Including the manga, Hunter x Hunter currently has nine arcs, with seven of them having received an anime adaptation. Each arc is radically different from the ones that precede and follow it, but the common denominator in all of them happens to be Gon and Killua's journey as newly initiated Hunters. That said, the most recent manga arcs haven't been adapted yet, and these storylines don't involve either Gon or Killua.
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Given the uniqueness of these arcs, however, it becomes a matter of subjectivity to categorize them according to a random set of guidelines. That said, considering the narrative in terms of plot, character growth, fight scenes, and overall emotional impact provides a satisfactory lens through which to ascertain the quality of the various storylines. Further, the manga-only arcs have also been ranked according to the same factors.
Updated on February 2, 2024, by Ajay Aravind: Hunter x Hunter is presently on one of the longest hiatuses in anime history, and fans can't wait for the next arc to be adapted. However, this beloved story by mangaka Yoshihiro Togashi remains as popular as ever. As the last two narrative arcs are still in manga form, we've revamped this list with some more information about the best arcs in Hunter x Hunter.
9 The 13th Hunter Chairman Election Arc Doesn't Take The Story Forward
Episodes 137-148
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This is the last anime arc before Hunter x Hunter took a break from the manga. The Ant King Meruem has successfully caused the death of Chairman Netero following an utterly incandescent battle scene that literally shakes the Earth. As a result, the Hunter Association holds an election to replace the old man. There are several candidates, and the results of the election are completely unpredictable.
Ging Freecss makes his first formal appearance and meets his son, Gon, whom he has inexplicably avoided for most of the child's life. This storyline also incorporates Alluka Zoldyck and her inscrutable but immensely powerful "wish-granting" abilities. All things considered, the 13th Hunter Chairman Election arc is simply not as detailed nor as tightly knit as the others, explaining why it ranks the lowest on this list.
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Episode Number | Episode Name |
---|---|
137 | Debate × Among × Zodiacs |
138 | Request × And × Wish |
139 | Alluka × And × Something |
140 | Join Battle × And × Open Battle |
141 | Magician × And × Butler |
142 | Needles × And × Debt |
143 | Sin × And × Claw |
144 | Approval × And × Coalition |
145 | Defeat × And × Reunion |
146 | Chairman × And × Release |
147 | Salvation × And × Future |
148 | Past × And × Future |
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8 The Zodyck Family Arc Is Exclusive To The Anime Canon
Episodes 22-26
The Zoldyck Family arc is exclusive to the anime. It kicks off with Gon, Leorio, and Kurapika traveling to Killua's family home deep within the Kukuroo mountain. This arc reveals the inner details of the Zoldyck household, especially the borderline-abusive manner in which they treat any child who steps out of line. Thankfully for Killua, he has a warm relationship with his father, Silva, although his interactions with his mother leave a lot to be desired.
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Things become considerably dicey when the Zoldyck chief butler, Gotoh, requires the gang to pass an allegedly "simple" coin toss game, but Gon apparently doesn't fall for his tricks. Gon and Killua then separate from their friends upon reaching the airport. The two boys subsequently make their way to Heaven's Arena, hoping to further polish their powers (and make some cash).
Episode Number | Episode Name |
---|---|
22 | A × Dangerous × Watchdog |
23 | The × Guard's × Duty |
24 | The × Zoldyck × Family |
25 | Can't See × If × You're Blind |
26 | Then × And × After |
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7 The Dark Continent Expedition Arc Sets The Stage For A New World
Chapters 340-348
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Like the 13th Chairman Election arc, the Dark Continent Expedition arc is very short, spanning a mere nine chapters, which haven't yet received an anime adaptation. Although minimal, the plot helps the story progress further without losing an ounce of its trademark charm. More importantly, the Dark Continent Expedition arc helps set the groundwork for all the future progression in the story, making it narratively essential.
With Gon out of action, the narrative focuses a lot more on other characters, including Pariston Hill, Leorio, Kurapika, Ging, and the Phantom Troupe. The Kakin Empire sponsors an excursion into the Dark Continent, a region far bigger and more dangerous than the entire world of Hunter x Hunter. Netero's son, Beyond, is a major player in the Dark Continent Expedition arc.
Episode Number | Episode Name |
---|---|
TBA | TBA |
6 The Succession Contest Arc Has Been On Hiatus For Over A Year
Chapters 349-TBA
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The Succession Contest arc is the ongoing arc in the Hunter x Hunter series, with 52 chapters published as of December 2022. King Nasubi Hui Guo Rou, the infamous ruler of the Kakin Empire, initiates a competition between his 14 children. He expects one of them to take the throne, but only after murdering their own siblings and half-siblings, thereby sparking a massive blood war.
Kurapika is a crucial presence in this arc, where he proves to be a worthwhile ally to Queen Oito. Kurapika mainly accepts the job because he wants to meet Prince Tserriednich, who allegedly has the last surviving pair of Kurta eyes in his possession. Biscuit Krueger and Hanzo also play major roles in the Succession Contest arc, demonstrating Togashi's desire to keep the story away from Gon and Killua. On a positive note, the Succession Contest arc doesn't seem to have an end in sight.
