Why HXH 1999's Second OP is Basically Perfect
ฝัง
- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 2 ต.ค. 2024
- Decided to make a video dissecting the second opening of HXH 1999! As a lover of HXH 2011, it's interesting to see the approach that Kazuhiro Furuhashi took when adapting the series in 1999.
The biggest thing that has always separated HXH 2011 and HXH 1999 for me are the openings. Don’t get me wrong, departure is one of my favorite openings of all time but one could imagine how different the reboot would have been, had they used a different opening for each arc. Ultimately, using it for all 148 episodes showed that they don’t need another song to represent the series. Sometimes less is more. HXH '99, however, took a different path from HXH 2011 and it paid off. Kazuhiro Furuhashi perfectly showed just how nuanced and tasteful an opening can be.
Take care ya'll and have a nice fall!
Songs Used:
Gouriki Stage Theme - Deadly Arts
Aruarian Dance remix/cover - By me!
Phoenix Wright Ace Attorney - Trial
Persona 5 Royal - Ideal and the Real
Outro, 東京 1995 - Also by me!
You can find my music here - open.spotify.c...
#hxh #hxh1999
Forgot to mention this in the video but besides older anime being drawn on cels, it was also shot on film, mostly 16mm for televised anime, which lends to that warmer quality that's distinctly analog. This is what gives it that unrefined, less "glossy" look.
Couple that with a 4:3 aspect ratio and a CRT TV with a lower resolution, you have a distinct viewing experience that you'd be hard pressed to recreate with any current OLED 4k+ TV and/or monitor.
Ayo also as it's been pointed out, this videos kinda scuffed and I goofed up when pronouncing Troupe and Kurapika lol. I appreciate the constructive criticism ya'll! Always looking to improve 🙇
Pleaseeee do more hxh 1999 videos 🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻
@@ahmeddamdami5569 yeah!
that's what i like!
Especially the updates since Mr. Togashi continued writing.
I want to recreate it tbh. I think it could be possible if you do it in 16:9, just have the resolution be 720p like Megalobox.
very glad to have found this video! Not only HxH 1999 isn't loved enough (although I see it being recognized more and more luckily!) but this OP is one of the criminally forgotten great OPs of the 90s xD
It's doable but the process of going from 4:3 to 16:9 just results in a lackluster image. You either have to zoom in, which results in lost sections of the frame or stretch it out which results in every animation and character looking pretty goofy. Good examples of this going terribly wrong are one piece and DBZ. Funimation attempted to convert them and the results were kinda meh. Personally, I'd rather have a higher resolution from an upscale and keep the original 4:3 aspect ratio and proportions. Megalo Box did take an interesting approach though, it did result in a more unrefined and vintage look.
HxH 1999 itself is perfect, in almost every way.
It's very good but I don’t know about perfect. I also haven’t finished watching all of HXH ‘99 so I can’t form a complete opinion yet. I would have liked to have seen the chimera ant arc adapted by the same director as 1999 but I think madhouse took the cinematography in 2011 to the next level. The writing and music in 2011 also set it apart from 1999 but either way, they're both masterpieces in their own right.
Once someone reanimates about 30 minutes of Greed Island (no, it's not THAT bad), it will be perfect.
"Almost" meaning it was VERY slow and had inferior sound design.
I'd argue that the slow aspect is not only done well in 1999, but that it's also done well in the chimera ant arc. It's long and slow, but it does a good job at building the tension. The sound design wasn't nearly as flashy as 2011 but to be fair, it was the 90's. They didn't have modern technology and DAWs with massive sound libraries. I think the sound design was done well overall, given the time period.
Meh, a little bit too much of filler and no Chimera Ants for me to consider it perfect. Also, no "Hunting for your Dreams" and no "Hyori Ittai"
The Yorkshin city arc in HxH 1999 is an absolute trip. Everything between episodes 45 and 70 is beautifully animated and set up to give you a seamless experience with no slow points. Coupled with amazing art direction, dark and fitting of the aesthetic of a grungy metropolis, as well as great (and, importantly, understated) music, gives you one of the most engaging arcs in anime. Wino's Taiyou Wa Yoru Mo Kagayaku has a raw, grimy, dark sound that puts you in the mood to watch Kurapika pull off his revenge plan, and Kenichi Kurosawa's PALE ALE has a fast sound and flashy animation that excites you for Yorkshin's final act. Also yeah, watching this anime on a CRT is a magical experience.
