DBZeta Watch: 1999 Hunter x Hunter (Plus the Yorkshin OVA)
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The Ponzu example we've been discussing was such an opportunity. Also, with you conceding he indeed has more to him than the typical Shonen boyscout, that in itself makes his attitude towards Ponzu believable.Kenshi said:
I will meet you halfway in that the Leorio change is fine for the 1999 version since it never adapted the arc of the manga where Gon's morality becomes fully relevant, but if discussing Togashi's version of events, Gon taking the tag was necessary foreshadowing for the hints of self interest within his character.
Tonpa didn't go through a redemption arc or any sort of remorse for his crimes. The only case that's equivalent with Galu was Vegeta until the end of the Cell Arc, who wasn't hostile for several reasons. That, and none of that is relevant in discussing how in line this is with Gon's morality and thought process when even under the idea that Goku is a benchmark for equating Gon's characterisation, Goku himself displays several cases of making dubious decisions for his own self interest even at his most altruistic.
Not really, considering this wasn't long after he'd already been shown the price that comes from letting his guard down against Geretta, with that possibly being a factor in this.
I agree, though the meditation he's shown to go through along with what it means in eastern philosophy as well as the notable change in characterisation between boyhood and adulthood makes it heavily inferred where the big shift in Goku's moral compass happened. The Super Kamehameha case is simply some inconsistent writing on Toriyama's part, considering Goku would later reveal at the end of the fight he knew the DBs would disappear if Kami died.
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Captain Cadaver said:
Tonpa never did directly fuck over Gon. His main beef with the main cast was with Leorio and Kurapika only, in both the manga/2011 and 1999 continuities.
Gon never said "You shouldn't have let your guard down" or anything to that effect though. Nor did he say all's fair in love and war or anything to that effect. He just snatched Ponzu's badge, which due to the lack of moral grey areas that the Greed Island and Chimera Ant arcs portrayed him as at this stage in the game can be construed as a little strange (as the manga was presumably only in the Heavens Arena arc or early Yorkshin at the time of this episode's production).
My issue with Galu's pacifistic nature when it comes to killing his opponents is that not only is it a 180 from his ruthless nature toward villains as a kid, but he is more or less retconned to have always been that way in Kame-Sennin's eyes (to the point that he says Galu can't kill a bug), which is lol worthy when Galu wiped out most of the RRA and killed most of the Mazoku in the PD arc despite all of them having human sentience. Would've been far better if there was a page flashing back to Kami or Karin teaching either Galu or Roshi that murder is to be avoided no matter who the adversary is, except in the direst of circumstances.
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Hence showing that Gon is less concerned with what is considered universally morally right or wrong and what is good or bad to himself and those that interest him, something spelt out explicitly by Zeppile, reinforced by his hypocrisy with Binolt and littered all throughout the Chimera Ant Arc.Kenshi said:
Except the the Hunter Exam had already portrayed dubious elements of him such as his complete apathy towards random candidates dying, him having no qualms with Killua and his parents being assassins, etc.
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Was going to wait until after Kenshi posted his thoughts on the episodes before posting my analysis of them, though with the clock ticking I may as well take the lead. If constricted when it comes to time, we could change things to fewer episodes per day [mention]Kenshi[/mention] such as 1-2.
Episode 41 - Compared to the 2011 version, this episode was an absolute mess. Hisoka VS Kastro got almost entirely skipped over and the reveal of Texture Surprise's ability as well as Hisoka's role as a member of the Phantom Troupe were entirely omitted, the latter instead being left for a later time. Moreover, they removed Gon's rematch with Gido and instead had Hisoka accept a challenge immediately when seeing Gon's aura. Even assuming the battle with Gido happens later in this version and Gon stays in Heaven's Arena a bit after Hisoka defeats him, this is a very out of place narrative compared to Gon proving the results of his training against Gido and not only his strength in Nen, but his capability of defeating an experienced and strategic Nen user, is a far better progression to Hisoka accepting his challenge and Hisoka being the logical endgame for Gon's time at Heaven's Arena.
This is a shame considering this idea of rematches as well as the events going on between them is what I'd consider one of the best aspects of the arc in the 2011 anime and the manga due to it still presenting high stakes in life or death battles but allowing the opportunity for the protagonist to lose whilst not being out of the competition, which is what I'd say Togashi should have made the Dark Tournament in YYH to avoid it being a generic Shonen tournament arc.
Killua slapping Gon's ass and then Gon making a comment that's very suspect when removing context....
:withheld
I'd also say that Gon VS Hisoka in this version is already off to a lesser start animation-wise. Also, most importantly, 1999 Hisoka doesn't have his fabulous JoJo-esque schwing. 0/10
.
Episode 42 - Comparing it to the 2011 version, this anime's Gon VS Hisoka is inferior in pretty much every way; be it choreography, art, voice acting, direction, etc. with some noticeable examples being Hisoka's masochistic exclamation at Gon's abilities and wanting to break him being nowhere near as expressive here and this anime not consistently showing the two using Ten. The only aspect I'd say could be argued as superior here is a Togashi avatar explaining what happened as opposed to the protagonist of Level E making a cameo. Even that, however, is hindered by the origin of Hisoka's Bungee Gum being infodumped needlessly as opposed to Hisoka giving a quick, concise and comedic explanation to Machi. Speaking of which, this elaborate way of presenting a tragic backstory for Hisoka is something I'd say is very unfitting of his character. It goes without saying that Hisoka is very much a Joker-esque character and, much like the Joker, knowing what background brought him to his current lifestyle isn't that important compared to how he acts as a hypothetical outcome and dark reflection of what Gon could be in the right situation if he made his battle drive the main focus (something we saw a little of in the Chimera Ant Arc) as well as how he acts as a chaotic aspect of the plot who lives in the moment rather than placing too much emphasis on the past.
Having Hisoka and Machi's conversation about the Spiders and Yorknew left until after the match with Gon doesn't work as well in terms of pacing due to being less concise than just placing all the Hisoka and Machi moments of the arc in one scene.
For Gon VS Hisoka itself in all versions though, it serves as a good way of showing both how much Gon has progressed and how far he still needs to go, offering a good opportunity for a protagonist to lose against a rival that not many Shonen offer when it comes to potentially life or death battles. Hisoka's explanation on Nen personality types (particularly Transmuters) also helps set up the inner conflict Killua would have in his priorities during the Chimera Ant Arc.
Episodes 43 and 44 - As expected, placing the rematch with Gido as well as the matches with Riehlvelt after the battle with Hisoka ruins the narrative progression of the arc as they're pretty much fodder after facing someone constantly compared to a Floor Master and far more relevant to the plot, not to mention the person who was considered Gon's end goal in fighting at the start of the arc. It's like if after the fight with Freeza, the arc concluded with Galu stomping Ginyu (won't use Trunks killing his timeline's Cell as he wasn't the protagonist and that had a valid reason for being the closing point of the Cell Arc). Killua's expression when threatening Sadaso is more intimidating than in the 2011 version, but that's the only positive this version has. Also, revealing Kurapika has learnt Nen before introducing Izunavi is yet another problem the 1999 version has in terms of the placement and pacing of scenes. Pretty sure the part about Netero having taught Wing Nen isn't in the manga and definitely isn't in the 2011 version, with it being blatantly contradicted by the time of the Greed Island Arc.
For both versions, having Nen not being made a baptism of fire in the Hunter Exam has some justification in it being meant to be kept a secret, though it doesn't justify why an examiner like Togari thought his knife trick was of any relevance when logic would dictate he was a Nen user and never displayed it (unless assuming he used it without such being made clear to the audience, which is still a problem).
Anyway, time for my analysis of the Zoldyck Family and Heaven's Arena arcs. There isn't much to say about the Zoldyck Arc as it's more so an intermediary point between arcs than a major storyline in and of itself, which is why I wouldn't say the anticlimactic nature of it is bad for what it was going for. Its main purpose was purely to set up the Zoldyck household and its dysfunctional nature, which it does fairly well and Killua being allowed to leave rather than having something forced on him was a better choice due to it alluding to the idea Killua lacks true freedom due to his upbringing despite being given the illusion of it. It's far from having any stand out moments, but accomplishes what it set out to do fine.
