Hunter x Hunter, in my opinion, has the best plot and storyline of any anime ever created. This bildungsroman masterpiece I will describe was written by Yoshihiro Togashi in 1985 and directed by Kazuhiro Furuhashi in 1999. The intensity of this show grows after each gut-wrenching fight and tear-jerking death to the point where you just can’t stop watching.
The story follows a young boy named Gon Freecss, who was told all his life that both his parents were dead. But when he learns from Kite, an apprentice of his father Ging Freecss, that he is still alive and has since become an accomplished Hunter, Gon leaves his home on Whale Island (くじら島Kujira Tō) to take the Hunter Examination (ハンター試験Hantā Shiken) in order to become a Hunter like him. During the exam, Gon meets and soon befriends three of the other applicants: Kurapika, the last remaining member of the Kurta clan who wishes to become a Hunter in order to avenge his clan and recover their scarlet-glowing eyes that were plucked from their corpses by a band of thieves known as the Phantom Troupe; Leorio, a prospective physician who, in order to pay for medical school, desires the financial benefits that Hunters receive; and Killua Zoldyck, another twelve-year-old boy who has left his former life as a member of the world’s most notorious assassin family. Among many other examinees, Gon continuously encounters Hisoka, a mysterious and deadly transmuter (transmuter will be described later in the blog) who takes an interest in him. After passing by many trials together, Gon and his friends end up passing the exam except for Killua, who fails after killing another applicant due to being controlled by his brother, Illumi and runs away to his family’s estate in shame.
This image is depicting a scene between Gon, and his arch-enemy Pitou. This is by far the best fight scene I have ever seen in all of anime. With every punch, you can feel the immeasurable power of the main character. You can feel Gon’s hatred, his pain, and his sorrow in every single one of his movements. Throughout this anime show, the characters all have their own respectable power called nen, and each type of nen is broken up into six different categories.
Enhancement allows Enhancers to bolster their natural abilities or qualities of items in their possession. In extreme cases, they can even boost something beyond what would normally be possible by setting limitations and vows upon it.
Gon Freecss (as pictured in the gif above) uses his enhancement to increase the amount of power gathered into his fist, enabling him to deliver strikes capable of harming even the most durable of foes.
Transmutation
Transmutation allows Transmuters to change their Nen so that it gains attributes of something else. Despite the name, it doesn’t actually change the Nen into a physical substance or element, but rather it simply mimics the properties—it may look and act like something else, but it isn’t really the same thing.
Machi of the Phantom Troupe (as pictured in the gif above) transmutes her aura into a thread-like substance that can be used to sew things together, strangle enemies, or even puppet other people around.
Conjuration
Conjuration allows Conjurers to change their Nen into actual objects. To people who are unaware of Nen, it literally makes the users seem like they can pull an object out of thin air, whereas most other Nen abilities aren’t visible to the uninitiated.
Kurapika (as pictured in the gif above) uses conjuration to create chains that can stretch to enormous lengths, which can be used for offense, defense, or restraining his opponent.
Emission
Emission allows Emitters to release and utilize their Nen at a longer distance.
Gon Freecss (as pictured in the gif above) uses his emission to fire off his Nen as a long-distance projectile attack, reminiscent to Ki attacks used in other anime.
Manipulation
Manipulation allows Manipulators to use their Nen to control the movement or action of a certain person, object, or other ability. It can be paired up with another type of Nen to expand control over how an ability works.
Shalnark of the Phantom Troupe (as pictured in the gif above) uses a phone and antenna to manipulate others into doing his bidding, making it a prime example of manipulation.
Specialization
Specialization is for anything that doesn’t fit squarely into any of the other five categories. Specialists usually have abilities that cannot be gained through training and they often have effects that cannot be replicated.
Meleoron’s ability (as pictured in the gif above) makes him and anyone he is touching while using this ability completely undetectable to the senses of others, making it perfect for stealth and assassination. The only condition is that it only works while he is holding his breath.
Hunter x Hunter is home to my favorite fight scene of all time and I would gladly recommend this show to anyone starting to watch anime. The show is currently in a hiatus (period of pause) where there are no new anime episodes out, but that will hopefully change in the near future. All in all, through intense fight scenes and hilarious moments this show is a must watch and one of my all-time favorites.
アニメ (Anime) 
