Following on from where we left off from Clannad, Clannad After Story explores the life of the characters once they've left school.
Story:
The original Clannad had characters which were likable and a plot which made the watching brilliant. When I first heard about Clannad After Story, I was somewhat apprehensive, after all, more often than not the sequal to a series is never as good as the original. What I was not prepared for was that not only did the story deliver the high standard from the original series, it actually took the step and went one better. It seems that the small story arcs
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Jan 9, 2017
Hunter x Hunter (2011)
(Anime)
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"Hunter x Hunter" is the anime adaption of Yoshihiro Togashi's manga of the same name, and is also a reboot of the original anime adaption from 1999.
This review will contain very few spoilers, and will not break down the story arcs, rather it will analyse the show as a whole and give my overall opinion of the entire show. Story: Premise: "Hunter x Hunter" has a very interesting and well set up premise, that is simple to follow from the the very beginning. The story follows Gon Freecss, a 12 year old kid from Whale Island, who has spent his life becoming one with nature and ... honing his reflexes and skills, shining in activities such as fishing and things like that. He's an outdoor kid. He has but one goal in mind, to become a "Hunter". Despite the name, Hunters are not guys who go around hunting animals, but are elite members of society with great power and influence over the general population, and are a part of the Hunter Association, which are an organised group who regulate Hunters and are a powerful organisation who help maintain the world and its standards. To become a Hunter, one must prove themselves in the "Hunter Exam", a difficult round of tests where only the most elite people can pass. But Gon does not seek glory, or treasure or fame, he seeks one thing. His Father, Ging, who left him on Whale Island as a baby. Ging happens to be a Hunter, and Gon wants to become a Hunter himself so he can seek out his Dad, follow in his footsteps and find out why he chose being a Hunter over raising his own son. Yes, it sounds like your typical shounen stuff that we've all seen before, but there's many things it has going for it that no other series of the same demographic has. Pacing: Despite being a long running anime series that is 148 episodes in length. "Hunter x Hunter" is very well paced, especially when one compares it to "Naruto", "Bleach", "One Piece", and "Fairy Tail". Several people complain that the Chimera Ant Arc is too long, and that the exposition in this arc messes up the pacing to unforgivable levels. I disagree with this statement, and think these people don't fully understand the arc or the genius of its exposition. The battles: An important aspect to mention about "Hunter x Hunter" is it's take on the fighting side of things. "Hunter x Hunter" is different in the way it executes fights, in the sense that the fights themselves are almost never purely about raw strength, brute force, or who can take out the enemy with the biggest and most powerful nuclear. Instead, the battles are all about strategy, tactics and ingenuity. For example, the main character Gon isn't all that strong to start with, yet his speed, agility and keen senses give him some edge in battles. He can quickly avoid attacks due to his size and speed, and his senses and adaptability allow him to analyse his opponents and plan some kind of counterattack. Strategy and smarts are the key here, and everything is so well set up that it works every single time. The main character, Gon, is unlike many other shounen characters, in that he is not the strongest character. He has huge potential but he is nowhere near being the most powerful. And unlike many shounen anime, "Hunter x Hunter" doesn't have the any sudden or illogical power ups at all. All of the hard work and training that characters put in to become stronger or learn new techniques are shown to viewers so there are no spontaneous new moves that seem like they come from nowhere. On top of this, characters are seen winning battles mostly through tactics as opposed to brute force. The Nen system is also very intricate and thought out, and allows for a huge range of powers. And unlike shounens like Naruto (not hating, I actually like Naruto), it's not the person who has the most chakra (Nen) who wins, but rather who utilizes it the best. The battles are almost never one sided, if at all, to the point where you can't even be sure who'll win. Conclusion: The series ends perfectly, with more or less everything resolved. The Manga is actually still on-going, and the Anime had to stop due to Togashi being ill and on hiatus, something he does far too often. Despite this, the series ends at a point, where everything wraps up nicely. Characters: What makes "Hunter x Hunter" stand out, even more than its amazing plot, is its characters. Here are some details: "I can't stand being on the losing end forever!!" — Gon Freecss Gon Freecss: Gon is the main character of "Hunter x Hunter", and is typical happy go lucky protagonist who will do anything and everything to achieve his goal of becoming a Hunter and finding his Father. Gon is interesting as far as main character goes, because of how he is. His actions are unpredictable, simply because his personality is unpredictable. Gon does what he wants where he wants. It may sound simple, and maybe even a little cliche, but Gon is just interesting to watch, and his development is especially something to note. While he begins with a slow start, Gon develops dramatically, from a simple minded kid, with no experience, to a fast learning, powerful and incredibly strong individual. He is determined, stubborn and downright awesome. Gon has the one trait that most Shounen heroes are lacking these days and that is personality. He is unpredictable. He's just such a likeable and believable main character. And don't even get me started on his incredible character development and well handled morality during the Chimera Ant Arc. "Assassination—It's the family trade. We all take it up. My folks see me as an exceptional prospect. But I don't see that I should have to live up to their expectations." — Killua Zoldyck, to Gon Freecss Killua Zoldyck: Killua is a young 12 year old boy that Gon meets during the Hunter Exam, and despite the mysterious air about him, and an obvious hostile nature, he and Gon become best friends in a flash. Killua is a member of the famous Zoldyck family, a family of Assassins, and from an early age was exposed to a life of murder, torture and slaughter. Due to this, despite his appearance, and child-like nature, Killua is actually a cold blooded killer, who revels in blood and enjoys slaughter, making him a sharp contrast to