Heaven's Arena did a great job at establishing Nen as perhaps the most complex power system in action/adventure Shonen. Despite that, however, there are some issues with its implementation when it comes to continuity as already mentioned. The way Heaven's Arena functions is a good idea too and displays Gon's progression in using Nen well, though it's hard to praise Gon VS Hisoka too much when it's treat purely as a prelude to what confrontation they may have in the future that has yet (if ever) to be delivered on. I'll bunch them together as a 6/10.
Speaking purely of the 1999 anime though, the inconsistencies in the Zoldyck family arc as well as the absurd sequential change for the last 4 episodes of Heaven's Arena amongst other problems make it undoubtedly inferior to the 2011 anime and a major waste of many aspects of the manga. 4/10.
Episode 41 - Compared to the 2011 version, this episode was an absolute mess. Hisoka VS Kastro got almost entirely skipped over and the reveal of Texture Surprise's ability as well as Hisoka's role as a member of the Phantom Troupe were entirely omitted, the latter instead being left for a later time. Moreover, they removed Gon's rematch with Gido and instead had Hisoka accept a challenge immediately when seeing Gon's aura. Even assuming the battle with Gido happens later in this version and Gon stays in Heaven's Arena a bit after Hisoka defeats him, this is a very out of place narrative compared to Gon proving the results of his training against Gido and not only his strength in Nen, but his capability of defeating an experienced and strategic Nen user, is a far better progression to Hisoka accepting his challenge and Hisoka being the logical endgame for Gon's time at Heaven's Arena.
This is a shame considering this idea of rematches as well as the events going on between them is what I'd consider one of the best aspects of the arc in the 2011 anime and the manga due to it still presenting high stakes in life or death battles but allowing the opportunity for the protagonist to lose whilst not being out of the competition, which is what I'd say Togashi should have made the Dark Tournament in YYH to avoid it being a generic Shonen tournament arc.
Killua slapping Gon's ass and then Gon making a comment that's very suspect when removing context....
:withheldI'd also say that Gon VS Hisoka in this version is already off to a lesser start animation-wise. Also, most importantly, 1999 Hisoka doesn't have his fabulous JoJo-esque schwing. 0/10
.Episode 42 - Comparing it to the 2011 version, this anime's Gon VS Hisoka is inferior in pretty much every way; be it choreography, art, voice acting, direction, etc. with some noticeable examples being Hisoka's masochistic exclamation at Gon's abilities and wanting to break him being nowhere near as expressive here and this anime not consistently showing the two using Ten. The only aspect I'd say could be argued as superior here is a Togashi avatar explaining what happened as opposed to the protagonist of Level E making a cameo. Even that, however, is hindered by the origin of Hisoka's Bungee Gum being infodumped needlessly as opposed to Hisoka giving a quick, concise and comedic explanation to Machi. Speaking of which, this elaborate way of presenting a tragic backstory for Hisoka is something I'd say is very unfitting of his character. It goes without saying that Hisoka is very much a Joker-esque character and, much like the Joker, knowing what background brought him to his current lifestyle isn't that important compared to how he acts as a hypothetical outcome and dark reflection of what Gon could be in the right situation if he made his battle drive the main focus (something we saw a little of in the Chimera Ant Arc) as well as how he acts as a chaotic aspect of the plot who lives in the moment rather than placing too much emphasis on the past.
Having Hisoka and Machi's conversation about the Spiders and Yorknew left until after the match with Gon doesn't work as well in terms of pacing due to being less concise than just placing all the Hisoka and Machi moments of the arc in one scene.
For Gon VS Hisoka itself in all versions though, it serves as a good way of showing both how much Gon has progressed and how far he still needs to go, offering a good opportunity for a protagonist to lose against a rival that not many Shonen offer when it comes to potentially life or death battles. Hisoka's explanation on Nen personality types (particularly Transmuters) also helps set up the inner conflict Killua would have in his priorities during the Chimera Ant Arc.
Episodes 43 and 44 - As expected, placing the rematch with Gido as well as the matches with Riehlvelt after the battle with Hisoka ruins the narrative progression of the arc as they're pretty much fodder after facing someone constantly compared to a Floor Master and far more relevant to the plot, not to mention the person who was considered Gon's end goal in fighting at the start of the arc. It's like if after the fight with Freeza, the arc concluded with Galu stomping Ginyu (won't use Trunks killing his timeline's Cell as he wasn't the protagonist and that had a valid reason for being the closing point of the Cell Arc). Killua's expression when threatening Sadaso is more intimidating than in the 2011 version, but that's the only positive this version has. Also, revealing Kurapika has learnt Nen before introducing Izunavi is yet another problem the 1999 version has in terms of the placement and pacing of scenes. Pretty sure the part about Netero having taught Wing Nen isn't in the manga and definitely isn't in the 2011 version, with it being blatantly contradicted by the time of the Greed Island Arc.
For both versions, having Nen not being made a baptism of fire in the Hunter Exam has some justification in it being meant to be kept a secret, though it doesn't justify why an examiner like Togari thought his knife trick was of any relevance when logic would dictate he was a Nen user and never displayed it (unless assuming he used it without such being made clear to the audience, which is still a problem).
Anyway, time for my analysis of the Zoldyck Family and Heaven's Arena arcs. There isn't much to say about the Zoldyck Arc as it's more so an intermediary point between arcs than a major storyline in and of itself, which is why I wouldn't say the anticlimactic nature of it is bad for what it was going for. Its main purpose was purely to set up the Zoldyck household and its dysfunctional nature, which it does fairly well and Killua being allowed to leave rather than having something forced on him was a better choice due to it alluding to the idea Killua lacks true freedom due to his upbringing despite being given the illusion of it. It's far from having any stand out moments, but accomplishes what it set out to do fine.
Heaven's Arena did a great job at establishing Nen as perhaps the most complex power system in action/adventure Shonen. Despite that, however, there are some issues with its implementation when it comes to continuity as already mentioned. The way Heaven's Arena functions is a good idea too and displays Gon's progression in using Nen well, though it's hard to praise Gon VS Hisoka too much when it's treat purely as a prelude to what confrontation they may have in the future that has yet (if ever) to be delivered on. I'll bunch them together as a 6/10.
Speaking purely of the 1999 anime though, the inconsistencies in the Zoldyck family arc as well as the absurd sequential change for the last 4 episodes of Heaven's Arena amongst other problems make it undoubtedly inferior to the 2011 anime and a major waste of many aspects of the manga. 4/10.
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So, I watched the 4 episodes concluding the Heavens Arena arc as part of my daily quota, as annoying as it is getting to complete the quota despite my extreme insomnia and irl issues. Fell asleep before I watched episode 44 and now it's past 4 PM, smh.
Episode 41 - It's pretty fucking hilarious how much these episodes are rushing the arc. I distinctly remember Zushi teaching all the basics of Nen that he knows to Killua and Gon, to the point that he fears that he'd get surpassed in a day or something in the manga, yet all that got condensed to a single episode here. Well, I guess I am not complaining too much about that since Greed Island is literally full of annoying Nen training chapters that grate on your nerves when the entire arc is boring without the chapters as it is, but It's clear there is a meta reason for such rushing and that is because of low ratings prior to the production of this episode. Case in point: Kastro's fight with Hisoka basically gets skipped except for the first blow from the previous episode.
I don't think I need to go into how skipping Hisoka's first real "Nen battle" beyond showing a 15 second montage creates issues, although an interesting thing of note is that this creates a parallel and a contrast with Yusuke's battle with Yomi from Togashi's "masterpiece" Three Kings arc.
Whereas Yusuke vs. Yomi got cut down to nothing but the first punch and some gay ass exposition from the following chapter saying the battle lasted for 60 hours in the manga and was expanded on through filler in the anime, here the opposite is the case. Hisoka vs. Kastro is entirely skipped save for one attack and a 15 second montage in the 1999 anime. Interesting stuff, but still detracts from the quality of these episodes a little.
