Hunter X Hunter is highly regarded as one of the best anime of all time, and the things it does right far outnumber its occasional pitfalls. A shining example of a remake executed perfectly, the series is still undefeated when it comes to music composition and sound design, even after many years since the anime ended.
The 2011 version of Hunter X Hunter has been universally praised for its magnificent use of music, sound effects, and narration, which heightened the most epic moments of the series.
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Hunter X Hunter Is Immortalized For Its Composition
Produced by Studio Madhouse, based on the original manga by Yoshihiro Togashi
What really made the series’ superb composition is the timing. Using pin-drop silence at the right moments, or playing the ending song a few seconds before the episode ended was a great decision, as it helped evoke the exact emotion the scene wanted to evoke. The music could also get quite hectic in scenes where a lot was happening, further enhancing the chaos of it all. Many other factors also went into making the sound and music great, such as an overall amazing score.
Hunter X Hunter‘s sound design makes a lot of sense when you inspect the people involved. Yoshihisa Hirano was in charge of composing the music for the series, with Chiaki Yamada being credited as the series’ sound director. Hirano is an incredible musician who graduated from the best music school in the world, Julliard, and Yamada is a veteran in the industry who has worked on many high-profile series. They were reunited after doing a fantastic job in both their roles on Death Note, another series that has exceptional composition.
The Narration Was Breathtaking
Hunter x Hunter was unique in the narration that bookended each episode
Another person who made the series so special was the narrator, who had an incredible voice that oscillated from menacing to calming, all while explaining to the viewers things that they missed but are integral to the stories. This was especially important during the Chimera Ant arc, where there was so much happening and a lot of emotions flaring that it was not possible to take it all in. Armed with only their majestic voice, the narrator delivered one of the best performances ever. To truly comprehend how important they were, the best examples would be Gyro’s backstory and the Rose bomb scenes.
From the great opening and ending songs to the beautiful and haunting score, Hunter X Hunter‘s music peaked in the Phantom Troupe and Chimera Ant arcs, two of the best arcs in shonen anime. It’s an understatement to say that the composition of the music and sound were the backbone of the series, even more so in the many emotional moments the anime adaptation has to offer. Studio Madhouse and all the staff outdid themselves, and if Hunter X Hunter were to ever return, it would be imperative that everyone involved is brought back again.
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