Hunter x Hunter 10/10

Hunter x Hunter is one of my and many others favorite manga/anime of all time. This review will concentrate on the 2011 anime adaption, which follows Gon's and his friends and frenemies adventures. But don't be fooled, this is not a typical kid's show, with every arc HxH gets darker and more enlightening.

 Yoshihiro Togashi has created many other works in the shōnen genre, such Yū Yū Hakusho, but HxH is his most successful publication, for good reason. The plot is engaging, all the characters are unique and bring the story to live, I mean the world building is first class AND makes logical sense. You can't even hate the bad guys because they are so well written and mesmerizing, you have to be a master storyteller if the audience is falling for the bad guys, like Hisoka, Chrollo or Meruem.

HxH starts in a very stereotypical shōnen manga way, we meet our young protagonist Gon Freecss, who discovers that his long-lost father, Ging Freecss, is a legendary Hunter, and now wants to become a Hunter as well and find him. The story is set in a world where Hunters, individuals with special skills and abilities, are highly respected and sought after for various tasks. To accomplish that, he has to pass the hunter's exam along with many other hopefuls. During the exam he meets his new best friend Killua, as well as Leorio, Kurapika, and the strange clown Hisoka, who will become his first rival throughout the show.

He passes the exam and can now start his adventures, and those rapidly grow in difficulty. We learn more about Kurapika and his life's mission to avenge his dead clan members. To avenge them, he has to kill Chrollo and his spider gang, strong nen users that won't be beat easily. Btw, nen is the magical ability in the HxH universe. Every hunter has to have a nen ability to be able to fight strong opponents. 

The next arc revolves around Killua and his assassin family. Everyone in his family is crazy, as well as strong. Gon is trying to help Killua escape the home, so he can join him in his adventures that involve Greed Island, a virtual world Gon's father build, which will bring him one step closer to finding him. It's a running joke in the anime community to refer to Gon's dad as one of the worst dads in anime, since he abandoned him as baby to work as hunter and then never really bothered helping him in any way. Once he gets Killua out of that hell house, the gang decides to help Kurapika, and once that is done, they visit Greed Island and power up. After that, HxH's most popular arc begins, the Chimera Ant arc, aka one of the best arcs in shōnen history.

As the arc progresses, it becomes apparent that the Chimera Ants are not just a physical threat but also a moral and ethical one. The Chimera Ant King, Meruem, emerges as a character of great intelligence and power, and his interactions with humans, including the blind girl Komugi, lead to profound philosophical discussions about humanity, power, and identity.

I don't want to spoil it for anyone who hasn't read/watched the series yet, but the whole arc is a masterpiece, the character design and fight sequences are marvelous and catapult the show from shōnen to complex seinen real quick. Every battle matters, every dialog matters, every detour has consequences, and you sit there with full suspense following how this drama "Humanity vs. Chimera Ant" will end. And boy, does the end not disappoint.

So in short, if you love action anime, you must give Hunter x Hunter a try!

The Deconstructive Masterpiece of Shonen AnimeAmong the vast ocean of long-running battle shonen, Hunter x Hunter (specifically the 2011 adaptation by Madhouse) stands as an unrivaled masterpiece of narrative subversion and structural brilliance. Based on the manga by Yoshihiro Togashi, the series initially presents itself as a bright, whimsical adventure about a young boy searching for his father. However, beneath its colorful exterior lies a dark, deeply complex, and psychologically profound epic that deconstructs the very foundations of the shonen genre.The Premise: The Hunt and the Forbidden LicenceThe story follows Gon Freecss, a naive yet extraordinarily determined twelve-year-old boy from Whale Island. Upon discovering that his absent father, Ging, is a world-renowned "Hunter"—an elite licensed individual specializing in tracking treasures, rare beasts, and dangerous criminals—Gon decides to take the brutal Hunter Exam himself. Along the way, he forms deep bonds with a stellar supporting cast: Killua Zoldyck, the heir to a legendary family of assassins; Kurapika, the sole survivor of a massacred clan seeking vengeance; and Leorio, a warm-hearted medical aspirant.What begins as a traditional exam arc quickly spirals into deeply distinct, unpredictable narrative trajectories that completely shift tones from one storyline to the next.Nen: The Ultimate Strategic Power SystemOne of the core reasons Hunter x Hunter is universally praised by critics and publishers alike is Togashi's creation of Nen. Unlike power systems in other anime that rely on arbitrary power spikes or emotional outbursts, Nen is a strictly logical, highly intellectual aura-based system. It is divided into six distinct categories based on personality and inherent traits.The inclusion of "Vows and Limitations"—where a character can multiply their power exponentially by setting a strict condition or life-threatening penalty—adds immense psychological weight to every battle. Combat in Hunter x Hunter is rarely won by brute force; it is a game of high-stakes chess where information, strategy, and environmental manipulation dictate survival.Deconstructing Tropes: The Yorknew and Chimera Ant ArcsThe true genius of the series shines in its later arcs. The Yorknew City arc introduces a gritty, mafia-driven crime thriller atmosphere featuring the iconic villain group, the Phantom Troupe. However, it is the legendary Chimera Ant arc that elevates the anime to a literary level.Spanning over sixty episodes, this arc explores existential dread, evolution, and the blurred lines of morality. It flips traditional tropes entirely: the monstrous, invading ants slowly learn human empathy and love, while humanity resorts to unimaginable cruelty and chemical warfare to protect its spot at the top of the food chain. Gon’s transformation throughout this journey remains one of the most chilling and masterfully written character arcs in animation history.Conclusion: A Flawless StandardFinal Score: 10/10Hunter x Hunter avoids every single pitfall of generic filler and repetitive narrative loops. Boosted by Madhouse’s flawless, consistent animation and an evocative, multi-genre soundtrack, it sets a standard that few series will ever match. It is an absolute mandatory watch for any anime enthusiast looking for a story with genuine emotional stakes, high-level tactical writing, and profound thematic depth.