Episode 42 - I'll just list the positives of this episode first because it was a very mixed bag. I liked how Hisoka shows his pervy side by walking out of the shower and addressing Machi while wearing almost nothing, because as disgusting as the idea of a naked man is, it shows Hisoka's lack of regard for social norms or common decency, as well as his flirty side. Meanwhile, I also like that the arc isn't overly dragged out, even if it ends with a Togashi-style anticlimax when Hisoka swiftly knocks Gon out of the match.
The negatives are that Hisoka's glowing boner scene is much more unceremonious in this version. Hisoka isn't licking his lips when Gon attacks him with the Ora Ora flurry of punches, the boner isn't accentuated like the manga and instead cuts to close-ups of Hisoka making a psychotic expression on his face. This is one thing the 2011 version definitely did better in this arc, even if you have to account for the fact that that version was produced over a decade later.
There's also that Togashi dog mask-wearing faggot from the peanut gallery somehow knows of Hisoka's impoverished past enough to narrate on it, although the gag scene of that female announcer beating him up was a decent way to distract the viewer from how seemingly illogical that is. I don't like the overly talkative nature of villains in this manga (Chrollo rambling on and on about his new abilities in his future match with Hisoka being a prime example of it), so I do like that Hisoka didn't distract the viewer from the fight himself by rambling about his past for like 5 minutes. But it's still a mixed bag to have a literal nobody deliver that information. I'm wondering what the next two episodes have in store since I don't see the wrap up from this whole arc taking more than an episode from here on out, yet the Yorkshin arc doesn't begin until Ep. 45 apparently.
Episode 43 - Ah, so this is where those irrelevant top spinner fags' fight scenes with Killua and such were covered. Not much to say since it adapted the manga pretty close to the letter, other than seemingly changing the course of events from the faggot Sadaso events taking place before the Hisoka fight to after.
Episode 44 - So, the ending of the Heavens Arena features Gon finally getting some wins in the Heavens Arena after losing twice. Not much to say about the episode other than that Wing's explanation that knowledge of Nen is withheld from Hunter Exam applicants until the exam is complete to prevent evildoers from unlocking Nen for evil purposes is rather full of holes. Who the fuck would trust Hisoka to do good with Nen, if he didn't already learn it before he passed the exam? Other than that, an ok sendoff to the series to go on ahead into the Yorkshin arc.
Episode 41 - It's pretty fucking hilarious how much these episodes are rushing the arc. I distinctly remember Zushi teaching all the basics of Nen that he knows to Killua and Gon, to the point that he fears that he'd get surpassed in a day or something in the manga, yet all that got condensed to a single episode here. Well, I guess I am not complaining too much about that since Greed Island is literally full of annoying Nen training chapters that grate on your nerves when the entire arc is boring without the chapters as it is, but It's clear there is a meta reason for such rushing and that is because of low ratings prior to the production of this episode. Case in point: Kastro's fight with Hisoka basically gets skipped except for the first blow from the previous episode.
I don't think I need to go into how skipping Hisoka's first real "Nen battle" beyond showing a 15 second montage creates issues, although an interesting thing of note is that this creates a parallel and a contrast with Yusuke's battle with Yomi from Togashi's "masterpiece" Three Kings arc.
Whereas Yusuke vs. Yomi got cut down to nothing but the first punch and some gay ass exposition from the following chapter saying the battle lasted for 60 hours in the manga and was expanded on through filler in the anime, here the opposite is the case. Hisoka vs. Kastro is entirely skipped save for one attack and a 15 second montage in the 1999 anime. Interesting stuff, but still detracts from the quality of these episodes a little.
Episode 42 - I'll just list the positives of this episode first because it was a very mixed bag. I liked how Hisoka shows his pervy side by walking out of the shower and addressing Machi while wearing almost nothing, because as disgusting as the idea of a naked man is, it shows Hisoka's lack of regard for social norms or common decency, as well as his flirty side. Meanwhile, I also like that the arc isn't overly dragged out, even if it ends with a Togashi-style anticlimax when Hisoka swiftly knocks Gon out of the match.
The negatives are that Hisoka's glowing boner scene is much more unceremonious in this version. Hisoka isn't licking his lips when Gon attacks him with the Ora Ora flurry of punches, the boner isn't accentuated like the manga and instead cuts to close-ups of Hisoka making a psychotic expression on his face. This is one thing the 2011 version definitely did better in this arc, even if you have to account for the fact that that version was produced over a decade later.
There's also that Togashi dog mask-wearing faggot from the peanut gallery somehow knows of Hisoka's impoverished past enough to narrate on it, although the gag scene of that female announcer beating him up was a decent way to distract the viewer from how seemingly illogical that is. I don't like the overly talkative nature of villains in this manga (Chrollo rambling on and on about his new abilities in his future match with Hisoka being a prime example of it), so I do like that Hisoka didn't distract the viewer from the fight himself by rambling about his past for like 5 minutes. But it's still a mixed bag to have a literal nobody deliver that information. I'm wondering what the next two episodes have in store since I don't see the wrap up from this whole arc taking more than an episode from here on out, yet the Yorkshin arc doesn't begin until Ep. 45 apparently.
Episode 43 - Ah, so this is where those irrelevant top spinner fags' fight scenes with Killua and such were covered. Not much to say since it adapted the manga pretty close to the letter, other than seemingly changing the course of events from the faggot Sadaso events taking place before the Hisoka fight to after.
Episode 44 - So, the ending of the Heavens Arena features Gon finally getting some wins in the Heavens Arena after losing twice. Not much to say about the episode other than that Wing's explanation that knowledge of Nen is withheld from Hunter Exam applicants until the exam is complete to prevent evildoers from unlocking Nen for evil purposes is rather full of holes. Who the fuck would trust Hisoka to do good with Nen, if he didn't already learn it before he passed the exam? Other than that, an ok sendoff to the series to go on ahead into the Yorkshin arc.
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[mention]Captain Cadaver[/mention] No need to change the daily quota to 1-2 episodes. I'd already watched the first 3 episodes of last night's batch of episodes before falling asleep, it's just that the strong strain of THC that I was smoking knocked me out longer than expected. I'll go ahead and watch the next 4 episodes tonight before you do to set the natural order back on track.
I'll have to contest you mentioning Togari since he was changed to an exam applicant for this version, which makes his lack of Nen finesse at least explainable here.
Anyways, for my thoughts on this version. The Zoldyck Family arc is garbage in this version just like any other version for obvious reasons, no need for me to go into detail on that shit when I've already given that arc a 1/10.
I am in agreeance here with CC that this version's Heavens Arena arc is definitely inferior to the manga in the way it handles the sequence of events. While I admire that the pacing got faster in this arc, it sped up to the extent that Hisoka vs. Kastro got entirely skipped and even skipped Gon's matches with fodder like the top spinner, until ratings getting higher during Hisoka vs. Gon allowed the anime to continue to air. I get the meta reason for why this was the case, because I have been told that 1999 HxH's staff even considered having Gon just defeat Hisoka and become a floor master or something to that effect because low ratings nearly caused this anime's cancellation, but this sequential change definitely hurt the narrative significance of Gon vs. Hisoka and made Episode 44 look like an entire afterthought, other than the funny gag with the elevator guide being revealed to be a Nen user herself. It's awfully reminiscent of Sasuke's heel turn after they defeated Obito, Madara and Kaguya all back to back, which obviously had narrative issues due to the fact that Sasuke was at best Naruto's equal (and used to be inferior untilanime Togashi Hagoromo gave each of them half his power), even if he absorbed the nine Bijuu for his own purposes.
So yeah, in agreeance that while this anime could've adapted this arc perfectly if Kastro vs. Hisoka wasn't skipped, and if the fights with Sadaso and his crew were featured before the battle with Hisoka, overall this arc's sequential changes, meta reasons or not, led to problems. 4/10.
I'll have to contest you mentioning Togari since he was changed to an exam applicant for this version, which makes his lack of Nen finesse at least explainable here.
Anyways, for my thoughts on this version. The Zoldyck Family arc is garbage in this version just like any other version for obvious reasons, no need for me to go into detail on that shit when I've already given that arc a 1/10.
