Hunter X Hunter and Naruto: a Closer Look and a Comparison Between Two Amazing Animes
“Naruto and Hunter X Hunter? In the same league? You’ve got to be kidding right?” Oh but they are indeed similar in a lot of ways.
Similarities and Differences
According to Wikipedia articles, Yoshihiro Togashi’s anime Hunter X Hunter (HxH) was first shown around October 1999 while Masashi Kishimoto’s Naruto began airing around that same month but in 2002. HxH’s manga version started way back in March 1998 while Naruto’s first manga was officially published in 1999. Based on these facts it appears HxH was released first before we ever saw Naruto, so from here we can safely say Naruto may be based on HxH.
But then because of Togashi’s on-off schedule, the anime spanned from 1999 to 2004 with only fewer episodes as compared to Naruto, the last season (OVA’s) being aired in 2004. Naruto on the other hand is still ongoing since 2002 and is now on it’s Shippuuden series. So if there ever will be another HxH OVA or series we can’t say that Naruto is still quite similar to HxH anymore since Kishimoto’s anime has already “veered off” from HxH since 2004 considering Naruto’s “filler episodes” ended in 2007.
Setting aside these facts, let’s look at their main similarities:
- Both anime starts off with the main characters’ childhood where each orphan lead character are twelve-year old boys
- Gon Freecs (HxH) eventually gains 3 friends on his quest to be a hunter while Naruto Uzumaki (Naruto) becomes part of Team 7 in ninja school and also gains 3 main friends in the process
- While Gon starts to develop a deeper friendship with Killua (an assassin), Naruto starts off as a rival with Sasuke (from another clan); each pair eventually becoming best friends
- Gon goes all out to take Killua away from his own deadly assassin family, Naruto goes all out to retrieve Sasuke from his best friend’s very powerful and dangerous mentor
- Both undergo different skill trainings and studies, for one to become a Hunter, and the other to become a Ninja
- Both anime deal with certain energies or powers: the concept of Nen (Chi) and Jutsu (Chakra). Each learns of these at some point in their training and use these energies and related concepts when the need arises, thus making it their source of power.
- The two anime also have a wide variety of interesting characters which are developed along the way as opposed to just being extras or introductions in the story
If you are an anime fan and have already watched both anime in it’s entirety (yes I know, Naruto is still ongoing as of writing) you should also notice their more obvious differences. Once you notice and acknowledge these differences, it makes you appreciate both animes more.
- Gon sets off on a difficult but adventurous journey in search of his father (Ging Freecs) , Naruto eventually sets off to save his bestfriend or “retrieve” him from a very dangerous enemy
- In HxH, Gon needs to become a Hunter first to find Ging, that’s how his exciting adventure begins; and then he journeys on to continue his search for his father. In Naruto, Naruto starts off studying in a Ninja school to become a great Hokage (leader of Konoha) but then while on training his priority changes to retrieving Sasuke first before all else if possible.
- Gon is a very honest, determined and pure-hearted boy who brings out the good in people he encounters, making them friends who want to help him out with his goals in life; while Naruto is mischievous, not very smart but loyal and idealistic, making people around him feel the need to walk the straight and right path which almost always makes them become one of his friends
The main differences in fact make you love both anime the same way but on different levels. One is a story of longing and family while the other is the story of acceptance and friendship. Both deals more with friendship and other human relationships, seldomly dwelling on love (romantic love that is) which can somewhat be refreshing if you are in an environment where everything and everyone is about romantic love. Both also deals with the coming of age where they all learn lessons along the way.
Interesting Points
What I find interesting in both anime is the concept of Nen and Jutsu. Both of them talks about energy and the natural abilities you can have. They makes you want to know more about yourself and what your abilities may be if you are a character in that anime. Each anime also makes you wonder a lot of what if’s. The possibility of these abilities actually becoming fact someday is something that can be both good and bad when you think about it. Because (1) If that happens it can make life easier if used for the greater good, but then bad always comes along so it will eventually lose it’s uniqueness or novelty and the usual good vs. evil goes on as before; (2) as with any discovery, more disasters can come up along with any betterment in life.
