Hunter X Hunter – 12

The first half of this episode was just amazing. That was just an episode that could never happen in any other shounen out there, even though it’s a genre known for wasting time. Just seeing the characters waste 50 hours was an amazing way to flesh these guys out, and I especially love how the creators took their time to show that for half an episode, before the characters could continue. Between the lines, this show really is a battle of endurance, and this part nailed that.

I also love that the creators remembered that the organizers provided daily meals for the different contestants. These are the fun details.

As for the second half, that probably worked better for the people who didn’t watch the first series.It went all mysterious about the way in which they would make it, but having seen the first series I knew exactly the way they’d do it. This is the big disadvantage of watching a different adaptation of a story you already know: every single surprise is gone, taking away a crucial part of the suspense. In fact, this is something that I’ve kept wondering about people who often watch anime adaptations of mangas or light novels that they already read: is it really fun to watch something, knowing everything that’s going to happen in advance? Especially the ones that rely heavily on suspense.
Rating: ** (Excellent)

16 thoughts on “Hunter X Hunter – 12

  1. I had actually read that part of the story in the manga (I think I stopped reading after this part) so it wasn’t as surprising. I still liked how they delivered it. And to answer your question, no watching a suspense show when you already know what happens is not as much fun. If the execution is good then it’ll still be enjoyable but probably not as fun as the first time. It just is so hard sometimes to stop yourself from reading the manga further xD But now I’ve dedicated myself totally to Anime first, then maybe the Manga is I really like the anime.

  2. This was a great episode. I loved that each character got fleshed out really well. I for one love the portrayal of Gon and Killua’s friendship in this series, it is far better than that of the originals in my opinion.

    As for you question regarding suspense. Sometimes knowing what will happen can kill the suspense, but other times it can make you wonder “will it be different?” As for this little twist in Hunter x Hunter, I enjoyed it. Even though I already knew what would happen. There is just something about Hunter x Hunter that other series don’t have.

  3. I didn’t remember exactly how they did it – I mean, I remembered that they went the short route after someway tricking the system, but I didn’t remember the details. I saw it before 2006, over six years ago. For the people who watched/read this originally, it was way more – and it’s also meant to attract new viewers, particularly children.

    The date on your review says 2008, that was only three years ago. All things considered you saw the old version very recently. That just isn’t true for most people. They are justified in relying on suspense.

  4. I miss Lippo’s commentaries during the wall breaking process, I can’t believe they reduced Lippo’s role like that @_@

    And I still can’t get used to the festival like bgm D<

    1. Agreed. Lippo’s comments about Gon was now reduced to Kurapica’s comments. Maybe that was anime original. It seems that they are now down to 24 already. It means to say that the ship-storm test (anime original) will not happen and the next test would be the game of tag. Such a shame, I think that was an excellent time for character development and time for other hunter examinees for their share of limelight.

    2. Lippo’s lines were added stuff from the 99 version. It wasn’t in the manga and did Lippo honestly didn’t think breaking through that was a plausible solution? I don’t think a Pro Blacklist Hunter would be so lenient. So to me, there are things here which were better off not included and Lippo’s lines were an example of ‘Oh wow these candidates are smarter than I am’.

      1. He’s a pro-blacklist hunter doesn’t necessarily mean he will never fail at noticing something. Actually, it’s precisely BECAUSE he is a pro-blacklist hunter that he would miss it. In the same way a prison warden would grow dependent of their prison’s structural integrity the more experienced they have, they will not be entertaining the idea of a “break out” with that of breaking through a wall.

        I really don’t think lippo’s comment had the effect of “oh wow, these candidates are smarter than I am” at all, he was amused, he was impressed, he referred to that as the wall of “common sense”, and suggest that his experience as a hunter had . And this also says something about Gon’s character, not that he is particularly strong or smart like other shounen protagonists, but because he is completely unprejudiced as a result of his very inexperience. And that lack of prejudice allows him to see the obvious things that many would miss.

        1. And this also says something about Gon’s character, not that he is particularly strong or smart like other shounen protagonists, but because he is completely unprejudiced as a result of his very inexperience. And that lack of prejudice allows him to see the obvious things that many would miss.

          Well, I don’t see how removing Lippo’s lines in the 2011 remake took that away from Gon’s characterization or anyone else’s. Like I said, it’s just one of those things I find insignificant and because these lines weren’t in the manga I don’t see how adding or removing it would be so important.

          1. You’re not exactly making a good case for the manga. Part of Gon’s characterization, and the same for all characters, they do not always come from the character themselves. Especially for a series like HunterxHunter, what gives characterization is the interaction between characters. And for those reasons Lippo’s line were important enough, had that role, and accomplished that purpose.

            Maybe not so important to the point that they should not be removed, I don’t get a say about that and I do understand they are rushing through, but I can comment on what effect they had when I saw them, and what effect its removal had considering I’ve saw them. And that’s what I’m doing.

