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!!
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