YORKNEW CITY ARC PART 2 (THE FRACTURED SPIDERS)
1999 anime episodes 58-62, OVA (2002) episodes 1-8 (i.e. ep 63-70)
2011 anime episodes 49-58
Manga chapters 89-120
I think what the 1999 anime really likes to do is give the characters more apparent emotions, especially with showing how killing Uvo impacted Kurapika so much that he looks so dead and lifeless now, like a corpse wanting revenge even if it's not something he can handle, all he can do is remember the pain of his brethren and fight for that. Anyway, the 2011 anime pretty faithfully follows the manga (although I would say the 1999 anime follows it better by having details such as the Spiders discussing the Mafia actions etc), but one thing I really love about the manga is the art for Hisoka, because dang when he was ready to kill Killua at the hideout, he looked so much more ominous compared to the anime that I could much better comprehend how fearsome he must have been for Killua with a face and aura like that lol. One thing I would have preferred the 2011 anime better portray was that when Killua and Gon escaped from Nobunaga, it was night time and really dark, and that made it difficult for Nobunaga to better assess their locations in the darkness, which made it easier for them to run away imo, since in the anime it seemed more like the sun was just setting and there was still some light. In this case, I personally prefer the 1999 anime since it shows very well how everything is completely black and that's why Nobunaga decided to rely on his En just in case. Anyway, all three versions are practically the same and have their goods and bads, I think the 1999 anime has the edge with the darkness though haha.
One thing the manga and 1999 anime does that the 2011 anime doesn't is have Kurapika assess that the other assassins compared to Silva and Zeno have a clear difference in strength, this is obvious I guess but I think it's important to know that Kurapika and the others know their places. I also find it amusing that Zeno hands out his business card to the rest, makes the situation less boring I guess? I think it would also have been cool to see the other Mafia guy punch Nostrade, mainly because it shows that Nostrade is someone who climbed up to the ranks at the jealousy and hatred of others, and Nostrade fully intends on using his daughter Neon to go even higher regardless of what people think. I also think it was sad that the 2011 anime didn't show that the Mafia people did suggest to drive Neon to the hospital when she fainted, since it makes them seem so incompetent to just go along with Chrollo without even thinking about other options. The 2011 anime also failed to mention that when Kurapika checked the Hunter website again, it was evident that not only was Neon's photo there, but Baise and Basho's photos were newly added too, which I think is important to note since it shows that they're definitely closing in on Kurapika. Although I think that in terms of animation and music choice for the requiem, the 2011 anime excels in every way, I do think it would have been nicer for the 2011 anime to show that the Mafia did have some sort of countermeasures so they're not completelyyy incompetent against the Spiders lol. As usual, the details in the 2011 anime are lacking imo, which I think is where it follows the manga to a fault, since when it's a manga, it's easier to overlook due to page and panel limits, but in the anime, I find that there were little things they could have added which don't affect the story but can provide a better view of the battlefield. For example, in the 1999 anime, it shows Gon calling Leorio during the chaos to check on how he's going since Kurapika wasn't picking up his phone, and through Leorio's view, we can see a bit more of the chaos in the city. (However, I do admit that just following the manga and showing Leorio and Zepile partying while the chaos was going on is kinda funny loll) At the same time, Kurapika is also in contact with Melody and Basho and understanding a bit more of the situation outside so we as viewers can get a better expansive view of things going on from different perspectives rather than the usual Spiders killing people perspective lol.