I am in agreeance here with CC that this version's Heavens Arena arc is definitely inferior to the manga in the way it handles the sequence of events. While I admire that the pacing got faster in this arc, it sped up to the extent that Hisoka vs. Kastro got entirely skipped and even skipped Gon's matches with fodder like the top spinner, until ratings getting higher during Hisoka vs. Gon allowed the anime to continue to air. I get the meta reason for why this was the case, because I have been told that 1999 HxH's staff even considered having Gon just defeat Hisoka and become a floor master or something to that effect because low ratings nearly caused this anime's cancellation, but this sequential change definitely hurt the narrative significance of Gon vs. Hisoka and made Episode 44 look like an entire afterthought, other than the funny gag with the elevator guide being revealed to be a Nen user herself. It's awfully reminiscent of Sasuke's heel turn after they defeated Obito, Madara and Kaguya all back to back, which obviously had narrative issues due to the fact that Sasuke was at best Naruto's equal (and used to be inferior until
So yeah, in agreeance that while this anime could've adapted this arc perfectly if Kastro vs. Hisoka wasn't skipped, and if the fights with Sadaso and his crew were featured before the battle with Hisoka, overall this arc's sequential changes, meta reasons or not, led to problems. 4/10.
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Honestly, 2 or so episodes would work out better for me anyway considering I'm also watching The Sopranos and will be putting a lot of my spare time into Yakuza 3 once it comes to Xbox on the 28th (ironically mirroring Togashi's route of prioritising games over HxHKenshi said:
), so reducing the daily episodes would probably help balance things better time-wise. That, and it'll give ahill a better chance to catch up.I was mentioning that for the manga and 2011 versions more so, which is one advantage his implementation in this version had in retrospect.
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[mention]Captain Cadaver[/mention] Then how about we watch 4 episodes a day for the rest of the month (or until the 28th I guess), but switch to 2 episodes afterwards? That shouldn't conflict with your daily dose of Dragon Quest Yakuza too much.
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So, I watched the first four episodes of the Phantom Troupe arc to meet my daily quota for this day.
Episode 45 - Very good use of bloody/red imagery and music to represent Kurapika's descent into madness as he becomes more and more obsessed with revenge. I also like how they're stressing that Kurapika doesn't feel he needs friends for what he's now doing with his life, and how the episode was handled with breaks that return back to the present timeframe of the show between each flashback segment, which fits in with Wing revealing that Kurapika has already learned Nen as of the end of the previous arc.
Episodes 46 and 47 - I like that they're exploring the nature of Gon's upbringing a lot more in this version, with some character development for Mito as well as shedding some light on how Gon is so accepting of someone who comes from a killer family - Mito still accepts Killua in spite of him scratching her with his nails and saying that all he was taught to was how to kill. Gotta say it looked pretty dumb that it took Gon and Killua multiple minutes to come to the conclusion that they need to use Nen to revive the child of Gon's favorite animal. Seriously? I thought that would be what Gon was thinking in the first place considering that the previous episode already specified that Enhancment Nen is the best category to improve strength and resilience/self recovery
Gotta say it was a little long winded to see most of Episode 47 be wasted on going on too much about Ging's past and his irresponsibility.
Episode 48 - I love the musical tone of this episode and how both Melody and the Nostarde organization pseudo-boss are playing classics on their pianos during violent scenes. It's an amusing parallel to Chrollo and the other troupe members' rampage in killing like 1000 Mafia members as retribution for Uvogin's death, calling the massacre a "requiem for his death." The choreography in the portion where Kurapika catches those bullets and drops them on the ground with his Nen chains was done far better here than in the 2011 remake where all he did was spin his chains around like a yo yo wielding retard. Already the 1999 version is off to a more distinct and well-choreographed start, with much more appealing music score to boot.
Episode 45 - Very good use of bloody/red imagery and music to represent Kurapika's descent into madness as he becomes more and more obsessed with revenge. I also like how they're stressing that Kurapika doesn't feel he needs friends for what he's now doing with his life, and how the episode was handled with breaks that return back to the present timeframe of the show between each flashback segment, which fits in with Wing revealing that Kurapika has already learned Nen as of the end of the previous arc.
Episodes 46 and 47 - I like that they're exploring the nature of Gon's upbringing a lot more in this version, with some character development for Mito as well as shedding some light on how Gon is so accepting of someone who comes from a killer family - Mito still accepts Killua in spite of him scratching her with his nails and saying that all he was taught to was how to kill. Gotta say it looked pretty dumb that it took Gon and Killua multiple minutes to come to the conclusion that they need to use Nen to revive the child of Gon's favorite animal. Seriously? I thought that would be what Gon was thinking in the first place considering that the previous episode already specified that Enhancment Nen is the best category to improve strength and resilience/self recovery
Gotta say it was a little long winded to see most of Episode 47 be wasted on going on too much about Ging's past and his irresponsibility.
Episode 48 - I love the musical tone of this episode and how both Melody and the Nostarde organization pseudo-boss are playing classics on their pianos during violent scenes. It's an amusing parallel to Chrollo and the other troupe members' rampage in killing like 1000 Mafia members as retribution for Uvogin's death, calling the massacre a "requiem for his death." The choreography in the portion where Kurapika catches those bullets and drops them on the ground with his Nen chains was done far better here than in the 2011 remake where all he did was spin his chains around like a yo yo wielding retard. Already the 1999 version is off to a more distinct and well-choreographed start, with much more appealing music score to boot.
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Episode 45 - The 2011 anime's additional scene of Kurapika and Izunavi's meeting is one addition that keeps the start of Kurapika's training superior in that version. For the remainder of how both anime go about executing the events after that though, I'd probably give the edge to the 1999 version of Kurapika's training due to the visuals of him being bound in chains or drowning in the sea of blood doing a great job of visually representing how he's fully aware of the dark road his ambition will lead him down and still resolves to do it, something that separates his character from the typical revenge plot, not to mention showing actual struggle between himself and his master. I do probably prefer the reveal about Contracts not being brought in straight away in the 2011 anime though, plus I'd say the meeting between him and Melody is better there as it's impossible to take the fact that an apparently skilled hitman would think about aiming his gun sideways like some ghetto punk seriously 
.
Episodes 46 and 47 - Obviously, the 2011 version has superior pacing, though some of the additions were nice such as Killua being a fish out of water when it comes to Gon's hometown. The filler with the Foxbear seemed a bit much when it came to how dead set on putting the cub out of its misery Killua was and how emotionally invested he was in such an action rather than listening to Gon's opinion at all.
The change to Mito and Ging's familial relationship makes the flashbacks more questionable. With how close they seemed to be, it does raise the question in this version as to what made him decide to marry her sister instead when the flashbacks implied he and Mito were closer, hence why the manga and 2011 familial ties between them work better. I'd also say the 2011 version had some better directional moments such as showing Mito's face when hearing that she's Gon's mother in his eyes as well as the transition from Whale Island to wherever Ging was (likely the Dark Continent). The 1999 version does add one interesting line with Ging commenting about how Hunters will often abandon others for their own goal, something very relevant to the upcoming events in Yorknew and Kurapika's inner conflict.
Episode 48 - I'd say the 2011 did a better job sequentially through showing the events with Gon and Killua on Whale Island fully before fully focusing on Kurapika's events all at once and in chronological order. Though I like the addition of the 2011 anime introducing Baise and Basho as well as their abilities earlier on, I'd say not having a similar thing for Baise in this version works better as she'd soon introduce the ability against Squala anyway, though Basho's early introduction in 2011 was an improvement due to it showing he lives up to his word of being able to acquire rare artefacts.
Speaking of Baise, I like how this version of her is drawn in a more realistic style than the 2011 anime whilst still having enough exaggerated sexuality to her to sell what she's all about. Her saying she's from Chigaco does seem inconsistent with HxH's world and naming schemes though, considering even the most obvious references to real world places such as Yorknew/Yorkshin or Peijin at least put some effort in changing the name a little.
One thing definitely better than the 2011 anime here is the battle animation with how smooth and detailed it is. I can't really say the same about the motions of Dalzollene playing the piano though which, whilst not bad, don't live up to the same level of fluidity as what it intercuts to. On the subject of Dalzollene, I prefer his voice in the 2011 version, though this isn't due to it doing anything particularly better and purely my favouritism for Takehito Koyasu.
