All of ‘Hunter x Hunter’s Story Arcs, Ranked
Ready to take the hunter exam?
As far as anime/manga goes, Hunter x Hunter is one of the most beloved and has some incredibly loyal fans. I’m somewhat new as a fan, but it didn’t take me long to fall in love with it. The story is rich, the characters are unique, the world is so strange, and it’s got some of the wildest arcs.
Let’s start with what I’ll be ranking, which are the arcs of the Hunter x Hunter (2011) reboot—as it has no connections to Hunter x Hunter (1999). It’s definitely the more popular one when discussing this series. Of course, it’s unfortunate that the anime didn’t go much further in adapting the manga (which is making a return). It stopped at the 13th Hunter Chairman Election arc and ended with only 12 episodes—the smallest amount of episodes for an arc in the series.
In terms of how to rank the Hunter x Hunter arcs, it’s challenging. They all offer something of value, and, naturally, everyone is going to enjoy some arcs more than others based on personal preferences. How does one rank an anime when every arc is important to the overarching story?
I’ve chosen to rank them by overall rewatch quality. Is it so good you want to watch it again and again? Or was once enough to get it and it’s not really an arc you’ve wanted to return to since. Here are the Hunter x Hunter (2011) arcs ranked from least to most watchable!
Note: The unofficial Zoldyck Family arc won’t be included in the below list.
6. Heavens Arena arc
As much as I love Gon (Erica Mendez) and Killua(Cristina Vee)’s development as characters, this arc is somewhat boring. Despite the buildup to Gon battling Hisoka (Keith Silverstein), Wing (Ethan Murray) as a character, and Gon and Killua learning more about Nen, it doesn’t get much more interesting beyond that. Obviously, learning about Nen, as the audience, is helpful for the rest of the series. Again, it’s not like you can skip any of these arcs in your first watch. But when ranking them, the energy slows down here and this arc doesn’t drum up the same excitement as the others.
5. Greed Island arc
The main reason this arc is lower on the list is due to the main villains being so underwhelming. Otherwise, this arc has a lot of meatiness to it, introduces new characters who are intriguing, and gives us many Gon x Killua moments and Hisoka. All good stuff. But overall, the arc is bogged down by the presence of Genthru (Todd Haberkorn) and his crew. While Genthru is good at manipulation, he’s an incredibly annoying character. And compared to the other antagonists, he doesn’t even hold a candle to them.
4. Hunter Exam arc
Introduction arcs aren’t always stellar, but this one gives us the perfect introduction to the characters—protagonists, antagonists, and minor characters alike. And seeing the early stage dynamics between Gon, Killua, Kurapika (Erika Harlacher), and Leorio (Matt Mercer) is very fun to watch. There are not a lot of downsides to how the series started. There’s a lot of excitement in the episodes, action, the good kind of weird that only increases as the series goes on, and it leads to mostly everyone becoming a hunter. The others build upon this one, so it’s not top three, but what a place to build from.
3. 13th Chairman Election arc
Despite being the shortest arc, this is a much-needed breather after the heaviness of the previous arc. The Zodiacs (which includes Gon’s father) are an eclectic bunch of characters. Which isn’t all that unusual for Hunter x Hunter. And surprisingly, the series was able to end in a way that doesn’t feel incomplete. Not to mention Gon is able to confront his father, Ging (Marc Diraison), after he was absent for his whole life. Even though Ging is a character who’s worthy of being disliked, we get some decent insight into his decision-making. And that gives Gon the answers he’d been looking for since the beginning of his journey. Killua’s family is explored more as well and that’s top tier—especially the scenes that involve Illumi (Chris Hackney) and Hisoka.
2. Chimera Ant arc
This is a super long arc, so it’s not easy to get into at first. But once you’re in, there’s so much to appreciate about it, even when the length becomes taxing. There are a lot of emotional beats for the characters all around. In fact, it’s one of the most intense arcs of the entire series. All of the characters experience their own trials, trauma, and chaos—whether it be internally or externally. Meanwhile, Gon and Killua’s relationship is in a fragile place throughout the arc—which further lends to the subtext that they have feelings that are beyond friendship.
Aside from the character interactions, there’s so much at stake for everyone in this arc. On a world scale and personal scale. Plus, Mereum (Max Mittelman) and the Chimera ants range from terrifying to hilariously memorable. And don’t even get me started on how good the fight scenes are.
1. Yorknew City arc
Top notch is the perfect descriptor for this arc. The Phantom Troupe is one of the best antagonist groups I’ve ever seen. They are likable and there’s an obvious loyalty among the members (that doesn’t always ring true with groups like this). Plus, Chrollo (Robbie Daymond) is one of those leaders that you remember the moment you meet him. It’s an arc that’s especially dedicated to Kurapika as a character and his desire for vengeance against the Troupe. And everything about this arc is enjoyable—so, rewatching isn’t a chore. This arc is so memorable and one I can’t get enough of.
(featured image: Madhouse and Viz Media)
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