Hunter x Hunter: Exam Arc

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[@micow9951]

It's so inspiring how Tashigi quit the marines and became a mangaka who takes a lot of breaks ( i Heard it's because she hurt her back fighting Monet ) her story shows that it's never too late to follow your passion

[@jellal9550]

Lmao

[@Galaxy_018]

This is my favorite comment I've read all week!

[@MK-se2nz]

🤣🤣🤣

[@kaizokud42]

I was so confused with this comment until I started watching the video lol..

[@GinnBlack]

I was reading this count just a ment before she said tashigi and I was very confused, and then she did I laughed a lot

[@theifzelnite1087]

*Merphy likes character study* is now reading HXH. Hoooo boy the amount of analysis for every character is something that won’t ever run out. Woke up hot hearted. Made my day

[@backoff8062]

Merphy: Killua has the greatest blood lust of anyone in this arc Hisoka: "..." Hisoka: Gon hold my margarita

[@serpior]

When she gets to hisokas swing scen

[@leonardo835q]

@@backoff8062 neferupithou: are you sure about nyaht?

[@Lymoc]

@@leonardo835q Nyaruhodo, you are right.

[@kozukitonio740]

Hxh is mid

[@WR_Hart]

I am almost convinced that Netero(the chairman) has a gag reel of Tonpa tripping people up for failure made every year. Tonpa has probably been brought to his attention as a nuance but he lets him apply every year because if a guy like that causes you to fail you don't deserve to be a hunter lol

[@pimentx3253]

Knowing what I know of Netero and hunter association, this is now my new headcanon.

[@user-un-known]

Tonpa is lowkey saving lives I'd say. Failing cuz Tonpa set you up still leaves you alive at the least. The guys who drank laxatives offered by a guy they don't know, at a place where they're supposed to be competing against each other, and where risk to life is real... I'm sure they would've died in that misty swamp if they didn't fail before. Too trusting. Things like that.

[@danielrehfeldt]

"I love Gon, he has this innocent, doe-eyed view of the world" Oh boy this is going to be an experience to watch her explore this series.

[@DeeJuusan]

Ive been looking for this comment.

[@Martin-yh7vi]

He's a really ambiguous character. While he is a nice kid, he's not so simple as you might think. And is surprisingly unhinged or unbothered upon seeing things most people would get freaked about.

[@Splattedable]

@@Martin-yh7vi Yeah it always surprises me when people describe him as "pure good".

[@termindterguta3514]

@@Splattedable it surprise me those who only think gon is not good anymore ONLY IN THAT ARC, where since the first episode we saw him, "a bit strange"

[@jackroberts2704]

He's still a good person deep down, don't tell me you've never seen a heroic character break at some point

[@isopodshuffle]

The anti-climactic ending to the exam probably works better if you've already read/watched a ton of shonen stuff, because it's a good example of how Togashi likes to subvert/play with tropes. Seemingly every battle shonen has a tournament arc at some point, and Togashi got his out of the way early... but then subverted it by literally flipping the tournament upside-down and then skipping almost all the fights 😆

[@aerithenjoyer]

Togashi's previous work Yu Yu Hakusho has an arc which I have often seen referred to "the best tournament arc in shounen history" (which I can't judge, because I haven't seen/read it), so him skipping it in HxH is actually hilarious.

[@shyguypro9876]

@@aerithenjoyer The Dark Tournament arc, while I don’t necessarily consider it the best tournament arc in shonen, certainly laid the groundwork for what a big epic tournament arc looks like for all shonen manga to come. It’s certainly the most influential.

[@MugenHeadNinja]

@@aerithenjoyer Most people consider the Dark Tournament Arc to be one of the best, if not THE best Tournament arc in all of anime/manga. It's definitely and easy top 5 contender, maybe even top 3.

[@GutsTheBeast]

Togashi being bored and skipping isn't subverting though.

[@carlosdanielcalderonmontoy3723]

Yeah, imo it is better to read/watch HXH when you have read/watched plenty of Shounen Nekketsu, Merph started reading HXH very early in my honest opinion, but anyway, what's done is done🤷🏼‍♂️ and Merph is already into HXH so let's enjoy her reviews👌🏼 haha

[@charlesacker9174]

"Hisoka genuinely scares me" You're very much correct in that assessment Merphy. He's quite literally intended to be the archetype of a John Wayne Gacy type of Serial killer Clown. He wants to Groom the children into being fun targets to kill and will wait years until Gon is ripe for the killing

[@xXSamir44Xx]

The thing I like the most about Hisoka is that he doesn't seem like the type to randomly kill you on the street just because. The guy he killed at the start of the hunter exam? I still think he wouldn't have killed him if he apologized for bumping into him.

[@skylerfoxwell5107]

Also is lowkey a pedo

[@tonileo4086]

*SCHWING*

[@cabdirahman9000]

@@skylerfoxwell5107 highkey not a pedo

[@tardigrade8019]

He's also a dark exaggeration of the Shonen trope of "the guy who loves fighting".

