Hunter x Hunter Anime (1999 + 2011 versions) and Manga Differences + Opinion - Heavens Arena Arc

 HEAVENS ARENA ARC 

1999 anime episodes 37-47

2011 anime episodes 27-38

Manga chapters 44-66

Unsurprisingly, all the way to the 200th floor of the tower, the manga and both versions of the anime are pretty much the same with minor differences. I think the most notable difference would be that in the 1999 anime, they put in the anime original funny elevator lady and having Killua waste all his money on snacks again and try to steal Gon's money lmao. Honestly it's a minor difference but it was a difference that I nostalgically remember because it was hilarious haha. It's sad that the 2011 anime doesn't have moments like this to really make itself stand out since I think it really lacks in character interactions that they could have put in to make the story less bland but it's okay haha. Kinda sad the 2011 anime cut out that random commentator next to Killua who called Killua an amateur for thinking Gido would get dizzy spinning after a while hahahahaha.

In the manga and kind of in the1999 anime after Gon broke his arm fighting Gido, and was practising Ten, he thought about his goals - namely finding Ging since it's considered the most difficult hunt, but he also thought about Ging, Kite and Hisoka hoping to reach their levels. The 2011 anime completely omits this. I'm also kinda sad that the 2011 anime doesn't have Killua say that he spent 150,000 Jenny on the tickets to Hisoka's match, and that he could have bought 1000 chocolates with that money hahaha. I love how in the 1999 anime, the funny elevator lady appears during this scene too hahha. Amusingly, the 2011 anime seems to follow the 1999 anime in having the anime original scene of Gon turning off the TV when Hisoka's match is about to come on (since the manga just shows him pulling up a fist restraining himself). I also would have preferred the 2011 anime to keep in the part where Kastro asks Killua if he still wants his autograph haha, not that it's important but it was amusing banter and doesn't make the conversation as rigid. What I definitely prefer in the manga and 1999 anime that the 2011 anime omitted was Hisoka's thoughts during his battle against Kastro. It's understandable that some people don't like these inner monologues, but since you don't get to see Hisoka all the time and what he's thinking about, it's nice to know how he reacts in a fight against people aside from the main characters. On an unrelated note, Kastro looks so much better in the 1999 anime imo haha. I honestly wish the anime added Hisoka eating off some flesh on his arm (probably for the trick) because it was so random and feral, I loved it hahaha. Awww, on the other hand, I'm disappointed that the 1999 anime just did a shortened version of the fight against Kastro like a flashback, so that was saddening. The 2011 anime is also superior in its analysis of the fight between Kastro and Hisoka, since not only does it show the whole fight properly, it also kinda does a play by play of the important bits on the TV with Gon to properly understand how Hisoka used his abilities.

In the manga, the narrator gives more context to Hisoka saying stuff like he's someone that doesn't say everything and will forget Kastro's face by tomorrow etc, whereas in the 2011 anime, Machi says this, which is kinda awkward because even though Machi is to an extent interested in Hisoka, I honestly doubt she knows him well enough or cares enough to say something like that in her mind tbh. Minor change, but I would have appreciated if the 2011 anime talked about how Killua lied to Wing and them that he found Zushi somewhere and "saved" him in that sense, since it made it kinda unclear that Killua actually didn't tell them the truth. On the other hand, I do want to note that I really like how the 2011 anime shows nen and all the auras, I feel like it's much clearer than the 1999 anime even though they pretty much say the same thing haha. I'm also kinda sad the 1999 anime didn't show Zushi use Gyo to watch the recording of Hisoka's match to see how many strings of nen he made. Kinda weird but the 1999 anime pushes whole  debacle with Zushi nearly getting kidnapped and just streamlines all the way to  the Hisoka vs Gon match, which is kinda interesting. I can't say whether I like it or not though, since I can understand wanting to see the fight against Hisoka and the fights against Gido and the other guy are rather inconsequential so moving it around isn't too big of a problem I guess lol. Actually, nah I take it back LOL. I prefer the 2011 anime in this case because I feel like it makes more sense for Hisoka to adhere to his condition that Gon must win one battle on the Floor 200s before he fights him, and I really like seeing how Gon and Killua have grown with their nen abilities before Gon faces Hisoka. Not only has Gon grown stronger, he also feels a bit more mature, and I like how Hisoka seems to acknowledge that and happily be his opponent, so yeah, it makes less sense for Hisoka in the 1999 anime to ignore the condition he set before and just fight him when Gon hasn't exactly shown him his growth using nen. I also like it that in the manga and 2011 anime, Gon is the one to call Hisoka and arrange a time for their match very confidently, so I think if the 1999 anime followed the manga, it would have made a much better impact for the match between Gon and Hisoka rather than just rushing it.

As for the Water Divination Test to see what type of Nen User they are, the 2011 anime exaggerated Gon's progress by fully overflowing the glass of water and cracking the cup badly that Wing needed to tell him to stop (it only had a crack in the manga but didn't overflow like a waterfall haha, and Wing just told Gon it was good), but it was cool to see. As for Hisoka vs Gon. the 2011 anime obviously has the advantage with the superior animation quality, but I have to say it does enjoy dragging out some of the scenes for more impact, which isn't necessarily a bad thing though because it does it quite well. On the other hand, the 1999 animation might be more bland, but I do enjoy how straightforward it is with the fight, I'd say it's pretty much like the manga. Btw, lmao at the 1999 anime for adding in the Togashi dog mask cameo for the random commentator talking about Gon's stone plate throw to get a punch on Hisoka (Togashi draws himself as a dog when he writes comments etc in the manga). On that note, it's kinda amusing that the 2011 anime made it that Hisoka kicked a stone plate all the way to the entrance, when in the manga and the 1999 anime, he kicked it to the spectators, which I kinda preferred more mainly because it's fun to think about how less he cares about the audience loll. Otherwise, Hisoka's chain of consecutive attacks was definitely cooler in the 2011 anime, but I liked the music change in the 1999 anime more. It's also kinda cute how the 1999 anime kept Machi in the audience to watch over Hisoka's match. Something funny but not important is that in the manga, Killua actually suggested going to Whale Island to meet Mito, and Gon said okay since he hadn't been back in a while lol, whereas in the 2011 anime, Gon says he wants to go back to show Mito his licence haha.

Whale Island Mini Arc - Killua Meeting Mito

I know no one cares, but I have to say, I love how the manga and the two anime adaptations always have different food. The food Mito prepares for Gon and Killua look better in the manga than the 2011 anime, but the 1999 anime has the most extravagant feast LOL. I also found it hilarious how Killua hates red pepper or something in the 1999 anime and tries to pick it out but is reprimanded by Mito into eating it hahaha. Honestly though, even though the 1999 anime feels the most "homely" and comforting, the 2011 anime did feel pretty fun. I'm sad that the 2011 anime didn't have Gon and Killua talking about Mito wasn't joking when she tried to break the Hunter Licence hahaha, it's so cute. As usual, since the 2011 anime didn't talk about Konta (foxbear) and Kite, it kicks out the parts in the manga and 1999 anime where Gon tells Killua about where he used to play with Konta, where he met Kite etc, I think the best thing that the 2011 anime wasn't able to show was how Konta caught some fish for Gon to welcome him back to Whale Island. It's sad that Konta won't be able to interact with Gon (since female foxbears don't like humans and leaders of the forest shouldn't interact with humans much either) but I really liked how Konta still did what he could showing how much he cars for Gon, and it shows how just as Gon loves his memories with Konta, it's the same with Konta. Anyway, it's obvious that I prefer the 1999 anime for this part, but that's mainly because by sharing Gon's memories to Killua, it really shows how Gon really lived here and wanted to show Killua his home, whereas for the 2011 anime, it honestly just feels like a fun little adventure of a place Gon is familiar with, it just doesn't have the same feelings in it. I know most people don't like the 1999 anime original part with the poachers and how they try to make Killua learn to be more "moralistic" and kind by teaching him that all lives matter and that he shouldn't end it so easily when the foxbear cub hasn't even died yet and is trying his best to live, but I didn't mind it. I feel this scene doesn't make it that Killua needs to become "soft" or anything, but I think it allows him to understand what kind of people Gon and Mito are, and how living in itself isn't necessarily futile even if you think there's no purpose, because anyone who is struggling to live shows that they have a purpose to doing that. Anyway, I loved the idea of saving the cub with nen, and LMAO at Konta being surprised his cub can use nen now because of it, that was hilarious hahahaha.