Another thing that I'd say about HxH 1999 is that I don't think it would work as well with Chimera Ant. That arc took nearly 10 years to finish as-is, and I think periodic sets of OVAs to cover the entire arc would be pretty ludicrous. But, if it was decided to animate HxH 1999's Chimera Ant arc after that part of the manga finished in 2013, I still don't think that Furuhashi's style of directing would work. There are too little fights that would be "kinetic" enough to warrant Furuhashi's style of fights, though I suppose Knuckle vs Gon or fights with lower level Ants would work. Battles are either too grandiose (Netero vs Meruem,) or too one-sided (Pitou vs literally anyone but adult Gon.) There's also the fact that the arc is so long and has so many characters that the cohesion that exists in HxH 1999's arcs (i.e. there being a planned start-to-end in yorkshin, something that works really well) wouldnt be able to exist. The long, long speeches that exist in the manga version of Chimera Ant (Gyro's childhood and Rose Bomb stuff) just wouldn't work, because Furuhashi seems to be very show-dont-tell, and that is all tell. That being said, I feel like HxH 2011 was made for the Chimera Ant arc, because how HxH 2011 is structured (there being alot of cutaways to characters and speeches) for the Chimera Ant arc, even if the rest of the show doesn't work that well. But who knows, it never released so we never will know!
Great video, btw! I really enjoyed it
well said
Excellent points. I appreciate you fleshing all of this out! I think it would have been interesting to see the chimera ant arc directed by Furuhashi but Hiroshi Koujina just gave it that additional hype and drive that drove everything over the top. If Furuhashi did make 2011 with madhouse though, I think it would have been done quite well but like you said, his directing style is drastically different from Koujinas but you never know. His directing in spy x family was a lot different from HXH 1999 so he may have been able to shift his style for the Chimera Ant Arc.
Perfect, I feel the same
I remember that i didnt like this intro on my first impression, but as i listened more to it, it's definitely now my favorite.
true It wasn't my style of music so when It grew on me I was first ashame to like the music. Now I just found it great. I love so much 99 OP 1 and 2
Great video, I prefer old animation style 👌
Thanks! I do love a lot of anime from the 90s and would say it's my favorite era but I also have a lot of favorites from recent years. Ultimately though I'd say that hand drawn anime can be imitated but never replicated
I really love this 90s version specifically Yorknew arc, the directing, dark theme, great soundtracks, characters and many more things makes it my favorite, just imagine if Chimera Ant arc directed by kazuhiro furuhashi.
Good video keep going
The music as a whole (and art styles for that matter) is much more atmosphere building in the 1999 than the 2011 interpretation. Not as flashy, sure, but it builds the atmosphere and portrays unique sequences better. 2011 is more "epic" but it looses a lot of that charm 90s anime had that came out of a more adventurous soundtrack and freedom in art direction. Software generated visuals just don't have the unique tones scene to scene that hand drawn sequences do.
Well said, the atmosphere is the biggest distinguishing factor. I did like the CGI choices in 2011 quite a lot but it says a lot that 1999 looks just as fluid, if not more than 2011 without utilizing CGI
Don't forget Machi's "Nen String" moving across the screen! That's a great detail there
Whoa, great catch! I actually didn't notice that but it is an amazing subtle detail. Her nen threads are such a cool ability
those strings being the 2nd true superpower you see after Hisoka's fight with Kastro really opens up how far Nen can go to the viewer, her using that was an extremely hype moment the first time I saw it
@@DeadPig325 agree
I am so glad I stumbled across this video! I have listened to that opening for fun for YEARS. That riff in the beginning is a heart ripping cord unlike any other. It reminds me of Radiohead, even Queens of the Stone age. I really can't compare it. All I know is I love it
same to me, there was a time that I listened to this song everyday (sometimes more than 3 times a day) and I don't get enough.