[@PhantomGreyfire]

00:00:00 ⟾ Update - Vlog Channel, Hunter × Hunter 00:00:29 ⟾ Intro - Hunter Exam Arc 00:00:55 ⟾ Format - 4 Parts: Artwork, Characters, Plot, Themes 00:01:25 ⟾ 01) *ART* - simplicity, focus, intensity, landscapes 00:02:51 ⟾ Art - Complaint: psychology, text walls, info dump 00:04:38 ⟾ Art - Page Turn effect 00:05:39 ⟾ Art - Nit-pick: ‘wonky’ panels, Togashi {not Tashigi} health 00:06:11 ⟾ 02) *CHARACTERS* - Gon: innocence, dream 00:06:44 ⟾ Characters - Gon: tasks, friends, cunning (candle) 00:07:36 ⟾ Characters - Gon: purity, goodness, Mito lie, ship 00:08:20 ⟾ Characters - Gon: Kiriko family scene 00:10:03 ⟾ Characters - Kurapika: dream, disposition 00:10:45 ⟾ Characters - Kurapika: Kiriko {Reolio} scene 00:12:04 ⟾ Characters - Leorio: motivation 00:12:40 ⟾ Characters - Leorio: Ponzu snake cave scene 00:12:52 ⟾ Characters - Killua: skateboard scene & Illumi scene 00:15:30 ⟾ Characters - Killua: bloodlust, killing, Zoldyck family, dream 00:17:17 ⟾ Characters - Killua: Leorio ‘already friend’ scene 00:17:41 ⟾ Characters - Killua: unafraid nature 00:18:37 ⟾ Characters - Tonpa: ‘punk’, easy-to-hate 00:20:27 ⟾ Characters - Hisoka: powerful mystery, approving Leorio scene 00:21:33 ⟾ Characters - Hisoka: Gon badge scene, Kurapika 1v1 scene 00:21:50 ⟾ Characters - Hisoka: ‘killing Gon when worthy’ scene 00:22:46 ⟾ Characters - Hisoka: motivation, antagonist, mystery 00:23:48 ⟾ 03) *PLOT* - Gon as tone contrast 00:24:11 ⟾ Plot - Second Task, Menchi, Fifth Task, more Tasks? 00:24:52 ⟾ Plot - Third Task, Fourth Task 00:26:19 ⟾ Plot - Fourth Task: solidifying friendship, Leorio, suitcase, Ponzu snake cave scene 00:28:05 ⟾ Plot - Third Task: Leorio time removal conundrum 00:29:40 ⟾ Plot - Fourth Task: Leorio character growth 00:30:24 ⟾ Plot - Kurapika: Hisoka badge surrender scene vs. snake cave badge surrender scene 00:31:49 ⟾ Plot - Gon: Fourth Task cave scene 00:32:19 ⟾ Plot - Fifth Task: anticlimactic, Hanzo vs. Gon, Illumi confrontation 00:33:45 ⟾ 04) *THEMES* - dark world, Gon contrast, Gon arc? 00:35:26 ⟾ Themes - friendship, loyalty 00:35:40 ⟾ Themes - Foreshadowing: Gon ‘no right answer’ scene 00:38:11 ⟾ Overall, Future Plans 00:38:47 ⟾ [Promo] [Credits]

[@mapletea3296]

Wow, thanks!

[@reiii69]

Holy shit that was fast.

[@D4rKn3sS94]

Bruhhh i was like surely not on hxh he's not there... U need some kinda award m8 every video I'm looking for this comment first lol

[@light9205]

Legend have come upon us

[@jesse8924]

The legend is here! Thought we'd lost you on here once we left One Piece.

[@wilsonTVYT]

That first scene with Killua is also hinting at his insecurity. He has this self image of being hyper talented, and so seeing Gon run challenges that self image of him being this one of a kind talent. You can see how he reacts to Gon being placed above him in the tournament. Gon is probably the first kid he’s had to compare himself with, and he’s kind of showing him up.

[@falexie7802]

I feel like a lot of people miss this when it comes to Killua's actions in the future.

[@nichescenes]

@@falexie7802 It's easy to overlook a grown man beating you in a competition you're good at. Seeing someone your age beat you while you're considered the best...it hits your humbleness. Finally, we have a change forum in him over time with him not thinking he's trash but recognizing he's still good but can improve. It's all subtle, yet people scream how HXH is overrated trash and is all show don't tell. The massive dialogue dumps aren't a negative they're a quality of the manga. Like jojo over-explaining plot beats that don't mean much. If we follow the tried and true way of stories needing to be ABC plots we get a lot of the same stories and people still complain that they can't be surprised by plots. Here's a hint people you like older stuff because you were new to it. The older stuff wasn't better than the new stuff you're just smarter and more informed and jaded. Lol. HXH is hated by many because it does stand up to writing critics...vs more easy-to-digest stuff. Naruto for example is good, but it is easier to digest and many like it more, but I feel HXH is in another league and grew with its audience.

[@falexie7802]

@@nichescenes Yup, yup. Very good points. It hits your humility because you effectively don't meet your own standards. It's expected that an older dude has more experience than you, but when your superior is your age or younger, you might question your innate talent because their age is a more familiar point of reference.

[@g9n646]

I'm really glad you decided to start HxH. I am a manga reader, since I was 9 years old. I subscribed to you initially because of your book reviews. I wanted to read more books outside of manga, and your channel has been very helpful. I'm super happy when you started OP. But now, HxH? Double happiness!!

[@waynicliz]

still feels like she shouldn't have read one piece first it would be very hard to top it

[@christopherrivera1673]

@@waynicliz I started with One Piece and now prefer Hunter x Hunter. HxH and OP offer different things the other doesn’t so it can go either way for most people.

