What is Hunter X Hunter’s Most Underrated Arc?
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- Опубліковано 17 січ 2025
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Music used:
Song 1 - Kujira Shima Yori (Hunter X Hunter 2011)
Song 2 - Road Taken (Fire Emblem Fates)
Song 3 - Satorl, The Shimmering Marsh (Day) (Xenoblade Chronicles)
Song 4 - Bonds of Sea and Fire (Xenogears)
Song 5 - Gerudo Valley (The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time)
Song 6 - Sky Tower (Pokemon Mystery Dungeon)
Song 7 - Imprisoned Town (Suikoden II)
Song 8 - • Hunter x Hunter Ending...
Having recently watched through all of Hunter x Hunter the shift towards a darker tone didn't really come as a surprise to me. There was a scene in the first arc that I felt foreshadowed this. When Netero was questioning the applicants as to why they wanted to be a hunter and Hisoka straight up tells him it's because he wants to kill without repercussion. You would expect the Chairman of the hunters to protest to this notion but Netero is completely dismissive. I think this scene set moral ambiguity as a theme for the hunters as a whole.
The Draco Oh yeah that scene is still hilarious to me XD
Very true. I don't necessarily think the shift was surprising due to hints like that (and maybe partly because I was expecting it?) but I was surprised at how well it was done.
i disagree hxh had a dark tone since the beginning but the 2011 version just made it seem childish with the bright colors and cheerful music for example the first chapter we deal with child abandonment then we learn about kurapika his whole clan massacre and then move on to hisoka and then killua then we a bunch of people die during the exam etc so much more stuff
This is really spot on and absolutely true. Hunter X Hunter's shift into darkness was so effortlessly gradual it was like slipping on a gradient-covered floor but it really did exist in the series all the way through. The entirety of the Hunter Exam arc has a way more glib and dismissive attitude towards human life; people are dying so much and the examiners have such little regard for it that its almost comical from our cultural perspective. Yet it was paradoxically interspersed with all these celebratory moments about the triumph of human will and immediately showed what the Hunter's Association truly valued: power and dominance in a field in the name of human triumph and continuity.
The whole series likes to play with this paradox. Hell, Meruem is technically undone by the humanity imbued in him from playing a board game with someone. Contrasted against some of the other shit that happens during the Chimera Ant arc: the devouring of children, child slavery, attempted mass extermination, its a remarkably soft, unexpected and human way for him to go out.
You like Berserk. We got our reality check during the eclipse. We see dark foreshadowing EVERYWHERE now
I think the Hiatus Arc has to be up there with the best, although it's dragging on and on and on.
It's got a bit of filler, tbh.
kaizoku ou ni ore wa naru I love you
its getting to the point of been Freezer vs Goku kinda long
I do like the battle between Togash's back and my Patience.
Never understood why he just doesn't let someone who is very good at replicating his style carry it on for him while he feeds him the material.
If only I could erase my memory and watch Hunterxhunter again
You can rewatch it like me like 5 times, but it'll never be the same. Going in for the 6th, brb
kartikeya srivastava Then you can cry your eyes out over the Crymera Ant arc again.
@@n0denz but still tho... it would be great feelings to reset it and watch it again is it not?
im getting to the point whenever i hear the ost or the opening my eyes got "wet" lol...
thats how great the series is...
kartikeya srivastava you can
Search up erase my memory Sony hypnosis
@@Jameel80818 on google or youtube? for real? xD lol
Heaven’s Arena is so incredibly because when you see it for the first time it looks like a simple extra content mini arch, to then find out the existence of Nen and the revelation of a whole tier of potential for all characters to grow in a way that totally shifts the series into a darker, mature series,without loosing the personality of the story but adding to it
with killua intimidating the dirty playing combatants and hisoka's fights against gon and kastro, I can't fathom how anyone could think heaven's arena is nothing less than an excellent arc
I can't either but it's generally overshadowed by the big 2, and the Exam as well. (Which is understandable, to be fair)
fair point
Togashi is a genius. This guy created not one but TWO great shonens.
He didn't create two great shonen manga. He created two of the greatest shonen manga! There's a big difference here
YYH?
Yeah, as long as you disregard the last arc of Yu Yu Hakusho. I mean, it’s not terrible, but it’s not really that good.
@@jonahj9519 I liked it a lot and it worked as a conclusion to the series, but it does feel like wasted potential.. Me and my brother are always talking about how it shouldn't have been a "tournament arc" but a "War Arc" between the three kingdoms. Togashi could've pulled it off; it had the potential of being Chimera Ant-esque.. but at that point he just wanted to end the show.
The last arc had some of the greatest character writing in the show still and is a bit better than people say imo Bc it is overall still very enjoyable to watch and has zero drag to it at all, however it is a good bit rushed
I wish we'd get to see Wing-san more.
Stormer144 i think he is in one of the episode of the new chairman election
He was in the manga a bit more than the show
But why? We see his master on Greed Island and later which is a peculiar character. It is also established that Wing is a rather boring character. So why explore a boring character (especially as we have so many special and peculiar ones)?
mykillmielia Wing in Heaven’s Arena was actually really interesting of a character, with his thought process being really unique throughout all of HxH, yet a lot about him still remains unknown. The reason why me and others would want to know more about him is because he was already shown to be a great and fascinating character, but he not never got that much screen time, even though he does really deserve it. I really fucking love Wing and I hope we get to learn what his nen ability is, more about him, and why he’s training Zushi (rewatching HxH about a month ago, I noticed a statement that alludes to Zushi have an actual goal/motivation to reach the top floor in Heaven’s Arena, but they never really explain what that is. I think it was foreshadowed that we’d at some point return to Wing and Zushi and get true in-depth explanations on them and there character, though at this point I don’t think it’ll happen.)
