How many HxH fans does it take to screw in a lightbulb? One fan of the 2011 version to do it and one fan of the 1999 version to complain it's not dark enough.
The Nippon version didn't come over to the west until the late 00s, and not that many people seemed to have seen it, as Viz Media cancelled the dub. So I do not see how a lot of people grew up with it.
James Courtney idk about that. Chimera Ant was dry at first, sure. But it got super interesting in the later parts. Greed Island was pretty enjoyable to me, but I feel like it didn’t live up to the hype that the series gave it before and during the Auction arc. Dodgeball game was cool though. Hunter Exam Arc is in a category of its own though, that’s for sure.
I find that the first three episodes explain themselves quite well but it must be hard for people who have certain expectations prior to watching the show to see these episodes for what they are. I can't imagine the series without these first few episodes.
I enjoyed them a lot but honestly the first episodes are completely "off" with what HxH is. At the end of the first trial is when you really get what this is all about.
@Vega: I understand where you're coming from. For the reasons outlined in this video, I disagree. If anything else, the first few episodes expand the world of the show and give us the perspective of those that are unaware of a Hunter's life.
Herschel Johnson Me too. Somehow I was hooked with the very first episode (mostly due to Kurapika's backstory exposition, and the interactions between the three main cast in general). I think going into Hunter X Hunter blind is the best way to go about it. I was absolutely blown away. I told my friend "it's the best piece of media ever, watch it", and with those expectations he told me the first arc was slightly underwhelming, but was equally blown away once Heaven's Arena started and nen was introduced.
eliack95 I was actually hooked with the first scene, and seeing just a little kid catch a fish that by all rights would require a hunting party and harpoons to catch. It just seemed very dragonball(The first one to be precise).
I love how the first time we see gon is him fishing a fucking monster out of a little lake haha, as the manga progresses I am sure we will see Gon pulling out something even bigger out of the lake Hxh is at
Ok, I'm at 0:25 and I gotta say this: Arkada is just straight up wrong. I remember when I watched the very first episode, and the moment Gon jumps off the ship knowing Kurapika and Leorio would catch him, with the whimsical music is on full blast, was the moment I decided I would watch the whole thing.
Good. Good. Now defend Greed Island so we can purge the fanbase of undesirables. Jokes aside, I find that certain segments of the fanbase undervalue less subversive elements of the story owing to a reputation it gained after the Chimeria Ant arc, but I absolutely adored the exam. The characters all had their own distinct personalities in how they reacted to problems which was often interesting or comical. Reading about all the potential hunters having to impress the second examiner by making sushi for example? Absolute gold created by distinct characters playing off one another. And if we're talking about sheer suspense, how did anyone NOT love Gon stealing the badge from Hisoka? That was even better than their tower fight. I love how the inspiration for Gon's tactic was observing nature.
I agree. I actually hated the chimera ant arc but then the ant started to grow and change especially when he started playing with that blind girl. That made him feel more "human" to me and is one of the reasons I forgive it. I think the main reason I disliked it was because I felt like it came out of nowhere but Hunter Hunter has always been like the real world where you don't know what's going to happen next but it just sort of happens.
tbh I though Greed Island was one of the most enjoyable arcs in the story. Despite it relatively plain villain, the character development throughout the arc was insane.
I think you just proved that the first arc of HxH actually does everything to prepare you for what's coming up if you actually take a step back and look at what's being presented, especially when you look at how Leorio's character is handled. Like you said: We are supposed to not take him seriously at all, view him as the weakest member, and disregard him for the most part. Yet it is only because of this initial impression that we are completely thrown for a loop at the fact that he honestly has the most dedication and drive in correlation to what he's actually trying to achieve, is physically way stronger than Gon and Kurapika (only he opened the Zoldyck Gate Door by himself in the manga) and should actually be the one that deserves our respect the most of the main cast (What I mean is that sure Kurapika/Gon are driven and doing a lot of risky stuff, but their goals require that. Leorio is literally entering in a death game just so he can become a Doctor for the poor. Like what the fuck??? That's true dedication.) I think it's stuff like this that really makes me appreciate Togashi as a writer. Because he uses tropes and expectations in the right way. Not only can he perform the formula to a tee, but he also lays down the foundation and underlying message within such a context without you even noticing unless you really take another look at it thematically. I've personally always wanted to do an analysis on Leorio's character since he's the most overlooked out of the main 4, yet has a lot going on for basically being a side character in almost every arc. After watching this video though, I'm so glad that there are fans of the show who already caught on to Leorio's deeper layers and appreciate him for what he is. Great video once again, Mathwiz. Not a video goes by that I'm not thankful for pressing that sub button. You consistently make such wonderful and interesting videos. Thanks for all you do.
I'm so glad Leorio gets the spotlight in the new arc (dark continent). He's a great character and really deserves to have an arc dedicated to him (as well as Kurapika).
I never really considered that he entered a high stakes death game just so he could become a doctor for the poor. When you think about it that really is some amazing dedication to his goal.
Aleczandxr I agree, I was once a decrier of the Hunter exams, but I recently found an appreciation to this arc thanks to your Morality of Gon Freecs video. Since then, I've spent more time picking apart my least favorite arcs (Hunter Exam, Heavens Arena, Greed Island).
What the hell? Since when was the first episode of Hunter x Hunter bad? If anything shows that don't reveal their true intentions at first interest me much more. You aren't supposed to always get the groundbreaking parts of a series first, but the wait for them makes it all better. Maybe that's just me, but it makes the reveal a lot better once everything is laid out in place. Also, people complaining about normal shonen demographic tropes while watching a shonen battle series confuse me. These things are only bad if they're written poorly.
One common trait I've noticed with people who dislike the first few episodes of HxH, and this is a near universal trait too, is that they present their interest in anime as an academic or high-minded interest. and the fast majority of them are just not into shounen action in general. Even those who claim they are, their MAL pages are full of niche darlings or shows that use the tropes of shounen action to tell a different story (later HxH for example). I would even go so far as to say, with some degree of confidence, that you'll be hard pressed to find someone who absolutely hates HxH's first few episodes but also unironically loves Dragonball Z.
payz hayz you're comparing it relative to some other material. I never read the manga and personally thought gon's motivations were pretty well set and developed throughout the anime, and the introduction of Kite wasn't out of place or arbitrary in any way. Would adding the things you mentioned add some depth to the show? Yeah, but not significantly. Were they necessary? Not at all. The show went above and beyond without them
I read the manga and no Kite not being there in episode 1 isn't that big of a deal. We still get a flashback afterwards and we get plenty of time to get to appreciate Kite before his faith. You are blowing it out of proportion like most kimera ants fan, you seem to think like that arc is the only worthy arc of the show. I'm sorry but HxH is not defined by one theme, even the light hearted arcs are as much part of the manga/show as the kimeras
Also the only difference in the hunter exam arc is the missing part with the sushis? It was a shame it wasn't included cause it was funny but thats it, it was just "funny". You make it sound like it ruined the whole arc.
i was forced to make a top favorites list just to put hxh on top of it i never thought it was possible to underestimate a shows consistency, so every single bother or fault i found in the show got cleared up by the end, and became part of a deeper thematic undercurrent that i just did not think to look for, which only started showing in chimera ant, which had me engaged on so many more levels than any other piece of media ever has. so i had to concede, begrudgingly, never thought it was gonna turn out that way
I know this is an old video but I can't not point out one thing. Gon's response to the fact that his father left him to be a hunter as well as him throwing himself off a boat, as well as many MANY actions he takes, is not only a testimony to his curiosity and trust in people, but also his disregard for himself, for his own life. He just throws himself into danger not only thinking 'of course I'll succeed! Of course someone will catch me!' But also 'and if I perhaps don't succeed that just means I wasn't strong enough and that's just my fault". And that's a deeply sad way of thinking for a 12 year old
The Begining of hunter x hunter also shows the variety of various tactics hunters can use to fight during the survival and number hunting part of the exams we see people use things like fishing pools, assassin techniques, bees, snakes, tongpas, bows and arrows darts etc. To me, this helps foreshadow how nen can be almost anything the mind can think of.
