Anime hasn’t lost any ground in its popularity in the United States. If anything, it’s picked up speed. We’ve been seeing a steady stream of new animations coming out this past year and while some have received favorable reviews, the majority are besieged with haters. Hunter X Hunter is one that we’ve picked out to highlight. It’s a popular television adaptation that has more reasons why you should watch than reasons not to. Here are ten things you didn’t know about Hunter X Hunter that may make you want to check it out.
1. Gon Freecss is likable
This is one anime that you don’t hear a lot of negative press about. While some others feature irritating characters with voices that are hard to take, Gon is an innocent boy who is brimming with enthusiasm. His curiosity about the world gives viewers a good feeling. He’s had his share of heartache after his dad dumped him off on an aunt, but Gon takes the high road and wants to become a hunter. It’s interesting when he comes face to face with his dad, but no spoilers here.
2. The show is balanced
The anime starts out light and it’s pleasant enough to watch with an interesting plot, but it’s an anime and as most of them go, this one begins to get darker as it progresses. The once cheerful Gon enters a world of danger that he’d never imagined in his wildest dreams and there is a moderate degree of shock value. It starts out mild to keep you interested and much like a frog placed in a simmering pot, before you know it you’re engulfed in the darkness, hopelessly hooked.
3. The supporting cast is amazing
The characters in the supporting cast have been well developed and written in. They add new life to the storyline to keep things fresh. There haven’t been any glaring overexposures yet. The characters each have a unique contribution to make to the plot to keep things flowing at a nice and even pace which is refreshing.
4. It’s cool how the focus of the anime changes
Predictability is boring and it’s one of the things that hardcore anime enthusiasts will not tolerate. It’s not a problem with Hunter X Hunter. There’s a lot of focus shifts on the main characters. They’re not always shown together doing predictable things. One of the bests things about Hunter X Hunter is the diversity. Not all of the big players are involved in every scene which is totally sweet. They save some for the sake of introducing something fresh into the content from one episode to another.
5. The Hunter Universe is vast
There is a fairly steady stream of new characters being introduced at the appropriate times. It’s not too busy with this kind of activity but as one story becomes fulfilled, there is something new around the corner. The stories have been written for an environment that is so large that there is still a lot of room for exploration and for new characters to be introduced into the mix. You’ll see everything from gangs of thieves to dangerous magicians, assassins and more.
6. The special abilities of characters are logical and they make sense
One of the downfalls of some anime is in the believability of the special powers that the characters wield. Hunter X Hunter characters have very unique powers that are explained in a way that makes a lot of sense. The animation also builds a psychological component that makes it possible for one character with weaker powers to emerge as the victor through the use of a superior intellect and reasoning abilities. It’s enjoyable to see a good guy outwit the villain.
7. The antagonists are even enjoyable characters
While some anime bring some vile characters into the mix with the capacity to turn you off to the whole thing, Hunter X Hunter has crafted the characters in a more classy way. They definitely have some moral deficiencies, but there is something special built into each opposing character that won’t quite allow you to fully hate them.
8. There is no lack of gore and brutality
We don’t mean to mislead you in any way by making you think that Hunter X Hunter is a soft and fuzzy animation. It’s just the opposite. There are plenty of grisly killings that take place and you’re going to see some blood and shocking displays of brutality. Heads roll, arms get busted and hacked off and faces get pulverized.
9. The show is tempered with humor
There are a lot of dark moments in Hunter X Hunter, but there are also lots of light moments as well. The most humorous character in the series so far is Leorio. He’s a favorite of fans because he knows how to lighten things up or at least poke fun at a tough situation and get you to crack a smile.
10. There are emotional moments in the show
Without giving away any secrets, this is a show that will put you on an emotional edge. Some of the deaths that take place will tug at your heart and leave you feeling like you just lost a good friend. That’s how it goes with well-written and directed scripts.
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