.Episodes 46 and 47 - Obviously, the 2011 version has superior pacing, though some of the additions were nice such as Killua being a fish out of water when it comes to Gon's hometown. The filler with the Foxbear seemed a bit much when it came to how dead set on putting the cub out of its misery Killua was and how emotionally invested he was in such an action rather than listening to Gon's opinion at all.
The change to Mito and Ging's familial relationship makes the flashbacks more questionable. With how close they seemed to be, it does raise the question in this version as to what made him decide to marry her sister instead when the flashbacks implied he and Mito were closer, hence why the manga and 2011 familial ties between them work better. I'd also say the 2011 version had some better directional moments such as showing Mito's face when hearing that she's Gon's mother in his eyes as well as the transition from Whale Island to wherever Ging was (likely the Dark Continent). The 1999 version does add one interesting line with Ging commenting about how Hunters will often abandon others for their own goal, something very relevant to the upcoming events in Yorknew and Kurapika's inner conflict.
Episode 48 - I'd say the 2011 did a better job sequentially through showing the events with Gon and Killua on Whale Island fully before fully focusing on Kurapika's events all at once and in chronological order. Though I like the addition of the 2011 anime introducing Baise and Basho as well as their abilities earlier on, I'd say not having a similar thing for Baise in this version works better as she'd soon introduce the ability against Squala anyway, though Basho's early introduction in 2011 was an improvement due to it showing he lives up to his word of being able to acquire rare artefacts.
Speaking of Baise, I like how this version of her is drawn in a more realistic style than the 2011 anime whilst still having enough exaggerated sexuality to her to sell what she's all about. Her saying she's from Chigaco does seem inconsistent with HxH's world and naming schemes though, considering even the most obvious references to real world places such as Yorknew/Yorkshin or Peijin at least put some effort in changing the name a little.
One thing definitely better than the 2011 anime here is the battle animation with how smooth and detailed it is. I can't really say the same about the motions of Dalzollene playing the piano though which, whilst not bad, don't live up to the same level of fluidity as what it intercuts to. On the subject of Dalzollene, I prefer his voice in the 2011 version, though this isn't due to it doing anything particularly better and purely my favouritism for Takehito Koyasu.
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Episode 49 - Not much to say about this episode as it's more connected to the Greed Island subplot moreso than the main plot of Kurapika vs. the Spiders, but it's good that the animators finally decided to go ahead and change the opening to fit the fact that Gon and Killua have their sights on going to Yorkshin not just to meet Kurapika, but gain access to a copy of Greed Island as well. Really helps to make Gon and Killua still seem like protagonists, albeit from a different perspective than Kurapika (who carries this arc).
Episode 50 - It's a good thing the subs are coming from the legit subs released officially rather than the fansubs for the previous episodes. Good to see the "Next Episode Previews" come back as well as a result of this change. As for the episode itself, I like that this episode switches focus from Gon and Killua's attempts to get a copy of Greed Island as well as attend to the main plot of Kurapika hunting the Spiders. Cool to see how Hisoka looks when he's not in his clown getup, showing that he has a life beyond just appeasing his appetite for slaughter.
Episodes 51 and 52 - I like the sharp contrast in tone between these two episodes, even though they're basically getting the task of introducing the Troupe to us done in their own ways. In one episode, we see ditzy Shizuku lose an arm wrestling match to a rookie Hunter because she used her weak arm. In the next, we see Baise being murdered with much more dread thanks to the scene using a horror movie style of execution with the slow motion bits. Also really like the focus on background music created through instruments we see in this arc, considering the narrative significance of the "Requiem" scene shown following Uvogin's death. It's too bad the "beasts" Uvogin will fight in the following few episodes will all be fodder that don't even end up affecting the outcome of Uvogin vs. Kurapika
A little interesting thing of note is that the style of the new ending song used starting in these episodes is a lot like some of Rurouni Kenshins ending songs. Guess that's to be expected when Furuhashi directed both animes until the staff change in the Greed Island OVAs.
Episode 50 - It's a good thing the subs are coming from the legit subs released officially rather than the fansubs for the previous episodes. Good to see the "Next Episode Previews" come back as well as a result of this change. As for the episode itself, I like that this episode switches focus from Gon and Killua's attempts to get a copy of Greed Island as well as attend to the main plot of Kurapika hunting the Spiders. Cool to see how Hisoka looks when he's not in his clown getup, showing that he has a life beyond just appeasing his appetite for slaughter.
Episodes 51 and 52 - I like the sharp contrast in tone between these two episodes, even though they're basically getting the task of introducing the Troupe to us done in their own ways. In one episode, we see ditzy Shizuku lose an arm wrestling match to a rookie Hunter because she used her weak arm. In the next, we see Baise being murdered with much more dread thanks to the scene using a horror movie style of execution with the slow motion bits. Also really like the focus on background music created through instruments we see in this arc, considering the narrative significance of the "Requiem" scene shown following Uvogin's death. It's too bad the "beasts" Uvogin will fight in the following few episodes will all be fodder that don't even end up affecting the outcome of Uvogin vs. Kurapika
A little interesting thing of note is that the style of the new ending song used starting in these episodes is a lot like some of Rurouni Kenshins ending songs. Guess that's to be expected when Furuhashi directed both animes until the staff change in the Greed Island OVAs.
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Episode 49 - Basho's Great Haiku looks pretty underwhelming here compared to the 2011. There's also some moments in the close up of Baise's face when torturing Squala where the placement of her eyes look really off, though it didn't skimp out on showing where she was stepping on him (even if it was pretty obvious when implied alone). Squala's explanation of his use of the dogs is a lot more detailed in the 2011 anime though.
Not much to comment on for the Gon and Killua plot beyond Milluki's room looking a fair bit more detailed in the 2011 version as well as fitting of his fat computer geek stereotype.
Episode 50 - Not having a scene of those hired by Dalzollene afterwards like the 2011 has is a shame considering this extra level of closeness helped make their deaths feel more of a loss to each other, not to mention the absence of the scenes establishing what Squala's main aspects were in the previous episodes means the reveal of his girlfriend will come off as a last minute fleshing out before his death in the 1999 version as opposed to the 2011 version establishing this and his connection to animals well in advance.
The scene of Gon and Killua using the website was for more visually interesting in the 2011 version with the more clear backgrounds and the transportation into the site. In fairness, the '99 version captures the limited nature of website building at the time, though considering this is a world with greater technological advancements than ours and the magical nature of Nen, I'd say this still makes the 2011 version better. The filler of Killua and Gon competing with each other as well as the emotional escalation their argument seems a fair bit out of character for how their friendship tends to be portrayed too, not to mention Killua making such a high risk choice as gambling seems a bit questionable when he tends to be the more low-risk and efficient one.
One thing I do find better in this episode is the painted detail of the former Nostrade family employee on the wall, with it being something digital art really can't replicate. Hisoka wearing a suit on the plane ride seems pretty weird though considering how constantly he wears his magician attire regardless of the scenario unless bathing.
Episode 51 - The introduction of the Phantom Troupe in the 2011 version was far more detailed with it taking the time to introduce them individually and presented more characterisation. The small scuffle with Nobunaga and Franklin in this version is especially lacking by comparison due to the cheaper animation and less interesting choreography as well as the 2011 anime better establishing why they suddenly attacked each other. Uvogin's voice in the 2011 anime is also one that's noticeably more fitting, considering how well Akio Otsuka's voice fits boisterous, hulking characters.
One element this version of the episode did better though was actually showing Leorio haggling with the salesman, though the rate of how much the price was lowered seems to test suspension of disbelief quite a bit.
Gon arm wrestling with Shizuku is a scene both versions have their advantages over the other. The 2011 version presents a greater sense of tension in their facial reactions, whereas this version shows a greater sense of power with the table starting to break below their elbows.