@@DaHoneyMan okay, if you like him so much.
I find him rather boring but tastes are different.
Nah, you're totally right. Heaven's Arena is too important to the story, and I'm not sure that Nen could have been taught in much different of a setting. The best way for it was to separate it from anything 'serious' going on so that the characters -- and the audience -- could focus upon it. It needed to take time, it needed to be introduced slowly and gradually so we could come to appreciate it. So it makes sense that the Heaven's Arena arc is lacking in plot substance: the author knows his shit, basically.
So yeah, no, I agree with you.
In general I think people forget at times that arcs have different functions so when one comes along without deep characters or an intriguing plot then it can feel underwhelming if you don't see it from the right perspective. But yeah. Togashi knows what he's doing, clearly.
Lucius Brimstone Agree Heavens Arena is my second favorite arc partly because I like to know how power systems work, the main problem is people just wanna get to the fights and hype
Haha, of all the arcs I've rewatched Heaven's the most just because I enjoy the fights there. They're just so interesting to me because they have the learning elements going on, and I dunno, Hisoka is so fun during it haha.
For sure man, and I can relate to those people. This arc is underwhelming in plot, and I suppose some character development (not introductions). But that's also not what it's about, it sets up the rest of the series (as you said).
Thanks for taking the time to respond, though. Appreciate it and the video. Have a good one mate.
Lucius Brimstone No problem you too
I love FMA:B to death but I definitely agree that it had a problem with how it utilized humor.
Bobby Zamora The manga's humor just doesn't translated well into anime. In the manga from what I've heard they're small panels but in animated format such a thing isn't possible.
That's one of my biggest issues with it but as crzyboy said, it was a bit of a turbulent transition from the source material into the anime for the humour. It wasn't the worst thing in the world, but meh.
In the manga it isn't that good either to be honest.
It's really hard to properly translate humor. Mob Psycho 100 did a great job in that.
Bobby Zamora I'm just trying to eat my sandwich...
funny this got uploaded today, as i just finished the series a few hours ago...
for the sixth time...
Was the ending just as feelsy the sixth time as it was the first?
hard to tell... first time has been a while...
but considering the fact that ive watched it six times (so far) its probably safe to say it left a very good impression...
Lasnight didn't you get tired?
@@RoxasTheBest89 Update on that, yes, I did, after the 8th watch.
im going in for my sixth!
Hey I love your HXH content. Please keep making more
Yes sir!
after watching Hxh i dont know what should I watch next.
my standarts are pretty high know :(
That's one of the only problems with watching this awesome series :-(
stefano 98 Same after i finsihed hunter x hunter. i didnt watch or read anything for 2-3 years. just picked up Jojos but part 4 left a bad taste in my mouth. So idk what to watch
Steins;Gate
stefano 98 - If you want to watch something made by the same person who wrote HxH, then watch Yu Yu Hakusho
Exxposure me too. I haven't picked up or read anything since 2014 when I finished, then I read boku no hero. It's not anything near a masterpiece so far but it shows some promise, and it has nice art. Good to pass the time between all the huntetxhunter hiatuses
Stands and Nen are the best battle mechanics in anime and manga
I don't doubt it!
I wanna get fucked by a Futanari each stand has it's own set of own set of rules, some strict some loose, because of there personal nature they make anything possible, each stand is it's own power system and that why there genius even Netero has a stand like ability, there not that different when you really think about it, but stands are more flexible
I wanna get fucked by a Futanari King Crimson was explained your just too dumb too understand it;) your missing the point each stand is personal to it's user and is in of itself a power system, just look at Stone Free Crazy Diamond and Soft & Wet
+I wanna get fucked by a Futanari I agree, Jojo is like the father of all plot holes and inconsistencies, you don't put it's simple ass power system on par with the greatest power system in fiction that is Nen, you just don't do that.
Mazen Saif-Edden some are simple some are complicated, Nen is pretty simple but it's how the characters stretch and play with it's simple concept, no Stand is objectively better or worse than any other, another good thing is that it keeps the character vanurable even if you have the most op stand in existence your still vanurable to the same things as any normal human, not even Hunter X Hunter has that, Killua is even shot in the head and then walks it off like it was nothing if I shot Jotaro in the head he'd die
" ...or hisoka's bungee gum, which has the propitiates of - never mind."
yeah they do explain his power alot in the anime
I can understand Heavens arena being underrated in terms of how important it is to the overall story of HxH, but as far as entertainment value goes I think it gets about as much credit as it deserves.
Personally, I think the election arc is pretty damn underrated. It seems to get overlooked, but I think it tells a really interesting self contained story while seemingly setting up the rest of the series. Like you said, there isn't enough written past the election arc to really know how much of an impact the arc has, but I think it's going to change a lot.
Also, the election arc doubles as a satisfying stopping point for the anime imo
Adrian Christ Agreed
It definitely gets the credit it deserves as an entertainment piece, and that tends to cloud over it's function. I also agree with your point about the Election arc. Like I said in the video, I think it has the potential to be a huge pivoting arc, setting up SO many elements. Now we just need the damn story to continue to see how important it really was.
Before I watch: I'm calling Heavens Arena
Well he did spoil it with the thumbnail
Yeah, this would be a bit more impressive if the thumbnail was ambiguous ;)
I don't have time to watch, tell me the name of the arc bye.
Zetsuke4 beat arc is idk I'm still watching hxh
Same!
I have to give it to Heavens Arena Arc. They discovered Nen, fought tons of battles, stayed in a cool hotel XD It was like a awesome adventure I'd like to go on. Not to mention the fight between Gone and Hisoka which was the best fight of the series in my opinion.
