Why HXH 1999's Second OP is Basically Perfect
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- Опубліковано 6 лют 2025
- Decided to make a video dissecting the second opening of HXH 1999! As a lover of HXH 2011, it's interesting to see the approach that Kazuhiro Furuhashi took when adapting the series in 1999.
The biggest thing that has always separated HXH 2011 and HXH 1999 for me are the openings. Don’t get me wrong, departure is one of my favorite openings of all time but one could imagine how different the reboot would have been, had they used a different opening for each arc. Ultimately, using it for all 148 episodes showed that they don’t need another song to represent the series. Sometimes less is more. HXH '99, however, took a different path from HXH 2011 and it paid off. Kazuhiro Furuhashi perfectly showed just how nuanced and tasteful an opening can be.
Take care ya'll and have a nice fall!
Songs Used:
Gouriki Stage Theme - Deadly Arts
Aruarian Dance remix/cover - By me!
Phoenix Wright Ace Attorney - Trial
Persona 5 Royal - Ideal and the Real
Outro, 東京 1995 - Also by me!
You can find my music here - open.spotify.c...
#hxh #hxh1999
Forgot to mention this in the video but besides older anime being drawn on cels, it was also shot on film, mostly 16mm for televised anime, which lends to that warmer quality that's distinctly analog. This is what gives it that unrefined, less "glossy" look.
Couple that with a 4:3 aspect ratio, and a CRT TV with it’s native lower resolution, you have a distinct viewing experience that you'd be hard pressed to recreate with any current OLED 4k+ 120FPS UHD TV and/or monitor
Ayo also as it's been pointed out, this videos kinda scuffed and I goofed up when pronouncing Troupe and Kurapika lol. I appreciate the constructive criticism ya'll! Always looking to improve 🙇
Pleaseeee do more hxh 1999 videos 🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻
@@ahmeddamdami5569 yeah!
that's what i like!
Especially the updates since Mr. Togashi continued writing.
I want to recreate it tbh. I think it could be possible if you do it in 16:9, just have the resolution be 720p like Megalobox.
very glad to have found this video! Not only HxH 1999 isn't loved enough (although I see it being recognized more and more luckily!) but this OP is one of the criminally forgotten great OPs of the 90s xD
It's doable but the process of going from 4:3 to 16:9 just results in a lackluster image. You either have to zoom in, which results in lost sections of the frame or stretch it out which results in every animation and character looking pretty goofy. Good examples of this going terribly wrong are one piece and DBZ. Funimation attempted to convert them and the results were kinda meh. Personally, I'd rather have a higher resolution from an upscale and keep the original 4:3 aspect ratio and proportions. Megalo Box did take an interesting approach though, it did result in a more unrefined and vintage look.
HxH 1999 itself is perfect, in almost every way.
It's very good but I don’t know about perfect. I also haven’t finished watching all of HXH ‘99 so I can’t form a complete opinion yet. I would have liked to have seen the chimera ant arc adapted by the same director as 1999 but I think madhouse took the cinematography in 2011 to the next level. The writing and music in 2011 also set it apart from 1999 but either way, they're both masterpieces in their own right.
Once someone reanimates about 30 minutes of Greed Island (no, it's not THAT bad), it will be perfect.
"Almost" meaning it was VERY slow and had inferior sound design.
I'd argue that the slow aspect is not only done well in 1999, but that it's also done well in the chimera ant arc. It's long and slow, but it does a good job at building the tension. The sound design wasn't nearly as flashy as 2011 but to be fair, it was the 90's. They didn't have modern technology and DAWs with massive sound libraries. I think the sound design was done well overall, given the time period.
Meh, a little bit too much of filler and no Chimera Ants for me to consider it perfect. Also, no "Hunting for your Dreams" and no "Hyori Ittai"
I remember that i didnt like this intro on my first impression, but as i listened more to it, it's definitely now my favorite.
true It wasn't my style of music so when It grew on me I was first ashame to like the music. Now I just found it great. I love so much 99 OP 1 and 2
I am so glad I stumbled across this video! I have listened to that opening for fun for YEARS. That riff in the beginning is a heart ripping cord unlike any other. It reminds me of Radiohead, even Queens of the Stone age. I really can't compare it. All I know is I love it
same to me, there was a time that I listened to this song everyday (sometimes more than 3 times a day) and I don't get enough.