Episode 52 - The scene between Kurapika and Melody is better in this version due to the visuals of the Dark Sonata scene having better animation. On the subject of animation, the activation of Tocino's Nen ability seems way more fluid here. For Franklin's, I prefer the introduction of its name offered in the 2011 version with the bullet sound effect to go with it, though the '99 version looks less cheap by not actively showing the bullets seeming to do zero damage at first until relevant. The events after with Ivlenkov and Baise's deaths as well as Shizuku cleaning up the remains is a lot better in the newer anime though with Ivlenkov's death coming as a quick surprise to better capture the danger of the Troupe rather than some noble sacrifice and the mess left by Franlin's onslaught seeming more realistic for the amount of heavy bleeding he'd caused to those he'd killed.
One aspect of art in this episode that's far inferior to the 2011 version is Chrollo's face and how inconsistent the size of his nose here is with his design throughout the rest of this anime and the remake, even compared to the scenes in the latter where it seems noticeably long. I don't remember Chrollo auditioning as a Michael Imperioli lookalike.
In both versions, the scene of Chrollo commenting that he doesn't view Judas as a traitor is both an interesting and important one for his character with it establishing and foreshadowing his deterministic belief that humanity is ultimately controlled by fate, something that helps explain the merciless and nihilistic aspects of his character. Of course, it does show that one area he doesn't specialise in his theological study when the Bible makes it pretty clear God gave humans such as Judas free will, but it does shed a light on Chrollo's psychology.
Not much to comment on for the Gon and Killua plot beyond Milluki's room looking a fair bit more detailed in the 2011 version as well as fitting of his fat computer geek stereotype.
Episode 50 - Not having a scene of those hired by Dalzollene afterwards like the 2011 has is a shame considering this extra level of closeness helped make their deaths feel more of a loss to each other, not to mention the absence of the scenes establishing what Squala's main aspects were in the previous episodes means the reveal of his girlfriend will come off as a last minute fleshing out before his death in the 1999 version as opposed to the 2011 version establishing this and his connection to animals well in advance.
The scene of Gon and Killua using the website was for more visually interesting in the 2011 version with the more clear backgrounds and the transportation into the site. In fairness, the '99 version captures the limited nature of website building at the time, though considering this is a world with greater technological advancements than ours and the magical nature of Nen, I'd say this still makes the 2011 version better. The filler of Killua and Gon competing with each other as well as the emotional escalation their argument seems a fair bit out of character for how their friendship tends to be portrayed too, not to mention Killua making such a high risk choice as gambling seems a bit questionable when he tends to be the more low-risk and efficient one.
One thing I do find better in this episode is the painted detail of the former Nostrade family employee on the wall, with it being something digital art really can't replicate. Hisoka wearing a suit on the plane ride seems pretty weird though considering how constantly he wears his magician attire regardless of the scenario unless bathing.
Episode 51 - The introduction of the Phantom Troupe in the 2011 version was far more detailed with it taking the time to introduce them individually and presented more characterisation. The small scuffle with Nobunaga and Franklin in this version is especially lacking by comparison due to the cheaper animation and less interesting choreography as well as the 2011 anime better establishing why they suddenly attacked each other. Uvogin's voice in the 2011 anime is also one that's noticeably more fitting, considering how well Akio Otsuka's voice fits boisterous, hulking characters.
One element this version of the episode did better though was actually showing Leorio haggling with the salesman, though the rate of how much the price was lowered seems to test suspension of disbelief quite a bit.
Gon arm wrestling with Shizuku is a scene both versions have their advantages over the other. The 2011 version presents a greater sense of tension in their facial reactions, whereas this version shows a greater sense of power with the table starting to break below their elbows.
Episode 52 - The scene between Kurapika and Melody is better in this version due to the visuals of the Dark Sonata scene having better animation. On the subject of animation, the activation of Tocino's Nen ability seems way more fluid here. For Franklin's, I prefer the introduction of its name offered in the 2011 version with the bullet sound effect to go with it, though the '99 version looks less cheap by not actively showing the bullets seeming to do zero damage at first until relevant. The events after with Ivlenkov and Baise's deaths as well as Shizuku cleaning up the remains is a lot better in the newer anime though with Ivlenkov's death coming as a quick surprise to better capture the danger of the Troupe rather than some noble sacrifice and the mess left by Franlin's onslaught seeming more realistic for the amount of heavy bleeding he'd caused to those he'd killed.
One aspect of art in this episode that's far inferior to the 2011 version is Chrollo's face and how inconsistent the size of his nose here is with his design throughout the rest of this anime and the remake, even compared to the scenes in the latter where it seems noticeably long. I don't remember Chrollo auditioning as a Michael Imperioli lookalike
.In both versions, the scene of Chrollo commenting that he doesn't view Judas as a traitor is both an interesting and important one for his character with it establishing and foreshadowing his deterministic belief that humanity is ultimately controlled by fate, something that helps explain the merciless and nihilistic aspects of his character. Of course, it does show that one area he doesn't specialise in his theological study when the Bible makes it pretty clear God gave humans such as Judas free will, but it does shed a light on Chrollo's psychology.
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Finished watching the episode in which Killua reveals he's an assassin to Gon and the volleyball game with Netero begins.
The theme played when that girl is captured for cheating in the exam is amazing. The 99 has too much of a memorable ost. I liked the inclusion of this girl that wanted to take revenge on Killua and this all makes his full introduction to the gang and Gon mainly better done and more meaningful in the 1999 anime than the 2011 anime and even the original manga imo. It makes us more familiar with Killua's struggle and his relationship with Gon gains more meaning and weight. It's also cool that the volleyball match gains a little stake since the win would allow that girl a chance to compete again.
But that's the last ep of the Hunter exam I'll watch. Now onto the heaven arena.
The theme played when that girl is captured for cheating in the exam is amazing. The 99 has too much of a memorable ost. I liked the inclusion of this girl that wanted to take revenge on Killua and this all makes his full introduction to the gang and Gon mainly better done and more meaningful in the 1999 anime than the 2011 anime and even the original manga imo. It makes us more familiar with Killua's struggle and his relationship with Gon gains more meaning and weight. It's also cool that the volleyball match gains a little stake since the win would allow that girl a chance to compete again.
But that's the last ep of the Hunter exam I'll watch. Now onto the heaven arena.
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I didn't like the reveal that THAT girl's father was st the end making people addicted. They tried to relieve the zoldick family from a little of its blame, but I feel there was no need to. They seem to be assassins that pick the target independent from their morality, and Killua is not to blame either since he wasn't apart on the killing.
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Chrollo is calvinistCaptain Cadaver said:
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Guess I best take the lead again rather than waiting for Kenshi.
Episode 53 - Not much to comment on beyond Uvogin being a lot more expressive in the 2011 version such as the face he pulls when threatened with the gun, the Big Bang Impact looking a lot more visually impressive or his shout against Porcupine, not to mention the 2011 version of the latter having the additional detail of showing Shalnark and co. covering their ears beforehand. On that subject, Kurapika not covering his ears in the '99 version is pretty inconsistent when it implies his resistance to sound is greater than some professional Hunters. For what this version did better, however, there's some actual blood shown from Uvogin eating part of Leech's face, the animation of the chains wrapping around Uvo and getting to see Kurapika's hate-riddled face when staring at Uvogin.
Episode 54 - One major thing the 2011 version did better was having more clarity in how the Troup were able to infiltrate where Uvogin was held captive or Hisoka leaving the site of the Troupe. The animation of Owl trapping Nobunaga and the car was also significantly improved in the newer version, plus the '99 anime lacks the casual interaction of the Troupe berating Nobunaga afterwards that shows their informal and close attitude with each other.
Not too keen on Dalzollene's sword being able to go 5mm into Uvogin's wound as opposed to it breaking in the manga and 2011 anime, since it undersells Uvogin's strength as a top tier Enhancer by comparison and makes Dalzollene be presented as overly capable for someone who was quickly fodderised. On the subject of him, the addition of him having enough resolve to stand after a fatal wound from Phinks isn't that good compared to the swift execution in Togashi's version since it makes Phinks look less experienced at killing and this more Shonen-esque take is ironic considering how the '99 anime tried to limit some of those aspects such as the Hunter Exam's light and very "Shonen" tone (a change that was a problem for reasons I'll get into when talking about the 1999 anime as a whole).