@gaziminator i agree, but i do think one piece has the potential to beat it depending on how it ends and how the future arcs go, same goes to hxh with the future arcs tho too.
Mathwiz97 sorry I jumped the gun When you said one of the strong suits of the original show was it's directing and the white text included the animation and soundtrack as strong suits. The directing is usually brought up as better than in 2011 so I made a correlation in my own head. Great video by the way! I'm always peeved when someone says the early part of the show is bad so it's nice to see a rebuttal
First of all, JoJo and HxH for me are 10/10, I started watching One Piece and it's very very good. But HxH and JoJo have a thing about them, a pure sadness, where you can be the strongest (Gon or Giorno Part 5) but people close to you still die and you can do nothing about it
I always thought it was weird people thought the first arc of the show was bad. Ya it paled in comparison to the rest of the series, but it was still good and had it's moments. I loved the subtle characterization that made me attached to the characters. People can be so overdramatic and too polarizing when it comes to opinions. Good vid man, and I'm happy your channel has grown so much, you deserve it. Happy New Year's!
Ouch that hurt I think relative to the rest of the show, it's not extraordinary. But as a standalone arc of anime, it's more than great. I'd honestly rank it over so many more anime as a whole.
Not hating or anything I enjoy HxH... But I HATE the first arc. I struggled through it. I was only able to finish it by pacing myself at 1 ep a day. Idk I guess I'm weird.
I'm watching it right now for the first time and its so boring so far. Nothing about it stands out to me at all. It feels like a watered down and more light hearted version of the chunnin exams from Naruto. I'm on episode 7 right now and I don't care about anything that's happening or like any of the characters besides Leorio so far. Gon is just like a blank slate who's good at everything because he has ridiculously good intuition. The only reason I'm gonna keep watching is because so many people say that its a good series.
MrGrimlocke I don't want to be that guy, but you won't regret finishing this show. I had a rough start too, despite my original comment. The impact of this is arc didn't set in till later arcs, so keep at it mate. Episode 22 is when the next arc starts.
The beginning of Hunter x Hunter is crucial to the rope a dope. I almost interpret the lighthearted mood as Gon's mood at that point in story. The show matures as Gon matures and is confronted by the brutal reality of that world.
Great video, and I agree with most points. I personally preferred the early episodes of the 1999 series. I know some of it was filler, but I didn't feel that the 1999 episodes were significantly darker than the 2011 ones. (In fact, covering non-canon details about Gon's relationship with Kon (the foxbear cub) added some funny-animal lightness.)⬅ There was no reason for you to cover it this video, but if you ever compare the two adaptations, IMO the later series has a major flaw. *It doesn't introduce Kite.* And not realizing this early relationship of Gon with an adult male he could really respect, and who told him the truth about his father, these things minimize the depth of despair Gon could feel for Kite's loss and eventual confirmation of death. The way the 2011 series introduced Kite, 70 episodes in, seemed to give him the status of "just another hunter he once met". To Gon, he was much, much more.⬅ Overall, I enjoyed the later series more, but IMO leaving Kite out at the beginning is a significant flaw.
I'm actually already working on a video specifically about Kite, as his introduction is easily one of the biggest flaws in the 2011 anime. As for the tone, I mainly think of some specific events towards the middle/end of the Hunter Exam that either don't exist in the manga/2011 series or have been altered slightly to be more brutal/ominous. (For example, the color palette and imagery used during the tournament fights is much more imposing than that of the 2011 version).
@@woonha4481 Cool. I always felt that certain non-canonical elements had a Togashi touch. For example, the 3-episode cooperation arc during the hunter exam was such an ideal test, filling in a vital hole for examining hunter talents. Also, the first episode after Heaven's Arena arc, where Gon and Killua go to Whale Island, is fantastic, with a lot of strong character development for Killua. I don't call these things "filler" -- they're just too good.
I can't wait to find a friend to start watching HxH with me so I can fall in love with the show all over again. I thought the hunter exam arc was fantastic.
It's great but most of my true appreciation of it came after watching it a second or third time. A lot of the good and important things are hard to pick up on the first sight.
Another great thing about the first arc, that u briefly touched on in this vid and the topic of ur previous HunterXHunter vid, is how the this arc foreshadows elements that make the show so good. The power system is foreshadow to terrifying and entertaining effect by Hisoka but it doesn't feel solely for that purpose but to act as a challenge for Gon, when it's explained to us it just adds to how well executed the story is in it's early parts. Great Video and Happy New Year!
i was actaully talking to somebody about similar points to this with somebody when they were talking about how they didn't really like the early parts and I argued if that early section wasn't as tonally positive than the darker tone shift might not have worked nearly as well I needed a video like this you deserve way more attention than you get
🔥🔥🔥Bro this must be one of the best HxH analysis I have ever seen on RUclips. I can see how much you love this show just by you describing every mini details of a scene. That's skillful af. So please I hope you have more of Hunter x Hunter coming for the future. That to me would be like supereyepatch wolf uploading
I think the reason people believe the first few episodes of HxH to be 'bad' is because of the super intense stuff that follows it. The series builds up to these awesome, high-stakes moments in the series, so when you look back on the first few episodes you might think "huh, this is a lot less cool than the rest of the HxH". From personal experience, I think it's pretty uncommon for a show to not only maintain the awesomeness of it's first season, but get more awesome as it goes on. A lot of shows pack a bunch of cool, interesting stuff in the first episodes, but find that they can't maintain the things that made it good and it goes downhill (or the stuff that made it good got old because they just kept relying on it). TL;DR, people might just be used to having really awesome introductions to a series and having it go to shit, so they think the first part of the series should be the best part. I don't really know anything though, this is just what I think is the case. It's not the only reason for people to dislike HxH's first episodes, just part of the reason (maybe).
No it's because we get no background of gon if someone's watching for the first time he goes off to become a Hunter, but for what to look for his father. This isn't much of an individual goal, although his own goal must be to learn about the world and the glories of becoming a hunter, but this wasn't explained well, as for the most part Hunters are described as powerful wealthy people which doesn't explain much as to why this protagonist has a "special" goal. Most people will see gon's personality as pretty straight forward when it is actually much more complex than it seems at first glance.
True story.. I quit watching hunter x hunter 3 times back in the day when the chimera ant arc was current. First time I got to Gon's smile. Immediately shut it off. Second time I watched the opening (which I now love) and i turned it off. Finally I sat through the entire first episode and said this just wasn't for me. It wasn't until Killua showed up that my interest stuck after the 4th try going in. I just wasn't looking for a happy go lucky anime at the time. And then when I finished it and tried to convince my girlfriend to watch it she would deny for a while just because of the thumbnail. Now she hates me for showing it to her because shes never cried so much in her life
As for the beginning of HxH: Manga > 2011 > 1999 (although I like the first episode of 1999 better) I think the looks of the manga is the best out of the three, having a good balance between dark and "childish". Small details like Leorio being the one to run towards Katzo first, Mito drinking alone and the way even the shipcrew is no pushovers are really nice. The biggest fault for the 2011 version is how they didn't include Kite (and Kon) in episode 1 (and basically every mention of before the CA arc...). The 1999 version had a lot of unnecessary filler and changed scenes which wasn't that enjoyable, imo. If you got time I recommend reading the manga of HxH, at least the Hunter Exam arc!
are you kidding? 1999 is better than 2011 and BY A LONG SHOT. the only redeeming quality of 2011 is Chimera Ants. I am sick and tired of people who haven't watched 1999 and yet have the audacity to make general statements like this one.
Chimera Ants is terrible as a whole... what a pathetic premise it has. Of course it has good thinks: Meruem is an extremely well made character, for example. Still, the exam arc owns it in every way.
