User reviews

Before you start reading I just want to say that I am only on episode 56.

I was recommended by some people to watch this anime. All the persons I spoke to said it was one of the best things they had ever seen. So I gave it a try of course. After the first 3 episode I thought like this: "What the hell is this!? Must be one of the most boring concepts for a show I have ever seen. Annoying protagonist taking a deadly hunter-exam to meet his famous father? This is on the edge to embarrassment." As you can see I really didn't like the first glimpse of the show. I decided it was not worth my time. But the people who told me about this show kept pushing me back telling me it's going to get better, and I love them for it! After Episode 11-13 the show started to get a little more interesting as I got to know the characters who seemed flat at first. Now I see them in full 3D (no I'm not referring the graphic). Episode 1-14 took maybe 2 weeks to watch through. 15-30 a few days and 30 to 56 (where I am now) in maybe 2 days. What I am trying to say is:

"Wait until episode 15 or so until you judge it. Like any marathon anime you have to give it some time before it gets going. And if you like it even just a tiny bit by then, just wait till episode 40+!"

With that said I can now sleep with ease.

Now for the story. Its about a 10 year old kid who wants to be a hunter (Hunter is a title that proves you have taken a really hard exam to be able to find his famous mythical father. That is the gist of how it starts anyway. I cant say any more without spoiling the fun. You will have to watch it yourselves to find out what happens.

If I where to compare this show with anything it would be Naruto, just not as main stream and over rated.

I give this show a clean 8 of 10 stars because it has superb character development (Hisoka anyone?), Nailbiting story and great visuals. What keeps it form a full pot is the weak beginning, and though it is exiting and gripping it has never (yet) pulled me all the way to the same bliss that FMA or Trigun did.

Hunter x Hunter Review pronounced Hunter Hunter (no X).

This Anime is so great on many levels. It has a little bit of everything but it never loses sight of what it's trying to say. Male themes are abound and many facets are explored especially the complex relationships between males. Friendship and the bittersweet relationship between a father and a son.

It also explores themes like revenge, achieving dreams, belief in oneself, competition, succeeding with integrity and many many more.

This is all done with absolutely no fillers. This Anime is 62 episodes long. 3 ova's (between 8-14 episodes each I believe) and it is still not finished.

Here is a breakdown of what I think are important factors in an Anime Series.

Animation

The animation for the first 62 episodes are well done. Of course some who compare it to the latest and greatest will be disappointed but I believe they are missing the point. The anime is done in a very fitting style according to the story with emphasis for realism. Sometimes the characters are light and sometimes they are quite serious and dark. This is not a cutesy Anime not all characters have big eyes and colourful hair. It knows when it should be what according to the story. I actually like the TV animation better than the G.I ep. It was more realistic to my eye.

Characters

This is where this Anime truly shines. The main characters are Gon, Killua, Kurapica and Leorio. They are all interesting and bring something important to the table. My personal favorites are Gon and Killua. They have a great friendship where each of them shine with their own qualities and help each other in all situations. (A very brief introduction to the characters)

Gon - He is a boy who is pure of heart, caring and sincere. But he is strong and determined to achieve what he wants. It is important to note that he never once does something underhanded even when faced with a person who means to harm him. A boy who knows who he is and what he stands for.

Killua - He is a boy with a very dark side. The most interesting character in this series IMO along with HISOKA.

Kurapica - A man with a very important mission worth dying for.

Leorio - A man who has inner demons. He is hard on himself but caring of others.

Hisoka - Ahh...Hisoka. What can I say, he is the most wicked anime character I've ever seen. Even when he is madcrazy he is cool. He's one of those guys that you hate to love but you do anyway.

Secondary characters are also well thought out and have a purpose.

Story - First arc. People all over the world try to compete in a life and death test for a Hunter License (kind of like a elite license to kill for money). This is just one of about 6 arcs. The test is far from easy. Aside from brute strength it tests mentality, psychology, etc. The story has more twists than you can imagine. More importantly the twists are imaginative and interesting. There are many arcs and each character has intercepting story lines as well as individual ones. There is never a dull moment.

Music and Sound Effects are Great. I think the Opening and Ending themes are very well chosen. It always seems to fit the arc. The sound effects are first rate ie when they are on the airship hear the trapped air of an aircraft in the background. Realism for sound is highlighted. Also there are many different background themes so it never gets repetitive. Second OP is alternitive rock, reminds me of early Our lady peace stuff.

Voice Actors I watched this Anime entirely in Japanese with English Subtitles. Amazing voice actors, every single one of them. If I had to say I would choose Hisoka as the best and Gon and Killua as tie for second place.