Killua wanting to watch what's heavily implied to be porn is weird to say the least and a bit out of character for someone who tends to view Leorio as a pervert. On the subject of Leorio, it's nice this version showed his Ten, though I'd say the 2011 version may be a case where telling was better than showing as it came up through general conversation shortly after the three reunited as opposed to being left until quite a bit later despite the amount of catching up they'd already have done, not to mention the scepticism Killua would naturally have of Leorio learning Nen (as he showed in the 2011 version).
One aspect that was better in this version though was the lessened amount of blood from Kurapika punching Uvogin, which certainly seemed a bit much for Kurapika when not using Emperor Time regardless of Uvo's current state.
Episode 55 - I far prefer Neon's reaction to Dalzollene's death in the 2011 version, where it's clear she cared somewhat but not as much as about the mummy as opposed to her not caring at all here.
For the scene with Uvo, two parts of the 2011 version that are unfortunately not here are Franklin carrying more beer for Uvo (making it apparent how much he really needs to drink) as well as Shalnark warning him to be cautious and showing expected concern for him. The comedic factor of Uvogin kissing him is better in this version though, as well as the scene where Uvo kills the guy he targeted for information being a lot more interesting with the shower setting, display of blood and the detail of the blood merging with the running water and being drained.
Leorio switching in with Gon for arm wrestling makes the scene better here rather than the rich men simply offering them a trip to the auction immediately. Interestingly, both versions have differences in dialogue between the group of three that each have their own strengths. Killua questioning if Leorio really studied for med school with how vast his knowledge on money-making and gambling is in this version is good in pointing out how far Leorio's quest for money goes, whereas the 2011 version helps highlight the more simplistic aspects of Gon's nature.
The direction of Kurapika's scene at the end here is a lot better than the 2011 version with the choice of angles to focus on being more interesting, though the 2011 anime having him situated in the downstairs lobby was better in assuring Uvo would find him no matter what.
Episode 56 - This is one episode of the '99 anime that's not only better in one or two ways than its 2011 counterpart, but almost every way. The animation is far smoother, there's less time spent on exposition despite all critical information being retained and a few directional additions really help Kurapika's characterisation such as his reaction just after killing Uvo as well as the additions to the red moon symbolism. Also, in the scenes involving Gon's group, the colour palette for Yorknew's nighttime streets is really good. Also, whilst I'd have preferred the Contract reveal be kept until a little bit later after the display of Kurapika's training, it at least didn't leave it until right at the reveal of Emperor Time that made it feel contrived (though Emperor Time being overly convenient in allowing Kurapika to clown any Spider 1 V 1 is still a a fair bit of a stretch in both versions). Kurapika is also now drawn in a more mature and refined manner, a change in artstyle fitting of his darker character in this arc as well as the tone of his story.
There are a few minor visual differences in the 2011 version I preferred though such as the detail for the Kurta eyes as well as Uvogin being portrayed in a fairly noble light and having a more dramatic death to fit it, plus '99 Uvogin's hair lightening in a SSJ-esque way when using his full power is a bit on the nose; but other than that, the 1999 version is definitely superior for that fight.
Episode 53 - Not much to comment on beyond Uvogin being a lot more expressive in the 2011 version such as the face he pulls when threatened with the gun, the Big Bang Impact looking a lot more visually impressive or his shout against Porcupine, not to mention the 2011 version of the latter having the additional detail of showing Shalnark and co. covering their ears beforehand. On that subject, Kurapika not covering his ears in the '99 version is pretty inconsistent when it implies his resistance to sound is greater than some professional Hunters. For what this version did better, however, there's some actual blood shown from Uvogin eating part of Leech's face, the animation of the chains wrapping around Uvo and getting to see Kurapika's hate-riddled face when staring at Uvogin.
Episode 54 - One major thing the 2011 version did better was having more clarity in how the Troup were able to infiltrate where Uvogin was held captive or Hisoka leaving the site of the Troupe. The animation of Owl trapping Nobunaga and the car was also significantly improved in the newer version, plus the '99 anime lacks the casual interaction of the Troupe berating Nobunaga afterwards that shows their informal and close attitude with each other.
Not too keen on Dalzollene's sword being able to go 5mm into Uvogin's wound as opposed to it breaking in the manga and 2011 anime, since it undersells Uvogin's strength as a top tier Enhancer by comparison and makes Dalzollene be presented as overly capable for someone who was quickly fodderised. On the subject of him, the addition of him having enough resolve to stand after a fatal wound from Phinks isn't that good compared to the swift execution in Togashi's version since it makes Phinks look less experienced at killing and this more Shonen-esque take is ironic considering how the '99 anime tried to limit some of those aspects such as the Hunter Exam's light and very "Shonen" tone (a change that was a problem for reasons I'll get into when talking about the 1999 anime as a whole).
Killua wanting to watch what's heavily implied to be porn is weird to say the least and a bit out of character for someone who tends to view Leorio as a pervert. On the subject of Leorio, it's nice this version showed his Ten, though I'd say the 2011 version may be a case where telling was better than showing as it came up through general conversation shortly after the three reunited as opposed to being left until quite a bit later despite the amount of catching up they'd already have done, not to mention the scepticism Killua would naturally have of Leorio learning Nen (as he showed in the 2011 version).
One aspect that was better in this version though was the lessened amount of blood from Kurapika punching Uvogin, which certainly seemed a bit much for Kurapika when not using Emperor Time regardless of Uvo's current state.
Episode 55 - I far prefer Neon's reaction to Dalzollene's death in the 2011 version, where it's clear she cared somewhat but not as much as about the mummy as opposed to her not caring at all here.
For the scene with Uvo, two parts of the 2011 version that are unfortunately not here are Franklin carrying more beer for Uvo (making it apparent how much he really needs to drink) as well as Shalnark warning him to be cautious and showing expected concern for him. The comedic factor of Uvogin kissing him is better in this version though, as well as the scene where Uvo kills the guy he targeted for information being a lot more interesting with the shower setting, display of blood and the detail of the blood merging with the running water and being drained.
Leorio switching in with Gon for arm wrestling makes the scene better here rather than the rich men simply offering them a trip to the auction immediately. Interestingly, both versions have differences in dialogue between the group of three that each have their own strengths. Killua questioning if Leorio really studied for med school with how vast his knowledge on money-making and gambling is in this version is good in pointing out how far Leorio's quest for money goes, whereas the 2011 version helps highlight the more simplistic aspects of Gon's nature.
The direction of Kurapika's scene at the end here is a lot better than the 2011 version with the choice of angles to focus on being more interesting, though the 2011 anime having him situated in the downstairs lobby was better in assuring Uvo would find him no matter what.
Episode 56 - This is one episode of the '99 anime that's not only better in one or two ways than its 2011 counterpart, but almost every way. The animation is far smoother, there's less time spent on exposition despite all critical information being retained and a few directional additions really help Kurapika's characterisation such as his reaction just after killing Uvo as well as the additions to the red moon symbolism. Also, in the scenes involving Gon's group, the colour palette for Yorknew's nighttime streets is really good. Also, whilst I'd have preferred the Contract reveal be kept until a little bit later after the display of Kurapika's training, it at least didn't leave it until right at the reveal of Emperor Time that made it feel contrived (though Emperor Time being overly convenient in allowing Kurapika to clown any Spider 1 V 1 is still a a fair bit of a stretch in both versions). Kurapika is also now drawn in a more mature and refined manner, a change in artstyle fitting of his darker character in this arc as well as the tone of his story.
There are a few minor visual differences in the 2011 version I preferred though such as the detail for the Kurta eyes as well as Uvogin being portrayed in a fairly noble light and having a more dramatic death to fit it, plus '99 Uvogin's hair lightening in a SSJ-esque way when using his full power is a bit on the nose; but other than that, the 1999 version is definitely superior for that fight.
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Episode 53 - Not much to say as the episode seems to adapt the manga panel by panel, other than that Uvogin struggling with these Shadow Beast faggots to the extent that he could've been done in if they used a lethal poison is interesting as not only could it have changed the sequence of events in the rest of the arc significantly, but it also shows the "one moment of carelessness can cost one his life" nature of Nen battles.
