Super happy to see that people are really enjoying this video after the algorithm seemed to pick it up. Will admit however that I'm not incredibly pleased with this video and had plans to redo it. I wasn't really accustomed to making video essays yet and you can see that through the odd editing choices, chaotic structure, low quality footage and my audible confusion on how to present myself while recording it. Plus I think I'm a bit harsh towards 2011 (which, mind you, I so enjoy). This videos not up to my own personal standards, and if I'd made it today it'd be of higher quality.
Thank you for making this! The 99 version is special for me and I need to tell people who watched the 2011 version to check out the 99 because they are definitely missing a lot!
YOU MISSED THE BIGGEST ISSUE: they changed characterizations and personalities. In ways CONTRADICTORY to their characterization in the manga. Gon : became more naive and crybaby. He was not supposed to be sad about Ging on episode 1. He wasn't supposed to struggle with the poison. He wet himself, cried and dreams of home. That is very far from what happened in manga. He was supposed to be angry and frustrated not a crybaby who dreams of Mito putting him to sleep. Killua : became more emo and closed off. He killed two random strangers in the manga but the 1999 had to censor that and added a character Anita. They added scenes to make Killua be conflicted by his past, but manga Killua isn't troubled by his past. Kurapika : they added the Kurta ship plot that ruins the plot in the manga. They made him look like he was brainwashed by his clan by adding that vow scene. He wasn't affected by Uvogin's death. He was unbothered by it but the 1999 adaptation always want to make everything dramatic. Leorio: they freaking turned him into a thief in episode 2. A guy in a suit, saying he has a great sense of duty yet they made him steal. Wth. His backstory? Felt unnecessary. His conversation with Kurapika is already good enough. But no, they have to make it so dramatic. They added characters unnecessarily like Anita, Dorado. For what? They get discarded anyway. The bonus exam too. What did that achieve? Oh Gon saved Gretta, so Gretta didn't kill him in the 4th phase exam. BS Haha And what teamwork, we already have that during trick tower. Art direction? Most of the scenes they like to zoom in to character faces. Animation? Some episodes looks so bad. Like really bad.
I love the 1999 anime’s use of harmonica for the soundtrack. Not an instrument you hear in anime often but it’s used to such great affect in this anime!
1999 has what I consider to be the greatest filler in the history of anime. The Battleship Island trio of episodes in the Hunter Examination are so good, so seamless, and even tease some later reveals, so that I'd always wondered if Togashi actually was consulted. Hearing that it might be the truth is such a vindication and really explains how it accomplishes so much. It shows a growing bond of understanding between Kurapika and Leorio, drops some interesting lore about the Kurta Clan, teases a several-arcs-later relationship between Pokkle and Ponzu, shows a quick glimpse of Illumi's real identity two exams before the dramatic reveal, adds a huge layer of drama to Gereta hunting Gon in the next exam because _Gon saves his life here_ and vice-versa, and fills a big hole in the Hunter Exam: showcasing how the candidates work together as a collective, rather than just a small team. It does all this while being funny as hell, atmospheric and comfy at first, bone-chillingly creepy later on, and then bombastically dramatic at the finale: they literally shoot a goddamn tornado with a battleship's cannons to escape the maelstrom. In a similar vein, there was a moment of mini-filler right before the final exam. It was proposed that it might actually be a paper test, which resulted in several moments of hilarity, including Hisoka being so shocked his house of cards collapsed, and Leorio trying to hide dozens of cheat sheets in his clothes. And who raised that possibility? Bodoro. A character who was a complete nobody in canon, was for a brief moment a funny guy who almost seemed like a kindly father or uncle pulling a prank at the expense of the less-experienced examinees... right before Killua brutally murdered him, adding yet another layer of heartbreak to what was otherwise the death of someone we never would have cared about. This highlights what I feel 1999 did that 2011 never even tried: it improved HunterXHunter. Yes I know, utter sacrilege to presume that Togashi could have made anything other than the perfect manga that only needed to be adapted basically panel-by-panel to make a perfect anime. But an anime is not a manga, and this modern obsession with "canon" has ruined what could otherwise be masterpieces of anime production by directors who know how to tell a story in a medium that is very different. I watched the 1999 version several times over before 2011 aired, starting back in 2005 or so when I first got into the series. Since 2011 concluded with the Chimera Ant and Election/Alluka Arc, I've never watched it the whole thing again. I just watch through 1999, and then pick up with 2011 when CA starts. If you ask me, this is the best way to watch HunterXHunter.
one of my favorite scenes in 99 is where Killua is about to kill an injured foxbear (that gon rescued) and aunt Mito asks him if anyone ever taught him how meaningful life was, and the way somber music starts playing when killua sadly says that the only thing he was ever taught was”how to kill” is just *chefs kiss.* there are so many moments in the OG anime that are beautifully directed and just hit you in the feels 🥲
@@senritsujumpsuit6021 frrr I forgot to mention a lot of good moments from those episodes 😭 I remember the part where gon and killua used their nen to heal the fox and after they take him back to his mother, aunt Mito hugs both gon and killua, which shocks killua at first but then he quickly warms up to her bc he’s never experienced that kind of love from his family T^T
when I was introduced to HXH I was shown the 1999 version first- then upon watching the 2011 version, I felt a lot of the narrative was lacking time to breathe, specifically in those moments of quiet that make you really feel with the characters (and as an animator I just adored the 99 art style)
I absolutely LOVE how 1999 handled the hunter exam arc. it felt much more intense bc of the atmosphere and the characters were actually treating it like it was a big deal. The fourth phase in particular was a whole emotional rollercoaster for me, I mean the show did such a good job showing the heavy emotions gon was going through during the fourth phase, and seeing him reflect on his inner struggles was such an emotional scene and genuinely made me love his character even more. His fight with Hanzo was also beautifully done and the way phantom music started playing when illumi was introduced and started to manipulate killua was INTENSE.
having that freeze frame into a montage before it shows that the Troop is not dead then ends with the orange glow of a cellphone with the line "Surprise where still here" so fuking awesome direction
What seperates 99 from 2011 is that it feels like there was a vision and a flare for film making. They wanted to create something more than just a adaptions of a shounen. 2011 feels like a focus grouped by the numbers modern shounen with a HxH skin held up by the source material. For some reason people like to throw in the OVAs with this, but they are also very different feeling and done by different directors. One of my favorite parts is when the groups go looking for Killa and are sitting in a room waiting with his bodyguards. In 99 it's turned into an intense high stakes episode, but they rush through it in the new one. And there are many other examples. 99 takes the source material and elevates it and people are starting to realize just how special this show was. The director is a veteran at that point and I really wish he completed the show. I watched it 6 times in the early 2000s for a reason... It's gppd.
You prolly won’t see this since it’s 3 years later but, I totally agree, I watch the 99 anime all the way through greed island and then finish with the 2014 chimera ant. The 99 anime just does something special with the filler and character moments it gave.
calling it filler is mean sounding since it so often is used as an insult when really any scene no matter how much it serves to do a ton for a series is technically filler if its not slamming plot points over your head filler is what makes a show feel real Nadia the Secret of Blue has over ten episodes that where added in midway through an its some my fav character building moments when without them it would yeet right into the climax where they go to fuking space an shit an theirs robots an all some other WTF is even happening bullshit XD
I'm actually planning to get back to the series this way. I watched hxh 2011 in its entirety a decade ago and I think I'll get back into hxh the way you watched it
One of my favorite things 1999 did different was how Gon and Kylua escape from Nobunaga. The extra focus makes you really get the process that leads Gon adn Kylua to effectively fool an expert. And Zepille's contribution is made a lot clearer.
@@murderman8578 I get that. And it's a Madhouse production too. Not at the level of the best Madhouse, tho'. For me is a matter of quality over cuantity. My way of viewing the series is 99 till the end of Yorkshin, and then 2011 GI and the rest
The reason I love the 99 version more is because they actually took time to develop characters and set the mood. In the 2011, it was just rushed. Oh, and I watched in French, and the dub was good.
Why am I only just getting this? Goated video, btw. I love the old series. It was my first introduction to HxH and it has stuck with me a lot further. Leorio has more focus, the ost is way better, the fillers are great and go well with arc. One of my favorite parts was Hanzo vs Gon!!! Like before that fight, we get to know more about the other contestants other than the main four! We get more characterization both from the manga and orignal content from the anime. So you already predisposed to not want Hanzo and Gon to fight. Then out of nowhere, there's an absolute switch up in Hanzo's demeanor. From a guy who is usually so goofy to becoming so brutal. The way he just causally breaks Gon's arm, the sounds, the lighting and the composition of the scenes to make it more dark and have more emphasis on the brutality of it all. Its such a fucking goated scene and its something that the newer version lacks at. Another thing that 1999 does differently is how it humanizes Gon. In the 2011 version, Gon feels more like an enigma. Someone whose morality is just different than others. We get to see inside everybody else's heads but never with Gon. Which is done on purpose and it is more interesting for me. However, in the 1999 ver, its the exact opposite. You get to be in his head more, we get more of his relationships with Kite and Mito, and how he just feels more like a real kid. He truly is a different character, and although the 2011 ver is more accurate to the manga, I still appreciate the 1999's take on Gon. I dont mean to say that the 2011 ver is bad, in fact, it is objectively better overall. But I genuinely do love what direction the 1999 version does with Hunter x Hunter. Giving it its own life rather than doing a standard adaptation. Its for this reason that I like FMA over FMAB too.
I don’t mind the rearrangement of events in Heaven’s Arena. Gon and Killua didn’t go there specifically to fight Hisoka. Their main goals were to train, earn money, learn Nen, and pass the secret exam. Fighting Hisoka wasn’t the primary focus of this arc. The purpose of Gon’s fight with Hisoka was to highlight his weaknesses in battle and how much he still needed to learn about Nen. This remains true regardless of whether the fight occurs earlier or later in the arc. However, by fighting Hisoka earlier, Gon could apply the lessons he learned in that battle against Gido and others later on. This helps justify Gon’s ability to defeat Gido, as he not only becomes a more experienced Nen user but also gains valuable battle experience against a superior opponent (Hisoka). It makes Gon and Killua’s progress and their victories over Gido and Riehlvelt feel much more natural and well-deserved. It seems like the 1999 team aimed to expand on Killua’s resentment during the exam arc, particularly when he noticed Gon scored higher than him. Killua contrasts his straightforward win over Dorado with Gon’s thrilling match against Hisoka, which stirs some self-doubt in him. I also adore the scene with Wing and Killua, as well as the final one featuring all three of them. Both were beautifully executed.
I just watched 99 anime without watching the 2011, i am watching the oav now and i feel sad that i must switch to 2011 gonna miss the 90's design and art and the voices.
I grew up with the 99 version. There are a lot of moments that really hit different in the 99 version. Particularly the series of episode where Gon took Killua to whale island to meet Aunt Mito. All the whale island scenes in the 99 version was more elevated, moody. I feel like Gon's house was more organic and real despite being set in a 'fantasy' setting. I also loved the Heaven's Arena arc. Specially that part where they trained under Wing-san. I cried when they were making their farewells to Wing-san. That was really touching. Now the 2011 version is not bad. The 99 version was more gritty, emotional, and tbh, creative direction wise - better than the 2011 version. I loved both though. It's still telling the same story. Gon and Killua are still the same kids in both version.
Killua and Gon from the manga and 2011 version aren't the same as the 1999 version. They are so different, they are basically different characters sometimes.
Thank you for blessing my precious 1999 baby. I love 1999 to death. There are some parts in 1999 just catches the vibe in a way 2011 can't. Harmonica ohayo still makes me cry like a dumbass. I will also die on the hill that it has some of the the BEST filler. The treasure hunting filler is FANTASTIC to contextualize the island exam. If only it was more accessible to the modern kids.