Although I still think it's ridiculous of the 1999 anime to make Gon's mother Mito's sister, and have Ging be even more of a jerk in this version because he legit left Gon to them after the sister died lmao, I do think the flashbacks with young Ging and Mito hit more close to home here. I think that's mainly because the 2011 anime cut out the part when Ging and Mito talk, especially when he said stuff like "Found you" amd "Let's go home" after always being the first one to find her when she gets lost. I think the 2011 anime just didn't have the same nuance when it came to that. But honestly the sister thing is weird and doesn't make sense, so yeah I'll just say the manga is the best for this part lolll. Anyway, for the tape recording, the 1999 anime changes it to Ging saying that he has a recording of Gon's mum's voice if he wants to hear it, instead of asking Gon if he wants to hear about his mother, which I guess they had to change if they wanted to be consistent with the idea of her being Mito's sister that's dead lol. Anyway, episode 45 of the 1999 anime delves into Kurapika and a bit more into his nen powers and motivations etc but I think that's more related to next arc so there's not much to say for now. I guess the 1999 anime wanted to break it up in between but yeah oh well lol. Honestly, though, it's more spoiler-ish to have it there since this isn't shown until later in the manga.

Overall, the Heavens Arena Arc is pretty short and straightforward, and I think when it comes to the entirety of it, I would prefer the 2011 anime. Of course when it comes to the silly entertainment value, the elevator lady makes the whole arc so much more fun alongside other silly stuff, but I think the explanation of nen is crucial for the rest of the story, so I think it's better to miss out on jokes than the clearer and easier to understand explanation of nen in the 2011 anime. In addition, the fights are definitely animated better, mainly with Kastro imo, I think the play by play Wing did in the 2011 anime really helped to enhance the experience and I think that's not something watchers should miss out on. Also, the rearrangement of fights in the 1999 anime made it a bit more awkward than it should have been imo. Otherwise though, I do think the feelings and thoughts portrayed in the 1999 anime were told better, but that's only my opinion. 

Anyway, this post was late haha, I was supposed to have finished it in early November because I finished most of the post by that time, but I got distracted I guess lol. This will probably be my last post of the year, so Merry Christmas and have a Happy New Year! And I will continue on into my favourite arc - Yorknew City/Phantom Troupe Arc in 2021!

Hunter x Hunter Anime (1999 + 2011 versions) and Manga Differences + Opinion - Hunter Exam Arc (Part 4)

   HUNTER EXAM ARC PART 4 (FINAL PHASE & KUKUROO MOUNTAIN)

1999 anime episodes 26-36

2011 anime episodes 18-26

Manga chapters 32-44

Interview on the Airship

 HAHAHA, it's anime original, but I absolutely love how in the 1999 anime Bodoro makes everyone think that the final phase is going to be a written exam, it's just hilarious seeing them try to study and do other silly things without really affecting the story. It honestly also made me kinda like Bodoro, so when he died, other than being shocked at Killua, I was also pretty sad about it lol. Anyway, something I found interesting with the interview part was that in the 1999 anime, they decided to make Killua say that he least wanted to fight with Pokkle, but at the same time state that the "truth" was that he didn't want to fight Gon because they're friends now. Honestly, even though it's not a part of the manga, I found it quite heartwarming because it was nice to have that confirmation that Killua likes Gon that much haha. Anyway, I also liked how in the 1999 anime, Killua did ask Gon about how it went trying to get Hisoka's number plate, but Gon couldn't really talk about it initially because of his feelings of frustration, but then later on after talking about it with Kurapika, he feels like he can tell Killua about what happened. I just found that it made sense for Killua to ask about it since he knew who Gon's target was, and I think anyone would be curious, so I'm actually surprised he didn't ask about it in the manga haha. So yup, I'm glad they added that part in the 1999 anime. 

On a lesser important note, I preferred how the 1999 anime had the photos of rest of the applicants on the table during the interview for the interviewee to pick from, and I liked how the question they were answering was subtitled because it made everything much clearer. It wasn't necessary, but I really liked that they did that. In this aspect, I'd say the 2011 anime followed the manga to a fault because even though it wasn't too confusing who they were talking about, and what question they were answering, it did feel better to show it properly imo.

Tournament (Final Phase)

Honestly though, it's kinda funny when you put into perspective how before in Trick Tower of the 2011 anime, Killua was adamant on him and Gon passing, but the moment the idea that Gon had more potential than him was stated, you can see he's rather perturbed and even looking down on Gon to an extent, which is kinda why I didn't like how they did that Trick Tower part for the 2011 anime imo, because Killua is interested in Gon but he's not like Kurapika and Leorio where they've been affected so much by him that they wouldn't hesitate to give up on their chances to become Hunters to protect him, or at least he doesn't realise it until he's confronted with whether being "strong" is more important or being able to be a normal kid with Gon.. 

Anyway about Gon vs Hanzo, it's not a difference per se for the specific match, but I really wanted to talk about how because the 2011 anime omitted Kite, it really made Gon's stubbornness for wanting to see Ging (his father) no matter what less understandable in a sense. A lot of Gon's reasons for becoming a Hunter and wanting to see the world Ging experiences is because Kite told him all about it and he knows how strong and cool Kite is, so knowing that Kite is his disciple that admires Ging so much makes his dream of seeing Ging much more tangible than just chasing after some guy who left him as a baby imo, and this change really makes Gon's character rather shallow and boring in the 2011 anime imo. Another thing I didn't like about the 2011 anime was that as usual, because they kicked out Kite, Satotz telling Gon about Ging being the Hunter he admires makes it less meaningful, because for the 2011 anime, Gon is in awe that Ging does stuff like that and is even respected by Satotz but in the manga and 1999 anime, Gon realises for himself that it's Ging because he's probably heard it from Kite, which really recontextualises the scene and proves that Kite isn't being biased about Ging, he really is that amazing. I also really liked how Satotz convinced Gon to take the Hunter Licence in the 1999 anime, it felt like it was understandable and it really put into perspective that it's true that getting this licence is just the beginning and that he shouldn't be so focused on "deserving" it or not in his own terms.

It's interesting that the 1999 anime decided to change the order of the matches and have the first match be Hisoka vs Kurapika rather than have it as a flashback with Satotz telling Gon, but think I can see why, because it is definitely much more fun to open with Hisoka's match and then kinda go down with Gon's stubbornness in the next haha. One thing I enjoy much more with the 1999 anime is that they bothered to animate the fight for Hisoka vs Kurapika. It's true that the 2011 anime was "faithful" in that all the manga did was say Hisoka and Kurapika fought for a while and then he said something to Kurapika, and then forfeited, which is why it was such a missed opportunity for them to actually do something like the 1999 anime did! I'm sure a lot of people would have been hyped for a Hisoka fight, so it's kinda saddening that they didn't bother to creatively add this in their own way, which is why I think the 1999 anime is superior for this part because not only does it show effort, but it's also not something hard to animate in terms of "content" because Hisoka is obviously stronger than Kurapika, so they don't need to think of fancy ways for Hisoka to fight whilst being able to keep in line with the story. However, that's just me being nitpicky lol. I also found it funny in the 1999 anime how Leorio kept telling Kurapika to lose to Hisoka so that they wouldn't need to fight him lmao. I also love how overall for the whole tournament, the 1999 anime puts in effort to have commentary from the people watching, so it's not as "boring" as it is in the 2011 anime haha. 

Illumi vs Killua was definitely much better portrayed in the 1999 anime for me. The tense atmosphere, Killua and Gon's crazy heart beating, Killua descending into darkness and everything was just shown so much better to feel the same fear and sadness Killua felt when confronted by Illumi. On an unrelated note, Illumi is so much hotter in the 1999 anime LOL. Anyway, something crucial the 2011 anime cut out was the existence of Ging's Double Hunter Certificate that Gon picked up from Kite in the beginning of the story. Gon asks Satotz about this and he tells him about how the numbers on the bottom of the card/certificate show that Ging was a part of the 267th Hunter Exam and was the sole Hunter to come out of it that year. I also liked how the manga and 1999 anime delved into the whole thing about contacting each other through home codes and kinda talking more about this system that Hunters can use to search for information etc since the 2011 anime doesn't really elaborate on what Hunters can use to go about their searches for stuff. I didn't really like how the 1999 anime made Kurapika and Leorio prioritise their respective goals for becoming a Hunter first, and then realising that maybe they should go along with Gon to find Killua though, since I feel like even though Gon and Killua are best friends, Kurapika and Leorio obviously really care about Killua as well (since they kept trying to talk to him after his fight with Illumi) and I don't think they would have just thought about leaving like that.