[@hhhfdsfs]

@@waynicliz both are great, sure it's not as good but it is still.

[@GuyLogen]

@@waynicliz One piece is still shounen and while maybe within that realm, it may not be toppled, there are still other manga out there outside of the shounen genre that have their own strengths and are just as interesting.

[@davi1415]

Enjoy the journey, Merphy! It is a wild ride. :) In my opinion, Togashi's strength as a writer is juggling multiple characters and still give them good depths and characterization. Also I really love how he does worldbuilding in Hunter x Hunter.

[@pimentx3253]

The exposition dump is actually a common criticism among the readers. I personally don't mind it to much, because the pay off is always worth it, and for the most part Togashi does try to insert in a situation that makes sesne, it doesn't feel contrived. But yeah, be ready for more wall of texts because they only get longer and longer as the series go on. Glad you are enjoying, you are in for of a hell of journey.

[@alessandroferraro1220]

My fave literature reviewer/analyst is reading my favourite series?!?!?! I’m beyond exhilarated! Hope you enjoy your journey through this amazing story, Merphy!

[@shyguypro9876]

Yay! Hunter x Hunter is such a great story! If you like stories where characters are often required to think their way out of problems, and that the main heroes are often way out their depth, then Hunter x Hunter is the story for you! It’s also the source of my favourite meme from any manga and anime. SPOILERS AHEAD . . . . . . . . Did you know the Bungee Gum has the properties of both rubber and gum?

[@ashdude3058]

THE SPOILER WARNING LMAOO

[@jbogle531]

Bro!? Too soon! Lol

[@pocketfulofposies-]

LMAO NO NOT THIS AGAIN 😭💀

[@GalekC]

This & the * jojo spoilers * Kira ambulance are not quite my favorite 😅

[@sparknarrater4821]

If you waited till heavens arena to make this joke it wood have bean way funnier

[@GABRIEL-0702]

I thought my Friday will become boring again now that we getting one piece once a month.. So happy you are doing the HxH manga as well, really love your reviews of manga and books Please keep it up

[@danzamx]

I freaked out for a minute because I thought One Piece chapters would be releasing once a month.

[@GABRIEL-0702]

@@danzamx that would absolute torture

[@Martin-yh7vi]

@@danzamx Lmao, One Piece would get extended 5 extra years if it releases monthly. Even if we're getting 30-40 chapters, hypothetically.

[@danzamx]

@@Martin-yh7vi I'm already starting to suffer from withdrawals

[@FuckYoutubeAndGoogle]

Yoshihiro Togashi, the mangaka (creator/author-illustrator) of Hunter X Hunter, is a titan of the field, his work on Yu Yu Hakusho, which ran from 1990-94, along with other series like Dragon Ball, Fist of the North Star, and Rurouni Kenshin, helped usher in the age of Shonen manga that you, and most people in the West, are most familiar which began in the late 90's with One Piece, HxH, Naruto, and then Bleach in the early 2000's. Masashi Kishimoto, the mangaka of Naruto, has stated that Yu Yu Hakusho was his favorite manga. Unfortunately, Togashi has been suffering from fairly chronic back and, I think, wrist pains since he was writing Yu Yu Hakusho in the early 90's, as well as bouts of pretty severe depression. These longstanding health problems have no doubt effected Togasho's works both thematically and in the simple fact that he takes long breaks at times (HxH has semi-affectionately been dubbed "Hiatus X Hiatus" by fans) and the quality of his art has been known to heavily drop in quality sporadically, although he has gone back and redone a lot of the bad art for the collected volume releases (tankoban), so you may not encounter much or any of it.

[@danielrehfeldt]

I just realized how much she's going to love and want to protect Killua at all costs, especially after we visit his family.

[@Flumong]

I love that you're branching out into more manga. HxH isn't one I've read myself, but I hear it's good. I can't wait until you get to Fullmetal Alchemist, that's my all-time favorite.

[@michaelportillo5474]

Hasn't she already done Fullmetal alchemist?

[@corduroycrook]

@@michaelportillo5474 she did like a year or so ago but i think she dropped it. Maybe she’ll like it more this time around.

[@merphynapier42]

That one is very high on my list to read soon

[@notrixamoris3318]

@@merphynapier42 Merphy do a carveball and read Chihayafuru next or the promised neverland...

[@line4169]

@@merphynapier42 I know it's typical of fanbase to ask you but please get into attack on titan. it's a masterpiece !

[@ChichiNaka]

Togashi one of the best mangaka to make it out alive with the rest of his life to live, tired of the weekly grind Yu Yu Hakusho bought on him and his family he basically wrapped it up and only agreed to doing HxH if he could be off that death treadmill of shonen weekly manga to spend time with his wife and kids throughout their entire lives instead of being gone 99% of the time. I'd gladly take breaks in manga releases if it meant everyone got to live fufilling lives than have 20 more Miura's sacrificing their 20s, 30s and 40s all the while missing out on their life and their families

[@GalekC]

So glad peeps are coming to this realization

[@islasullivan3463]

That and he has a lot of health problems especially with his chronic back pain.