That fight is one of my moments of the series as well, as you can probably tell by the thumbnail.
No kidding XD I'm kinda pissed you didn't have Heavens Arena higher. Don't get me wrong I like the ant arc and stuff but it had two things that made it annoying as hell for me. One they spent WAY too much time with that stupid octopus guy and second THE KING DIED AND HIM AND KOMUGI DIDN'T GET MARRIED AND RUN AWAY TOGETHER! lolz
Why does Ikalgo get so much hate? :(
He was the very first friend that Killua made completely on his own after he became friends with Gon.
He was absolutely squidderific...
Philip Paul Am I the only one who spent most of the Chimera Ant arc being annoyed? It seemed like there was more narration (at least in the anime) than there was story. I loved the 1999 anime but obviously I had to watch the 2011 to get the Chimera Ant arc in anime form, and it almost completely turned me off of Hunter X Hunter. Also the convenient superpowers of Alluka/Nanika are as annoying as they are convenient and necessary. It seems Togashi painted himself into a corner with Gon's instant puberty-bypass and needed to pull something hax-level out of his ass to save the story. Yep, I'm annoyed lol.
You aren't. There was WAY too much time spent with that stupid squid guy and in general away from the main plots people cared about. Like the King and stuff
That analogy to hisokas nen that you said "never mind" to had me crying
Ha, glad that it tickled a few watchers.
I LOVED the heavens arena arc! :O
Needless to say, same!
kathy ma Yea that is my 2nd favorite arc
I wonder if Gon and Killua's friendship will change after the Dark Continent arc...
It kind of already changed after the Chimera and Election arc. it is quite obvious at the end of the Election arc. The only thing is that we don't know all the details of how it will change.
(I really want the manga to continue, it was left in the middle of chaos getting started xD)
I just wonder if we are ever going to even get the Dark Continent arc.
Aleczandxr once again you have given us a great HxH video. I've said this before but HxH is my all time favorite anime and I am always looking for good content. Just having you actively post videos is amazing to me! Don't worry about those that come here just to complain. Keep up the good work!
Thanks a lot, I appreciate it!
The music at the beginning made me cry.
Really glad someone so wonderful appreciates this series, it so under watched .
I'm in the minority here, but while I find some parts of the Chimera Ant Arc cool and interesting, I could not stand some parts of it. It was just so long and depressing at points that it just felt like an uncomfortable place that I wanted to leave. Although this did make the payoff of some cool points like Netero VS Meruem or Gon VS Pitou more rewarding in a way, and really drove home the emotions that the author wanted to convey.
If it made you uncomfortable, I'd say that it did one of the things it set out to do, no?
Yep, like I said it conveyed the emotions the author intended. It just wasn't a pleasant experience for a casual viewer like me so it was kind of a turn-off for continual watching since the arc is so dense.
That’s how I felt but it was all worth it in the end
My main issue with Chimera Ant is its slow start. During the first few episodes of it I was considering taking a break from the show after the arc was done, before learning it was the longest arc by far. However, after I accepted it was here to stay and began properly investing myself in it I began to see why it was so loved and it became my favourite part of the show
I already Knew about the Tone shift, so I wasnt susprised. I love dark Tones way more than light ones, so I even anticipated it.
Heavens Arena is my second favorite arc, for exactly some of the reasons you talked about.
"Initially, Gon and Killua make a giant leap; so much so that the audience finds it gratifying that they're adapting so quickly."
I started watching hunter x hunter thinking it was light hearted show and then realized how dark it got at the beginning of the chimera ant arc
This is a great video, and I'm glad to see my second favorite HxH arc being appreciated. I was actually thinking of making a Hunter x Hunter video for my channel soon.
Thanks! It's definitely under appreciated in terms of its function.
Heaven's Area has always been one I just loved watching. Two years after I watched finished Hunter x Hunter the first time, I decided to rewatch it (so my second watch of it) in January this year. The arc I was really looking forward to was Heaven's Arena and I did enjoy it a lot again, not quite as much as the first time but of course I had already watched it before so it won't be as new, but there was enough of a time difference for me to have forgotten what would happen next making it feel a little new to watch again aside from the main story changes to an arc.
Greed Island is one I always revered as my favourite arc after my first rewatch, but I don't think I feel the same regarding my second watch of HxH. The first watch, it felt like the Chimera Arc was dragging on and I found it boring and too ant focused. However, the second time I watched HxH I found the Chimera Arc to be one that I not only got through pretty quickly, without it feeling boring or dragged out at all, and I was enjoying watching it a fair bit which boosts my opinion on the CA arc. The thing about not realising how dark HxH got until it was there is so true too.
I agree about the CA arc. I actually liked it a ton more during my second rewatch. Maybe Greed Island helped with that.
Idgaf what arc, killua always come through
Probably my favorite moment in the entire series was when he finally removed the needle. I was like, ‘damn, son, you're in for some real shit now.’
despite being so underrated i believe it had one of the best moments in the entire anime, which was hisoka vs gon
Congrats on 20k dude. Been here since like 3k and I'm so glad to have seen you grow so much so fast
Thanks! I love seeing some of the subs that have been here since I was much smaller.
*hears fire emblem fates music* *relapses back into the phase of my life where fire emblem consumed my waking moments*
You and me both.
you playing Fire Emblem Heroes? I've so into it right now lol
Well get ready for Echoes because that looks hype.
Good music choice, the soundtrack to the game is dope as hell.
Your analyzes are always so on point!! I'm that kind of a person who absolutely loves to analyze different series as well, and listening to others' analyzes makes me remember why I love hxh so much.
Keep up with such a good work~
Thank you! If I can help remind someone of how awesome this series is then I'd say I've done my job :)
The election arc really had an impact in raising Leorio to a respectable level within the organization, which currently seems to be vital for the dark continent saga.