I also prefer Shalnark's ability in the 1999 anime because you literally see him play with his phone controlling the guy killing people as if he's playing Space Invaders and I loved seeing that because I've always thought that Shalnark's ability is super fun and cool. But I guess the 2011 anime having it like a first person shooter game is amusing too haha. Personally, when it comes to Zeno & Silva vs Chrollo, I definitely prefer the 1999 anime. I feel like for the 2011 anime, they make things more flashier and dragged out than needed when the fight was pretty clear-cut and fast in the manga and 1999 anime. I think the way the 2011 anime animated it made the fight "disappointing" because it seems to try to hype it into something more than it is, whereas in the manga and 1999 anime, it really isn't anything extravagant. I think one thing the 1999 anime saddeningly didn't animate was Silva thinking back to his first meeting with Chrollo back in the day (probably when he killed a Spider member) and how much he has grown in that time. Also, this is just my opinion (of course) but Kurapika punching that Mafia guy in the 1999 anime felt so much more satisfying, especially when he cried about his nose lmao. I also found Kurapika in the manga and 1999 anime much more scarier and chilling when he threatened Zenji (bald Mafia guy) than it was in the 2011 anime, like I could actually feel and understand why the guy felt so overwhelmed and couldn't help but back off. Although the dead bodies of the Spiders being fake shouldn't have been too much of a surprise, there was still a sense of "how" and "why" when it came to the manga and 1999 anime, whereas for the 2011 anime, I feel like it showed more hints that Kortopi just copied them all, but that's just me maybe lol. Anyway, the 1999 anime deviates from the manga and 2011 anime in the part where instead of Kurapika calling Gon to tell him that the Spiders are dead and then hanging up, Kurapika in the 1999 anime laments about this by himself and then it skips to the part in the manga where he meets up with Killua, Gon and Leorio the next day planning to tell them the "bad news" that they're dead and now he has no meaning to his life, but before Kurapika can say that, Gon happily congratulates him that now that all the Spiders are dead, he can finally be free and focus on finding the eyes of all his brethren. At that moment, Kurapika's eyes finally gain back the colour and brightness he lost during the time he separated from them, and I think that was really well done to "end things" since this was the last episode of the original 1999 anime run. I think they wanted to make it a bit more conclusive for Kurapika's story, whilst also revealing at the end that the bodies were indeed fake to show that the story with the Spiders does go on. Personally, I think that with the limitations, the last episode was done really nicely and I liked it alot. I also think that scene was done much better in the 1999 anime with the evident change in his eyes and expression, it made me so happy for Kurapika!
One thing both the 1999 and 2011 anime cut out is the detailed part about Meteor City. Basically, the Mafia are trying to find information on the Spiders but can't because information does not exist in the sense that most if not all of the Spiders come from a place called Meteor City where no births or deaths are recorded, so technically none of them "exist". And, in that sense I guess it's seen that Meteor City is where all the "rubbish" not recognised anywhere goes. Interestingly, the manga also talks about how there was once a case where a guy from Meteor City was falsely accused of murder, and when the true perpetrator was found, all the judges, lawyers and those involved in the case were killed and left with the message along the lines of "we accept everything, so don't take anything back", which I guess kinda shows why even though the Spiders are heartless towards everyone else, they care for their own and are unified with a bond that transcends family, partners or friends. Another interesting thing was that the people who were sent to kill these people basically sacrificed their lives one for one to kill them, which kinda shows how crazy and dangerous they are, but also how far they would go for people who are one of them, which also shows why if anything happens to any of the Spiders, the others would never let go of it even if it's not necessary for them to function with a leader. On the other hand, the 1999 anime OVA cuts out the part before Kurapika explains his powers where Leorio says Kurapika feels more confident and stronger, whereas Kurapika says Leorio is the same haha. It's not important but it kinda breaks up the flow without it. Anyway, I personally find the Meteor City explanation to be quite important to give better context towards why some of the members such as Nobunaga are so obstinate about not leaving Yorknew City without getting revenge.