[@mellamanq]

Hiatus x hiatus cope

[@dimwittedly6983]

So funny because I didn't see Hisoka as a villain nor a hero when I first started the series. He was just...there. It's so cool because I can't actually compare him to any characters in other animes so yeah, he's one of my faves.

[@AzureRadio]

He definitely plays both sides of that spectrum throughout the series. He is more often than not an "ally" of the boys boy is being built up to be a huge villain much later in the future

[@vicentereyes8463]

Literally the wild card, perfect theming for him.

[@b_delta9725]

He's the embodiment of Togashi's writing, someone who has no real friends and no clear place in the story, just a murderer who goes around doing whatever he wants, and could perfectly be a filler character, but somehow he always ends up mattering a lot, he gets into everyone else's business and manipulates everyone to get whatever he needs, and it's always so fun to watch its almost like we're with him as audiences, we want to see wtf he's going to do next.

[@tibowmew]

Hearing Merphy talk about this series makes me want to go back and reread it. It's been ages since I read the beginning and I didn't realize how much I'd forgotten

[@depressedrocketsfan2880]

Finally Hunter x Hunter my second favourite manga after one piece

[@Adhokshaja]

It might just be the op fandom who love brilliant story and many op fans loves hxh

[@Alexander-2956]

@@Adhokshaja majority of Kingdom fans are OP fans too.

[@bendover7841]

@@Alexander-2956 Kingdom is straight fire. And just like OP it's not ending anytime soon LMAO.

[@Adhokshaja]

@@Alexander-2956 before op i was a Naruto fan but after finishing it , i felt like the whole timeline could have been completed in 350 episodes, and then, it took courage to start one piece and then it 😍😘😍😘😍😍😍😘.......

[@AzureRadio]

I say HxH is 1 and OP 2 but both are gems

[@rainbowskin3379]

Togashi knows how to truly capture intense emotions. When he's trying to portray bloodlust, dread, fury, or despair, the emotion is so clearly communicated. As for exposition, you need to accept it, togashi does it a lot. Also for anyone that's not a fan of manga the anime is great. It's almost a complete panel to panel recreation of the manga.

[@aldevaran1298]

merphy I know you probably heard this from many viewers but i really recommend watching the anime along with reading the manga since unlike one piece having their ups and downs adaptation wise, hxh anime is a masterclass on how to adapt a manga to anime and i cant not stress that enough!! btw i love your videos I'm glad you are covering this series, hope you enjoy it.

[@superalatreon1]

For pronouncing Leorio's name, it's more like Leh-oreo, instead of lee-ahrio, based on not only how they say it in the anime but also how the Japanese pronounce their vowels. And for Killua the emphasis is on the first syllable, so KILL-ua instead of Kih-LEWA. Yeah, the author was not subtle about the assassin boy's name.

[@twi_anime]

You got it right, hopefully she sees this!

[@RushavMohanty]

Also just English pronounciation lol. I mean look at the word.... Leorio.....where the heck would the "ah" sound come from?

[@infinity9730]

Lay Oreo

[@brianrose85]

Kill Uwa (or Oo-wah)

[@SoundwaveSC]

@@infinity9730 That's MR Lay Oreo

[@_axolotl_6783]

I’m so excited to see you go on the Hunter X Hunter journey Merphy!

[@rwjfan5000]

It really really can not be understated how masterful a grasp of panelling and page layout Togashi has. The flow of every single page is natural and beautiful, and when he makes something pop, it just explodes. That duality of foreground/background, simple/detailed, the chiaroscuro, it makes the memorable images stick in your mind forever. Reading Hunter x Hunter is a viscerally pleasing aesthetic experience. (...mostly)

[@shooshiwhooshi8736]

I like how the editor sometimes chimes in through the subtitles. It's like so wholesome.

[@Pablo360able]

If you wish this early stuff were longer, you’re going to *love* the later arcs! I mean, you’ve read One Piece. You know how the story goes, there’s no doubt that subsequent arcs will get more drawn out

[@kylewood2715]

In Leorio's defense, the conundrum in the Tower is completely different than the conundrum in the cave. In the Tower, yes it was his fault they couldn't all take the long path, but theoretically no one has to die in that situation: two people just have to agree to stay behind. In that situation, his goal of becoming a doctor is of greater practical importance than any goal of the other four characters (with the possible exception of Kurapika), and it's also of greater importance than his own personal pride or image. That's because... How many people might die--that Leorio could have theoretically saved--because Leorio's doctoral education was delayed by a year? A few? A few dozen? Hundreds? Thousands (or perhaps millions if his goal is to become a virologist, and his destiny is to create some unknown miracle cure)? These theoretical people are more important to future Dr. Leorio than any single person's dream (or ego) in that room. In the cave on the other hand, rather prioritizing the people that he theoretically could save, Leorio chose to prioritize the people he could actually prevent from being hurt or dying, by sacrificing himself to warn them of the danger. In this second scenario Leorio was no longer weighing the theoretical lives that he MIGHT save (by getting his doctorate a year sooner) against other people's individual dreams. He was weighing the worth of actual lives against HIS dream. TLDR: Tower: Leorio weighs the potential lives of others against others' potential dreams and his own ego. Cave: Leorio weighs the actual lives of others against his own dream. So, inconclusion, rather than the two scenes demonstrating Leorio's character growth, what you're really seeing is Leorio's character depth; specifically, his willingness to put the lives of others above everything else, including himself. (Edited for grammar)

[@UndergroundRose]

Exactly! very well put. I was thinking the exact same when she was talking about it, cause in the Exam arc there's no development of Leorio's character (Not a bad thing at all) we just get to see how he reacts to all kinds of very different situations. If I remember correctly the 2 only characters that do get Development in the Exam, Is Gon and Killua. Put shortly, Gon learning what its like to be weak (And hating it) and for Killua, the start of him learning the worth of friendship.