Reminds me of Oasis too
the band admitted to have taking an influence from oasis so small wonder. sounds like a darker version of don't look back in anger@@darwinNewton
I do hear the similarities to oasis in the chords changes and vocals but the grit and darker atmosphere sets it apart for me. It also sounds a lot more sloppy and unrefined when compared to oasis
@micromacroooo oasis ain't pristine either in their sound seeing as in their songs they be like "rocknroll yeahyeahyeah" *noel gallagher guitar solo*
I really love this 90s version specifically Yorknew arc, the directing, dark theme, great soundtracks, characters and many more things makes it my favorite, just imagine if Chimera Ant arc directed by kazuhiro furuhashi.
Good video keep going
I can’t believe this channel isn’t getting more love, banger content🔥
Thank you so much dude!!
How do you only have 68 subs? This production is that of a much bigger channel. I'm here for it. Keep going.
Very kind words, I appreciate this. I'm trying my best!
this appeared in my recommended after youtube recognized me replaying the opening on loop for hours i guess 😭 very good video i do agree that the opening is flawless and hxh 1999 did kurapika justice in ways 2011 could never dream of
Much appreciated ravienne!
Funny story. When i was in army basic training me and my platoon were in pt's and i caught a glimpse of a buddy's arm. It was a spider with a number 3 in it. Next time i had the oppurtunity i asked him if that was a hxh tattoo. He said fuck yeah. He was a good guy i became friends with him and when we got to AIT we traded books. Its funny how something so small can bring 2 people together even when every day sucks.
hell yeah brother. it may be fiction but the lessons we learn from anime are very real.
90s art style is just amazing.
man, I still remember those goosebumps after watching this OP for the first time. Couldn't agree more with you dude, nice video
Many thanks dude. I also remember my first time listening to this OP lol
Loved this video!!!! This is also my favourite HxH opening artistically and musically. The song of this opening is called "The Sun also Shines at Night" fitting very well witht the visual of the black sun in the opening. The part of the song that plays during the opening perfectly captures the dark tone that Kurapika is going through in this arc. The start of the full version though (also played at the ending of the last episode before ovas) shows the revenge weight coming off Kurapika's shoulders as he is delighted to reunite with his friends! Absolute banger!!! Well done on the video😁😁
Can’t wait to see this channel grow!
HxH 1999 is a masterpiece and yorkshin city arc's is amazing, best arc so far and that op made it perfect, i could see those episodes and never get tired of it.
DEFINITELY MY FAVORITE UA-cam VIDEO EVER!! Finally someone translated what I want to say/write but didn't know how to do it. Thank you for so much deepness and feeling you put in this video, thanks, thanks ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
I subscribed just off the thumbnail I knew it was gonna be 🔥 off the first 2 seconds
video is really good , enjoyed listening to this while editing
Thank you!
the outro song is fantastic, good job on everything.
Much appreciated Mashi!
Thankyou for make this video
My pleasure!
Finally someone who appreciates 2000s anime openings! I'm a big fan too and personally these got more essentia than the current ones, good video btw!
Much appreciated Gabriel!
When I still wanted to make youtube videos, I wanted to make a video about the same topic. I'm happy someone else had the same feeling about this.
I recall being super obsessed with hxh back in primary school, and watched both the 1999 and 2011 at the same time. That 2nd opening had me in an emo chokehold.
Woah man, such an interesting video... you really shifted my attention and interest towards this opening. I've never listened or watched it and now I'm really curious. I love an opening, ending, side scene that can tell a story by itself. Something that can bring out an emotion, a vibe. Keep posting these insites, they're really cool too see. thank you
Bor you keep making videos like this and your gonna get huge in this community. Nice vid, keep at it 👌
these videos are high quality. surprised you don't have more subscribers but you definitely have one more now. hope more people find this.
Thanks bro!