Entertainment Factor Is it fun to watch though?? Yes it is. It's even better the second time around, I kid you not! This is one of those Animes where you become invested in the characters because you get to see them happy, sad, defeated, vulnerable, scared, having fun and more. This anime is quite long but trust me you will not be complaining. Most likely you will be like the other Hunter x Hunter fans waiting anxiously for the new episodes. It is also important to note that people actually die in this anime and even main characters kill people. It's quite violent at times and the fighting system used in this anime is very interesting. There is no 2 moves per character that they use over and over again...Thank God! Better than Naruto IMO. Also this anime is very funny at times even if you don't speak Japanese like me. Thanks Fansubbers, keep up the good work =)

Anything Negative to say? Just one tiny thing. It starts off a little slow in the first 5 or so episodes for character development. I guess that's why this anime isn't as well known as some others. *sigh* definitely a loss for those people who stop watching because there is not enough action for them in the beginning. All in all this Anime is a must see. You will not be sorry. It is still available on AnimeSuki. Enjoy

It starts off with a young boy named Gon after meeting a Young man who Knew his father who was presumed dead and from this man Gon discovers that his dad is a Real famous 'Hunter' so like his father he wants to become a so called 'Hunter' and at the same time go in search for his father who seems to have disappeared from the publics eye. Gon first meets a man named leoreo ( or something like that ) and an episode later a young male named Kurapica. They all became friends rather quickly ( after a confrontation between leoreo and kurapica) and decide to help each other out until they get to the Hunter Exam location. During the Exam Gon finds another boy relatively the same age ( most are adults ) who is an assassin from a family of assassins, Killua soon discovers he really finds Gon a real nice gentle, yet different person then most hes met and quickly makes up his mind to do w/e he can to be able to be with him. After the Exam They are given a temp. license and later on given a real license...this is where the show takes a huge turn from semi-fighting fantasy to Completely fantasy fighting ( good thing ). Each person has an Aura from one of the 5 I believe types of auras there are, gon being Reinforcement ( brute force ) Kurapica being specialization ( one that can master all 7 ) and Killua a transformation. The fighting styles are similar to that of Yu-yu hakusho ( same author ), Naruto, FullMetal aclhemist, and other similar titles, BUT unlike the rest of those other titles HxH is different, for one it has more blood and gore then the others , which to me was surprising considering the show as mainly about a young boy ,but works really well. The animation works REAL nice with the anime which is a darkish type of color animation( i guess like Gundam wing or consider those anime movies that feel real with its darkish color animation)which gave it a realistic feeling. Although I prefer the series and the first ova I didn't like the ova's that came after since the animation changed from a darkish type ( went well with this type of anime ) to a Brighter animation ( Similar to that of naruto,Gundam seed don't work THAT good with this anime)..i give the series a 10 out of 10!!

I have been watching anime for years now, and to this day Hunter x Hunter is still one of the greatest I have ever seen. The series initially seems mainstream, but this is one the series all other series are judged on. Hunter x Hunter represents 'old school' anime, when there was a lead up to fights and you really got to know the characters, their back stories and their personalities. The series has been re-released in 2011 to incorporate the new arc in the manga. In my opinion, its a lot more rushed and faster paced, but many people like that. I have to say that the original will always win for me. Its the only series I have ever watched twice. I would highly recommend this to anyone.

Back in the day when I had 3 friends that were so close like this anime friendship. This anime really shows hows how friends can be so close regarding all of the differences between.

The only anime I've ever watched a million times. The overall atmosphere is in place. As you can see, the production team was really short of money, but they did their best. Unfortunately, this version will never be updated again.

This is the best shonen anime as this anime does not follow the simple shonen anime template in which everything is in favour of the main character and everything becomes convenient to him. In this anime, there are so many characters with so much variety that one can never gets bored. Now I haven't watch the 2011 version of this anime, but this one is a bit slow paced at times but after some episodes it picks up the pace. I recommend this anime to watch it if you are a fan of shonen anime.

I have to say, I tried watching the 2011 series first and I was so uninterested. I gave up 8 episodes in. I eventually turned my attention to this series a year or so later and loved it. While the animation isn't as smooth, the art direction, music, and characterisation is so much better here. And don't be put off by the prospect of filler! There isn't a lot in this series at all compared to other shows of the time, and what there is, is much better written than say... dragon ball z filler. Definitely check this out if you're a fan of that 90s anime aesthetic or if, like me, the popular 2011 didn't grab your attention.