I've watched 1999 twice, while it has some merits I found it to be awfully slow (its boring, unnecessary fillers didn't help tbh). I probably won't make many friends saying this but I can't think of a single thing 1999 did better than 2011.
Berserk is another manga with undervalued greatness in it's opening arc, imo. The Black Swordsman gets overlooked and crapped on a bunch, which I think is very unwarranted.
I’ll admit, I thought that the first few episodes were kind of just “there”, but the further along I get in this show, the more I realize WHY the first episodes were so comparatively lighthearted. That Mood Whiplash just smacks you in the face like nothing else once the actual overall tone of the show sets in, even with simple stuff you take for granted. That theme song doesn’t really give you a good idea of what you’re REALLY in for even though I love it
13:28 ngl, i actually really liked this scene. i love how vague and unexplained hisoka's abilities are in the hunter exam. I feel, one of the best things about him in this arc is how scarily mysterious he is. all we know about him is that he's incredibly powerful, but we don't know *how*, or what *makes* him powerful. and i think this scene adds to that feel a bit, personally. also it adds to the whole "magician" vibe he has and i like that
I agree that we are viewing a lot of this series "through Gon's eyes" (not all, but much of it). Another example is every time we see random shots of Ging before he actually shows up it's a glowing image of him looking well dressed and shaved and doing heroic or otherwise great things. When we actually see the character... he is more disheveled, clearly is hated by many, is actively called out for his deadbeat dad nature (thank you Leorio for your epic punch scene!), etc. Does that mean none of the prior Ging protrayal is true? of course not. He has done "great" things and is skilled. but the reality of Ging is not only this rosy imagined version that Gon has. Eventually Gon realizes this too as in the ongoing Manga he admits to Mito that Ging is not really a father but more like a "crazy uncle"
Great video. You’ve hit the nail on the head. It established the tropes do it can pull the rug out from us and surprise the reader, keep us guessing throughout the story.
"Good Hunters are well-liked by animals." Ep. 1 Gon catching the big fish while literally surrounded by animals. Later when Gon and Killua camp out in the Whale Island woods... Surrounded by animals.
I think a big factor of the early episodes not being seen of as as good is the 2011 anime was pretty mediocre in adapting them and messed up some stuff
Hunter Exam was one of my most favourite arcs. I'm surprised anyone would complain about the early episodes being too shonen when the later ones literally turns into Dragonball Z.
I really enjoyed this, I recommend this anime to my friends all the time but I usually warn them that it has a slow beginning, You have definitely changed my views on this intro! Great vid ☺️
My only gripe with the series is that it took 2 arcs to introduce Nen, the aspect of the show that really convinced me to give it a shot, like Stands are to JoJo. Then again, I don't know how I would fit it in without destroying the story
I think you hit the nail on the head, the series really shines through contrasts, especially between the upbeat, cute and colurful presentation and the harsh realities of the world the show takes place in, and those do require some setup. I'm in the middle of a rewatch at the moment and must say I was actually quite impressed with the whole first arc in that it doesn't just set up the characters and parts of how the world works, but a lot of the darker tones. The pop quiz is part of that pattern, where Gon contemplates what he would do if he really found himselves in a situation where he could only save one of two loved ones and had to let the other die. And really none of the situations they find themselves in are what they seem like at first which really grabbed my attention, knowing how complex and morally ambiguous everything gets later. Then in the exam itself lots of people die. We can only guess at the real numbers since lots dropped out without fatal injuries but we can safely assume the number to be in the hundreds. This in itself would be dark enough, if it weren't so underplayed in how it is protrayed. But that muted portrayal itself is indicative for how the charactesr see it, which is really the harsh part. Nobody cares. People die all the time in this world, it is cruel and brutal and often fatal. And whoever chooses to do the exam invites death. None of the characters even so much as shrug at the countless dead people at the roadside, overgrown by mushrooms or impaled on spikes. It's just par for the course and not worth a mention. That's not to say I'd compare the arc all too favourably with later ones, but "horrible" is blatantly false and "not indicative of the series as a whole" is questionable as well, especially since Togashi likes to mix it up A LOT with each arc and none of them are particularly representative of the series as a whole. Arguably also what keeps it interesting.
Those criticisms at the beginning are all valid but they can literally all be solved by including the scene with Kite that the manga started with. It's a hook - it gives us an idea of what a hunter is, while retaining the mysterious aura that surrounds it. It gives Gon a reason to want to search for his father, and instills that idea that he's a great person who is doing something amazing out in the world (Gon saw how great Kite was and that Kite looked up to Ging as his master). Let me put it this way; what would One Piece feel like if you left out the scene at the beginning with Shanks? Including this scene at the beginning does so much for the story; it lets the reader understand what Gon's motivations are and gives them a vague idea of what a hunter is, as well as why one would want to become one. Without this scene, Gon's passion to become a hunter seems hollow, confusing, and immature when it has the potential to be so much more. It reads almost like a passing fancy - a child who decided they want to be a detective because they heard that a long lost cousin was one, instead of seeing someone display an excellent example of detective work and then praising that cousin as an even greater detective. Grand Line Review has an excellent video about this topic.
The progression of tone, I think, mirror excellently the progress Gon makes becoming a hunter as well as eases the view/reader into what kind of complex story it is while also having well crafted and aware intro.
I chose to watch all of the 1999 and then picked up the 2011 where it left of, I think I made a wise choice, I would have watch 2011 from the start after I finished the 1999, but I was too invested into the story to wait for the story to catch back up Also... I’m a sucker for the hand done pannels of earlier animes
"Not trying to change how the world turns or something but he wants to learn" I thank you so much for this line. It's what makes it very unique. That attitude I reckon is one of hardest to learn and attain in reality.
i read this story since 2000 and always loved the first few chapters. exactly as you said the transition from lighthearted shonen jump to kinda seinen even, amazing. glad that finally someone aknowlegded that
Great video. What I also like was the Scene at 17:49 where Gon fishes the case from Leorio. In other Shounen we wouldn't see such a scene at all. Moreover we'd see this suitcase in the next scenes after this 1st exam would have been finished. That Gon took this case showed his kindess and that he cares for his friends in such a good subtle way. I really liked it. However, Happy new year.
"Togashi's tendency to develop relatively unimportant characters"? But at least for the CA saga, every character that falls under development could be, aside from Cheetu, considered _pretty damn_ important, especially when you factor in how Gyro is noted to have later ties with Gon himself
Binolt (the scissor assassin guy) is a pretty irrelevant character in Greed Island, yet he gets a backstory and changes his mindset in his short time on screen. Zepile is basically just a plot device in Yorknew, yet he gets a backstory and a few fun interactions with the boys and Leorio. Gotoh (the head butler) doesn't do much in the series, but his distant yet protective relationship with Killua was well-realized. Canary's relationship to Killua is developed similarly. There could be more, this was just off the top of my head.
One weird thing about the CA arc was that the chimera ants for the most part weren't important because of who they were, but only because of what they could do. A few of them were important, but the ones that really weren't tend to fade from everyone's memory pretty quickly
I completely forgot about Hisoka turning that guy's arms into petals. I guess the infodump about Nen in Heavens Arena made it difficult to focus on minor beats like that while also trying to understand a new magic system
I don't agree with the point where you said that because the 1999 anime had started with a darker tone, it was bad. The thing is that the saturated colouring & glossy look(I'm not sure if you are also referring to the story telling) might help catch you off guard later. However as the transition carries on, they just failed to blend in with the darker narratives and thus the conspicuous contrast makes character excessively "edgy" as well as their action and reaction out of place , whereas the 1999 version justified the madness from flashing out how dark the HxH world is. I think this failure kind of out weight the disadvantage of not being able to deliver a surprise which I am not even sure whether it adds to the story or not. No offence.Just saying my thought.
