Hunter × Hunter (1999 TV series)

Release

Hunter × Hunter was produced by Nippon Animation and directed by Kazuhiro Furuhashi. All 62 episodes aired on Fuji Television and its affiliates from October 16, 1999, to March 31, 2001, and later on Animax. Marvelous Entertainment released the series on DVD in Japan across 13 volumes between September 20, 2000, and September 19, 2001. Viz Media licensed the anime for Region 1 distribution, releasing four DVD box-sets from December 9, 2008, to December 1, 2009; from the second volume onward, Viz partnered with Warner Home Video.

The series began airing in the United States on the Funimation Channel in spring 2009. Toshihiko Sahashi composed the background music. The opening themes were by Keno (episodes 1–48) and Wino (49–62); closing themes were by Minako Honda (1–31) and Nagai Masato (32–50 and 51–62).

When the anime had covered most of its source material by 2001, Nippon Animation ended the adaptation without filler. Due to fan reaction, three OVA series were produced: the first, directed by Satoshi Saga, ran eight episodes from January 17 to April 17, 2002; the second, Hunter × Hunter: Greed Island, directed by Yukihiro Matsushita, ran eight episodes from February 19 to May 21, 2003; the third, Hunter × Hunter: G.I. Final, directed by Makoto Sato, ran 14 episodes from March 3 to August 18, 2004. The OVAs aired successively on Animax after the original run. Viz has not indicated plans to release English versions of the OVAs.

Reception

The first Hunter × Hunter anime series had more modest popularity than the manga. Newtype reported a Japanese television rating of 10.5 for the fourth quarter of 2000. The show ranked sixth among top ten anime television series in Japan for February 2001.

It was voted 16th best anime of 2000 in the Anime Grand Prix and rose to fourth place the following year. In 2001, the magazine's staff listed it as the 94th most important anime of all time. A 2006 TV Asahi web poll ranked it 28th best anime of all time.

In 2010, Mania.com's Briana Lawrence placed it ninth on a list of anime needing a reboot. Critical reception has been generally favorable. Miyako Matsuda of Protoculture Addicts praised the adventure-filled world and character qualities of friendship, effort, and victory. Carl Kimlinger of Anime News Network commended Togashi's plotting and Furuhashi's inventive visuals, calling the series fun and respectful of its audience.

Derrick L. Tucker of THEM Anime Reviews was impressed by the original characters, especially the Phantom Troupe. Kimlinger highlighted the complex villain Hisoka and Kurapika's emotional transformation. Theron Martin of Anime News Network found the first fifteen episodes entertaining, praising the clever writing and a twist involving a tournament official, and noted Gon's likability reminiscent of Goku.