[@kylewood2715]

@@UndergroundRose I'd argue no main character actually receives any growth. The Hunter Exam arc, in my opinion, is all about Togashi establishing characterization and planting seeds for future growth. Gon's brush with fear and helplessness, as well as Killua's brush with friendship, are just the first signs those seeds have been planted, and are starting to breakout of their shells so they can take root and begin growing...but that's really just a semantic argument, on my part. Anyway, thank you for the kind words Casper! I appreciate it 🙂

[@b_delta9725]

I'm late but I think Leorio has some development. At the beginning when he says he's doing it all for money, he mocks Kurapika's mission because he thinks he's gonna end up being killed, and until Kurapika presses him to confess, he doesn't tell anyone about his childhood friend, calling himself a fool for believing he could become a doctor without money, almost as if he believes his intentions to be wayy too good and hopeful to really become, but he keeps trying to pass the exam. By the end of the arc when he has befriended everyone, he seems a lot more confident about what he's doing, it's almost like that's all the personal growth he needs for now, in Yorknew he's seems to be the one that understands Kurapika the most and in the Chairman election arc, he's like one of the most memorable characters

[@ZS-dr7bi]

I've always liked the "psychoanalyzing Merphy" when she was just a book reader, but Merphy psychoanalyzing everything as a manga reader is another kind of treat for me. My favorite character is not yet introduced, so I am glad to wait you discover him for yourself later.

[@doctorpygmy6020]

Who is the character youre talking abt?

[@ZS-dr7bi]

@@doctorpygmy6020 ch*r*ll*

[@_ampersand]

@@doctorpygmy6020 I'd hazard a guess at Male Troupe member number (blank)

[@UndergroundRose]

@@_ampersand we are still waiting for answer.. tho yeah Chrollo is quite likely it

[@BtFML1]

the wall of text thing is something that hunter x hunter can struggle with a lot, and some points it’s pretty much legit whole pages of just text, but in spite of that, it’s still an incredible series

[@pecanpancake5745]

I audibly gasped when I saw the title. Hunter x Hunter is my favorite manga and I hope you enjoy reading the rest of the series!

[@sergiodoubleshot7576]

hiatus x hiatus, see you in 8 years for the next chapter

[@sergiodoubleshot7576]

(most recent chapter came out in nov 2018) and there have been like 3 year long breaks in the story, hence the nickname

[@surto3829]

I REALLY hope Merphy reads Shingeki no Kyojin AKA Attack on Titans

[@ANIMEniacReview]

This is definitely one of those series that you want to check out some of the 2011 anime for. Togashi's art suffers from time to time as he is getting older and having physical problems. But the anime was a labor of love by those who worked on it. Glad to see you tackling another one of my favorite series! Prepare for a friendship between 2 characters in particular on the level of Locke and Jean.

[@Tommaay]

Did you actually read the manga?

[@christopherrivera1673]

The manga is an overall better experience and is just as much a “labor of love.” The anime is a great experience in its own right, too.

[@Tommaay]

@SirVetsalot the anime does have problems with the tone and they leave things out of the anime. They both have their mistakes.

[@ANIMEniacReview]

@@Tommaay Yes I've read the Manga. That's why I said watch the anime for key moments of you're reading the Manga. Good Manga and anime enhance one another. And HxH is one of those where both are amazing. Both in tandem reach a new height all together.

[@christopherrivera1673]

@@ANIMEniacReview enjoying both is the best experience.

[@OleBrr]

Definitely my my favorite anime of all time. When you get to *that* arc you'll understand what the hype is about. As long as you don't judge it too quickly that is. I feel like HxH is a series that is fun to read, but that you really appreciate when looking back in retrospect or on a re-read. Togashi is definitely one of the greatest in the industry, with two masterpieces under his belt

[@niveshproag3761]

When you say *that* arc, we all immediately know which arc, because it's just that good.

[@poppers7317]

But she already spoke about the Hunter Exam arc in this video.

[@giorgosdaispyros6989]

Yes! You'll fall in love with Hunter x Hunter. The character work is amazing, both for heroes and villains, the story-lines and tropes are inovative and unique for the shounen genre, and the Chimera Ant arc has one of the greatest antagonists in fiction. Great choice of a manga/anime.

[@carlosferreira4687]

Hands down of the greatest antagonists I've ever read. Flawless character progression.

[@wwe12153]

Doflamingo is better 🤗

[@niveshproag3761]

@@wwe12153 Doflamingo is great but still no

[@wwe12153]

@@niveshproag3761 i see him is the best written antagonist in all manga, but i meant no offense by the comment. Iam joking by telling the truth , Anyway when i rate the best manga antags will be 1- doffy 2- griffith 3- johan libert 4-meruem 5- askeladd But they are not far from each other

[@napoleon8017]

@@wwe12153 nah, he has interesting background and personality, but he has no character progression,we just know him as he is,as for meruem for example,we see him grow and it makes the character much more real and interrsting

[@user-nn5dh3cs9s]

You’ll really love HxH I can feel it. It does have its draggy moments from time to time specifically towards the “end” but as a person who reads books a lot you’ll probably speed through it no problem. The characters are amazing especially the villains

[@dmanzawsome]

Merphy Napier: Foreshadowing hunter, she finds and hunts stories with good foreshawoing

[@timogul]

Merphy: "I don't know about the walls of text" New World arc: "Looms ominously. . ."

