Hunter X Hunter
Hunter X Hunter is not only one of the best shounen anime of all time, but it’s also been deemed a contender for one of the best overall anime of all time. Many shounen anime have to rely on some obvious tropes or entirely too much meaningless filler to properly develop their characters. Hunter X Hunter, on the other hand, has a dynamic cast of both heroes and villains that serve as exemplary ushers for a narrative that is just as layered as the characters carrying it along. Gon, the main protagonist of the series, emerges as the true star of the anime. So many times we see a lackluster protagonist get saved by a fantastic supporting cast that their own frustratingly flat personality is overlooked by hardcore fans of the series. That’s not the case with Hunter X Hunter. The origins of Gon’s story sounds pretty common for the shounen genre — a young boy embarks on an adventure to find his father and learn more about the way of life that essentially stole his father from him. Without spoiling anything, you soon find out that Gon’s complexities go well beyond his desire to learn more about his father and the narrative eventually starts to curve in a way that is refreshing and unexpected.
Hunter X Hunter hits such a wide variety of notes in a successful manner that it’s hard not to fall in love with at least one of its arcs or one of its characters or one of its various genre appeals. This series has something in store for fans of survival, tournaments, and even war and politics. The variety of content in that sense also helps Hunter X Hunter achieve drastic shifts in tone rather frequently. One moment Gon and his quirky crew can have you in a lighthearted, feel good mood and before the episode’s 23 minutes are up you’ll be fully grasped by a more intense encounter that reminds you just how attached you are to these characters.
