Category: Hunter X Hunter

Here’s the strange thing with this series: at first you’d think that they’d try to rush through the first material Brotherhood-style in order to get to the new parts… only for the pacing to slow down significantly afterwards. This episode? It was just about Gon and Killua playing a game with the hunter exam chief. With this pacing, I assume that the creators are aiming to make every episode significantly different from the other, so that every week will be a different experience. Or at least that seems to be the plan until the arcs get longer. The result is a bit strange. In this way, some chapters are rushed through (most notably this is what happened last week, but also the first episode had this), while others really take their time, like this one. I mean, next week will be completely different, and this episode just consisted out of the characters killing time before it happens. Less than 50% of the episode was spent on some very good characterization. The rest, more than 10 minutes, was spent on a simple game. If the creators wanted, they could have done this in about half an episode by clever cutting and pasting, however I do like the charms of this episode. Building up is always tricky to not drag on, but this episode had a very nice “calm before the storm”-atmosphere that is very different from the norm. The standout point of this episode however was near the end, when Killua gave up and ran into those two guys. That was the proof that the creators have no intention to tone down the gore in this series and are not afraid at all to make it dive into the darker parts of the story. Now, all that I want to see is hints that they also plan the same with the dialogue. Meticulously detailed dialogue is pretty much a requirement for the Yorkshin arc. Rating: * (Good)]]>

Well, it had it coming. This just is an episode that you just need to sit through. Even in the original series, it was by far the most out of place story of the entire series. It is a necessary one, because it showed a completely different side of Hunters than what we’ve seen so far (compared to for example Ninjas, who only do ninja stuff, or shinigami, who only fight dead guys for example). This world building is essential for Hunter X Hunter, but there is also a matter of storytelling: making the story you’re trying to tell interesting and enjoyable to watch. And that’s where this story just put too little attention in. If this is how they did it in the manga, then I can understand the fillers that the first series used. In the first series, this exam was split in two parts: the pig catching was the task for the fat dude, while the girl’s task was to make sushi. The way they did it at least made this story more bearable and interesting because how only one examinee knew what the hell it was supposed to be anyway. That at least made part of this episode fun and diverse. Also, Hirano Aya is turning into another Kugimiya Rie and Yukari Tamura: most characters she voices are made much more annoying than what they could have been, just doe to her voice. Some more notes about this episode: – Even the animators realized that this episode was just something that had to happen, because they put in no effort at all. – The second part still had this “we depend on the knowledge of just one examinee to get everyone through”-bit. – This episode did nail Todo, even though he had less screentime. – What he hell happened to Hisoka? Rating: – (Disappointing)]]>

Something bugged me about this episode, but I really couldn’t put my finger on what it was, so I actually ended up rewatching parts of the original series to find out (this took place on episode 8, by the way, to get a frame of reference). This episode actually made this part play out LONGER than the original TV-series did. In any case, after watching it, I really knew what bugged me: the acting. With this, I’m mostly referring to the parts about Hisoka. The general scenario was the same, but how the characters acted just made this episode in the first season better. The problem lies with both Leorio and Hisoka hamming it up a bit too much, plus some really weird rearrangements in the battles (Hisoka’s teleportation powers, for example). The overall result of this is that in the first season, Hisoka really had this air around him of being a menace. Here he looks a bit too when he speaks every single line of his with extreme passion. It makes him much more of a generic villain at this point. I mean, heck, he looked like he was about to get an orgasm when he grabbed Gon. Strangely enough this is not the product of this show going too fast like what I first feared. It really is just the acting. There were also these strange points like how Gon didn’t find it strange that Hisoka just grabbed Leorio and walked off, but that’s just inconsequential nit-picking. I do have to say that I still liked this episode, and especially the first half, along with the use of the Frog and the laxative (which was something that the first season couldn’t use). Also, in terms of the big picture: every single episode here has been significantly different. We go from the sea to moral questions to quiet build-up to running to fighting monsters, in just five episodes. I can really not remember any other shounen that was as diverse as this one within just 5 episodes. What I also love about this show: everyone is equal. There isn’t the usual crap of “you need to fight guy X before you can fight his boss before you can fight his boss before you can fight his boss before you can fight his boss, ad infinitum”. Everyone here is on the same ground, trying to pass the Hunter exam, and there is none of the usual hierarchical business that shounens usually use to pad out their lengths beyond all forms of patience. Rating: * (Good)]]>

