If you couldnt tell by my profile picture I am a huge fan of this specific anime. Not Hunter x Hunter 2011 not the Pierrot pilot OVA from 1998 though I do appreciate both of those entries in this franchise specifically Hunter x Hunter 1999. I absolutely adore this anime and it is quite a shame to see it get overlooked in the West mainly due to how it was released here. But Ill save the talking about that for towards the end of this review and let me state my... thesis behind this review so to speak. None of you reading this know the sheer depths of my despair when I clicked on the reviews for this page and just saw two horribly biased manifestos each on opposite ends of the spectrum it was really quite a sight. Shameful almost that those two plague the reviews for this entry. I promise that despite my high score I will try to refrain from letting my very clear and very obvious biases colour this review too strongly. Theres a lot I like about Hunter x Hunter 1999 a lot I love even but even I can throw shade at this anime and if youve spoken to me about it you know what I mean. Now without further ado the review itself. https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/849459177185345576/852764790665117736/HxHOP2. Hunter x Hunter 1999 is as many people assume a darker take on Hunter x Hunter. But that wording darker doesnt extend much past the visuals of the series itself. In fact Id say that the series could do with some trimming of unnaturally cheery sections most notably Episode 2 a filler episode. Yes thats right this anime does include filler but and I expect Ill be saying this often the more anime I review that is not a problem. Filler or as Shaybs put it in his wonderful video on Mahoujin Guru Guruhttps://www..com/watch?v=5YTPPuObwBE Anime Original Content is quite necessary to any competent adaptation. Not a hard rule that it must be there but anime will invariably need to add or subtract things to keep the pacing up in a new medium and 99 attempts this a lot with mostly positive results though early on it stumbles hard. Episode 2 itself is a fairly pedestrian piece of filler introducing Leorio and Kurapika early and even having Gon meet Leorio before reaching the boat the issues come in when this filler colours Gon as a completely different character. This also isnt something I take much issue with 99 itself would take Gon and Killua in vastly different directions as characters but even this filler is at odds with that. Here we see Gon essentially mess around for a bit and help Leorio out which isnt much but he has just no sense of direction in this episode past that. Hes wandering around lost wondering where the boat is when theres hardly any boats docked he acts like a goofy and aloof child when he gets hustled into going into a zoo. Theres plenty of decent atmosphere in this section Leorio has some fun stuff to do but Gon just looks and acts like an idiot far beyond his normal childishness and its offputting once youve even just seen the rest of 99. Not in a this character has grown way but rather in a why is this character acting like this way. Like I said the episode definitely isnt all bad but it certainly is a lowpoint and its a shame it occurs so early on. Early on Hunter x Hunter in general tends to struggle. Episode 1 is a fantastic adaptation and expansion on chapter 1 of the manga but other episodes attempting to do the same for a time stumble. Many episodes do adapt just one chapter and while some turn out good like Episode 3 or even Episode 4 despite its wonky look due to preservation issues it comes to a head with the marathon episodes which fittingly drag. Theres some decent anime original content here but overall Id say that it doesnt meaningfully expand on the events until Episode 17 which is the start of a fantastic filler arc called Battleship Island. The moment that arc starts the series kicks right into high gear and never lets up. Every addition every change is great I dont care if you disagree. From the quirky and cute character downtime of Episode 17 to Kurapika vs Hisoka and right up to the expansions made in the Yorkshin arc. I can only recommend you watch the anime to see what I mean it is quite a sight to behold. 2000https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/811111525729042453/811166959780626453/mpvshot0883.png Now that I have run through most of what I dont like Ill leisurely cover all the arcs. Hunter Exams as I already stated doesnt really pick up until Episode 17 and for the most part that includes visually. The cel animation on display here is very highly detailed and that becomes a detriment when you mix in poor preservation and restoration. A lot of the backgrounds dont shine like they should and it makes the anime look a tad ugly at times but again around Episode 17 this improves and Id say by the end of the Hunter Exams the series has a very definable aesthetic one that may put a few people off if they prefer the cutesy look of 2011 but if you love celanimated series this will be your thing. While its also defining its aesthetic it also amps up a lot of other factors in the process namely Hisokas Hunt during the fourth phase which becomes a horrific episode where Gon is essentially stalking a borderline inhuman creature based on they frame Hisokas desire to kill at that moment. Genuinely one of the best scenes in this series. 