Another point I find interesting is how they deal with relationships other than romantic ones. Each does not really involve family relationships but how friendships and camaraderie are formed. Because of the many characters, both can be a study on how you are as a person and how you deal with people as opposed to the characters. Each anime can make you realize how some characters are a lot like you and your friends or someone you know. But of course, fictional stories are almost always idealized. The what should be’s and the what can be’s in an ideal setting is presented better in stories because it is a “controlled environment”. Applying the lessons you also learn from animes to real life can be difficult and may be brushed aside by the city folk but more accepted by loving and friendly country folks, which of course also depends on certain situations.
Recommendations
I definitely recommend these two great anime to help you realize different lessons that can be used in real life situations. It’s also best for people who like (or love) fantasy and adventure stories. Hunter X Hunter is more serious when compared to Naruto but both are fun, enjoyable and action filled. On a scale of 1 to 5, five being the best, both get 5 stars from me. =)
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thanks friend, hehe i like your blog, i watched hunter x hunter ang liked it but i didn’t realized that it is similar to naruto,, now i can see it,, thanks…
Dude, you’re watching TOO MUCH anime. Get a life.
Naruto and HxH ARE NOTHING SMILIAR.
Those points that you’ve pointed out are quite stupid.
I am not a hater or anything but yeah. I disagree that these two animes are ’similar’.
i like your blog also… i enjoy reading it…thanks
Hey there Kenziie, sorry but i don’t really watch that much anime so technically i don’t watch too much. If you think the 2 anime’s similarities are stupid i guess you haven’t really watched them that well yet to notice them. =)
Bear in mind that these are what i have noticed in the two shows. If you haven’t noticed them, dude, then it’s not my problem. =)
To vyxzin23 and ken, am glad you both enjoy reading my articles. Thanks. =)
i watched those two animes that you compared, and the only similar about them, is friendship.
aside from that, i’d say their completely DIFFERENT. Nope, they’re not the same.
I dunno about the anime versions, I find the Naruto one intolerable and Hunter isn’t available to me at all, but I believe that Naruto, for the first few seasons at least, is a huge rip-off of Hunter. This also goes for the concepts of nen/chakra (every character who has a name seems to have their own signature move/style of fighting) and the wide cast of characters developed along the way.
Honestly, like Lucia said, I think Kishi was reading HunterxHunter and just used it as a base for Naruto. The Chunin exams are a great example. The second last test in the Hunter exams is when the remaining candidates are sent out into a forest with a number tag, the goal being taking other candidates’ tags within a time limit. Naruto’s second last test is the same. Replace number tags with Heaven/Earth scrolls. Seriously. Ditto the last test. One on one fights, with tournament bracket system. Come on.
Something else is, I believe Kishi also took the general ideas of Ninjas and such from Hunter. A Character called Hanzo, a JONIN from the VILLAGE HIDDEN IN THE CLOUDS appears in Hunter for a while. I dunno about real life Ninjas but reading that made me pretty suspish.
I may have skimped out on some details, and Naruto is an enjoyable read and is definitely original enough that it doesn’t feel like you’re reading the same story, but I believe that there is no doubt to the fact that Kishi definitely based his series on Yoshi’s.
Nice work Lucia.
Thanks Necta! Glad to see someone who also paid attention to both animes. =)
i for one dont believe naruto ripped off hxh but i do believe hxh ripped of yu yu hakusho
Hi Huss.
Well it’s because it’s made by the same person. =) So definitely you can see similarities too.
The obvious similarity has been forgotten: There is an evil organization controlling the world and the main good guys have to beat them. Also, Kurapika, when in danger, has his eyes turn red. His entire clan was killed off and he wants revenge against who did it. Sasuke, when fighting, unleashes his sharigan (a red eye) and wants revenge against his brother who killed his entire clan.
