This manga take the themes of cliche shounen and twist them into something awesome. The attention to detail is amazing, and can easily make you believe that such an universe exist. The story telling is riveting, and doesn't treat you as if you were retard. And though the art isn't masterpiece like, the characters desings is among the greatest and the mangaka really knows how to transmit emotions.

If you care about how things are done more than of what its done, this manga is for you.

... Last updated on December 3rd, 2011, 4:18pm

We're talking about the cream of the crop right here. A series more famous for it's hiatus status than it is for it's story. Like-wise, Togashi is a guy who likes to play with rationality. He likes to turn anything logical upside-down, which is simply the weirdest, or the best way to cook up a series like Hunter X Hunter. Anything he thinks is fun he just throws in there for the next story arc.

The term 'Hunter', as we soon find out, is something that binds the characters in this series together. In the beginning the term was used as kings of the jungle, rulers of the world, and regarded as the tamers of any creature. It was something that was always talked about in the first arc. Whatever they were doing, they were doing it because of the hunter's influence. Every character in the series has their own back story and different ambitions but the thing they all share in common was their appreciation for hunters.

The typical shounen manga series, the world is vast, we never think it's small at all and perhaps it may not seem that way due to the authors deliberate lack in background, but some could claim that the disregard in background was a way for us readers to imagine. And we do imagine. He could either be a genius or just some lazy bum for only concentrating on the character art.

Each plot in this series is extremely planned out, making them look spontaneous to the point that these characters follow anything that they find interesting, which is what leads to the next arc. The characters thought up by Togashi are purely an example of his genius. Everyone is much stronger around Gon, because despite his age has the charismatic capacity of a lion. Kurapica is a genius in his own right, a survivor of his clan against a horrid band of criminals, the York Shin arc is layered out to us in his very background, a clever way for readers to understand Kurapica's motivations, though a bit exaggerated for his size. Which brings us to Leorio and his ambition for money, his character is the most mysterious when introduced because here's a guy who's always carrying a briefcase full of medicine and a guy who slowly gets entranced by Gon's behaviour, as do every other character who meet Gon. Last but not least Killua Zoldyck and his proud charm for being so strong but so young, another thing Togashi likes to mess with, switching the strongest characters with the youngest characters rather and making the weakest characters older.

Killua's relationship with Gon is somewhat precious as they grow to know each other. They are the same age and Gon trusts in bonds and friendship, something that Killua admires in Gon because he himself has never had a friend, or allowed one. Gon appreciates Killua like a twin brother with cool toys and his sense in wisdom, even though Gon is wise for being so dense at times. The two fit together like a piece in a puzzle, and even more so when connected to Leorio and Kurapica. When we see these characters torn from each other is makes us want them back together, we yearn for it the way they yearn for it.

The complexity in plot design is very well crafted, most of the time the characters don't care where the situation takes place as long as they get their share from the environment they're in. We are given rules and guidelines in the beginning, we follow them as they go through a situation that no ordinary human could possibly consider doing. Even though an 80 km run seems rather elementary for these characters, we think they're all monsters and deserve their hunter's license right there and then. But we follow Gon and Killua and decide that if they think it's fun and easy than it probably is, everyone else isn't deemed worthy to speak to these two little boys. A great way to point out the best guys and the guys who would likely make it to the end of the Hunter's exam. We don't even know the cost of a Hunter in some of these arcs, but we know that a Hunter can clearly make a run that's 100 km and more, and thus creating our image of a Hunter, skilled and swift.

You can't decide what your favourite arc is anymore once you finish them, all of them putting Gon and Killua in a labyrinth like two mice in a maze filled with cats. The entire series is one large chase to find Gon's father, but we must hurdle over everything he's set up for Gon. This makes for impressive development strategy for Togashi because Gon, while racing to find his father, slowly watches himself turn into his father at the same time. The Greed Island arc was easily the best storyline I've ever read in a series, forget the rest of the series if you want to, but at least take the time to read this arc by itself, it's a beast of a storyline in my opinion.

Without a doubt, this series gets a seat on my shelf. It is by far the best series running in the weekly shounen jump magazine today, and holds a spot above even One Piece, though that is still debatable. I congratulate Togashi for trumping his own YuYu Hakusho, taking that fantasy world and applying more stricter rules on everything in HxH. No one is too over-powered or godly even, each depend on a more sturdier attitude and charisma to upgrade their strengths. Thank you Togashi!!

... Last updated on November 4th, 2011, 4:28pm

... Last updated on October 29th, 2011, 10:35am

Hunter X Hunter's premise seems rather simplistic at first. A young man goes out into the world to find his father, who abandoned him to become a professional Hunter. This young man, Gon Freecs, is convinced that being a Hunter must be fantastic if his own father was willing to abandon him for it. And so he goes out into the world.
As a character, he is a typical shounen male protagonist in the same vein as Goku (Dragonball) and Luffy (One Piece). Simple, honest and a bit dumb, but still an accomplished combatant. He soon teams up with three other Hunters-to-be, Kurapika, Leorio and Killua Zoldyck. Kurapika wants revenge for his massacred clan and Leorio wants money - the Hunter's license is merely a means to that end. Killua is a darker character, as the son of a famed assassin clan, and in the later arcs, it is he and Gon who make the unlikely main duo- Gon being straight-forward, naive and a limitless ball of happiness and Killua being the perceptive strategist who slowly learns that he has a friend in Gon.