2000https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/506947068099690496/808471723594612746/mpvshot0428.png The additions made here are also a lot tighter and this is where you begin to see Gons change in characterization in the 99 anime. While in the manga after getting paralyzed and receiving Hisokas plate he keeps them and goes to help Leorio later on whereas in the 99 series he loses complete faith in himself to do this and believe he shouldnt be a hunter and the anime really sells this. It shows how pathetic Gon is at that moment and one would almost say its needlessly depressing but it does solidify his choices here and it takes him saving everyone in the cave filled with snakes to truly recover his confidence and will and move on to the final phase. I can understand if some people dont like that but I found to be a very interesting departure from the manga. Continuing on the Hunter Exams further change and add stuff by bringing in a lot of general cute fluff that works a lot better as its playing off characters that arent utilized much or even die later on for a bit of comedy and in the final exam itself they actually show one of the other fights that being Kurapika vs Hisoka. The reason for this is mainly because Kurapika is obviously who the director sees as the main character in both OPs he is a focal point greater than Gon even and in the EDs even for arcs where he isnt around he gets a good share of the screen. I cant fault them for this either as the anime ends on a Kurapika centric arc Yorkshin. The Kurapika fight is alright nothing special Hisoka makes a hilarious face you will see below but other than that its fine. 2000https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/506947068099690496/808530062542372874/mpvshot0494.png Dont let that face dissuade you though because the visuals really are top notch here. There is great direction cinematography and use of colours all around this arc in general is really damn gorgeous at this point. Theres a reason the folder from my last 99 watch has nearly 2000 images in it I was stopping to screencap constantly. Below will be two of my favourite pics from the final exam. 2000https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/506947068099690496/808536979263586334/mpvshot0513.png 2000https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/506947068099690496/808544523499077662/mpvshot0533.png Onto Zoldyck Family this arc doesnt really change much other than a few extra scenes during the groups training. Really this is the most straight forward adaptation the series does while still maintaining a very gorgeous aesthetic. The lighting is now always on point in addition to the visuals and Id say this is where 99 really solidifies its look its vibe etc. if you have watched or read Hunter x Hunter before and are way of 99s long episode count I recommend using this arc or Yorkshin as a taste test of sorts as they show the best qualities of the series. 2000https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/506947068099690496/809851335771815966/mpvshot0621.png?width=992height=1351 Heavens Arena is a bit weird though. Functionally it should be a perfect adaptation again looking gorgeous having great animation and not really changing much... outside the positions of the fights. Heavens Arena in the manga ends with Gon vs Hisoka but in 99 it is moved to before the Cripple Squad fights. Which is very weird as Gon vs Hisoka is a culmination of sorts and it really feels like Togashi was feeding the director ideas on how to make an incredibly anticlimatic arc which honestly Togashi would do that Coming Soon: The Yu Yu Hakusho Review. Hisoka vs Kastro is also mostly removed likely due to Hisoka losing an arm not being exactly PG. You see pieces of the fight and those stills are amazing but I wish we couldve gotten this fight as like an OVA or something its wild how its just reduced to a bunch of stills and in universe grainy VHS tapes. But other than that this arc is still great and I do think 99 still shines brightly throughout despite the pacing issues. 2000https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/506947068099690496/810738937374310420/mpvshot0735.png Finally onto the big arc of 99 the one everyone talks about when its time to praise this anime Yorkshin. I fucking love this arc this is the peak for me. Call me Shounentrash but this is it its a perfectly paced wild ride with some great music and animation a clear and distinct style and even with the arc not concluding in this anime it still manages to have an amazing ending and postcredits reveal. I am shocked at how well executed this arc is and I cannot praise it enough I just recommend everyone stop reading this review dont even like it just leave download the arc and watch it. It is perfect. I know I said Id try not to be biased but I just cant here. So instead of letting my fanboy love seep out of me for another 5 paragraphs Ill end this section with a selection of screencaps from the arc and Ill try to keep them as nonspoilery as possible. 2000https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/506947068099690496/810964833326858319/mpvshot0877.png 2000https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/811111525729042453/813230744570036234/mpvshot1156.png 2000https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/811111525729042453/813230787796926484/mpvshot1195.png 2000https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/811111525729042453/813554544067739648/mpvshot1359.png And thats about all I wanted to say about this wonderful anime. I hope this at least made some of you a bit interested in 99 if even one of you watches it Ill be happy. Even if this review gets 50 dislikes and only 1 like I will be happy if that 1 like was because someone ended up watching this anime and enjoying it. If any of you want to know the encode I used just shoot me a message other than that thank you for reading this extended manifesto. I did not think I would use this many screencaps. 2000https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/811111525729042453/814594836850147368/mpvshot1580.png