If I was introduced to Hunter through the 1999 anime, I would have stopped watching. Many people say the story gets better as it goes (and it does) but the pacing is aweful. Too much time on too little progress. The 2011 reboot fixes the pacing problem, cuts out unnecessary info, has better character development, has a far superior soundtrack, and emphasises Gon's over the top optimism. This version lacks a punch when Gon is angry because he is close to lifeless most of the time, but with the reboot centralizing Gon's happy spirit, when he's sad or angry it's almost a shock. So, watch the 2011. That's it.

Even worse than the 2011 version I've already watched, I didn't finished it since the graphics were old and there's not much difference between the two versions other than extra arcs you get from the newer version. Just not my cup of tea!

What an amazing series this was. Just as good as the newer version of Hunter x Hunter even though it has some similiar elements and subtle differences.

The sounds of this anime was amazing it had this dark and light hearted vibe to it if you get what I mean. The music really reminds of FMA and so if you liked the music in FMA then you will most certainly like it for this anime. The visuals weren't bad or good either. It didn't have that crisp sharp look to it and most of the fight scenes were not comparable to that of the 2011 version.

The story was really amazing I enjoyed it alot. It had the perfect pacing and good consistency mixed in with a great buildup of plot. Though the ending was kind of bittersweet for me since the series reached the manga it stopped producing any more eps. The characters were likable and were well written. They did an amazing job really taking their time and introducing us to the characters unlike the 2011 version and probably had better filler episdoes than the 2011 version.

Overall a very enjoyable series. "Poetic, Entertaining and Far Reaching".

Firstly, it gets a 9 from Togashi being more than a little lazy and stopping the manga which put a LOT of holds on the anime, which is why the series was cancelled and OVAs were put out instead. The only problem there is that if you watch the whole series and the 3 OVAs, Genei Ryodan saga and Greed Island and Greed Island Final, it will leave you wanting more which you can't get without reading the manga(which currently isn't that high in US releases). Essentially it is a story of four friends (a la Yu Yu Hakusho which is another Togashi creation). The central character, Gon, grows to ~12 without knowing his father. Meeting a man, a Hunter, who claims to have known his father sets Gon off on his journey. He meets the 3 others in the exams to become a Hunter and they remain close, despite physical distance at times.

The story covers all 4 and their reasons for becoming "Hunters". Gon wants to find his father; Leorio, slightly older, wants to become a doctor and help people; Curapika(spelling/pronunciation varies for his name) wants revenge; Killua, Gon's closest friend of the 3, was bored. They all have reasons from their past. It also follows them after the Hunter exams are over, which is when the story really picks up, as does the action. The world suddenly gets a lot larger and more characters are introduced, both helpful and as hindrances to their goals.

It is well-written but with filler, as most anime interpretations on manga do. If you enjoyed Yu Yu Hakusho and other 'fight-based' animes then this is something you'll want to see. Also, despite the ages of the central and main character (Gon and Killua, respectively), it gets pretty dark and sometimes outright violent. If it's an appreciation for 'supernatural' powers such as ki and other odd things, then this is also for you as it becomes an increasingly important issue as the series moves forward. At first it remains fairly realistic and gets odder and more alien as it progresses with the four learning how to use their "Nen" which is their worlds version of Ki. There are 6 types of powers which all effect the type of things people can do with their power. Reinforcement is enhancing physical abilities such as strength, speed, and even reinforcing objects to make them stronger; Transformation is changing the properties of one's aura, such as making it sticky like gum, bouncy like rubber, or carry properties such as electricity; Emission is the ability to shoot aura and control it from a distance; Manipulation allows the user to manipulate objects/people in different ways, depending on the user; Materialization lets the person create objects with their aura, being closely tied to transformation; Specialization is the final one. It is just that, special. It is very different depending upon the person, as on people can steal other abilities, another can mimic the other 5 types, etc.

Hunter X Hunter moves in a gradual process which leads you to the shift from more toned-down fighting and story into the powerful and expansive world that it becomes without throwing you in with no reason. That's another Togashi move, if you've ever seen Yu Yu Hakusho.

As a newcomer to anime, I just finished watching HxH last night, and I've nothing but good things to say about this beautiful series.

First we get acquainted with Gon Freaks, a 12 y.o boy, who sets off on a journey to pass the upcoming Hunter Exam, and get his "Hunter license"

Though I don't want to spoil too much of a good series, I can say that HxH takes on remarkable speed after episode 30. And as one put it, "great character development", totally agree.

I have yet to watch Naruto, but if you are a fan of the genre, as people have put it, HxH will not be a letdown.

It is with some tears in my eyes I leave Gon & co, and set my aim for similar series as this 1.

