It’s been a long while since last time I read Hunter x Hunter manga. I loved it but have never finished it. This time after suggested by DK, I decided to give it a second try. Unfortunately, Netflix only has the first 100 episodes (2011 reboot) and I have to keep watching it on AnimeShow.tv. After three weeks, I finally reached the end and I have to admit this is the best anime I’ve seen so far. Better than Full Metal Alchemist, better than Gintama, and a bit better than Code Geass.
Hunter x Hunter (HxH) has a total 148 episodes, composed of 7 chapters. Anime with the length like this is usually constructed with several short stories, like Gintama, or with a central goal and side stories branching out, like Inuyasha, One peace or Naruto. Those animes are great, but I tend to lose my passion after 40-50 episodes. HxH never bored me. And I should say it only gets better one chapter after another. There are always new characters with unique Nens being introduced. You can never guess how the story evolves, and pretty much all characters, from protagonists like Gon, Killua, to antagonists like Hisoka, the Queen of Chimera Ant, even the ones who only showed up in a few episodes, like Alluka Zoldyck, are memorable and likable. I only can imagine this was because the author Yoshihiro Togashi (冨樫 義博), who is famous for postponing his work, has enough time to think and tweak his work, not because he is lazy.
Here are some characters I’m most fond of in the anime.
Kurapika. I like him better than the other three main characters, Gon, Killua and Leorio. I think he has the coolest Nen ever, until Killua learned his electricity trick. Also his mysterious background, scarlet eyes and his revenge to the Phantom Troupe, which was the reason for introducing those interesting members are all exciting. Sadly, he almost disappeared after the Yorknew City chapter. Besides, I dislike the voice actress very much.
Hisoka Morow. After HxH taught us the Nen and we, together with Gon and Killua were struggling to understand how it works, Hisoka showed us his tremendous power of Gungee Gum, how he had cleverly manipulated his Nen to suit his role as a “magician”, which was both impressive and entertaining. Hated of being bored, Hisoka is nothing but a boring character.
Alluka Zoldyck. She is the younger sister of Killua and has possibly the most confusing and dangerous power in the anime. It took me a while plus a lot of reading to understand her power, which is truly remarkable. Her ability is to grant wishes and she has a second personality, named Nanika (ナニカ?, “Something”) by Killua. Once a person grants three requests made by her, Nanika grants their wishes. The bigger the wish, the bigger her demands will be for the next person. If her demands are refused, the refusee and their closest love will die. There are other restrictions along with how the wish is made and to what extend people will die should her demands were refused. But Togashi San was able to turn this nuclear bomb to a lovely doll and make her to safe Gon. After the long and tiring Chimeric Ant chapter, the appearance of her was very refreshing.
Worth to mention, Togashi San married Naoko Takeuchi, who created Sailor Moon. What a match!!
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