The competition at shonen is pretty tough; a series has to have actual substance in order to prevail, there are little to no loopholes. Hunter x Hunter has all the substance to back up its fame. Love it or hate it, the series is one of the most well-received shonen anime out there, and that’s a fact.

RELATED: 15 Best Shonen Anime Ever

That being said, a good anime will only be regarded as a good anime. If an anime wants to climb to the very top of the hierarchical ladder, to become the best of the best, there are certain conditions to meet. The first condition is that there are no conditions, as at the end of the day it’s all subjective. However, there are also aspects that can further push an anime series to the top, and these aspects have nothing to do with opinions.

10 Best: Power Scaling

Hunter x Hunter Tsubone Killua

For once, Hunter x Hunter introduced a power scaling that isn’t complete mambo jumbo. Let’s reiterate that, Hunter x Hunter’s power scaling is possibly one of the most consistent to ever be featured in the shonen genre.

The series puts a high emphasis on its world’s logic. Nothing can ever, not even the power of friendship, break the logic that has been deeply rooted in Hunter x Hunter. If Gon doesn’t train for at least a decade, there’s no way he’ll be able to defeat a character like Meruem.

9 Fell Short: Not Long Enough

A series’ longevity is vital to its overall performance. A long-lived series can leave a lasting impression on fans regardless of its actual quality. Hunter x Hunter is by no means short but in comparison to the big three, it comes out as lacking.

However, as the series is still ‘ongoing’ that’s still too early to judge. Once the series is over – if it’s ever over – then we’ll come to the final conclusion.

8 Best: World

Map in Hunter X Hunter

In terms of worlds, Hunter x Hunter is undoubtedly way ahead of its competition. No shonen series, save for a few like One Piece, can come even remotely close to Hunter x Hunter when it comes to world innovation.

The world of Hunter x Hunter is a world that the fans are still exploring. It an all-encompassing world, yet everything is kept compact – nothing gives the feeling of being out of place.

7 Fell Short: Quality Of Arcs is Inconsistent

Genthru Hunter x Hunter

The quality of Hunter x Hunter’s arcs is not inconsistent; every arc in the series is a masterpiece, every arc with the exception of the Greed Island arc. And no, Greed Island is by no means bad, it’s just subpar compared to the other arcs.

RELATED: Hunter x Hunter: All Known Arcs, Ranked

Greed Island arc takes place in between two of the series’ best storylines. Prior to it is the Yorknew arc and following it is the one and only Chimera Ants arc, arguably the best arc in anime history.

6 Best: Animation

Gon using Jajanken in HxH

Animation is the backbone of any anime; if the animation is bad, then regardless of plot, characters, and world, the experience is bad. Contrarily, if the animation was good, then no matter how subpar the other aspects were, one could have a relatively fun experience.

With that said, Hunter x Hunter’s animation is phenomenal, to say the least. The quality never regresses, instead, it progresses alongside the plot.

5 Fell Short: A Bit Dark

There’s nothing wrong with a series being dark – if said series was not of the shonen genre that is. Shonen is known for its wide demographics, people of all ages tune into shonen anime. Moreso, the shonen genre often tackles positive subjects such as friendships...etc

Hunter x Hunter, however, does not abide by these cliches. The show tackles rather dark topics – at least by the shonen standards – like nuclear warfare. In retrospect, this might negatively affect the perception of those who only tune into shonen for the positive energy.

4 Best: Power System

By this point, it should be pretty obvious that Hunter x Hunter is not an average shonen. Power systems govern the fighting laws of shonen battle series, albeit they are often overlooked.

RELATED: Hunter x Hunter: 5 Characters Who Can Defeat Hisoka (& 5 Who Can't)

Shonen series often tend to focus more on the mainstream aspects like the plot; which inadvertently led to the standard bar of power systems to fall so low. So when Hunter x Hunter dropped the godlike craft that is Nen, it felt like something special.

3 Fell Short: Hiatus

Frequent readers of the Hunter X Hunter manga are well aware of its on and off hiatuses, often spanning years in length. This is due to Togashi's illness of which the fans have always been extremely supportive. Prioritizing personal health over work is something other mangaka should do as well.

With that said, these hiatuses are negatively affecting the series' overall performance. Some fans even went as far as to drop the series due to impatience, which is a rightly justified act.

2 Best: Cast

Hunter x Hunter Phantom Troupe

Hunter X Hunter's roster of characters is as huge and diverse as a shonen cast could get. Each and every character is vivid and unique on their right. Nobody, regardless of how minor their role is, feels two-dimensional or half-assed.

Characters like Killua and Kurapika are explored in great detail, while the anime often takes an ensemble approach to its storytelling in some of the bigger arcs.

1 Fell Short: Protagonist

Gon might as well be one of the most controversial topics discussed within the Hunter x Hunter community. Is Gon worthy of being the protagonist of a reputable series like Hunter x Hunter or is he merely a medium connecting fans to the magnificent world of Hunter x Hunter?

Well, nobody truly knows. What is known is that Gon does not stand out, nor does he have any influence on the flow of the series. It’s almost strange how the other main characters are all more interesting than the protagonist himself.

NEXT: The 5 Best Original Shonen Protagonists (& 5 That Leave A Lot To Be Desired)