Popverse's top stories of the day

• Marvel has an unpublished Star-Lord story by Star Wars' Thrawn creator Timothy Zahn. The author isn’t sure it will ever be released.
• Rings of Power just reached one of Lord of the Rings' most consequential battles... with huge diferences from how J.R.R. Tolkien wrote it
• The Grinch returns! Dr. Seuss's holiday hater turns vacation villain in new kids graphic novel

One of the most celebrated shonen manga and anime of all time remains Hunter x Hunter, but it is also one of the most difficult to approach as a new viewer. Not because of the content – the actual show is pretty straightforward – but because it includes two separate anime series, a collection of OVAs and movies, and a manga that has gone on numerous hiatuses since 2006. Our Hunter x Hunter watch order will give you everything you need to know about this exceptionally popular anime.

At the moment, we’re still waiting for more chapters of the Hunter x Hunter manga to be released. The last one was published in December 2022, though there are signs that series creator Yoshihiro Togashi is back to work on the manga. Only time will tell if he manages to finish the story he started back in 1998.

How to watch Hunter x Hunter in order

The good news is that the story of Hunter x Hunter is largely told in chronological order, so you don’t need to worry about skipping around to find the order that works for you. The trouble stems from the two different anime adaptations that have been made over the years. The first began airing in 1999 but ended when it caught up with the original manga in 2004. Then, in 2011, a second Hunter x Hunter anime was produced, but it once again ended in 2014 due to the manga’s long and repeated hiatuses. This means that the best watch order for the Hunter x Hunter anime is:

• Hunter x Hunter (1999) Episodes 1-62
• Hunter x Hunter: Spider OVA (2002) Episodes 1-8
• Hunter x Hunter: Greed Island OVA (2003) Episodes 1-8
• Hunter x Hunter: Great Island Final OVA (2004) Episodes 1-14
• Hunter x Hunter (2011) Episodes 1-61
• Hunter x Hunter: Phantom Rouge film
• Hunter x Hunter (2011) Episodes 62-110
• Hunter x Hunter: The Last Mission film
• Hunter x Hunter (2011) Episodes 111-148

Where can you watch Hunter x Hunter?

Watching the Hunter x Hunter anime is also a bit complicated. Due to various licensing issues, there is currently no legal way to stream the 1998 Hunter x Hunter anime or its OVAs in the West. Your best bet is to track down a physical release, though there has never been an official Western release of the two OVAs that finished off the 1998 anime series.

The 2011 remake series is a bit easier to track down. All 148 episodes of Hunter x Hunter are available on Crunchyroll or Amazon Prime Video. If you want to watch the two films, you’ll need to rent them from Amazon Prime or, again, track down a physical release.

What is the difference between the two Hunter x Hunter anime series?

So, do you need to watch the original 1998 anime series before watching the 2011 show? Not really. Both adapt the same material, with the 2011 Hunter x Hunter series having more modern animation and sticking more closely to the original manga than the 1998 series. The first Hunter x Hunter anime covered up through the Greed Island arc from the manga before it caught up with the source material and had to end, while the 2011 reboot reached the Election arc before it ran into the same fate.

Why does Hunter x Hunter keep going on hiatus?

Unfortunately, Hunter x Hunter’s long breaks are due to the health issues of its creator Yoshihiro Togashi. Togashi, who is also the mangaka behind Yu Yu Hakusho, has had chronic back pain for years, which means that he is unable to sit and draw for long periods of time. He has occasionally had to resort to lying down while he draws, but that is apparently only a temporary solution.

His wife, Sailor Moon creator Naoko Takeuchi, has occasionally assisted Togashi with Hunter x Hunter, but he has publically stated his fears of dying before he finishes the story. He revealed that he has multiple plans of how it could end, including a final chapter to wrap everything up if the worst should happen, despite the fact he is only 58 years old.

Are the Hunter x Hunter films canon?

The two films in the Hunter x Hunter series are Phantom Rouge and The Last Mission. You can find both of them available to rent on Amazon Prime Video, but it is important to remember that both aren’t considered canon to the anime. They are fun stories that have plenty of action, but they don’t impact the overall story of Hunter x Hunter in any significant way.

Want to know what's coming up next in pop culture? Check out our guides to upcoming movies, upcoming TV shows, upcoming comics, and upcoming comic conventions. If you're looking for specific franchises or genres, we have all the upcoming MCU, upcoming Star Wars, upcoming Star Trek, and upcoming DC movies & TV for you. If you're a fan of superheroes and not specific to just Marvel or DC, we have overall guides to all the upcoming superhero movies and upcoming superhero TV shows (and new seasons) as well.