The first couple episodes are some of my favorite. They are so warm in feel easing you into a pretty cool typical shonen story that’s very well written.
from 3:55 to 4:48 was exactly why Gon was such a captivating character for me from the very start. You put my thoughts on it into perfect words. I for one absolutely adore the first episodes of hxh.
I totally agree with those first few episodes. But I also focus on characters over plot allot of the time so that's what kept everything running smoothly for me.
I watched the first few episodes of the 90s Hunter X Hunter, before being told by my friends that I was watching the wrong one XD but I have to say that I preferred the 90s opening, there was a lot more characterisation and we also get to meet an actual hunter, whatshisface, rather than seeing him in a flashback waaaaaay later. I didn't like how rushed the 2011 opening was in contrast, but then I didn't get to judge it as a standalone piece. And I think that the newer one is probably more to my taste after a certain point, although I dunno for sure.
8:15 I know this sounds kinda stupid, but I m just not sure if Gon is good at understanding people or really bad- I mean, he never seemed to understand Killua, and he doesn t even seem to understand his own emotions/or knowing how to handle them
I completely disagree with not starting out with the first anime. It gives more details and also shows Kite in the beginning. I will say that you might want to stop once they recover Killua from the Zoldyck estate. It gets hard to enjoy one version of the York New Arc. It’s so much better to enjoy 2011 when Gon fights hisoka but once the spiders make their debut on the 1999 version, it completely changes mood and is raw unlike the 2011. Sort of, you just have to watch both arcs to understand how dark 1999 made it.
I have to agree with you on this from antecdotel evidence. My girlfriend who is very picky about anime and in general tends to dislike shounen anime was drawn in during the first few episodes of HxH and the Hunter Exam Arc. Honestly the Arc she dislikes the most is the one many praise, the Chimera Ant arc. Mostly because it took a while to develop individual plot elements, something we disliked. (We liked how HxH was fluid with it's development up to the Chimera Ant arc it felt like it ground to a halt that arc.).
HxH is an art It's not necessarily perfect, it's just beautiful.. The biggest reason that makes this anime # 1 for me is the world and the hunters themselves are very unique and interesting...
Well, even though the first arc was exceptional, it probably should have been better. I know so many people who quit Hunter x Hunter forever because they didn’t see the greatness of the show, and wasn’t patient enough to see if it would prove itself.
I agree. I’m currently watching HXH 2011 and I’m currently at the Greed Island Arc. And having seen a number of other anime. I’ve summed up each arc by comparing them to other anime. Hunter Exam Arc=Original Dragon Ball Zoldyck Estate Arc=Original Naruto’s 2nd Half Heaven’s Arena Arc=Baki the grappler Phantom Troupe Arc=Baccano/Naruto Shippuden Greed Island Arc=S.A.O./Yu Yu Hakusho Chimera Ant Arc P1=Fullmetal Alchemist Chimera Ant Arc P2=JoJo part 3 And that’s all the arcs I currently know about.
I always new that the first episodes weren't THAT great. But I personnally always had a good vibe with them... glad to see you put words on my feelings.
Great video, definitely agree with you. HxH's beginning/Hunter Exam is underrated af. It introduced all the characters, plot elements, themes, and story so well. It had so many great bits of subtle characterization, it weaved in many themes that are present throughout the whole series into its own narrative, and set up so much for future arcs. The Hunter Exam is my 3rd favorite arc tbh. Keep up the good work!
13:29 - I actually think Hisoka turning a guy's arms into flower petals is a more badass and Hisoka-ian intro than just chopping them off. Any old brute can just chop your arms off. Only a character as mysterious, darkly-powerful and whimsical as Hisoka could TURN THEM TO FLOWER PETALS!
i loved the first episode of hxh and i really enjoyed the first and second arc the first time watching it and that happens to a lot of anime people say have a slow/boring start like people say one piece gets good after 50 episodes but i fell in love with it in episode 1
I really disliked One Piece first two episodes, prolly has to do with the fact they were completely unfaithful to the manga (which I throughoutly adored).
How many HxH fans does it take to screw in a lightbulb? One fan of the 2011 version to do it and one fan of the 1999 version to complain it's not dark enough.
CountUnicorn fabulously done
...... I take offense to that, man lol. But that was good xD
OMFGGGGGGGGGG XD *DEAD*
The Nippon version didn't come over to the west until the late 00s, and not that many people seemed to have seen it, as Viz Media cancelled the dub. So I do not see how a lot of people grew up with it.
Dude.
"Hisoka isn't a rookie, but he just doesn't care." I laughed at that XD
Hunter Exam arc > Greed Island arc > Chimera Ant arc
James Courtney idk about that. Chimera Ant was dry at first, sure. But it got super interesting in the later parts. Greed Island was pretty enjoyable to me, but I feel like it didn’t live up to the hype that the series gave it before and during the Auction arc. Dodgeball game was cool though. Hunter Exam Arc is in a category of its own though, that’s for sure.
@@hotramen7580 yorknew arc > everything else
I find that the first three episodes explain themselves quite well but it must be hard for people who have certain expectations prior to watching the show to see these episodes for what they are. I can't imagine the series without these first few episodes.
I enjoyed them a lot but honestly the first episodes are completely "off" with what HxH is. At the end of the first trial is when you really get what this is all about.
@Vega: I understand where you're coming from. For the reasons outlined in this video, I disagree. If anything else, the first few episodes expand the world of the show and give us the perspective of those that are unaware of a Hunter's life.
Lemme just say one thing when I got into HxH I went in completely blind(I know weird.) and the first few episodes hooked me in great.
Herschel Johnson Me too. Somehow I was hooked with the very first episode (mostly due to Kurapika's backstory exposition, and the interactions between the three main cast in general). I think going into Hunter X Hunter blind is the best way to go about it. I was absolutely blown away. I told my friend "it's the best piece of media ever, watch it", and with those expectations he told me the first arc was slightly underwhelming, but was equally blown away once Heaven's Arena started and nen was introduced.
eliack95 I was actually hooked with the first scene, and seeing just a little kid catch a fish that by all rights would require a hunting party and harpoons to catch. It just seemed very dragonball(The first one to be precise).
I actually enjoy the beginning of hunter x hunter
Gary Lytle same
Yeah its cool
Same
I love how the first time we see gon is him fishing a fucking monster out of a little lake haha, as the manga progresses I am sure we will see Gon pulling out something even bigger out of the lake Hxh is at
im with yah
I just finished Hunter x Hunter 2011 like a week ago, and now I want to cry forever. I miss the early episodes so much.
BirdsAlwaysFlyAway x There there buddy 🙇🏻♂️
Just 2011 anime I presume because if not there is the manga which carried on from the
Election arc.
same :(
@@cherrymoon2 I'm on the manga now, too ^^
Shaman Xeed not accepting other opinions is so cool and edgy
Ok, I'm at 0:25 and I gotta say this: Arkada is just straight up wrong.
I remember when I watched the very first episode, and the moment Gon jumps off the ship knowing Kurapika and Leorio would catch him, with the whimsical music is on full blast, was the moment I decided I would watch the whole thing.
me toooooo, i myself thought that was cool, they all start bonding their friendship in that kind of way
I thought it was hilarious but I knew something was off.
ikr, and like the bonds they built early on made it even more heartbreaking at the end.
Holy... That's exactly the moment I fell in love w/ Hxh too.
Good. Good. Now defend Greed Island so we can purge the fanbase of undesirables.
Jokes aside, I find that certain segments of the fanbase undervalue less subversive elements of the story owing to a reputation it gained after the Chimeria Ant arc, but I absolutely adored the exam. The characters all had their own distinct personalities in how they reacted to problems which was often interesting or comical. Reading about all the potential hunters having to impress the second examiner by making sushi for example? Absolute gold created by distinct characters playing off one another.
And if we're talking about sheer suspense, how did anyone NOT love Gon stealing the badge from Hisoka? That was even better than their tower fight. I love how the inspiration for Gon's tactic was observing nature.
