Versus Battle Hunter x Hunter vs One Piece

[Light D Lamperouge]

In which way?

In every single way, besides maybe the art.

The fact that it has 300 unfinished plot points that will never be picked up nor finished?

Well first, that's not true, but even if it were, Hunter x Hunter is known for its layered storytelling and long-term setups. While not every thread gets immediate resolution, many are interconnected and enrich the world-building. Not like there aren't any unresolved plot points in One Piece lol.

The fact that every arc is a training arc to meet people that are super mega stronger but just for this arc?

That's also not true. Multiple characters syphoned over to other arcs, The Troupe, Zoldycks etc.

Not only that, but each arc in HxH introduces radically different tones, structures, and philosophical questions. Power scaling happens, yes, but it's not just for spectacle, it reflects personal growth, moral complexity, and narrative stakes.

The fact that everyone and their cousin can use nen yet there are like a bunch of Hunters,

Everyone having the potential to utilize Nen isn't a knock on Nen or HxH but rather a point for it. Not only is Nen perhaps the greatest power system in manga, shonen at the very least, but unlike many shonen systems limited to chosen ones, Nen is a meritocratic skill, in other words it is available to anyone who trains. It fits perfectly with the shows layered themes. Yes, there are anomalies, like Meruem, or
Tserriednich, who are exceptionally gifted at it. Also Nen is kept as a secret from the regular people, even people who passed the Hunter exams, like our trio, did not know of Nen at first.

or the fact that being a hunter has no meaning in the plot since togashi made it up as he went?

For the role of Hunters, whilst it may be true that over the course of the series it appears less central, that's because it's more of a thematic launch pad rather than a job. Being a hunter in the world of HxH has a flexible identity, it can be about finding treasure, knowledge, power, your purpose, etc.

To the point that now the manga is in perennial hiatus and when it occasionally come out it's not even about the protagonist anymore, but a secondary character?

Hiatus is the only valid argument, and that's only due to Togashi's health and pride to not allow others to draw his work for him.

And as for the focus shifting to Kurapika - honestly, that’s one of the boldest and best moves in the series. The world of HxH is too big to revolve around just Gon forever. Letting other characters take the spotlight shows how much depth the story has. If anything, it proves that the world Togashi built is strong enough to stand on its own, even without the main protagonist at the center of it. Not only is it a genius move but quite frankly also a refreshing one. The world doesn't stop when Gon doesn't move. None of the other players are stationary and just somehow waiting for Gon to arrive to do something, as is the case with Luffy and the world of One Piece.

 

[Gaimon The Pirate]

In every single way, besides maybe the art.




Well first, that's not true, but even if it were, Hunter x Hunter is known for its layered storytelling and long-term setups. While not every thread gets immediate resolution, many are interconnected and enrich the world-building. Not like there aren't any unresolved plot points in One Piece lol.




That's also not true. Multiple characters syphoned over to other arcs, The Troupe, Zoldycks etc.

Not only that, but each arc in HxH introduces radically different tones, structures, and philosophical questions. Power scaling happens, yes, but it's not just for spectacle, it reflects personal growth, moral complexity, and narrative stakes.




Everyone having the potential to utilize Nen isn't a knock on Nen or HxH but rather a point for it. Not only is Nen perhaps the greatest power system in manga, shonen at the very least, but unlike many shonen systems limited to chosen ones, Nen is a meritocratic skill, in other words it is available to anyone who trains. It fits perfectly with the shows layered themes. Yes, there are anomalies, like Meruem, or
Tserriednich, who are exceptionally gifted at it. Also Nen is kept as a secret from the regular people, even people who passed the Hunter exams, like our trio, did not know of Nen at first.



For the role of Hunters, whilst it may be true that over the course of the series it appears less central, that's because it's more of a thematic launch pad rather than a job. Being a hunter in the world of HxH has a flexible identity, it can be about finding treasure, knowledge, power, your purpose, etc.




Hiatus is the only valid argument, and that's only due to Togashi's health and pride to not allow others to draw his work for him.