As a kid Hunter x Hunter was one of my first anime's. I watched it back in 5th grade and I immediately fell in love with watching it on youtube when I was supposed to be sleeping. I remember I started with the 99 version before the 2011 came out and one day I noticed the style suddenly switched. It took me years to realize there were to versions all along. 99 will always have a special place in my heart
I have a close appreciation for 1999. Its first opening has been part of me from inception and I had vague memories of seeing the whole thing as the Filipino dub covered the whole anime, OVAs and all. I unfortunately got gaslit into only watching 2011 for years because of how unaccesible 1999 suddenly became. I am SO glad I gave it a rethread and now I feel very reconnected with my HxH. The highlight to me really is the music, which by contrast is 2011's weakest area I'd say. 1999 enjoys a wealth of tracks that consistently changes rotation as needed. 2011's track selection often felt limited, like you've already heard the same 3 tracks they're gonna use over and over after just one episode. Meanwhile, while 1999 also pulls from a selection pool (very common for an anime to have a tracklist than have bespoke scores per episode, that's fine), it does feel like that pool for 99 is noticeably bigger. And it's hard to overstate how much more tolerable of a watch 1999 is because of it. I mean, man. 90's JRPG vibes for the early arcs, New York Jazz for Yorknew (very appropriate), Greed Island gets scored like a 2000's JRPG this time! It's awesome. And yes, I do count GI as part of 1999. The GI OVAs stand as still well directed adaptations of GI that actually do attempt to stay in the same style as what Furuhashi and Satoshi Saga had done before, even despite clear budget cuts. (Also because I lowkey think Bisky looks better as a brunette.)
WTF? Do people really look down on 99's OST? I think it's far far better, well, personally I don't really like the 2011 OST that much to be honest, but I DO like it in the Chimera ant arc because it starts to sound more like the 99 music. I think it really makes you feel like you're in an adventure in a giant unexplored world.
This is such a pleasant surprise to get recommended. I love both versions of the anime for different reasons, and I’m so happy to see someone else praising the positives of the 99. There is just so much in the 99 that fleshes out the world and characters. I am currently reading the manga and the 99 feels much closer to it than the 2011. The tone, the atmosphere, the characters (except Gon) resemble the manga so much more. About Killua in the 2011- I agree with you so much. I LOVE the 2011 anime, it was my first experience with the story. But, they really did water down Killua’s character as far as his bratty behavior and smart mouth and even him laughing at Gon in a mean way. 99 Killua is my favorite version. The voice acting alone is top tier. Nothing against Mariya Ise, she’s incredible, but the 99 one just feels so much like a lost kid, while 2011 feels like a sorta adult trapped in a kid body, as weird as that sounds. Thank you so much for this video and I am looking forward to more if you decide to make more videos about hxh in general or redo this video.
For me it’s impossible not to love this old animes . I was born in 95’ and I’m from Argentina so by 2001 HunterxHunter aired here alongside with FMA , Evangelion , Cowboy bebop . It’s always the nostalgia factor i remember so little about the show but I remember so much about how it made me feel , coming from school and start watching DB ending up with FMA by noon .
When the 2011 version came out, I was hyped like I hadn’t been about a series for the longest time. I loved it so much in spite of my initial apprehension about the color scheme. But when life gets tough, I always come back to the ‘99 version. It’s a safe space where I can always go back to. A little spark of joy from a time where things were not much better, just marginally more hopeful. My first piece of writing was a HxH fanfic I put together when I was 11 back in 2004. I still go back to that story from time to time and change some things or add new ideas. It’s been 20 years, I’ve learned a lot for better or worse, but it’s kind of crazy seeing your writing change so much during a the course of a single story. I hope one day I’ll give it an end that makes me feel satisfied. At the end of the day, the 2011 version is amazing but the ‘99 has a special place in my heart.
During the third phase after getting hisokas badge, where gon was crying made me cry too :( the throwing up, flashbacks and just the mood of the scene makes me so upset in an odd way.
I watched the newer version first, I loved it but I loved the 90s version more. It made way more sense kite being at the start. The music was amazing and the phantom troupe arc felt way cooler in the 90s style. Reminded me of 80s-90s Horror anime like demon city or wicked city lmao. If in the future AI could make the chimera ant arc in this style then it would be the best anime in existence. Still so much has happened in the manga so I really wanna see it all animated regardless of style. I'm surprised we are finally on chapter 401. Hiatus hiatus never gonna finish, but it is what it is. The whole atmosphere of the anime after was just perfect for me. Regarding killua I noticed the similarites of heie too, heie is one my of favourite characters in anime lol. Its insane to me how people can say that the 90s version of killua ruins him? Do people actually say that, it doesn't even make sense if it came before and its way cooler how he is more cold. He is a fucking assassin.... did you guys not see him rip someones heart out wtf aha.
I'm a huge fan of HXH, my first exposure to it over a decade ago was from the original 1999 anime. While i enjoy aspects of the 2011, there's just something about the extra attention to detail to characters/art direction that makes the original stand out to me. I also loved so much of the filler episodes, which i think is really hard to accomplish. Thanks for the fun video showcasing the strengths of the series!
i recently watched the 1999 version and fell in love with it. i think the expanded plot lines in the hunter exam are the zoldyk arc were so fun and worth while. it was so fun and genuinely well adapted. it doesn’t get enough credit for sure
I genuienly think the Yorknew Arc was done better in the 1999 version, the tone, the pacing, the fights, the art, It's just so aesthetic. The presentation is so dark and atmospheric, feel like it fits Togashi's idea of his world more, and the more tense and emotional moments hit different. The art direction and use of color is so much more interesting than the remake, and the animation quality is just as good as 2011 if not more. I’ve noticed that 2011 Yorknew is a lot more faster paced than 1999, It doesn’t slows things down to take a moment to breathe as much, It kinda takes away from the character development a little. Like Killua spending time with Gons family, Kurapika befriending Melody, Kurapika conjuring the chains for the first time I know a lot of it was anime original or filler, but it added some heart to the series. I really liked how genuinely scary 1999 Kurapika looked, like he can totally be mistaken as a villain without context. In 1999 you can feel his mind deteriorating after he first killed Uvogin, not only because of the beautiful imagery, but also by seeing his sickly facial expressions. The thing that makes 1999 Yorknew stand out so much is the art direction. 2011 doesn’t look bad by any means, it’s just as well animated (some cuts in Kurapika vs Uvogin or Chrollo vs the Zoldycks even paying direct homage to the original) but you can tell they tried to experiment more in 1999, with the shot composition and use of colors and shadows, Its just very aesthetic.
Love how they added moments and mixed them with canon stuffs. Ex: Kurapika keeping Baise bracelet and punching Uvogin with it, Melody and Kurapika convo by the lake, how kurapika's first kill affected him, they also highlights the difficulty of escaping a life of killing for killua, the scene about hanzo asking Gon why he is not using his fishing rod and how it connects to Gon's self-worth and insecurities, the scene with Wing and Killua, as well as the final one featuring all three of them in Heavens Arena, they added more leorio's scenes too Love how they portrayed illumi's confrontation of killua in hunter exam, kurapika's sorrow and emptiness, Pakunoda's death. those stuffs.
@@sjkclau literally every scene wants to add more pretty much the moment where Ninja man keeps trying to get Gon to stand down while Leorio is barely able to not murder to beat the man to death "Don't you dare try to stop me" "Stop you believe me I feel the same way"
@@senritsujumpsuit6021 They added more Leorio scenes. Scenes about him being very worried for Gon ex: Gon going to Kuroro mountain, Gon being beaten by Canary etc. And they are much closer in the 1999 version. love their little silly interactions. Leorio really felt like a big brother to Gon in 1999.
Great vid! I was looking forward to someone making a piece on this adaptation bc it's one of my favorites and most conversations about it online just boil down to comparing it to the 2011 reboot, so it's rare to see someone actually acknowledging its actual content and giving some insight on its production. Something really funny to me is how many people will mistake the darker color pallet the 99 show has on its current releases/uploads as being an intentional choice made to create a more somber tone, when in reality it's the fault of the Viz DVDs being terrible in maintaining the visual fidelity of the releases they're based on (same case with the raws used to make the old fansubs). This issue gets so bad that there are sections of the story where things are so dark you can barely see what's happening on screen due to how crushed the colors got during transfers, some fans tried to go back and do some color correction to match the animation cells and it looks so much better it makes it even more frustrating that this version didn't get the treatment it deserved with home releases, at least in the west and in a post-VHS world (also that there's no way to legally watch it anymore but 🤧).
The 1999 was so good even the filler was amazing especially in the hunter exam arc there was a 2 part episodes before they reach the island of the third exam i think ( the one where the idea is to hunt and be hunted for the badge ) so all the examinees left on a ship and there is a storm so they all had to work together to save the ship they on from the storm and then the next exam they going at each other for the badge legit amazing that is filler done right
Kids calling out 99 for being too dark and slowly paced are really telling on themselves: their favored 2011 show is the one with pacing and atmosphere issues.
HxH 2011 atmosphere and pacing was fine. Not saying 1999's pacing and atmosphere was bad, but 2011 wasn't really bad either. Also, wouldn't really call 1999 darker either overall. 2011 and the manga at least were more willing to have the characters. Esp. Killua and Gon to more dark and/or morally gray. Both can be dark though.
I never understand people who complain about an anime being too "slow". Isn't the entire point of something you're doing for enjoyment, that it fills the time you have? Why would you want to get it over with faster and experience LESS anime? Invariably this is a complaint of younger generations. Many of them don't even watch anime so much as just have it on in the background while they're playing games or talking to friends on their phone. Zero attention span. None of them would get through the first six episodes of the 1999 version because it's not constantly punching them in the face with action and bright colors.
(Sorry for possible mistakes, English isn’t my first language.) Wow, a decent review of the old Hunter × Hunter. I am really surprised the video was uploaded in the middle of 2023 because I’m SURE I’ve searched for such videos but never have I ever found this one. I’ve watched the old adaptation first because after Fullmetal Alchemists I thought the new version will speedrun through the old stuff (and it actually felt like that with 2011’s Hunter Exam and some other earliest stuff in the plot)... though my friend was saying me to watch the new one. And I really loved the pacing and the old-anime feel. (Also, the first arc was so long that I thought that getting the Hunter License is the ultimate goal of Hunter × Hunter. I haven’t watched Naruto or other shōnens with training arcs, yeah.) (I find the 1999's Exam arc to be infinitely better than the new one.) I’ve scored the new Hunter higher because of how incredible the latest arcs are, but I still prefer the old Hunter’s atmosphere. Currently, I am in process of translating the 1999 version (including the OVAs) into my language (Russian) from English (while trying to check the original speech). I've started around March 2023 and I am now on the 59th episode (I take long breaks but it’s going faster than it feels). Well, technically, the 1999 version DOES have a Russian translation but it’s a not-so-good translation of a bad English speedsub (with Kurata (sic!) clan and Chicago). This combination makes an unthinkably awful subtitles. It often misinterprets the original text and makes the whole translation feel as if the translators were like: “Okay, I have know idea what the hell are they saying”. For example, the moment of Izunavi explaining that Kurapika needs to conjure a universal weapon was translated somewhat like “You must carefully understand the situation of the fight and find the most suitable object to materialize” (because it is too hard to use “the incredible power” of a real weapon). Which is the exact opposite of the original meaning?? The friend I mentioned earlier is basically the first person I’m translating it for, she helps me with proofreading and she instantly loved the old anime. I believe we are making a decent translation because right now I wouldn’t recommend Russian-speaking people (who can’t understand English or Japanese) watching the anime. (The new anime already has several decent translations, by the way.)
Watched the whole video Loved it. Great work. Subscribed. Also seems like everyone is randomly seeing this video a year later. Algorithm might be reacting to the return of the manga
Honestly if it was not for my country having an anime channel that aired this version when i was on high school i wouldn't have known this version of the anime existed 🤔, and its quite a shame it doesn't get more highlighted since this adaptation really did a great job at the time with the atmosphere, the narrative pacing and music and animation till the greed island ovas, and i thank you for highlighting this gem LunaLuna 😄and part of my teenage years it feels like im reliving those days on your channel since you are talking about anime i watched back then cant wait for more of your videos
I started with the 2011 series, went back n watched the 90s version, I think the hunter exam, atmosphere, some parts of Yorknew, darker tone, and OST placement is way better than 2011. But 2011 got Chimera Ant arc
When I started watching hunter x hunter, I watched the 2011 adaptation, but when I found the 1999 adaptation, I absolutely LOVED it. Sadly my friend who also started watching hunter x hunter with the 2011 version didn’t agree that it was amazing
Thanks for this! I'm an older nerd (38) i grew up with the Toonami generation and found HxH online and via bootleg dvd's in the mid late 2000s. I adored this version I think 99 stands the test of time outside the sound effects. Both shows can exist but its just nice to see this show talked about, I wish it could be legally put up or given a blu ray release. I DO prefer Yorknew 99 over 2011 and even the manga, 99 York new is possibly my favorite arc of the series rivaled only ofc by manga Chimera ant.