A new Aleczander video at 3:00 AM? YES PLEASE another fantastic video as always man. I love your content. So in depth and professionally created with professional quality and very educated, both in terms of language, and vocabulary. You're very elegant. That's the word I would use you describe your work. Elegant. Keep it up buddy! Never stop making these.
Thanks like always Ryan, you've always got such nice things to say and I really appreciate it. I'll do my best to keep producing content that you enjoy and hopefully the channel growth continues! :)
These videos make me sad that this series will never be completed.
We can hope! (In vain) :(
Zach Williams Still better then being written by some random , or running too long like One Piece or Naruto imo
never say never
@@bercl what do you mean by "being written by some random" ???? Like a random writer, or the story it self is random, I don't get it
@@bercl OP is not to long (manga).
Still havent finished your video, but Im so happy that you're gaining so much popularity! 20.000 subs is a lot and I cant believe I started watching you when you were still a small channel. You can be proud, but dont stop there! Keep getting better at what you're doing. Good job, man.
Thanks so much my friend. I really appreciate your support and I notice it all the time. Nice to see some of the same people supporting me now that were supporting me when I was much smaller. 20K is pretty incredible and I am really humbled by the support, but I'm always looking to improve (the audio mistake in this video is evidence of that, haha), which is very exciting :)
*reads title
I wouldn't say underrated for Chimera ants but I think it's the most hated by far, I had so many friends saying that it was boring and didn't care at all. They would say that the cool fighting parts were awesome, but the overall randomness and not getting to the point of killing the king was annoying to them.
Hope you can explore this topic ! I really liked that arc
I've talked about the CA arc a lot in my other videos, and I'll talk some more about it in the future!
I really enjoyed the slower parts of the Chimera arc because the themes it explores are some or the best you'll find in anime.
O mb I'm a new subscriber
RooFooChoo that's strange, the CA arc is probably 1st or 2cd on most peoples' list with its competition being yorknew. Those arcs are some of the most praised in this series. I think its kinda weird how your friends got this far in without giving it some credit to anything other than the fights
well the chimera ant arc focused on tackling the complex nature of humans and the human condition. It's not surprising that a casual viewer would not understand and fully appreciate the arc
I'm amazed at how much you write, man. It's downright inspiring.
That's really nice of you, thank you.
This is really awesome! You've made me realise something really interesting! Love your videos man, keep up the great work!
Cool, happy to hear that! Thanks for the support.
Great video as always. Imo I feel that the dark tone was established in the Hunter exam. Like a gruesome exam leaving random applicants dead, Killua killing random applicants due to his frustrations, and Hisoka's thirst for blood all just scream dark.
True, but at the end of it all we had Gon, Leorio and Kurapika cheerfully running to their next adventure to save Killua played to some happy go lucky music. I guess my thinking is that while the Hunter Exam had lots of dark stuff in it, it didn't actually shift the tonal landscape of the series like Heaven's Arena did. Just my opinion based on a subjective "feel" I get from the series.
Aleczandxr Oh I see what you mean. I think the 1999 version did better in that aspect, because when I watched it I didn't feel a shift in tone.
@@Aleczandxr The elements were there if you wanted to notice, but the narrative allowed you to ignore it. Heaven's made the audience confront it.
Yo if you had a discord group or something, I would absolutely love to discuss/debate shit with you because of how good of a writer, speaker and presenter you are. God bless you, the best HxH analyst I've seen on this site
That's really flattering dude, thanks so much for this praise. Unfortunately other priorities mean that I haven't set up a Discord group, but I'm always more than willing to talk with you guys through Twitter, MAL, or UA-cam itself whenever I have time. And I'll be doing a stream very very soon, so there's that as well.
Aleczandxr No problem whatsoever man, priorities are priorities. I just wanted to make sure you were aware of how goddamn good you are at all this. And the stream sounds like something I gotta be aware of to join
rockinjoker07 I'll be streaming through UA-cam itself, so it'll come up like a regular notification as if I just uploaded a video. At least, I think that's how it works.
Just discovered you and this quality is so good. I was surprised that you only had 21k subs you really deserve more.
That's very nice of you to say mate, thank you!
I think you're 100% correct in what you have to say about heavens arena i would have to say it was a very refreshing and exciting arc after the dullness of the killua arc and that allowed it for me personally to have those info dumps while being interesting
Thanks!
After finishing hxh for the second time I watched a lot of your videos about it and I often find myself agreeing with your points and opinions. Then discussing with a friend I bring up Heaven's Arena's importance and why it's one of my favourite arcs (I know it's not perfect but the introduction of Nen and Gon vs Hisoka just hit my sweet spots) and the next day you upload this video. I can only say thank you and keep up the amazing work. I can't wait to see what your next hxh video willbe about.
Thanks very much for watching, hopefully you like the next one as well!
Soooooo how would you rank the arcs then, if Heaven's Arena is fourth?
Mine would be:
1.) Chimera
2.) Yorknew
3.) Election
4.) Exam
5.) Heavens Arena
6.) Greed Island
Northbird You forgot one, and the reason why I think it's underrated is because barely anyone remembers it: The Zoldyck arc.
Thats true! But its also really short. Would still place it before greed island lmao.
+Northbird Chimera #1 Everything else equally amazing imo
Yorknew = Chimera Ant (legit cannot decide between those two right now) > Hunter Exam > Heaven's Arena > Election > Greed Island > Zoldyck Family
Still amazes me that with content of this caliber only has a 21k sub count... you deserve millions! You do quality work without clickbaiting or any gimmicks. Just hard work and dedication.
I always believed GI was the underrated arc, Heaven's Arena is the one that hooked viewers who weren't already hooked. Especially considering it shared the best ending track with the Yorknew arc.
