Note: Bear in mind that it has been two years since I first watched this show, so my memory is a little blurry in some places. I also haven't seen the Greed Island OVA, so know that this review isn't for that arc in particular. This review will also contain small spoilers, but I've outlined where they are.
Thanks!
Hi! This is my first review, and it's of a series I believe is quite criminally underrated. Whilst it does obviously lack in some areas when being compared to its newer, more polished and content-packed younger adaption, I think it still has some moments that genuinely made me
...
wish were included in the 2011 adaption.
For those that don't know, Hunter X Hunter is a narrative about a boy named Gon Freecs, who decides that he wishes to follow in his father's footsteps to become a professional hunter. He also dreams that someday he'll find his dad. Before one can become a hunter, however, they must undertake the rigorous and deadly Hunter Exam, which is where the story first starts. It's an intriguing premise, but due to the fact that this is a shonen, you'll have undoubtedly seen a bunch of other series with premises not too dissimilar. Where Hunter X Hunter distinguishes itself, then, is through its little twists and turns that'll keep you guessing as to what'll happen next, (coming from a viewer that had seen multiple shonens at this point). It also has fantastic, well-nuanced protagonists that don't feel like the world bends to their will. Overall, it's very well rounded.
Story: 9
I don't wish to spoil any moments in particular, but Yoshihiro Togashi, (the author of the manga that this was adapted from) is great at setting up instances that you expect will go exactly how you'd think, before completely going in the other direction, or cutting off whatever you'd expect entirely. Some of this is seen here, (particularly towards the end), but you will want to move on to the superior 2011 version to see these subversions in their entirety. This adaption only covers up to the Yorknew City arc, which is honestly one of the most well-written arcs in either series. Given that almost everything the story has in this adaptation is also included in the 2011 version, I want to talk about what that series doesn't have. In particular, its filler episodes, which are honestly some of the best filler episodes I've seen in any shonen. Unlike most filler, these episodes actually complement the characters really well, as they create instances where they give HxH's lesser-known cast members more development. Sure, it may not be canonical to the plot, or add any intricate details that are required to know for later plot points. They just make the characters feel more realistic and well-rounded.
There's a great moment in particular in the 1999 version that honestly made me dislike the Zevil Island sub-arc in the 2011 version, just because it omitted a sequence that really, REALLY complemented the arc in my opinion. That sequence was *SPOILERS* after Gon's first major encounter with Hisoka, in which you can wholly feel Gon's pain and suffering. The sequence is dragged out just enough to really make you question whether or not Gon will get through the exam at all, as it cemented the sheer difference in power between the protagonist and the antagonist. The scene just felt so cold to me, and the music really helped convey the piercing, dark bite of defeat. As mentioned earlier, this entire sequence was shortened to the point where you didn't really feel much, if any of Gon's emotion in the 2011 version. The 1999 sequence also gave more weight to the scene where Kurapika comforts Gon on his bitter defeat. *END SPOILERS*
It's instances like that that made me appreciate the 1999 version for focusing more on emotions and dragging out some areas to give a lot more weight. The newer adaption definitely does do this in the later arcs, but the 1999 version was never able to get to those arcs thanks to Togashi having a bad back.
This section went on longer than I had expected. Woops!
Art: 7
The art isn't particularly amazing, given that it is quite an old anime by today's standards. One thing I did like though was that the art had a darker tonal feel to it, in that darker shades were used more commonly than the 2011 edition. This can, again, be seen especially during the Zevil Island sub-arc, in which most of the arc takes place during the nighttime. This inspires an element of suspense in the viewer, and makes the overall ride more thrilling. I always like to imagine how the Chimera Ant arc would feel in 1999's tone and atmosphere. I'd guess it would be much more atmospheric and gritty. The animation itself is pretty good, all things considered. But since the newer version is done by Madhouse... you know where I'm getting with this. It is far surpassed.
So yeah, the art is good. It's the weakest aspect of the adaption, and is what makes the other adaption more entertaining to watch, as a lot of sequences are animated much better. Again though, they both have their own unique feel.