Don't forget Machi's "Nen String" moving across the screen! That's a great detail there
Whoa, great catch! I actually didn't notice that but it is an amazing subtle detail. Her nen threads are such a cool ability
those strings being the 2nd true superpower you see after Hisoka's fight with Kastro really opens up how far Nen can go to the viewer, her using that was an extremely hype moment the first time I saw it
@@DeadPig325 agree
(sorry for my bad english) One of the things that people like about The 1999 version or some people dosen,t even notice it is that the Character movements and Expressions in certain Scenes (mostly in fights) were pretty life-like and realistic. That,s called good Character acting (body language). It's pretty hard to get it right in anime (even sometimes harder than some of the sakugas)
It makes the Scenes much more appealing and fun to Watch. Example:if you look at jjk0 in the fights between yuta and geto. Specially at The final attack. The facial Expressions of geto were pretty damn good and life-like or AOT season 4 the grisha Scene and episode 2 of part 1. (that,s why i like the new director of AOT more than The Previous one). This point alongside with The dark colors in hxh made the Scenes much more appealing to look at. That,s because The staff that were working on it were quite talented as you said. (i'm sorry. My english is not that good 😂)
Btw thanks for the video. You're so underrated (subscribed)
Well said! There is very realistic choreography in both 1999 and 2011. JJK 0 and AOT do have amazing character movements that are fluid and well crafted, although I personally like the directing style of the first three seasons a bit more but it's still a great series all around. I'm very excited to see the final part of AOT adapted. Thanks for the support, cheers!
@@micromacroooo thanks. If you are Talking about The Quality of season 4. That's because production committee (big companies) wanted to Finish The anime alongside with The manga to boost its sales. That's why they gave a Really bad schedule to Mappa for AOT season 4. Like for the first 16 episodes (part 1) they had only 8 months. That's a Really impossible schedule. But The Quality was actually good in that tight schedule.
The thing that Previous seasons of AOT lacked was the good Character acting. It was mostly just open and close (The mouth). A lot of animes do that. I liked the more realistic and darker Designs in season 4 too. (closer to The manga)
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR MAKING THIS, MY FEELINGS ARE VALIDATED ALSO THE SONG IS IN FACT AVAILABLE ON SPOTIFY
Edit - 太陽は夜も輝くby Wino
Underrated channel keep it up man!
Much appreciated!
Gave me flashbacks of me and my siblings watching hxh together when we were younger ಥ_ಥ
Dude this is a wonderful idea for a video because I’m someone that really has a indescribable thoughts about this opening so I’m glad you could put it into words, though the symbolism, and shots of the opening are burned into my brain it’s half why kurapika, is one of my favorite characters, but it’s great to hear someone gushing on the old 1999, anime, since not enough people do, but it’s very Nirvana, got to love it, and also i never skip openings, and try not to with outros these days, but you should definitely cover bluebird, and closer from Naruto shippuden, because they really are wonderful I’d love to hear you talk about how closer relates to shikamaru because that shit hits. P.S MAMAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA.
Thanks Josh, I appreciate it! I'd love to cover some Naruto openings in the future, there are some slappers. Especially Distance but Closer is also really good
@@micromacroooo No prob man glad you enjoyed my comment, but just about any anime would do definitely bleach, and others.
A new channel to watch. It puts me at ease that I'm one of the first subscribers of this guy. You're cool, man.
Thanks dude, glad to have you here!
I simply agree with you. This has been my favourite opening since I've laid my eyes on it the first time.
Yorknew city will forever be legendary in 1999 version
It's prolly my favorite anime opening of all time. the song, the visuals, all perfect.
And my god, I only learned through this video that the same director who directed the 1999 version of Yorknew Arc is the same as the one who directed Trust X Betrayal of Rurouni Kenshin. That's why Kurapika vs Uvogin in the 1999 version gave me a lot of Trust X Betrayal vibes, especially the soundtrack during Kurapika's flashback with his master telling him to forget about revenge.
Thank you for making this. I'm a huge fan of the video essay style & HxH so this video was *chef's kiss* for me. If the words you stumbled over/repeated were cut out from the final audio I wouldn't have been able to tell this video from similar video essays done by channels with hundreds of thousands/millions of subs. I'm listening on an iPhone so take that w/ a grain of salt🤷🏻♂️. Ez sub.
Much appreciated, I'm still working on my vocal delivery and tone when recording but I'm enjoying the journey as I continue to improve!
Came from the reddit :) Very good video i liked it :) (btw hxh 2011 op6 is a masterpiece)
Thank you! And absolutely, I love how they change the opening sequences for hxh 2011 but still keep departure. ED 6 from hxh 2011 is another favorite of mine, it has such a strong feeling of resolution with Gon, Killua, Leorio and Kurapika standing on the water after everything that happened in the chimera ant arc and everything that happens in the 13th hunter chairman election arc. All openings and endings from hxh 2011 and 1999 are amazing
@@micromacroooo True
your channel is a such a hidden gem, would you ever consider making a video about your top 10 anime?
