Hunter x Hunter had two anime adaptations, one that came out in 2011 and one that came out in 1999. The 2011 version is a far more faithful adaptation of the manga, but that doesn’t mean it’s exactly the same. When you look at the Hunter x Hunter manga versus the anime, you’ll find a number of important differences.
One of the biggest changes involves Kite, Ging’s friend and Gon’s mentor. In the manga, Kite appears in the first chapter, but in the anime, he first appears during episode 75. Also, if you thought Hisoka was unsettling in the anime, wait until you see him in the manga.
9. Hisoka Is More Forward With Machi In The Manga
In both the anime and manga, Machi and Hisoka have a tense conversation about Hisoka’s motives and abilities. In both, Hisoka is flippant about Machi’s concerns, and shows that by flirting with her.
In the anime, he asks her to dinner. In the manga, he takes it way further and asks her to sleep with him. We’re not exactly surprised they cut that one out.
8. Canary’s Past Is Anime-Only
One of the Zoldycks’ most notable servants is Canary, a young girl who is shown to have a friendly relationship with Killua. The flashbacks of their childhood together are sweet, but they didn’t appear in the manga. Another thing that didn’t appear in the manga was anything about Canary’s backstory.
The anime states that she comes from Meteor City, the same place that the Phantom Troupe hails from. She even offers to be Killua’s guide if he ever finds his way there. Since Meteor City is a lawless zone where residents encounter serious hardships, this detail implies a lot about Canary’s early life.
7. The Manga Explained The Greed Island Cards In Full
The Hunter x Hunter anime does a pretty good job of explaining what the cards used on Greed Island do. That said, it tends to stick to explaining cards and effects that actually play a role in the story.
Perhaps because it’s easier to include a panel than to eat up valuable episode minutes with exposition, the manga was able to provide a much more in-depth look at the cards and what they could do. So if you’re a devoted Greed Island fan who wants the details, check out the manga.
6. Gyro’s Role Is Less Clear In The Anime
If you’re an anime-only HxH fan, you might be a little confused about what’s going on with Gyro. Gyro is the former king of the Neo-Green Life (NGL) Autonomous Region, the area where the Chimera Ant arc takes place. While the anime spends a good chunk of time detailing his tragic childhood and subsequent desire to spread chaos, it doesn’t offer much detail about his role afterwards.
In the manga, he becomes a Chimera Ant. While we don’t know why this was cut from the anime, it seems possible that the creators didn’t want to hype him up as a future antagonist when it seemed like the anime would not be continuing for much longer.
5. The Gate Situation Played Out Differently
In order to enter the Zoldycks’ property, one has to be able to move a series of doors that weigh multiple tons. Opening it without significant training is nearly impossible.
In the manga, Leorio is able to move two doors, which weigh a total of 8 tons. Meanwhile, Gon and Kurapika are each able to move one door. In the anime, it takes Leorio, Kurapika, and Gon working together to move just one door. This makes things feel slightly more realistic, so it may have been a change for the better.
4. Censorship In The Anime
One change you can usually expect when a manga gets adapted into an anime is that the violence gets toned down. The 2011 Hunter x Hunter anime has some intense moments, but the manga takes it even further.
Remember that moment where Killua rips out a guy’s heart? In the manga, he crushes it in his hands. In another harrowing example, Hisoka ends Geretta’s life. In the manga, he simply displays his body, but in the anime he tosses his severed head to the ground.
The 1999 anime diverged from the manga in a number of important ways, but it did preserve the level of violence fairly well.
3.Leorio Is Stronger In The Manga
Leorio is a great character, but in the 2011 anime he doesn’t exactly come across as strong. He does have one crowning moment of awesome where he teleports his fist across the room and decks Ging in the face, but overall he’s more bark than bite.
In the manga, he exhibits real strength more often, making his contrast with Gon and Killua feel a little less pronounced.
2. Maha Zoldyck Doesn’t Appear In The 2011 Anime
At over 120 years old, Zeno Zoldyck’s grandfather Maha is the oldest living member of the Zoldyck clan.
Little is known about him aside from the fact that he once fought Netero – and in the manga and 1999 anime he assisted Illumi and Kalluto defeat the Ten Dons during the Yorknew City arc. In the 2011 anime, he doesn’t appear at all.
1. Kite Is Introduced Differently
In the manga, Ging’s friend Kite appears in the very first chapter. He not only rescues Gon from a foxbear, but also gives him a key piece of information: His father is still alive.
In the anime, viewers don’t get to meet Kite until episode 76. They also don’t know he exists, or that Gon has any reason to believe his dad is still around. Kite’s existence being a surprise changes viewers’ perception of Ging – and Gon’s desire to find him.