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Episode Number | Episode Name |
---|---|
TBA | TBA |
5 The Heaven's Arena Arc Establishes The Concept Of Nen
Episodes 27-36
This is the first Hunter x Hunter arc to be set entirely inside an urban sprawl — the titular arena is a theoretically unfeasible building consisting of 251 floors. While Gon and Killua have a fun time taking down the weaker opponents in Heaven's Arena, they are struck speechless (and motionless) when they come face to face with Hisoka's extremely threatening Nen.
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The Heaven's Arena arc is quite brilliant, but its central focus is the man who eventually becomes the boys' teacher: Wing. He explains the very basics of Nen, as well as the different subtypes involved. Gon possesses an Enhancement type, while Killua's happens to be Transmutation. The conclusion of this arc revolves around the fated battle between Hisoka and Gon, which ends with the hero making good on his face-punching promise. While the Heavens Arena arc is unquestionably brilliant, it pales in comparison to the later HxH arcs.
Episode Number | Episode Name |
---|---|
27 | Arrival × At × The Arena |
28 | Nen × And × Nen |
29 | Awakening × And × Potential |
30 | Fierce × And × Ferocious |
31 | Destiny × And × Tenacity |
32 | A × Surprising × Win |
33 | An × Empty × Threat |
34 | Power × To × Avenge |
35 | The × True × Pass |
36 | A Big Debt × And × A Small Kick |
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4 The Hunter Exam Arc Frames The Rest Of The Series
Episodes 1-21
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The first arc of Hunter x Hunter introduces all the main characters in a rather efficient manner. Gon meets Leorio and Kurapika on the ship taking them to the exam, which encounters a massive storm in the middle of the journey. The real exam is a lot more difficult, largely due to the sheer number of seemingly unrelated problems given to the aspiring Hunters.
The introduction of Hisoka makes this arc all that more enjoyable, especially since he promises that there will be a serious showdown between him and Gon. Killua also goes through a painful experience when he learns that Illumi is one of the competitors. The competitions are incredibly fascinating to watch, especially since multiple combat factors are taken into account. Killua is the only competitor to fail the 287th Hunter Exam, but he makes up for it by being the sole victor of the 288th.
Episode Number | Episode Name |
---|---|
1 | Departure × And × Friends |
2 | Test × Of × Tests |
3 | Rivals × For × Survival |
4 | Hope × And × Ambition |
5 | Hisoka × Is × Sneaky |
6 | An × Unexpected × Task |
7 | Showdown × On × The Airship |
8 | Decision × By × Majority? |
9 | Beware × Of × Prisoners |
10 | Trick × To × The Trick |
11 | Trouble × With × The Gamble |
12 | Last Test × Of × Resolve! |
13 | Letter × From × Gon |
14 | Hit × The × Target |
15 | Explosion × Of × Deception |
16 | Defeat × And × Disgrace |
17 | Trap × In The × Hole |
18 | Big × Time × Interview |
19 | Can't Win × But × Can't Lose |
20 | Baffling Turn × Of × Events |
21 | Some × Brother × Trouble |
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3 The Yorknew City Arc Highlights The Pitfalls Of Vengeance
Episodes 37-58
The Yorknew City arc is Kurapika's time to shine. It describes his suffering after the Phantom Troupe coldly murdered the Kurta Clan in order to steal and sell their precious Scarlet Eyes on the black market. Kurapika captures one of the Troupe's members, Uvogin, after a long and rather perilous fight. At the same time, the Ten Dons hire Zeno and Silva Zoldyck, two of the world's best assassins, to kill Chrollo Lucilfer, the so-called head of the Spider.
The Yorknew City arc reaches fever pitch when Kurapika successfully "kidnaps" the villain from under his minions' noses and orders the Troupe to release Gon and Killua in exchange for Chrollo's life. Despite sparing his hated nemesis, Kurapika decides to take Chrollo's Nen away, forcing the latter to abandon his beloved crew. That said, this is not the last that fans have seen of Chrollo.
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Episode Number | Episode Name |
---|---|
37 | Ging × And × Gon |
38 | Reply × From × Dad |
39 | Wish × And × Promise |
40 | Nen × Users × Unite? |
41 | Gathering × Of × Heroes |
42 | Defend × And × Attack |
43 | A × Shocking × Tragedy |
44 | Buildup × To A × Fierce Battle |
45 | Restraint × And × Vow |
46 | Chasing × And × Waiting |
47 | Condition × And × Condition |
48 | Very × Sharp × Eye |
49 | Pursuit × And × Analysis |
50 | Ally × And × Sword |
51 | A × Brutal × Battlefield |
52 | Assault × And × Impact |
53 | Fake × And × Psyche |
54 | Fortunes × Aren't × Right? |
55 | Allies × And × Lies |
56 | Beloved × And × Beleaguered |
57 | Initiative × And × Law |
58 | Time × To × Retreat |
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2 The Greed Island Arc Introduces The Fabulous Biscuit Krueger
Episodes 59-75
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The Greed Island arc is one of the most exciting ones in the HxH anime. It involves Gon and Killua's adventures on Greed Island, a game invented by Ging and his friends. The intrepid pair experiences some difficulty at the beginning, as they have to fight advanced combatants, but the introduction of the fabulous Biscuit Krueger pretty much flips the game on its head. Gon and Killua get a mentor who can take them to the next level, and she works them pretty hard.