Reminds me of Oasis too
the band admitted to have taking an influence from oasis so small wonder. sounds like a darker version of don't look back in anger@@darwinNewton
I do hear the similarities to oasis in the chords changes and vocals but the grit and darker atmosphere sets it apart for me. It also sounds a lot more sloppy and unrefined when compared to oasis
@micromacroooo oasis ain't pristine either in their sound seeing as in their songs they be like "rocknroll yeahyeahyeah" *noel gallagher guitar solo*
HxH 1999 art is perfection. Only rivaled by stuff like Cowboy Bebop and the like. I just don't understand why they made most characters look like 5 years youger in the 2011 version and more colorful. Just not very appealing.
Chimera arc with 1999 art, colors. details and direction will be amazing.
Funny story. When i was in army basic training me and my platoon were in pt's and i caught a glimpse of a buddy's arm. It was a spider with a number 3 in it. Next time i had the oppurtunity i asked him if that was a hxh tattoo. He said fuck yeah. He was a good guy i became friends with him and when we got to AIT we traded books. Its funny how something so small can bring 2 people together even when every day sucks.
hell yeah brother. it may be fiction but the lessons we learn from anime are very real.
I can’t believe this channel isn’t getting more love, banger content🔥
Thank you so much dude!!
hxh is my favorite anime and a big reason are the aestetics, Berserk and Yuyu Hakusho come close to it aswell as Slam Dunk
How do you only have 68 subs? This production is that of a much bigger channel. I'm here for it. Keep going.
Very kind words, I appreciate this. I'm trying my best!
90s art style is just amazing.
your channel is a such a hidden gem, would you ever consider making a video about your top 10 anime?
Potentially!
ONLY 493 SUBSCRIBERS? BRO NAH THIS SHT DESERVES MILLIONS
HxH 1999 is a masterpiece and yorkshin city arc's is amazing, best arc so far and that op made it perfect, i could see those episodes and never get tired of it.
My favorite op and arc
oh besides, you mentioned the filler parts... actually I think a good bunch of the fillers (uhm, almost all of em to be fair xD) are actually one of the strong points of HxH 99, and the reason it hits a bit more than the madhouse show. Also heck if HxH 2011 had that battleship island filler, the Ponzu and Pokkle part later in the Chimera Ant Arc would have hit at least twice harder xD
1999 hxh is honestly amazing
Everytime he says Kurah- Pika. Like Pikachu. I think of a pokemon lol 😂
makes me wanna watch hxh99 again...
I feel like I wanna watch it for the 5th time, I should right?
every time I listen this opening, I wanna watch again 1999 hxh
Hunter x Hunter 1999 is one of my favorite anime. I love the opening / ending specially the Yorknew Arc. Great content keep it up! New subscriber here! 😊❤
Thank you so much!
Gave me flashbacks of me and my siblings watching hxh together when we were younger ಥ_ಥ
(sorry for my bad english) One of the things that people like about The 1999 version or some people dosen,t even notice it is that the Character movements and Expressions in certain Scenes (mostly in fights) were pretty life-like and realistic. That,s called good Character acting (body language). It's pretty hard to get it right in anime (even sometimes harder than some of the sakugas)
It makes the Scenes much more appealing and fun to Watch. Example:if you look at jjk0 in the fights between yuta and geto. Specially at The final attack. The facial Expressions of geto were pretty damn good and life-like or AOT season 4 the grisha Scene and episode 2 of part 1. (that,s why i like the new director of AOT more than The Previous one). This point alongside with The dark colors in hxh made the Scenes much more appealing to look at. That,s because The staff that were working on it were quite talented as you said. (i'm sorry. My english is not that good 😂)
Btw thanks for the video. You're so underrated (subscribed)
Well said! There is very realistic choreography in both 1999 and 2011. JJK 0 and AOT do have amazing character movements that are fluid and well crafted, although I personally like the directing style of the first three seasons a bit more but it's still a great series all around. I'm very excited to see the final part of AOT adapted. Thanks for the support, cheers!
@@micromacroooo thanks. If you are Talking about The Quality of season 4. That's because production committee (big companies) wanted to Finish The anime alongside with The manga to boost its sales. That's why they gave a Really bad schedule to Mappa for AOT season 4. Like for the first 16 episodes (part 1) they had only 8 months. That's a Really impossible schedule. But The Quality was actually good in that tight schedule.
