Hunter x Hunteris making a long-awaited comeback, andone arc needs a movie badly. The legendary manga isset to return toShōnen Jumpafter years of hiatus. This follows just after the release of volume 38 in September 2024. With the series entering the public eye again,Hunter x Hunteris sure to draw many new fans who want to work through its anime adaptations to kick off their journey alongside Gon and Killua.
There are two big problems for those hopeful fans. First, there’s the fact thatHunter x Hunter’s most recent anime isn’t set to come back anytime soon, although the manga’s return might change that. There’s also the fact that, despite two anime adaptations ofHunter x Hunter,the Greed Island arc hasn’t ever been adapted well. Granted, after two attempts, it seems that Greed Island is simply a hard arc to adapt, but there’s reason to believe a movie adaptation could fix that.
Hunter x Hunter’s Greed Island And The Trouble With Canon Adaptations
Hunter x Hunter Has The Chance To Take A Nod From Modern Shōnen
Greed Island is a sprawling arc where Gon and Killua enter a video game called, fittingly,Greed Island. The surreal premise is part of Gon’s overall mission to track down his father, one of the game’s creators. In the game, players receive binders in which they must place cards of varying rarity, andthe objective of the game is to fill the binder.
Gon and Killua’s Greed Island adventures hada notable influence on the isekai genreand also included some slick mechanics, like the materialization of cards into objects. New characters such as Biscuit help bring the arc to life, too. However, as an anime adaptation,the pace plods and the stakes are too low to justify its running length—or, that is to say, as a faithful anime adaptation. Especially sandwiched between the highly-regarded Yorknew City and Chimera Ant arcs, Greed Island absolutely murders the anime’s pacing, and things don’t have to be that way.
Hunter x Hunter Proved Why It Deserves The Title of Masterpiece With One Villain’s Arc
The character development of Meruem during the Chimera Ant arc solidified what makes Hunter x Hunter is such an incredible series
There might be value in doing the heretical: not being so faithful to Greed Island’s canon.Demon Slayer: Mugen Trainis a masterclass in how, without showing everything in the source material, it’s possible to convey the feeling and emotional impact of the arc. The film and television adaptations ofDemon Slayer’s Mugen Train arc provide the basis for a fertile discussion about how manga, television, and film all offer independent strengths to a source narrative. Vivid discussions are still ongoing concerning which adaptation is better, andthere’s no reason Greed Island shouldn’t be the basis for something similar.
A Greed Island Movie Would Kill Three Nen Beasts With One Stone
Adapting Hunter x Hunter’s Greed Island Could Test The Waters While Bringing The Series To New Fans
Of course, there’s another side to this. It’s not just existing fans who would benefit from a shiny, new Greed Island adaptation. Since Greed Island is self-contained, it createsan opportunity for people who are curious aboutHunter x Hunterto jump in.Hunter x Hunterrequires a significant commitment on the part of the viewer, especially if they don’t get hooked right away. The Hunter Exam arc is great, but it’s also fairly basic by today’s standards.
A drop-in experience like a Greed Island film would allow people to glimpseHunter x Hunter’s unique blend of the whimsical and diabolical and become attached.
The consensus in fan communities is thatHunter x Hunterreally comes into its own and picks up the pace with the Yorknew City arc. A drop-in experience like a Greed Island film would allow people to glimpseHunter x Hunter’s unique blend of the whimsical and diabolical and become attached to the series, helping with that commitment. A Greed Island film would also allow the franchise to test the waters with single-arc adaptations. Its success might even make itmore likely that the Succession Contest arc, once complete, will be adapted, whether for television or film.
Hunter x Hunter Fans Waiting for its Return Need to Watch One New Anime
Hunter x Hunter fans who have been anxiously waiting for the manga to reach the Dark Continent need to watch the new anime Hell’s Paradise.
For those who want a 1:1 faithful experience, Greed Island already has two anime adaptations from two different eras. A filmcapturing the spirit of Greed Island in a feature-length experiencewould let fans get the gist of the arc without committing to either skipping it or watching dozens of episodes of a battle-punctuated collect-a-thon. With the 2011 anime’s already intimidating length, this would carry an obvious appeal.Hunter x Huntermade history with Greed Island, but a selective adaptation breathing life into it might be just what the series needs.
Hunter X Hunter
Hunter × Hunteris a Japanese manga and anime franchise created by Yoshihiro Togashi. The story follows Gon Freecss, a boy who discovers his father is a legendary Hunter, and embarks on a journey to become one himself. Along the way, he encounters friends and foes in a world filled with martial arts, adventure, and paranormal elements. The franchise spans manga, multiple anime adaptations, films, OVAs, and video games.