I must say you're the greatest I get so excited when you upload a new video I've been subscribe to you when you had less than a thousand subscribers I'm happy that your channel is growing
Aww, thanks very much! I'm so happy that you enjoy these, thanks for being here since the beginning!
The first arc is the most underappreciated in my opinion. People keep saying it was boring but I always found it very engaging and interesting.
I agree with everything you said here! Great explanation! Would never been able to explain it as good as you did.
The info dumps during this arc are definitely one of the most important aspects of this series. Not too much, not too little. Just enough info so we would know as much as Gon and Killua do. It makes you lust for more knowledge.
Honestly I didn't realise how dark the show was getting until the chimera ant arch. I don't know how it snuck up on me, when I rewatch it and view your video. I was like "La di da di da WHAT THE FUCK DID SHE JUST EAT THOSE KIDS?!?!? DID THAT CAT CHICK JUST PROBE CUTE HUNTER'S BRAIN TO GET ANSWERS?!?!?"
Ha, that's how I felt during the first time watching. Though it was probably the massacre at the auction that did it for me.
Another great video...keep them coming man.
Thanks dude.
I think you bring up a good point here. HxH is all about switching things up. The Hunter Exam was huge but it never established anything that enabled the series to be so dynamic. Heaven's Arena did.
I'll never forget when I first saw Hisoka take off the fake Phantom Troupe tattoo, it's such a small moment but one that made me realize just how complicated his allegiances go
I know it's not that important but I would have loved to see the Elevator Girl from Heavens Arena. She was hillarious!!
Elevator Girl is best girl.
Man I love these videos. Great work again. WE NEED MORE!!!
Thanks very much dude, I'm working on more!
Great Vid dude..How I would rank it would be
Chimera Ant
YorkNew City
Election
Heaven's Tower
Greed Island
Killua's Retrevial
Hunter Exam
Thanks man. You like the Exam the least eh? Interesting.
I would say that the Hunter Exam at the beginning is tough to get through mostly due to music and through away characters. it's not until Hisoka showcased his Bloodlust that it gripped me for the long hall.
I was thinking about making a video in this style about Greed Island, but I guess that only proves your point about just how underrated Heavens Arena is for all that it accomplishes. Sometimes it's easy to take something for granted (in this case, the subtle tone shift that takes place between the Hunter Exam & Yorknew Arcs) when it's so natural that you don't even notice it.
I'm interested in hearing what you have to say about how the 2011 interpretation fares against the 1999 adaptation. Personally, I felt like the sequence of events in the '99 series contrasted with the subtle tone shift that this arc employed to help transition into the Yorknew Arc. The staff behind that version were obviously aiming for something different than what the 2011 version was, but, personally, I felt like that only did a disservice to this arc. Granted, the Hunter Exam in the '99 version took a much darker approach than the 2011 series, so there wasn't as significant of a tone shift going on here.
Even so, jumping straight to the Gon-Hisoka fight felt like a mistake. The battles with the low-level antagonists (I have forgotten their names), not only served to build tension for the inevitable showdown with Hisoka, but it gave Gon and Killua an opportunity to develop their abilities before the arc's climax. I also wasn't satisfied with how quickly Hisoka's fight with Kastro was waved off. Yeah, Kastro was never really a threat to Hisoka in the first place, and I can see how this played into that idea, but I preferred the extra depth given by the 2011 series. That, again, helped to build tension towards the Gon-Hisoka fight in the same way that Gon and Killua's fights with the other combatants did.
I have a decent bit to say about the 1999 one, so I hope that I remember to cover everything when I eventually talk about it. While I really like 1999, I definitely agree that Heaven's Arena was done better in 2011. Not necessarily because it didn't need much of a tone shift, but for reasons you've said with those two major fights and more. I think the 2011 anime made all the right calls when adapting HA, and maybe they actually consciously made those calls with the goal of improving on the 1999 anime in mind? Dunno.
Even if you were talking out of your ass, you did so eloquently and convincingly. Great video!
The only thing I don't really like about this arc - and it's not necessarily a flaw of the arc, but of the writing in general - is that Killua seemed to get a big nerf in power. He was a badass assassin, but then all of a sudden he's only about as strong as Gon. And it makes no sense at all that his family never taught him about nen even though he's supposed to be some prodigy that's going to take over the family business. I guess it took a little while for Togashi to figure out what he had on his hands, so in retrospect there are a few little inconsistencies.
Hahaha, thanks. That's an interesting point about Killua's power "nerf" as you call it. And him not learning about Nen as a kid has always been a problem for me as well. I've seen some others justifying it (for reasons I can't recall at the moment) but I think it's just an oversight.
Edgar Gallant Killua and gon were at similar nen levels, but not similar skill lvs. Remember killua got to the floor WITHOUT nen before and he never really struggled this arc.
As for why his family didn't teach him nen it's simple. Control. You don't teach someone that powerful the trump card of your universe without having a sure grasp on his psyche.
The Hunter x Hunter 2011 Dickriding Association That's the only theory for it that I've heard that makes sense for me. They never really bring it up in the story (iirc) so I think that's why I see the whole thing as a bit messy. But I'd buy that reasoning.
The Zoldyck family never taught Killua nen because they knew he was completely different then they were. That is made very clear during the zoldyck family arc and was the reason Illumi implanted the needle in his head. Every member acknowledges that Killua does not have the same mentality as they do. Killua purposely nerfs himself to be on Gon's level. He was suppose to go straight up to the higher floors after his first match but chose to stay at the lower levels with Gon. He also choose to delay he training when Wing said he would continue to train him when Gon's arm was broken.