Dude who does stuff This guy gets it~
I agree. I actually hated the chimera ant arc but then the ant started to grow and change especially when he started playing with that blind girl. That made him feel more "human" to me and is one of the reasons I forgive it. I think the main reason I disliked it was because I felt like it came out of nowhere but Hunter Hunter has always been like the real world where you don't know what's going to happen next but it just sort of happens.
Actually that is more of fore shadowing to what the story is going to get into.
tbh I though Greed Island was one of the most enjoyable arcs in the story. Despite it relatively plain villain, the character development throughout the arc was insane.
Didjya forget that the old man 's wife or what ever she was died, and was like fml, just do whatever the fuck you like I failed in my one goal.
I think you just proved that the first arc of HxH actually does everything to prepare you for what's coming up if you actually take a step back and look at what's being presented, especially when you look at how Leorio's character is handled.
Like you said: We are supposed to not take him seriously at all, view him as the weakest member, and disregard him for the most part. Yet it is only because of this initial impression that we are completely thrown for a loop at the fact that he honestly has the most dedication and drive in correlation to what he's actually trying to achieve, is physically way stronger than Gon and Kurapika (only he opened the Zoldyck Gate Door by himself in the manga) and should actually be the one that deserves our respect the most of the main cast (What I mean is that sure Kurapika/Gon are driven and doing a lot of risky stuff, but their goals require that. Leorio is literally entering in a death game just so he can become a Doctor for the poor. Like what the fuck??? That's true dedication.)
I think it's stuff like this that really makes me appreciate Togashi as a writer. Because he uses tropes and expectations in the right way. Not only can he perform the formula to a tee, but he also lays down the foundation and underlying message within such a context without you even noticing unless you really take another look at it thematically.
I've personally always wanted to do an analysis on Leorio's character since he's the most overlooked out of the main 4, yet has a lot going on for basically being a side character in almost every arc. After watching this video though, I'm so glad that there are fans of the show who already caught on to Leorio's deeper layers and appreciate him for what he is.
Great video once again, Mathwiz. Not a video goes by that I'm not thankful for pressing that sub button. You consistently make such wonderful and interesting videos. Thanks for all you do.
It saddens me that Aleczandxr hasn't made a video on Leorio yet. He's such a fun character.
Ah, knew I'd find you here!! Great comment as always!
tehawsumninja I'd watch your character analysis. I really enjoy leorio in the series.
I'm so glad Leorio gets the spotlight in the new arc (dark continent). He's a great character and really deserves to have an arc dedicated to him (as well as Kurapika).
I never really considered that he entered a high stakes death game just so he could become a doctor for the poor. When you think about it that really is some amazing dedication to his goal.
Really enjoyed this! Works as a nice rebuttal to the Hunter Exam decriers too.
Aleczandxr Love your videos, nice to see that you also look for other people's content and is supportive of it! :)
Is this one of my favorites analyzer looking at other analyzer analyzing my fav anime? Am i having a dream within a dream? Hat off to you sir
Whoa, Aleczandxr !!?!?!!!!
Aleczandxr I agree, I was once a decrier of the Hunter exams, but I recently found an appreciation to this arc thanks to your Morality of Gon Freecs video. Since then, I've spent more time picking apart my least favorite arcs (Hunter Exam, Heavens Arena, Greed Island).
Shooketh! It's Aleczandxr
What the hell? Since when was the first episode of Hunter x Hunter bad? If anything shows that don't reveal their true intentions at first interest me much more. You aren't supposed to always get the groundbreaking parts of a series first, but the wait for them makes it all better. Maybe that's just me, but it makes the reveal a lot better once everything is laid out in place.
Also, people complaining about normal shonen demographic tropes while watching a shonen battle series confuse me. These things are only bad if they're written poorly.
One common trait I've noticed with people who dislike the first few episodes of HxH, and this is a near universal trait too, is that they present their interest in anime as an academic or high-minded interest. and the fast majority of them are just not into shounen action in general. Even those who claim they are, their MAL pages are full of niche darlings or shows that use the tropes of shounen action to tell a different story (later HxH for example). I would even go so far as to say, with some degree of confidence, that you'll be hard pressed to find someone who absolutely hates HxH's first few episodes but also unironically loves Dragonball Z.
Dennis X This 👆
payz hayz you're comparing it relative to some other material. I never read the manga and personally thought gon's motivations were pretty well set and developed throughout the anime, and the introduction of Kite wasn't out of place or arbitrary in any way. Would adding the things you mentioned add some depth to the show? Yeah, but not significantly. Were they necessary? Not at all. The show went above and beyond without them
I read the manga and no Kite not being there in episode 1 isn't that big of a deal. We still get a flashback afterwards and we get plenty of time to get to appreciate Kite before his faith. You are blowing it out of proportion like most kimera ants fan, you seem to think like that arc is the only worthy arc of the show. I'm sorry but HxH is not defined by one theme, even the light hearted arcs are as much part of the manga/show as the kimeras
Also the only difference in the hunter exam arc is the missing part with the sushis? It was a shame it wasn't included cause it was funny but thats it, it was just "funny". You make it sound like it ruined the whole arc.
I never thought I could have a favorite anime until HxH.
i was forced to make a top favorites list just to put hxh on top of it
i never thought it was possible to underestimate a shows consistency, so every single bother or fault i found in the show got cleared up by the end, and became part of a deeper thematic undercurrent that i just did not think to look for, which only started showing in chimera ant, which had me engaged on so many more levels than any other piece of media ever has. so i had to concede, begrudgingly, never thought it was gonna turn out that way
I know this is an old video but I can't not point out one thing. Gon's response to the fact that his father left him to be a hunter as well as him throwing himself off a boat, as well as many MANY actions he takes, is not only a testimony to his curiosity and trust in people, but also his disregard for himself, for his own life. He just throws himself into danger not only thinking 'of course I'll succeed! Of course someone will catch me!' But also 'and if I perhaps don't succeed that just means I wasn't strong enough and that's just my fault". And that's a deeply sad way of thinking for a 12 year old
Hunter exam is probably my favorite arc, it’s just really fun and unpredictable
RSVaughan my fav is the phantom troupe arc.
@@saladism_5803 same here . They made Kurapika such a fucking badass
@Suleymen Amanzholtegi um, different people have different opinions
The Begining of hunter x hunter also shows the variety of various tactics hunters can use to fight during the survival and number hunting part of the exams we see people use things like fishing pools, assassin techniques, bees, snakes, tongpas, bows and arrows darts etc. To me, this helps foreshadow how nen can be almost anything the mind can think of.
Yeah, Kurapika breaking down what had happened in the forest was just a mere shadow of what was to come.
Hxh dope af
Its the best shonen ever by far lol
One_Piece_Hater_101 - People who say MHA is the 'best shonen' manga/anime, clearly have not read/seen HxH.
Gaziminator TRUTH
EpicJacoby Sage Words My Friend 🤔
@gaziminator i agree, but i do think one piece has the potential to beat it depending on how it ends and how the future arcs go, same goes to hxh with the future arcs tho too.
YESSSSSS It drives me freaking NUTS when people think the intro is bad!!!!!!!!!
ALPHA it’s not that common but it happens lol
ALPHA many shit tastes
The original show has a better soundtrack? Must be top tier shit because HxH 2011 has a pretty good soundtrack
I never said it had a better soundtrack, but it's pretty fucking great. I think I still prefer 2011's OST though.
Mathwiz97 sorry I jumped the gun When you said one of the strong suits of the original show was it's directing and the white text included the animation and soundtrack as strong suits. The directing is usually brought up as better than in 2011 so I made a correlation in my own head.
Great video by the way! I'm always peeved when someone says the early part of the show is bad so it's nice to see a rebuttal
Believe me; HxH '99's soundtrack IS top tier shit.
It's Hans Zimmer level shit.
well 1999 has a better sound track while 2011's is generic at best.
