I’m only about ten episodes into Hunter × Hunter, and I already do get why people never shut up about this anime, yeah, It doesn’t try too hard at the beginning, It doesn’t throw any heavy drama at you immediately or force you to take it seriously, Instead, it eases you in with a calm tone, bright visuals, and a main character who feels way too pure for the kind of world he is stepping into.
The opening scenes on Whale Island feel peaceful and almost nostalgic, Gon fishing, smiling, and talking about becoming a Hunter like it is the most natural dream in the world makes everything feel light at first, There is something very comforting about how the anime starts, like it wants you to relax before things get complicated, and honestly, that calm beginning makes the later scenes hit harder.
Once the Hunter Exam begins, that soft tone slowly starts to crack, the long run during the first phase already tells you this exam isn’t a joke, People dropping out, collapsing, or straight up disappearing sets the mood quietly, nobody explains much, You are just expected to keep up , just like the contestants, and I really liked that, It makes the world feel real and unforgiving without needing dramatic speeches.
Then there’s Hisoka, every scene he appears in instantly changes the atmosphere, he smiles too much, moves too calmly, and somehow makes even silence feel threatening, Watching him casually eliminate other applicants like it’s nothing was the first moment I thought, Okay, this anime is darker than it looks, He’s not loud or aggressive , he’s unsettling, and that makes him interesting.
What really pulled me in, though, are the friendships forming during the exam, Gon, Killua, Kurapika, and Leorio feel like such an unlikely group, yet their chemistry works so well, Their conversations feel natural, not forced, Killua especially caught my attention early on, He is cheerful, playful, and relaxed, but there are moments where the anime reminds you that something about him isn’t normal.
That one scene where Killua removes a man’s heart during the exam and casually hands it back? Yeah..... that moment alone changes how you see him, It is shocking, but it is done so casually that it almost feels scarier, And then, right after, he is back to smiling and joking like nothing happened, that contrast is really well done.
I also love how the exam phases don’t rely only on strength, Cooking tests, teamwork, strategy, and decision-making all matter, there is a quiet tension in scenes where characters have to choose who to trust or how far they are willing to go, Even without flashy battles, the anime just keeps you engaged.
Gon himself is an interesting lead, he is kind, very optimistic, and also fearless, but not in a loud heroic way kind of, he does not overthink danger, he just moves forward, and that makes some scenes feel slightly unsettling, like you are watching a child step into situations he does not fully understand yet.
So visually, the anime looks bright and kinda friendly, which makes the darker moments stand out even more, and the contrast between cheerful colors and sudden violence or tension works surprisingly well, It just keeps you on edge because you never know when the tone might even shift.
Yeah... I'm only ten episodes in, and Hunter × Hunter already feels layered, yeah, It is fun, adventurous, slightly creepy at times, and emotionally grounded, you can tell there is more depth waiting ahead, and that is exciting, It feels like the calm before a storm and honestly, that is what makes me want to keep watching, I am definitely in for the long run.
First Image is gotten from IMDb , others are from my movie player
Aikay👾