I didn't grow up watching the '99 Hunter x Hunter (HxH), but I did watch the 2011 version, so here I am, trying to share my thoughts without sounding too out of place. When I watched HxH a few months ago, I found myself breezing through the early arcs. While it was fun and engaging, I was a bit disappointed that the iconic Hunter Exam felt crammed into just... what, 12 or 20 episodes? I'm not sure of the exact number, but it definitely felt rushed. The Hunter Exam was the only part of the show where I truly felt immersed in the world-a larger, living, breathing environment. There were also some wild but memorable moments, like Killua literally handing a serial killer his own heart in a bag after ripping it out. However, with the way the pacing was handled, such treatment would've likely risked overshadowing the world-building in the first half of the show. I think the second half could’ve suffered the same fate, unfortunately. Aside from the pacing issues in the early arcs, I felt the characters didn’t get enough attention. They often felt more like plot devices to keep the story moving, rather than fully realized, complex individuals. When I later heard that the '99 adaptation gave more depth and care to the characters, it made me realize how different approaches can shape a narrative. The '99 version seems to focus more on artistic nuances, while the 2011 version is more action-packed and fast-paced, which might have come at the cost of some character depth. To be clear, I haven't watched the '99 adaptation yet, so I could be wrong. But based on the 2011 version, the fast-paced nature of the first half (and parts of the second half) made it harder for me to truly connect with the characters. If someone asked me why the 2011 version was paced that way, I don’t have a solid answer-and honestly, I’m too lazy to dig deep into it-but I do have a theory. It might not be perfect, but here it goes: Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood was kind of a remake of the 2003 Fullmetal Alchemist. Since the original FMA covered a good portion of the manga before diverging into its own story, Brotherhood sped through the earlier material, assuming viewers were already familiar with it. This led to a quicker, more condensed first half. I think something similar happened with HxH 2011. It was made with the idea that many fans had already seen the '99 version, so they sped through the early content and added a lighter tone to keep it fresh for returning fans, while also making it accessible to new viewers. This way, it served as both a recap and a new experience, unlike Brotherhood, which catered more heavily to returning fans. I know this is a long comment, but if you stuck with me through it, I hope it gave you some value!
Honestly, it might be the best of both worlds to have watched 2011 first. Don't get me wrong, I adore 1999 more than almost any other anime I've ever seen, but it can be very slow at times by modern standards. This is especially true in the beginning. I remember when I first watched it, my friend who recommended it to me told me that I must at least wait until episode 6 because that's when things really start going, and when his favorite character (that he described as the best), Killua, shows up. He wasn't wrong. At the time I'd only ever seen a handful of anime (among them Dragonball Z and Naruto, both as dubs) and did not have the patience and appreciation for slower-paced anime that I do now. I might have dropped it if I hadn't stayed the course, but just like the author of this video essay, episode 7 pretty much cemented my attention. So it's a bit like having watched a movie, and now you can go back and read the book it was based on.
@@Yonkage-ik5qb Y'know, that doesn't seem like a bad description at all. While I like a slow burn anime so it wouldn't be a problem for me, I know it'll be fun to watch the 1999 version with 2011 in mind, as you pretty much feel like you're watching two takes on the same novel as you compare between the two. Thanks for sharing your perspective, yours is definitely interesting.
How was Killua off in the Hunter Exams in 2011? 2011 HE Killua was much more accurate (to the manga) and felt more like Killua than 1999 Killua, which felt off and weird to me with the kind of weird filler and changes they did with his character. (He didn't even kill the blimp dudes, they had Killua say to Anita - a filler character -, that the Zoldycks only killed bad people, basically. Etc.) Esp. in the earlier arcs, like the HE arc. I still love 1999 Killua. I was introduced to HxH through the 1999 series. But I much prefer manga and 2011 Killua personally.
@@Dragon_Aoi That's the problem, in the manga version of the hunters exam arc Killua was barely a character. When i read the manga for the first time years ago i thought it was so weird that Gon was willing to die to save Killua from his family when they barely interacted and even when they interacted Killua was so dissmissive and mean to him, 1999 fixed that by adding scenes of Killua being friendly to the group and having scenes of him and Gon being just normal kids, it makes their friendship feel real. (Even the way Killua and Gon met in the 1999 version is better with the way Gon makes Killua happy by just talking to him). 2011 being close to the manga is not a good thing in this instance when the manga version of his character in that arc was just plain bad.
@@luizito5341 I made a huge reply to you, and now, I can't see it? Welp, hoping u received it, because I really don't feel like writing out that whole comment again.
@@Dragon_Aoi Unfortunately its not appearing to me either, try to write a shorter version and try censor some words, its probably just youtube's awful system deleting your comment, i wanna hear your thoughts
Yep, it looks like my original longer comment was deleted for some reason; I have no idea. It doesn't seem to show up in even my comment history. I don't think I am going to try to rewrite it. (Ok, I did actually decide to write more again, than I expected to). @uizito5341 For now, I will just say I disagree with Killua's character being plain bad in the HE arc or that he is barely a character. The HE arc is a great introductory arc, and really sets up Killua's character well (seriously, it is the first arc, characters are still being set up, some for long term development. Like Killua. And even then, Killua certainly a character in that arc). And such because of that, his character somehow needed changing. Which, the 1999 version did. It drastically changed his character, esp. in earlier arcs. I like how u can't even disagree that 1999 was the one that made more liberties with Killua's character than 2011, and instead have to resort to calling Killua's character in the manga bad (in the first arc). Stuff like this by some 1999 fans, is what really starts me not liking some some in the HxH 1999 fanbase. Besides that, Killua wasn't just mean and dismissive towards Gon when they did interact, he was pretty nice to Gon, esp. for Killua. Whose social skills (despite actually being pretty chatty) weren't exactly the best yet (and still aren't that great, but he is working on them). He could be sometimes mean and dismissive towards other people, because of his personality and upbringing, but he does grow and develop care and respect towards people, not just Gon. And with all this said, 2011 Killua wasn't somehow more mean and dismissive than 1999 Killua. 1999 Killua was the one to refuse introduce himself to Gon, and to act all emo. Which, isn't really Killua at all. Separating these comments, because I think my comment being long could be the reason it disappeared. 1/3.
The peak of '99 HunterXHunter was the fact that there was no narration spoonfeeding the audience over what was happening. That way of storytelling makes it really difficult for me to go back and rewatch 2011 despite otherwise generally loving its execution and having the chance to see its further arcs animated.
After watching more than half of the video: Excellent video. Some of Gon’s relationships on his home island were inexplicably and unnecessarily changed in 99, like Mitou isn’t his aunt- it might sound small but it takes something away from their relationship to have her be the sister of his biological mom Kirapica’s mentality is easier communicated in 99, there really isn’t a definitive anime version these were both so great
I know perfectly how good that show is (we even had it on tv, in Italy, with a great dub) and I'm fighting a crusade of reminding the world (well, internet) that it's great, but I always watch with pleasure a good piece of content that talks about it competently :)
I feel like a important aspect to this conversation is the fact that a good portion of people believe HxH is carried by it’s 2011 anime. I’m sure a good portion who dislike 99 never even read the manga.
@@sjkclau I don’t understand how, from what I’ve heard and from what I saw 99’s vibe fits the manga more than the 2011 anime. 99 changes the Canon by adding and rearranging certain moments but 2011 completely changes certain dynamics and rearranges events in a way that impacts the climax of the chimera arc. More importantly tho my point is that there are people who believe that the manga is carried by it’s 2011 anime which when you’ve read both doesn’t even make sense considering the best arc of the series is currently ongoing. I would say anyone who believes that simply misunderstood the series.
@@kenyimorris9151 reminds me a bit about how some people bitched about Trigun Stampede saying it's ruining everything but they don't even remember how much the first series changed from the Manga like wow
@@kenyimorris9151 its what I've experienced before. When I posted why I like 1999 anime, some of the manga purists are really hateful with their opinions. I understand why they really disliked the 1999 anime, but theyd go as far as to not recommend it. Even saying that the changes are dumb, horrible and useless that it ruins Togashi's writing. 😔
@@kenyimorris9151 The 2011 series is more accurate the manga though and has way less filler and changes. The biggest change was the Kite stuff, which was an issue. But overall, the 2011 anime is more accurate to the manga. 1999 also makes major changes that can really affect (in a way, that I don't really like most of the time) characters. Like Killua and Gon. It also rearranges events too; like in the HA, with the matches. The way they did the matches made things make less sense. Also, for some reason in 1999 they made what the Nen initiation can do was less obvious. And the 3 antags Killua, Gon, and Zushi met seemed way less, to not even crippled? If I am remembering correctly. Which lessened the impact of what Nen can do on someone without Nen The Kite vs Hisoka fight I think was basically skipped. Etc. "99’s vibe fits the manga more than the 2011 anime." And this is just vague and subjective. I love 1999, but is no more accurate to the manga compared to 2011 (2011 isn't completely accurate either, but it is closer to being so than 1999).
Love 99, strongly prefer it to 2011 but dont hate 2011 either. Great video, found this through your video on the homonculus (also a banger) love your takes! Keep it up and I'm now subbed and looking forward to what's next
31:58 I think youve got it backwards bro. character design aside, the 2011 is more accurate to the manga Killua. 1999 Killua: -He wasnt as open as his manga counterpart. He didnt warmed up to Gon immediately. Unlike on manga, it was him who started the convo. -He doesn't immediately give his name out to Gon like he did in the manga. He runs alongside him and watches him for a bit before feeling comfortable to do so. -His not as talktive as he was in the manga. -When Gon went home, they portrayed Killua as a fish out of water who is unsure how to act in such a setting. -Killua is more conflicted with his past compared to the manga but ive always preffered the 1999 version. or maybe you're right and im misremembering stuffs. HAHAHA
I much prefer the manga and 2011 Killua. They are more unique and just better to me. Also, u aren't wrong. 2011 Killua more accurate to manga Killua I am also very confused by people saying 2011 watered down Killua, when 1999 made Killua say that he thought his family just killed bad people to Anita (a filler) character, which just really waters him and his view on himself and family a lot, esp. morally. And didn't even have Killua basically kill 2 guys on the blimp jus because he was annoyed basically with Netero. It had him instead just threaten Anita, spare her life, and then break one dude's arm. 2011 didn't have Killua say his family just killed bad people, basically. And did actually have him kill those two dudes out of annoyance, basically. Though, u didn't see it in as graphic detail as u did the manga. He still killed them at least. Very confused with people saying 2011 Killua was watered down, when I would argue 1999 actually watered down Killua and his morals. And just how messed up and dark he was in the beginning (which helped shown his development later on a lot better). Also confused with people saying 2011 Killua felt off or is less accurate, when, neither are actually true. Also, 2011 Killua's character design is more accurate to how Togashi stats to draw Killua later on in the manga. 2011 just goes with for most of the anime, for consistency sake. Also, tbh, I prefer Togashi later on and the 2011 anime having them be more similar in height, since they are close to same age (with Killua actually being younger). But that is just a personal preference of mine.
It kind of bugs me how they had Gon approach Killua first in 1999. Killua was ALWAYS the one the seek out Gon in the HE. Which he does, because Killua is lonely and wants friends and loved ones. 1999 basically decided to have Killua be more like Sasuke or even Hiei (when Killua, despite people thinking Kurapika is, but actually, Killua is, more like Kurama, rather than Hiei basically) imo. Instead 1999 had Killua act all stand-off-ish and had Gon approach him first. Also, it is not like Killua instantly became friends with Gon (there was a level of click, because of similar ages, and each other finding the other really cool and interesting. But the more deeper parts of their relationship is something that develops quite slowly), but even by the final phase, Killua doesn't think he is friends with Gon, and is kind of shocked when Leorio tells them they already are. Killua wants friends, but has terrible self-esteem and doesn't always think he is worthy of stuff (because of his family and upbringing and etc.). FInd it really funny that this video said 2011 was trying to make Killua more marketable, despite 2011 having both Killua and Gon to have more weird and/or screwed up morals. Which Killua's develops them to be better and just in general, and Gon has a negative arc regarding his morals and stuff. And etc. Again, 1999 is good (prefer 2011 and the manga myself though). But I am finding some of these takes on it, 2011, the manga, and/or etc. weird in the video and comments. Esp. some stuff with/about Killua.
