Story
10/10
"Hunter x Hunter" follows the story of Gon, a 12 year old boy who wants to become a Hunter and find his dad who is a hunter, in “Hunter x Hunter” hunters are individuals who dedicate their lives to specific fields and missions for example, a gourmet hunter hunts for unique types of food while a ruin hunter hunts for ancient ruins and historic sites that are yet to be discovered. Hunters are extremely well respected by the society that surrounds them. Some of the top ranking Hunters are said to have the same power as a president. “Enjoy the littler detours to the fullest because that is where you will find the things most important than what you are looking for” this quote is taken from a character from "Hunter x Hunter" (the character shall remain unnamed in order to avoid spoilers). This quote perfectly sums up the approach Togashi has towards his story. The main plot point of finding the father is almost always overshadowed by several sub-plots. Togashi manages to implement a lot of interesting characters and thrilling events into these subplots which always keeps the reader on the edge of their seat. It’s actually more fitting to say that in some arcs the sub-plots transform into the main plot and the main plot is swept aside till the sub-plot ends .This causes "Hunter x Hunter" to feel like a new series at the begging of every arc, which makes it non-repetitive and always entertaining to watch. Another thing that keeps this story entertaining is the change of tone that occurs in every Arc. Some arcs such as the first and third arc can be very adventurous and have a mostly positive atmosphere. Other Arcs such as the fourth and sixth Arc can be extremely violent, dark and depressing. This shift in tone is essential for a series that is 148 episodes long.
Characters
10/10
Togashi can easily change the cast of an entire arc when starting a new one. The characters present in an arc are always almost 100% different from the character of the preceding arc. The only characters that appear in every arc are the two leads, Gon and Killua. Togashi manages to write every single character in a very unique way, he would often give appealing character designs and backstories to characters who appear for a short amount of time (Usually they’re instantly killed off). Togashi’s strongest point in the whole series is his ability to write villains. All the Antagonists in Hunter x Hunter (with the exception of the bombers) have several layers to their personalities. The villains aren’t just cool characters that are given any lame reason to fight the protagonists. Instead the antagonists are well-developed characters whose interest’s conflict with the interests of the main protagonists, this makes the protagonist’s and antagonist’s battles have more value and intrigue added to them in addition to making the plot feel smooth and UN-forced. Another great thing Togashi does is making all the present character have a significant influence over the narrative. In most Shounen series there will be a point in the story where a lot of characters are just standing there in the background looking like a bunch of completely useless cheerleaders while the main character pummels the bad guys. That's not the case with "Hunter x Hunter". If Togashi takes the time to include a character in the current-narrative than he will make sure that the character plays a significant part and that his/her motives are well aligned with what is going on in the story.
Sound and Animation
8/10
For a series that is 148 episodes the animation of “Hunter x Hunter (2011)” is as good as it get. The animation has never been bad, it is average at worst. In the regular moments that don’t require much attention the animation is “average”. In episodes where something important happens the animation quality jumps up a notch to “really good”. In the few unforgettable moments the animation jumps to “Excellent” all of the sudden (Especially towards the second half of the Chimera Ant Arc). Basically the animation is always consistent and the animators save their best effort for the right moments. The soundtrack is very catchy and a few tracks are absolutely brilliant (Elegy of the Dynasty and Riot, and The Last Mission are my favorites). The problem is that there aren’t enough tracks in the soundtrack several themes are played over and over again throughout the course of the series which can sometimes bore the viewer’s ear (especially if you are re-watching "Hunter x Hunter"). However, the soundtrack does become a lot more diverse in the sixth arc as several new themes are introduced. The brilliance of the soundtrack more than makes up for its repetitiveness.
Overall
10/10
"Hunter x Hunter" is definitely a masterpiece. Not because it lacks any significant flaws but because it is an extremely ambitious series that proves that a Shounen can have masterful storytelling with a sophisticated plot and extremely well-developed characters. Classy, consistent and filled with quality, "Hunter x Hunter" is definitely worth the couple dozen hours that you will spend if you chose to watch this anime.
