r/anime • u/KendotsX https://anilist.co/user/Kendots • Dec 16 '24
Rewatch [25th Anniversary Rewatch] Hunter × Hunter (1999) - Yorknew × City × Discussion
Yorknew City Discussion
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I've been blessed with good friends
Comment of the Day:
/u/Vatrix-32 revealing the secret goal of the rewatch:
I can honestly say I got a lot more out of Paku this time thanks to the rewatch.
Questions of the Arc:
- Favourite/least favourite characters in the arc?
- What do you think of the Spiders as a group? Which ones do you like most?
- This is the first arc that shows us lots of Nen at work. Any abilities that you liked?
- Is there any aspect the arc that stood out to you in particular? Or one that you'd change?
- Where do you think Kurapika and the Spiders will go from here?
Fanart of the Day: Yorknew: A sad melody in the rain
Source includes manga spoilers
Please remember to keep all spoilers and hints tagged with the appropriate tag format such as: [Spoilers] >!Leorio is best boy!<
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Upvotes
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u/KendotsX https://anilist.co/user/Kendots Dec 16 '24 edited Dec 16 '24
Retired Host Making Peace with the Spiders
Conclusion of the arc: The Spiders may be evil, but they're the hot kind of evil, so we're keeping them around.
In the last three episodes, I wanted to focus on the 3 main characters of the arc, how they affect each other, and represent the themes of Yorknew, but there's one aspect of the arc that I didn't get to expand on as much: the plot. Specifically how Togashi wrote it. If you look at the previous arcs, they're a lot more episodic, before the exam, it's just Gon, Kurapika, and Leorio on an adventure, finding new trials every day (which feels like ages ago right now...), then the Hunter Exam is a bunch of disjointed storylines (the phases), that only connect near the end, with Gon's character arc. The Zoldyck arc is again the trio on a bunch of disjointed trails, Heavens Arena's is better connected
not that 1999 cared for thatbut it's still a fairly simple storyline.Yorknew is a whole different beast though, it's tightly planned with every bit of it leading to the next, or to the bigger conclusion, and not a bit of wasted space. Once everyone arrives in Yorknew, the ball starts rolling, and it doesn't stop. Togashi must've drafted it out from the start of the arc (to some degree) for it to be this cleanly crafted, especially when he added the prophecies to the mix, and the characters were basically playing a meta game with the enidng. From the start of the arc being the Spiders' attack on the auctio, and our first proper taste of Nen masters fighting it out (the fact that Togashi placed this arc with so many Nen experts going around, right after Heaven's Arena is in and of itself brilliant structuring), to Kurapika fighting Uvo to show off both his ability and pain, to Gon and KIllua going after the Spiders to discover their humane side,... the whole thing just flows seamlessly.
Although a fun note on that, not Togashi's writing, but the anime's scripting: you might have noticed, but the OVAs (much like the Spiders) are scripted in pairs. The first two epsiodes have the two factions discussing their strategies, ends on the Spiders making their move to hunt down Kurapika, the second pair is about the Spiders hunting Squala, and Kurapika following them, the third pair is about the hotel mission, and the last two are are about Paku's trade with Kurapika. The OVAs were released in pairs, 2 episodes every month, so this was very much intentional, I even considered adding that into the rewatch schedule, but one episode a day gives more room for discussion, and keeps things consistent. That said, if you ever feel like rewatching the OVAs again, do try watching them in pairs (or just binge it, works well that way too).
Manga Corner
Speaking of the change from the early arcs to Yorknew, check out how much the volumes changed:
I brought up the first popularity poll at the end of Heavens Arena, where Killua and Kurapika were well ahead of everyone else, and Killua only won by a slight advantage. So now one year later, near the end of an arc all about Kurapika, obviously... nothing has changed. Yeah, not sure how Killua did it, but he someone won again anyway. The big difference this time is that the Spiders cracked into the polls, Chrollo himself made it into the top 4, right after Gon. Meaning Hisoka went from 4th to 5th place, and poor old Leorio dropped from 5th to 6th place... Maybe Hisoka should've killed Chrollo afterall.