Potentially!
ONLY 493 SUBSCRIBERS? BRO NAH THIS SHT DESERVES MILLIONS
Ok you just gained a sub because of this and I hope you gain a lot more in the future! And I guess this is gonna blow up.. (or allready kinda did)
makes me wanna watch hxh99 again...
Beautiful video ! Keep It up ! HxH Love from Italy.
Cheers!
great video, but great subtitles as well. they had me laughing. i appreciate the extra effort you put into these videos, and your passion for the topic. earned a sub, you are definitely going places
Thank you very much!
Beautiful work
Thank you!
6:45 You'd freak out if you saw what toei does with their dragon ball releases (they zoom in to make it 16:9)
Not saying it's a good thing btw it actually really fucking sucks along with all the other ways toei tries to TERRIBLY "color correct" the series ua-cam.com/video/yN2KIWZEeXU/v-deo.html
@@bejitostk Crunchyroll did the same thing with the early episodes of One Piece when they released the HD versions. I think they give you the option to switch between 16:9 and the original 4:3 though.
@micromacroooo Oh yeah they separate the 4:3 and 16:9 versions in different seasons
And I think with dragon ball you can only get it in 4:3 if you watch it subbed
after watching this video I’ll deffo i dive into this version
Great video, I prefer old animation style 👌
Thanks! I do love a lot of anime from the 90s and would say it's my favorite era but I also have a lot of favorites from recent years. Ultimately though I'd say that hand drawn anime can be imitated but never replicated
Love the video, the ova was interesting and needs to be talked about more
Cheers dude, 65 subs ? Really ? You deserve way more !
Insane, I didn’t realise that HxH came out in 1999, I thought the 2011 one was the OG
Far from the OG. Even before the 1999 anime, a 1998 Pilot OVA already existed.
Glad to see some appreciation and love for my favorite anime of all time
The 1999 version and specially this opening make me fall in love with the hunter x hunter world, if i started watching the 2011 version first i dont think i would the series as much i do now
Fucking great video dude, keep it up
Nice video!
Thank you Josh!
As far as i know this the only video who got more like thousands views in just 2 weeks than your other videos. Hoping for you to gain more views and subscribers also.
P.S I'm subscribed
The York Shin arc (especially 1999 version) was that point where I thought "This is my favorite anime T_T!!!". The previous arcs was "humm, great adventure anime, nature and shounen stuff" but the York shin..... no words to describe
Im so glad i found ur channel looking forward to more 😃
Glad to have you around!
hxh is my favorite anime and a big reason are the aestetics, Berserk and Yuyu Hakusho come close to it aswell as Slam Dunk
Everytime he says Kurah- Pika. Like Pikachu. I think of a pokemon lol 😂
Finally!! I thought I was the only one who loved the 1999 op 2
It’s so freaking good i get chills every time 🔥
Great vid!
Thank you very much!
Hunter x Hunter 1999 is one of my favorite anime. I love the opening / ending specially the Yorknew Arc. Great content keep it up! New subscriber here! 😊❤
Thank you so much!
Am hyped for the fma 2003 video
The music as a whole (and art styles for that matter) is much more atmosphere building in the 1999 than the 2011 interpretation. Not as flashy, sure, but it builds the atmosphere and portrays unique sequences better. 2011 is more "epic" but it looses a lot of that charm 90s anime had that came out of a more adventurous soundtrack and freedom in art direction. Software generated visuals just don't have the unique tones scene to scene that hand drawn sequences do.
Well said, the atmosphere is the biggest distinguishing factor. I did like the CGI choices in 2011 quite a lot but it says a lot that 1999 looks just as fluid, if not more than 2011 without utilizing CGI
oh besides, you mentioned the filler parts... actually I think a good bunch of the fillers (uhm, almost all of em to be fair xD) are actually one of the strong points of HxH 99, and the reason it hits a bit more than the madhouse show. Also heck if HxH 2011 had that battleship island filler, the Ponzu and Pokkle part later in the Chimera Ant Arc would have hit at least twice harder xD
1:33 because is real water, notice the drastic difference between the water, land and sky, Looks like a collage
Amazing video you have a nice voice
Much appreciated!
