Hunter x Hunter
Hunter x Hunter is the best TV show in existance. I’m sure you object to that, for various reasons, but I’ll try to explain why.
First off, I’m not what you’d call a rabid anime fan. So if you hate anime and are preparing to reject it solely on that fact, know that I wear a similar hat. I’ve seen my share of anime, which is to say a lot from pre-2006. I kind of stopped watching all anime after that, when many shows had the exact same undertone: two people like each other, but they’re too embarassed or stupid to say it, so there’s a bunch of awkward situations where they almost touch and some fan service followed by nose bleeding and eventually it all ends but they still aren’t together. It’s not really my cup of tea.
But, out of this tangled mess of tired anime stories rose a few amazing series, including many people’s old favorite, Evangelion, and other series like Full Metal Alchemist, Hikaru no Go, and Cowboy Bebop. The point I’m trying to get across here is that you if you don’t like anime, you will like Hunter x Hunter because it doesn’t have any of the nonsense that usually makes people turn away from anime.
As a show, Hunter x Hunter posesses all that makes you love The Lord of the Rings, Star Wars, Harry Potter and World of Warcraft. Yes, I threw a video game in there. The show is fantasy based, in a world I would dream to live in. The characters are easy to love, well developed, and also surprising in their various quirks. There is magic and lore, technology and abilities, and a story that wraps it all up like a Christmas gift. The first time I watched Hunter x Hunter, I felt something I hadn’t felt since I first watched A New Hope as a child. There’s a new world, with things that aren’t possible in our mundane lives, and you want to see as much of it as possible.
Hunter x Hunter was originally developed as an idea based on “hunting”, that is to say, gathering items. This is why I threw World of Warcraft in there. WoW is basically just collecting gear and tuning it, and that same vibe is present in Hunter x Hunter, but less obsessive and more fun. It’s also not like Pokemon, in the sense that it’s not childish and each episode is part of a larger arc, not that I dislike Pokemon. But it needed to be said.
Now, when you inevitably decide to watch it, please don’t get the crap Funimation put on the American networks. Stick to the original Japanese version with voice actors who actually are able to voice act, and use subtitles. Anything less is an insult to your life.
i agree that hxh rocks but you are clearly a prick
no
I’ve watched plenty of different Animes out there, and Hunter x Hunter has managed to stay #1 even to today. Though I enjoy a lot of Animes out there as I don’t really have standards for it, I feel, in my opinion, that the comparison to World of Warcraft was a bit off…at least for the start of the series. I don’t really see Pokemon as childish either, but that’s irrelevant.
When I first learned of Hunter x Hunter, I watched it in Japanese with subs, I was satisfied entirely, and had no problems at all with it. Third watch (I watched the Japanese versions twice) I watched the dub, and though I’m not sure if it was done by Funimation or if their were multiple English dubs of the show, I found it to be just as good, if not more enjoyable than the Japanese voices. What was so bad about the voices in English? I felt they matched 90% or so perfect, and really hope they plan to dub the OVA versions of the Anime.
You just sort of threw me for a loop when you called the English Dub crap, as you stated you weren’t a rabid Anime fan..just sort of odd in my opinion.
Anyways, great anime and good post, just thought I’d give my opinion on parts of your Article I didn’t particularly agree with.
to be honest i didn’t watch the dubs at any point. it’s been my experience, with other anime’s in the past that the voice acting of the dubs have been very bad. i don’t think you need to be a rabid-anime fan to appreciate good voice acting, though it’s true the most zealot fans do go on about subs a lot.
but you have interested me in the dubs now. good comment, glad you liked the post.