Hunter x Hunter Review: The Most Brilliant — and Most Unfinished — Manga Ever Made
by Yoshihiro Togashi
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Quick Take
- 37 volumes of the smartest action manga ever written — and probably 5–10 volumes still to come
- Every arc reinvents the series from scratch; the Chimera Ant arc alone would be a masterpiece as a standalone work
- The hiatus situation is real — go in knowing this, and read anyway
Who Is This Manga For?
Hunter x Hunter is for you if:
- You want action manga that takes the intelligence of its characters — and its reader — seriously
- You love systems: the Nen power system is the most thoughtfully designed ability system in manga
- You can tolerate unfinished stories — the series has been on hiatus repeatedly and the ending is not yet written
- You want something that will change how you think about what action manga can do
Content Warnings & Age Rating
Age Rating: T (Teen) — though later arcs push toward M Content Warnings: Action violence that becomes genuinely dark in later arcs; psychological horror elements (particularly in the Chimera Ant arc); character death; depictions of manipulation, cruelty, and the predatory behavior of the Phantom Troupe
This series starts lighter than it finishes. The early arcs are adventurous and fun. By the Chimera Ant arc, the series is exploring something genuinely unsettling.
Yu's Rating
| Category | Score |
|---|---|
| Story Depth | ★★★★★ |
| Art Style | ★★★☆☆ |
| Character Development | ★★★★★ |
| Accessibility for Non-Japanese Readers | ★★★★☆ |
| Reread Value | ★★★★★ |
Story Overview
Gon Freecss is twelve years old and wants to find his father — a legendary Hunter who left when Gon was an infant. To do that, Gon must become a Hunter himself: an elite licensed professional who can access anything, go anywhere, and do nearly anything.
The Hunter Exam is where Gon meets Killua — an assassin from a family of killers who has decided he wants to be something other than what he was raised to be. Their friendship is the heart of the series.
From there, Hunter x Hunter defies summary. Each arc transforms the series into something new:
- The Hunter Exam: A survival gauntlet that introduces the world
- Zoldyck Family arc: A quiet, tense thriller
- Heaven's Arena: The introduction of Nen, the ability system that changes everything
- Yorknew City: A heist and massacre that introduces the Phantom Troupe, one of manga's greatest antagonist groups
- Greed Island: A video game arc that plays with genre conventions
- Chimera Ant: A 130-chapter meditation on humanity, evolution, and what it means to be a person
- Election arc: Political intrigue following the aftermath of war
- Succession War: The series' current, incomplete arc
Each of these could be a different series. The fact that they are all Hunter x Hunter is one of fiction's great creative achievements.
Characters
Gon Freecss — The protagonist, and one of manga's most unsettling heroes once you look closely. His obsession is pure and total — he will sacrifice anything, including himself, to achieve his goals. His goodness is genuine; so is his capacity for something that isn't.
Killua Zoldyck — The character most readers come for and never stop thinking about. An assassin trained since birth, deciding with great difficulty that he wants to live differently. His arc — learning to act for himself rather than for others — is one of the most carefully observed character studies in shounen.
Kurapika — Driven by revenge so consuming it has become his entire identity. His arc is a masterclass in showing how obsession hollows out a person.
Hisoka — The series' great wild card. A man who lives entirely for the pleasure of encountering someone worth fighting. Terrifying, charismatic, and one of manga's most distinctive villains.
Meruem — The King of the Chimera Ants, and one of the greatest antagonists in fiction. What Togashi does with Meruem — creating a being of absolute power and then humanizing him without sentimentalizing him — is extraordinary.
Art Style
Togashi's art has always been functional rather than beautiful, and in the later volumes — drawn during a period of serious health issues — the linework becomes sparse in ways that some readers find distracting. The art communicates everything you need to know; it simply does not do it with visual polish.
This is the honest truth. Hunter x Hunter's art is the weakest element of an otherwise extraordinary series. Many readers find that they stop noticing within a few chapters.
What the art does brilliantly: Togashi's panel composition for action sequences is genuinely intelligent. The spatial logic of Nen battles is always clear, even when the abilities being depicted are conceptually complex.