And as for the focus shifting to Kurapika - honestly, that’s one of the boldest and best moves in the series. The world of HxH is too big to revolve around just Gon forever. Letting other characters take the spotlight shows how much depth the story has. If anything, it proves that the world Togashi built is strong enough to stand on its own, even without the main protagonist at the center of it. Not only is it a genius move but quite frankly also a refreshing one. The world doesn't stop when Gon doesn't move. None of the other players are stationary and just somehow waiting for Gon to arrive to do something, as is the case with Luffy and the world of One Piece.

Look man, telling me thay switching to kurap8ka is bold and not just togashi switching topic and again not knowing where to go with the story is for me not-tolerable.
Literally stopped reading there.
I appreciate that you are a fan but you talk about set up when crollo and hisoka found themselves fighting in the tower with 0 explanation just after an arc because i guess its cool really shows that there is no plan.
Kurapika was supposed to avenge his clan and works as a bodyguard, gon meets his father and is underwhelming to say the least, leorio is not a character and maybe killua is the only with s bit of exposition and growth.
The world of One Piece revolving around Luffy is a nice lie, marineford, Buggy, the revolutionary army and BB have more agency and tangible results that any other non main antagonists in HxH.
Where there is no world outside of Gon and Kurapika amd Killua.
The world most important criminal and non criminal team involved all ofnthem in a way or the other, every single strong character exist only to revolves around one of them three.

 

[Light D Lamperouge]

Look man, telling me thay switching to kurap8ka is bold and not just togashi switching topic and again not knowing where to go with the story is for me not-tolerable.
Literally stopped reading there.

Well that was practically the end lol. It's fine if you disagree though. I, for one, believed Hunter X Hunter was incredibly overrated prior to reading it and thought its fans are elitist snobs, but they actually have the right to be, as HxH is amazing.

Kurapika's central role in the Succession War arc is a logical continuation of his established goals and character arc, not a random detour. He’s always been driven by the desire to recover the Scarlet Eyes of the Kurta Clan - and the Black Whale expedition is where the highest concentration of those eyes has been gathered. It’s the natural next step for a character whose entire motivation has been about revenge and justice for his people. This shift is intentional, and not a result of narrative confusion.

I appreciate that you are a fan but you talk about set up when crollo and hisoka found themselves fighting in the tower with 0 explanation just after an arc because i guess its cool really shows that there is no plan.

That's also not true.


The buildup for this confrontation spans multiple arcs:


In Yorknew, Hisoka clearly states that he wants to fight Chrollo, but Chrollo's nen is sealed.

In the Heaven’s Arena arc, Hisoka is shown manipulating fights and settings for his own satisfaction - so having their battle take place in that arena fits perfectly with both characters.

The 13th Chairman Election arc ends with Hisoka and Illumi both heavily involved and sets the stage for more action from the Troupe.

The Chrollo-Hisoka fight happens after Chrollo regains his nen - an event Kurapika makes possible through the chain curse, which was also a long-standing unresolved thread.

It’s not random - it’s the payoff of years of story.

We know Hisoka wants to fight Chrollo, and we are told he's been hounding him and chasing him all the time, and Chrollo finally gave in, but took his time to prepare in advance.

Spoiler

Kurapika was supposed to avenge his clan and works as a bodyguard

He isn’t 'just' a bodyguard. His current role is directly tied to his larger mission:


The Scarlet Eyes are in possession of the Kakin royal family and underworld collectors - Kurapika joining as a bodyguard was a calculated move to infiltrate and retrieve them.

Spoiler

The bodyguard gig isn't a distraction, it's the most strategic and realistic way for him to get close to his targets without open war.

His character is evolving beyond revenge - he’s grappling with how far he’s willing to go, what justice means, and whether his mission is destroying him. That’s growth, not derailment.

gon meets his father and is underwhelming to say the least

That’s entirely by design.

The entire point of Gon’s journey is that he idealized his father, thinking he’d be this ultimate hero. Instead, Ging turns out to be flawed, selfish, and emotionally distant - a deliberate subversion of the 'reunion' trope.

Gon’s realization that the journey mattered more than the man is a huge moment of maturity and disillusionment.

Rather than ending in a cliche feel-good reunion, Togashi shows the complicated reality of meeting your idol and being disappointed. That’s not a flaw - it’s powerful storytelling.

