Hunter X Hunter Episode 108
What They Say:
Gon, a young boy who lives on Whale Island, dreams of becoming a Hunter like his father, who left when Gon was still young.
The Review:
Content: (please note that content portions of a review may contain spoilers)
While we got a taste of Gon and Killua at the end of the last episode, Hunter x Hunter is going to make us work for it when it comes to the arc really hitting its stride. It’s been interesting to watch in a larger sense when you look at the way the arc has progressed and the different things going on, but it hasn’t come together in a bit now with what really makes it exciting and engaging. I do like certain aspects of it as it’s unfolded, with Komugi and her games against the King and seeing what Morel and Knov have been up to, but it’s not the most compelling of material on a week to week basis. It’s instead felt more like spinning our wheels instead of laying out information in a way that really works. But it’s done just enough to keep me coming back since there are some interesting characters and potential situations here.
Thankfully, things do seem to feel like they’re starting to turn around here a bit more. While we see a bit with the game going on and how the King is getting ready to move on to other things, the Hunter group is starting to put everything together for their infiltration into the capital. The group dynamic is fun to watch here since regardless of age or true overall experience, they’re all respectful of each other and what they bring to the table when it comes to planning the operation using Knov’s Apartment Complex ability to get them inside. The boys certainly are young and there’s a certain kind of experience that’s lacking, but remembering the various tournament aspects that have played out in the past and the literal leveling they had to do to gain experience does have them dealing with a large number of opponents in a decent amount of time. It’s not the end all be all of course, but it earns them a certain place at the table.
While this does start to set things up, most of the second half is given over to the King himself and some with Komugi as he sees her go through an awakening of sorts amid their match. This kind of gives him the realization of what he’s capable of and we do see quite the interesting scene that plays out between him and a few of his guards, where he makes it clear that King is simply a title and that he truly has the power to hold the position itself. It’s like he has his own awakening and it’s interesting to see how the two react to it in similar yet different ways while telling others about it. The King’s power is certainly the greatest thing out there, in his belief, and it has him with a different kind of confidence than he had before. He has this real sense of power and control and beginning to truly live that life, but we do see there is some hesitancy on his part, which could play out in an interesting way as things progress.
In Summary:
Hunter x Hunter has been working in small advancements in separate circles for awhile now but things are finally starting to feel like they’re coming together. I’ve liked the various arcs as they are but kept feeling like they were going on too long and in the case of the boys, too repetitive of the training aspects we’ve seen before. Yes, it’s part and parcel of a series like this, but it just dragged on so much that you could feel all the energy sapping away from the series. With events now coming across as though they’re going to move forward with both Hunters and Chimera Ants, there’s a renewed sense about it that I’m hoping it will capitalize on.
Grade: C+
Streamed By: Crunchyroll
Review Equipment:
Sony KDL70R550A 70″ LED 1080P HDTV, Apple TV via HDMI set to 1080p, Onkyo TX-SR605 Receiver and Panasonic SB-TP20S Multi-Channel Speaker System With 100-Watt Subwoofer.