[@DashXero]

Holy crap. I never thought about Killua's introduction like that before! I'm glad you're covering Hunter x Hunter. I look forward to hearing your thoughts on future arcs.

[@NTWoo95]

I love Hunter x Hunter so much, it basically got me through the quarantine/s . My friend from college had been recommending it to me basically since we met (three years before!) and I finally caved and began my journey! It’s the first series I read that made me ugly cry (no spoilers obviously) and I’m just so happy that more people are dedicating 40 minute videos to anime/manga! The One Piece videos were also pretty surprising for me, but HxH has such a special place in my heart

[@LadyLightningstorm]

One thing I really like about Togashi's framing style is that it's pretty much completely neutral. The framing, specifically, never judges anything that happens or anything anyone does. You might get a character's opinion, but it somehow practically never becomes framing. It really suits this world.

[@wwe12153]

Very excited, HxH is my second favorite manga after one piece , actually not the the second , they are at the same place in my heart

[@ronpangilinan7551]

Hunter x Hunter was a series I read and watched in my childhood, and is the main reason why I'm so critical of characters today in my adulthood. So since you're like me who loves well written characters, I am absolutely thrilled to know what you think of this series, especially when the story really starts to get going.

[@Loiner_Leftie]

Part of the impact of the anticlimactic tournament relies on the context that Togashi's previous work contained what some still call the best tournament manga/anime; it acts as subversion to emphasise that this is not going to be like his previous work.

[@saras5179]

Hunter X Hunter is my favorite series! I'm really glad you are making dedicated reviews for it, and I love how long they are and how you go in depth. Hope you continue to enjoy this awesome series :)

[@colinoconnor2917]

Togashi, prior to this story, wrote Yu Yu Hakusho which I personally find one of the greatest stories I’ve seen.

[@felixnicolas5217]

I've been wanting to read HxH for a long time, and I think this video is the signal to do so. So happy to start this journey with you! Besides, I saw Monster by Naoki Urasawa (Wonderful manga) on your to-read list, and I think you'll LOVE another one of his works, 20th Century Boys. Thank you very much for such extensive and detailed reviews, I love them!

[@MrALUCARDIII]

I am really happy to hear her talk with such passion about the story and the characters. Thanks for this video and all your hard work.

[@chaosbean3211]

HxH is a darker shonen with mild satire and exquisite character work. Gon is intentionally a sweet, simple character so that his friends can have the spotlight, and there's tons of small moments that are meant to subvert the traditional tropes of shonen series. Even the side characters that are really only there for one arc are endearing and memorable, and the antagonists are just amazing. The magic system doesn't rely on "POWER OF FRIENDSHIP"; it has major consequences and relies on your wit and creativity. I walked into the show without knowing basically anything about it, and it is one of the only shows that has made me cry. Please take your time and enjoy every last bit of Hunter x Hunter!

[@alvesraphsrevenge6616]

As much as I knew Merphy would probably rly like HxH, I might've recommended The Promised Neverland first since it's already finished, and the buffer time would give us a chance to HOPEFULLY get more chapters from Togashi at..... some point in the future 😢

[@TheRASDEL83]

YES!!!! HXH is in my top 5 favorite anime... SO FREAKING GLAD YOU STARTED THIS GEM! 😎👍

[@generalyousif3640]

Hxh, one piece and AOT are my top 3 favorite animes/mangas I’m so happy you are giving hxh a chance

[@user-im5ri6yr4x]

Literally my top 3.

[@generalyousif3640]

@@user-im5ri6yr4x great minds think alike :)

[@Alexander-2956]

HxH is my Top 4 after One Piece, Berserk and Kingdom respectively. Those 3 plus HxH and Fruits Basket are my set in stone Top 5. I will never change those. AoT is just my Top 10 mainly because I've never been a fan of the Rumbling Arc and the ending. (AoT is my Top 2 at one point)

[@hei7846]

No JoJo fans?

[@generalyousif3640]

@@hei7846 I love jojo It’s my 5th

[@jcnot9712]

20:05 Merphy's definitely picturing Daniel Greene in her head lmao

[@Nassit-Gnuoy]

I got so excited to see Merphy started Hunter x Hunter! That was one of the anime that got me through quarantine along with Yu Yu Hakusho. I really think you’re gonna enjoy the rest of this story.

[@doflamingo7009]

I love hxh it's my 3rd favorite anime behind one piece and jojos

[@SC-yj7fc]

watch the anime as well because it adds so much more to the story. Esp the voice acting, animation and music. Seriously, the moments may not have a similar impact in manga because a) Togashi's art is not as refined as the anime and b) the anime adds so much atmosphere without which Hunter wouldn't be as popular as it is.

[@JaelAraripe]

With Hunter X Hunter, I HIGHLY recommend watching the 2011 anime version too. Read the manga, and then watch the anime. You won't regret.