, leorio is not a character

I was actually talking to @Welkin earlier today about Leorio. Whilst I am no fan of Leorio, and like him the least of the original 4, his inclusion in the cast is to represent the grounded, human perspective among the main cast. He also has his own arc, from a selfish would-be doctor chasing money to someone willing to punch Ging in the face for being a bad father. He also plays a pivotal role in the Chairman Arc, wherein his speech and the punch influence the entire arc and election.

Also Leorio is not a fighter, Togashi wisely does not put him or force him into battles just so he can keep him relevant.

killua is the only with s bit of exposition and growth.

All the main characters have their own arcs.

Gon goes from innocent and idealistic to broken and consumed by rage - a deconstruction of the shonen protagonist.

Killua confronts years of emotional abuse and slowly reclaims his agency, particularly through his bond with Alluka.


Kurapika’s arc tackles vengeance, obsession, and loss of identity.

Leorio evolves from comic relief to emotional anchor and political voice in the Hunter Association.

The world of One Piece revolving around Luffy is a nice lie, marineford, Buggy, the revolutionary army and BB have more agency and tangible results that any other non main antagonists in HxH.

Well it's not a lie. Everything miraculously only occurs when Luffy arrives at a place.

The world most important criminal and non criminal team involved all ofnthem in a way or the other, every single strong character exist only to revolves around one of them three.

Firstly, that's not entirely true.
The Zodiacs, the Phantom Troupe, the Chimera Ants, the Kakin Royal Family, the Dark Continent Expedition Team, and more - all have their own agendas, politics, and storylines, many of which happen without Gon, Killua, or Kurapika involved at all.

Meruem’s entire arc in the Chimera Ant saga unfolds without Gon or Killua directly involved for most of it, and the Succession War is a sprawling power struggle between 14 princes - again, Gon is nowhere to be found.

Secondly, even if it were, such is the case with One Piece as well. Literally every strong character in One Piece is connected to each other, and the vast majority of them connected to Luffy.

 

[BoaHancocksHusband]

Well that was practically the end lol. It's fine if you disagree though. I, for one, believed Hunter X Hunter was incredibly overrated prior to reading it and thought its fans are elitist snobs, but they actually have the right to be, as HxH is amazing.

Kurapika's central role in the Succession War arc is a logical continuation of his established goals and character arc, not a random detour. He’s always been driven by the desire to recover the Scarlet Eyes of the Kurta Clan - and the Black Whale expedition is where the highest concentration of those eyes has been gathered. It’s the natural next step for a character whose entire motivation has been about revenge and justice for his people. This shift is intentional, and not a result of narrative confusion.



That's also not true.


The buildup for this confrontation spans multiple arcs:


In Yorknew, Hisoka clearly states that he wants to fight Chrollo, but Chrollo's nen is sealed.

In the Heaven’s Arena arc, Hisoka is shown manipulating fights and settings for his own satisfaction - so having their battle take place in that arena fits perfectly with both characters.

The 13th Chairman Election arc ends with Hisoka and Illumi both heavily involved and sets the stage for more action from the Troupe.

The Chrollo-Hisoka fight happens after Chrollo regains his nen - an event Kurapika makes possible through the chain curse, which was also a long-standing unresolved thread.

It’s not random - it’s the payoff of years of story.

We know Hisoka wants to fight Chrollo, and we are told he's been hounding him and chasing him all the time, and Chrollo finally gave in, but took his time to prepare in advance.

Spoiler

He isn’t 'just' a bodyguard. His current role is directly tied to his larger mission:


The Scarlet Eyes are in possession of the Kakin royal family and underworld collectors - Kurapika joining as a bodyguard was a calculated move to infiltrate and retrieve them.

Spoiler

The bodyguard gig isn't a distraction, it's the most strategic and realistic way for him to get close to his targets without open war.

His character is evolving beyond revenge - he’s grappling with how far he’s willing to go, what justice means, and whether his mission is destroying him. That’s growth, not derailment.




That’s entirely by design.

The entire point of Gon’s journey is that he idealized his father, thinking he’d be this ultimate hero. Instead, Ging turns out to be flawed, selfish, and emotionally distant - a deliberate subversion of the 'reunion' trope.

