During the Hunter Exam arc, I really kept wondering: how on earth would they be able to do this part well!? Well, this is how. They actually managed to make this into a stunning episode in their own style. They took the lack of subtlety in the Hunter Exam Arc, and completely turned it around! That was awesome!
I remember saying that this version of Hunter X Hunter had a few voice actors who can only do one voice and try too hard with that. Boss was one of them. In this episode however, he wasn’t trying too hard. The part in which he kidnapped Neon was amazingly well delivered. The use of music also was just perfect. This is also the first episode in which I felt that knowing what will happen later on actually added to it: I know what’s coming up, and with that prediction that Neon made made even more impact than what it did when I saw it the first time, and had no clue on its meaning.
The music also was great: whereas it was badly used in the Hunter Exam arc, it worked so wonderfully in this episode. I also really like that they simply bypassed the ED and continued with the soundtrack as if it was nothing: they realized that that ED soundtrack just would not fit in at all, and they were actually allowed to just skip it. That is some great news.
Also, this is a major Level E spoiler, but I have to share this. While I was looking up Neon’s name on Myanimelist, something caught my attention. My mind is currently blown, and to think that I missed it!
Rating: 6/8 (Awesome)
“They took the lack of subtlety in the Hunter Exam Arc, and completely turned it around!”
I really don’t understand most of what you ever write, psgels, and really this takes the cake.
He’s basically saying this:
In the Hunter Exam art everything was forced and direct, nothing was subtle.
But here we have a very relaxed story delivery, and yet the result is rather powerful
I think.
What the hell does “subtle” mean? How the hell was the mass murders the Phantom Troup commited “subtle”? Why should something be “subtle” anyway?
I’m not talking about the way he speaks, I’m talking about the points he makes : I literally don’t understand nearly the three quarters of whatever he’s ever trying to say.
Subtlety of an effect by my writer’s dictionary is “delicate complexity” or “understated effect.” Looking at psgels’s episode reviews from the earlier portion of the series, there were complaints levelled at inelegant music placement–the recap episode, as the most stark example–and acting . Those were the bits deemed too blunt or lacking finesse; there wasn’t too much at an aural level that had much “delicate complexity” or “understated effect” to it, arguably–though mileage varies, and yours might, too! By psgels’s metric, though–judging by the early comparisons–there wasn’t much in the way of subtlety, and we have to work with that metric.
As for why subtlety is important, I think we tend to look for subtlety in those shows that don’t make a point of being impressive for lack of it. Jo Jo’s Bizarre Adventure doesn’t dwell on having much subtlety for the present–but it gets away with it because it makes a point of being blasé with its on-screen sound effects and crazy colour tones and effects. HxH makes a point of being very subtle in its story and intrigue–the poems; the converging story-lines; the performances by the different Troupe members–so it’s nice to that mirrored here in the acting and music placement, which psgels complemented. He did not try to point to the slaughter as the area of subtlety–and it’s not for us to presume that when it’s absent from his analysis. psgels made a point of making that first line about subtlety his introduction; he uses the next paragraphs to elucidate where that increase in subtlety stems from, and what it does for his enjoyment of the show. In a subjective account of his appreciation of the show, those elements are important. In teaching, that sort of format is what we try to inculcate.
You sir, are amazing, and explained my words much better than what I could have done.
Hunter X Hunter is a understated series. Early on the new anime was far too flashy and bombastic for scenes that really required quiet moments or music to be really understated in order to be effective.
It has improved with this very much lately and that’s what he’s talking about. Think of early Hunter X Hunter like a Michael Bay movie, its flashy and loud but there’s no substance because everything is trying to be “ACTION, AWESOME, EXPLOSIONS” when you don’t really need to do that and often it is detrimental to what your creating.
1999: “ZOMG hanzo is running and speaking at the same time…what stamina! Amazing!”
2011: A person sees hanzo having no trouble with the marathon, and is talking casually, and says: Are you kidding me?
I know this is a small example but I don’t think the 2011 is any less subtle in the overall 2011 version.