Sound: 8
The sound is pretty great from what I remember? It's not really something I picked up on, but every sound effect felt like it fit the instance. Although, certain ones, (like slashing, for instance) were used quite repetitively, so I can see why people may rate this lower.
I also have a massive affinity for the first opening. I know, it's a stark contrast of what the actual show is like, in that it portrays the four protagonists in a happy, peaceful world. Perhaps that's why I like it so much. But yeah, it's not great in foreshadowing anything other than the relationships between each character. The second opening is much better by all regards, but I'm not too much of a fan of the song xD
Character: 9
As I mentioned earlier, I feel that some characters come across as better nuanced in this version than in the 2011 adaption, thanks to its filler. Sure, the aforementioned nuance may not be canonical in Togashi's mind, but either way, I like to think of certain things being canon regardless. Unfortunately, since this adaption doesn't include the Chimera Ant arc, the viewer will only get to see Kurapika's character properly develop. This is fine, as it gives a demonstration of what Togashi can do when it comes to breaking characters down and exploring all aspects of their individual personalities. But, the characters in the 2011 version are better, in that there is more content to enjoy.
So, the 2011 version does exceed this adaption in that it has more plotlines to explore with characters, (with Gon and Killua getting the breakdown treatment during the Chimera Ant arc) but, again, the filler in my opinion still adds a lot to the main cast of characters. Other than that, the two are obviously very similar in that this regard. No character came across as particularly different in my eyes, although Hisoka does have blue hair for some reason xD.
Enjoyment: 10
Given that I watched this version before I watched the 2011 adaptation, I think I enjoyed it a lot more than I would if I watched it vice versa. That's how I recommend you watch the series if you want to get into it, as whilst I do believe the 2011 version exceeds this version in a lot of aspects, it still has a unique, darker feel that differentiates it from its younger brother. I was also a bit hyped up once I finished this adaption, as I knew I had a much longer, better animated journey to go through post watching this. Whereas if you were to watch the other version first, I think you might end up a tad disappointed and depressed, given that it ends on a fairly somber note. I enjoyed each and every arc as much as I did in the 2011 adaptation, but again, the two have very different atmospheres to them. You may find that one works more for you than the other.
Overall: 9
I do feel like this adaption is much more underrated than its newer brother. Sure, that one has a lot more content, and I even enjoyed it slightly more. Yet I felt like this one had a lot of heart to the arcs it did adapt, in that they swing you through the emotions a bit more. That may be due to the fact that the pacing is a bit slow, but I feel this is one instance in which that works in the anime's favour. So yeah, I wholeheartedly recommend this a watch for anyone looking to get into the Hunter X Hunter franchise. Be prepared though, as there are a few things I wish I'd known when I first watched it:
1. It starts off really slowly. Some people may find that okay, but it can be a bit of a drag before you get to the first major amount of action. I advise that ya stick with it. It gets much better :D
2. This anime will make you want to binge-watch the hell out of it. Also, it may just ruin literally every other shonen anime for you. At least it did that for me, anyways. So I recommend that you watch other shonen before going onto this one, as this one'll make you realise just how badly written other shonens are, and it'll make you yearn for them to do something unique with their characters....... It's a sad life once you've finished Hunter X Hunter xD
Wow this review went on for much longer than I expected. Sorry about that! I just wanted to talk about this great series for a bit. Get my thoughts out there. I hope you... enjoyed this review?
TL:DR: Give this a watch if you haven't partaken in any HxH yet! If you've seen 2011 already, ehh maybe don't bother? It has a lot of heart though, and some genuinely brilliant filler that actually adds to the plot/characters!
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Oct 9, 2017
Hunter x Hunter
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Note: Bear in mind that it has been two years since I first watched this show, so my memory is a little blurry in some places. I also haven't seen the Greed Island OVA, so know that this review isn't for that arc in particular. This review will also contain small spoilers, but I've outlined where they are.
Thanks! Hi! This is my first review, and it's of a series I believe is quite criminally underrated. Whilst it does obviously lack in some areas when being compared to its newer, more polished and content-packed younger adaption, I think it still has some moments that genuinely made me ... |