Gon’s realization that the journey mattered more than the man is a huge moment of maturity and disillusionment.

Rather than ending in a cliche feel-good reunion, Togashi shows the complicated reality of meeting your idol and being disappointed. That’s not a flaw - it’s powerful storytelling.




I was actually talking to @Welkin earlier today about Leorio. Whilst I am no fan of Leorio, and like him the least of the original 4, his inclusion in the cast is to represent the grounded, human perspective among the main cast. He also has his own arc, from a selfish would-be doctor chasing money to someone willing to punch Ging in the face for being a bad father. He also plays a pivotal role in the Chairman Arc, wherein his speech and the punch influence the entire arc and election.

Also Leorio is not a fighter, Togashi wisely does not put him or force him into battles just so he can keep him relevant.




All the main characters have their own arcs.

Gon goes from innocent and idealistic to broken and consumed by rage - a deconstruction of the shonen protagonist.

Killua confronts years of emotional abuse and slowly reclaims his agency, particularly through his bond with Alluka.


Kurapika’s arc tackles vengeance, obsession, and loss of identity.

Leorio evolves from comic relief to emotional anchor and political voice in the Hunter Association.



Well it's not a lie. Everything miraculously only occurs when Luffy arrives at a place.




Firstly, that's not entirely true.
The Zodiacs, the Phantom Troupe, the Chimera Ants, the Kakin Royal Family, the Dark Continent Expedition Team, and more - all have their own agendas, politics, and storylines, many of which happen without Gon, Killua, or Kurapika involved at all.

Meruem’s entire arc in the Chimera Ant saga unfolds without Gon or Killua directly involved for most of it, and the Succession War is a sprawling power struggle between 14 princes - again, Gon is nowhere to be found.

Secondly, even if it were, such is the case with One Piece as well. Literally every strong character in One Piece is connected to each other, and the vast majority of them connected to Luffy.

Blahblahblahblahblah Blahblahblahblahblahboring boring Blahblahblahblahblah Blahblahblahblahblah Blahblahblahblahblahboring boring Blahblahblahblahblah

Naruto’s chakra system is actually the superior power system.

 

[dirtyLarry]

how is mid x mid winning

It's just the better manga, if you leave personal bias out of it.

I for one read OP weekly since 2006 and always thought HxH fans were elitist little bitches (like Light said above) up until 2020, when I finally read it during the pandemic.

That completely changed my view on the topic.

I still love OP, but if I had to solely judge the actual writing, HxH wins in a landslide victory.

 

[Gaimon The Pirate]

It's just the better manga, if you leave personal bias out of it.

I for one read OP weekly since 2006 and always thought HxH fans were elitist little bitches (like Light said above) up until 2020, when I finally read it during the pandemic.

That completely changed my view on the topic.

I still love OP, but if I had to solely judge the actual writing, HxH wins in a landslide victory.

I just find it a silly comparison, they are not even comparable. I have argued this already in the thread, but the crux of the point is always the same, it's easier to make a better story if you do not have time constraints.
Togashi has planned nothing of its story, and it keeps showing in how unconsisten plot and themes keep changing across arcs.You have 2 protagonists that have 2 completely unrelated story that overlap just because there are 20 characters in the whole world of HxH, so everyone knows everybody, and how little the entire premise actually matter.
The entire plotline of Gon revolved around meeting Ging and it was of little to any consequence, and subversion is shite, this is like LOST again, saying "The entire premise was that Ging didn't mean for it to have value" is retarded.
I am the first to shit on One Piece, but at least Oda kept it consistent and guess what, if we have to value HxH vs One piece for the overall length of HxH, which is 407 chapters, One Piece is in the middle of Enies Lobby, after arcs after arcs of set up that just perfectly culminated in Enies Lobby. One piece clears so much it's not even funny.
And after that, oda wrote ANOTHER 700 chapters.

 

[Light D Lamperouge]

always thought HxH fans were elitist little bitches (like Light said above)

I can't stress how accurate this is lol.

HxH has always been on my radar but the hiatuses and my perception of the fanbase pushed me away from it, until I finally gave in and read it. And it completely changed my mind, surpassed my expectations and made all the 'wank' justifiable.

