Hunter X Hunter – Episode 31
Wait minute this episode of Hunter X Hunter actually has new material, uh-oh looks like I have to pay attention for once instead of going through the motions every week. I hope this is the start of a trend of seeing manga material never covered in the 1999 run. This Kastro versus Hisoka fight was nothing but a quick blurb in the original and since I do like me some Hisoka action I was more than happy to...
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Eureka Seven AO – Episode 5
This episode could have gone sour quickly if not for the Goldilocks team calling for extra help. With poor Ao receiving the cold shoulder from his new teammates I expected him and Astral Ocean to follow in the overused storyline of Ao just ditching the girls and getting mindlessly lost in the city questioning what he’s doing with his life right there and then. This of course would be proceeded with...
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Hunter X Hunter – 15
With a solid strategy and tactic in hand, it’s time for Gon to go on the offensive and hunt down the baddest mofo on the island. That and sit in the bushes for a stupid amount of time until the right moment presents itself for Gon to strike. As for the rest of the crew, Leorio showcases his overall uselessness when it comes to being outwitted by the ever-annoying Tonpa. I rag on Leorio a lot for being inadequate in the fighting department, but I really do like his character and how he melds with the rest of the group.
Hunter X Hunter – 14
Straight out of the gate this episode was fast. This entire bit took at least three episodes to complete in the original. That’s not even mentioning the fact the treasure hunting segment of the original was filler apparently, so that was completely scrapped as well. So we practically breezed through five episodes already. What an improvement from the previous episode’s snail’s pace huh. Anyway, Gon did not have Lady Luck on his side when it came to picking out Hisoka’s number. Alas, it’s what makes for entertaining plot lines.
Hunter X Hunter – 12
Guess what’s more boring than watching people actually being bored? Absolutely nothing, way to waste 15 minutes! In their attempt to show you what 50 hours feels like, Hunter X Hunter actually wastes our real life by dedicating a huge part of the episode to showing our gang doing nothing. I get it, it was a means of getting Tonpa to make Leorio feel guilty about losing the 50 hours in the first place. However, as a show that paces itself well and cuts out all the fat, it sure is odd they decided to do what they did in this episode. But in the end, getting the hell out of this silly tower is a reward unto itself.
Hunter X Hunter – 11
Another episode of Hunter X Hunter and another round of mind games! Leorio’s lack of physical prowess is on stage again and how boring it is. I appreciate the effort in keeping the battles varied, but rock-paper-scissors can only hold my attention for so long. The crazy amount of second guessing eventually gave way to wanting someone to get beaten into the ground instead. Luckily Killua came through with that request in the nick of time to save the episode from mediocrity.
Hunter X Hunter – 10
Toning it down from Kurapika’s punch heard around the world, this week’s Hunter X Hunter goes back to the mind games. It wasn’t the most exciting episode; even for first timers it may have been pretty boring. I appreciated the effort in conveying the strong friendship and trust our gang already has now, but overall I wish they hurried it up a tad. It was a smart scenario of mind games between the two parties with Leorio’s medical skill and ballsy theatrics coming into play to win them a victory.
Hunter X Hunter – 09
Gon’s battle was interesting to say the least. I suppose playing with candles can prove somewhat entertaining. It does mark the moment where Hunter X Hunter hints it’s not all about brute strength battles, as a lot of noggin power comes into play in upcoming fights that help keep the show fresh. Which is funny because Gon’s decision-making process was as innocent and elementary as you can get when he was deciding which candle to choose. Nonetheless, it was a feel good victory, paving the way to a more serious battle.
Hunter X Hunter – 08
I was on the same boat with Leorio throughout this episode. Tonpa just does a good job for better or for worse of making himself super easy to hate. Like Leorio I was about to explode at Tonpa’s douchery. The thought of this guy sticking around for a bit longer saddens me very much. To have seen him beaten up during his match would have been glorious. Quick little bugger forfeits too fast.
Hunter X Hunter – 07
I decided to check out the Hunter X Hunter manga up to this week’s corresponding episode and came away with the conclusion I could not judge this show as I had used to anymore. Hunter X Hunter 2011 is a pretty faithful adaptation of the manga, with expected minor exclusions and changes in how the show handles depicting violence. The take home lesson was that for a series I had criticized for cutting out character dialogue from the 1999 anime run, which I love dearly, never existed in the original manga to begin with. I couldn’t nitpick anymore; the original anime was at fault to start with!
Read MoreChihayafuru – 06
Oe is a great addition to the group. Compared to Chihaya, Taichi, and Arata, she’s certainly different but in her own good way. She’s enjoyable to watch and her unique perspective on karuta will serve as both a history lesson on the game and a sort of toning down of the competitive atmosphere of karuta so far. We’ll just have to see how successful she gets in the long run since apparently she doesn’t even know the basics to the game. I hope she won’t end up as a support type of character cheering on from the sidelines. Here’s wishing that her greater interests in the history of karuta and wearing fancy kimonos won’t get in the way of her mastering the game.
Hunter X Hunter – 06
This wasn’t that great in the original, but at least this time around they go through this exam fast. Cutting a lot of dialogue and scenes from the first version, what is left isn’t very redeeming. Comparing this to the original, Menchi then definitely did a better job of making herself remotely relevant as a hunter. A viewer watching this new version would just have to assume she’s a good hunter without any evidence.
In the original she showed the frustrated contestants her skills by returning to a remote section of the swamp by herself to get rare ingredients within an hour without a scratch. Not too terribly impressing, but it was something at least. She also beats the crap out of Todo herself, a better case than showing off her knife skills.
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