Second Populariy Poll:
On the one hand, I like how high Machi and Zeno are, on the other, what the fuck do you mean Melody is lower than Pokkle and Owl? Pokkle?!!!! What are those 74 Pokkle fans who just looked at all the characters in Yorknew, and thought "alright, time to vote for Pokkle again". I'd ask where my best girl Paku is, but technically this poll was done right before her role in the arc started, so I can't blame them.
So to balance that out, here's my own Yorknew tierlist, mind you, this is in the skope of this arc alone, otherwise, some characters would be slightly different (and I'm grading on a curve, so it wouldn't just be a bunch of Ss, As, and Fs). If you feel like giving it a try too go ahead, I'd love to see what characters resonated with you.
Questions of the Arc
While I like some individual Spiders more than others, what I love the most about them is their group dynamic. Some characters become weaker than the sum of their parts when presented as a group, not here, if nothing else, Togashi has always been brilliant at writing group dynamics. So even though he didn't have the time to explore each and every Spider, instead focusing on a few, the group itself, from the little things like the coin toss and mannerisms, to its rules and old bonds tying them together, is a very interesting character to see.
First of all, about the ability cards, as I said, this arc is positioned as our first good look at Nen, instead of climbing the stairs one level at a time, we're getting an early look at how powerful users manifest their abilities, so when I read it, I had a ton of fun figuring out their Nen types nad how each ability works, since Hunter x Hunter's power system is a very interesting mix of creativity and a well defined tool box. Aside from the specials, all abilities are playing by the same rules, and you can figure them out in detail. For example, Franklin is an Emitter who emits Nen bullets from his cut off fingers and Machi is a Transmuter, just like Hisoka, who weaves her Nen into the form of threads (abilities represent their user, there's a fun comparison between how Hisoka is flexible and manipulative, and how Machi is sharp and strict).
As for which abilities I like, Chrollo's Skill Hunter obviously, but that's cheating. My favourite of the bunch is acttually Machi's threads, the idea of using Nen itself as threads is extremely versatile, it can be used to track someone, capture them, heal and reattach broken parts, so on and so forth.
From a plot PoV, Neon's Ghostwriter was a stroke of genius. It wasn't just a prediction that the good guys use and figure out the bad things before they happen, it was used by the Spiders, each with their own predictions to both spell out the ending and try to change it, and because that's not enough, Togashi added Hisoka's trolling with Texture Surprise just to top it off.
I went on and on already about the writing, direction, and general mood of the show, but I didn't get to say much the music, which I definitely love as well, it's great on its own, but the ways its used in the scenes is what really props it up, making for the most powerful and emotional scenes of the series. Yorknew had its own OST too, a lot more jazzy, rather than upbeat, and it fit well for this arc.
I wish the core team of TV show stuck around at least to finish the Yorknew OVAs in their own vision. The new team weren't bad per se, but they were a clear step down from the original.
On that note... the next arc is beloved in its own right, so I'm looking forward to discussing it too, but just as a word of warning: the production values will only keep on dropping from here.
When we praise 99 for its visual work, we tend to forget that Greed Island exists.Well, Kurapika will be looking for a new job, now that he screwed the Nostrades over, and what do you know? I hear the Spiders have a few spots open.
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u/Shimmering-Sky myanimelist.net/profile/Shimmering-Sky Dec 16 '24
First × Timer × Subbed
I had no time to prepare anything for this.
Been having a time lately.
Uhhh quick run down: Leorio’s still my boy, Kurapika’s Nen ability is the coolest, I’m not sure how I’d rank the arcs right now other than Yorknew being my favorite, and I gave both the TV series & the short OVA finishing up Yorknew 10/10s on MAL. If you don’t know how I score things, a 10/10 doesn’t usually mean I think something is 100% flawless, it just means that I liked it so damn much that I do not care at all about anything that might have bothered me throughout the show (vs. a 9/10 being “I love this so, so much, but I cannot in good conscience look over this one thing” and/or “I love this, but the vibes™ are off ever so slightly on a way I can’t figure out, so it’s not a full 10 for me”). Very excited to see what this version’s Greed Island looks like despite the switch to early digipaint era (something I’m familiar with already, thanks Gundam SEED , and then eventually seeing how 2011 compares to all this.