Whoa. This episode was actually really well done. The creators actually nailed this episode, and despite the fast pacing, they did not rush through the running part, in order to really make it feel like a test of endurance. And the creators actually used it for the main cast to get to know each other. I actually think that this episode was better than the running part in the original series, however… The main reason was that Donpa surprisingly didn’t do anything. Instead he got rid of the computer kid (I already found it weird that I didn’t remember this kid). This made this arc into more of a standalone story, because the part where Tonpa originally revealed himself to the main cast… just felt a bit weird and forced. It however did lead to a very interesting Donpa in one of the later arcs, because that part fleshed him out as a villain. At this point in the original series, he already changed his purpose. In this show however, he still is the same. What will the results of this be? But yeah, the characterization here was damn enjoyable. I love how in this series, the characters don’t seem destined for each other, but instead just bump into each other and make friends. Especially Gon and Killua connected with each other in a very natural way. Leorio and Kurapica are also a wonderful duo together who play of each other wonderfully. The one person I still can not get used to however is Hisoka. In this episode too: he’s just hamming it up. His character probably changed the most compared to the first season, and I really hope that the creators know what they’re doing with him. But yeah: how many other shounen were THIS varied and imaginative, after only four episodes? This really shows how you can build up and deliver at the same time. Rating: ** (Excellent)]]>

One of the things that I find the most annoying about shounen series is the huge amount of time that you have to wait before things get good. Gitnama’s first 13 episodes were significantly less funny than the rest of the series. Bakuman took a huge amount of time to get going, and Nurarihyon no Mago was especially bad at this. It’s because of this that I refuse to watch One Piece, Fairy Tail and Rurouni Kenshin: out of all of them, I watched their first episode at some point, and none of them contained any hints whatsoever that they’d turn out better. Sure, they probably will and all, but I really don’t want to sit through seasons of mediocrity with no hints at quality whatsoever before that happens. I may have given this show a lot of criticisms, but really: it’s already much better than the majority of shounen series out there. And heck, out of the shounen series that do have a good start, the vast majority of them turns sour after its first arc (Bleach, Ao no Exorcist for example). In three episodes, Hunter X Hunter 2011 has already showcased a lovable cast, an imaginative and detailed setting, a great atmosphere and a ton of intrigue. For that, I have to praise it. Now, for the criticisms: I had one big issue with this episode: Hisoka. There were quite a bit of differences in this episode, but the only one that really was a downer was how Hisoka was introduced. The first season did this really well: he just stood there, and the only think you knew about him was that he was really dangerous and that he killed an examinator. It created a tremendous aura around him. In this episode? Some one bumps into him and he starts acting like this smug “I’m stronger than you hahaha” villain. The other major difference in this episode was Tonpa, the rookie killer. In the first season it actually wasn’t clear that he was one until he started to double-cross the main characters. Here, they outright state it. It had an interesting effect, though: introducing all of the colourful side characters that will be appearing in the next number of episodes. He did it in quite an interesting and enjoyable way, making introductions which normally are just a boring side-task, fun and interesting. For the next episode though, I really do hope that the creators take their time with the running exam. That’s just something that needs to drag on, otherwise it’ll lose its entire point of testing the endurance of the different characters. This episode already made a step in the right direction though. I really liked how it showed everyone just waiting for the exam to start. It’s a great way to build up atmosphere. Rating: ** (Excellent)]]>

As for the series I’m not going to blog: – Let me get back to Bakuman when Mirai Nikki airs. It really seems to be better paced than last season, but I’m not entirely convinced yet. – Squid Girl is funny, but much of the same. – C3’s second episode indeed was better than the first, and the artistic direction at least was interesting. But the acting and direction still are terrible. Even during the “good” parts. – Majikoi has no confidence in its own direction. If you’ve got an original concept, go for it. Don’t half-heartedly insert fanservice, harems and a horny dog in the second episode. – Kyoukai Senjou no Horizon’s source material is way too big to fit in 26 episodes, and the second episode didn’t really seem in a hurry to get to the good parts. As for Hunter X Hunter, here’s my issue: the animated version of the Yorkshin arc was perfect. What can this new version hope to add to it, and how long does it take to find this out? The guy behind the series composition has a rather questionable resume, so I’m really not convinced that he can really do justice to that arc. I’m not worried about dumbing down the gore or violence, but rather that the subject material and dialogue are dumbed down. But ah well, it’s not like the first season was flawless. Its slow pacing in its first half worked at times (the running exam for example), but at others it took a bit too long (like with Killua’s home). If this show can solve these pacing issues, it’ll definitely be interesting to see where it’ll go. The animation is also quite good so far: the characters move quite a bit around, and interestingly there is none of the usual CG that Madhouse likes to overuse. And yeah: I’m not going to pass up what pretty much is the cream of the crop in terms of shounen series. This show is miles above the likes of Naruto, Bleach, Fairy Tail and all of the other cliched shows that have loud-mouthed brats fight in over the top fights that take on for bloody ever, nor does it have cheesy romance. It’s full of creativity and imagination and what also makes it unique: every major arc is significantly different from the other. There is not one moment like the other. Now THAT takes some real skill. In the end, this is just too good to pass up, even though I’ve already watched this story. This episode also was no disappointment and what I’m especially glad to see: it wasn’t dumbed down. Instead of just brainlessly fighting, the creators still required the characters to think, and they did. Kurapica in particular seems very intelligent, and he is definitely the best portrayed so far. Leorio’s voice actor is a bit of a mis-cast, but it probably won’t be hard to get used to him. Gon’s voice actress though… that really was a bad decision. She lacks experience, and yells too much. Rating: * (Good)]]>