[@TheDarkAdventure]

I love that Merphy doesn't mention Hisoka giving off windowless van energy. To quote Gon's dad on the day of his birth, "You're gonna be Gon, and I'm gonna be gone"

[@raouflamri1172]

This gonna be your second favorite manga believe me, it's so creative especially in terms of battles , plot twists , the villains , it's basically a story about how to use your mind with a complicated kinda of magical abilities , and Evey character has his own plan. The world building is good , everything is good fantastic in it.

[@theifzelnite1087]

Not only that, Gon is … not the conventional MC.

[@raouflamri1172]

@@theifzelnite1087 yeah this manga is so huge , everyone is a secondary character that has a significant role and has his own plot and plans, that's why i love this manga

[@sindri1447]

But she's gonna be devestated once she gets caught up and realizes she'll never see the end of it. Love Hunter X Hunter but we all had to learn to live with it.

[@raouflamri1172]

@@sindri1447 I know and it's so painful

[@theifzelnite1087]

@@sindri1447 3years hiatus is something else. Also what do you think about the Succesion war arc? Too much text?

[@jcbanner5754]

The way you described Tonpa just made me realize…. He’s Umbridge. He’s UMBRIDGE! Ugh!

[@is44ct37]

The way Tegashi was pronounced knocked me out of my chair !) it’s charming, don’t ever change

[@GASA1997]

HxH is the most climactic anti-climactic series that I have ever heard of.

[@rocketjimmy9238]

Omg, I already can’t wait for her to get to the Cimera Ant Arc! So glad she picked this manga

[@Nkanyiso_K]

I can't wait to see you react to the character arc for Gon since it feels subtle but Togashi is hinting at things for 4 arcs before we see the culmination of all these events which is masterfully done

[@mohdsyazwannuddin1975]

Its great that someone talks about Hunter x Hunter. It is definitely frequently overlooked, although many agreed it was one of the best shonen manga of all time. And many forget that it is still ongoing.

[@paolosardi9734]

I can't even tell you how I'm excited to see you read this series it's my absolute series, i hope you're gonna love it, can't wait for the dark continent and yorknes city ark reactions

[@MildWilliam]

Oh this is really cool. HxH is quite different from One Piece and I’m excited to see Merphy experience and analyze the series.

[@kipwhitler6804]

Love the video! I liked Hunter x Hunter to a certain point then it just became a lil too big brained for me. Maybe I'll pick it back up because of these vids! Please take this respectfully but I wanted to reiterate, the mangaka's name is pronounced "TOE-gah-shi," Toshigi is Smoker's partner with the glasses in One Piece 🤣 Again tho, really looking forward to what you've got in store (at least to where I left off reading)!

[@TEG13]

But Smoker's partner is named TAshigi.

[@jaybugo]

I have never clicked on one of your videos so freakn fast. I just finished watching the series and it immediately hit my top five animes of all time and I am SO excited for you to experience this beautifully complex story!!! ^_^

[@melon3109]

I'm so happy she really enjoyed it! I'm so excited for what's to come now that she'll def continue reading.

[@yellowhello2729]

This startled me and yet left me completely unsurprised. Congrats on starting a pretty great series!

[@sindri1447]

Love love love me some Hunter X Hunter ❤ I really hope Fullmetal Alchemist is next after Hunter X Hunter 😊

[@scpilapil4042]

I hope so too. Solid story and it was already finished.

[@rachelespiritu4215]

Oh dear. My heart is already preemptively breaking for Future Merphy.

[@animagamer2]

You're going to love this series and I'm going to love seeing you love it.

[@Elias-yy8hz]

I feel like when leorio wanted to fight to see who the 3 to move forward would be, he was giving up his position because he knew that gin killua and kurapika would win so he didn’t want them to go the long way for him, I haven’t watched that part in a while though so maybe the way the scene is played off shows that he’s serious

[@jerh985]

I was actually worried what you’d think about the art, since I know people that can’t get into the manga because of the art. But I’m glad you’re enjoying the series so far!

[@GalekC]

I really like Togashi's art tho 😖 from the distinct line work & so forth. Also he really saves the detail for when it truly matters + least amount of sameface stuffs I've seen in the shounen demographic - probably thanks in part to all the breaks he's been granted

[@waynicliz]

@@GalekC its good art but it isnt the best togashi can do, look at yu yu hakusho

[@roccygnus2570]

@@waynicliz Yeah, whenever someone says that Togashi can't draw or isn't good at drawing I just point them towards YYH

[@Real_Genji]

Ah finally getting into this. I don't like one piece so seeing this got me exited that you're branching off and getting into series like this! I know you'll love this one!

[@Ellimanist15]

My favorite book-tube is reviewing my favorite manga/anime! IM SO HAPPY!!!

[@generalyousif3640]

21:15 Actually the person he was talking to was Illumi, killua brother. It’s easier to spot in the anime because of the voices

[@twi_anime]

In the anime, because of the voices?

[@generalyousif3640]

@@twi_anime ooof my bad

[@twi_anime]

@@generalyousif3640 no worries! Just making sure I understood what you meant haha

[@SpadePyro]

Merphy don't do this to yourself. You don't need to know the pain of waiting for chapters that'll never come out.

[@ZergofImportance]

To be fair the main story is finished. The current arc is more of a sequel/spin off/side story.