Killua's Home (Kukuroo Mountain)

I always love how Killua's home is a tourist attraction lmao. Although for some, the 1999 anime having original stuff might not be want they want, but I actually enjoyed that version the most! I really liked how they took the time to show the scenery from them getting on the train to Kukuroo Mountain, it really helped to show that they're in a different place rather than how straightforward it is in the manga and the 2011 anime. I especially love how the tour guide lady insists on them calling her Coco-chan lmao, it's just stuff like that which makes the story flow better and feel more personal imo. I also really liked how in the 1999 anime, Coco-chan and the driver were pretty chill when the bounty hunters were eaten, which I think makes a lot of sense, since I feel like if there's a lot of people who come to the Zoldyck estate for their heads, the drivers and tour guides should be used to this already lol. I loved how chill she was and she just continued talking about their deaths like an attraction whereas the real tourists wanted to get the hell out of there loll. I also kinda liked how in the 1999 anime it took a while for Gon and them to convince Zebro to actually do something, since I feel like he's so chill about trusting them in the original that you can understand why the butler guy would be annoyed hahaha.

Surprisingly though, for the Testing Gate, the 2011 anime really made Leorio, Kurapika and Gon super weak lol! Like, I'm not one to complain but when I was watching it, I was like how could they be so weak that they needed all three of them to open the first door??? Within line of my expectations, the manga and 1999 anime show that Leorio was able to open two doors by himself and Kurapika and Gon could open one by themselves. I also found it weird that in the 2011 anime, Kurapika and Leorio stopped Gon from training with them because of his broken arm, he's not a baby, lol! Anyway, the 1999 anime is definitely much more faithful and I also liked how they did the transition of scenes for their training more. Rather than them doing specific weight training in their own time in the 2011 anime, the 1999 anime has them incorporate their training with the chores that Zebro tells them to do, so you can really see that they basically trained themselves by making anything they did force them to get used to the weight and make them stronger. Also nice that Gon wasn't babied and actually trained too lol. I also really liked the 1999 anime original scenes where Mike chased after Gon when Leorio accidentally opened the intruder gate, it was really cool and I think it showed better how much Seaquant liked them. Since this part was short in the manga, it really let them have more freedom to do their own stuff and I really appreciated that the 1999 anime did that, since in the 2011 anime not only were they portrayed to be weaker, it also felt very bland imo. 

Honestly, I really loved how the 1999 anime did the bit with Canary. In the manga and 2011 anime, she's pretty forgettable, but with the 1999 anime, they bothered to put a whole episode for her and her dilemma on wanting to be a good servant to the Zoldyck family but also being friends with Killua. I think I really liked how they decided to put that little bit where Killua wanted to be friends with her as a child before Gon even meets her to establish the kind of person she was already, because then it made it so painful for her to have to hit Gon so badly later on. Like, here is this kid that is doing what she always wanted to do for Killua but could not and she's the one wrecking Killua's chance of having a friend, so it really humanised Canary and made her much more understandable and nice to see. It's kinda interesting that in the 2011 anime, Canary is the one who approached Killua and seemed to want to befriend him more than he did loll, and it was only because Killua's mother was there that she wasn't able to be his friend, but honestly it kinda makes you think, if she really wanted to, they could have hid the fact that they were friends, so now it kinda makes it silly in a sense that they actually bonded but she never bothered to do anything else for 10 years knowing the life he led. Whereas, I feel like I can understand her situation in the 1999 anime more since she always drew that line between them as servant and master, so when Gon came along and broke that, it made her understand how that line restrained her all these years from doing what she really wanted to do, and now there's someone who is willing to go over and beyond that line to save the one she always wanted to save, and I think that was more emotional for me. I also think the 1999 anime integrating Canary's emotions and thoughts into her "fight" against Gon made it much more emotional than kinda just talking about her past later in the 2011 anime. Anyway, I personally think the 1999 anime was better in terms of story and interpretation. Btw, I also didn't like how the 2011 anime showed Killua's mother and Milluki already when I feel like Canary getting shot by the mother was supposed to be more of a shock and surprise without for sure knowing who that person was, since you gotta admit, his mother looks really interesting haha.

On another note, I find it funny how in the 1999 anime, Killua was supposed to have dropped his skateboard when he was walking back to the estate, but when he meets Milluki, he uses the skateboard to hit him lol! Anyway, I'll say the rest of the arc is pretty much the same for all three versions with minor differences, so yay, I guess they could agree on something! Lol. But I did enjoy how the 1999 anime as usual adds minor banter between Gotoh and Canary to show that he really loves Killua and just wanted to see if what Canary said was true, that Gon and them were really his friends. I won't deny that Canary definitely looks much better in the 2011 anime though! But the 1999 anime is more faithful to her appearance haha, not that it matters, because even though she looked better, I liked her character in the 1999 anime more lol.

Overall, it's kinda funny! I was honestly starting to think that maybe I romanticised the 1999 anime with my nostalgia but I think I still agree with childhood me haha. Not only does the 1999 anime talk about Kite and the Double Star Hunter Certificate and elaborate on more little things such as how Hunters can gather information with the cyberspace that they're given access to with their licence etc, it also really integrates well the characters and their motivations, especially with Canary. Honestly, if I just read the manga and watched the 2011 anime, I would completely forget about Canary by the next arc, but I think the way the 1999 anime characterised her made me really like her and think that she and Gotoh are the most faithful to Killua. The 1999 anime also made the invasion into Killua's home much more exciting because of that and Mike tbh haha. So yep, I definitely enjoyed what the 1999 anime did with the last bit in regards to Tournament and the Zoldyck Estate the most because I think they put a lot of effort into it and I could really feel it. The anime original scenes were also much better than what they did before and really enhanced the original story imo, so yep 1999 anime is the winner for this part hahaha~ Not saying that the 2011 anime is bad though, I just prefer the old version haha.

Hunter x Hunter Anime (1999 + 2011 versions) and Manga Differences + Opinion - Hunter Exam Arc (Part 3)

   HUNTER EXAM ARC PART 3 (THIRD & FOURTH PHASES)

1999 anime episodes 11-25

2011 anime episodes 7-18

Manga chapters 13-32

Airship challenge against Chairman Netero

Even though it's anime original, I really like how in the 1999 anime, when Killua and Gon tour around the airship, we actually do get to see what they get up to haha. It's a nice change of pace to see Killua more like a brat loll. The 2011 anime kinda does this with Killua and Gon getting meat from the kitchen though hahaha. What I wish the 2011 anime incorporated was when the examiners were talking about their favourites and Buhara mentioned Hisoka, I absolutely love how it shows Hisoka break his pyramid of cards and start laughing weirdly to himself. The 2011 version just shows him break it menacingly, but I think the laugh just makes it so..Hisoka? I love how the manga and 1999 version show others staring at him weirdly as he laughs to himself, and I just think that scene really shows how weird but lovable Hisoka is imo. 

However, when it comes to the part where Gon and Killua are trying to get the ball off Netero, the manga and 2011 version are definitely much better. I always found Anita's existence trying to get revenge on Killua in the 1999 anime a very weird addition to the story, and it doesn't help that they try to integrate it as the main reason they even do the grabbing the ball thing with Netero. It was seriously unneeded and the fact that it fazed Killua enough to lose his calm was just weird and awkward. Killua's sense of morality isn't something so easily wavered by a random imo, so it was really weird to put that in the story. I'm also not really into them introducing an impression of the Zoldyck family already either, especially since it's not like when they kill, they really care who they kill and whether it's right to kill that person. Killua's assassin technique being changed to something that blends into the darkness was also kinda weird considering how they're in an enclosed room with light lol, so yeah, would have been better if they just followed the manga and did the after image thing like the 2011 anime did. I also don't like how they make it as if Killua is repressing this killer personality inside of him, when really Killua the assassin and him are basically one in the same and he's never really denied that part of him.