The thing that Previous seasons of AOT lacked was the good Character acting. It was mostly just open and close (The mouth). A lot of animes do that. I liked the more realistic and darker Designs in season 4 too. (closer to The manga)
this appeared in my recommended after youtube recognized me replaying the opening on loop for hours i guess 😭 very good video i do agree that the opening is flawless and hxh 1999 did kurapika justice in ways 2011 could never dream of
Much appreciated ravienne!
6:45 You'd freak out if you saw what toei does with their dragon ball releases (they zoom in to make it 16:9)
Not saying it's a good thing btw it actually really fucking sucks along with all the other ways toei tries to TERRIBLY "color correct" the series th-cam.com/video/yN2KIWZEeXU/w-d-xo.html
@@bejitostk Crunchyroll did the same thing with the early episodes of One Piece when they released the HD versions. I think they give you the option to switch between 16:9 and the original 4:3 though.
@micromacroooo Oh yeah they separate the 4:3 and 16:9 versions in different seasons
And I think with dragon ball you can only get it in 4:3 if you watch it subbed
The 1999 version and specially this opening make me fall in love with the hunter x hunter world, if i started watching the 2011 version first i dont think i would the series as much i do now
Fucking great video dude, keep it up
Gonna say I prefer Kurapika vs Uvo 1999 version
also, i love classic anime, the drawing is so good and HXH character designs just amazing, I watch 2011 but, the drawing is too cute and girly maybe the animators mostly girls
Loved this video!!!! This is also my favourite HxH opening artistically and musically. The song of this opening is called "The Sun also Shines at Night" fitting very well witht the visual of the black sun in the opening. The part of the song that plays during the opening perfectly captures the dark tone that Kurapika is going through in this arc. The start of the full version though (also played at the ending of the last episode before ovas) shows the revenge weight coming off Kurapika's shoulders as he is delighted to reunite with his friends! Absolute banger!!! Well done on the video😁😁
HxH 1999 is the best version for me. The overall aesthetic and atmosphere fits the story more hehe
Yorknew city will forever be legendary in 1999 version
Insane, I didn’t realise that HxH came out in 1999, I thought the 2011 one was the OG
Far from the OG. Even before the 1999 anime, a 1998 Pilot OVA already existed.
The 90’s version is much more darker
You can actually watch the entirety of HxH 1999 on TH-cam if you look hard enough (and in multiple languages)
Kurapika in 90s version is masterpiece
Ok you just gained a sub because of this and I hope you gain a lot more in the future! And I guess this is gonna blow up.. (or allready kinda did)
Plenty of shows I watched when I was much younger I can now see all their flaws, and how my enjoyment came from a lack of maturity and experience. But I don't feel like this with HxH, 10 years later the experience remains unchanged whenever I watch it.
When I still wanted to make youtube videos, I wanted to make a video about the same topic. I'm happy someone else had the same feeling about this.
Great video
*When that FMA 2003 OP 4 video dropping if you mind?*
Many thanks. I’m hoping to work on it sometime in the near future. Stay tuned!
Great vid! I would love to hear what you have to say on FMA.
By far the best Anime even 2011 is not even close !
Gotta disagree on that one. I prefer 2011 by a significant amount. While I prefer the yorkshin arc from 1999, I still think 2011 did it excellently along with the first two arcs. Then of course you have greed island which is quite under rated as it usually gets hidden in the shadow of chimera ant. The production quality by madhouse and the sound design just take it to the next level for me. It's also a lot more consistent than the 1999 adaptation as the greed island arcs didn't have furuhashi as the director
Finally!! I thought I was the only one who loved the 1999 op 2
what background music is playing at the first part of your video?!!!!??????
It's Gourikis theme from Deadly Arts!
I miss the 90s anime drawing style.
I subscribed just off the thumbnail I knew it was gonna be 🔥 off the first 2 seconds
I have two things to say:
- first, shin means "new" in japanese, so York Shin means New York, basically
- the x isn`t the adult letter like in english or spanish (that letter would be the h in Japan), but the letter representing the encounters between people, and the impact those encounters have between them, so Spy x Family is read simply as "spy family", as Hunter x hunter is read as "Hunter hunter" (and yeah, xxxHOLiC is not about sex, and it`s just read as "holic")
I remember religiously listening to this song back in 2018 when I first discovered it(like why am I so late in finding it???). And d*nggggg, it's enchanting. It's the perfect opening for YorkNew arc. I really hope 2011 did the same. They didn't changed the opening for Heavens Arena arc. :'>
Actually it’s cur(like _concur_ ah peak a
😭
Nonetheless great video.