[@soccer12336]

Just came here from the reverie stream. I really like how calm the ambiance is for the channel. Not having the background noise is really helps my anxiety

[@Yondi1000]

I love watching Merphy nerd out about this stuff. It's almost as wholesome as Gon himself.

[@TuskyBaby]

I highly recommend listening to some of the score for the HxH 2011 anime. It makes me cry how good it is.

[@arrownibent5980]

This was an excellent choice of a follow up Manga, whoever recommended it to you was definitively into the right track. If you continue exploring manga I recommend works from Satoshi Mizukami who might be my favorite mangaka with complex enticing works that remain very fun

[@anyadendulk]

whoever is doing the captions on the video... you are great. also i'm so happy you're really enjoying this merphy! i love hunter x hunter and the characters are all so well developed:)

[@jesse8924]

Best part of the video is Merphy losing her mind at Leorio for gambling those hours in the Trick Tower 😂 I love Leorio, but let's not pretend he didn't jeopardise the whole exam for the gang.

[@ethanhunt8632]

LET'S GOOOO!!

[@ambro3075]

I never expected Merphy to read Hunter Hunter this is so amazing i cant wait to get her opinion on York New also are you going to watch the anime? the Anime is REALLY SOLID and there is 2 versions.

[@user-eo4vf4ip1f]

Just found out this channel and I love your discussion. :) FYI, the phone that Hisoka has is just his personal cellphone. There is no rule that stated that the applicants can't bring their cellphone. And the person he talked to is Illumi. Illumi arrived at the gate to the second phase and sent the location to Hisoka. When I read this for the first time, I didn't really understand Gon's character. For me, he is more like an unsocialized animal that is so innocent, almost like a blank paper. (And thank goodness that Hanzo is a good guy because if Gon fought someone that didn't care that much, he would probably get killed and never get to see his dad, ever. If that someone is confident and good enough like Hisoka who doesn't bother to take the hunter exam next year.) I think when Killua told Kurapika that he could kill that guy for Kurapika at the tower not only because Killua already got used to killing but also he kinda knew how the first kill would change a person. (I remembered Killua asked Kurapika whether he has killed anyone before.) I know that Killua's family is messed up, but if they are an assassin family, Killua's desire for having friend is a bit naïve. (Just considering how many enemies their family has because of what they do, Killua could easily be in danger or used to harm the whole family.) All the trainings for Killua was not only for his assassin career but also for protection.

[@luzobsidiana]

It shows how much you know about storytelling, you got every character at the level they are right now in the arc, you are gonna love their development, truly amazing. And Hisoka you got him completely, he doesnt change a lot until way way way further in the manga, so he remains umpredictable and just when you think you understand him, he gets an amazing remake

[@nikcantsnipe]

Looking forward to more HxH. Good to know I'll be sleeping a little less and watching Merphy talk about more series that I love, more. Leo-Rio, like the constellation and the city, respectively. Kill-UAh. That's it. Surprisingly Merphy didn't giving these characters as many names as Luffy would.

[@ScoopyMcEyeballEater]

Don't they say it more like Lay-oreo in the anime? I could be misremembering as I have read it much more recently than I've watched it.

[@sfkapacheoutlaw5348]

@@ScoopyMcEyeballEater You’re correct that the pronunciation is not Leo-Rio. However, the correct pronunciation would be Leh-oh-ree-oh (although the “r” is pronounced slightly differently than an “r” in English, but it’s close enough).

[@ScoopyMcEyeballEater]

@@sfkapacheoutlaw5348 Yeah that's a way better way to explain the pronunciation, I was admittedly lazy with the spelling in my comment. Thanks!

[@khust2993]

Wow. Didn't know Merphy started HxH after One Piece, another good manga. Looking forward for her to reach Chimera Ant arc ^_^

[@emmanuelboakye1124]

🤣🤣

[@NO-ux2xf]

Hisoka was talking to Illumi on the phone. They were working together and helping each other sometimes. :) Because Hisoka took the test last year and got disqualified for almost killing an instructor and when he noticed that Illumi was doing the test too, they partnered up because sometimes you need to partner up during the test so it is good to have someone you can "relatively" trust.

[@NicktheBrit518]

I'm sorry excited to see you tackle one of my favorite stories, both Manga and 2011 anime adaptation has been on my favorites for a long time, and I love seeing new people discovering it and enjoying it.

[@mapletea3296]

What?! I’m so excited to see you reviewing this. Hunter X Hunter really helped me escape during the pandemic and is one of my favorite stories ever

[@animeproblem1070]

Hunter Hunter is definitely the manga for people who have read a ton of shounen and like to see it’s troupes subverted and inverted in ways that are actually appealing for the fans

[@carlosdanielcalderonmontoy3723]

Yeah, I agree, it is better to read it/watch it when you have read/watched plenty of Shounen Nekketsu, Merph started reading HXH very early in my honest opinion, but anyway, what's done is done🤷🏼‍♂️ and Merph is already into HXH so let's enjoy her reviews👌🏼 haha

[@kyleward7417]

I have read tons of Shounen and HxH is easily one of the worst ones I encountered.

[@guiyerod444]

When you realize Merphy called Togashi Tashigi for 30+ minutes

[@lixogram]

Merphy started HxH and Togashi decided to come back.