Many moments in the new version of the exam are better than their 99 counterparts
Loved this episode, the best one so far imo! ♥♥♥
I wasn’t terribly impressed, but I’m sure I just missed something if everyone else is so gung-ho about it. They made Neon seem like a dumb girl who just got into a random stranger’s car, to get to an auction she knows is lift-threatening. The way she foiled her bodyguards made THEM seem even stupider.
And since I know next to nothing about Chrollo, his angst and maestro act felt a bit tacky to me. The way he kept repeating Neon’s prophecy didn’t help, especially since he’s going to “lose another 5 arms”. Not too bright to mourn the loss of one friend by sending the rest of them off to potentially die.
Speaking of that, the Phantom Troupe are just having a giant hissy fit about the death of their friend, aren’t they? I mean, they let him walk off on his own, and now they’re doing the same thing that got him killed in the first place – being brash and over-confident idiots. Hopefully it makes more sense in the future, and isn’t just written off.
But I will admit that this was still far better than the Hunter Exam arc, for what that’s worth.
They’re fighting a bunch of Mafia guys. And they’re some of the strongest nen users in the whole series. Who’s killing them? It’s not like they were all split up, they were all paired up.
Yes, because the first time they banded together to attack the Mafia ended so well for them. Apparently they think their vengeance is stronger than the guy who killed their “invincible” friend. It’s exactly the same kind of “we’re the best” thinking that got them in this mess in the first place. They’re just not quite the clever villains I was led to believe they were.
I believe Chrollo’s prophecy intimates the possibility for death to the rest of the Troupe in the second verse, which suggests that carrying out the requiem for Uvogin won’t actually result in death, because that scenario is reserved to the events of the second verse. If Chrollo’s first verse were to have indicated that carrying out the requiem would have caused death as a corollary, it would have been a negative move. He suggested the operation because his poem assures him that it’s better to lay low where the events of the second verse come into play.
Basically, the first verse–which relates to the day/week of the requiem–doesn’t discuss death, so Chrollo could carry out the requiem in confidence.
Oh, was it actually established that Noel was that precise with the timing of the verses? Because otherwise a “verse” doesn’t necessarily mean what HE thinks it does. That might be what I was missing, thanks.
Neon is sort of dumb. Or rather, she’s been so sheltered that she lacks both common sense and empathy. The girl collects human flesh as a hobby, feels no sorrow after learning that her retainer has been murdered, and cares solely about herself. She can’t see past her own nose–of course she’d be willing to trust a handsome man who not only fulfills her neediness, but is seemingly more reliable than the father who uses her, gives her no attention, and always breaks his promises.
As for Chrollo and the Phantom Troupe’s sorrow…it doesn’t matter that they deal in taking life away. He is their friend. “Right” and “Wrong” aren’t a part of the equation. This is their tribute and their funeral. Once you learn more about the Meteor City ideology, perhaps you’ll understand.
I understand that Neon’s supposed to be dumb. But if everyone else knows that, and her motivations, AND they were still outsmarted by her Looney Tunes escape plot, then what does that make them? It just wasn’t convincing after all that “these guys are competent” setup, and didn’t seem to be played for comedic effect.
And yes, I’m looking forward to understanding why Chrollo’s actions make sense (or don’t). I know he’s a killer, and don’t think about morality here – just that he seems to care about one of his friends enough to send the others off to avenge him, knowing full well that he’s started a blood grudge with people who’ll hire killers who have killed another of their members in the past.
Though Huzzah! gave me a clue above that maybe I was wrong in my interpretation of Neon’s prophecies, his motivations still don’t quite add up to me. Hopefully they will by the end.
Actually it did work out well for them. The Mafia isn’t really a threat to them
They determined early on that because of the way Kurapica operated in taking down Uvogin that he was an outside agent of the Mafia and that it was a personal grudge against them.
Just remember that Neons ability gives a prophecy for the month, with the first week usually being something that has already occurred, Chrollo understanding this took the action he did, because he knows it will succeed
Hmm. Alright, thanks. That’s all pretty flimsy and conveniently written, but at least it makes more sense now. I guess I’ll just have to accept it. I see fail to see why Chrollo would think the mafia would be no threat, though. I mean, didn’t they hire a hitman to kill Hisoka’s predecessor? I guess I misunderstood that, or that he’s just trying to draw both people out for revenge or something.