Gon. He is very intelligent for his age and is well versed in various assassination techniques and has agility and stamina on the same levels as Gon does. However, without saying much, Killua is easily the most interesting and well developed character of the series, solely because of his transition from a dark, psychopathic monster, into Gon's best friend and almost blood brother. The development of Killua is simply incredible, as it is not sudden, but is instead a gradual process that happens over time. Killua is what holds the series together for the most part. He is the most interesting character. "Sometimes... Silence is the best answer." — Kurapika Kurapika Kurta: Kurapika is another protagonist, and befriends Gon and Leorio as they travel together to the Hunter Exam Site. Kurapika also desires to become a Hunter, in order to gain the power and knowledge to avenge his clan: The Kurta, who were slaughtered by an infamous band of thieves known as The Phantom Troupe, who murdered them for their Scarlet Eyes, which are said to be priceless and beautiful. Kurapika is all about revenge and vengeance, and although he mostly appears calm and collected, he is quick to anger, and can be fierce when provoked, especially when it involves his clan or the Troupe. when angered, his Scarlet eyes show themselves, and enhance his abilities to their maximum potential. In terms of development, Kurapika is also well developed. While he starts off as an emotionless, angst guy who simply cares for nothing but vengeance, as the series progresses, he comes to terms with reality, and realizes the people he still has matter more than his revenge. He's my favorite character of all time. "If I become Chairman... I'm going to make the Hunters Association my private property!" — Leorio Paradinight, during his speech Leorio Paradinight: Leorio is the final member of the main protagonists and is more minor than the rest. He claims he wants to become a Hunter solely for the immense amount of money they can acquire and due to the social status and perks that come from being a Hunter, but in reality he has a noble reason behind what he is doing, and merely puts on this front to avoid talking about it. Despite having the appearance of a middle aged man, Leorio is actually a teenager of 16, yet he acts on a level of maturity equal to that of his appearance. He is easily the least skilled fighter of the group, and isn't too bright either, but he possesses great stamina, determination and an almost unbreakable will that makes him so likeable. He's a very righteous character, who always looks out for others. He also serves as the comic relief character, and tends to do really stupid shit. His backstory at this point isn't well explained, and his goal has a ways to go, and therefore Leorio has yet to develop much, but his overall development is still there and is very gradual considering how little screen time he's gotten to himself. Leorio is easily likeable, and remains an interesting character due to having the role of the "big brother" of the group. He keeps everyone together, and it's nice to see. And don't even get me started on Gon and Killua's friendship, which is by far the most believable and emotion educing friendship ever conceived in the anime medium. In regards to the stories villains, they are just as well developed and grounded as the protagonists, from the perverted, sexual deviant, yet cunning and incredibly powerful Hisoka, to the mysterious and ever ominous. Phantom Troupe, the villains are always shadowed in mystery, and are just downright interesting. The villains are also interesting due to them being more complex than your average Anime villain. While some shows, such as "Bleach" and "Akame Ga Kill" have villains who are irredeemable and swimming in an endless sea of black morality, the villains of this show are another matter. They are evil yes, but they also show compassion for one another. They treat each other like family, and often act the way they do for reasons other than "because I can". The Chimera Ants break this trend later on because they aren't human but the main antagonist of the arc, actually becomes the best written morally grey character of all time. All in all, after a lengthy explanation. The characters of "Hunter x Hunter" are simply perfection. They are all interesting, unique, and well developed. Art and Animation: Hunter x Hunter was animated by Madhouse. The production values for this show, especially considering it's a long running anime, are simply incredible. The art is unique, with each character being uniquely designed, brightly coloured, and detailed as possible. The locations in which the show takes place are also well done, with detailed backgrounds and colourful and vibrant environments. The art contains such amazing attention to detail, that everything from the characters to the locations are just beautiful to gaze upon. The animation itself, is excellently done, with every frame captured beautifully, be it movement, combat, or just plain sitting and talking. Nothing is jumpy or jittery. Nothing is stat-icy or lazy. It's just all perfect. Madhouse did an amazing job at animating this 2011 "Hunter x Hunter" anime as when I looked back into the arcs on manga, Togashi's drop in quality is incredibly noticeable yet we don't see it at all in the anime. Everything is consistently beautiful in "Hunter x Hunter". Sound: The music of this show is amazing. I have no issues with it, and find the themes to be fitting, epic and well produced. The music is very good at setting the mood and the nostalgia hit hard when I heard these songs after the anime had ended. Hunter x Hunter's OST offered a sentimental feeling that permeated through most of the series. The opening theme is, surprisingly for a long running series, the same one the whole way through and is called "Departure". It's catchy, upbeat, and really captures the atmosphere of the series. The lyrics themselves are even symbolic of the series and its complex themes, almost hinting at the series dark undertones. The accompanying opening sequences are always really great too. The Ending themes are also really great. The first one, "Just Awake" is a strange, yet catchy one. I loved it. The second ending, "Hunting for your dream" is excellent and is epic as hell. There's just this really amazing feeling when it plays at the end of each episode. Then, there's "Reason" which is again, excellent, and has a very calm and soothing feeling to it. The voice acting is solid. All the characters are voiced appropriately. Gon sounds like the little kid he should, Hisoka sounds like a sexual deviant with a lust for blood. Everyone sounds perfect. The sound effects are great. There's lots of banging, clanging, and everything else. They feel real, and they give the impact they should. Overall: 10/10 A total masterpiece!
Reviewer’s Rating: 10
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