Killua is more advanced than Gon due to his training, but the Hunter exams made it very clear Gon has much more potential than Killua does. If Gon had been trained as an assassin since birth, he would outclass Killua.
That's a fair point. I guess it's hard to accurately power scale them just based on their first few fights since they both won them so easily. And then after they learn nen, I think it's fairly clear that Gon has a higher power output, but Killua is better in a fight due to his experience and training.
My friend recommended your channel for HxH analysis. And I never gone wrong on subscribing on your channel. I learned so much more. I can use your analysis in managing a HxH page where I am one of an admin. Thank you man. Keep it up. More power to you and your channel.
Cheers!
I would say the hunter exam. It's shows depth about the different types of variety being a hunter can have. For example melody is a music hunter and that is overlooked and nice vid as always ( I also respect your opinion )
SupremeG tbh the hunter exam arc is probably my favourite arc in hxh 😀
I think he makes an interesting point that for a series exactly like HxH, Heaven's Arena is super god damn important. Both Hunter Exam and Heavens arena are so vital and I hate when people say that the show starts off badly.
I expect that this will be the prevailing opinion. I love the Exam as well - more than Arena, actually - but I think HA just beats it in importance. (I respect your opinion as well)
Calcelmo Anayru that's what I mean. A lot of people say it starts off slow but it's has a very good beginning
yeah i definitely wouldnt say HxH starts off badly, but it does start off a lot more lighthearted than large parts of the story actually are, which is perhaps somewhat misleading and resulted (at least for me) in some pleasant surprises later on...
i do feel like HxH has a bit of a slow start, but its by no means a bad one and id say both the Hunter Exam and the Heavens Arena arcs provide some pretty important stepping stones for the rest of the story
Videos like this I live for. Keep them coming!
Will do!
Interesting! I definitely agree with you but I can see a lot of people championing Hunter Exam and Greed Island. Nice topic for a video.
Thanks!
Yet another sharp and meaty analysis touching on something most of us don't even think about. Great insight as always. I'm just waiting to see you give a TED talk about anime some time in the near future lol
Thanks very much as always pal. A TED talk on anime eh? Who knows..
The Election Arc is my favourite!
Cool, you're the first person to say that.
Aleczandxr All my friends say it's boring, but if you can create so much tension and anticipation around a political drama in a Shonen I think is awesome. Also Pariston (what I think IS) The most underated character of Hunter x Hunter.Someone who makes feels FEAR and ANGER to anyone around him! Without showing any evidence of skills in Battle(so far we know) So I think he would be an awesome topic for a video
PD: Sorry for my english
Cristobal Salinas I'll be doing a Pariston video eventually! And don't worry, your English is fine!
😉😉
I definitely agree with you on Pariston! Just from what we've seen of him in the anime and the manga, he's already my favorite character! He is very mysterious, clearly dangerous and has many things to hide, yet appears charismatic to a selection of people. He's a very intriguing and unique character.
Just wanted to mention how much of a great job you do. Those video are such a niche genre, like you're reviewing really specific aspects of an anime that is not even that popular but you do it with such professionalism that I feel like i'm listening to an end of term report by a college student or something. Anyway, good job
Thanks a lot! Yeah, I really tend to focus on specific aspects of a story a lot of the time. That might limit me in some ways but a lot of people seem to like it and I enjoy doing these.
A little off topic but have you ever tried to get into JoJo's Bizarre Adventure before? I ask because you mention it in some of your HXH videos, which isn't surprising seeing how big the influence JoJo's had on HXH, and because I don't know if it would be up your alley or not. Like I'm half and half considering if you would like JoJo's or not.
I've seen Part 1, Part 2 and half of Part 3. I'm told it gets better, but at the moment I can't call myself a JoJo's fan at all. It's not a bad series, but I can't shake the feeling that it's just not for me. Maybe that'll change. I was close to dropping it but a few subscribers have convinced me to watch further.
I actually had a similar experience with jojo that youve had. youve probably heard this before but keep watching! first time I watched through the anime I got worn out halfway through part 3 and wasn't that into it. youre actually up to the part where it gets really good though - second half of part 3 is where the story ramps up and has some great moments.
if you like well written heroes too then part 4s gives hisoka a run for his money imo
JoJo is a pretty great series, but the anime adaptation of Part 3 has some horrible pacing issues. I will say though that its second season is all around better and the last five or six episodes are pretty fantastic. Part 4 is also pretty awesome, as it's more character centric and slice-of-life compared to everything else in the series.
Aleczandxr I feel you would love Part 7 because it's big on philosophy and is a masterpiece but you still do need to make it to part 7. I don't mind if you drop JoJo, it was a 50-50 shot of you liking it in my eyes.
Try and make it to the end of Part 3 and if you really really want to give it a fair shot catch up to the anime, but if you drop it that's fine.
Just be prepare for some JoJo elitists who will go "WHAT YOU DIDN'T LIKE JOJO YOU MUST HAVE THE WORST TASTE IN THE WORLD!!!"
Aqua Jet what influence did Jojo have on hxh??
You always touch such unique and intriguing topics. I can't get over how glad and grateful I am that there is such a creative and intelligent youtuber making anime videos like you! 😊 Ps: Apologies for the late appearance.
Thanks so much yet again! I'm so grateful for supporters like you! And no worries at all :)
2:30 in.I see most complaints on r/anime about Chimera ant ark...then again those casuals love Naruto and One Piece to the point of claiming that OP anime is great:)).EDIT(5min in):I think the show is amaizing and all arks are important as we progress along them.
Great job on getting 20,000 subs! They are well earned and you are a great writer. I loved this video and I would be happy to watch anything make regardless of my interest in the series.