Mostafa Not a fan of 1999's tracks tbh
Undervalued? One of the most popular shounen? Actually, yeah you're right. It should be _the_ most popular.
@Diminish Gaming big fax, I think one piece is better in my opinion but hxh is a close second
@@demiladeadedoyin-adeyinka3717 Everyone here is wrong, Jojo takes the cake
@@imachangedname2978 haven't watched/read joio so I can't comment but I'm sure it's good tho . I'll get round to it sometime
Mob psycho is better
First of all, JoJo and HxH for me are 10/10, I started watching One Piece and it's very very good. But HxH and JoJo have a thing about them, a pure sadness, where you can be the strongest (Gon or Giorno Part 5) but people close to you still die and you can do nothing about it
I always thought it was weird people thought the first arc of the show was bad. Ya it paled in comparison to the rest of the series, but it was still good and had it's moments. I loved the subtle characterization that made me attached to the characters. People can be so overdramatic and too polarizing when it comes to opinions.
Good vid man, and I'm happy your channel has grown so much, you deserve it. Happy New Year's!
Ouch that hurt I think relative to the rest of the show, it's not extraordinary. But as a standalone arc of anime, it's more than great. I'd honestly rank it over so many more anime as a whole.
Not hating or anything I enjoy HxH...
But I HATE the first arc. I struggled through it. I was only able to finish it by pacing myself at 1 ep a day. Idk I guess I'm weird.
I'm watching it right now for the first time and its so boring so far. Nothing about it stands out to me at all. It feels like a watered down and more light hearted version of the chunnin exams from Naruto. I'm on episode 7 right now and I don't care about anything that's happening or like any of the characters besides Leorio so far. Gon is just like a blank slate who's good at everything because he has ridiculously good intuition. The only reason I'm gonna keep watching is because so many people say that its a good series.
MrGrimlocke I don't want to be that guy, but you won't regret finishing this show. I had a rough start too, despite my original comment. The impact of this is arc didn't set in till later arcs, so keep at it mate. Episode 22 is when the next arc starts.
MrGrimlocke Naruto peaked at the chuunin exams and went downhill. Hxh just gets better from the Hunter exams
The beginning of Hunter x Hunter is crucial to the rope a dope. I almost interpret the lighthearted mood as Gon's mood at that point in story. The show matures as Gon matures and is confronted by the brutal reality of that world.
That part bout the show maturing with gon was genius. Such a great way to simply word it.
Great video, and I agree with most points. I personally preferred the early episodes of the 1999 series. I know some of it was filler, but I didn't feel that the 1999 episodes were significantly darker than the 2011 ones. (In fact, covering non-canon details about Gon's relationship with Kon (the foxbear cub) added some funny-animal lightness.)⬅
There was no reason for you to cover it this video, but if you ever compare the two adaptations, IMO the later series has a major flaw. *It doesn't introduce Kite.* And not realizing this early relationship of Gon with an adult male he could really respect, and who told him the truth about his father, these things minimize the depth of despair Gon could feel for Kite's loss and eventual confirmation of death. The way the 2011 series introduced Kite, 70 episodes in, seemed to give him the status of "just another hunter he once met". To Gon, he was much, much more.⬅
Overall, I enjoyed the later series more, but IMO leaving Kite out at the beginning is a significant flaw.
I'm actually already working on a video specifically about Kite, as his introduction is easily one of the biggest flaws in the 2011 anime. As for the tone, I mainly think of some specific events towards the middle/end of the Hunter Exam that either don't exist in the manga/2011 series or have been altered slightly to be more brutal/ominous. (For example, the color palette and imagery used during the tournament fights is much more imposing than that of the 2011 version).
Just FYI, Togashi wrote the 1999 fillers himself
@@woonha4481 Cool. I always felt that certain non-canonical elements had a Togashi touch. For example, the 3-episode cooperation arc during the hunter exam was such an ideal test, filling in a vital hole for examining hunter talents. Also, the first episode after Heaven's Arena arc, where Gon and Killua go to Whale Island, is fantastic, with a lot of strong character development for Killua. I don't call these things "filler" -- they're just too good.
I can't wait to find a friend to start watching HxH with me so I can fall in love with the show all over again. I thought the hunter exam arc was fantastic.
Devin You're doing ToGODshi's work my friend!
There's a dickriding association for HxH? Huh, never knew.
I hope we have a 2001 variant too.
:100:
Devin Ye been working hard for a few years now
Anyone who didn’t see the greatness in HxH during the exam arc suffers from severely shit taste.
HotSkull #Truefacts
True
HotSkull or maybe it’s that people have different opinions and tastes
Lol lowkey true
It's great but most of my true appreciation of it came after watching it a second or third time. A lot of the good and important things are hard to pick up on the first sight.
YOU MAGNIFICENT MAN YOU ENDING 2017 RIGHT!!!!!
The cookie spartan Thanks my man!
Another great thing about the first arc, that u briefly touched on in this vid and the topic of ur previous HunterXHunter vid, is how the this arc foreshadows elements that make the show so good. The power system is foreshadow to terrifying and entertaining effect by Hisoka but it doesn't feel solely for that purpose but to act as a challenge for Gon, when it's explained to us it just adds to how well executed the story is in it's early parts. Great Video and Happy New Year!
I love your username
i was actaully talking to somebody about similar points to this with somebody when they were talking about how they didn't really like the early parts and I argued if that early section wasn't as tonally positive than the darker tone shift might not have worked nearly as well
I needed a video like this
you deserve way more attention than you get
🔥🔥🔥Bro this must be one of the best HxH analysis I have ever seen on RUclips. I can see how much you love this show just by you describing every mini details of a scene. That's skillful af. So please I hope you have more of Hunter x Hunter coming for the future. That to me would be like supereyepatch wolf uploading
I think the reason people believe the first few episodes of HxH to be 'bad' is because of the super intense stuff that follows it. The series builds up to these awesome, high-stakes moments in the series, so when you look back on the first few episodes you might think "huh, this is a lot less cool than the rest of the HxH".
From personal experience, I think it's pretty uncommon for a show to not only maintain the awesomeness of it's first season, but get more awesome as it goes on. A lot of shows pack a bunch of cool, interesting stuff in the first episodes, but find that they can't maintain the things that made it good and it goes downhill (or the stuff that made it good got old because they just kept relying on it).
TL;DR, people might just be used to having really awesome introductions to a series and having it go to shit, so they think the first part of the series should be the best part.
I don't really know anything though, this is just what I think is the case. It's not the only reason for people to dislike HxH's first episodes, just part of the reason (maybe).
No it's because we get no background of gon if someone's watching for the first time he goes off to become a Hunter, but for what to look for his father. This isn't much of an individual goal, although his own goal must be to learn about the world and the glories of becoming a hunter, but this wasn't explained well, as for the most part Hunters are described as powerful wealthy people which doesn't explain much as to why this protagonist has a "special" goal. Most people will see gon's personality as pretty straight forward when it is actually much more complex than it seems at first glance.
It's not a bad introduction, but most people only watch the first episode and leave.
FINALLY
NEED MORE RUclipsRS THAT APPRECIATES HXH
True story.. I quit watching hunter x hunter 3 times back in the day when the chimera ant arc was current. First time I got to Gon's smile. Immediately shut it off. Second time I watched the opening (which I now love) and i turned it off. Finally I sat through the entire first episode and said this just wasn't for me. It wasn't until Killua showed up that my interest stuck after the 4th try going in. I just wasn't looking for a happy go lucky anime at the time. And then when I finished it and tried to convince my girlfriend to watch it she would deny for a while just because of the thumbnail. Now she hates me for showing it to her because shes never cried so much in her life
Bruh, I'm so high and this is so trippy right now.. Thank you! Happy New Year! !!
So you weren't the only one. New Years good?
lol imagine if your dad left you and you said "iSN'T ThAT aMAzIng?"