Something unimportant but expected that was not shown in the 2011 anime was Phinks telling Chrollo that he doesn't know his birth date or blood type (to do the fortunes), honestly I'm more surprised that most of them know it hahaha. One thing I would have appreciated the 1999 and 2011 anime explaining was how Hisoka made the fake fortune paper to deceive the Spiders. In the manga, it explains that everyone sort of hides their abilities even from the other members so it's pretty impossible for them to know everything about each other's abilities and can only make assumptions about what they see, so even though Machi has seen Hisoka's abilities, she does not know the full extent of deceitful texture etc and didn't realise he could replicate the ink and paper with it. I'm also disappointed that the 1999 anime cut out the part discussing whose abilities did Hisoka supposedly tell the chain user about since I think it's a good way to tell how knowledgeable Hisoka is about the Spiders and having his own monologue shows how much he hopes to use Kurapika to keep the Spiders here. The 2011 anime does the minimum at least haha, but I guess the 1999 anime OVAs really got a dip in animation and quality for adapting the story. Anyway, minor nitpick but in the 2011 anime when Killua didn't want Kurapika to agree to get Gon's help on catching the Spiders, I feel like they overdid Killua's insistence on wanting Kurapika to say no, when in the manga and 1999 anime, he really only thinks about it in three instances hoping that Kurapika will reject Gon, making it more understandable rather than annoying? Lol.
One thing I'm rather disappointed in was the 2011 anime omitting Kurapika explaining to the trio that even if he placed a nen dagger to their hearts to protect Kurapika's abilities/secrets, it wouldn't logically be beneficial at all since they wouldn't be able to effectively counterattack with a restriction on them. Like, I know it's nice that by omitting it, it feels like Kurapika completely trusts them and doesn't mind if it ends up biting him back, but at the same time, Kurapika is a logical person, so he would have thought about it regardless of whether he would actually do it.
The plan at Beitacle Hotel is probably my favourite part in this arc, so it's nice to watch the different renditions again. Personally, whilst the 2011 anime excels in the animation department, especially the battle sequence when Killua and Gon try to escape from the Spiders in the dark, I feel like I enjoyed everything else about this part in the 1999 anime. A minor but important gripe for me is that there was not enough detail on the inner thoughts of Killua and Gon after they got captured in the 2011 anime. This is especially prevalent when they arrive at the hotel. In the manga and 1999 anime, you can see and hear how frantic and desperate Killua and Gon both are in trying to think of a way for them to communicate with Kurapika and Melody on when and how they should enact the plan they thought up of. However, in the 2011 anime, Leorio basically speaks right after they enter the hotel, so any tension and fear that Gon and Killua are experiencing are pretty much diminished. The 2011 anime cut out Killua's desperation in wanting to find Melody to try and convey a way in finding a time for them to take action at the same time, as well as their sheer desperation in just finding a way to get out of this situation. But, as I said, it was definitely much better in the 2011 anime for watchers to be able to properly see what actually went on when Killua and Gon tried to escape the clutches of the Spiders. The 1999 anime keeps the darkness aspect showing how difficult it was for the Spiders to act in the dark, but still able to keep Gon and Killua at bay, which was cool in its own way, but kinda difficult to follow imo. Something the 1999 anime definitely excelled in was showing the tension during the last few minutes before the 7pm chime, because I think it really did well how anxious Gon and Killua were, and how scary it would be if Pakunoda touched them.
The other thing I enjoyed in the 1999 anime was the process of Pakunoda's thoughts. The 1999 anime added a bit more of her perspective to it, but aside from that, I feel like the 1999 anime showed better her mindset on why she preferred prioritising Chrollo over the Spider even if it meant going against what Chrollo and others wanted, and I was thankful for that. Mainly because I for one have always enjoyed how "normal" the Spiders are. Maybe others would be disappointed that the Spiders aren't as cool or interesting as they're hyped up to be, but I personally always enjoyed how it shows that these guys aren't all-powerful (e.g. not knowing Hisoka is a traitor, not realising why Kurapika chose to be a part of the Nostrade family etc). Anyway, by giving Pakunoda's perspective, it really gives more depth to the idea of the Spiders and the individuals. I also think that the 1999 anime giving Pakunoda her own theme and music was done really well, because it set up that atmosphere well for her dilemma. And also, just in general, I like the atmosphere of the 1999 anime much better though haha. I think it was also really good how the 1999 anime showed some of the specific memories that Pakunoda was able to see, because it kinda helps to understand things better imo? However, at the same time, I feel like this is also a flaw, because if Pakunoda could really see exactly all those memories, then she would have realised that Kurapika was not someone who would sacrifice Gon and Killua to kill Chrollo. But, I guess at the same time, Pakunoda didn't want to risk Chrollo's life for something she wouldn't be sure of. Something I found weird in the 2011 anime was why Phinks and them so easily decided that they couldn't follow Pakunoda anymore just because Kurapika found out and told them to go back to their hideout, and I was right, because in the manga and the 1999 anime, Kurapika clearly tells Phinks that they have a nen user that can see through lies, and that's why Pakunoda left without telling them anything, making it more understandable and comprehensible for the rest of the Spiders to give up on chasing after Pakunoda. Personally, I think this was important.