Blahblahblahblahblah Blahblahblahblahblahboring boring Blahblahblahblahblah Blahblahblahblahblah Blahblahblahblahblahboring boring Blahblahblahblahblah

Hunter x Hunter is a far cry away from being boring. Quite the contrary, it's intellectually stimulating and exciting. It makes you follow the manga and all the plots, unlike say One Piece where you can skim a chapter, heck even just take a look at the spoilers, and you're all set.

Naruto’s chakra system is actually the superior power system.

That's also not true.

Chakra was akin to nen at the beginning, but it slowly lost its touch whilst nen retains its.


Nen is extremely structured and consistent. On the other hand, chakra is much broader and inconsistent.
Things like vows to boost your power come with a considerable cost, unlike anything with chakra.


Nen battles are practically chess matches, where power alone is rarely enough. It's more so how you utilize your nen and exploit the opponent's weakness. That's what made early Naruto so good as well. It was how you used your jutsu, instead of how much chakra it was and just megazords fighting. Chakra devolved over time, whilst nen remains consistent.

Even big fights in HxH still follow the rules.

Chrollo vs Hisoka, perhaps the most anticipated fight in HxH, adheres to it perfectly.

In terms of pure fighting ability, Hisoka outclasses Chrollo by far, but by utilizing his abilities to the utmost extent and preparing for the battle, Chrollo wins. That's unimaginable in the latter part of Naruto, where it's all about giant energy beasts and op powers.


Another advantage to nen is the fact that nen abilities are highly individualized and based on a person’s personality, background, and Nen type. Characters develop powers that reflect their identity and thinking style.

Chakra on the other hand is quite generic, and while it does allow for unique jutsus, many of them are bloodline-based, and inherited rather than developed.

Nen introduces genuine risk. Characters can permanently lose abilities, die, or suffer debilitating consequences depending on the vow they’ve made.

Chakra not so much.



So yeah, nen is a better power system than chakra, but even if it weren't, which isn't the case, chakra is Naruto's power system, not One Piece's. And imho, Naruto is also better than OP.

 

[Gaimon The Pirate]

I can't stress how accurate this is lol.

HxH has always been on my radar but the hiatuses and my perception of the fanbase pushed me away from it, until I finally gave in and read it. And it completely changed my mind, surpassed my expectations and made all the 'wank' justifiable.




Hunter x Hunter is a far cry away from being boring. Quite the contrary, it's intellectually stimulating and exciting. It makes you follow the manga and all the plots, unlike say One Piece where you can skim a chapter, heck even just take a look at the spoilers, and you're all set.




That's also not true.

Chakra was akin to nen at the beginning, but it slowly lost its touch whilst nen retains its.


Nen is extremely structured and consistent. On the other hand, chakra is much broader and inconsistent.
Things like vows to boost your power come with a considerable cost, unlike anything with chakra.


Nen battles are practically chess matches, where power alone is rarely enough. It's more so how you utilize your nen and exploit the opponent's weakness. That's what made early Naruto so good as well. It was how you used your jutsu, instead of how much chakra it was and just megazords fighting. Chakra devolved over time, whilst nen remains consistent.

Even big fights in HxH still follow the rules.

Chrollo vs Hisoka, perhaps the most anticipated fight in HxH, adheres to it perfectly.

In terms of pure fighting ability, Hisoka outclasses Chrollo by far, but by utilizing his abilities to the utmost extent and preparing for the battle, Chrollo wins. That's unimaginable in the latter part of Naruto, where it's all about giant energy beasts and op powers.


Another advantage to nen is the fact that nen abilities are highly individualized and based on a person’s personality, background, and Nen type. Characters develop powers that reflect their identity and thinking style.

Chakra on the other hand is quite generic, and while it does allow for unique jutsus, many of them are bloodline-based, and inherited rather than developed.

Nen introduces genuine risk. Characters can permanently lose abilities, die, or suffer debilitating consequences depending on the vow they’ve made.

Chakra not so much.



So yeah, nen is a better power system than chakra, but even if it weren't, which isn't the case, chakra is Naruto's power system, not One Piece's. And imho, Naruto is also better than OP.

