2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Friends again, July 1, 2009
This review is from: Hunter X Hunter, Vol. 3 (DVD)
Train, train, train. Fight, fight, fight. "Hunter x Hunter Volume 3" is all about training and fighting -- whether it's to get money, a friend, or a long-awaited duel with one's nemesis (who turns out to be even creepier than we first thought). It gets a bit tedious when our prepubescent heroes spend several episodes learning how to use their hidden superpowers, but it seems to be pretty important -- and sparks off a new arc.
Determined to get Killua back, Gon and his buddies head for Mt. Kukura, the home of the Zoldyck family -- only to discover that it's a nearly impenetrable fortress guarded by a vast man-eating canine and deadly preteen butlers. And after training to get inside without being killed, the gang encounters the biggest obstacle of all: Killua's mother. But the deciding factor in this fight over Killua's fate is his enigmatic father.
Then the boys split off from Kurapika and Leorio for the next six months. Since they're broke, they head off to the Heaven's Arena to make some money by fighting; with Gon's newly-minted strength, they rapidly shoot up the Tower. They also encounter a young martial-artist named Zushi and his master Wing, who teaches them about the aura-utilizing techniques of "nen" -- which are essential for a Hunter. Unfortunately, Hisoka has followed them to the Tower, intent on a fight with Gon.
And in the meantime, Kurapika is also learning about nen, but his quest and his powers have a much darker purpose, and he's willing to risk far more to accomplish his goal. He's even determined to give up his friends.
The first arc in "Hunter x Hunter Volume 3" is obviously all about ripping Killua back from his assassin family, and becoming strong enough that they even merit the family's notice. And the second is about the two boys learning how to become more powerful -- not only do they become more experienced in hand-to-hand combat, but they start learning all about the required superhuman powers that a shonen anime has to have. Lots of talking about aura and
It gets a bit tedious when the boys are doing stuff like meditating or messing with water glasses, but the writers inject some fun running gags (Killua's constant torture of the high-strung elevator girl). It's far more interesting when they are learning to be stronger and utilizing their power in fights, and there's a pretty even balance of action and comic relief (such as the "slippers" scene, or Killua breaking the bank with all the chocolate he can find).
And the action becomes pretty hardcore near the end, although Hisoka's fight with Kastro is fragmented enough to give you seizures (and the gruesome aftermath is hidden behind potted plants). But there's also some exquisitely ghastly imagery in the last episode -- Kurapika bound in his own vinelike chains, floating in a red sea, or walking alone through the rainy streets.
Boy-assassin Killua gets the most development in this volume: without his family casting a shadow over him, he becomes a lot more amusing and quirky. And Gon finally gets his fight with Hisoka, who turns out to be even more of a freaky fight-pervert than we ever expected (he gets very doe-eyed when Gon is pummeling him), as well as a few new revelations about what he does when he's not stalking little boys. And we briefly see into the depths of Kurapika's desire for vengeance -- which seems to be at the start of a NEW arc.
"Hunter X Hunter Volume 3" is most concerned with training, fighting, and wresting Killua from his "loving" family. And although the teaching-about-nen subplot is a bit dull, the new storyline promises to be interesting.
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4.0 out of 5 stars
Great gift!, August 28, 2011
This review is from: Hunter X Hunter, Vol. 3 (DVD)
I bought the entire DVD series from Amazon and the product looked good. It was used, so the packaging was slightly damaged but the DVDs looked fine. They were gifts, and since I gave them away without testing them, I can only hope they work. If they don't, you will hear from me in a revised review.
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