@@Dragon_Aoi how the hell is 99 less serious the scene in the tower has him cut a dudes head in half as an illusion repeating just how much he will kill him and with Mito he tries so hard to slaughter a baby animal
I loved 1999 HxH. When I heard it's getting a remake, I watched the first ep and nope, instantly stopped from there. It felt like something more for children. Too clean for the eyes imho, unlike the 1999 which is a lot darker and brutal. I can't enjoy the 2011 version as an adult. Even now I still listen to the Ohayou, Kaze no Uta and Pray.
when I was in High school I watched the 1999 anime first, I don't remember how I found out about the anime but I watched it all on youtube and was shocked to find out there was a 2011 remake (so I guess the opposite of most other people who look into the series lol).
29:44 i dont understand why some on reddit hated this extended scene. Kurapika expressed how he hates blood and how the idea of killing makes him feel sick. While the manga didn’t delve deeply into this aspect (he looks unbothered) , the 1999 adaptation doesn’t contradict this characterization. I wasn’t really a fan of the vomit and vow scene on episode 58 tho. It felt a bit over the top, and the vow/prayer seemed to shift Kurapika’s motive from being self-imposed? iirc
I dont understand why the 1999 version gets hated a lot esp in the reddit community. Like if you like the fillers or changes, there is always someone in there who likes everything to be 100% manga accurate. sure, its their opinion but wth. its so exhausting coz they like to scrutinize everything in the 1999 version. Ofc im bias towards 1999, but its irritating how excessive they can get. Beautiful video btw. ^^
I see the opposite too. 1999 fans shitting on the manga and 2011 version. Also, while I do love the 1999 version, I do think some of the changes and filler were weird (some was fine to really good though). Esp. with characters. Like Killua and Gon. Imo.
I remember liking this versions of Tonpa. Now YES, he sucks thats obbious. But in the 1999 version, I felt there was more buildup as an antagonist is done much better. His introduction is practically similar to his original introduction, minus poison drinks and Nicholas calling his bluff. In fact the longer he was helping before revealing who he truly was, made me think "he could be the mentor or Crouching Moron, hidden badass trope" but no. His betrayal subvertrd my expectation. Even moreso when looking at his character design. He looks like a jolly fat man, when in reality, dude felt like a psychopath that could actually cause some damage. In fact after losing his badge, he escaped and gave me the impression he was going to pass reaching the tournament exam, but it ended with him only to lose, thus knocking him out of the competition. This version of Tonpa was dangerous, not because of strength or superpowers, but unpredictability. Especially moreso considering the additional that were added to stretch out the series. Plus Hunter x Hunter emphasizes that being unpredictable, makes you more dangerous.
@@ParkournPrankster I dig how the betrayer comes around to being less exploiting by the time of his failing pretty going wow dang look at what's happened wonder if there style will work for me one of these years
So I guess best way to enjoy HxH in anime is watch the 99 anime and the end of York New City arc OVA, then transition to the 2011 anime for Greed Island and Kimera Ant ?
My first anime was Naruto Because. I played anime video games first and I played Naruto.And dragon ball When I was a kid but Naruto was my first anime.I watched but hxh 2011 was in my first few anime. I Remember I seen It on Netflix And what made me want to watch It is the was a guy in a suit hanging out with what looked to be a tribesman And Some kid dressed weirdly along with some other kid dressed in skater clothes i was like in what world do these people all hang out with me curious enough to watch it But then I later figured out that there was a 90s version and and after I watch to that. I liked it so much. It became my favorite anime and I even got the Monga. And now I think the monga is the best. But I can appreciate both anime and Monga
Tbh I'm not sure I believe this show had budget problems... But it's true that there are a bunch of weirdly bad sounds effects (and of course it's not "it was the 90s" cause Bebop and both KareKano and Evangelion had god level sound effects and are older - and they aren't the only examples ofc - ) but I'd say a lot of others are fine at least. And the Nen one is great imho. I'd take that low electro-static Uhmmmmmm over 2011's generic wooshwooshwoosh a million times xD
I would watch the 1999 version from ep1 up until the end of greed island, then i switch to 2011 version. The reason why I pick the 1999 version of the greed island is because i perfer the dodgeball parts' animation.
I started wit '11 & watched it weekly on weekends till the end when it released on Toonami for the 1st time. The time I had that experience & the experience itself is incredibly special to me for reasons that's a lot to type out so I won't go into it but my point it '11 means a lo to me. The scene that 1st clicked wit me the most was the scene where Uvo dies refusin to give info to Kurapika. The moment the scene changed color & he spout blood my heart felt like it physically shook. I jus wanna say that to background that aside from how Gon is portrayed in some ways(which I def don't dislike) & the pretty big downgrade in Greed Island in animation & direction(which I also don't dislike) I prefer everythin the 90s-'00s anime does more than the '11 personally. In some ways I feel the possible "best" experience to have is to watch the old anime up to the end of YK & continue into the new at G.I. & the rest from there. I'd say as a whole they're technically equal As 1 handles certain material in a much more "interestin & fittin" way & the other jus has more of the material to show & is more consistent. Tho while I say I think most of wut the old does is more my style & "cooler" the other does still have that personal connection/journey... AND CHIMARA ANT ARC, C'MON BRO EVEN CHAIRMAN ELECTION & A "PROPER" END POINT TOO IT'S SO HARD TO BEAT THAT!!!😭😭😭 Also FMA 03 shits on Brotherhood THERE I SAID THE THING THAT HAD TO BE SAID!!!🙌🙌🙌
how Gon is portrayed in some ways? in what ways is this? how is he different in manga and the 2011 anime? ive always thought it was killua who is portrayed really different in the 1999 adaptation
@@gilso884 Kilua is more accurate to the manga than in 90-00s anime than than the '11 anime. In moment to moment personality & in character design. Gon is treated more like a "normal" kid in 90s & u were more in his head. '11 Gon is more accurate to the manga in that he's more of an enigma who u're constantly warned bout but R lulled into a sense of security till cracks start to form & it falls apart by chimera ant. Jus as killua describes he's "too bright". He almost came off "otherworldly" in how simple & (some times overly) determined he is. He was somebody that didn't have a sense of how the world & humans in particular truly operated & was hopelessly naive & unintentionally hypocritical. I could say more but I'm not doin a character analysis & my point is the '11 anime treated him as the tickin time bomb he was while 90s focused on the kid in a perilous situation who was determined no matter how hard it got if that make sense.
@@nightlydata2181 I didnt see Gon that different tho. I think that 1999 portrayed him more naive and wimpy at times but aside from that he's somewhat the same. Determined, very stubborn, selfish, reckless etc. The Hanzo fight in 1999, its clear Gon's incredibly reckless, self-destructive, and kinda fucked up in the head. It shows how stubborn Gon is… to the point where it goes from being endearing, to concerning. So i dont get where this "treated like a normal kid" coming from. Ofc Killua manga will always be the accurate one since its the source material. What i meant was Killua in the '99 anime is somewhat different personality-wise when compared to the manga. Killua's character arc in the manga is fundamentally not about confronting his past, however, the 1999 anime adaptation adds an element where Killua is more directly confronted with his past (his fight with dorado made him question himself, the foxbear scene highlights the difficulty of escaping a life of killing for him, anita scene). Also, his more closed-off as he didnt warmed up to Gon immediately, it was Gon who initiated a conversation to him. He doesn't immediately give his name out to Gon like he did in the manga. He runs alongside him and watches him for a bit before feeling comfortable to do so. He's not as open as his manga counterpart.
@@gilso884 U're thing wit Killua isn't a character diff that's a plot diff that puts the character in a situation they weren't in in the source. The 90s anime changed/added an event to effect killua slightly diff than before. That's diff from Gon where the events R the same but how Gon is portrayed is clearly tryin to poke at diff sides that weren't expressed at all in the manga/'11 anime. I'm not even sayin I dislike it I jus have more interest in how Gon actually is
@@nightlydata2181 The 90's anime has a noticeably different take on Killua's character. Like ive said, He wasnt as open as his manga counterpart. His more closed-off as he didnt warmed up to Gon immediately. His not as talktive as he was in the manga. Also, when Gon went home, they portrayed Killua as a fish out of water who is unsure how to act in such a setting. We have these events in the manga but they are different on how they are portrayed. Can you give examples how Gon was differently portrayed in the 99 anime when compared to the manga like what i did with Killua? What events are these? I might be missing them out.
I was not mentally prepared to hear Napple Tale music in this video. Now THAT is a cultural choice! I actually got a fair bit interested in checking out the 99 anime now. As a critisism I would say you tried to hammer down the "it was actually done in the 2000s, you 90s esthethics enjoyer" a bit too hard for no real purpose. I mean, it's not like a style suddenly digivolves into something completely different by New Years Eve. What defines an eras style usually gets pinpointed around the middle to the end of that era. Like how early 90s esthethics has a LOT of 80s flair still lingering before it lands in what we consider the style of that particular era.
@@Biggi87 Fair point in regards to the 00s-90s art style. Also yeah I'd discovered Napple Tales around the time I finished editing this video and couldn't resist throwing a bunch into the video because the music is so damn good.
Killua isn't even really all that similar personality wise to Hiei? Like, Killua is very, not like at Hiei at all honestly. If anyone is more similar to Hiei personality wise, it is Kurapika. Not Killua. Personality wise, Killua is actually more similar to Kurama. I know people tend to think Killua is more like Hiei and Kurapika, and you can design wise they are, but when it comes to stuff like personality and etc. Killua is more like Kurama and Kurapika more like Hiei, rather than other way around. Imo. Also, if any version is messed up POV of Killua's character it is the 1999 version, not the 2011 version. Again, just imo though. I still like 1999 Killua, 1999 was how I was first introduced to HxH and Killua. But the 2011 version did a lot more justice to Killua's actual character imo. Even though both versions (1999 and 2011) have their differences to the manga version. Though, 2011, less so.
Super happy to see that people are really enjoying this video after the algorithm seemed to pick it up. Will admit however that I'm not incredibly pleased with this video and had plans to redo it. I wasn't really accustomed to making video essays yet and you can see that through the odd editing choices, chaotic structure, low quality footage and my audible confusion on how to present myself while recording it. Plus I think I'm a bit harsh towards 2011 (which, mind you, I so enjoy). This videos not up to my own personal standards, and if I'd made it today it'd be of higher quality.
Nah if anything you gave 2011 too much credit
Thank you for making this! The 99 version is special for me and I need to tell people who watched the 2011 version to check out the 99 because they are definitely missing a lot!
Thought it was a great vid!
YOU MISSED THE BIGGEST ISSUE: they changed characterizations and personalities. In ways CONTRADICTORY to their characterization in the manga.
Gon : became more naive and crybaby. He was not supposed to be sad about Ging on episode 1. He wasn't supposed to struggle with the poison. He wet himself, cried and dreams of home. That is very far from what happened in manga. He was supposed to be angry and frustrated not a crybaby who dreams of Mito putting him to sleep.
Killua : became more emo and closed off. He killed two random strangers in the manga but the 1999 had to censor that and added a character Anita. They added scenes to make Killua be conflicted by his past, but manga Killua isn't troubled by his past.
Kurapika : they added the Kurta ship plot that ruins the plot in the manga. They made him look like he was brainwashed by his clan by adding that vow scene. He wasn't affected by Uvogin's death. He was unbothered by it but the 1999 adaptation always want to make everything dramatic.
Leorio: they freaking turned him into a thief in episode 2. A guy in a suit, saying he has a great sense of duty yet they made him steal. Wth. His backstory? Felt unnecessary. His conversation with Kurapika is already good enough. But no, they have to make it so dramatic.
They added characters unnecessarily like Anita, Dorado. For what? They get discarded anyway. The bonus exam too. What did that achieve? Oh Gon saved Gretta, so Gretta didn't kill him in the 4th phase exam. BS Haha And what teamwork, we already have that during trick tower.
Art direction? Most of the scenes they like to zoom in to character faces.
Animation? Some episodes looks so bad. Like really bad.
You did a great job!
I love the 1999 anime’s use of harmonica for the soundtrack. Not an instrument you hear in anime often but it’s used to such great affect in this anime!
The harmonica version of Ohayou is really good. Still haven't found a clean version of it 😔
@@sjkclau should ask musician to remake this ost
1999 has what I consider to be the greatest filler in the history of anime.
The Battleship Island trio of episodes in the Hunter Examination are so good, so seamless, and even tease some later reveals, so that I'd always wondered if Togashi actually was consulted. Hearing that it might be the truth is such a vindication and really explains how it accomplishes so much. It shows a growing bond of understanding between Kurapika and Leorio, drops some interesting lore about the Kurta Clan, teases a several-arcs-later relationship between Pokkle and Ponzu, shows a quick glimpse of Illumi's real identity two exams before the dramatic reveal, adds a huge layer of drama to Gereta hunting Gon in the next exam because _Gon saves his life here_ and vice-versa, and fills a big hole in the Hunter Exam: showcasing how the candidates work together as a collective, rather than just a small team.