Nen is just as generic, just giving names to specific characteristics of the power. Is like if in Jojo they gave a name to "Being able to see stands" different that "Using a stand". 90% of Nen uses can be just resumed in Haki, Ki or Chakra or any other power system, and they are so irrelevant that even togashi never uses them, and every fight becomes a stand jutsu devil fruit powers Nen battle.

 

[MonsterKaido]

HxH is more consistent and has better pacing. OP is much less consistent in quality but has better world building and lore.

 

[Light D Lamperouge]

Nen is just as generic, just giving names to specific characteristics of the power. I

Nen techniques and aura types aren't just descriptors they determine what types of abilities one can realistically master, how their aura behaves, how strategically they interact in fights.

Contrast that to let's say haki, or chakra, or ki, and the differences are immense.

Chakra has different affinity types, but you can still master techniques that aren't your affinity.

I don't remember any differentiation in ki.

Haki, you either have it or don't.

And let's not even venture into haki. To this day the audience cannot tell when someone is using COO, future sight, is it conquerors infusion or regular armament haki, etc. That's a pure mess.

Is like if in Jojo they gave a name to "Being able to see stands" different that "Using a stand".

I cannot comment on JoJo as I've only ever watched like 7 episodes or something.

0% of Nen uses can be just resumed in Haki, Ki or Chakra or any other power system,

That's incorrect as well.

Nen powers are custom-built by users, frequently involve unique rules, and often don’t scale with brute strength.

Compare that to haki, or chakra, and the difference is noticeable immediately.

The victor in one Piece is the one with the stronger haki. The guy with more chakra/stronger jutsu wins in Naruto.


It supports a vast range of unique, situational abilities with strict internal logic - not generic or interchangeable with other systems.

and they are so irrelevant that even togashi never uses them

That's incorrect as well, Nen and the different applications, techs, types are used in each and every arc of HxH upon its introduction.

nd every fight becomes a stand jutsu devil fruit powers Nen battle.

Shounen fights always rely on powers introduced by the core system - this includes Chakra, Devil Fruits, Quirks, Stands, Cursed Energy, etc.

The difference with Nen is how fights are resolved.

Nen fights involve strategy, misdirection, aura control, knowledge of opponent’s aura type, and risk-based trade-offs.


In Hunter x Hunter, many fights are resolved by mental acuity ( Killua vs Rammot), condition exploitation (Kurapika vs Uvogin), or risk-for-reward mechanics (Gon’s transformation).


What differentiates nen is the fact that it's not just about getting stronger. It's about how you get stronger, what you're willing to risk, and how well you understand both yourself and your opponent.

Nen types and techs, they affect how you fight. You can’t just spam attacks. You have to understand how your aura works and what you're good at.



What sets Nen apart as well is that being stronger doesn’t mean you win. You can outsmart someone way more powerful if you play your cards right.


Take Knuckle’s APR, for example. He puts a little mascot on you that keeps track of how much aura you’ve 'borrowed' from him. Once you 'owe' too much, you can’t use Nen at all. It’s like getting your powers shut off by a debt collector. That’s not something you’d see in Dragon Ball Z.


Then there’s Kurapika’s Chain, which only works on a specific group of people (the Phantom Troupe). Because he limits its use, it gets super strong - but he’s betting everything on that one condition. It’s not just a fight - it's a mind game.

 

[Gaimon The Pirate]

Nen techniques and aura types aren't just descriptors they determine what types of abilities one can realistically master, how their aura behaves, how strategically they interact in fights.

Contrast that to let's say haki, or chakra, or ki, and the differences are immense.

Chakra has different affinity types, but you can still master techniques that aren't your affinity.

I don't remember any differentiation in ki.

Haki, you either have it or don't.

And let's not even venture into haki. To this day the audience cannot tell when someone is using COO, future sight, is it conquerors infusion or regular armament haki, etc. That's a pure mess.




I cannot comment on JoJo as I've only ever watched like 7 episodes or something.




That's incorrect as well.

Nen powers are custom-built by users, frequently involve unique rules, and often don’t scale with brute strength.

Compare that to haki, or chakra, and the difference is noticeable immediately.

