r/AnimeAnonymous

So, I don't know where to begin, but I have now completed Hunter x Hunter for the third time. Hmm, back when I first started it, I expected it to be like Naruto. In the beginning, it felt like the arcs were building up toward a massive fight, but that never actually happened. The author would end arcs using other creative routes, which was unique, but I had never seen anything like it before, and perhaps I should say I wasn't used to it.

​So, after finishing the whole series, I watched it a second time with my cousins. Since it was available for free on YouTube, we would sit in the hall and watch it on the TV. And honestly, from that second viewing onward, I enjoyed it immensely and also understood a lot of things that I wasn't able to grasp during my first watch. I appreciated it so much more.

​First of all, talking about the arcs, the genre of every single arc is completely different. And it's not like they feel like different series, they all feel like part of the same show, but they have been integrated so beautifully that nothing feels off. In the Chimera Ant arc, the tone becomes quite dark, but it doesn't feel sudden, this world was always dark from the very beginning. I should say the author was tricking us into believing that this was going to be just a normal shonen, while simultaneously dropping hints that it wasn't.

​The characters feel completely realistic. I can't think of any major character who is entirely good or entirely evil, everyone has their own personality and unique characteristics. And if we talk about its power system, it has to be the most detailed power system out of all the shonen I have watched, because of which battles don't just rely on pure strength. On top of that, all the battles in this show are amazing, it feels like we are solving a puzzle.

​The music of this show is also quite good. I love all the endings, and even though there is only one opening across all 148 episodes, it is an absolute banger. Madhouse did a fantastic job with the animation as well. And, and, and... the emotions this anime makes you feel is something people just need to experience for themselves.

​Another incredible thing is how Togashi, the author, completely turns the protagonist into a side character in one of the arcs, yet that arc is still perhaps one of the best arcs in all of shonen. I know the manga is ongoing, but the way the anime ends was completely satisfying for me. My cousins and I enjoyed it so much, truly.

​Actually, I want to give a specific review for each of its arcs, so I thought I’d share my overall view before doing that. I just want to say that this story is extremely well thought out and well written, and watching it makes you realize that the author wrote it with immense passion. Overall, this series is highly addictive. And I still count it among my very best experiences.

I had heard that this is widely considered the worst season compared to the debut, but that wasn’t the case for me at all, I enjoyed it way more than Season 1. To me, the first season felt like it was just passing by, it’s not that I hated it, but I didn't particularly enjoy it either. However, this season felt superior in every single aspect.

First, let's talk about the characters. Ayanokoji really shines here. In the previous season, I found him quite bland and underwhelming, but this time around, we get a much better understanding of his mindset. We also see the terrifying lengths he is willing to go to manipulate people for his own benefit. Horikita was also genuinely worth watching this season. I won't lie, in the first season, I found her almost unbearable because she was constantly angry and defensive. That wasn't the case here, seeing her actively try to change was a nice touch. Then there's her brother, who is perfect at everything. Surprisingly, Ayanokoji takes an interest in him and goes out of his way to challenge him directly, almost as if he wants to see how capable a human can become through sheer natural talent.

We also get to see Kushida's backstory, which was decent. But the real highlight for me was Kei, who has quickly become my new favorite female character. Even though something truly horrific happened to her, Ayanokoji still exploited it to use her. Despite this, she started developing feelings for him, and for a moment, it felt like Ayanokoji might be reciprocating. However, that final reveal at the end ruined any hope of that. Ayanokoji is truly a terrible person, but honestly, a protagonist like him is exactly what makes the show so compelling. If he were a typical good guy, the plot would be entirely predictable, but he keeps you guessing.

The exams this season were also a massive step up from last year, especially the Paper Shuffle exam. The rules were straightforward, which made it much easier to understand the characters motives and the overarching strategy.

Furthermore, we finally got a glimpse into Ayanokoji's past. While I still want to know more, it at least clarified that the White Room is a facility dedicated to creating perfect humans like him.

I also really appreciated the structure of this season. While the first season focused on unmasking Ayanokoji's true nature, this season built beautifully toward a major confrontation. When that clash finally happened, something I had been desperate to see, it was incredibly satisfying. Ryuen absolutely got what he deserved. Their fight fit perfectly into the narrative because of the brilliant parallels between them Ryuen acts as a director, controlling everyone upfront through violence and fear, whereas Ayanokoji is the puppet master, hiding in the shadows and pulling the strings. Their upbringings are also polar opposites too.

There is a subtle moment in the finale where Ayanokoji reflects on this, noting that he is still mentally trapped in the White Room. To me, this shows a repressed desire to change, even if he ultimately relapses into his old habits of exploiting people.

Overall, I found this season to be a massive improvement. I know one of the main reasons it gets hate is because the studio adapted it by skipping a lot of light novel content, but as an anime only viewer, I never felt like anything was missing. That said, because I loved it so much, I do hope future adaptations cover as much detail as possible. I just needed to write this review to get all my thoughts out before diving straight into Season 3.

A few final notes, I didn't notice any major pacing issues this time around, the story arcs were great, and the animation was decent. What really stood out to me, though, was the music, especially the opening and ending themes, which felt completely forgettable last season but absolutely slapped this time.