I also didn't like how the 1999 anime changed how Killua didn't kill those guys that provoked him when he was in his "mood to kill". He was pretty ruthless in the manga, and honestly it really bore similarity to the first time you met Hisoka. It's just that in this case (manga and 2011 anime), Killua was the one who bumped into them and killed them for being annoying about wanting an apology. The ending to Anita's story to make Killua and his family "not all that bad" was also really unnecessary because the Zoldyck family don't care about whether what they're doing is for good or bad, and I found the 1999 anime to really like to make this conception that our main characters must be "morally good" in the end kinda thing, which Togashi does without having to resort to weird stories like this, so yeah, Anita's character really makes this part weird and they really shouldn't have changed it imo. 2011 version definitely the best just because it's nice to see animation, but Killua killing those guys he bumped into was shown much better in the manga, censorship problems for the anime I guess~ Overall, the manga and the 2011 anime win this round hahaha.

Trick Tower (Third Phase)

Most of it up until the actual fights with the prisoners are pretty much the same for all three versions imo. But I do enjoy how the 1999 version presents things a bit better than the 2011 version such as when Geretta found a trap door and disappeared (which follows the manga). I also enjoy how the manga and 1999 versions give a bit more background to the prisoners and the Third Phase examiner Lippo, as he was the one who suggested the whole idea of reducing prison sentences for every hour the applicants are stuck there. Like, I just feel like a lot of stuff in the 2011 version are assumed rather than said or shown so it feels like some things aren't too clear? It's not bad though, I just prefer having more detail. Otherwise, I love how the 2011 anime made it seem like Tonpa was actually going to  fight the guy loll. I enjoyed the simplicity of the 1999 version as well since it created a nice tension, but I think it was unnecessary to have Killua look as if he was going to kill Tonpa for it, and need Gon to tell them that as long as they win 3 matches, it'll be okay, (even though I did enjoy how Killua looked XD) since in the manga and 2011 anime, Killua just says that it was the right choice anyway since the guy most likely would have made it impossible for him to surrender to delay time. Overall, each have their pros and cons as usual imo.

The candle fight was mostly the same, but the 1999 anime really wanted to make it a bit more nerve-wracking by having Gon's candle nearly burnt out enough that he dropped it due to the heat, and then realised he could just blow out the other guy's candle. For me, I prefer the manga and 2011 anime where he very decisively understands that since the candle isn't going to blow out easily, he could just go and blow out the other guy's one. As for Kurapika's fight, all three are the same with minor commentary differences (I'm partial to the 1999 anime because of the soundtrack though), but I do find something funny in the 1999 anime. In the 1999 anime, they kept Kurapika saying that even if he sees a normal spider, he wouldn't be able to remain calm and contain his rage, which is pretty much a direct contradiction with how they introduced Kurapika in the 1999 anime original scene where he uses a fork to move a deadly spider off the table and even keep it alive. Honestly not important but I found it amusing haha. 

Hisoka's fight against the examiner from last year that wanted revenge didn't have anything too different in the anime, but I did like how ruthless the manga was for having Hisoka sever his head. In the 1999 and 2011 anime, I assume there were probably censorship problems, since the former just shows him dead on the ground after a slash whereas the latter just shows the shadow of a head sliced off. Anyway, no ideaaa why the 1999 anime decided to double the amount of time Hisoka took to get to the bottom of the tower i.e. he took 6 hours, not 12 hours as they said. I also have no idea why Bendot is doing the betting with Leorio in the 1999 anime when they already said each person can only go once, like geez, stick to the rules!! LOL. Even if they don't think it's considered the "third match" since it's related to the unconscious guy and Kurapika, it still doesn't make sense to have Leorio play it then lol, but yeah whatever. Anyway, I love how in the 1999 anime, when Hanzo arrives thinking he's the first to clear the Tower, Illumi and Hisoka are playing cards lmao, it's so cute, I love it. 

Considering how Leorio obviously isn't a doctor yet, Leroute's mind game with Leorio before the rock scissors paper game was rather silly if you think about it since Leorio wouldn't have had patients etc, but yeah...in terms of the story overall, it really didn't make sense to put this here, especially since the rock scissors paper game pretty much illustrates how good she is at controlling simple minded people like Leorio, I honestly didn't even realise Leorio's background story was meant to imply he was a doctor of some sort lol, that's so weird. As for Johness, I really like the description of him in the manga and 1999 anime the most since it actually shows how he practically can just randomly grab flesh off people (such as the policeman) and tears people apart into many different pieces. A lot of people seem to like the 2011 anime rendition of Killua vs Johness where the heart is kinda wrapped into a bag or his shirt and Killua holds it until it stops to signify his death, and then kinda mischievously hands it back to him, which I guess is kinda ominously cute, but personally for me, I love the way they did it in the manga and 1999 anime much more. I guess I'm just more of a fan of the rawness of seeing the heart beating in Killua's palm, and just how cruelly he crushes it to signify Johness' death instead (accompanied with great music~). Anyway, in this case, the 1999 anime follows the manga faithfully, and it is also one of the reasons why I prefer the 1999 anime haha, since I feel like the most memorable scenes in HxH for me were changed in the 2011 anime, even though it is true that the 2011 anime vastly improved on a lot of other things.

Anyway, surprisingly, the 2011 anime was the one that dragged out what the team did during the 50 hours they lost. For the manga, it literally just says 50 hours later and continues on with the story, whereas for the 2011 anime, they actually spend like 5-10 minutes showing the team doing mundane things and having Tonpa trying to guilt trip Leorio. On the other hand, I like what the 1999 anime did the most, they spent 1-2 minutes showing them bored out of their minds staring at random stuff loll. Afterwards, since the manga doesn't really explain what else they go through and just says they went through a lot of electric, dungeon and whatever traps, it was much easier for the anime to kinda put in whatever they wanted. However, the 1999 anime did cut out the part where they chose to go upstairs instead of downstairs making them waste their time going around in a circle for 30 minutes lol. But, what I did enjoy from the 1999 anime was that during those ~8 hours of going through those traps, Tonpa was constantly trying to sabotage them with the majority choice and through his words, so it made more sense why Leorio was so annoyed at the last bit when he ran out of patience with him. 

The Last Majority Choice kinda differs between the versions, and I think personally, I like the 1999 anime the most. When it comes to the axe breaking the wall/floor making Gon realise they can just choose the long path and break through the wall, the 2011 anime seems to follow the 1999 anime in that aspect where Leorio and Tonpa fight and that makes him realise they can just do that. In the manga, Gon didn't need anything to spark that realisation, he already realised it by himself after a while and just did it. In completing the exam just in time with Kurapika, Gon and Killua appearing first, then Leorio and Tonpa appearing after (to kinda make it seem like they chose the short path), the 2011 anime follows the manga, but I think I prefer the way the 1999 anime did it without making it seem like only three passed? Like, I think it's pretty obvious that Killua, Leorio, Kurapika and Gon are the main characters and even if they don't pass somehow, it wouldn't be from something like this, so I don't think it was necessary to make it "mysterious". On the other hand, the 1999 anime makes it that the toboggan to get to the exit was Gon's idea but really, that was the thing provided so that they could make it to the exit in three minutes lol, I mean, if it's only going to take three minutes, they have to provide the tool right?! And I doubt setting it up and stuff wouldn't take those three minutes lol, but yeah whatever.  I liked how they came barging in the hall with it lol. It's kinda cute how the 2011 anime made it a slide, but I think a toboggan is more fun lol. Anyway, something interesting to note was when they were discussing who should be left behind as the two, in the 2011 anime, they made Killua say that out of the three that will pass, he and Gon will be two of them, which I felt was kind of weird. I was right about it feeling weird though, because in the manga and 1999 anime, Killua doesn't say that, he only says that he will choose the short path and will pass no matter what, which is much more logical of him. Imo, yes, Killua likes Gon, but he definitely prioritises himself, I just don't think he likes Gon to such an extent at this point of the story right now.

This is the point where the 1999 anime adds an anime original phase/arc with the Battleship Island.(ep 18-20) Honestly it's probably a hit or a miss for people but I for one quite enjoyed it. I probably especially like the idea how for this "bonus phase" they had to cooperate together, and then in the next phase, they had to kill each other. I just thought it was pretty ruthless but "fun" of them to do that contrast, since I think it's true that sometimes you have to work with what you have and people you may not necessarily like to get through stuff. I would say that it was a bit long though since it took 3 episodes haha. I find it so cute bow they had Pokkle and Ponzu work together since they do work well together haha, especially later on with the ants. Anyway, back on track, in the manga and 2011 anime, Lippo immediately makes them do the draw to see who is the prey and who is the hunter for the next phase after they get out of Trick Tower.