If 2011 is not satisfying you, watch the 99 series instead.
While I do plan on trying the ’99 version some day, actually this version has been satisfying me lately. That’s why I’m less impressed with this ep than others. Really I’m just nitpicking more than anything. Not thinking it’s a five-star episode doesn’t make it terrible. Just a step down from what came before in my eyes.
You know a person who’s living in the mafia community wouldn’t really care about anything that’s life-threatening, otherwise they’d just never leave the house.
She’s not “dumb” but she’s a sucker for auctions and antiques. She was desperate to get there, that’s why she had to get rid of her bodyguards. A person can be dumb at something and smart at another at the same time you know. Gon was smart enough to tail Hisoka but dumb enough to be tailed by Gereta. She was basically running from a bad thing (for her) to another.
The prophecy helps avoid things, so by doings so, he’s trying to avoid the limb thingy, and no they didn’t go alone. And “last time they banded together it didn’t work”, actually it did. The mafia were not a threat at all, even with their strongest. It’s not their fault Uvo decided to go alone, and then a sudden chain comes out of nowhere for them. They were quick enough to react properly and get him back but even they aren’t omnipotent. They’re not doing it for vengeance actually. Just “chrollo’s orders”. And he was doing it, again, to change the prophecy’s predictions, if not avoid them. It’s also in done in memory of Uvo. Vengeance had little part in it if any.
So are you suggesting he should be scared and avoid messing up with people because they might kill his friends…isn’t that…being a good guy?
They are a band of killers, they know they might die, they know they’re in danger, of course they have some people who might come after them, but that doesn’t mean they should go “well, tough shit!” when some of them die, it’s okay to feel sorry for one of theirs.
(btw it wasn’t the mafia who hired silva to kill #8).
And also when things get rough, and there’s a high possibility that someone might die, Chrollo would not have him going on his own, that’s why he had them pair up (and other stuff in future) after Uvo died.
Moreover, they haven’t been together for 3 years, everyone was on his own, they’re big boys. Chrollo isn’t their 24/7 baby sitter.
No, she’s dumb. Either intellectually challenged, or has a death wish. She sees new body guards around her, fewer of the old ones, knows that the first auction ended badly, and the hints just pile on. But it’s not her dumbness that gets to me. It’s that she’s dumb AND escaped past the bodyguards the way she did. Too silly to accept such a looney-tunes subplot, even after Gon and Killua’s escape.
And as for Chrollo, I just don’t understand his motivations. Killers aren’t stupid, and just feeling bad for the loss of your comrade doesn’t make you a good person. If he’s that upset that Uvo died, he’s not making a good case of it (the Troupe seemed plenty upset about Uvo’s death to me, actually).
But even discounting that, now that they have the goods to be auctioned, the only reason to return is for vengeance. He knows that they’ve been exposed, are expected, and that the mafia is wholly capable of sending killers like Silva after them (good to know they didn’t hire him the first time, though, thanks).
It just doesn’t add up to me that before knowing the prophecy, he would go for vengeance. They already got their vengeance after killing the mafia’s shadows and stealing the goods. No clue what else there is to say, really.
Between, kuroro and kurapica, its personal, the grudge is caused by uvo’s death. The mafia bosses on the other hand had initiated war by releasing photos of troupe members and putting bounties over their heads. All of this simply cannot be settled with the death of the shadow beasts who are just employees of the mafia dons.
As for kuroro’s motivations, he has two; the troupe and to steal. He came back to steal Neon and clean up the remaining stings with the mafia; he aims to win this war and leave with the spoils.
P>S for psgel, pay attention to what Neon said about why she doesn’t want to hear her own prophecy. This is connected to something very very interesting. 😀
And this concludes why I’m so glad I actually went through with this series. Ah… this episode was definitely delicious. I find it surprising too, I would have never expected this at first.
Anyone know what the OST is for the end of the episode? Is it a HxH original, or a Mozart piece? I know they did Lacrimosa by Mozart as well.