            As far as I’m concerned about this series, the manga isn’t the only source material, the 99 version is another one, and because we can agree that there are a lot of things in the 99 version that isn’t in the manga, it’s something else that can be used in evaluation of the series in this medium. I don’t understand how lines of significance can be drawn on the basis of one source material and not the other when the differences between the two are acknowledged.

  5. @Lrrrrr

    I don’t understand how lines of significance can be drawn on the basis of one source material and not the other when the differences between the two are acknowledged.

    The way I see it, the remake wants to follow the manga more closely but it still references some things from the 99 version. I disagree with the thought that the 99 series was part of the source material simply because there are things in the 99 version’s characterization that conflict with the manga as well and 2011 has every right to pursue one path over the other.

    The 1999 and the 2011 animes are adaptations of the same source material and that is the manga. The 99 version isn’t part of the source material– it’s an adaptation of it and seen through Kazuhiro Furuhashi’s eyes.

    I just think you’re making a big deal out of what a minor character (who basically– never reappears until forever) said especially when I do think this series got the message out well enough and I preferred the subtlety they incorporated in this particular challenge.

  6. Well if we are going to be technical with the definition of source material, that’s one way of looking at it. My point remains that that the 1999 version anime exists, if you don’t feel comfortable assigning the term “source material”, that’s fine. But the point is it exist, and it is therefore a valid point of comparison. And I’ve stated all I am doing is making that comparison.

    I define source material in term of any already existing work where points of references can be made, as opposed to the absolute first thing i.e. the manga. And I completely disagree with your prior notion of it’s not important because it’s not in the manga. If there are differences of characterization in between these points of reference, your way of just automatically favoring one over the other is what I have a problem with.

    Look, about me “making a big deal”, I’m making as big a deal about it as I had in the first post. You replied to me on it, I replied on it, and inevitably, I have to talk about that minor character a few times in order to stay relevant to those replies. This is not making a bigger deal out of things, I did mention already I’m just commenting on the difference in execution and what I feel that 1999 had done superior in executing. Lippo’s characterization was one of these things, regardless how minor of a character he is doesn’t change that.

    1. source, noun:
      1. any thing or place from which something comes, arises, or is obtained; origin;
      3. a book, statement, person, etc., supplying information.

      Mira is right. The 99 anime may be the ‘source material’ for Lippo, but it is not for the 2011 anime as a whole, and they are in no way required to pay homage to it. Or even acknowledge it exists, for that matter (although they do, it’s just polite that way) – because they are distinct adaptations for the manga, which is its ORIGIN.

      You can compare the two, decide which one is better, but the 99 anime is not a ‘point of reference’ for the correct characterization over the manga. Maybe the problem is that you see it as a remake of the old anime, which it isn’t, in the same way FMA: Brotherhood wasn’t a remake of FMA. Complaining about Lippo not having a large enough role is exactly like complaining that the fight between Ed and Roy at the examinations was missing from Brotherhood. It was a good episode/scene, it was useful to give certain characters more spotlight and I was disappointed to not see it again, but it really had no business being in the new anime, seeing as it wasn’t in the manga.

      1. Well like I said, it’s fine if you are not comfortable using source material in the way I did. Now, I don’t like you accusing me of things I didn’t say just to earn points here.

        Let’s be clear, I’m not talking about “them”, whoever they turn out to be. I don’t care if “they” are not required, or if “they” are not making this anime in a certain way, or if “they” are not acknowledge it. These things are very easy to argue on your part, and surely, they earn you points….if I had actually held the contrary position.

        I’m talking about us, and the confines of what have been talked about. I’m “complaining” not because it is an indication of what “they” should be doing. I’m not using it as a “point of reference for the correct characterization” that “they” should adopt. For the longest time I have been talking about what “I” particularly felt, it is a point of reference for me and can be for others in to see how the characterization has been developed in past works, this is not a matter of correctness or determinant ways of going about making this anime.

        I’m not complaining about what the studio should have done. That’s completely up to their discretion. But for me, there are certain things that the 1999 anime had done well, and I’m making a point of it’s drawbacks of that scene. And that is what I was trying to do the whole time.

        I stated why I missed that scene, and I gave reasons for why I think it was a good scene to have. If you are going to disagree, try finding flaws in those reasons. Don’t shift my arguments to the complaints about what should be included in the new anime that I am blatantly not making.

        Whether something is good or not, and whether something should be included or not is two separate points. I will accept that if it’s not in the manga the creator of the 2011 anime has no reason to include it. But that was not the argument I saw in here. The argument I saw was that because it isn’t in the manga it is “insignificant” and that its removal subtract nothing from its characterization, that’s what I disagree with. And I don’t have to imply any obligations on the parts of the creator to have this disagreement.

  7. I’ve not seen the original or read the manga so I’m really enjoying the surprises! I also thought this was one of the funniest episodes of the series so far, especially Gon and Killua’s antics while killing time for the 50 hour penalty. The little details like the lunches were gold too. Great stuff!

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