oh yeah! i forgot about that. Thanks for reminding me. =)
Lucia B that’s a very interesting topic that I’ve thought about for such a long time but never bothered posting cause I’m well aware of the huge Naruto fandom and I’m sure most ppl will try to deny it. Anyways, here are some other factors that Kishimoto obviously modelled after HxH:
When the good guys in HxH first enter the Hunter exam, they meet a guy named Tompa who failed the exam a great number of times, he informs the gang about a lot of stuff regarding the exam and later turns out to be a trator (though not a serious threat), that’s EXACTLY what happens when Kabuto greats Sasuke and the others when they first enter the exam except that Kabuto’s betrayal was of greater importance and seriousness, in fact, I’ve always noticed that Kishimoto took everything from HxH and further intensfied (and for that matter, improved) it. Kurapika is from a deceased clan who possessed red/crimson eyes and wants to avenge them. Kishimoto completely plaglarized that idea in Sasuke’s situation but he FULLY CAPITALIZED on Togashi’s lack of Depth on Kurapika’s past (we didn’t see a glimpse of Kurapika witnissing his clan perish nor any other sad moments) by showing us footage from Sasuke’s past in an especially melodramatic and straightforward (yet effective) way, he also changed his character’s target of revenge by making it an older brother instead of an evil organization (the whole revenge against my older brother who murdered my parents thing is probably taken from Mobile Suit G Gundam, cause even the truth that was revealed later on about what truly took place are executed similarily in Naruto and G Gundam except that the latter came out in 1994 so there’s no doubt it’s the original). And speaking of capitilizing on Togashi’s shortcomings. Kishimoto took the Genei Ryodan organization (which consists of ATLEAST 6 or 7 crappy and useless members) and made it into a much cooler organization (with a cool unified outfit) with not a single completely useless or crappy lookin character. It’s always easier to take someone else’s work and improve it (cause you won’t go into the trouble of innovating something urself), so I feel sorry for Togashi, it’s amazing how his relatively unknown Hunter X Hunter served as the basis for one of the most immensely popular Shonen animes of all Time that is Naruto. (P.S I’m way too absorbed into the originality/ rip off thing which would explain why my reply was long)
Thanks for the topic!
Hey Tao Pai Pai, that’s really an indepth look. I now am convinced that Kishimoto indeed took HxH to the next level with Naruto. Haha.
and the part of both of them have friends with scarlet/red (sharingan) eyes who’s purpose is to avenge their clan is also a nice comparison and both chasin the back of their well know father (even though Naruto doesn’t even know he is chasin his father (wanting to become hokage and his father being the 4th)
So yes I also fint they are much alike
That’s a very interesting topic! To tell you the truth, I watched Naruto series first then Hunter x Hunter…after finishing HxH, I immediatly went searching for which was first, I found out that HxH was the first then naruto, so I would confidentially say Naruto is just a rip-off of HxH.
One of the similarities that isn’t mentioned here is:
The girl (who helped Gon and Kilua in the Greed Island) is in her fifties and has a monster strength…That’s exactly Tsunade in Naruto series.
You got some really interesting stuff there.. I watch Naruto and like it alot.. Haven’t read Hunter X Hunter though..
Wow i’m seeing more similarities i’ve never noticed before… thanks for the comments everyone and also i’ glad you all find my article informative. =)
Hunter x Hunter is defiantly my favorite out of the two. Naruto can rot in a hole for all I care. Sad really, that Kishimoto couldn’t come up with orignal ideals for so long. And that he runined the ideals that he stole them for. I don’t sympathize with his chracters. I care for the HxH ones though.
Because I’m sooooo board.
- Each story follows the trails and triumphs of a determined 12 year boy as he strives towards his goals.
- Each are greatly influenced by their fathers, who are considered the “best” in their fields. (Gon’s father is considered to be the best Hunter out there, and the Fourth Hokage was the best.)
- Kirapika’s family posses a very special/rare bloodline trait involving RED eyes. As does the Uchiha clan.
- Both clans are slaughtered save for one survivor who takes up the act of vengeance.
- The Chuunin exam WAS the Hunter’s Exam. Multiple parts with strict guidelines and different proctors to please. With both a major part was FINDING the place (HxH it was a near-epic journey, and in Naruto two Chuunins pulled some Genjutsu crap), then there was a portion where the contestants were left alone for 72 hours in an enclosed secluded place where they had to obtain a certain item from another team or persons (HxH, name tags. Naruto, scrolls.) The final portion ended in one on one battles. and the granting of the position wasn’t completely clear either (HxH all but one contestant will pass, Naruto everyone could pass or fail).