I really enjoyed. And agree.
And I will watch HxH 1999 again. I loved it the first time
You're right lol I just pronounce it weird. Thank you though!
Hmm that explains why the 2nd OP stuck deeper to me than the 1st OP
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR MAKING THIS, MY FEELINGS ARE VALIDATED ALSO THE SONG IS IN FACT AVAILABLE ON SPOTIFY
Edit - 太陽は夜も輝くby Wino
dang as a new gen to anime might have to check out dem 90 animes sometime
What is most shocking is someone who knows deadly arts
I loved it, 1999 is so underrated
after watching this video I’ll deffo i dive into this version
Banger opinion, keep being right bro.
Means a lot my guy
This opening gave me the motivation to learn japanese
すばらしい！Japanese is an awesome language, I still have a lot to learn but I honestly might like it a bit more than English haha. I wish you the best in your studies!
I think Kenshin so similar to Kurapika in many aspects
Havent watched 1999 HxH, but this vid makes me wanna check it out, since i thought 2011 was a 10/10 show.
On the topic of Ops, what i do and what i recommend is listening but not looking at the visuals (only looking after finishing the season/arc), cuz the visuals give u so many spoilers.
Also, 2011 Op is a banger, and id say nowadays the anime with the most unique and best ops has to be attack on titan.
You really should. If you want a better introduction to Gon (and Kite!), if you want more Leorio respect, if you want a more diverse OST.
1999 has a lot to provide :)
Bor you keep making videos like this and your gonna get huge in this community. Nice vid, keep at it 👌
Trueeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee
I just finished the first 62 episode. It's so good. Makes me appreciate Togashi's work a lot more than the 2011 version ever did. Not saying the 2011 version is bad by any means
It's prolly my favorite anime opening of all time. the song, the visuals, all perfect.
And my god, I only learned through this video that the same director who directed the 1999 version of Yorknew Arc is the same as the one who directed Trust X Betrayal of Rurouni Kenshin. That's why Kurapika vs Uvogin in the 1999 version gave me a lot of Trust X Betrayal vibes, especially the soundtrack during Kurapika's flashback with his master telling him to forget about revenge.
so true
I really want to go back now and watch this version of hunter X hunter. Really enjoy the video keep up the good work.
Am hyped for the fma 2003 video
I also love 2nd op of 1999 HxH. But I think that every hxh op/ed is great
The York Shin arc (especially 1999 version) was that point where I thought "This is my favorite anime T_T!!!". The previous arcs was "humm, great adventure anime, nature and shounen stuff" but the York shin..... no words to describe
I really love how the Nippon Animation version has started to be re-appreciated, after years of people simply dismissing it as the "filler" unfaithful version. It really is worth watching
Which is funny, cuz there's so many ways that it's actually MORE manga accurate than the "faithful" 2011 anime
i love hxh, so sad both are not finished
HxH 1999 is fully available on TH-cam to my knowledge
really. ice bid dude. almost thought i was watching a mothers basement or eye patch wolf vid
As an average sub enjoyer it was painful to hear kurapíka instead of kurApika srry
I love how the 99 version has a cool take on the psychological fight in the manga, different from the generic, marketable shonen aesthetic that the 2011 version has.
My favorite example is how version 99 skips that chapter from the manga that explains the whole fight between hisoka and kastro and the whole "uuhhh hisoka is very strange and mysterious and a free soul idk blabla" text, because it's just pointless with the way hisoka evolves in the whole series. the 99ver make you realize by yourself all that explanation that appears in the manga and the 2011ver
That's why I consider 99 to be the def version of hxh, I wish they would continue with that version....
What’s your anilist? Wanna drop a follow.
Appreciated, here it is! anilist.co/user/Kizamui/
@@micromacroooo Just dropped a follow
FMA opening 🔥🔥🔥
the real question is, do you know some bands that sound similar to this opening? if you do please share
Older Radiohead, Oasis, The Pillows.
@@micromacroooo
Yes, all of them are great!!!
