It's hard to fathom, but Hunter x Hunter was in existence before all of the Big Three and most of the powerhouse shonen series that aren't named Dragon Ball. It's managed to get two separate anime and been revered by its fans, propped up as one of the best shonen series in existence. That's lofty praise for a series that never hit the same popularity levels as others.
It's hard to fault the praise either as Hunter X Hunter has a lot going for it, much of it aging like a fine wine. However, it isn't without its faults, with some things feeling very aged or overdone nowadays.
10 AGED WELL: The Power Levels Have Stayed Manageable & Coherent
Of all shonen series, Hunter x Hunter has done the best job of managing its power levels. It's still kept coherent even as Gon and Killua progress and the villains get stronger. Far too often in shonen, power creep gets too high, and the protagonists blow right by everyone else, making them irrelevant. Examples of that would be Naruto or Dragon Ball Super. The fact that Hisoka has remained such a powerful force since the beginning is proof of how well-balanced characters are.
9 HASN'T: Animation & Art Can Feel Aged In Spots
Depending on the medium Hunter X Hunter is viewed through, some of it can come off a bit aged. The original anime has plenty of shortcomings to it. The animation is far less clean than what's seen in the newer series. The same goes for the manga, as art near the start of the series makes characters look childish compared to what's seen in more recent chapters. Much of this has to do with time. Anything that's older isn't going to look as clean as something newer.
8 AGED WELL: The Fights Still Hold Up Because They Aren't Just Slugfests
The fights in Hunter X Hunter are one of the big reasons that the series is revered by its fans. While the occasional show of power crops up where one side stands no chance against the other, more often than not, the fights are intricate and intellectual.
Every one of them feels as if it's a battle of minds as much as muscles. There's always strategy involved in everything, and at times, that leads to matchups ending with the weaker fighter coming out victorious. It makes all of them more exciting as a result.
7 HASN'T: The Slow Ability Progression May Not Be For Everyone
In the current era of shonen, where there is a whole lot of flash and large-scale moves, Hunter X Hunter can seem rather boring at the start. There aren't any attacks that are going to make the viewer jump out of their seat at first, nor are the initial fights groundbreaking. That's all by design, of course, giving the main crop of characters plenty of room to develop to that point later. Still, that brand of storytelling isn't for everyone.
6 AGED WELL: There Are Never Any Cheap Power-Ups & Everything Is Earned
A staple of shonen is the power of friendship or blatant plot armor to help a character achieve victory in a situation they had no business winning in. The power of friendship has won more fights in Fairy Tail than magic did, and Ichigo in Bleach was constantly unlocking new forms when it was convenient for him to win. None of that happens in Hunter x Hunter as no one is infallible, heroes taking plenty of losses along the way. It makes the fights feel more real.
5 HASN'T: Frequent Hiatuses Ruin The Pacing Of Any Anime
The one issue that's always present with Hunter X Hutner is the frequent hiatuses. It's an issue for those just discovering the property and those who've followed it for years.
The author can't be blamed for it given his illness, and fans have rightfully been supportive of them, but it doesn't change the fact it makes adapting anything difficult as there's never going to be a clear-cut end. There's too much material for an anime studio to go rogue and try to create their own ending as they did with Fullmetal Alchemist.
4 AGED WELL: The Depth Of The World Is Matched Only By One Piece
Most shonen has centralized worlds that only focus on small chunks of it, expanding it only when new villains are needed. Hunter X Hunter and One Piece are two that stand out as ones that made it a point to focus on their worlds, making sure the reader or viewer knew how vast it was right away. There's a reason One Piece has gone on for as long as it has and why Hunter X Hunter has so much material left to tell, and it's how much depth both worlds have.
3 HASN'T: How Casual The Series Is About Its Darker Elements
The fact that Hunter x Hunter is dark actually plays in well with the current landscape of anime, but the way it's handled in the series feels a little off. It gives the setting a sense of maturity, yet many of the more brutal moments feel like they just happen without much build-up. For the most part, that's fine, but the tension of scenes could be ramped up more if death was treated with a little more shock and awe than it is in a world where people pay to watch children potentially kill each other.
2 AGED WELL: The Core Cast Is One Of The Best In Shonen
It's hard not to be pulled in by the cast of Hunter X Hunter. All of them undergo a massive amount of character development throughout the series and have cool moments that leave fans awe-struck. Even Gon, who is usually the least liked among the core, is well developed, possessing a nice mix of flaws and strengths. The two standouts are easily Killua and the main villain Hisoka, with both of them having complex histories that are rooted deeply into the world.
1 HASN'T: Gon's Goal Is Rather Weak By Current Shonen Standards
Shonen series nowadays have grown deeper and deeper, characters like Eren having shifting motivations that play directly into the story. Even characters like Ichigo or Natsu have simple goals of protecting their friends that work in the dynamic of the story. For Gon, his only goal was to see his dad again, something that never had much to do with the plot, and now that he's seen him, it makes his continued presence feel pointless beyond the inevitable Hisoka battle.