It does all this while being funny as hell, atmospheric and comfy at first, bone-chillingly creepy later on, and then bombastically dramatic at the finale: they literally shoot a goddamn tornado with a battleship's cannons to escape the maelstrom.
In a similar vein, there was a moment of mini-filler right before the final exam. It was proposed that it might actually be a paper test, which resulted in several moments of hilarity, including Hisoka being so shocked his house of cards collapsed, and Leorio trying to hide dozens of cheat sheets in his clothes. And who raised that possibility? Bodoro. A character who was a complete nobody in canon, was for a brief moment a funny guy who almost seemed like a kindly father or uncle pulling a prank at the expense of the less-experienced examinees... right before Killua brutally murdered him, adding yet another layer of heartbreak to what was otherwise the death of someone we never would have cared about.
This highlights what I feel 1999 did that 2011 never even tried: it improved HunterXHunter. Yes I know, utter sacrilege to presume that Togashi could have made anything other than the perfect manga that only needed to be adapted basically panel-by-panel to make a perfect anime. But an anime is not a manga, and this modern obsession with "canon" has ruined what could otherwise be masterpieces of anime production by directors who know how to tell a story in a medium that is very different.
I watched the 1999 version several times over before 2011 aired, starting back in 2005 or so when I first got into the series. Since 2011 concluded with the Chimera Ant and Election/Alluka Arc, I've never watched it the whole thing again. I just watch through 1999, and then pick up with 2011 when CA starts. If you ask me, this is the best way to watch HunterXHunter.
one of my favorite scenes in 99 is where Killua is about to kill an injured foxbear (that gon rescued) and aunt Mito asks him if anyone ever taught him how meaningful life was, and the way somber music starts playing when killua sadly says that the only thing he was ever taught was”how to kill” is just *chefs kiss.* there are so many moments in the OG anime that are beautifully directed and just hit you in the feels 🥲
the whole Aunt arc is so much more an its ending is adorable having Killua innocently mention his crimes to two sweet women an Gons must lie about it
@@senritsujumpsuit6021 frrr I forgot to mention a lot of good moments from those episodes 😭 I remember the part where gon and killua used their nen to heal the fox and after they take him back to his mother, aunt Mito hugs both gon and killua, which shocks killua at first but then he quickly warms up to her bc he’s never experienced that kind of love from his family T^T
@@senritsujumpsuit6021 also YESSS that scene was just hilarious
Everything in Whale Island hits stronger in '99. The island feels like home
@@neochris2 the response Killua has to being noticed by Mito is pure suger to me that recoil an nervous sound
when I was introduced to HXH I was shown the 1999 version first- then upon watching the 2011 version, I felt a lot of the narrative was lacking time to breathe, specifically in those moments of quiet that make you really feel with the characters (and as an animator I just adored the 99 art style)
I absolutely LOVE how 1999 handled the hunter exam arc. it felt much more intense bc of the atmosphere and the characters were actually treating it like it was a big deal. The fourth phase in particular was a whole emotional rollercoaster for me, I mean the show did such a good job showing the heavy emotions gon was going through during the fourth phase, and seeing him reflect on his inner struggles was such an emotional scene and genuinely made me love his character even more. His fight with Hanzo was also beautifully done and the way phantom music started playing when illumi was introduced and started to manipulate killua was INTENSE.
99 pika laughing is actually the light of the end of the tunnel
having that freeze frame into a montage before it shows that the Troop is not dead then ends with the orange glow of a cellphone with the line "Surprise where still here"
so fuking awesome direction
What seperates 99 from 2011 is that it feels like there was a vision and a flare for film making. They wanted to create something more than just a adaptions of a shounen.
2011 feels like a focus grouped by the numbers modern shounen with a HxH skin held up by the source material. For some reason people like to throw in the OVAs with this, but they are also very different feeling and done by different directors.
One of my favorite parts is when the groups go looking for Killa and are sitting in a room waiting with his bodyguards. In 99 it's turned into an intense high stakes episode, but they rush through it in the new one. And there are many other examples. 99 takes the source material and elevates it and people are starting to realize just how special this show was. The director is a veteran at that point and I really wish he completed the show.
I watched it 6 times in the early 2000s for a reason... It's gppd.
You prolly won’t see this since it’s 3 years later but, I totally agree, I watch the 99 anime all the way through greed island and then finish with the 2014 chimera ant. The 99 anime just does something special with the filler and character moments it gave.
calling it filler is mean sounding since it so often is used as an insult when really any scene no matter how much it serves to do a ton for a series is technically filler if its not slamming plot points over your head
filler is what makes a show feel real
Nadia the Secret of Blue has over ten episodes that where added in midway through an its some my fav character building moments when without them it would yeet right into the climax where they go to fuking space an shit an theirs robots an all some other WTF is even happening bullshit XD
I'm actually planning to get back to the series this way. I watched hxh 2011 in its entirety a decade ago and I think I'll get back into hxh the way you watched it
The change from cel to digital coloring is what people talk about the 90s anime look
One of my favorite things 1999 did different was how Gon and Kylua escape from Nobunaga. The extra focus makes you really get the process that leads Gon adn Kylua to effectively fool an expert. And Zepille's contribution is made a lot clearer.
Boy, '99 is soooo good. Cannot believe anyone would prefer 2011 over 1999. Maybe it's my 90s kid brain talking haha.
2011 is a more complete Adaptation
@@murderman8578 I get that. And it's a Madhouse production too. Not at the level of the best Madhouse, tho'. For me is a matter of quality over cuantity. My way of viewing the series is 99 till the end of Yorkshin, and then 2011 GI and the rest
I prefer 2011 Heavens Arena
The reason I love the 99 version more is because they actually took time to develop characters and set the mood. In the 2011, it was just rushed. Oh, and I watched in French, and the dub was good.
God that late 90s Early 2000s aesthetic be hitting. Also thank you for your review. 1999 is very underrated
Why am I only just getting this? Goated video, btw. I love the old series. It was my first introduction to HxH and it has stuck with me a lot further. Leorio has more focus, the ost is way better, the fillers are great and go well with arc. One of my favorite parts was Hanzo vs Gon!!! Like before that fight, we get to know more about the other contestants other than the main four! We get more characterization both from the manga and orignal content from the anime. So you already predisposed to not want Hanzo and Gon to fight. Then out of nowhere, there's an absolute switch up in Hanzo's demeanor. From a guy who is usually so goofy to becoming so brutal. The way he just causally breaks Gon's arm, the sounds, the lighting and the composition of the scenes to make it more dark and have more emphasis on the brutality of it all. Its such a fucking goated scene and its something that the newer version lacks at.
Another thing that 1999 does differently is how it humanizes Gon. In the 2011 version, Gon feels more like an enigma. Someone whose morality is just different than others. We get to see inside everybody else's heads but never with Gon. Which is done on purpose and it is more interesting for me. However, in the 1999 ver, its the exact opposite. You get to be in his head more, we get more of his relationships with Kite and Mito, and how he just feels more like a real kid. He truly is a different character, and although the 2011 ver is more accurate to the manga, I still appreciate the 1999's take on Gon.
I dont mean to say that the 2011 ver is bad, in fact, it is objectively better overall. But I genuinely do love what direction the 1999 version does with Hunter x Hunter. Giving it its own life rather than doing a standard adaptation.
Its for this reason that I like FMA over FMAB too.
I don’t mind the rearrangement of events in Heaven’s Arena. Gon and Killua didn’t go there specifically to fight Hisoka. Their main goals were to train, earn money, learn Nen, and pass the secret exam. Fighting Hisoka wasn’t the primary focus of this arc.
The purpose of Gon’s fight with Hisoka was to highlight his weaknesses in battle and how much he still needed to learn about Nen. This remains true regardless of whether the fight occurs earlier or later in the arc. However, by fighting Hisoka earlier, Gon could apply the lessons he learned in that battle against Gido and others later on. This helps justify Gon’s ability to defeat Gido, as he not only becomes a more experienced Nen user but also gains valuable battle experience against a superior opponent (Hisoka).
It makes Gon and Killua’s progress and their victories over Gido and Riehlvelt feel much more natural and well-deserved.
It seems like the 1999 team aimed to expand on Killua’s resentment during the exam arc, particularly when he noticed Gon scored higher than him. Killua contrasts his straightforward win over Dorado with Gon’s thrilling match against Hisoka, which stirs some self-doubt in him.
I also adore the scene with Wing and Killua, as well as the final one featuring all three of them. Both were beautifully executed.
Gon vs Hanzo 2011: he was screwed from the jump.
1999: WHERE THE FUCK IS THE REF???
@@TotskuyaKurogane the child's friends barely able to refrain from breaking off the man's arms mood
I just watched 99 anime without watching the 2011, i am watching the oav now and i feel sad that i must switch to 2011 gonna miss the 90's design and art and the voices.
I grew up with the 99 version. There are a lot of moments that really hit different in the 99 version. Particularly the series of episode where Gon took Killua to whale island to meet Aunt Mito. All the whale island scenes in the 99 version was more elevated, moody. I feel like Gon's house was more organic and real despite being set in a 'fantasy' setting. I also loved the Heaven's Arena arc. Specially that part where they trained under Wing-san. I cried when they were making their farewells to Wing-san. That was really touching. Now the 2011 version is not bad. The 99 version was more gritty, emotional, and tbh, creative direction wise - better than the 2011 version. I loved both though. It's still telling the same story. Gon and Killua are still the same kids in both version.
That farewell scene is so prettyy + the talk between Killua and Wing 👌
Killua and Gon from the manga and 2011 version aren't the same as the 1999 version. They are so different, they are basically different characters sometimes.
Thank you for blessing my precious 1999 baby. I love 1999 to death. There are some parts in 1999 just catches the vibe in a way 2011 can't.
Harmonica ohayo still makes me cry like a dumbass.
I will also die on the hill that it has some of the the BEST filler. The treasure hunting filler is FANTASTIC to contextualize the island exam.
If only it was more accessible to the modern kids.
As a kid Hunter x Hunter was one of my first anime's. I watched it back in 5th grade and I immediately fell in love with watching it on youtube when I was supposed to be sleeping. I remember I started with the 99 version before the 2011 came out and one day I noticed the style suddenly switched. It took me years to realize there were to versions all along. 99 will always have a special place in my heart
I have a close appreciation for 1999. Its first opening has been part of me from inception and I had vague memories of seeing the whole thing as the Filipino dub covered the whole anime, OVAs and all.
I unfortunately got gaslit into only watching 2011 for years because of how unaccesible 1999 suddenly became. I am SO glad I gave it a rethread and now I feel very reconnected with my HxH.
The highlight to me really is the music, which by contrast is 2011's weakest area I'd say. 1999 enjoys a wealth of tracks that consistently changes rotation as needed. 2011's track selection often felt limited, like you've already heard the same 3 tracks they're gonna use over and over after just one episode.
Meanwhile, while 1999 also pulls from a selection pool (very common for an anime to have a tracklist than have bespoke scores per episode, that's fine), it does feel like that pool for 99 is noticeably bigger. And it's hard to overstate how much more tolerable of a watch 1999 is because of it.
I mean, man. 90's JRPG vibes for the early arcs, New York Jazz for Yorknew (very appropriate), Greed Island gets scored like a 2000's JRPG this time! It's awesome. And yes, I do count GI as part of 1999. The GI OVAs stand as still well directed adaptations of GI that actually do attempt to stay in the same style as what Furuhashi and Satoshi Saga had done before, even despite clear budget cuts. (Also because I lowkey think Bisky looks better as a brunette.)
WTF? Do people really look down on 99's OST? I think it's far far better, well, personally I don't really like the 2011 OST that much to be honest, but I DO like it in the Chimera ant arc because it starts to sound more like the 99 music. I think it really makes you feel like you're in an adventure in a giant unexplored world.