Don't miss this masterpiece!

9/10

the story does continue with the "manga", there are at least 100+ volumes in the "manga" that aren't( at least not yet) in the anime, I recommend that anyone who likes the anime should continue reading the "manga" at a site like "onemanga.com"

I personally love this series, and give it a 10/10, I like it because the fights are awesome, and it has a good story. its also completely unique in its plot and character abilities, there is a good variety in both characters and their abilities. the main character is Gon Freecs, who wants to meet his dad, and is trained as a hunter. he fights many strong fighters in reaching his goal. it is my favorite anime( and manga) ever.(I said "manga" because this site wont let me say manga, and saying comics isn't quite a good tranlation for it)

When I started watching this I thought it was cliché. The animation looked okay, but it just takes so damn long to build up the story, especially in the beginning. I have to admit that while watching the first episodes of Hunter X Hunter I thought to myself "oh man this sucks", but after a couple of episodes, it finally starts to draw you into the story surprisingly.

My favorite character is Hisoka because of his attitude. He's a complete pervert (pay attention to the dialog for some really funny lines by him) but he just comes across like a guy who is just bored of outranking everyone in fights. Throughout the series Hunter X Hunter has a couple of episodes that are typical training-stuff that is quite common in a Shonen Jump anime. However, the story takes a turn when the hunt for this video game-console starts that allows players to enter a virtual reality world in real-time.

One thing I didn't like is the ending, because well... There isn't really any. The story starts out with this boy who wants to become a hunter just like his dad so that he can go look for him, but whatever happened to that in the later seasons? I don't know, but somehow this never gets explained (and I watched everything, including the OVA's).

Despite that though, its a quite refreshing but a little bit underrated Shonen Jump anime with some nice character and story development. Just make sure you get past the first episodes though.

Hunter x Hunter has been on my list for a while as an anime considered one of the greatest of all time. Watching these "greatest of all time" animes have been 50-50. Berserk & Evangelion I just didn't vibe with completely while Fullmetal Alchemist & Code Geass were just perfection. Hunter x Hunter turned out to be a positive experience for me, though later I'll tell you why I should've watched the remake instead of the original. But yeah, Hunter x Hunter was solid & I really enjoyed.

All the characters were interesting. That's it. That's all any story needs to anchor my attention. There's really not too much to say about Gon and that's only because if you watch the show, literally every other character has at least 2 inner monologues per episode about how special he is. They're right of course. Gon is just insanely likeable and I love the way he looks at the world and solves problems. He really is unique amongst everyone else in the show. Kurapika..... I wanna know more about him. I'll get into it later, but Kurapika is extremely clever and when him and Gon put their minds together, they're unstoppable. Leorio is actually interesting because he really got through the Exam through sheer dumb luck. But it's fun to have a charismatic guy like him around acting like the dad of the group. I would've loved to see him grow stronger as he had potential to go from underdog to beast. Killua was by far the most interesting character out of the main 4. His arc and development were so dimensional given his background. I really loved that moment when he wanted to kill the injured cub. That was a huge turning point in his character as a child who was raised to be a killing machine being taught that there's more to life than just death.

When it comes to Antagonists, no question Hisoka was the GOAT. With his abilities he just seemed untouchable, and that made him scary. Not to mention his psychopathic aura and creepy smile. He's definitely one of those characters that's not on one side or the other, just his own. So I can totally imagine him killing his allies for fun, or helping our protagonists to benefit him.

Going into the story, The Hunter exam took about half the series to complete. And it was an interesting concept for sure. Trick Tower and the Hunger Games portions were the most fun to watch. The Hunter Exam also emphasized the tone of story, which is quite polarizing. In my mind I compare hunter x hunter to last airbender when it comes to tone but it's more PG-13 than last airbender given the level of gore. People die, sometimes brutally. But Gon is there to make it feel like we're still in a kid's show.

I was obsessed with the Zuldac Family arc. Assassins are just my thing. The whole family and their property and their employees had a distinct culture within the land's walls and it was fun to learn about. This was followed by Gon and Killua's Heaven's Arena experience. This is when we learned about Nen and auras and stuff. This concept helped explain Hisoka's abilities a bit more. It also helped Gon level up as well, which he already did when he trained to open the Zoldac door. The whole arc was a training montage just drawn out and slow burned through many episodes, but it was all good fun. There was also a moment in Gon's arc when he became obsessed with training and it made the teacher believe he was creating a monster out of Gon, given that he was gaining a lot of power really fast. I don't know, I think beast mode Gon would be fun to watch.