HxH 1999 is the best version for me. The overall aesthetic and atmosphere fits the story more hehe
Plenty of shows I watched when I was much younger I can now see all their flaws, and how my enjoyment came from a lack of maturity and experience. But I don't feel like this with HxH, 10 years later the experience remains unchanged whenever I watch it.
This op is one of my favourite ones of all time
great video dude :)
Thanks bro!
I just finished the first 62 episode. It's so good. Makes me appreciate Togashi's work a lot more than the 2011 version ever did. Not saying the 2011 version is bad by any means
Banger opinion, keep being right bro.
Means a lot my guy
I will die on this hill, but you must check out the opening of Le Chevalier D’eon, even if you’re never gonna watch the show. It’s exquisite.
Great video! crazy that you only have 77 subscribers, well I am one now for sure! where did you get the thumbnail image?
Much appreciated! I made it myself in Photoshop. It's a clip from the second opening that I discuss.
@@micromacroooo wow looks great! Would you mind sending it to me?
Sorry but I don't share my original artwork/project files
@@micromacroooo no problem, i understand
I remember religiously listening to this song back in 2018 when I first discovered it(like why am I so late in finding it???). And d*nggggg, it's enchanting. It's the perfect opening for YorkNew arc. I really hope 2011 did the same. They didn't changed the opening for Heavens Arena arc. :'>
Great vid! I would love to hear what you have to say on FMA.
Kurapika in 90s version is masterpiece
I really love how the Nippon Animation version has started to be re-appreciated, after years of people simply dismissing it as the "filler" unfaithful version. It really is worth watching
Which is funny, cuz there's so many ways that it's actually MORE manga accurate than the "faithful" 2011 anime
My favorite op and arc
great video
Thanks Francisco!
I feel like I wanna watch it for the 5th time, I should right?
every time I listen this opening, I wanna watch again 1999 hxh
This is how I feel about ranking of kings OP 2, shits just perfect
This opening gave me the motivation to learn japanese
すばらしい！Japanese is an awesome language, I still have a lot to learn but I honestly might like it a bit more than English haha. I wish you the best in your studies!
One of my favorite opening of all time
Great video
*When that FMA 2003 OP 4 video dropping if you mind?*
Many thanks. I’m hoping to work on it sometime in the near future. Stay tuned!
not only that the the 2nd OP was perfect, but the arc itself was also perfectly written, hands down the best in the HxH series.
Havent watched 1999 HxH, but this vid makes me wanna check it out, since i thought 2011 was a 10/10 show.
On the topic of Ops, what i do and what i recommend is listening but not looking at the visuals (only looking after finishing the season/arc), cuz the visuals give u so many spoilers.
Also, 2011 Op is a banger, and id say nowadays the anime with the most unique and best ops has to be attack on titan.
You really should. If you want a better introduction to Gon (and Kite!), if you want more Leorio respect, if you want a more diverse OST.
1999 has a lot to provide :)
HxH 1999 art is perfection. Only rivaled by stuff like Cowboy Bebop and the like. I just don't understand why they made most characters look like 5 years youger in the 2011 version and more colorful. Just not very appealing.
Chimera arc with 1999 art, colors. details and direction will be amazing.
Hmm that explains why the 2nd OP stuck deeper to me than the 1st OP
The ace attorney music is amazing
You understood everything bro
I have two things to say:
- first, shin means "new" in japanese, so York Shin means New York, basically
- the x isn`t the adult letter like in english or spanish (that letter would be the h in Japan), but the letter representing the encounters between people, and the impact those encounters have between them, so Spy x Family is read simply as "spy family", as Hunter x hunter is read as "Hunter hunter" (and yeah, xxxHOLiC is not about sex, and it`s just read as "holic")
brilliant !!
Thanks Mathias! :)
I really want to go back now and watch this version of hunter X hunter. Really enjoy the video keep up the good work.
I miss the 90s anime drawing style.
lmao im dying this OP made my face squint it was so good
You can actually watch the entirety of HxH 1999 on UA-cam if you look hard enough (and in multiple languages)
We as mankind peaked at 1999 and it shows. After that is been downhill
HxH 1999 is fully available on UA-cam to my knowledge