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It's still not easy for Gon and Killua since a few members of the Phantom Troupe also appear in Greed Island. They hope to find a Nen exorcist capable of dispelling Kurapika's Judgment Chain on Chrollo's heart but to no avail. The highlight of the Greed Island arc is the dodgeball match, where the unlikely combination of Gon, Killua, and Hisoka manages to defeat Razor.
Episode Number | Episode Name |
---|---|
59 | Bid × And × Haste |
60 | End × And × Beginning |
61 | Invitation × And × Friend |
62 | Reality? × And × Raw |
63 | A × Hard × Master? |
64 | Strengthen × And × Threaten |
65 | Evil Fist × And × Rock-Paper-Scissors |
66 | Strategy × And × Scheme |
67 | 15 × 15 |
68 | Pirates × And × Guesses |
69 | A × Heated × Showdown |
70 | Guts × And × Courage |
71 | Bargain × And × Deal |
72 | Chase × And × Chance |
73 | Insanity × And × Sanity |
74 | Victor × And × Loser |
75 | Ging's Friends × And × True Friends |
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1 The Chimera Ant Arc Nearly Upsets Hunter X Hunter's World Order
Episodes 76-136
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Hunter x Hunter's Chimera Ant arc nearly upsets the world order when the overwhelmingly powerful Ant-hybrids begin crawling out of their nest and wreaking havoc on society. Gon is horrified to see that his new mentor, Kite, has been gruesomely decapitated by Neferpitou and vows revenge against them. When the Ant King awakens, however, the Hunter Association Chairman has no choice but to enter the fray himself.
Even though the old man literally blows both of them up with his heart-nuke, Meruem barely survives the explosion with Youpi and Pouf's help. That said, the ultimate victory belongs to Netero, as the Ant King fails to recognize the radioactive poison coursing through his veins. Gon travels to Neferpitou, challenging them to a deathmatch, and mutates into an adult version of himself by sacrificing his life energy. Overall, the Chimera Ant arc is widely recognized as Hunter x Hunter's best.
Episode Number | Episode Name |
---|---|
76 | Reunion × And × Understanding |
77 | Unease × And × Sighting |
78 | Very × Rapid × Reproduction |
79 | No × Good × NGL |
80 | Evil × And × Terrible |
81 | The × Fight × Begins |
82 | Kite × And × Slots |
83 | Inspiration × To × Evolve |
84 | A × Fated × Awakening |
85 | Light × And × Darkness |
86 | Promise × And × Reunion |
87 | Duel × And × Escape |
88 | Rock-Paper-Scissors × And × Weakness |
89 | Compassion × And × Strength |
90 | Slow × And × Cursed |
91 | The Strong × And × The Weak |
92 | One Wish × And × Two Promises |
93 | Date × With × Palm |
94 | Friend × And × Journey |
95 | Grudge × And × Dread |
96 | A × Lawless × Home |
97 | Carnage × And × Devastation |
98 | Infiltration × And × Selection |
99 | Combination × And × Evolution |
100 | Tracking × And × Pursuit |
101 | Ikalgo × And × Lightning |
102 | Power × And × Games |
103 | Check × And × Mate |
104 | Doubt × And × Hesitation |
105 | Resolve × And × Awakening |
106 | Knov × And × Morel |
107 | Return × And × Retire |
108 | Gungi × Of × Komugi |
109 | Taking Stock × And × Taking Action |
110 | Confusion × And × Expectation |
111 | Charge × And × Invade |
112 | Monster × And × Monster |
113 | An × Indebted × Insect |
114 | Divide × And × Conquer |
115 | Duty × And × Question |
116 | Revenge × And × Recovery |
117 | Insult × And × Payback |
118 | A × False × Rage |
119 | Strong × Or × Weak |
120 | Fake × And × Real |
121 | Defeat × And × Dignity |
122 | Pose × And × Name |
123 | Centipede × And × Memory |
124 | Breakdown × And × Awakening |
125 | Great Power × And × Ultimate Power |
126 | Zero × And × Rose |
127 | Hostility × And × Determination |
128 | Unparalleled Joy × And × Unconditional Love |
129 | Formidable Enemy × And × Clear Objective |
130 | Magic × To × Destroy |
131 | Anger × And × Light |
132 | Flash × And × Start |
133 | Deadline × To × Live |
134 | The Word × Is × You |
135 | This Person × And × This Moment |
136 | Homecoming × And × Real Name |
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Hunter x Hunter
TV-14
Animation
Action
Adventure
Gon Freecss aspires to become a Hunter, an exceptional being capable of greatness. With his friends and his potential, he seeks out his father, who left him when he was younger.
- Release Date
- April 17, 2016
- Creator
- Yoshihiro Togashi
- Main Genre
- Animation