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Whether we like it or not, expectations shape our viewing pleasure. However, it is not the job of a show to adhere to expectations as it is simply impossible to satisfy everyone’s wants. And while it is not our job as viewers to come into a show without expectations, Joker Game can be enjoyed and appreciated much more if common expectations of literature are ignored.

Plot is a term that comes up a lot in writing; it is the foundation that spectators can latch on to and it provides a continuous direction to keep people enticed. Joker Game does not have a plot and this ... causes viewers to become disconnected from the standalone stories. And because there is no plot, a central conflict does not appear, and a climax is non-existent. This deviation from the standard storytelling formula can be especially off-putting as there is no real development even at the anime’s end.

Characters are the main players in a story. They are the stars that people become enamored with and provide stories with heart. Joker Game does not have “characters.” The spies have fake names that change and a new spy is explored each week. Additionally, the spies are designed to look somewhat similar and without actual dedication to remembering the spies by face or voice, they all conglomerate together as one entity. The only real character is Yuuki, who is not explored as much as a character should be and did not develop throughout the course of the story.

Despite not having many conventional aspects of writing, Joker Game is still an atmospheric anime that is set in a time rarely explored in the medium. The animation is fluid and the art is beautiful. The individual stories are cleverly concocted and many of them take literary risks not normally seen in anime. Joker Game does not make political statements; there are no real morals woven within its episodic stories. The spies all mesh together to stay faithful to a novel that provides no visual or auditory cues to the tie their identities together. There is no plot tying the episodes together. It is simply a twelve episode anime dedicated to telling artistic stories. And ultimately, whether our enjoyment and appreciation is dictated by our expectations of what Joker Game should be is up to us.

Hunter x Hunter is a series that often defies expectations. It is almost as if Togashi weaves magic into his writing to make it unpredictable and Madhouse uses their magic to create a richly animated version that shows just as much heart. This magic is what creates the renowned television series today. But does Hunter x Hunter: The Last Mission have this same magic? Well, let’s see –

A plot that centers around revenge is not a new concept in Hunter x Hunter. Two of its main characters have had revenge as a motivation during at least one point in the original anime series. However, ... their revenge tales are interesting and even novel at times. Although the plot of The Last Mission is even reminiscent of Kurapika’s journey for vengeance, the execution of the three original character’s revenge is simple and predictable. It is so simple that it can even be described in one sentence. With no specific spoilers, the plot of The Last Mission is that everyone in Heaven’s Arena and Netero are taken hostage by four people; therefore, while the protagonists try to free the captives, they each encounter an enemy tailored for them to battle which they eventually defeat with some casualties, and that casualty is what causes Gon to fight against the final boss. Considering this setup, how do you suppose the final showdown will progress? Hint: if you have seen any other battle shounen movies such as Naruto, Bleach, or Inuyasha, just take one of their final battles and there you go, it’s almost exactly the same as The Last Mission’s.

Even with many characters making a return in The Last Mission, their presence is heavily muted because of the movie's attempt to develop its new characters. While trying to characterize new characters is important, the movie takes a typical route of giving them a brief, melancholy flashback and a protagonist that sympathizes with them in order to make their actions justifiable. This standard and lazy characterization creates little attachment and development to the characters, causing them to have a textbook feel and minimal depth. Even when returning characters were on-screen, their actions are warped in order to suit the plot’s need and there is little reminder that in the original television series, they actually have a personality and are properly characterized.

The art and animation of the movie is lackluster. Shading is often nonexistent, thus giving characters and backgrounds a flat look. The characters were also sloppy drawn with considerably less detail. Even the animation leaves much to be desired. Not much continuous and fluid motion is shown. While battles take place in interesting locations, the lack of fluid movement and the subpar art create battles with little impact or grandeur.

The Last Mission had the ingredients it needed in order to be compelling. However, Madhouse’s lack of fervor shows through the movie’s mediocre art and animation. And without Togashi as the writer, even the characters that the audience have become attached to cannot hold an uninspired plot and standard characters afloat.

Simply put, Hunter x Hunter: The Last Mission was not woven together with magic. Now whether magic is needed in order for you to enjoy the movie is up to you. But those who hope to be enticed by the magic that the television series was endowed with will be disappointed.

Anime movies can usually never hold a candle to their series counterpart. Phantom Rouge, the first movie of the Hunter x Hunter franchise, is no exception. Chronologically, this film takes place immediately after the Yorknew/Phantom Troupe Arc. So before watching this film, be sure to have finished the Yorknew/Phantom Troupe Arc of Hunter x Hunter as this movie pulls from the fact that the viewer has an idea of the characters in that arc and the events that had happened.

With Phantom Rouge's premise of Kurapika's eyes being "stolen" and the involvement of the Phantom Troupe, Phantom Rouge had a lot of potential to create ... a very interesting and unique spin-off of the popular Yorknew/Phantom Troupe Arc. However, it follows a simple and predictable formula that relies mostly on action sequences. Although action is not a bad thing by itself, action sequences in movies usually come with deus ex machina that stunt the storytelling. The potential mystery and thrill that the movie sets up also disappear because of conveniently placed plot devices or in other words, the anime original characters.

While the mains are all fine, as Killua gets quite a bit of development, Kurapika gets some backstory, and Gon and Leorio's personalities and behaviors are consistent with the main series, the two new characters introduced, Retz and Omokage, are underdeveloped and underwhelming. In the movie’s 1 hour and 37 minutes, only around 45 minutes were dedicated to Retz or Omokage total. Considering that Omokage is a previous member of the Phantom Troupe, he is expected to be intimidating like the rest of the Spiders but he feels like a stock villain that lacks all the development that the rest of the Phantom Troupe members have. Retz too, could have been an interesting character with very intriguing interactions with Gon and Killua if she was given the time and chance to develop, but as it is, she is just a device to help move the plot forward.

Several inconsistencies also pull the movie back. For instance, characters triumph in battles they would never win in the main series because of their lack of experience/Nen knowledge/power. Hunter x Hunter is known to be a smart battle shounen, but the movie throws away the logic and strategies that are used in the series for more mainstream fights. It isn't horrid by any means as the animation is very fluid and well choreographed but the movie loses some of the Hunter x Hunter magic. The motivational speeches throughout the movie are also elements that would never be included in the main series, which makes some of the interactions between characters seem quite forced and unnatural.

Despite the movie's undoings, the superb sound helps the stunted plot and along with the smooth animation, brings the story and characters to life. Some soundtracks like The Red-Eyed Monster and Way to the Town are variations of OSTs that were used before but they are given a kind of flare that makes them sound novel and fresh. Meanwhile, many of the soundtracks such as The Emperor's Time, To Give a Marionette Life, and most notably, Reason (instrumental and original) are used again in the main series without ever tiring.

Considering where the Hunter x Hunter series is now, this movie was a refreshing watch because Kurapika and Leorio haven’t really appeared since the Yorknew Arc and won’t for a long time. Unfortunately, the two of them are put in the backseat as most of the movie is focused on Gon and Killua and their friendship. Nonetheless, it’s good to see Kurapika and Leorio again, and even Hisoka and the Phantom Troupe. Gon and Killua’s interactions with each other are still very nice to watch too, albeit somewhat redundant.

Overall, more Hunter x Hunter is always welcome since it’s a franchise that deserves it; however, when the producers continue to make Hunter x Hunter movies (which a second movie has already been announced), they would need to do better to keep the quality of their movies consistent with the series. To conclude, Phantom Rouge is an okay watch, it's nothing spectacular but it's still probably worth your time if you like Hunter x Hunter.

I hope my first review helped, if not, please tell me why. Thanks for reading.