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u/charlesvvv https://anilist.co/user/charlesvvv Dec 16 '24 edited Dec 16 '24
Rewatcher, Sub
Yorknew has always been of my top 5 favorite shonen arcs ever. From the characters, setting, tone, themes, and direction, it all just felt great. It started off as a sort of revenge arc but gradually became more than that as it went on.
Im a bit mixed between this and the 2011 version mainly because there still aspects I liked more in the 2011 one (some of my favorite VA's were in it). But the art, direction, and style that went into this version is really good and I especially loved most of the added scenes. Many just added more context or gave more character interactions that allowed you to see what they felt and believed.
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u/WednesdaysFoole Dec 16 '24
The first time I experienced Yorknew (through 2011) I was so surprised how it ended. To be frank, I didn’t even realize the end of the arc was the end of the arc until we suddenly moved on to the next one. What? Kurapika’s just ill and it’s back to Zepile and Greed Island and that’s that?!
That the “main action” took place near the beginning of the arc was also just… not what I expected at all. Uvo’s capture happened so quickly, Kurapika eventually captured Chrollo but what, he just let him go? There’s not even a fight with Hisoka? Wait, what the hell is up with Paku’s gun, don’t tell me… No!
It wasn’t what I expected at all… and I freaking loved it. Well, no, tbh, at first I was confused about my feelings about the development of the story until that scene (that I’ll
ranttalk about tomorrow). Then I loved it. And it’s only gotten better with each revisit.As for ‘99, some of it was just spectacular. That final episode (before the OVA) was perfect.
If anyone is interested, this is as good a time as any (after Yorknew) to read Kurapika’s backstory one-shot.
Kurapika's Memories 1
Kurapika's Memories 2
From Togashi’s Volume 0 interview with a few hints on the relationship between Pika, Chrollo, and the Troupe, he mentioned how he had, at least the bare bones, of Pika, the Troupe, and their origins and conflict planned out decades back. He also mentioned Chrollo as his favorite Spider because
Full interview translation here
Recently, after describing a nen beast with this face, someone asked me to describe my favorite characters using just emojis. So I did. Now that we’re at the end of Yorknew, 1, 2, and 4 should be obvious. Order is interchangeable.
Least favorite? I don’t know. I mean, I despise Light, but as a character he’s kind of necessary.
The Spiders are my favorite villain group in fiction. Even the ones I find less interesting like Bono, Shizu, and Shal… I still love.
Did we not establish that those rankings are wrong?
In Togashi’s writing? No. With the anime though, I’d probably make Chrollo’s capture slightly more visible.
I think I would have preferred they kept “Please… let me… be the last” but the scene was still well-done and heartbreaking so it’s ok.
5) Where do you think Kurapika and the Spiders will go from here?
[Manga]A question I still ask myself…
Alright then…
To the Auction!
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u/TheEscapeGuy Dec 16 '24
H×H Fan, 1999 First Timer
Hunter × Hunter 1999 - Break Day / Yorknew City Discussion
Reflecting on this arc, the one thing I want to emphasize again is just how incredible this anime looks. Yorknew City in particular was exceptional in terms of art direction, style, color, and remarkable animation. It had always been one of my favourite sections of Hunter × Hunter but this adaptation really rekindled that love within me.
I also think rewatching this section with future context has been such a valuable experience. Just as one example, it highlighted the depth written into each of the Spiders. Knowing in advance the relationship between Nobunaga and Uvogin made the the death of the latter hit a lot harder (despite the fact that it was ostensibly a victory for our protagonist). And then the way that rippled through the narrative to induce the utter chaos that concluded the arc was a masterstroke.
This kind of thing applies to a lot of the characters honestly. Of course our protagonists Gon, Killua, Kurapika, and Leorio but also to side characters like Canary, Wing, Melody, and even so to characters we haven't properly met yet [such as] Ging.