Zevil Island (Fourth Phase)

I quite like how the 1999 anime has an original scene where Tonpa talks to Kurapika and Leorio about some characteristics of the applicants. Considering how we haven't seen much of how they fight, it was nice to have a bit more context as a bit of a refresher on how they fight. I don't like how the 2011 anime glossed over how (in the manga and 1999 anime) when Gon left the boat and walked for a bit, he kinda noticed Geretta tracking him, since it establishes who Gon is hunting and who is also hunting Gon to show how just as Gon was super focused on finding an opportunity to grab Hisoka's plate, so was Geretta. Like, the 2011 anime shows it later, but I prefer how Gon kinda lost his chance to notice Geretta in the beginning since he got his guard up after that, and it shows how Gon's instincts are pretty sharp. Aside from the monkey guy jumping down from a tree in the 2011 anime to attack Leorio (he comes out from a bush behind him) for his number plate, the 2011 anime is pretty much identical to the manga. As usual , the 1999 anime adds stuff, but not too much, and I kinda preferred how Leorio was more cautious of Tonpa in the 1999 anime, and it kinda showed better how Leorio only got tricked because Tonpa was seriously having a stomachache, whereas in the 2011 anime, it just makes you think Leorio is being silly again for trusting him haha. I thought it was pretty hilarious that the 1999 anime had the monkey betray Sommy (his master) for Kurapika when he lost though hahahah, and I guess it was kinda nice how they made it that the monkey could return to the forest, but at the same time, it was kinda weird because it felt like the monkey and Sommy were inseparable, but I guess it doesn't really matter haha. On the other hand, I'm not sure why the 1999 anime decided to have Goz be mortally wounded by Siper rather than Gittarackur/Illumi, but regardless the outcome doesn't really change either way I guess since it doesn't affect my first impression of him much since he still gives off that feeling that he likes to end stuff quickly, but at the same time is "kind" enough to do things that amuse him because other people think it's interesting so he wants to try it too lol.

As for my favourite part of this phase aka Gon stealing Hisoka's tag, I have to say I quite liked all the different versions! The animation direction and the way they showed things in the 2011 anime was really awesome because it really gave that vibe of anticipation and hopefulness for Gon to succeed, it made it feel so amusing and fun. However, in the manga, Hisoka is pure nightmare fuel and so that made the atmosphere more tense but fulfilling. Whereas, the 1999 anime kinda follows the manga more with the nightmare fuel, and I think they did a pretty good job of it back then, especially with the music variation and the chill down your spine feel Hisoka gives with his actions. It's hard to pick a favourite since the manga and 1999 anime are rather simplistic and less "cool" than the 2011 anime, but I definitely love the fear Hisoka exudes in the previous versions much more, so I guess in the end, I'd say the manga and 1999 anime win out for me, even though the 2011 anime is much more crisp? However, when it comes to Hisoka killing Geretta, I definitely prefer the manga the most. The 1999/2011 anime probably both have censorship problems so I guess it couldn't be helped, but really, seeing Hisoka come back with Geretta's bloody head just made the whole scene even more scarier and I loved that. In the 2011 anime, they keep it as Geretta's corpse, whereas in the 1999 anime, they just show Hisoka wearing Geretta's hat after slicing him with a card. Honestly though, Hisoka wearing Geretta's hat felt so silly but it actually made the scene kinda creepy because of how playful Hisoka seemed in such a crazy situation haha.

I have to admit that I didn't like how the 1999 anime decided to make Gon a bit more fearful and traumatised over his encounter with Hisoka, that they spent half an episode of him feeling depressed? It was pretty awkward to make it seem like "Gon's still just a kid" kinda thing when he's supposed to be quite resilient. In the manga and 2011 anime, Gon basically bounces back as if nothing happened by looking for Kurapika and Leorio, and it is by helping them that he tries to cope with how he so thoroughly lost to Hisoka and was spared by him, I don't think it was necessary to add the brooding and stuff they did in the 1999 version. On the other hand, I much prefer the 1999 anime when it comes to Killua vs the Amori Brothers because of the music variation, Killua's cat face when he tells the guy to give him the 199 plate tag, and I absolutely love Hanzo's stoned face when he realises the plate he got was 198 alongside with the crows passing by saying "ahou/idiot" lmao. Something anime original for the 2011 anime here was the scene where Killua knew Hanzo was there and swapped the tag number right before he threw it, which I honestly didn't like because other than the fact that I'm not entirely sure Hanzo could be outwitted like that, I much rather enjoy the idea of Hanzo having such bad luck that it was a 50% chance to get what he wanted and yet he still got the wrong one lmao. So yep, 1999 anime for me!

It's kinda funny but when it comes to Bourbon's Snake Trap, I have to admit that I prefer the 1999 anime, the only part I didn't like about it was how they changed it from Gon taking Ponzu's tag to Leorio taking it, which I felt was unneeded, since Gon is rather cheeky and I would have liked to see that scene. Otherwise, I liked how the whole situation was a bit more..dragged out? Like, the 1999 anime had Gon, Kurapika, Leorio and Ponzu talk more about what they were thinking about and how to deal with the situation, and honestly it didn't add that much in terms of time etc but it made it feel like the situation was more dire and that they really needed to think of a way to get out, whereas in the manga and 2011 anime, it was so quick and straightforward that there wasn't much tension at all? Another change the 1999 anime made was Ponzu being the one giving the antidote to Gon after he collapsed from taking it from Bourbon's clothes due to the snakes; it was a pretty inconsequential of a change, but I thought it was cute and nice to see Ponzu have more of a personality haha. Another anime original for the 1999 anime was Tonpa getting the 197 number plate and trying to get a few more points in order to pass, and he ends up encountering the Ponzu that's asleep and wakes her up making her think that Tonpa stole her number plate lol. It was anime original but I thought it was pretty hilarious and I liked it hahaha.

Overall, it's kinda interesting how I expected to like the 1999 anime much more than the 2011 anime for this part, but actually, I think it's pretty much half half at this point, because there are certainly parts where I'm iffy about, but at the same time, I feel like a lot of the stuff imo is presented better in the 1999 anime, not that the 2011 anime is bad though, I just like that the 1999 anime takes its time with things, whereas the 2011 anime always feels like everything has to be chop chop and to the point? Like you can understand why the manga needs to be like that since there are limited pages etc, but I really feel like the 2011 anime could have given a bit more flavour to it by making the story and events flow better.

Hunter x Hunter Anime (1999 + 2011 versions) and Manga Differences + Opinion - Hunter Exam Arc (Part 2)

  HUNTER EXAM ARC PART 2 (FIRST & SECOND PHASES)

1999 anime episodes 6-10

2011 anime episodes 3-6

Manga chapters 5-12

Zaban City

Nothing much to note here since the gist of it is the same where the trio follow the kiriko guy to the restaurant to reach the first exam. I guess the funny thing is that the 2011 version decided to have the son be the navigator to guide them to the site, whereas in the manga and the 1999 version, it seems to be the husband kiriko instead. One thing that both anime decided to add in was Gon thanking and shaking the hand of the kiriko guy before leaving for the exam, which I think is a pretty nice addition. On the other hand, one thing both anime decided to omit was Gon and Leorio actually getting to eat the steak meal that was the password to get to the exam site LOL. I find it funny that in the 2011 version, Gon actually asks where is his steak, and Kurapika tells him that it was just a password, when really, in the manga, Gon actually got to eat his steak! Anyway, not important but I thought it was cute loll. Oh, and for some reason, I'm not sure why the 1999 version decided that the kiriko should be the one to hand out their hunter applicant number badges to them before leaving since it makes much more sense to get it when they're actually there, but yeah, they get their numbers at the "exam hall" later in the manga and 2011 version.

First Phase

Meeting the Other Hunter Applicants

This will probably be where the 1999 anime adds a lot of stuff to the story, of which I have to say, some are nice and good, and some are rather questionable. Anyway, in regards to the trio meeting the other applicants, most of it is the same, with the 1999 version probably diverging the most in terms of changing up when things happened to add other stuff. However, I enjoyed the different interpretations of how the guy who bumped into Hisoka lost a part of his body. In the manga, it doesn't show any indication of what Hisoka's powers could be in regards to the guy's arms "disappearing" but they looked to be sliced off quite cleanly, so I just assume he used his playing cards to do that. Whereas in the 2011 version, the guy's arms are shown to fade into flower petals, which is pretty interesting but also kinda misleads you into thinking Hisoka has an interesting power, when really, it's something basic that he uses in an interesting way sometimes I guess haha. Anyway, apparently the flower petals and stuff was due to censorship? Regardless, I guess it goes along with the "magician" persona of his. In the 1999 anime, Hisoka kinda disappears half of the guy's body into the wall which was just..weird imo lol. So yes, in this case, I'd say simple is best and I loved the manga version the most. Hisoka wouldn't bother to play around with illusions and stuff for people he doesn't like, he'd just cut them off like fodder.