I like Leorio's line of how he got a second wind once he stopped giving a damn about how he looked
As for the beginning of HxH: Manga > 2011 > 1999 (although I like the first episode of 1999 better)
I think the looks of the manga is the best out of the three, having a good balance between dark and "childish". Small details like Leorio being the one to run towards Katzo first, Mito drinking alone and the way even the shipcrew is no pushovers are really nice. The biggest fault for the 2011 version is how they didn't include Kite (and Kon) in episode 1 (and basically every mention of before the CA arc...). The 1999 version had a lot of unnecessary filler and changed scenes which wasn't that enjoyable, imo.
If you got time I recommend reading the manga of HxH, at least the Hunter Exam arc!
I will definitely read the entire manga at some point.
are you kidding? 1999 is better than 2011 and BY A LONG SHOT. the only redeeming quality of 2011 is Chimera Ants.
I am sick and tired of people who haven't watched 1999 and yet have the audacity to make general statements like this one.
Chimera Ants is terrible as a whole... what a pathetic premise it has. Of course it has good thinks: Meruem is an extremely well made character, for example. Still, the exam arc owns it in every way.
erigor11 Heavily Disagree.
I've watched 1999 twice, while it has some merits I found it to be awfully slow (its boring, unnecessary fillers didn't help tbh). I probably won't make many friends saying this but I can't think of a single thing 1999 did better than 2011.
I think the saddest part is it’s the only time the main cast are all together or aren’t half dead or whatever 😂
Berserk is another manga with undervalued greatness in it's opening arc, imo. The Black Swordsman gets overlooked and crapped on a bunch, which I think is very unwarranted.
I feel like those days when kurapika and Leorio was with Gon was just a masterpiece to watch
I’ll admit, I thought that the first few episodes were kind of just “there”, but the further along I get in this show, the more I realize WHY the first episodes were so comparatively lighthearted.
That Mood Whiplash just smacks you in the face like nothing else once the actual overall tone of the show sets in, even with simple stuff you take for granted. That theme song doesn’t really give you a good idea of what you’re REALLY in for even though I love it
13:28 ngl, i actually really liked this scene. i love how vague and unexplained hisoka's abilities are in the hunter exam. I feel, one of the best things about him in this arc is how scarily mysterious he is. all we know about him is that he's incredibly powerful, but we don't know *how*, or what *makes* him powerful. and i think this scene adds to that feel a bit, personally. also it adds to the whole "magician" vibe he has and i like that
You Should Do A Video on the world Of Hunter x Hunter
Omega Markus that’ll be really interesting
yesss
World of HxH pretty similar like flat earth lol
I agree that we are viewing a lot of this series "through Gon's eyes" (not all, but much of it). Another example is every time we see random shots of Ging before he actually shows up it's a glowing image of him looking well dressed and shaved and doing heroic or otherwise great things. When we actually see the character... he is more disheveled, clearly is hated by many, is actively called out for his deadbeat dad nature (thank you Leorio for your epic punch scene!), etc. Does that mean none of the prior Ging protrayal is true? of course not. He has done "great" things and is skilled. but the reality of Ging is not only this rosy imagined version that Gon has. Eventually Gon realizes this too as in the ongoing Manga he admits to Mito that Ging is not really a father but more like a "crazy uncle"
Great video. You’ve hit the nail on the head. It established the tropes do it can pull the rug out from us and surprise the reader, keep us guessing throughout the story.
"Good Hunters are well-liked by animals."
Ep. 1 Gon catching the big fish while literally surrounded by animals.
Later when Gon and Killua camp out in the Whale Island woods... Surrounded by animals.
I think a big factor of the early episodes not being seen of as as good is the 2011 anime was pretty mediocre in adapting them and messed up some stuff
You have a really good point about the fake out. The beginning is so bubbly, cheery, and happy that I had no way to anticipate what was to come.
I don’t know what’s better, the opening episodes Or your analysis on them.
Great video. I’ll definitely be checking your other videos!
I loved the first arc and HxH was great since the beginning
Hunter Exam was one of my most favourite arcs.
I'm surprised anyone would complain about the early episodes being too shonen when the later ones literally turns into Dragonball Z.
I think the first arc is just as dark as it needs to be, considering how things progress in the following arcs especially.
To me the hunter examen should be hard, so making it seem like a joy ride was a horrible decision that the 2011 made
I really enjoyed this, I recommend this anime to my friends all the time but I usually warn them that it has a slow beginning, You have definitely changed my views on this intro! Great vid ☺️
4:02 "not only did this connect with me on a personal level"
My only gripe with the series is that it took 2 arcs to introduce Nen, the aspect of the show that really convinced me to give it a shot, like Stands are to JoJo. Then again, I don't know how I would fit it in without destroying the story
I think you hit the nail on the head, the series really shines through contrasts, especially between the upbeat, cute and colurful presentation and the harsh realities of the world the show takes place in, and those do require some setup.
I'm in the middle of a rewatch at the moment and must say I was actually quite impressed with the whole first arc in that it doesn't just set up the characters and parts of how the world works, but a lot of the darker tones.
The pop quiz is part of that pattern, where Gon contemplates what he would do if he really found himselves in a situation where he could only save one of two loved ones and had to let the other die. And really none of the situations they find themselves in are what they seem like at first which really grabbed my attention, knowing how complex and morally ambiguous everything gets later.
Then in the exam itself lots of people die. We can only guess at the real numbers since lots dropped out without fatal injuries but we can safely assume the number to be in the hundreds. This in itself would be dark enough, if it weren't so underplayed in how it is protrayed. But that muted portrayal itself is indicative for how the charactesr see it, which is really the harsh part. Nobody cares. People die all the time in this world, it is cruel and brutal and often fatal. And whoever chooses to do the exam invites death. None of the characters even so much as shrug at the countless dead people at the roadside, overgrown by mushrooms or impaled on spikes. It's just par for the course and not worth a mention.
That's not to say I'd compare the arc all too favourably with later ones, but "horrible" is blatantly false and "not indicative of the series as a whole" is questionable as well, especially since Togashi likes to mix it up A LOT with each arc and none of them are particularly representative of the series as a whole. Arguably also what keeps it interesting.
" 2017 was a stressful year" oh boy, hello from 2020!
This makes me cry. I wanna smile again. HxH makes me depressed. I have to read One Piece to be happy again.
Thanks for making this and explaining why HxH 2011 is pure greatness even from the start.
"Undervalued greatness..."
Trust me, if the last 10 Hunter x Hunter praise videos recommended to me have shown, nothing about it is undervalued XD.
I love the way the theme plays at the part Leorio started running again
thank you for the Hunter x Hunter video! it's like present for me ^_^
Pfft.....childish?
The chimera ant ark changed everything.......
The show wasn't childish at any point, the circumstances just were very different. The show was dark way before the Chimera ant arc
Bro Leorio straight pinned his number into his bare chest.
Those criticisms at the beginning are all valid but they can literally all be solved by including the scene with Kite that the manga started with. It's a hook - it gives us an idea of what a hunter is, while retaining the mysterious aura that surrounds it. It gives Gon a reason to want to search for his father, and instills that idea that he's a great person who is doing something amazing out in the world (Gon saw how great Kite was and that Kite looked up to Ging as his master).
Let me put it this way; what would One Piece feel like if you left out the scene at the beginning with Shanks?
Including this scene at the beginning does so much for the story; it lets the reader understand what Gon's motivations are and gives them a vague idea of what a hunter is, as well as why one would want to become one. Without this scene, Gon's passion to become a hunter seems hollow, confusing, and immature when it has the potential to be so much more. It reads almost like a passing fancy - a child who decided they want to be a detective because they heard that a long lost cousin was one, instead of seeing someone display an excellent example of detective work and then praising that cousin as an even greater detective.
Grand Line Review has an excellent video about this topic.