Thank you for making this. I'm a huge fan of the video essay style & HxH so this video was *chef's kiss* for me. If the words you stumbled over/repeated were cut out from the final audio I wouldn't have been able to tell this video from similar video essays done by channels with hundreds of thousands/millions of subs. I'm listening on an iPhone so take that w/ a grain of salt🤷🏻♂️. Ez sub.
Much appreciated, I'm still working on my vocal delivery and tone when recording but I'm enjoying the journey as I continue to improve!
Came from the reddit :) Very good video i liked it :) (btw hxh 2011 op6 is a masterpiece)
Thank you! And absolutely, I love how they change the opening sequences for hxh 2011 but still keep departure. ED 6 from hxh 2011 is another favorite of mine, it has such a strong feeling of resolution with Gon, Killua, Leorio and Kurapika standing on the water after everything that happened in the chimera ant arc and everything that happens in the 13th hunter chairman election arc. All openings and endings from hxh 2011 and 1999 are amazing
@@micromacroooo True
DEFINITELY MY FAVORITE TH-cam VIDEO EVER!! Finally someone translated what I want to say/write but didn't know how to do it. Thank you for so much deepness and feeling you put in this video, thanks, thanks ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
these videos are high quality. surprised you don't have more subscribers but you definitely have one more now. hope more people find this.
Thanks bro!
Finally someone who appreciates 2000s anime openings! I'm a big fan too and personally these got more essentia than the current ones, good video btw!
Much appreciated Gabriel!
As far as i know this the only video who got more like thousands views in just 2 weeks than your other videos. Hoping for you to gain more views and subscribers also.
P.S I'm subscribed
This is how I feel about ranking of kings OP 2, shits just perfect
Good vid but pronunciations for some things hurt😭
Yes its incredibly underrated!!!
i want to enjoy openings but i cant....... spoilers man spoilers
not only that the the 2nd OP was perfect, but the arc itself was also perfectly written, hands down the best in the HxH series.
Hunter X Hunter 1999 op 2 is my top 10 favorite anime openings it's just simply epic.
Top 1 to me, followed by A cruel angel's thesis
The OP change alone could have been a reason I held 1999 yorknew as the better adaptation, but on top of that the whole story arc overall just fits better in the 90's aesthetic. Mad House looks amazing and it fitting enough for the general shounen series, but Hunter x Hunter boarders Seinen during this arc (+ Chimera ants) which just doesn't match how shiny the characters look with so much vibrancy to their (much) brighter colors. The tone just doesn't sit well with me and no scene depicts that better than Kurapika walking back to the city after killing Uvogin. The scarlet eyes don't at all look as dark, he doesn't look as traumatized by having his first kill or anything. He just looks angry without much behind it design wise. Heck even the Nen in the 1999 version overall depicts what it's supposed to be, madhouse just makes it look and sound like the general anime aura, but the sound design and motion flow of the nen in 1999 made it come off alot more Eerily. Which fits considering it's an invisible energy that can literally kill people who aren't exposed to it correctly.
Well said. The change in tone is insanely drastic. I still remember watching it for the first time as I was watching HXH 2011 and it felt like I was watching an entirely different anime. I think that scene after he kills uvogin does encapsulate how powerful and terrifying nen is. This of course is also shown when Gon kills Pitou but in the 1999 arc, it has a much more visceral and less refined look. Another scene that really stuck out to me was when Kurapika started developing his nen and activated his scarlet eyes. It had such an abstract and experimental look that reminded me a lot of End of Evangelion.
@@micromacroooo yess, Kurapika training with his master, with all the loneliness/solitaire scenes and almost binaural soundtrack. Even the scene where Kurapika "drowning" in the red liquid is identical (I don't know if there is a reference) to the Kaworu scene in TEOE
We as mankind peaked at 1999 and it shows. After that is been downhill
it's pretty hard to don't skip openings these days..... miss the 90s wouldn't mind if they copy and try to make analog productions again.......
lmao im dying this OP made my face squint it was so good
A new channel to watch. It puts me at ease that I'm one of the first subscribers of this guy. You're cool, man.
Thanks dude, glad to have you here!
This op is one of my favourite ones of all time
this video would have been a 10/10 haven't you been saying phanton trOpe the whole time
Dang you're right, I can't believe I've been saying it wrong this whole time lol. Glad you liked the video though!
Nice video!
Thank you Josh!