The complexity of some of the battles and scenarios proposed is breath-taking. Every action has a reaction and every advantage has a disadvantage. Not for us the deus-ex-machina 'Super Sayian' plot turns or an unexplained host of powers. Nen, the chi or chakra of Hunter x Hunter, is closely scrutinized and explained and probed, every Nen user's power is slightly different, because with Nen, your imagination and your Nen strength is your only limit. This makes for a whole host of diverse yet believable powers which at no point go into Super-Sayian-overpoweredness.

Likewise the story arcs are genius. The goal is laid out clearly at the start of the arc and each arc is self-contained in it's own specific set of rules and limitations. The card system of the Greed Island arc could easily have been incorporated into its own free-standing manga, and while the Chimera Ant arc seemed to veer away at start, it ended fantastically and arguably held more character development for Gon and Killua than the rest put together.

Sure the art went a bit wobbly at some point, but if we were here for the art, we'd be reading Oh! Great's manga, wouldn't we? Plus he is a bit ill. And a perfectionist. Who'd have thought. I can understand the frustration of some of the more impatient fans, but I do not believe that the quality has dropped at all since its debut.

I give this a 9/10 - Top of the Crop. 1 mark dropped off for occasional weakness in art.

... Last updated on December 17th, 2012, 2:24am

Here's a manga that's just hurdled with controversy, due to a fickle author who for reasons unconfirmed takes year-long breaks. But it's a testimony to his qualities that the editorial staff of Jump hasn't dropped him despite this. Despite the occasional loss in artistry, and a focus on convoluted descriptions, overall this remains one of the best shounen manga around. Even the contested NGL Arc (aka the Chimera Ant Arc), when viewed as a whole it's one heck of an ambitious, and ultimately rewarding storyline. One that in its final stretch simply upstages anything that predates it.
In general it's a manga that's riddled with the fantastical. You simply have to go with anything the author cooks up to get the most of it. On the surface it might seems like a very basic adventure manga, but there's a surprising amount of layers underneath.
Ultimately what I believe is at the source of its qualities, is an author who just seems to do whatever he thinks is fun. Most shounen manga (and especially in Shounen Jump) cater to an audience to a large extent. Togashi doesn't need to, and he still has a huge fanbase despite such capriciousness.

I've loved Hunter x Hunter but I think the chimera arc was horrible. I liked the first part of the arc and I think that the character development as a whole was crucial but really, I just got so bored reading it, I think the ending of the arc feels a bit rushed, a good ending imo, but still felt rushed.

The chapters in the new arc are looking pretty good, they have a potential to "revive" HxH and the latest chapter (319) was the first REALLY good chapter I've read in a looong time in HxH.

Btw, Ging (Gin) really rocks.

The mangaka's hiatuses really gave this awesome arc in the series an undeservedly bad reputation. As this part in the story is about to end, I decided to give this a marathon reread. And you know what, I came to the conclusion that it's the best in the series so far. It has the most mature storyline with tremendous character growth for our two favorite characters Gon and Killua. This arc actually gave Gon a personality aside from being a cuddly, naive, stereotypical shounen protagonist who fights for justice. And let's not forget Killua. Slowly but surely he's maturing into a character who could be Gon's true partner.

I don't want this series to end with the Chimera arc. There is so much more to explore in the world of Hunter X Hunter that I would curse Togashi to hell and back if he ends this series here. This manga deserves to have a lot more years ahead of it.

... Last updated on October 5th, 2011, 9:53pm

HXH vol.28 will be sold on this 4th July (Japan), vol. 29 in 4th August and Togashi Sensei's gonna return to the Shounen Jump again in this August! I have been waiting for HXH since last year after chapter 310, so sad. But now every will be alright and I hope it'll be end soon...

(I saw this news in a Japanese website. I hope it's true!)

Fight - Oh! Togashi Sensei!

Okay at first i thought that this manga was just another shounen cliche: an idiotic male lead with a goal to be the strongest. Yay. but later on, i realized this manga isn't as stupid as i thought it was. There was actually a lot of thinking involved.Strategic fights, character development, good plot line and above all, it made me wanting to keep reading and reading. It was really good. Was. Then it started dragging on. I had to force myself to finish reading, telling myself that it will get better. It didn't, because it can't. Man i hate haituses.

man how long is this guy gonna take b4 he finishes this manga series?ive been watching this anime series since i was grade 7.and now when i start reading the manga his goin for a haitus status?wtf..and for those people who compares Hunter X Hunter with naruto, bleach, or even One Piece you havent watch or read this manga this manga is pretty much the combination of all 3 of those top anime's right now. still my favorite character here is Killua Zoldek and Hiskua aka Hizuka.pls pls pls finish this manga already.