Thanks so much, Aaron! I'm still searching my unimaginative brain for channel art ideas (to no avail) but I'll let you know if anything comes up.
any idea when the next HxH video will be out?
I just uploaded one! But the next HxH might be the next upload, so you won't have to wait too long.
I am following your channel for quite a good time, but you have never ceased to amaze me with your ability to extract so much amazing content from things that a normal person (like me) overlooks. You, sir, have some serious talent. Keep up this excellent work! You inspire us to look at life with more attention and capture the hideousness and beauty that exist in this world.
Oh, and the other day I was reading the comment section of a video with the theme song of The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild (and by the soundtrack of your videos I can tell you are a fan of Zelda's music too), and saw this comment that applies to what you said about the quieter moments like Gon and Killua at the Whale Island:
"I think it has a little to do with 'Ma' - Japanese Classical music included silences and pauses with an equal importance to the phrases actually being played. Ma is a word we don't have a direct translation for. It's essentially the concept that the 'negative space' is as valid as the positive space. In general, Japanese traditional art and societal values owe a large debt to balance, harmony and discretion.
I've always thought that Nintendo's in-house Game music so gracefully teases your interest out little bits at a time, just like you said. Not to mention their application of art and design in general. It penetrates people who aren't even aware of art & design principles, which is such a feat any artist could ever hope to achieve.
Actually catcing a layperson's attention, and making them pay attention to and appreciate things they normally take for granted or gloss straight over - It's amazing what can be accomplished in art with a heavier focus on subtracting than what else you can add. Nintendo can take the plainest, homeliest details from boring old life and make them fun, interesting and whimsical. Instead of going for bigger, they ask you to look at what is right in front of you.
Japanese art is really something to behold. It's like an oasis. We'd have a lot to learn from them if we could only slow down long enough to notice it."
I can't thank you enough! I've been noticing your support over time and I really appreciate it :)
And thanks for sharing that comment - the true talents in storytelling and entertainment are able to apply just the right amount of emphasis in just the right direction in order to make you feel or think about subject matter differently than you would otherwise. Nintendo are pretty great at that, Togashi likewise.
Aleczandxr You deserve it, man. You really do.
Yes, Nintendo and Togashi are both master storytellers in their own medium. And speaking of master storytellers, have you considered doing a video about a work of Hayao Miyazaki/Ghibli? It is something I'm sure a lot of people would appreciate.
***** I would need to rewatch a bunch of Ghibli's stuff but I wouldn't rule it out!
I think it is something you should consider, it would be really awesome to see your take on this gems.
The first arc, a lot of scrubs don't even get passed it and write the anime/manga off as generic or boring. I feel like it's just the first 5 episodes or so that start off way too slow, then it only gets better from there.
The 2011 anime in particular had a lot of people drop it due to being unimpressed in the beginning, apparently. It's a shame.
Welp, you've convinced me. Very strong summary of all the important points, and you highlighted moments like Hisoka's conversation with Machi that are strongly expositional while posing as character-based. Also, you made me crack up with "Hisoka's bungee gum, which has the properties of both rubber and... oh, forget it."
Haha, well that’s nice to hear. Glad you enjoyed this one as well, Heaven’s Arena is really impressive.
I would love if you made a video on xenogears if you’ve played it, I heard the music in the background
I haven't beat it.
Aleczandxr aww, oh well that’s fine I guess, either way I’m on a binge of your content right now. Great stuff man!
Great vid!
for me it's gotta be in this order
1. York-new arc
i was already so captivated by the hunter exam which made me love HxH instantly from the very first episodes but the build up for Uvo vs Kurapica fight was so good with the result of it being very unexpected which increased my love for the show even more. Not to mention Chrollo vs Silva and Zeno, Uvogin's requiem...the Genei Ryodan's (who had huge foreshadowing) story overall was awesome.
2. Hunter exam arc
3. Chimera ant arc (although the build up took a lot of time the ending couldn't have been more satisfactory and sad)
4. Greed island
5. Zoldyck family arc
6 Heaven arena (that Hisoka greatness)
7. Election arc
Can you make a video about what the 1999 did better than the 2011 and viceversa. I always felt the 1999 was better because it had a darker tone and that was one of the main reasons I loved the Yorknew arc. There are several videos here on youtube where they make scene comparisons of the two versions, but no one has talked about which one did better.
I always thought that it's darker overall tone was a negative, by being always darker the story didn't ever really have tonal variety, and therefore the yorknew arc didn´t feel special at all since it felt the same way as all the others.
But overall:
1999:
-Better overall music
-Chrollo vs Zeno and Silva was better executed
-More development for Kurapika's nen
2011:
-Better development of Gon and Killua
-Gon vs Hisoka was better executed
-Better voice acting and animation
-Had a Chimera Ant arc
I'm gonna be covering the 1999 anime in a future video for sure.
i couldn't agree more i watched the 1999 first and i rewatched it like 2 times before i watched the 2011 and i must say the nostalgia for for the old one is just...
dark =/= good
Dark is good as long as it's used sensibly.
Otherwise, it ends up triggering Darkness-Induced Audience Apathy. And when that happens, say goodbye to the enjoyment.
Great video again dude, really am thrilled for all your videos :D. I am not the biggest fan of Heaven's Arena, but I do appreciate its function, and I consider it a good arc overall. Keep it up!
Thanks man! :)
Heavens Arena is my favorite arc!
I keep rewatching your vids cause they're just so good.
Thanks so much!
Yorknew City > Chimera ant > Greed Island > Heavens Arena > 13th Hunter Chairman Election > Hunter Exam > Zoldyck Family
Sam Lorro Great Hiatus arc>all
That's my list too lol
YOU DESERVE WAY MORE SUBSCRIBER !! Keep up the good work brother !
Cheers my dude :)
Next: Ging Freecss!
