As one of the oldest manga in history, One piece managed to achieve a level of world building that is rivaled by very fewand this is one of the many reasons why the series is so beloved. However, there is one manga that managed to make a world as interesting and better than One Piece's in less than half the chapter count, and this is none other than Yoshihiro Togashi's. Hunter X Hunter.
Starting in March 1998 in Weekly Shonen Jump Hunter x Hunter is one of the most popular manga and is considered a staple in the shonen battle adventure genre. Focusing on young Gon Freecs as he sets out to become a licensed hunter and search for his long-lost father, the series depicts the wildest adventures of Gon and his friends, including his best partner, Killua, as they travel across the world. . world, meet new people and enemies and bond even more.
Hunter x Hunter surpasses One Piece's worldbuilding in many areas
It's close, but Hunter X Hunter comes out on top
To understand the beauty of Hunter X Hunterworld, it is necessary to understand what the construction of the world entails. By definition, it is the process of creating a fictional world and any element within it. This includes technology, knowledge, cultures, people, creatures, biodiversity, systems of power, geography, political structures, cultures, history and much more. Often people simplify worldbuilding to the amount of locations explored, which is a far cry from reality and not a good way to appreciate the effort a creator puts into fleshing out their world.
While One piece does a great job of exploring many breathtaking locations inspired by cultures from around the world, but it falls short in other aspects. The main one is the energy system, with Haki being a very controversial addition to the series and considered a poor power system by some fans. On the other hand, the Nen energy system is widely considered the best of the best, and its complexity and richness cannot be underestimated. It was so brilliant and innovative that other series took parts of it and integrated them into their own, such as narutoChakra and Jujutsu KaisenThe Cursed Energy.
Hunter x Hunter has an entire language
Togashi's attention to detail knows no bounds
This is still possibly the most interesting and underrated part of the series' world-building, but Togashi managed to create his own alphabetical system called the Hunter Script, which is ingenious, to say the least, and makes the world even more unique. This detail is one of the many reasons Hunter X HunterThe world building stands above all other mangaand it shows the amount of detail and effort that went into it.
Hunter X Hunter's variety is simply astonishing
Each arc is a new interesting and exciting plot
One piece follows a similar plot to many of its arcs and although this is to reinforce a major theme of the series sometimes it gets repetitive and it makes the islands look the same even when they are not. Hunter x Hunteron the other hand, it offers fans a wide variety of arcs and locations that are as different as night and day. From a unique exam and tournament, a bloody mafia rivalry, an intense apocalyptic event, a light-hearted training arc, and an engaging RPG video game, There are no limits to the variety of adventures. Additionally, the current Succession War arc is unlike anything seen before in shonen manga, let alone the series, and showcases the diversity of Hunter x Hunter.
The politics in Hunter x Hunter are much more subtle and complex
Exploitation of government and organizations is a highlight
Another aspect that Hunter x Hunter treats better than One piece it's the politics of your world and how interesting it is. It's realistic, gritty, smart, dark and interesting, mirroring real-life nations. This makes sense given how stubborn Togashi is, as he has given his opinion on politicians before. The workings of the Hunter Association in the arc of the 13th Presidential Election, the politics of East Gorteu and NGL, the depravity of Meteor City and more, Hunter x Hunter presents some of the best displays of politics and situation.
While One piece presents a decent level of politics, does not give as much importance as Hunter x Hunter he did. Additionally, it lacks a bit of morality and nuance, and that's not the series' fault, but someone else's choice to simplify, since Oda said he wants One piece be for children. However, he has demonstrated interesting politics like the Shandian and Skypiean conflict, which shows how good he can be.
The War of Succession and Expeditions arc highlights the complexity of politics in Hunter x Hunter. It shows how V6 and international organizations collaborate as Beyond Netero begins his journey plans to the Dark Continent. Fans get deeper insights into the Kakin Empire and witness their brutality during the Black Whale expedition. Although the mafia and the underworld have always been present, this arc elevates their importance, revealing their crucial role within the nation. It effectively displays both Kakin's public image and hidden aspects, providing a captivating exploration of his political landscape.
Hunter x Hunter's lore is as deep as it is exciting
Although this is an aspect that One piece stands out like no other, it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say Hunter x Hunter the tradition is as expansive as that of One piece. There are so many interesting facets to the story such as the Magical Beasts, the Dark Continent, the Nen Beasts, the Five Threats and many others that bring the series to life and help maintain an atmosphere of mystery. Unfortunately, the many hiatuses have meant that these interesting pieces of lore haven't been explored before, but now that Togashi is back and healthy, it may not be long before we see the series' true potential.
Although there are many valid and logical reasons and evidence that Hunter x Hunter actually has better worldbuilding than One pieceboth are some of the best in this regard and very few series can hope to match it. However, It's time that Hunter x Hunterthe greatness of in this aspect is appreciated and perceivedbecause it managed to present a breathtaking world, capable of being called high fantasy, in 400 chapters.