I don't remember anything really from 2011 OST but am not getting the wind instruments out of my had from 99
also the OVA OP an ED are mood
This is such a pleasant surprise to get recommended. I love both versions of the anime for different reasons, and I’m so happy to see someone else praising the positives of the 99. There is just so much in the 99 that fleshes out the world and characters. I am currently reading the manga and the 99 feels much closer to it than the 2011. The tone, the atmosphere, the characters (except Gon) resemble the manga so much more. About Killua in the 2011- I agree with you so much. I LOVE the 2011 anime, it was my first experience with the story. But, they really did water down Killua’s character as far as his bratty behavior and smart mouth and even him laughing at Gon in a mean way. 99 Killua is my favorite version. The voice acting alone is top tier. Nothing against Mariya Ise, she’s incredible, but the 99 one just feels so much like a lost kid, while 2011 feels like a sorta adult trapped in a kid body, as weird as that sounds. Thank you so much for this video and I am looking forward to more if you decide to make more videos about hxh in general or redo this video.
1 year late, the algorithm blesses me with this. Better late than never
For me it’s impossible not to love this old animes . I was born in 95’ and I’m from Argentina so by 2001 HunterxHunter aired here alongside with FMA , Evangelion , Cowboy bebop . It’s always the nostalgia factor i remember so little about the show but I remember so much about how it made me feel , coming from school and start watching DB ending up with FMA by noon .
When the 2011 version came out, I was hyped like I hadn’t been about a series for the longest time. I loved it so much in spite of my initial apprehension about the color scheme. But when life gets tough, I always come back to the ‘99 version. It’s a safe space where I can always go back to. A little spark of joy from a time where things were not much better, just marginally more hopeful. My first piece of writing was a HxH fanfic I put together when I was 11 back in 2004. I still go back to that story from time to time and change some things or add new ideas. It’s been 20 years, I’ve learned a lot for better or worse, but it’s kind of crazy seeing your writing change so much during a the course of a single story. I hope one day I’ll give it an end that makes me feel satisfied. At the end of the day, the 2011 version is amazing but the ‘99 has a special place in my heart.
During the third phase after getting hisokas badge, where gon was crying made me cry too :( the throwing up, flashbacks and just the mood of the scene makes me so upset in an odd way.
I watched the newer version first, I loved it but I loved the 90s version more. It made way more sense kite being at the start. The music was amazing and the phantom troupe arc felt way cooler in the 90s style. Reminded me of 80s-90s Horror anime like demon city or wicked city lmao. If in the future AI could make the chimera ant arc in this style then it would be the best anime in existence. Still so much has happened in the manga so I really wanna see it all animated regardless of style. I'm surprised we are finally on chapter 401. Hiatus hiatus never gonna finish, but it is what it is. The whole atmosphere of the anime after was just perfect for me.
Regarding killua I noticed the similarites of heie too, heie is one my of favourite characters in anime lol. Its insane to me how people can say that the 90s version of killua ruins him? Do people actually say that, it doesn't even make sense if it came before and its way cooler how he is more cold. He is a fucking assassin.... did you guys not see him rip someones heart out wtf aha.
Killua has always been emo and angsty, idk why people are pressed.
Yorknew 1999 version is the anime arc for me.. molded my psyche and morality about the real world as a teenager.
You dare Glaze PEAK FICTION FOR 49MINS! Then I guess I'll watch.
i will agree that york new arc is done splendidly in every versiob tbh. and yes i do prefer the york shin arc from the 1999 than the 2011 one.
I'm a huge fan of HXH, my first exposure to it over a decade ago was from the original 1999 anime. While i enjoy aspects of the 2011, there's just something about the extra attention to detail to characters/art direction that makes the original stand out to me. I also loved so much of the filler episodes, which i think is really hard to accomplish. Thanks for the fun video showcasing the strengths of the series!
i recently watched the 1999 version and fell in love with it. i think the expanded plot lines in the hunter exam are the zoldyk arc were so fun and worth while. it was so fun and genuinely well adapted. it doesn’t get enough credit for sure
I genuienly think the Yorknew Arc was done better in the 1999 version, the tone, the pacing, the fights, the art, It's just so aesthetic. The presentation is so dark and atmospheric, feel like it fits Togashi's idea of his world more, and the more tense and emotional moments hit different. The art direction and use of color is so much more interesting than the remake, and the animation quality is just as good as 2011 if not more.
I’ve noticed that 2011 Yorknew is a lot more faster paced than 1999, It doesn’t slows things down to take a moment to breathe as much, It kinda takes away from the character development a little.
Like Killua spending time with Gons family, Kurapika befriending Melody, Kurapika conjuring the chains for the first time
I know a lot of it was anime original or filler, but it added some heart to the series.
I really liked how genuinely scary 1999 Kurapika looked, like he can totally be mistaken as a villain without context.
In 1999 you can feel his mind deteriorating after he first killed Uvogin, not only because of the beautiful imagery, but also by seeing his sickly facial expressions.
The thing that makes 1999 Yorknew stand out so much is the art direction. 2011 doesn’t look bad by any means, it’s just as well animated (some cuts in Kurapika vs Uvogin or Chrollo vs the Zoldycks even paying direct homage to the original) but you can tell they tried to experiment more in 1999, with the shot composition and use of colors and shadows, Its just very aesthetic.
Love how they added moments and mixed them with canon stuffs.
Ex: Kurapika keeping Baise bracelet and punching Uvogin with it, Melody and Kurapika convo by the lake, how kurapika's first kill affected him, they also highlights the difficulty of escaping a life of killing for killua, the scene about hanzo asking Gon why he is not using his fishing rod and how it connects to Gon's self-worth and insecurities, the scene with Wing and Killua, as well as the final one featuring all three of them in Heavens Arena, they added more leorio's scenes too
Love how they portrayed illumi's confrontation of killua in hunter exam, kurapika's sorrow and emptiness, Pakunoda's death. those stuffs.
@@sjkclau literally every scene wants to add more pretty much
the moment where Ninja man keeps trying to get Gon to stand down while Leorio is barely able to not murder to beat the man to death
"Don't you dare try to stop me"
"Stop you believe me I feel the same way"
@@senritsujumpsuit6021 that's Leorio and Kurapika convo. It's in the manga.
I'm talking about added scenes that weren't in the manga
@@sjkclau an yet not in 2011 the one that is supposed to be more complete lol
@@senritsujumpsuit6021 They added more Leorio scenes. Scenes about him being very worried for Gon ex: Gon going to Kuroro mountain, Gon being beaten by Canary etc. And they are much closer in the 1999 version. love their little silly interactions. Leorio really felt like a big brother to Gon in 1999.
ty for this video
Thanks for making this. I think the fans were just older or busy .. I have been. Watched over and over
Great vid! I was looking forward to someone making a piece on this adaptation bc it's one of my favorites and most conversations about it online just boil down to comparing it to the 2011 reboot, so it's rare to see someone actually acknowledging its actual content and giving some insight on its production.
Something really funny to me is how many people will mistake the darker color pallet the 99 show has on its current releases/uploads as being an intentional choice made to create a more somber tone, when in reality it's the fault of the Viz DVDs being terrible in maintaining the visual fidelity of the releases they're based on (same case with the raws used to make the old fansubs). This issue gets so bad that there are sections of the story where things are so dark you can barely see what's happening on screen due to how crushed the colors got during transfers, some fans tried to go back and do some color correction to match the animation cells and it looks so much better it makes it even more frustrating that this version didn't get the treatment it deserved with home releases, at least in the west and in a post-VHS world (also that there's no way to legally watch it anymore but 🤧).
The 1999 was so good even the filler was amazing especially in the hunter exam arc there was a 2 part episodes before they reach the island of the third exam i think ( the one where the idea is to hunt and be hunted for the badge ) so all the examinees left on a ship and there is a storm so they all had to work together to save the ship they on from the storm and then the next exam they going at each other for the badge legit amazing that is filler done right
Kids calling out 99 for being too dark and slowly paced are really telling on themselves: their favored 2011 show is the one with pacing and atmosphere issues.
HxH 2011 atmosphere and pacing was fine. Not saying 1999's pacing and atmosphere was bad, but 2011 wasn't really bad either.
Also, wouldn't really call 1999 darker either overall. 2011 and the manga at least were more willing to have the characters. Esp. Killua and Gon to more dark and/or morally gray.
Both can be dark though.
I never understand people who complain about an anime being too "slow". Isn't the entire point of something you're doing for enjoyment, that it fills the time you have? Why would you want to get it over with faster and experience LESS anime?
Invariably this is a complaint of younger generations. Many of them don't even watch anime so much as just have it on in the background while they're playing games or talking to friends on their phone. Zero attention span. None of them would get through the first six episodes of the 1999 version because it's not constantly punching them in the face with action and bright colors.
(Sorry for possible mistakes, English isn’t my first language.)
Wow, a decent review of the old Hunter × Hunter. I am really surprised the video was uploaded in the middle of 2023 because I’m SURE I’ve searched for such videos but never have I ever found this one.
I’ve watched the old adaptation first because after Fullmetal Alchemists I thought the new version will speedrun through the old stuff (and it actually felt like that with 2011’s Hunter Exam and some other earliest stuff in the plot)... though my friend was saying me to watch the new one. And I really loved the pacing and the old-anime feel. (Also, the first arc was so long that I thought that getting the Hunter License is the ultimate goal of Hunter × Hunter. I haven’t watched Naruto or other shōnens with training arcs, yeah.)
(I find the 1999's Exam arc to be infinitely better than the new one.)
I’ve scored the new Hunter higher because of how incredible the latest arcs are, but I still prefer the old Hunter’s atmosphere.
Currently, I am in process of translating the 1999 version (including the OVAs) into my language (Russian) from English (while trying to check the original speech). I've started around March 2023 and I am now on the 59th episode (I take long breaks but it’s going faster than it feels).
Well, technically, the 1999 version DOES have a Russian translation but it’s a not-so-good translation of a bad English speedsub (with Kurata (sic!) clan and Chicago). This combination makes an unthinkably awful subtitles. It often misinterprets the original text and makes the whole translation feel as if the translators were like: “Okay, I have know idea what the hell are they saying”. For example, the moment of Izunavi explaining that Kurapika needs to conjure a universal weapon was translated somewhat like “You must carefully understand the situation of the fight and find the most suitable object to materialize” (because it is too hard to use “the incredible power” of a real weapon). Which is the exact opposite of the original meaning??
The friend I mentioned earlier is basically the first person I’m translating it for, she helps me with proofreading and she instantly loved the old anime.
I believe we are making a decent translation because right now I wouldn’t recommend Russian-speaking people (who can’t understand English or Japanese) watching the anime.
(The new anime already has several decent translations, by the way.)
great video man, it's a shame it didn't go viral
Watched the whole video
Loved it. Great work. Subscribed.
Also seems like everyone is randomly seeing this video a year later. Algorithm might be reacting to the return of the manga
Honestly if it was not for my country having an anime channel that aired this version when i was on high school i wouldn't have known this version of the anime existed 🤔, and its quite a shame it doesn't get more highlighted since this adaptation really did a great job at the time with the atmosphere, the narrative pacing and music and animation till the greed island ovas, and i thank you for highlighting this gem LunaLuna 😄and part of my teenage years it feels like im reliving those days on your channel since you are talking about anime i watched back then cant wait for more of your videos
I started with the 2011 series, went back n watched the 90s version, I think the hunter exam, atmosphere, some parts of Yorknew, darker tone, and OST placement is way better than 2011. But 2011 got Chimera Ant arc
When I started watching hunter x hunter, I watched the 2011 adaptation, but when I found the 1999 adaptation, I absolutely LOVED it. Sadly my friend who also started watching hunter x hunter with the 2011 version didn’t agree that it was amazing
Thanks for this! I'm an older nerd (38) i grew up with the Toonami generation and found HxH online and via bootleg dvd's in the mid late 2000s. I adored this version I think 99 stands the test of time outside the sound effects. Both shows can exist but its just nice to see this show talked about, I wish it could be legally put up or given a blu ray release.
I DO prefer Yorknew 99 over 2011 and even the manga, 99 York new is possibly my favorite arc of the series rivaled only ofc by manga Chimera ant.
I didn't grow up watching the '99 Hunter x Hunter (HxH), but I did watch the 2011 version, so here I am, trying to share my thoughts without sounding too out of place.
When I watched HxH a few months ago, I found myself breezing through the early arcs. While it was fun and engaging, I was a bit disappointed that the iconic Hunter Exam felt crammed into just... what, 12 or 20 episodes? I'm not sure of the exact number, but it definitely felt rushed. The Hunter Exam was the only part of the show where I truly felt immersed in the world-a larger, living, breathing environment. There were also some wild but memorable moments, like Killua literally handing a serial killer his own heart in a bag after ripping it out. However, with the way the pacing was handled, such treatment would've likely risked overshadowing the world-building in the first half of the show. I think the second half could’ve suffered the same fate, unfortunately.