18:42
Mathwiz: 2017 was a stressful year
2020: hold my bear
The progression of tone, I think, mirror excellently the progress Gon makes becoming a hunter as well as eases the view/reader into what kind of complex story it is while also having well crafted and aware intro.
I still feel 1999 had a better opening episode but I get how the 2011 is a good start.
I chose to watch all of the 1999 and then picked up the 2011 where it left of, I think I made a wise choice,
I would have watch 2011 from the start after I finished the 1999, but I was too invested into the story to wait for the story to catch back up
Also... I’m a sucker for the hand done pannels of earlier animes
"Not trying to change how the world turns or something but he wants to learn"
I thank you so much for this line. It's what makes it very unique. That attitude I reckon is one of hardest to learn and attain in reality.
You love HxH, I love HxH ... subscribed
Me during hunter exam ark :)
Me after chimera ant ark 😭
i read this story since 2000 and always loved the first few chapters. exactly as you said the transition from lighthearted shonen jump to kinda seinen even, amazing. glad that finally someone aknowlegded that
1:17 I realized that Gon shirt or jacket looks very different to its final design
Great video. What I also like was the Scene at 17:49 where Gon fishes the case from Leorio. In other Shounen we wouldn't see such a scene at all. Moreover we'd see this suitcase in the next scenes after this 1st exam would have been finished. That Gon took this case showed his kindess and that he cares for his friends in such a good subtle way. I really liked it. However, Happy new year.
"Togashi's tendency to develop relatively unimportant characters"? But at least for the CA saga, every character that falls under development could be, aside from Cheetu, considered _pretty damn_ important, especially when you factor in how Gyro is noted to have later ties with Gon himself
Binolt (the scissor assassin guy) is a pretty irrelevant character in Greed Island, yet he gets a backstory and changes his mindset in his short time on screen.
Zepile is basically just a plot device in Yorknew, yet he gets a backstory and a few fun interactions with the boys and Leorio.
Gotoh (the head butler) doesn't do much in the series, but his distant yet protective relationship with Killua was well-realized. Canary's relationship to Killua is developed similarly.
There could be more, this was just off the top of my head.
One weird thing about the CA arc was that the chimera ants for the most part weren't important because of who they were, but only because of what they could do. A few of them were important, but the ones that really weren't tend to fade from everyone's memory pretty quickly
That shot of young Leorio looks almost exactly like Gon 18:00
HxH the goat
I completely forgot about Hisoka turning that guy's arms into petals. I guess the infodump about Nen in Heavens Arena made it difficult to focus on minor beats like that while also trying to understand a new magic system
I don't agree with the point where you said that because the 1999 anime had started with a darker tone, it was bad.
The thing is that the saturated colouring & glossy look(I'm not sure if you are also referring to the story telling) might help catch you off guard later. However as the transition carries on, they just failed to blend in with the darker narratives and thus the conspicuous contrast makes character excessively "edgy" as well as their action and reaction out of place , whereas the 1999 version justified the madness from flashing out how dark the HxH world is.
I think this failure kind of out weight the disadvantage of not being able to deliver a surprise which I am not even sure whether it adds to the story or not.
No offence.Just saying my thought.
The first couple episodes are some of my favorite. They are so warm in feel easing you into a pretty cool typical shonen story that’s very well written.
from 3:55 to 4:48 was exactly why Gon was such a captivating character for me from the very start. You put my thoughts on it into perfect words. I for one absolutely adore the first episodes of hxh.
I totally agree with those first few episodes. But I also focus on characters over plot allot of the time so that's what kept everything running smoothly for me.
I watched the first few episodes of the 90s Hunter X Hunter, before being told by my friends that I was watching the wrong one XD but I have to say that I preferred the 90s opening, there was a lot more characterisation and we also get to meet an actual hunter, whatshisface, rather than seeing him in a flashback waaaaaay later.
I didn't like how rushed the 2011 opening was in contrast, but then I didn't get to judge it as a standalone piece. And I think that the newer one is probably more to my taste after a certain point, although I dunno for sure.
8:15 I know this sounds kinda stupid, but I m just not sure if Gon is good at understanding people or really bad-
I mean, he never seemed to understand Killua, and he doesn t even seem to understand his own emotions/or knowing how to handle them
I completely agree with you. I also feel the same way about the first four episodes of Cowboy Bebop. I think the intro is almost perfect for the show.
I completely disagree with not starting out with the first anime. It gives more details and also shows Kite in the beginning. I will say that you might want to stop once they recover Killua from the Zoldyck estate. It gets hard to enjoy one version of the York New Arc.
It’s so much better to enjoy 2011 when Gon fights hisoka but once the spiders make their debut on the 1999 version, it completely changes mood and is raw unlike the 2011. Sort of, you just have to watch both arcs to understand how dark 1999 made it.
I have to agree with you on this from antecdotel evidence.
My girlfriend who is very picky about anime and in general tends to dislike shounen anime was drawn in during the first few episodes of HxH and the Hunter Exam Arc.
Honestly the Arc she dislikes the most is the one many praise, the Chimera Ant arc. Mostly because it took a while to develop individual plot elements, something we disliked. (We liked how HxH was fluid with it's development up to the Chimera Ant arc it felt like it ground to a halt that arc.).
Awesome video keep it up :) You definitely made some good highlights on hunter x hunter that I didn't notice the first time I watched.
A really nice, well researched and fully realised video. This is quality content man, it's really deserving of more views.
HxH is an art
It's not necessarily perfect, it's just beautiful..
The biggest reason that makes this anime # 1 for me is the world and the hunters themselves are very unique and interesting...
Agreed
Well, even though the first arc was exceptional, it probably should have been better. I know so many people who quit Hunter x Hunter forever because they didn’t see the greatness of the show, and wasn’t patient enough to see if it would prove itself.
I agree. I’m currently watching HXH 2011 and I’m currently at the Greed Island Arc. And having seen a number of other anime. I’ve summed up each arc by comparing them to other anime.
Hunter Exam Arc=Original Dragon Ball
Zoldyck Estate Arc=Original Naruto’s 2nd Half
Heaven’s Arena Arc=Baki the grappler
Phantom Troupe Arc=Baccano/Naruto Shippuden
Greed Island Arc=S.A.O./Yu Yu Hakusho
Chimera Ant Arc P1=Fullmetal Alchemist
Chimera Ant Arc P2=JoJo part 3
And that’s all the arcs I currently know about.
I think Hisoka's powers might be able to explain what it looked like when he took that guy's arms.
I always new that the first episodes weren't THAT great. But I personnally always had a good vibe with them... glad to see you put words on my feelings.
There is absolutely nothing wrong that went in this anime it was beautiful from the beginning to the end
facts
Great video, definitely agree with you. HxH's beginning/Hunter Exam is underrated af. It introduced all the characters, plot elements, themes, and story so well. It had so many great bits of subtle characterization, it weaved in many themes that are present throughout the whole series into its own narrative, and set up so much for future arcs. The Hunter Exam is my 3rd favorite arc tbh. Keep up the good work!
Dude I just love the running part
this is good. i didn't think the first few ep.'s were bad but i didn't really dig this deep into it. truly impressive
13:29 - I actually think Hisoka turning a guy's arms into flower petals is a more badass and Hisoka-ian intro than just chopping them off. Any old brute can just chop your arms off. Only a character as mysterious, darkly-powerful and whimsical as Hisoka could TURN THEM TO FLOWER PETALS!
i loved the first episode of hxh and i really enjoyed the first and second arc the first time watching it and that happens to a lot of anime people say have a slow/boring start like people say one piece gets good after 50 episodes but i fell in love with it in episode 1
I really disliked One Piece first two episodes, prolly has to do with the fact they were completely unfaithful to the manga (which I throughoutly adored).
3:54 - 4:50 perfectly encapsulates what kept me interested for the first few episodes, and what eventually led me to fall in love with the show
Great vid!! I also hear a lot that people think the beginning of HxH is bad. Now I got a video to link then too next time I hear it.