- The Spider Troop is an extremely powerful, bad ass organization specializing in murder and thievery. Sorta [A lot] like the Akatsuki.
- And these members typically operate in pairs.
- Like Kakuzu Machi can reattach lost limbs.
- The concept, abilities and look of aura and chakra are very similar including 1) the ability to preform special feats with each, 2) the fact that you’re born with a certain type and you’re abilities and what will come natural for you is dependent on that, but with enough hard work you can overcome it, and 3) the better your control the more powerful you are.
- Both had a character with bugs as weapons. HxH one of the Shadow Beasts had leaches that live inside/with him. Naruto has Shino.
- Hisoka and Orochimaru are both flambant, ruthless, and blood thirsty, yet they both have certain fasinations with certain characters that they can’t or won’t kill [for the time being, at least] (Oro = Kabuto, commented on a fascination about his work, or something. Hisoka’s enthrathed with Gon).
- The women and more or less worhtless or don’t play a very large role [More for Naruto].
- Zushi is a “genuise of hardwork”, basically, like Lee.
- When Zushi/Lee first meets Gon and Killua/Sasuke and Naruto his first impluse is to show them this super bad-ass techinique they have but they are stopepd by thier teachers Wing/Gai.
- Thier dress is both training like, and they have simialir large round heads and larger eyebrows.
-Zushi and Lee both find strong friends in one of thier rivals.
– Gon and Killua/Naruto and Sasuke easily surpass Zushi/Lee, to which Wing/Gai chalks up to just natural talent.
- Guren’s filler design was totally a rip-off of Machi. Colors, outfit, hair, everything.
And I know theres more…
“in fact, I’ve always noticed that Kishimoto took everything from HxH and further intensfied (and for that matter, improved) it.”
Improved it? By adding cliches and unnessary drama? Hardly.
“Kurapika is from a deceased clan who possessed red/crimson eyes and wants to avenge them. Kishimoto completely plaglarized that idea in Sasuke’s situation but he FULLY CAPITALIZED on Togashi’s lack of Depth on Kurapika’s past (we didn’t see a glimpse of Kurapika witnissing his clan perish nor any other sad moments) by showing us footage from Sasuke’s past in an especially melodramatic and straightforward (yet effective) way, he also changed his character’s target of revenge by making it an older brother instead of an evil organization (the whole revenge against my older brother who murdered my parents thing is probably taken from Mobile Suit G Gundam, cause even the truth that was revealed later on about what truly took place are executed similarily in Naruto and G Gundam except that the latter came out in 1994 so there’s no doubt it’s the original).”
Personally I think that by not going into detial for Kurapika’s death it makes that chracter stronger. Is it really neassary to see a complete blood bath? And in any case he likely hadn’t witnessed the masacure or else he would also have been among the victims considering his family was targeted for thier speical traits. Sasuke living was a cop out and the reasoning felt extremely weak espcially after it came out that Itachi wanted to protect his brother. Togashi COULDN’T show this moment threw Kurapika’s eyes because he didn’t witness it.
“And speaking of capitilizing on Togashi’s shortcomings. Kishimoto took the Genei Ryodan organization (which consists of ATLEAST 6 or 7 crappy and useless members)”
There was only one memeber that didn’t have a strong combat power, and that was the memeber that they use for stealing and replacing things. I’ve drafted this summery somewhere but the Spiders could take the Akatsuki any day.
a”nd made it into a much cooler organization (with a cool unified outfit)”
Because nothing is more effective to a top secret evil organization then a dress code.
“with not a single completely useless or crappy lookin character.”
Konan’s useless, as is Zetsu, considering he hasn’t done anything. Sasori’s weak. I mean srrly. He was taken out by Sakura. Later, Karin’s just useless. Period. Ohhh, suck my blood and I’ll cure you.
And Kisame [gaint fish] and Zetsu [plant] aren’t crappy looking. Really?
hi there Sachii, wow you really added more info to my article. Thanks for your insight! =)
However let’s all not downplay Naruto or it’s creator too much because it still deserves some merit for it’s storyline and characters even if the similarities with HxH are a lot.
This article was created for everyone to see how similar or different these two animes are from each other.