Following Satotz through the Tunnel

I'm not sure why the 1999 anime made Nicolas approach Tonpa talking to Gon and them, but it was rather weird when you think about it, because considering Nicolas' personality, I highly doubt he would talk to anyone "beneath" him and divulge information to them like that. But otherwise, the 2011 anime followed the manga closely and probably really just changed the part where instead of Kurapika and Leorio both pouring out the "bad drinks", Leorio actually spits it out. I actually think the funny blank face Leorio has pouring out the drink as he stares at Tonpa is funnier haha but they're both great. I'm so disappointed that I never realised the 1999 anime cut out the laxative juice part though! It's hilarious, I love that part, especially when Killua asks for more loll. I feel like they did it to hide how shady Tonpa is but seriouslyyyy, his whole character oozes shadiness already lol. Sigh. Anyway, this isn't really important, but in the 2011 anime, Tonpa tells the trio about Bodoro instead of Cherry when he's talking about people who have previously taken the Hunter Exam. The 1999 anime follows the manga and talks about Cherry. but decides that they should talk about it whilst they're running loll, how exhausting is that?! Anyway,  I love the part when everyone finds out that Leorio is actually still in his teens LOL. It plays out differently in the manga and the 2011 anime with Killua calling him an old man, whereas in the 1999 anime, Killua asks how old he is, but I find it saddening the 2011 anime cut out Leorio saying he doesn't want to be friends anymore with Gon because even he was shocked that Leorio was in his teens hahahaha.

Although I'm not a fan of the 1999 anime original idea with the tunnel of illusions making Leorio and Kurapika hallucinate about their worst memories etc, I did think it was interestingly done in terms of simply showing Leorio's story. In the manga, Leorio only talks about not being able to save a dead friend, basically like the 2011 anime, but it isn't shown how old this friend was (the 2011 anime shows it being Leorio's childhood, whereas the 1999 anime shows Leorio and his friend as adults/teenagers). However, for the 1999 anime, I didn't like how they all got so easily tricked by Tonpa, mainly because the idea of Leorio giving up so easily and wanting to rely on some random sap to give him the energy to run again irked me since he's not that mentally weak and naive imo. I did enjoy Killua finding them though, I think it nicely showed how interested Killua was in Gon and the idea of friends, and how he doesn't really care about the exam at all as long as it's interesting. Overall though, I like the manga most and 2011 anime second most because, as usual, since the 2011 anime cut Kite out, Gon couldn't answer Killua's question about why he wanted to become a hunter properly. It's true that Gon knows nothing about Ging other than the fact he left Gon to become a Hunter, but he's heard many many stories about Ging from Kite. And because Kite really admires Ging, these stories are obviously abundant and very interesting, especially since he has put Ging on a pedestal as one of the top Hunters in the world since he's capable of becoming a Triple Star Hunter but just can't be bothered applying. Just as Gon learns to admire Ging, he also admires Kite for being close to Ging, knowing him and being acknowledged by him, and I think that's really important to Gon's motivation, and that's why I definitely love the manga for this part the most haha. Otherwise, I'm not too much of a fan of Killua acting much more like a kid in the 2011 anime? Due to Killua's non-existent childhood, he doesn't really know what being a kid is really like until he meets and bonds with Gon, so I actually find it awkward that he's a similar kid to Gon but just darker, like, he is a kid but also not a kid and I think the 1999 version captures that better? I definitely prefer the vibe the manga and 1999 version Killua give off because he's interested in Gon as a kid that's the same age as him, but at the same time, he doesn't understand why Gon is the type of person he is.

Milsy Wetlands aka Swindlers' Swamp

Other than the 2011 anime not bothering to show Hisoka throwing the card to kill the man faced monkey as well, it basically follows the manga panel by panel~ As for the 1999 anime, I guess they wanted to spice things a bit up by making the applicants try to think about how to solve this situation of "who is the fake examiner" but really, I think just having Hisoka outright kill the fake is better, because honestly, Hisoka doesn't have that kind of patience to deal with stuff like this if it can be solved so easily haha. Although I guess it kinda shows his lack of tolerance towards wasting time for stuff like that too.

It's kinda funny how even though the 2011 anime follows the manga rather closely for most stuff, it also leaves out some nice extra stuff too. In the manga, Killua doesn't just say to move to the front because of Hisoka's "smell", he explains that Hisoka is just like him, so he can tell that Hisoka is itching to kill people amidst the fog. In this case, the 1999 anime follows the manga better, it also shows Hisoka's killing intent quite nicely too imo, you can tell how bored he is, and how Killua is right haha. Honestly, the 2011 anime is rather disappointing for this instance. because this is where it's supposed to establish how utterly bored Hisoka is and how much he loves to kill, and really, just how thirsty he is for blood since he's practically addicted to killing, yet they kinda decide to portray this fight in the swamp as more of a self-defence for Hisoka, like really, those self-righteous dumbasses want to stop Hisoka here so he can't become a Hunter? Seriously? I honestly doubt these people would do that even if they don't think they can find the examiner anymore. Like, I'm sure everyone knows how dangerous Hisoka is, there is no way anyone would want to pick a fight with him after what he did in the exam hall, so for me, that part was just silly. The only reason people would fight against Hisoka is because they know that running away is useless. 

Anyway, the 1999 anime on the other hand follows the manga well by showing Hisoka indiscriminately kill the people around him, and injuring Leorio with one of his cards. I also much prefer how it is in the manga and 1999 anime where he uses one card to slice vital points rather than in the 2011 anime where he kinda just slices everyone in a circle, which just didn't have the same impact imo. Also, in the manga and 1999 anime, Gon goes back to Leorio and Kurapika because he hears Leorio scream from the pain of his injury, and Killua thinks he's stupid for doing that. Whereas in the 2011 anime, Gon just goes back because he's worried, and Killua doesn't even realise he's gone, which is quite uncharacteristic of Killua considering the assassin he is lol. Something interesting to note is that the third person left with Leorio and Kurapika against Hisoka is different in the 1999 anime (it becomes Pokkle), and in the 2011 anime, they just didn't even bother having a third guy lol. It's not really important but I thought it was nice to note lol. Something important imo that the 2011 anime didn't bother to add Hisoka saying was when Leorio and Kurapika dashed in different directions, in the manga and 1999 anime, Hisoka says he willgive them ten seconds to run since it was a smart move, which I think really highlights how powerful Hisoka is compared to them, and how much of a game it all is to him. 

However, when it comes to the moment Gon hits Hisoka's face with his fishing rod, the 2011 anime follows the manga in that it happens when Hisoka comes up behind Leorio, just as when he's in for the kill, whereas in the 1999 anime, they kinda make Leorio's imminent death a bit more dramatic with Hisoka clutching his neck etc. Not sure why the 2011 anime decided to prolong the futile attempt of Gon trying to hit Hisoka afterwards though, because Hisoka in the manga and the 1999 anime tells him happily that he passes and just goes along his merry way carrying Leorio. I found it rather unnecessary imo because Hisoka is pretty crazy, but he would never hurt his toys so much (he was getting high squeezing Gon's neck and nearly didn't realise he was about to break him), especially when he just became interested in them. And really, the impact of Gon only being able to land that one hit and then fall to his knees once Hisoka was gone was much heavier and I think him swinging his rod around after in the 2011 version kinda lessened the impact of how hard it was to even think about hitting Hisoka. In addition, when Gon and Kurapika are finding their way back to the examiner, the 2011 anime only shows that Gon could find it because Leorio's cologne scent is unique, but in the manga and the 1999 anime, Hisoka also left a bunch of dead animal corpses. Maybe the 2011 anime wanted to make Gon seem more capable, but I would have preferred them to follow the manga to show how interested Hisoka was in them and their growth so he probably left those "just in case" Gon didn't have such wild instincts or he just killed them because they attacked him like Gon said lol.

