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Hunter x Hunter (2011) Arc Review: The Anime as a Whole
Author: Yoshihiro Togashi
Episodes: 148
The Praise
The main cast of Gon, Killua, Kurapika, and even Leorio all have their own conflicts, struggles, and resolutions that make them look completely different at the end of the anime from the beginning. Gon is the main character, but he takes the backseat to let the other 3 of the main squad shine in their own ways, and at one point, Gon isn’t seen for several episodes. What makes HxH (2011) excel even more in the character department is how even the ones that only have minor screen time are memorable, no matter their fate. Side characters aren’t shunned for development and quite a few make other appearances throughout the anime, which was a nice touch for world building. Antagonists are built to be two-sided, meaning that sometimes they are against Gon and friends and other times they are fighting alongside them and villains are made to be detestable. It’s not an easy feat and I feel that it was executed extremely well, and consistently, throughout HxH.
Building on the struggles, the fights and conflicts are perfect for my taste. I love a great fight with intense visuals, colors, and smooth movement. I also love that HxH knows how to create meaningful fights - some with largely character driven emotions, like Kurapika’s revenge - and some that come about because of necessity, like Gon versus Genthru. It feels more authentic that way. However, what adds even more to the pot is the fact that conflicts are pushed to the next level by Nen.
The power system in Hunter x Hunter (2011) is complexity and simplicity mashed into one: Nen. It is introduced simply but it quickly gains momentum and explodes into something that makes HxH even stronger. The fights in HxH were nice on their own, but from the Heavens Arena arc onwards it’s a whole new ballgame. The Chimera Ant arc is where the potential and power of Nen is fully realized for both heroes and villains in a horrifyingly beautiful way - standing far above even the other arcs in the anime. I can’t imagine what Togashi
was thinking coming up with a system like this, but it’s a masterpiece that I can easily see getting deeper.
The voice acting was G-r-r-reat!! I can now hear Killua in other anime, but that’s beside the point. Everyone played their role so well. From the villains, side characters, and the main cast - they all showed emotion with their heart and vocal chords so you could feel it. You could feel Uvogin’s lust for battle, Nobunanaga’s sadness and anger, Gon’s genuine happiness and later despair, and even Killua’s painful struggle against Illumi’s control. Now...imagine it was paired with a fantastic soundtrack and you have Hunter x Hunter (2011).
Gon and Killua’s friendship is what a naive MC and the cool, calculating best friend looks like done right. They were very close, and not too close. They were in disagreement but in agreement. They balanced each other well, and in my opinion, they were perfect for the anime and only propelled their own growth in several ways. I’ll never forget their meeting and how they progressed until the end of this anime. Huge shout-out to Togashi for making these characters and Madhouse for bringing them to life (for the 2nd time) for 148 packed episodes and minimal filler. I only wish there was more episodes of the manga animated.
The Critique
Hunter x Hunter (2011) was mostly consistent in its arc length, but going from Greed Island into the Chimera Ant arc hit me as a surprise. Sure the tone shift caught me off guard, but what sucker punched me was how long the arc was turning out to be. Luckily, it was split in a decent fashion with the Phantom Troupe in the middle, but it started to feel long and dragging like before the prep for storming the palace. I recognize the tone shift can be a turn-off for some that were a fan of how “bright” the arcs were before, so that is a watch out.
Casual death is extremely common as well, so even if it’s glazed over...there’s a lot of it. As far as character and changes, I can’t speak to how “Madhouse ruined Kite” because I’m not a manga reader, but from what I’ve briefly heard and seen Kite played a much larger role than what was animated. There’s some gender ambiguity as well...specifically Alluka and Pitou, but it didn’t really affect how I felt about the anime or the characters themselves. It’s not like it’s the first anime to have some of it. Lastly, I’ve become aware of is how the introduction of Kurapika and Leorio was changed in the 2011 version to make it more exciting. My thoughts are that the 2011 version captures the audience faster and creates less blank space, but I understand if fans of the 1999 version think that the original added more value.
The Verdict
Hunter x Hunter (2011) is an apex shounen anime. If you’re a fan of shounen anime, or great anime in general, give Hunter x Hunter (2011) a watch. There’s great characters that face some well-structured conflict, life and death battles, and genuine friendship in a way that feels 10x more real that many others that attempt it. Be warned that character death is fairly frequent when it hits its stride. But it usually gets overshadowed with how impactful and intense the fights and story are. I can easily say that it is in my top 5 favorite anime of all time and it deserves that spot. It doesn’t do too much out of the ordinary in terms of a shounen, but the Nen abilities, emotion, and animation is done so well that the final story execution is near perfection. You won’t regret watching it. So take in every small moment, and buckle in for one of the best stories of the decade. ~D.
Hunter x Hunter (2011) Anime Rating: 10 gold nuggets out of 10
Arc by Arc Rating (Arc Ratings / Total Arcs): 87% (61/70)