whatever, he is one of the greatest anime villains of all time. I had never seen a gay or bi villain like him in all the anime series I watched. He keeps you wanting to watch the series because of his sadistic ways.
Another character that is great and needs to be talked about is Biscuit Krueger. Biscuit is a Double Star Stone Hunter who Gon and Killua team up with in Greed Island. Biscuit appearance is deceiving. Even though she appears to be a little girl, her true form is actually a 57-year-old extremely muscular woman, which sends her power to a new level. She becomes Gon and Killua’s second teacher and the one who taught Wing. Biscuit makes a much-needed appearance in the Chimera Ant arc, helping Gon and Killua hit a new level.
I have to give some major credit to Meruem. The villain and Chimera Ant King, the dude, was a freakin beast. In the beginning, knowing that he was the strongest being ever created, he was arrogant and had a preconceived notion of his kind’s superiority over humans. He takes an interest in strategy games. He defeats champion-level players by learning battle tactics. His world changes when he meets Komugi, a world-class champion in Gungi. No matter his superiority, he could never defeat her. The dude had an intensity on the level of other powerful anime characters.
Let’s give some major love to Isaac Netero. Anime really has you underestimating the old man in their series. Even though he was in the first arc, I really didn’t think much of him. The anime really came through and showed why he was an absolute BOSS! Isaac is the Chairman of the Selection Committee for the Hunter Exam and claimed to have been the strongest Nen user in the world over 50 years ago. Dude’s backstory is phenomenal. In his younger days, he spent four years rigorously training daily to express gratitude for martial arts. When he reached enlightenment, he developed an attack that would make gods blush. When he became serious, homeboy had a body and powers of a Greek God.
Hunter x Hunter is a fantastic, amazing, and great anime that everyone should watch. It has a compelling story, fantastic characters, and some of the best fights. I highly recommend everyone watch this anime. Every anime lover should watch this great show, become a hunter and smile at the world like Gon does.
BONUS CLIP!!!!!