The victor in one Piece is the one with the stronger haki. The guy with more chakra/stronger jutsu wins in Naruto.


It supports a vast range of unique, situational abilities with strict internal logic - not generic or interchangeable with other systems.




That's incorrect as well, Nen and the different applications, techs, types are used in each and every arc of HxH upon its introduction.





Shounen fights always rely on powers introduced by the core system - this includes Chakra, Devil Fruits, Quirks, Stands, Cursed Energy, etc.

The difference with Nen is how fights are resolved.

Nen fights involve strategy, misdirection, aura control, knowledge of opponent’s aura type, and risk-based trade-offs.


In Hunter x Hunter, many fights are resolved by mental acuity ( Killua vs Rammot), condition exploitation (Kurapika vs Uvogin), or risk-for-reward mechanics (Gon’s transformation).


What differentiates nen is the fact that it's not just about getting stronger. It's about how you get stronger, what you're willing to risk, and how well you understand both yourself and your opponent.

Nen types and techs, they affect how you fight. You can’t just spam attacks. You have to understand how your aura works and what you're good at.



What sets Nen apart as well is that being stronger doesn’t mean you win. You can outsmart someone way more powerful if you play your cards right.


Take Knuckle’s APR, for example. He puts a little mascot on you that keeps track of how much aura you’ve 'borrowed' from him. Once you 'owe' too much, you can’t use Nen at all. It’s like getting your powers shut off by a debt collector. That’s not something you’d see in Dragon Ball Z.


Then there’s Kurapika’s Chain, which only works on a specific group of people (the Phantom Troupe). Because he limits its use, it gets super strong - but he’s betting everything on that one condition. It’s not just a fight - it's a mind game.

Lots of words.
All the things you have said apply to jutsu's, devil fruits, cursed techniques, quirks, powers, stand or any other power system in any manga.
Dragon ball ki just by existing covers most of nen powers like hiding your presence or feeling others aura, togashi writes 300 words to explain something that Toriyama explains in One panel.
Want strategy battles? Read Jojo.
Want smart well written characters? Don't read shonen.
HxH is just the same as other shonen, but being more niche it makes people sniffs their own farts and think it somehow breaks from the mold, where every arc is nothing but a tournament or mass brawl of duels, evey arc the power level rises to get bigger battles and so on.
Yawn.

 

[Light D Lamperouge]

All the things you have said apply to jutsu's, devil fruits, cursed techniques, quirks, powers, stand or any other power system in any manga

Well they clearly don't, as I've outlined above.

Want strategy battles? Read Jojo.

I've only ever heard bad things about JoJo ngl.

Want smart well written characters? Don't read shonen.

Shonen has well written characters tho.

HxH is just the same as other shonen, but being more niche it makes people sniffs their own farts and think it somehow breaks from the mold, where every arc is nothing but a tournament or mass brawl of duels, evey arc the power level rises to get bigger battles and so on.

No, not really, as I've shown above multiple times.


I am not even a huntertard, HxH is not amongst my top 5 fave anime/manga. And I don't think it's the best thing since sliced bread either.

My top 3, Death Note, Code Geass, Monster, are all better than HxH imo.

I like other manga like Black Butler, Pandora Hearts, D. Gray-Man, The Case Study of Vanitas, Moriarty the Patriot, Kuroko no Basuke, etc, more than HxH, though I wouldn't claim each of those is better than HxH.


It's just fair to give it its flowers.

 

[Gaimon The Pirate]

Well they clearly don't, as I've outlined above.

I've only ever heard bad things about JoJo ngl.




Shonen has well written characters tho.




No, not really, as I've shown above multiple times.


I am not even a huntertard, HxH is not amongst my top 5 fave anime/manga. And I don't think it's the best thing since sliced bread either.

My top 3, Death Note, Code Geass, Monster, are all better than HxH imo.

I like other manga like Black Butler, Pandora Hearts, D. Gray-Man, The Case Study of Vanitas, Moriarty the Patriot, Kuroko no Basuke, etc, more than HxH, though I wouldn't claim each of those is better than HxH.


It's just fair to give it its flowers.