If you can’t see the similarities between the two, then you either haven’t seen one of them or you’re a naruto fanboy. Some of the similarities, like the red-eyed revenge idea, are too obvious to ignore. That said, it’s not out of the ordinary to take an idea or two from a work you respect. Pictures of Jump mangaka’s desks have been published and many of them have tankobons from other series in the shelves, likely for reference. Kishimoto’s, surprisingly, only has Naruto manga at his desk (which leads many to believe he purposely brings back old characters to try and create some false sense of continuity in his manga, like how he recently brought everyone back from the dead.) However, Naruto definitely has some strong arcs, particularly during Chuunin exams, one of my favorite arcs of all time of any anime. But he’s definitely copying Togashi, no doubt about it. Also, Killua and Kakashi are both silver-haired electricity users.
Yeh i also noticed a lot of differences between the two, i think i read somewhere that Naruto’s creater said himself he based his ideas on hunterxhunter in the beginning.
I find that in some cases hunterxhunter is better and in some cases naruto, there is no clear winner for me.
”
Because nothing is more effective to a top secret evil organization then a dress code.
”
Akatsuki isnt top secret though. They even get hired by some countrys every now and then. Those guys go around and let the whole world know they exist, and want the world to fear them. They wear a uniform cuz they want people to notice them.
Akatsuki is much cooler than the spider gang in my opinion as i found the spiders being pretty amateuristic with their plans.
Akastuki members have much insaner and more devastating abilitys, and they’re all psychopathic mass murderers which only serves to make them even cooler villains.
poor togashi-sensei
masashi just copying and boom! “naruto is popular shounen” 
(((
after hunter x hunter stops and naruto producers have nothing to copy the story gets really boring, his stubbornness about getting his friend back is killing the story, it repeats and repeats, its like they are out of story to tell.
there’s alot more to hxh, i wish they continue with it but not until the naruto guys finish theirs first, they are a bunch of copy cats over there.
i think the producer of shippuden is just dragging on with the story since its so popular, an episode i saw was like all flashbacks, i was like what is that? its getting really boring. so they make more money with more episodes, i hope they cut it shorter.
yeah Naruto Shippuuden is getting overly long and the story is quite dragging now.
Btw, just an FYI, Hunter X Hunter manga is back and they’re planning to make a new version of the anime. Seriously they should just continue the previous anime from where they left off right? I dunno if the new HxH anime version would be better or not. Tsk.
Another thing (or things):
one of Gon’s best friends, Kurapika, can get his eyes on red, just like Sasuke on Naruto. Kurapika’s Clan has been murdered, just as the Uchiha Clan. The Geney Riodan (or Phantom Troupe) is something very like as the Akatsuki. In compartion of the time of releasion of the mangas, Naruto is a well-based anime. Based on HXH. The diference is: Shonen gave lots more of investments to Naruto.
having simmilarities doesn’t mean naruto is based on hxh.theres a lot of anime which is somehow simmilar on concept thats why theres what we called genres.you can watch two different anime with the same genre and you can find characters with the same personalities.
I think that there’s something to be said about the naruto-esque drawings that Togashi put in his manga. That two of three things. The first (definitely one of the two) is that he knows naruto is very similar, if not a complete rip, to his own manga. Then one of the next two is that he appreciates and enjoys naruto and thinks of masashi as a friend, or that he was taking shots at masashi saying, “I know that u r copying me…. I can copy u too ;P” haha but in this case I think masashi would at least take shots back so I think it’s the former. Personally I like both and since naruto shippuden is now on it’s whole “gotta find assume faze” I’ve been paying more attention to hunter x hunter. Also togashi seems to be more connected to his fan base. Which is cool!!
@Naruto x Hunter: Togashi made HxH first before Naruto even came out.
@john07: Naruto creator did admit something about admiring HxH or something to that effect.
Let’s just admit that there wouldn’t be naruto without hunter x hunter. Naruto is a great anime/manga and there’s a lot of similarities and there’s nothing wrong with that but we should also appreciate naruto’s origin which is hunter x hunter. I also saw similarities between yu yu hakusho and bleach.
Two great anime/manga which is naruto and bleach wouldn’t exist without Togashi’s works.
Yep, that’s true. =)