Hunter x Hunter is a shounen anime adapted from the original long-running manga series which has been going since 1998. The series’ creator, Yoshihiro Togashi, has a habit of going on extremely long breaks, leaving fans waiting for updates for months or years on end, meaning that Hunter x Hunter still has a long way to go before reaching its conclusion.
Nevertheless, the manga is hugely popular, with great storytelling, a cast of extremely powerful characters, and some of the best and most complex villains in manga history. This success led the story to get its first anime adaptation in 1998, and another one in 2011.
Even though it would make sense to watch the older one first, the second version is practically a reboot with better animation, so there’s not much to miss out on by skipping the original.
Differences between the Hunter x Hunter anime versions
The 1999 version of Hunter x Hunter has a more serious tone and more filler episodes than the newer incarnation. The animation style is considered outdated nowadays, and the story has a slower pace, which might be a deal-breaker for younger viewers who are accustomed to more modern animation and faster storytelling.
On the other hand, the animation of the Hunter x Hunter 2011 anime series is smooth, and stunning, and only gets better as the series evolves. It also uses more comedic tropes than the older version. No doubt, viewers will notice a huge difference when comparing both.
Some story details are different between the two Hunter x Hunter iterations, like the way the main characters meet, for example. The 1999 version explores Gon’s journey, giving more perspectives than the latter adaptation. In that regard, the 2011 version follows more closely to the manga, almost word for word. If you prefer to watch the anime most true to the manga, the newer version is the one.
Since the 1999 anime got up to date with the manga, it ended at the Greed Island story arc (when you include the OVAs). There are five filler Hunter x Hunter episodes compared to only two recap episodes in the 2011 version. The latter had time to launch a reboot of the story without fillers and still release two more arcs until it ended in 2013 when it reached the manga.
Watch order for Hunter x Hunter (1999)
- Hunter X Hunter (1999) – 62 episodes
- Hunter X Hunter: Spider OVA (2002) – 8 episodes
- Hunter X Hunter: Greed Island OVA (2003) – 8 episodes
- Hunter X Hunter: Greed Island Final OVA (2004) – 14 episodes
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Watch order for Hunter x Hunter (2011)
- Hunter Exam arc (1-26)
- Heavens Arena arc (27-38)
- Phantom Troupe arc (39-58)
- Greed Island arc (58-75)
- Chimera Ant arc (76-136)
- Election arc (136-148)
Hunter x Hunter movies
- Hunter x Hunter: Phantom Rouge (2013)
- Hunter x Hunter: The Last Mission (2013)
There are only two Hunter x Hunter movies that were released in 2013. Both are non-canon, so the order in which you watch them isn’t of great importance. That said, to avoid potential spoilers, it’s best that you watch them after finishing the 2011 version.
Here’s how you can watch Hunter x Hunter online
Hunter x Hunter is currently available for streaming on platforms like Hulu or Crunchyroll.
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