Yes really. Twelve year olds waxing philosophical surprisingly doesn't do it for me.

 

Hunter X Hunter (2011 remake) is fantastic. I actually was meant to make a post recommending it, but never got around to it. It's one of those anime that absolutely blew me away - not just something I loved, but something I found critically speaking, really good. Not something you tend to find in long anime.

It's initially seems like a shounen, and it certainly begins as cliche as ever. But as you start getting through the first few arcs, you start to realize something isn't quite right. It's most definitely not an actual shounen, it's a seinen (aimed at an older crowd).

To start with, the morality is all off when compared to a typical shounen. Sure, Gon is your shounen hero who makes friends easily, has crazy ambitious goals and is a bit simple minded. At the same time, he (and the rest of the 'good guys') seem to be rather apathetic about a lot of things - like, well, random people dying. It's a different world, a different culture and one where death and killing are just an accepted part of it.

The anime is also dark and it gets darker as it goes along. I don't mean like Naruto's attempts at becoming more intense and serious, I mean like scenes genuinely made me feel sick. Yet it manages to keep that addictive (and somewhat optimistic) feel of a shounen that keeps you devouring episodes.

The plot takes a lot of wild turns that you just cannot predict, particularly in the last four arcs. An arc will start with such a straight forward premise, and then end up bringing in plot points which are really unique, executed really well and completely unexpected.

Spoiler

The one that comes to mind is Komugi's role in the Chimera Ant arc. Everything from her initial Gungi games with King Meruem and his fascination with her to the absolutely beautiful scene that ended that arc.

Another example is the whole Alluka/Nanika arc at the end of the anime. The entire arc was just so...different. Similar things had been attempted in anime, but never executed quite like that.

The other interesting thing HxH does is that each Arc is very unique in feel, plot and even the protagonist. There's two full arcs that have very few scenes with the main character, instead following others. The stark differences between each arc make each one feel refreshing, and you don't get the repetitive feel you get in most long running shounen.

This anime has some of my favourite ever scenes in anime too:

Spoiler

I was blown away with the episode where Gon meets Pitou in the tower (while she's healing Komugi). This sort of scene is attempted in many anime, usually with a side character playing the role of Gon and the protagonist being Killua (trying to calm him down). But none of them managed to capture that pain, rage and intensity that was in HxH.

Another absolutely fantastic scene was the final scene of Komugi and King Meruem playing that last game of Gungi. I had tears in my eyes at the end of that.

Hell, even the fight between Netero and Meruem was fantastic. Both are absolutely amazing characters, and that fight brought out the best in both of them.

I'd say the only issue with HxH is that during the second last arc, around episodes 100-120 it slowed down considerably, spending a lot of time focusing on fights with side characters you really didn't care about much. Apparently that was in the manga, so was still accurate, but I did feel a bit impatient while watching it.

Everything else about the anime - the characters, the music, the way scenes are pulled off - are all fantastic. I'd highly recommend this anime, and would recommend you at least finish the first arc before making your decision on whether to continue it or not. For me, it only really took off after the third arc. It may look like a typical shounen initially, but it's really a LOT more.

How are you counting the arcs?

Assuming you mean:
Arc 1 - Hunter exam
Arc 2 - Fighting Tower thing
Arc 3 - York City
Arc 4 - Greed Island
Arc 5 - Chimera Ant Arc
Arc 6 - Alluka Arc

In which case, definitely agree Arc 3 and 5 were a step above everything else. Arc 6 was fantastic too, but quite short, so didn't manage the same level of epicness.

It's not quite like that. I wouldn't say a theme of this show is an attempt at exploring how twelve year olds deal with fucked up situations at all which is what you may be thinking.

They're in a fucked up world. Two of the main characters happen to be young. That's about it really. There's no angst ridden scenes lamenting their loss of childhood, or them trying to be philosophical. If anything, they're the best at confronting some of the most fucked up shit that world has to offer with nothing more than childish excitement (and as mentioned before, a complete lack of empathy).

 

Whoops. My bad. Edited away.

 

This is the anime thread. And I believe we're not supposed to link to manga reading sites anymore.

 

Watching it now, you guys convinced me

 

The anime goes all out for the Chimera Ant arc, and without the breaks that the manga had there's nothing breaking your immersion in the series. For me the story is king too - I think Madhouse enhance it by improving how that story is delivered. I cared about the side characters so for me the large number of characters covered didn't detract from the experience - they only served to enhance it. Furthermore, it's no longer a weekly series - you can now marathon the show, so the slower pace (which I honestly thought built tension) is less of an issue than when you have to watch it weekly. It's truly amazing in my opinion, and I'm not alone in thinking that. Anyway, for those who haven't watched/read it, when people are debating if something's 'good' or 'amazing' that's usually a good sign.