I won't budget, HxH coates usual shonen tropes in a nice coat of painr, but it's just as shallow as all the others.
You ain't outlined anything, unless you can explain how zetsu is different from hiding your ki in dragonball and not the same exact thing.
How nen powers are different from devil fruits.
HxH is maybe a 6 in a sea of 4, and the fact that the author is a lazy bum with no plans for his own story (just like YYH) makes it even worse.

 

[Light D Lamperouge]

I won't budget, HxH coates usual shonen tropes in a nice coat of painr, but it's just as shallow as all the others.
You ain't outlined anything, unless you can explain how zetsu is different from hiding your ki in dragonball and not the same exact thing.
How nen powers are different from devil fruits.
HxH is maybe a 6 in a sea of 4, and the fact that the author is a lazy bum with no plans for his own story (just like YYH) makes it even worse.

Well no point in continuing the discussion in that case. You are more than free to believe HxH is mid or something, I obviously disagree tho, but to each their own.

 

[Poorsalino Cooker]

Hunter x Hunter started strong, but it lost a lot of my interest after the Yorknew City arc. The Hunter Exam arc will always stand as the peak for me. It was when the setting, story, and characters were being forged with genuine momentum. There was a clear sense of promise and intrigue, with compelling hints at deeper motivations and a wider world yet to be explored.

However, after Yorknew, the narrative started to feel increasingly disjointed. The series became bogged down in excessive exposition and shifted into a repetitive cycle of shonen "challenge arcs," each escalating in complexity and darkness. While the darker tone added some awesome moments, it often felt like shock value was being used to compensate for the lack of cohesive progression. Worse still, when the characters finally achieved their long-standing goals, the payoff often felt underwhelming. Sometimes even disappointing. Gon's long-awaited reunion with his deadbeat father, Ging, stands out as a frustrating example. Similarly, Leorio, once positioned as one of the main four, fades into near irrelevance for most of the series.

The frequent and prolonged hiatuses have also done the series no favors. Instead of building anticipation, they've stretched the manga's lifespan well beyond a natural conclusion point, allowing hype to fizzle out and narrative momentum to evaporate.

When it comes to worldbuilding and character development, Hunter x Hunter occasionally outshines One Piece. But in terms of consistent storytelling and natural narrative flow, One Piece has the upper hand. And I say this as someone who prefers HxH to OP. That said, both series suffer from the same issue: they continue far past the point where they should've entered their final arcs.

In comparison, Naruto, at least before the Fourth Great Ninja War, managed its arcs and character payoffs more effectively. If it hadn't stumbled with the bloated war arc and the ill-conceived sequel that is Boruto, it might have secured its place as the most well-rounded of the big modern shonen titles. But that honor goes to YuYu Hakusho.

Now if you will excuse me, I got a date with a bottle of arsenic.

 

[GrandmasterChef Zonji]

-Plot -> OP
-Main characters -> OP ( i put SH as Main Characters too and i hate Gon so...)
-Side characters -> HxH ( Nobunaga TOP 1 The GOAT )
-Villains -> HxH ( Meruem legit 10/10 and always one of the greatest villain imo especially at that last scene/panels, And Chrollo just Chrollo, a Chef Kiss everytime he appears and u could tell he had AURA )
-Character designs -> OP
-Power system -> HxH
-Story arcs -> OP
-Incorporation of themes -> OP
-Art -> OP
-Imagery -> OP
-Panelling -> OP
-Originality -> OP
-World building -> OP
-Characterization -> Kinda Biased because of Meruem and Phantom Troupe but its close so OP ( Its because of Gon )
-Enjoyment -> OP

 

[GalaxyLevelShanks]

Luffy is a far superior MC than Gon. However, Kurapika is a far better main cast character than any of the strawhats

 

[Poorsalino Cooker]

Personally, Kurapika or Killua should've been the MC from the get-go.

 

[zenox]

Luffy is a far superior MC than Gon.

In terms of ?

 

[GalaxyLevelShanks]

In terms of ?

More likeable, better goal, far better personality, better moments, better symbolism and funnier and just someone who resonates with me far more than Gon. One Piece being far longer also has played a part in me being attached to goofy a lot more. G5 was dogshit but other than that, Luffy is a really great character. Gon is bang average MC who's carried by his dynamic with Killua