Second Phase

Time for my favouritee exam! I love this part because of Menchi~ It is also the part that made me dislike the 2011 anime Hunter Exam part lol. In the 2011 anime, the applicants laugh at the idea of Gourmet Hunters when Menchi and Buhara introduce themselves, but in the manga and 1999 anime, they just lament over the fact that they have to cook. Imo, laughing at your examiner's job, especially when they're a Hunter is so rude loll. No idea why they needed to do that. Anyway, the 2011 anime also doesn't clarify that actually the applicants are supposed to cook Buhara's chosen dish, and then they'll have the chance to cook Menchi's chosen dish, instead, it just skips to the idea that all they need to do is cook the pork in a way that satisfies them both. Anyway, I'm also not sure why they decided to make it that apples falling on the Great Stamp (the pig) was what made Gon realise that was its' weak point, when in the manga/1999 anime, Gon hit it and understood himself. I actually think the 2011 anime wanted to laugh at this exam part as they made the applicants do, because they really shortened it and made it boring for no reason. They also didn't have Satotz explain that even though the catching the pig part seemed easy, it still relied on the applicants having the accuracy and bravery to hit it right at that moment and spot to capture it. It's also saddening to not be able to really see how since the pig part was Buhara's test, you don't really see how lax of a guy he is even though he's supposed to be a Gourmet Hunter that has eaten lots of good food lol. He literally just ate 70 pigs and let them pass hahaha. The 2011 anime didn't even mention how Menchi is actually a Single Star Hunter at the young age of 21, making her extremely capable and a Hunter that has made lasting contributions to the field.

Anyway, Menchi's chosen dish of sushi was the awesome part that the 2011 anime cut out. Maybe it's not as serious as the usual stuff is, but I really loved how carefree it felt, and it really showed how unreasonable of a person Menchi could be, whereas seriously, in the 2011 anime, even if I'm not a gourmet I would be annoyed that these people would think they can just pass by roasting a pig lol. Anyway, Menchi wants them to make sushi but most people don't know what it is, so for me, the best part for this was how Hanzo knows what sushi is, but no one else does, and I just find it hilarious how Hanzo wants to hide the fact that he knows so he can pass by himself, but because he laughs at Leorio and everyone, and then blurts it out later, they all know he knows what it is loll. I absolutely loved the weird concoctions everyone made for what they perceived "sushi" to be, and it was hilarious how Gon felt down when Menchi said his creation was no better than Leorio's haha, and then I loved how Kurapika seriously analysed Menchi's hints but still got it wrong despite being so proud hahaha. Just seeing a whole wiggling fish wrapped in some rice, and Menchi throwing the whole plate away is just so memorable and funny, I love it, and am so sad the 2011 anime didn't have it.

Otherwise, aside from the rare moss delicacy, Todo actually jumping down the valley and trying to get a spider eagle egg and the applicants having to actually boil the egg, the 1999 anime is pretty much the same as the manga with minor additions and differences. It's nice that the 2011 anime at least retained the boiled egg part, but I don't think it was necessary to change the idea that they needed an updraft to get back up from the valley, although I guess it feels riskier, but at the same time, as long as you have the guts to jump at the same time as Gon says, there's not much of a challenge in the end lol. Minor nitpick but what I would have preferred the 2011 and 1999 anime have followed would be that instead of Gon offering the spider eagle egg for Todo to try and change his mind about Gourmet Hunters, in the manga, Todo actually asks Gon if he can try it. It shows his willingness to change his preconceived impression of Gourmet Hunters and I liked that he was actually a pretty sensible guy. Overall, I'd say manga is best, and then 1999 anime, just because the sushi part is hilarious and should not have been cut out.

Andd I'm done! I'd say that in terms of the anime this time around, both versions had parts I liked and disliked, so as a whole, I'd say the manga was the best way to experience it lol. However, if I had to pick, I'd definitely pick the 1999 anime just because it definitely builds a better and more similar impression of Hisoka and Killua (my favourite characters) to their manga version, and it definitely implies and directly states how similar Hisoka and Killua actually are. In this case, I found it really interesting how when it came to the sushi part, Killua and Hisoka made the same type of dish in the 1999 version (since it doesn't show Hisoka's impression of sushi in the manga), and I actually quite liked how they did that. Gon talking about Kite also really builds him up better as a character too because he actually has a proper driving force compared to how shallow he feels in the 2011 version imo.

Hunter x Hunter Anime (1999 + 2011 versions) and Manga Differences + Opinion - Hunter Exam Arc (Part 1)

 HUNTER EXAM ARC PART 1 (BEFORE THE EXAM)

1999 anime episodes 1-5

2011 anime episodes 1-2

Manga chapters 1-4 

So..I've always wanted to do this. Mainly because Hunter x Hunter (HxH) is my favourite shounen that I literally grew up with (I'm so old lol) and my opinion will always be that to get the best HxH experience, you'll want to watch/read all three of them. Yes, it's a lot to take in considering how long it is, but there are a lot of things that the 2011 version (definitive version for most people) didn't do well imo, namely the Hunter Exam Arc (which I have the biggest gripe with). The Hunter Exam Arc is the first arc and the one that should be making you ntrigued with the world and the characters, but a lot of it felt so rushed and detached that I really wanted to give up on the 2011 version tbh lol. Anyway, the Election Arc and Chimera Ant Arc are great though, so I'm glad I just shrugged it off, but it still irks me enough to this day that I needed to do this post LOL. Also kills me that Kite was introduced so late when he was always there, he's legit the first character that appears! Anyway, enough complaining, I'll just get into it!

Whale Island

The most significant difference between the 2011 anime and the other versions would have to be Kite's appearance. Kite is supposed to appear as a flashback for Gon (in the manga) to establish his reason for chasing after his father Ging. Kite saves the careless Gon from a fox bear mother protecting her child and reprimands him for forcing him to kill an innocent animal. The setup easily shows how kind but decisive of a person Kite is and how Gon is still a child that is unaware of the world because of Mito's protection. He tells Gon about Ging making you as the reader understand that Ging has actually been on Gon's mind as a goal for 3 years. Kite's existence also shows how Gon has the traits of a good hunter, which is to be liked by animals. It's interesting how each version is quite different though. In the 2011 version, Kite is completely omitted, making Gon's reason for finding his father more of a vague goal. In the 1999 anime, it expands Kite's appearance a bit more, but chooses to focus a whole episode on developing the relationship between Mito and Gon (as mother and son). Whereas, in the manga, it is probably the most straightforward in that it presents Kite as the person who tells Gon that his father is actually alive and finding him is Kite's final test as Ging's disciple. By showing Kite, finding Ging is instantly revered as the ultimate goal for Gon because it is established that someone as strong as Kite thinks that this is the hardest test he has encountered as a hunter. With the 2011 version shortening the whole first chapter into 10 minutes and erasing Kite's appearance, it really makes Gon's desire to become a hunter rather fickle imo. And even though the 1999 version can be considered rather draggy for extending it with all the background on Mito and Gon's relationship, I actually rather enjoyed it because it showed how many things Gon was leaving for finding his father. I also liked how the 1999 version made Gon catching the lord of the swamp more of a trial than the 2011 version, since really in the latter, it really didn't feel like a big deal. I would say for here, the manga is the best at presenting it by showing that capturing it was important, but it wasn't supposed to be as much of a struggle for Gon as it was shown in the 1999 version. 

Anyway, I sing praises for the 1999 version a lot, but something I didn't like about it was how it cut out a lot of the bond between Kon (the fox bear cub Gon took care of) and Gon. Although it is shown in the  1999 anime that Kon is very much attached to Gon, the anime chose to prioritise Mito. I would have preferred if the anime gave 5 minutes to Kon by showing how (in the manga) Gon and Kon practically grew up together in the forest with their adventures and lived as if they were brothers. I also wish the 1999 anime bothered to put in the part where Gon tells Kon that hunters aren't viewed well by animals, so in order to stay as the lord of the forest, he shouldn't be too friendly with Gon, not that it matters anymore since Gon is leaving, but I much preferred how it was in the manga, Kon was important enough to Gon that he personally said his farewells. Not sure why the 1999 version didn't want to just keep the scene of everyone sending Gon off on the big ship already, but I guess they wanted to add a bit more to Leorio's relationship with Gon before it's supposed to even happen lol.

Overall, for this part, the manga is the most straightforward and the best for me. It easily highlights the key points of the story without dragging it for too long. It also shows Mito and Gon's relationship well enough in that she's overprotective but always meaning well. However, I must admit I have no idea why they bothered changing Mito to be Gon's mother's sister and having her grandmother become her mother lol, because it honestly made me really confused later on. Like, why does Mito know nothing about Gon's mother if she's her sister loll. Anyway, if you're still confused, the clarification is that Mito is actually supposed to be Ging's cousin, so they have the same grandmother, and therefore Mito is completely unrelated to Gon's mother and understandably knows nothing about her.