As usual, very insightful and well made video! Each time I watch your videos, I am reminded of how much I adore HxH. I find myself constantly in awe of Togashi's writing ability.
I notice that you have several analysis videos for this series in particular. Is it because HXH is one of your favorite anime series? Or because this is a popular request by fans/subscribers? Perhaps it's both.
Again, great job! I can never get enough of you and Digibro's videos. Keep doing what you're doing! It's highly appreciated!
Thanks very much! HxH is definitely one of my favourites. I don't have a distinct number one but I do have four or 5 that are by far my favourites, and HxH is one of them. So I love talking about it. And, as you said, my most popular videos by far are my HxH ones, so I'm supplying a demand here. Two birds with one stone sorta thing.
I think the Hunter Exam arc is underrated, people often say that Hunter x Hunter gets much better later, but for me it was the perfect introduction and still one of the best arcs in the series.
1. Greed Island+ Chimera Ant
2. Hunter Exam
3. Chairman Election
4. Yorknew City
5. Heavens Arena (I agree that it is important to the structure, but on its own it is not such an enjoyable arc and nen only really gets great in the Greed Island arc)
6. Zoldyck Family
Max Mustermann swap yorknew withe the exam,that’ll be fine
you sir, I respect. I'm so happy there's someone who loves this series as much as I do and fully appreciates all the aspects of it! keep making hxh content I have reason to believe you are choosing the perfect anime to review. in time this will be huge!
Well thank you! I'll definitely keep making HxH stuff.
Am i the only person who dislikes the chimera arc?
Definitely not.
beshj no. Some fans dislikes it... but damn... why?? Its a masterpiece.
Hated it, i just wanted to see gon beat the shit out of pito. Thats all i really cared about lol. Then i just wanted it to end lmao.
Ita not my favorite bc I founded some character scenes boring bc either their fight didn't interested me or their purpose or POV in the story was boring. However HxH is still my favorite series and altho chimera is not my favorite I don't hate it for the few boring moments when so many times I got bored in Naruto, or One Piece fights bc they spanned over 20+ episodes
I also hated the Chimera arc. I understand how amazing it is and I see why it's so well loved, but it was hard for me to get through. I didn't start becoming interested until like the last 10 episodes of the arc.
Dude you have one of the best breakdowns of Hunter x hunter... Keep it up man, I've watched some of your videos like 3 times a piece. Now that makes me an Uber dork but you reinvigorated my love for hxh. Thanks!
I appreciate it man. Keep an eye out for a new one tomorrow or Saturday!
Aleczandxr AW YEAH
do you ship killugon?
I DO *fan girls SO bad* ^•♡•^
Fuck no, please keep your gay fancies and doujins to yourself. thank you.
+John Senju no can do I'm a proud killugon shipper and there is nothing wrong with being gay anyway ,I even prefer gay people because thair so nice
There's one thing wrong about you, you guys with your ships ruin the whole community
mizrael222 a simple no would have been fine
cringe
(be assured that your videos are really awesome and ultra interesting..!
But I can't help myself telling how I LOVE the musics you choose as backgrounds x') )
Thank you! I do put a lot of effort into choosing them.
MY LEAST FAVORITE ARCS
SAVE KILLUA
GREED ISLAND
THAT`S IT
As always, such an interesting video man :) I personnaly really liked Heaven Arena Arc for being one of the most enjoyable arc of the series. It's a perfect blend of humor, action and tension wrapped up into the corkyness, just you said, and genius of Togashi-sensei. It's an example of how amazing are the writting's skills of the man :) For me, the best scenes are the friendship scenes between Gon&Killua but also the Dark scenes who are forshadowing the tone of York New City arc such as "Hisoka chillin&creepin in the hall" & "Killua threating that Beyblade dude" haha Anyway, thanks a lot for these amazing 20 minutes and i can't wait to see the next Character Analysis ;) Much love bro
once again, great video! Can always count on your videos being awesome :)
Thanks very much, Amanda! :)
That Arc is what I beging with when I'm re-watching HXH. The character development there, in terms of a character's individual ability and possibilities are what makes the arc really significant,
Thank you so much for making such an insightful video! When i first initially watched heavens arena , it didn't quite hit with me as hard perhaps it was due to the long introductions of nen which did come off to me as overly exposition heavy. Though the few moments which displayed darker tones were most enjoyable. It's place in the story is more likely to be overlooked as it came just after the major establishing hunter exam arc and before the two most dark and complex arcs , which are the ones the audience are more likely to find compelling and resonate with on a emotional level. After they get attached to those dark arcs , they easily overlook how vital heavens arena is in achieving the impact. This was the same for me but after watching your analysis I've come to look at the arc in a new perspective and see it for what it truly is - a vital little detour which helped us enjoy the later arcs their the fullest :)
Thanks for watching! To be honest, I never thought any of this the first time I watched the series. Only upon rewatching and then thinking about how the series achieves what it achieves did I realize that HA is so significant to it.
10:17 I have to point out that it was the second time the Phantom Troupe's theme was used in the anime. The first instance, for some reason, was during Gotoh's introduction in episode 22
I don't know why more people don't subscribe to u man your good at what u do keep doing it👍
Excellent as always! And i wish you could do video for chrollo specifically.I know you already presented some of chrollo's facts and analysis.But honestly,I truly want to you to dig chrollo.
Thanks. I've been saying for a while in comments and stuff that I'm going to do one on Chrollo. I've been gathering notes on him for a little while now. But it'll take some time.
I'm looking forward to it.Good luck!
You rock with this! I enjoy your analyses. it resonates amazingly I know exactly what ya mean and you explain it perfectly
Cool, thanks very much and I'm happy to hear that you enjoy them :)