Episode 54 - I liked how they expanded on Dalzollenne's abilities from the manga and gave him a particular characteristic of being a swordsman, with enough skill that his sword doesn't break from coming in contact with Uvo's skin. Too bad it wasn't enough to give him any additional plot relevance and cutting 5mm into Uvogin's shoulder wound was all he could manage
Blood flowing out of Dalzollenne's eyes and ears with his sword broken allows for the viewer to imagine how his defeat went, as well as making his sacrifice seem more poignant than in the 2011 version and the manga.
Killua watching porn off their room service budget adds a little bit of flavor to his character. Assassin or not, he's still a growing boy of 12. Don't think that was in the manga or the 2011 remake.
Episodes 55 and 56 - Pretty nifty that Leorio's ruse to lure out some bounty hunters from the Mafia worked, and that the arm wrestling facade wasn't just some useless filler that we'd seen in the Hunter Exams. A bit of nasty imagery in episode 55 where Uvogin kissing another man was treated like it was an act of inflicting terror, as well as that female undergarments-wearing faggot announcing the bounties for the Phantom Troupe members. But that's ok, because it leads up to the Uvo vs. Kurapika battle. Can really feel the tension now that Gon's set his eyes on the bounty and Kurapika and Uvogin have met.
Onto the main battle between Kurapika and Uvogin. Well, Uvogin already showed most of his limits in the previous battle with how he couldn't beat one of the Shadow Beasts with just his brute strength, so I don't see a problem with 20% of his power not even scratching Emperor Time Kurapika. What I see as problematic, however, is that 5x that power really didn't amount to jack shit. Oh well, at least Kurapika's strategy of keeping his chains invisible with In by pretending to be a manipulator rather than a Conjurer + Specialist was decent. Pretty subtle but nice imagery with the reddened moon in the night sky shining red light down on the ground being portrayed similarly to Kurapika's red eye crying tears of blood. Very nicely executed symbolism from Furuhashi-san, which is proof that he should've directed the 2011 version as well smh.
That aside, this next episode with Zeppile or whatever looks like it'll be a pile of trash
Good thing I'm watching 3 episodes after it to maintain my place in this rewatch thread.
Episode 54 - I liked how they expanded on Dalzollenne's abilities from the manga and gave him a particular characteristic of being a swordsman, with enough skill that his sword doesn't break from coming in contact with Uvo's skin. Too bad it wasn't enough to give him any additional plot relevance and cutting 5mm into Uvogin's shoulder wound was all he could manage
Blood flowing out of Dalzollenne's eyes and ears with his sword broken allows for the viewer to imagine how his defeat went, as well as making his sacrifice seem more poignant than in the 2011 version and the manga.
Killua watching porn off their room service budget adds a little bit of flavor to his character. Assassin or not, he's still a growing boy of 12. Don't think that was in the manga or the 2011 remake.
Episodes 55 and 56 - Pretty nifty that Leorio's ruse to lure out some bounty hunters from the Mafia worked, and that the arm wrestling facade wasn't just some useless filler that we'd seen in the Hunter Exams. A bit of nasty imagery in episode 55 where Uvogin kissing another man was treated like it was an act of inflicting terror, as well as that female undergarments-wearing faggot announcing the bounties for the Phantom Troupe members. But that's ok, because it leads up to the Uvo vs. Kurapika battle. Can really feel the tension now that Gon's set his eyes on the bounty and Kurapika and Uvogin have met.
Onto the main battle between Kurapika and Uvogin. Well, Uvogin already showed most of his limits in the previous battle with how he couldn't beat one of the Shadow Beasts with just his brute strength, so I don't see a problem with 20% of his power not even scratching Emperor Time Kurapika. What I see as problematic, however, is that 5x that power really didn't amount to jack shit. Oh well, at least Kurapika's strategy of keeping his chains invisible with In by pretending to be a manipulator rather than a Conjurer + Specialist was decent. Pretty subtle but nice imagery with the reddened moon in the night sky shining red light down on the ground being portrayed similarly to Kurapika's red eye crying tears of blood. Very nicely executed symbolism from Furuhashi-san, which is proof that he should've directed the 2011 version as well smh.
That aside, this next episode with Zeppile or whatever looks like it'll be a pile of trash
Good thing I'm watching 3 episodes after it to maintain my place in this rewatch thread.
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You knew I was reviewing these episodes, bitch niggers.
Episode 57 - As expected, the Zeppile episode has some terrible animation compared to prior parts. Given that this episode has perhaps the least action of any Yorkshin episodes thus far, it's understandable that they wouldn't use too much of their best animators for this episode, but I wish the art director could keep animation more consistent. Not much to say about this boring intermission other than that it does help develop Gon's ambiguous morality, though it could show itself more thoroughly if Gon has done truly immoral things up to this point.
Episode 58 - The twist at the end of an extra pair of Spiders following Gon and Killua without the first two's knowledge was well done, although I think the Machi-Nobunaga team revealed they knew they were being followed too quickly.
Episode 59 - Not much to say about this episode as the fact that they can break down walls being treated as a revelation when Wing repeatedly showed such abilities as part of his Nen demonstrations is horse shit. The additional trick they used of lying to each other about beating up Nobunaga was nice though, although I feel like this does make Nobunaga seem more incompetent when they shouldn't have had time to think up and agree on this plan in the few seconds that Nobunaga let them out of his sight. They'd essentially have agreed upon this non-verbally, so Nobunaga falling for it and not sensing any deceit in their loud ass voices is fairly dumb. I would've probably fallen for the same thing, but hey, I'm not a Nen user or expert swordsman. Would be a lot better at detecting lies and shifts in one's emotions if I were.
The music score for this episode is good though.
Episode 60 - This episode definitely helps flesh out Neon's character more with her falling for a handsome guy who cried reading her prophecy, and other depictions. Perhaps because the next two episodes are the final bunch of the 1999 series (until the Yorkshin and Greed Island two-part OVAs continued it), we really seem to be heading toward a big finale with the tone of this episode at the end. Stoked for the big finale.
[mention]Captain Cadaver[/mention] Since today should be the 28th where you live, you can choose whether you want to do the final 2 episodes of the TV version and the first two episodes of the OVA together as one, or just watch two episodes at a time from here. I'll watch 4 regardless, but will give you an extra day to catch up if you choose to watch 2 episodes at a time from here on out.
Episode 57 - As expected, the Zeppile episode has some terrible animation compared to prior parts. Given that this episode has perhaps the least action of any Yorkshin episodes thus far, it's understandable that they wouldn't use too much of their best animators for this episode, but I wish the art director could keep animation more consistent. Not much to say about this boring intermission other than that it does help develop Gon's ambiguous morality, though it could show itself more thoroughly if Gon has done truly immoral things up to this point.
Episode 58 - The twist at the end of an extra pair of Spiders following Gon and Killua without the first two's knowledge was well done, although I think the Machi-Nobunaga team revealed they knew they were being followed too quickly.
Episode 59 - Not much to say about this episode as the fact that they can break down walls being treated as a revelation when Wing repeatedly showed such abilities as part of his Nen demonstrations is horse shit. The additional trick they used of lying to each other about beating up Nobunaga was nice though, although I feel like this does make Nobunaga seem more incompetent when they shouldn't have had time to think up and agree on this plan in the few seconds that Nobunaga let them out of his sight. They'd essentially have agreed upon this non-verbally, so Nobunaga falling for it and not sensing any deceit in their loud ass voices is fairly dumb. I would've probably fallen for the same thing, but hey, I'm not a Nen user or expert swordsman. Would be a lot better at detecting lies and shifts in one's emotions if I were.
The music score for this episode is good though.
Episode 60 - This episode definitely helps flesh out Neon's character more with her falling for a handsome guy who cried reading her prophecy, and other depictions. Perhaps because the next two episodes are the final bunch of the 1999 series (until the Yorkshin and Greed Island two-part OVAs continued it), we really seem to be heading toward a big finale with the tone of this episode at the end. Stoked for the big finale.
[mention]Captain Cadaver[/mention] Since today should be the 28th where you live, you can choose whether you want to do the final 2 episodes of the TV version and the first two episodes of the OVA together as one, or just watch two episodes at a time from here. I'll watch 4 regardless, but will give you an extra day to catch up if you choose to watch 2 episodes at a time from here on out.