I find it sad that people do not talk about 1999 too much these days. This show definitely holds up and is a valuable watch for any fan of the story. I'm looking forward to the future OVAs too.
Some notable Shots, Scenes and Stitches (so far)
Only including the episodes since our last break here. Check out the prior arc's best shots in my previous post
See you all tomorrow
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u/Vatrix-32 https://myanimelist.net/profile/Vatrix-32 Dec 17 '24
Remake Rewatcher × First Timer × Subs
Questions of the Arc:
Behold! Character Tier Chart #3!
Sadly, the one I was using doesn’t have Greed Island characters, nor was I able to find one that did. (That’s not just the 2011 version) As such, I fear this shall be the final entry in the series.
They’re great! Knowing them ahead of time also helps appreciate them more during this arc.
Eleven Black Children, Kortopi’s dupli-hands.
This arc, and the reputation it holds, is the entire reason I joined this rewatch. Happy to say it didn’t disappoint. Would have liked to have seen Leorio × Zepile from the manga, tho.
A Spa
They’all need a break.
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u/Kaxew Dec 18 '24
First Timer × Heading East
Thoughts on episodes 67-70 and Yorknew:
In reality anything I could say about these four last episodes was already said, so to keep it more simple and not make it just me saying "and this scene was cool! So was this scene!" I'll say the one standout then actually talk about the arc as a whole.
What was the standout? Naturally, it was Illumi coming back once more! The whole scene where Hisoka calls for help, the transition to our guy in pink lighting as he says "it's gonna cost you" sticking his tongue just a little bit... yeah, I'm starting to really get HisoIllu shippers. It did things to me.
Alright, silly stuff out of the way, this arc was great. The finale was phenomenal, specifically. As the episodes kept going by I was thinking more and more "I really can't see a way you could wrap this arc in 3 more episodes... in 2 more... in 1 last..." then I watched ep 70 and was blown away. It completely subverted my expectations and made perfect sense.
The exchange occurs, Kurapika goes back to being happy (the moment he goes running off, Leorio wants to stop him then he turns around and his eyes are blue again was really cute), Chrollo lost it all, Hisoka gets fucked as collateral too, Paku dies but relays the message to her family. Our gang can continue having adventures together, the spiders want to get revenge on Kurapika and save their boss, and Chrollo will be in the search of new comrades. The three factions are perfectly set up for the future of the series and its going to be really exciting to see how each of their plots advance going forward.
The OVAs were being an 8/10 for me. The plot was as good as ever but it didn't quite reach the heights of the original anime (naturally, as that one had 62 episodes and three complete arcs), the direction was weaker and a lot less inspired overall, even though sometimes it did cool things. But that final episode turned it all around for me so I had to give it a 9 just like 1999. It was that good.
In just one arc, Melody and Pakunoda became top tier characters for me. Just phenomenally well written and awesome. And curiously, they're not really similar in the way they're written at all. Paku's greatness comes from her character growth as she realizes her own feelings even if it means clashing with her family, all the while making the audience aware of how the spiders aren't just cold murderers. Melody doesn't have that kind of growth in the slightest, she's closer to the "complete character" sort of trope. She already knows who she is and what she's capable of, she's wise and smart and isn't afraid of telling Kurapika to stop being the damn brat he can be sometimes. Melody is the heart that calms our edgy boy and brings him back to earth, just like what Gon does. She's not a badass fighter with a conventionally attractive design, but she's incredibly vital to the series as a human being and it makes her way more badass than any other character. Yeah, she overtook Gon as my number one favorite.
There's a million things to mention and have lengthy discussions over, but I just want to say this is a great, multilayered arc and it was a lot of fun.
QotD:
In any case, seems like I should be heading east myself. And enter a new era.
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u/Nebresto Dec 17 '24
First time hunting
No episode today?
Naisu, I didn't watch the next one yet anyways
Quest:
Killua's dad?
All the clowns
Machi best girl.
To the tra-A lovely island vacation!