An interesting moment that the 2011 anime omitted was Kalluto appearing at the Spiders' Hideout to help Illumi seamlessly sneak into there and pretend to be Hisoka. Maybe it's not very important or interesting to others, but I think it's quite important in the sense that we are finally getting to see that aside from Illumi and Milluki, Kalluto is also quite active as a part of the Zoldyck family missions (other than with the assassination of the Mafia Ten Dons) and isn't really just following their mother around. I think it also adds to the mystery of what kind of sibling Kalluto is. Personally, I think it was much better how the 2011 anime followed the manga and showed the conversation between Pakunoda and Killua and Gon at the auction house when Phinks remembered her thoughts and feelings through her memories, but I guess I'll acknowledge that the 1999 anime probably chose to show it early because they might not have been sure if they would be animating the Greed Island Arc. Anyway, whilst I enjoy and prefer the music in the 1999 anime, I did find it a bit weird and out of place when they did stuff like have Pakunoda be shocked when Chrollo was returned to her and didn't show anything towards her, contrasted with how Kurapika and everyone was so happy to be reunited with Killua and Gon. Like, I feel like it just feels more like Pakunoda in the 2011 anime and manga for her to understand why Chrollo would be "cold" (aside from the fact that he can't talk to any of the Spiders' members because of the Judgment Chain) because she made this choice knowing that Chrollo wouldn't be happy with her, and she accepts that but still chose to do it because she obviously values him more than the idea of the Spiders as a whole, so I think that scene was weird. Also, although I enjoy seeing Hisoka be his crazy self, I do think I preferred the 2011 anime and manga where Hisoka had that silly dumbfounded face after finding out that Chrollo can't use his nen when he wanted to fight with him lol, so yeah I was disappointed in how the 1999 anime changed that to make it seem like there was more...tension? I know that a lot of people didn't enjoy how the 1999 anime added that extra bit with Pakunoda walking home and returning a cat to its' friends instead of just the meow she did to a cat along the way home in the manga and 2011 anime, but I think that little walk really helped to digest the feelings she had towards the whole situation and what she was determined to do, and also how far she was willing to go if it was for Chrollo. Personally, even though I do have gripes with some things the 1999 anime changed, I also think a lot of things flow better in the 1999 anime instead of just boom boom boom that happened and that happened etc with the manga and 2011 anime tbh.
Overall, I probably prefer neither version haha! I feel like this happens often, but anyway, both versions had parts I didn't like and that makes it difficult for me to call either of them superior to the other. Naturally, the 2011 anime will always win when it comes to animation and how fluent their battle scenes are. However, it's hard to replicate the beauty of that dark atmosphere in the 1999 anime that I can't help but love. As usual, I also really enjoy the extra details that the 1999 anime adds/follows the manga with since the 2011 anime likes to cut those every now and then, but at the same time, I can't give the edge to the 1999 anime when they like to change things like the Hisoka vs Chrollo scene near the airship. Sometimes the 1999 anime adds things that are nice, but it is also because they are more flexible sometimes that things feel weird and I guess that was more apparent in the last bits of this arc. Anyway, in terms of my feelings, they're both about the same to me if you don't care about animation quality that much, since the OVAs do have quite a dip in animation imo. On to my favourite arc, Greed Island! It's honestly my most excited one to compare because everyone shits on the Greed Island OVAs (or it's just reddit), but when I watched them back in the day, I absolutely loved them haha.