I had already read the manga before watching this adaptation, I just think it's better than the manga as it's a pretty faithful adaptation with great voice acting, far superior art and quality animation. The soundtrack is a bit limited but there are moments where the music (or absence of it) is stunning - and it's usually the key moments. I could list off now a handful of episodes that are truly elite and incredibly memorable. None of the huge episodes in this series disappoint.

I don't mean to write a hagiography, there were flaws in the show for sure - as you would expect of something that's 148 episodes. But by the end the flaws paled in comparison to the enjoyment I found in it. Also it's so refreshing to see a shounen that isn't constrained by its genre, that has ambition and which gives (most of) its villains depth. I just think everyone should give it a go. Even the people who don't love it like I do will likely find it an engaging series, and it's definitely the best long-running shounen (along with FMA) as it's one of the few that doesn't fall apart after impressing initially (caveat: I've never gotten into One Piece).

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Yeah I split it into those sections. I'd probably order them as follows:

-5
-3
-6
-1/2/4 (I still really enjoyed all these arcs, they're just less special - and speaking critically Greed Island is the only arc I have any problems with. My issues with pacing in the Chimera Ant arc disappeared once I got to the climax of the arc. Also, it just felt so much faster without all the hiatuses.)

The election arc was great but it's almost an epilogue/prologue. The next arc (in the manga) looks amazing but I doubt it'll be completed in less than 5 years or so. May well take longer. I honestly hope Togashi lives long enough (or has the motivation) to finish the series - I'm being serious. At the rate he's going it will take 15-20 years more if he's to do it properly. There's still so much that can be done with Hunter X Hunter.

 

If you're going to watch a sports anime, Giant Killing is actually pretty incredible which was surprising when I picked it up. The whole thing is really immersive, as in every character has a moment or is fleshed out so you can understand their motives or their way of thinking.

It's the story of a retired international returning from England to take charge of his old club East Tokyo United, who have been battling relegation the last few years. Because of the way he left the fans despise him, conflict amongst the team creates further issues and through it all he has to get ETU back to winning ways.

The football matches are really well done, the final one in particular was pretty excellent. Well worth a watch

9/10

Otherwise Shin Sekai Yori is always a must watch, it's just brilliant.

 

Giant Killing is fantastic.

It's not really a shounen anime, more of a seinen and so focuses on different themes, avoiding a lot of the cliches. It takes a pretty mature look on a lot of the issues the players go through, and the solution isn't "OMFG TEAMWORK AND FRIENDSHIP CAN OVERCOME EVERYTHING" as most shounen do. In fact, in a lot of ways the issues of the team that Tatsumi tries to overcome is this lack of individualism and freedom, the lack of selfishness in the strikers and this oppressive expectation of loyalty and heirachy.

 

Out of curiosity anyone watching Season 3 of Kuroko no Basuke?

Season 2 was excellent.

 

Does No Game No Life really only have 12 episodes?

 

I think it has a Light Novel...

 

Which means?

 

Light Novel. Meaning no.

 

Yes, that's all it has. No announcement for a season 2.

 

Considering how widely popular both the anime and LNs are, I'm pretty sure Madhouse would be *insane* to not produce a second season.

 

Madhouse doesn't have much of a say unless they get the money, which depends on disc sales, which don't always equate to popularity.

EDIT: Checked ANN for the sales numbers on the fourth disc, and it sold pretty well. It probably will get a second season sometime in the next year or two.

That list is mad depressing; A Turn A Gundam blu-ray exists, and it hasn't even been released in the USA on DVD.

 

Omg, just saw that the anime adaptation to Shokugeki no Soma's coming out in April, really can't wait for it. I would recommend people to watch/ read it, I've read a bout 50 chapters of about 110 so I'm just under half way. It's really enjoyable, good characterization and the art is pretty good too.

 

So, as Your lie in april is 2 episodes from being finished, I've gotta say, this series is one of the most touching and heart wrenching series I've ever watched. I almost never get truly emotional about any series or movies, but damn, this really does it, making me ride the feel train hard.

If the last 2 episodes are the same quality, I'll rate this 5/5, absolutely amazing, and the soundtrack is really well done in my opinion.

 

it started nice, but it's a little over the top with secret society and everything else...