Aside from the pacing issues in the early arcs, I felt the characters didn’t get enough attention. They often felt more like plot devices to keep the story moving, rather than fully realized, complex individuals. When I later heard that the '99 adaptation gave more depth and care to the characters, it made me realize how different approaches can shape a narrative. The '99 version seems to focus more on artistic nuances, while the 2011 version is more action-packed and fast-paced, which might have come at the cost of some character depth.
To be clear, I haven't watched the '99 adaptation yet, so I could be wrong. But based on the 2011 version, the fast-paced nature of the first half (and parts of the second half) made it harder for me to truly connect with the characters.
If someone asked me why the 2011 version was paced that way, I don’t have a solid answer-and honestly, I’m too lazy to dig deep into it-but I do have a theory. It might not be perfect, but here it goes:
Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood was kind of a remake of the 2003 Fullmetal Alchemist. Since the original FMA covered a good portion of the manga before diverging into its own story, Brotherhood sped through the earlier material, assuming viewers were already familiar with it. This led to a quicker, more condensed first half.
I think something similar happened with HxH 2011. It was made with the idea that many fans had already seen the '99 version, so they sped through the early content and added a lighter tone to keep it fresh for returning fans, while also making it accessible to new viewers. This way, it served as both a recap and a new experience, unlike Brotherhood, which catered more heavily to returning fans.
I know this is a long comment, but if you stuck with me through it, I hope it gave you some value!
Honestly, it might be the best of both worlds to have watched 2011 first. Don't get me wrong, I adore 1999 more than almost any other anime I've ever seen, but it can be very slow at times by modern standards. This is especially true in the beginning. I remember when I first watched it, my friend who recommended it to me told me that I must at least wait until episode 6 because that's when things really start going, and when his favorite character (that he described as the best), Killua, shows up.
He wasn't wrong. At the time I'd only ever seen a handful of anime (among them Dragonball Z and Naruto, both as dubs) and did not have the patience and appreciation for slower-paced anime that I do now. I might have dropped it if I hadn't stayed the course, but just like the author of this video essay, episode 7 pretty much cemented my attention.
So it's a bit like having watched a movie, and now you can go back and read the book it was based on.
@@Yonkage-ik5qb Y'know, that doesn't seem like a bad description at all. While I like a slow burn anime so it wouldn't be a problem for me, I know it'll be fun to watch the 1999 version with 2011 in mind, as you pretty much feel like you're watching two takes on the same novel as you compare between the two.
Thanks for sharing your perspective, yours is definitely interesting.
This video is such good quality!
and I agree with a lot of your points! keep it up
Who ever worked on the classic anime ost was a legend 👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏
The filler mini-island arc was awesome as a kid I loved it!
Yeah I always thought Kilua seemed off in the hunter exams in 2011.
Thank you!
Togashi really is a genius
How was Killua off in the Hunter Exams in 2011?
2011 HE Killua was much more accurate (to the manga) and felt more like Killua than 1999 Killua, which felt off and weird to me with the kind of weird filler and changes they did with his character.
(He didn't even kill the blimp dudes, they had Killua say to Anita - a filler character -, that the Zoldycks only killed bad people, basically. Etc.)
Esp. in the earlier arcs, like the HE arc.
I still love 1999 Killua. I was introduced to HxH through the 1999 series. But I much prefer manga and 2011 Killua personally.
@@Dragon_Aoi That's the problem, in the manga version of the hunters exam arc Killua was barely a character.
When i read the manga for the first time years ago i thought it was so weird that Gon was willing to die to save Killua from his family when they barely interacted and even when they interacted Killua was so dissmissive and mean to him, 1999 fixed that by adding scenes of Killua being friendly to the group and having scenes of him and Gon being just normal kids, it makes their friendship feel real. (Even the way Killua and Gon met in the 1999 version is better with the way Gon makes Killua happy by just talking to him).
2011 being close to the manga is not a good thing in this instance when the manga version of his character in that arc was just plain bad.
@@luizito5341 I made a huge reply to you, and now, I can't see it? Welp, hoping u received it, because I really don't feel like writing out that whole comment again.
@@Dragon_Aoi Unfortunately its not appearing to me either, try to write a shorter version and try censor some words, its probably just youtube's awful system deleting your comment, i wanna hear your thoughts
Yep, it looks like my original longer comment was deleted for some reason; I have no idea. It doesn't seem to show up in even my comment history.
I don't think I am going to try to rewrite it.
(Ok, I did actually decide to write more again, than I expected to).
@uizito5341
For now, I will just say I disagree with Killua's character being plain bad in the HE arc or that he is barely a character. The HE arc is a great introductory arc, and really sets up Killua's character well (seriously, it is the first arc, characters are still being set up, some for long term development. Like Killua. And even then, Killua certainly a character in that arc).
And such because of that, his character somehow needed changing. Which, the 1999 version did. It drastically changed his character, esp. in earlier arcs. I like how u can't even disagree that 1999 was the one that made more liberties with Killua's character than 2011, and instead have to resort to calling Killua's character in the manga bad (in the first arc). Stuff like this by some 1999 fans, is what really starts me not liking some some in the HxH 1999 fanbase.
Besides that, Killua wasn't just mean and dismissive towards Gon when they did interact, he was pretty nice to Gon, esp. for Killua. Whose social skills (despite actually being pretty chatty) weren't exactly the best yet (and still aren't that great, but he is working on them). He could be sometimes mean and dismissive towards other people, because of his personality and upbringing, but he does grow and develop care and respect towards people, not just Gon. And with all this said, 2011 Killua wasn't somehow more mean and dismissive than 1999 Killua. 1999 Killua was the one to refuse introduce himself to Gon, and to act all emo. Which, isn't really Killua at all.
Separating these comments, because I think my comment being long could be the reason it disappeared. 1/3.
1999 is my GOAT. What I wouldn't give to see the Chimera Ant arc in that style!
As a kid I wasn't really a fan of the 1999s art style but as an adult it's definitely something I'd sit down and watch 😭
@@lollybirdy the new series had the basic bitch syndrome art
Here from the FMA Homunculi video, absolutely subscribing to see what you go on to do
@@therobotfromirobot Thank you 👍, will try not to disappoint
The peak of '99 HunterXHunter was the fact that there was no narration spoonfeeding the audience over what was happening. That way of storytelling makes it really difficult for me to go back and rewatch 2011 despite otherwise generally loving its execution and having the chance to see its further arcs animated.
After watching more than half of the video:
Excellent video. Some of Gon’s relationships on his home island were inexplicably and unnecessarily changed in 99, like Mitou isn’t his aunt- it might sound small but it takes something away from their relationship to have her be the sister of his biological mom
Kirapica’s mentality is easier communicated in 99, there really isn’t a definitive anime version these were both so great
I know perfectly how good that show is (we even had it on tv, in Italy, with a great dub) and I'm fighting a crusade of reminding the world (well, internet) that it's great, but I always watch with pleasure a good piece of content that talks about it competently :)
I feel like a important aspect to this conversation is the fact that a good portion of people believe HxH is carried by it’s 2011 anime. I’m sure a good portion who dislike 99 never even read the manga.
Most of those who dislike the 1999 anime are manga purists tho 😂
@@sjkclau I don’t understand how, from what I’ve heard and from what I saw 99’s vibe fits the manga more than the 2011 anime. 99 changes the Canon by adding and rearranging certain moments but 2011 completely changes certain dynamics and rearranges events in a way that impacts the climax of the chimera arc. More importantly tho my point is that there are people who believe that the manga is carried by it’s 2011 anime which when you’ve read both doesn’t even make sense considering the best arc of the series is currently ongoing. I would say anyone who believes that simply misunderstood the series.
@@kenyimorris9151 reminds me a bit about how some people bitched about Trigun Stampede saying it's ruining everything but they don't even remember how much the first series changed from the Manga like wow
@@kenyimorris9151 its what I've experienced before. When I posted why I like 1999 anime, some of the manga purists are really hateful with their opinions. I understand why they really disliked the 1999 anime, but theyd go as far as to not recommend it. Even saying that the changes are dumb, horrible and useless that it ruins Togashi's writing. 😔
@@kenyimorris9151 The 2011 series is more accurate the manga though and has way less filler and changes.
The biggest change was the Kite stuff, which was an issue.
But overall, the 2011 anime is more accurate to the manga.
1999 also makes major changes that can really affect (in a way, that I don't really like most of the time) characters.
Like Killua and Gon.
It also rearranges events too; like in the HA, with the matches. The way they did the matches made things make less sense.
Also, for some reason in 1999 they made what the Nen initiation can do was less obvious. And the 3 antags Killua, Gon, and Zushi met seemed way less, to not even crippled? If I am remembering correctly. Which lessened the impact of what Nen can do on someone without Nen
The Kite vs Hisoka fight I think was basically skipped.
Etc.
"99’s vibe fits the manga more than the 2011 anime."
And this is just vague and subjective.
I love 1999, but is no more accurate to the manga compared to 2011 (2011 isn't completely accurate either, but it is closer to being so than 1999).
luckily for you ive been using this as a background essay while I animate so I haven't been watching, ive been listening
Born in 1983, never watched the new one until there was a new episode in the 2011 version.
Love 99, strongly prefer it to 2011 but dont hate 2011 either. Great video, found this through your video on the homonculus (also a banger) love your takes! Keep it up and I'm now subbed and looking forward to what's next
Something tells me there may one day be a *THIRD* version of HxH. We'll see.
it would just be a continuation right ? why another 3 rd one?
@@Fantomstranger why
@@FredMaverikwhy not
@@Fantomstrangerbecause it would be stupid
the most important part of HxH99 is the fact that Leopika is canon. you cant win against that.
That's not canon cuz it never happened in manga
The art of the 1999 version is also superior than the current one.
31:58 I think youve got it backwards bro. character design aside, the 2011 is more accurate to the manga Killua.
1999 Killua:
-He wasnt as open as his manga counterpart. He didnt warmed up to Gon immediately. Unlike on manga, it was him who started the convo.
-He doesn't immediately give his name out to Gon like he did in the manga. He runs alongside him and watches him for a bit before feeling comfortable to do so.
-His not as talktive as he was in the manga.
-When Gon went home, they portrayed Killua as a fish out of water who is unsure how to act in such a setting.
-Killua is more conflicted with his past compared to the manga
but ive always preffered the 1999 version. or maybe you're right and im misremembering stuffs. HAHAHA
@@gilso884 wow this knowledge is a oof woopsie on the Mangas end wow
I much prefer the manga and 2011 Killua. They are more unique and just better to me.
Also, u aren't wrong.
2011 Killua more accurate to manga Killua
I am also very confused by people saying 2011 watered down Killua, when 1999 made Killua say that he thought his family just killed bad people to Anita (a filler) character, which just really waters him and his view on himself and family a lot, esp. morally.
And didn't even have Killua basically kill 2 guys on the blimp jus because he was annoyed basically with Netero.
It had him instead just threaten Anita, spare her life, and then break one dude's arm.
2011 didn't have Killua say his family just killed bad people, basically. And did actually have him kill those two dudes out of annoyance, basically. Though, u didn't see it in as graphic detail as u did the manga. He still killed them at least.
Very confused with people saying 2011 Killua was watered down, when I would argue 1999 actually watered down Killua and his morals. And just how messed up and dark he was in the beginning (which helped shown his development later on a lot better). Also confused with people saying 2011 Killua felt off or is less accurate, when, neither are actually true.
Also, 2011 Killua's character design is more accurate to how Togashi stats to draw Killua later on in the manga. 2011 just goes with for most of the anime, for consistency sake. Also, tbh, I prefer Togashi later on and the 2011 anime having them be more similar in height, since they are close to same age (with Killua actually being younger). But that is just a personal preference of mine.
@@senritsujumpsuit6021 What does this mean?
It kind of bugs me how they had Gon approach Killua first in 1999.
Killua was ALWAYS the one the seek out Gon in the HE.
Which he does, because Killua is lonely and wants friends and loved ones.
1999 basically decided to have Killua be more like Sasuke or even Hiei (when Killua, despite people thinking Kurapika is, but actually, Killua is, more like Kurama, rather than Hiei basically) imo.
Instead 1999 had Killua act all stand-off-ish and had Gon approach him first.
