Hunter x Hunter

Edit

What would you like to edit?

SynopsisBackgroundAlternative TitlesPictureChapters/VolumesPublishing DatesRelationsTypeExternal Links  

Ah, Hunter x Hunter. Simply the best battle shounen ever created!

I will divide this review into five sections: Story, Art, Characters, enjoyment and personal taste.

Story: 10/10. Whether it's world building, battles or foreshadows, all of this is perfect in hunter x hunter, managing to move me in some parts.

Art: 8/10. The illustrations are good, but sometimes inconsistent (chapter 337 says so). However, we have to take into account that Yoshihiro Togashi has a chronic back problem.

Characters: 9.9/10. Togashi managed to strike a beautiful balance with his characters, especially between the protagonists. There are few that I don't like, but they were enough to take a ... tenth off the grade.

Enjoyment: 10/10. This manga is so good that I marathoned it in thirteen days, my experience was incredible and I have nothing to complain about.

Personal taste: 10/10.

Overall: 10/10.

I'm sorry if this review contains several spelling errors, English is not my first language and I used the translator to do it, but I hope you enjoyed it, as it took some work!

HunterxHunter is what got me back into reading manga as an adult. I remember loving the anime the first time I watched it and in a bout of nostalgia I decided to read the manga. Past the emotional bond I have for the story and the characters, it's time to face it: it's overall mid.

The art clearly is not why people love the manga. Togashi *can* draw, but he just can't seem to be thaaaat bothered to put in that extra effort to polish up spreads most of the time. However, from the storytelling point, there are some beautiful dramatic build-ups and climaxes that ... kept me up at night reading until my eyes fell off the bone. I loved how the York New Arc built tension and unfurled itself. The Chimera Ants Arc was grandiose and its climax brought me to tears. But following such an ambitious arc, the manga goes downhill and all I can think is "How did you think that would EVER be a good idea?!". Attempts at gearing the plot towards being some sort of political thriller are complete failures due to bad storytelling and pacing. What could have been fun 'race for the prize' type plots reminiscent of the Hunter Exam and York New arcs end up being so weirdly drawn out, convoluted, and over-explained that they're just painful to read.

All up until the Chimera Ant, you have moments of brilliance interspersed with fine entertaining moments. Following that, I wouldn't bother to read unless you like to make it a point to complete the mangas you start.

It's clear that Togashi would have benefitted from a creative partnership with a good editor who's not afraid to say 'no' when he clearly decided to go on a tangent and advise on how to redirect the plot. However, I have a feeling that Togashi just did not and still does not have it in him to go through rounds of story developments given his ill health and he's trying to deliver what he can and personally enjoys. As a fan of the manga, I'll follow the man into his convoluted antics, but I won't preach at you to do the same.

It's an 8/10 in my heart but really, it's a 6/10 only thanks to some compelling characters and the few brilliant moments that in real terms maybe represent only 40% of the manga.

Bruh is so long and boring, dark continent arc is 😴😴😴😴 but succesion war arc is horrible. It's not manga anymore it's just a book with small drawings sometimes appearing. Really i don't recommend it. It's terribly unpleasant to read, I regret that I even started reading it.
The chapters are on average 20 pages each, but these pages are practically text only.
Many people will probably disagree, but if someone really considers it a 10/10 manga (and most ratings are 10/10), then they probably like spending an hour reading one chapter. Even one piece can be read faster, and one piece has about 600 more ... chapters.