Cultural Context
The Nen system — Nen is a form of life energy that practitioners can shape into six types of ability. The system has a strict internal logic — certain types counter others, more powerful techniques require greater sacrifice and restriction. This rigorous design reflects a Japanese tradition of ability systems with clear rules, but Togashi takes it further than anyone.
The Chimera Ant arc and World War II — The Chimera Ant arc draws on imagery and themes connected to Japanese historical guilt about wartime conduct and the dehumanization that war requires. It is not a comfortable arc, and it is not meant to be.
Meruem and nuclear anxiety — Meruem's power, and what it does to the world around him, has been read as an allegory for nuclear weapons — power so absolute that it changes the nature of conflict entirely.
What I Love About It
There is a chapter late in the Chimera Ant arc where Meruem — who has spent a hundred chapters being the most terrifying being in the world — is playing a strategy board game with a blind girl named Komugi.
He keeps losing. She is the world champion; he is, in every other domain, superior to all human beings. He cannot beat her. So he keeps coming back.
And then — very quietly — something changes in him.
I have read a lot of manga. I have never seen anything like what Togashi does with those scenes. The most powerful being in the world, discovering something he cannot have but cannot stop wanting. It is heartbreaking and it has nothing to do with fighting.
That is what Hunter x Hunter does that nothing else does. The action is extraordinary. The ideas underneath the action are more extraordinary still.
What English-Speaking Fans Say
Hunter x Hunter has a passionate, devoted Western fanbase that is also deeply familiar with the hiatus problem — the series has been on hiatus for months and sometimes years at a time due to Togashi's health. The community has developed a specific dark humor around this.
Common praise: The Chimera Ant arc is frequently cited as the greatest extended arc in all of manga. Killua's arc is universally beloved. The Nen system is considered the gold standard for ability design.
Common frustration: The unfinished nature of the story. The art quality in later volumes. The uncertainty of whether Togashi will complete the series.
The consensus: essential, despite — or perhaps because of — its imperfection.
Memorable Scene ⚠️ Spoiler Warning
Gon's transformation during the Chimera Ant arc.
Faced with the death of someone he couldn't save, Gon makes a wish: to have all the power he would ever develop, now, at this moment, regardless of the cost. The result is a version of Gon who no longer resembles the cheerful boy from volume one in any meaningful way.
It is the most disturbing thing in the series — not because of what it looks like, but because of what it means. The protagonist's goodness was always contingent on things going well enough. When it doesn't go well enough, the other thing is there.
Killua's response to this — what he does for Gon, at great cost — is the series' most affecting moment.
Similar Manga
If you liked Hunter x Hunter, try:
- Yu Yu Hakusho — Togashi's previous series, similarly starts light and gets dark
- Fullmetal Alchemist — Different genre, same level of narrative intelligence
- Vinland Saga — Similar thematic seriousness, different setting
- Made in Abyss — Similar sense of adventure concealing something genuinely dark
Reading Order / Where to Start
Start from Volume 1. The series is continuous and each arc builds on the last.
Key milestones:
- Vol. 1–5: The Hunter Exam — accessible, exciting intro
- Vol. 6–13: Yorknew City — where the series becomes something special
- Vol. 14–20: Greed Island — lighter arc, fun before the main event
- Vol. 21–30: Chimera Ant — the masterpiece arc
If you finish Volume 5 and want more, you're in for the long haul.
Official English Translation Status
Status: Ongoing English Volumes: 37 Translator: VIZ Media Translation Quality: Excellent throughout
Pros & Cons
Pros
- The most intelligent action manga ever written
- The Chimera Ant arc is a genuine masterpiece
- The Nen system is the best-designed ability system in manga
- Killua's arc is the most affecting character study in shounen
Cons
- Unfinished — the story does not have an ending yet
- Art quality declines significantly in later volumes
- The series requires patience and attention that casual readers may not want to give
Format Comparison
| Format | Volumes | Price per vol. (approx.) | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paperback (individual) | 37 vols | ~$9–11 | Collecting |
| Kindle | 37 vols | ~$6–8 | Easiest for ongoing series |
Where to Buy
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Written by
Yu
Manga Enthusiast from Japan
I grew up in Japan and manga literally saved me during a tough time in elementary school. My English isn't perfect, but my love for manga is real — and I want to share it with you.
Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you.