Heaven's Arena also played the part as filler build up to the York New City auction, which... unfortunately the original anime ends on. Now the whole auction arc was intense. We finally see the Spiders in action, even seeing Killua's father and grandfather on the job because of it. All really epic, but then it just ended.... and I was disappointed. So many arcs were left incomplete. Gon's dad & Kurapika's scarlet eyes quest were not even close to being complete. It's like how I felt at the end of Evangelion and Berserk. I enjoyed all 3 animes every second completely engulfed and mesmerized up until the final moments or episodes. However, from my understanding, the remake goes further than the original, at least twice as long, so I'm already making plans to watch it. I'm actually excited to watch the remake. Hunter x Hunter has already proven itself to be a great story with wonderful characters and the original left me craving more.

Most people prefer the 2011 version because of the higher quality production, but the art style that you find in this anime crushes the 2011 version. The coloring, the character designs and the cinematic shots, all these are made perfectly in this 1999 version. It gives way better experience and feel for the environment, and the music is so amazing its so peaceful at the beginnig of the anime, and gets better and better as you go on. The so called filler episodes and slow pacing compared to the 2011 version are what makes the overall feel of the anime better.

You'll always put a happy face when you're watching this no doubt, as the comedy is light, pure and very close to the heart, not trying to be funny by silly jokes or reactions. The dark scenes are made so well. I think I didn't give the music enough credibility but you have to experience it yourself to know how truly masterful it is.

I'm a long time admirer of Yoshihiro Togashi's artistic vision. His signature work of fiction "Yu Yu Hakusho" is counted among my favorite animated franchises of all time and it stands as a testament to the potential of anime, with its engrossing concept of martial arts/fantasy, riveting action, and unforgettable characters. Undeniably one of the best that the genre has to offer! Following the success of Yu Yu Hakusho, Togashi wrote and illustrated his ongoing manga series Hunter x Hunter, which was soon adapted into an animated series. Hunter x Hunter has a great deal to offer for anime fans and beyond and has many recognizable elements of Togashi's unique and creative style. The franchise didn't catch on at the same scale as it's predecessor Yu Yu Hakusho, but thanks to a recently released reboot anime series Hunter x Hunter is rightfully increasing in popularity.

One of the essential qualities that make Yoshihiro Togashi significant as an artist is his ability to create charming and complex characters and Hunter x Hunter is no exception. The series focuses on a band of four great characters, each with their own reason for becoming a hunter. Hunters are widely regarded as elite members of the human race who devote themselves to seeking vast riches and undiscovered mystical wonders of the world. In their quest they are privileged to go virtually anywhere they so desire. Gon, a, pure, confident, and irresistibly personable boy, is motivated to become a hunter to discover the truth about his father (a professional hunter himself) who left him while he was still an infant. Kurapika is the last surviving member of the Kurta Clan (renowned for their "Scarlet Eyes" that become the color of red while in a state of rage or agitation) which was slaughtered by the Phantom Troupe, an infamous band of thieves who sought possession of their valuable eyes. Kurapika dedicates his life to administrating justice to the Phantom Troupe for his clan's massacre and retrieving the stolen eyes of his brethren. He endeavors to become a hunter to fulfill this purpose. Leorio comes off at first as a selfish man with an all-consuming desire for money, but further development of his character reveals that it's his wish to become a doctor to help those that can't afford medical treatment. His hope is to never again repeat the mistake of being unable to save an old friend from succumbing to a fatal illness. With the money earned from Hunter status, his dream could become reality. Leorio also serves as hysterical comic relief, keeping dark tension at bay. The fourth and last protagonist Killua shares a great deal in common with Gon, given his cheerful and mischievous nature. Killua comes from a family of widely renowned assassins who bred him to be a ruthless killer, but he eventually grew weary of that life and rejected his family's expectations. In spite the advantages born of his background, Killua is still but a child, longing to experience the bright side of life, believing that the Hunter exam offered him the perfect opportunity. There he would also learn the indisputable value of friendship, a quintessential anime theme.

The plot follows this band throughout the hunter exam and their adventures beyond, as they strive to help one another hunt for their dreams, leaving a lasting impact on each other's lives in the process. You want to see them succeed in fulfilling their goals. Along the way, they befriend new allies and encounter new enemies, each event having an important part of its own to play in their lives; all this playing out in the forefront of top-notch animation that reeks of real artistry, especially in the organic jungle sequences. The brilliance of the animation elevates the experience to another atmospheric level. Hunter x Hunter is a wonderful anime that is rich in story, character, and imagination, meant for those who dare to dream the big dream. The fulfillment of your dreams is the greatest of treasures, so never give up the hunt until the very end!