Getting on the ship to Dolle Harbour was a struggle that is 1999 anime original because in the manga and the 2011 anime, Gon just gets on the ship and waves goodbye to Mito and the villagers, which makes more sense, because really, how petty is Mito to not even take Gon to the ship he's supposed to catch when she treats him like such a precious kid?! LOL. Anyway, with that being said, the anime original is relatively fun to watch because it highlights to you Leorio's personality where he may be a dodgy guy, but he's kind at heart and can't help but be soft towards people like Gon. I kind of like how it introduced Kurapika being this calm and collected guy that interestingly didn't kill a deadly spider haha. But I can understand if people don't like this part since it already introduces Leorio as this silly guy so there's not much of a mystery towards their characters when they actually get on the ship. I did like how it did end up showing a bit about Kon (foxbear), but otherwise it was relatively unnecessary since Gon may be naive but he's not exactly stupid? I did enjoy their dramatic entrance on to the ship though, I still remember that to this day, so it was pretty hype for me as a kid haha.

Ship to Dolle Harbour

The gist of this part is pretty much the same in all three versions, but it's actually kind of interesting to note the smaller differences that each version of the anime decided to change. The most significant difference that both anime versions didn't include would be that in the manga, there was a storm that happened before the bigger storm Gon was able to predict. During that first storm, most participants for the hunter exam left on an emergency boat the Captain of the Kaijinmaru provided for them (if they decided to seek shelter on an island away from it), making it that Leorio, Kurapika, and Gon were the only passengers left on the boat (aside from the ship hands). I'd say what makes the 2011 version lose some marks for me is that when Gon tells the Captain his prediction for the storm, both the other versions show the Captain seeing Ging's shadow in Gon. I think seeing that in the 1999 anime and the manga makes the impact of them being similar much more evident. It feels like Gon is and will become as capable as Ging. The 2011 version does this with the Captain simply realising that Gon is Ging's son and thinking that in his head, but the manga and 1999 version never have him actually say it (until later), but instead just show it, which I prefer more.

Another interesting difference about this part is when the storm comes and everyone gets sick or down from it, Kurapika, Gon and Leorio are portrayed to be handling the storm in different ways in each version. Like, Gon is still providing help to others in each version, but when it comes to what Kurapika and Leorio are doing, it's amusingly different. In the 1999 version, before Gon extends help to others, you get to see him balancing on a rolling barrel as it sways towards each side, Kurapika is sleeping and  Leorio is eating a red apple. In the 2011 version, Kurapika is reading a book, whilst Leorio is eating an apple as well, but a sour green apple lol. In the manga, Kurapika is sleeping very comfortably with an eye mask. whereas Leorio is actually reading a dirty book lol. They're not important differences but I did think it was kinda fun how each version of the anime had its own interpretation of it. I also found it fascinating how Katzo (the guy the trio saves from falling into the sea) from the 1999 anime and the 2011 anime had vastly different personalities with the former being like a cocky guy and the latter being meek lol.

The biggest change that I think the 1999 anime shouldn't have done was how the trio saved Katzo from falling into the sea. In the manga and the 2011 version, it is shown that Gon jumps out of the ship to save Katzo, and Leorio and Kurapika hold on to each of Gon's legs to pull him back. Whereas in the 1999 anime, in order to save Gon, Kurapika also jumps to catch Gon and Leorio catches Kurapika's legs to grab them all back up. Like, sure it's probably more dramatic that way, but honestly, with Kurapika's personality and thought process, he isn't the type to make that kind of risk especially when he barely knows them etc. It just felt unlike him and so I didn't like that part at all lol. The 1999 anime also seems to like to make Leorio more silly(?) which is fine, but at times they make him appear more stupid rather than silly (when he thought it was stupid that Gon said he could understand seagulls and tell the storm was coming) and it makes me a bit sad because Leorio really isn't that stupid lol.

Finding the Hunter Exam Site

Quiz Lady

Honestly, there's not much to say here since the 2011 anime and the manga pretty much play out exactly the same way with minor differences, such as actually showing the guy listening on the trio going to the cedar tree. But I did want to note down the goods and bads of the 1999 anime original scenes. In the 1999 anime, events are more expanded on as usual, which wasn't a bad idea because I quite enjoyed seeing Leorio actually catching the wrong bus thinking it would go to Zaban City (where the Hunter Exam is supposedly held) and being caught going round and round in circles instead of just Leorio overhearing that the bus was a trap and chasing after Gon and Kurapika. The funny thing they decided to add to make it more understandable for Leorio to catch up to them was the guy who overheard them pretending to want to be their companion, and even faking an ankle injury so that Gon would carry him up the mountain to the tree LOL. Like, how despicable are you to make a kid carry you there lmao, like sure he's not a normal kid but still. It was also nice to see the forest being occupied by monsters and other animals in areas that were supposedly not the right path, kinda makes it a bit more exam-like hahaha. So yeah, instead of the guy appearing to answer the questions first, you actually have him "betray" the trio saying he wants to answer the question by himself. About here though, I honestly enjoyed the extra bits on the grandma and the others. It actually felt much more intimidating seeing the grandma's "minions" constantly asking questions and seeing other potential hunters fall into their traps.This is something minor but it was an interesting choice to have Gon talk about how he wasn't able to choose between saving the son or daughter after the grandma let them through the correct path, I guess it was more a stylistic choice where they wanted the grandma to kinda narrate the true meaning of having this quiz instead of just saying it out to them, not that it really matters that much haha.

Navigators

Something I appreciated the 1999 anime explaining that the 2011 anime didn't was the concept of navigators. In the 2011 anime, it literally goes from the quiz lady to the navigators with no particular explanation other than you need to go there to get to the Hunter Exam starting point. In the manga, this is explained on the chapter title page, whilst in the 1999 anime, Kurapika explains to Gon that navigators are needed because the location for the exam is different every year and only navigators know the way to get there. Otherwise, the 2011 anime basically follows the manga panel for panel. As usual, the 1999 anime adds stuff but honestly, since this part is so short, I do appreciate them extending it to make it a bit more..adventurous and fun? I mean, I love the part where a demon beast appears when they're rowing a boat across the lake, and Leorio (who was just sitting around before) immediately takes the oars to row away from it lmao. 

As for the trial with the kiriko, I have to say that I really enjoyed the tension and the ominous atmosphere the 1999 anime did with them. It really made me think that this was dangerous, whereas in the 2011 anime and manga, there isn't much tension at all. Like, it wasn't necessary, but I appreciated what the 1999 anime did to make it more engaging. A minor difference that the 1999 anime changed was that the kiriko stopped her hand/claw and asked Gon why he didn't dodge, whereas in the manga and 2011 anime, the kiriko stopped because Gon asked who she was. On the other hand, a significant difference the 1999 anime decided to add was Leorio going out to grab medicinal herbs and encountering the kiriko son of which he recognises due to the needle hole he made on his arm to help his wounds. I feel like they probably added this to make Leorio feel more on par with Kurapika and Gon, which I didn't mind since it shows more of what Leorio did to comfort the wounded guy etc. Whereas, in the manga/2011 versions, nothing much is really shown of how Leorio handled the situation, so it was nice to actually see it (since Leorio did not realise the wounded guy was a kiriko or the whole situation, he just wholeheartedly tended to his wounds and comforted him). I think adding the scenes didn't detract from the story so I liked it in a sense, but I guess Leorio not realising who the guy was made it really cute, because it shows how focused he was on genuinely taking care of the guy, and it's also a hint to how passionate he is in becoming a doctor. Overall, I'd say I liked the 1999 version the most just because it felt a bit more intense.

Phew! This ended up taking longer than I thought lol. Tbh, I thought I'd be able to do like one arc one post LOL. Well, how naive I was...We're not even at the start of the exam lmao. Oh well, I'm actually really enjoying it. I think it's pretty fun seeing all the differences and how I feel about them. I've always wanted to write down my thoughts about it just because I keep forgetting what I liked about each version, so I'm happy to do this and find out what I definitively liked and disliked about each one haha. Anyway, I guess that means there will be an endless stream of HxH posts~! 90+ episodes to go even just for the 1999 anime hahaha.