Also, it is not like Killua instantly became friends with Gon (there was a level of click, because of similar ages, and each other finding the other really cool and interesting. But the more deeper parts of their relationship is something that develops quite slowly), but even by the final phase, Killua doesn't think he is friends with Gon, and is kind of shocked when Leorio tells them they already are.
Killua wants friends, but has terrible self-esteem and doesn't always think he is worthy of stuff (because of his family and upbringing and etc.).
FInd it really funny that this video said 2011 was trying to make Killua more marketable, despite 2011 having both Killua and Gon to have more weird and/or screwed up morals. Which Killua's develops them to be better and just in general, and Gon has a negative arc regarding his morals and stuff. And etc.
Again, 1999 is good (prefer 2011 and the manga myself though). But I am finding some of these takes on it, 2011, the manga, and/or etc. weird in the video and comments. Esp. some stuff with/about Killua.
@@Dragon_Aoi how the hell is 99 less serious the scene in the tower has him cut a dudes head in half as an illusion repeating just how much he will kill him and with Mito he tries so hard to slaughter a baby animal
I loved 1999 HxH. When I heard it's getting a remake, I watched the first ep and nope, instantly stopped from there. It felt like something more for children. Too clean for the eyes imho, unlike the 1999 which is a lot darker and brutal. I can't enjoy the 2011 version as an adult. Even now I still listen to the Ohayou, Kaze no Uta and Pray.
2011 is just more colorful due to the digital art and being more manga accurate of togashi compared to cels at least read the manga
when I was in High school I watched the 1999 anime first, I don't remember how I found out about the anime but I watched it all on youtube and was shocked to find out there was a 2011 remake (so I guess the opposite of most other people who look into the series lol).
Hunter x Hunter is a masterpiece in both versions
i love both versions but i think the 1999 version is what HxH should have been
I love the 99 version and the York New arc ova is my favourite.
29:44 i dont understand why some on reddit hated this extended scene. Kurapika expressed how he hates blood and how the idea of killing makes him feel sick. While the manga didn’t delve deeply into this aspect (he looks unbothered) , the 1999 adaptation doesn’t contradict this characterization.
I wasn’t really a fan of the vomit and vow scene on episode 58 tho. It felt a bit over the top, and the vow/prayer seemed to shift Kurapika’s motive from being self-imposed? iirc
The music alone has me viewing 99 more favourably.
the amount of times ive asked fellow hxh fans if theyve seen the 99 version and the answer is no... they miss so much VIBES
I dont understand why the 1999 version gets hated a lot esp in the reddit community. Like if you like the fillers or changes, there is always someone in there who likes everything to be 100% manga accurate. sure, its their opinion but wth. its so exhausting coz they like to scrutinize everything in the 1999 version. Ofc im bias towards 1999, but its irritating how excessive they can get.
Beautiful video btw. ^^
@@cue4070 it really sucks when a lot of 99 just improves things but no if it's not written out by this one person it is worthless
I see the opposite too. 1999 fans shitting on the manga and 2011 version.
Also, while I do love the 1999 version, I do think some of the changes and filler were weird (some was fine to really good though).
Esp. with characters.
Like Killua and Gon.
Imo.
@@Dragon_Aoi whats so weird about making making the Exams not be so short an giving Mito more then 4 so minutes of screen-time?
I love the York new arc 1999 anime and I watched it before the new one came out.
I remember liking this versions of Tonpa. Now YES, he sucks thats obbious. But in the 1999 version, I felt there was more buildup as an antagonist is done much better.
His introduction is practically similar to his original introduction, minus poison drinks and Nicholas calling his bluff. In fact the longer he was helping before revealing who he truly was, made me think "he could be the mentor or Crouching Moron, hidden badass trope" but no. His betrayal subvertrd my expectation. Even moreso when looking at his character design. He looks like a jolly fat man, when in reality, dude felt like a psychopath that could actually cause some damage. In fact after losing his badge, he escaped and gave me the impression he was going to pass reaching the tournament exam, but it ended with him only to lose, thus knocking him out of the competition.
This version of Tonpa was dangerous, not because of strength or superpowers, but unpredictability. Especially moreso considering the additional that were added to stretch out the series. Plus Hunter x Hunter emphasizes that being unpredictable, makes you more dangerous.
@@ParkournPrankster I dig how the betrayer comes around to being less exploiting by the time of his failing pretty going wow dang look at what's happened wonder if there style will work for me one of these years
i watched the 2011 version first but i still like the 1999a lil more
I started watching hxh a year ago I watched both versions and I love hxh 1999 more
"I doubt this video will get more than a 100 views" Welp, how the turns have tabled.
the genei ryodan from 1999 is my favorite arc of all the series!
but the hunter test was so long, it felt a drag.
So I guess best way to enjoy HxH in anime is watch the 99 anime and the end of York New City arc OVA, then transition to the 2011 anime for Greed Island and Kimera Ant ?
HxH 1999 OST of Kaisou and Densetsu was something else.
34:39 Rappers Eminem was afraid to diss:
I love the 1999 anime. The OST is great and it is the only Anime where I genuinely enjoyed the filler episodes.
My first anime was Naruto Because.
I played anime video games first and I played Naruto.And dragon ball When I was a kid but Naruto was my first anime.I watched but hxh 2011 was in my first few anime. I Remember I seen It on Netflix And what made me want to watch It is the was a guy in a suit hanging out with what looked to be a tribesman And Some kid dressed weirdly along with some other kid dressed in skater clothes i was like in what world do these people all hang out with me curious enough to watch it But then I later figured out that there was a 90s version and and after I watch to that.
I liked it so much. It became my favorite anime and I even got the Monga. And now I think the monga is the best. But I can appreciate both anime and Monga
Tbh I'm not sure I believe this show had budget problems... But it's true that there are a bunch of weirdly bad sounds effects (and of course it's not "it was the 90s" cause Bebop and both KareKano and Evangelion had god level sound effects and are older - and they aren't the only examples ofc - ) but I'd say a lot of others are fine at least. And the Nen one is great imho. I'd take that low electro-static Uhmmmmmm over 2011's generic wooshwooshwoosh a million times xD
10:23 The funny thing is that I've never heard of Rurouni Kenshin until I watched this video.
I'm not gonna be mad if they will recreate 2024 animation to accommodate the new arcs and create corrections...
I would watch the 1999 version from ep1 up until the end of greed island, then i switch to 2011 version. The reason why I pick the 1999 version of the greed island is because i perfer the dodgeball parts' animation.
I started wit '11 & watched it weekly on weekends till the end when it released on Toonami for the 1st time. The time I had that experience & the experience itself is incredibly special to me for reasons that's a lot to type out so I won't go into it but my point it '11 means a lo to me. The scene that 1st clicked wit me the most was the scene where Uvo dies refusin to give info to Kurapika. The moment the scene changed color & he spout blood my heart felt like it physically shook. I jus wanna say that to background that aside from how Gon is portrayed in some ways(which I def don't dislike) & the pretty big downgrade in Greed Island in animation & direction(which I also don't dislike) I prefer everythin the 90s-'00s anime does more than the '11 personally. In some ways I feel the possible "best" experience to have is to watch the old anime up to the end of YK & continue into the new at G.I. & the rest from there. I'd say as a whole they're technically equal As 1 handles certain material in a much more "interestin & fittin" way & the other jus has more of the material to show & is more consistent. Tho while I say I think most of wut the old does is more my style & "cooler" the other does still have that personal connection/journey... AND CHIMARA ANT ARC, C'MON BRO EVEN CHAIRMAN ELECTION & A "PROPER" END POINT TOO IT'S SO HARD TO BEAT THAT!!!😭😭😭
Also FMA 03 shits on Brotherhood THERE I SAID THE THING THAT HAD TO BE SAID!!!🙌🙌🙌
how Gon is portrayed in some ways? in what ways is this? how is he different in manga and the 2011 anime? ive always thought it was killua who is portrayed really different in the 1999 adaptation
@@gilso884 Kilua is more accurate to the manga than in 90-00s anime than than the '11 anime. In moment to moment personality & in character design. Gon is treated more like a "normal" kid in 90s & u were more in his head. '11 Gon is more accurate to the manga in that he's more of an enigma who u're constantly warned bout but R lulled into a sense of security till cracks start to form & it falls apart by chimera ant. Jus as killua describes he's "too bright". He almost came off "otherworldly" in how simple & (some times overly) determined he is. He was somebody that didn't have a sense of how the world & humans in particular truly operated & was hopelessly naive & unintentionally hypocritical. I could say more but I'm not doin a character analysis & my point is the '11 anime treated him as the tickin time bomb he was while 90s focused on the kid in a perilous situation who was determined no matter how hard it got if that make sense.
@@nightlydata2181 I didnt see Gon that different tho. I think that 1999 portrayed him more naive and wimpy at times but aside from that he's somewhat the same. Determined, very stubborn, selfish, reckless etc. The Hanzo fight in 1999, its clear Gon's incredibly reckless, self-destructive, and kinda fucked up in the head. It shows how stubborn Gon is… to the point where it goes from being endearing, to concerning. So i dont get where this "treated like a normal kid" coming from.
Ofc Killua manga will always be the accurate one since its the source material. What i meant was Killua in the '99 anime is somewhat different personality-wise when compared to the manga.
Killua's character arc in the manga is fundamentally not about confronting his past, however, the 1999 anime adaptation adds an element where Killua is more directly confronted with his past (his fight with dorado made him question himself, the foxbear scene highlights the difficulty of escaping a life of killing for him, anita scene).
Also, his more closed-off as he didnt warmed up to Gon immediately, it was Gon who initiated a conversation to him. He doesn't immediately give his name out to Gon like he did in the manga. He runs alongside him and watches him for a bit before feeling comfortable to do so. He's not as open as his manga counterpart.
@@gilso884 U're thing wit Killua isn't a character diff that's a plot diff that puts the character in a situation they weren't in in the source. The 90s anime changed/added an event to effect killua slightly diff than before. That's diff from Gon where the events R the same but how Gon is portrayed is clearly tryin to poke at diff sides that weren't expressed at all in the manga/'11 anime. I'm not even sayin I dislike it I jus have more interest in how Gon actually is
@@nightlydata2181 The 90's anime has a noticeably different take on Killua's character. Like ive said, He wasnt as open as his manga counterpart. His more closed-off as he didnt warmed up to Gon immediately. His not as talktive as he was in the manga. Also, when Gon went home, they portrayed Killua as a fish out of water who is unsure how to act in such a setting. We have these events in the manga but they are different on how they are portrayed.
Can you give examples how Gon was differently portrayed in the 99 anime when compared to the manga like what i did with Killua? What events are these? I might be missing them out.
I love the hxh 99 version more
I was not mentally prepared to hear Napple Tale music in this video. Now THAT is a cultural choice! I actually got a fair bit interested in checking out the 99 anime now.
As a critisism I would say you tried to hammer down the "it was actually done in the 2000s, you 90s esthethics enjoyer" a bit too hard for no real purpose. I mean, it's not like a style suddenly digivolves into something completely different by New Years Eve. What defines an eras style usually gets pinpointed around the middle to the end of that era. Like how early 90s esthethics has a LOT of 80s flair still lingering before it lands in what we consider the style of that particular era.
@@Biggi87 Fair point in regards to the 00s-90s art style.
Also yeah I'd discovered Napple Tales around the time I finished editing this video and couldn't resist throwing a bunch into the video because the music is so damn good.
Killua isn't even really all that similar personality wise to Hiei? Like, Killua is very, not like at Hiei at all honestly. If anyone is more similar to Hiei personality wise, it is Kurapika. Not Killua.
Personality wise, Killua is actually more similar to Kurama.
I know people tend to think Killua is more like Hiei and Kurapika, and you can design wise they are, but when it comes to stuff like personality and etc. Killua is more like Kurama and Kurapika more like Hiei, rather than other way around. Imo.
Also, if any version is messed up POV of Killua's character it is the 1999 version, not the 2011 version. Again, just imo though.
I still like 1999 Killua, 1999 was how I was first introduced to HxH and Killua. But the 2011 version did a lot more justice to Killua's actual character imo. Even though both versions (1999 and 2011) have their differences to the manga version. Though, 2011, less so.
i’ve BEEN arguing that 1999 is better than 2011, and i watched 2011 first 😭
someone thought heavens area was based from burj Khalifa cause he didnt know 1999 hxh existed
99 Is the Best Version
my guess is that FMA is talked more than HxH is because FMA was original,so its basicaly a different anime
I first watched 2011 and i do prefer 1999 at least in the Yorknew arc