YesFlix/NoFlix: Hunter x Hunter Or Knights of Sidonia?
When it comes to anime, it’s so easy for a show to go wrong after it started off so well, either by falling prey to fizzling, repetitive story lines or just bad writing. So this week’s YesFlix/NoFlix is going to take a look at some of the best and worst anime that is on offer.
Yesflix – Hunter x Hunter
I must admit that I skipped over this show multiple times when prowling through Netflix while looking for something to watch. However, after recommendations from friends, I decided to give it a go and I was not disappointed.
The thumbnail was a deterrent for me in the past because it looked a bit childish. Now, after getting past my judgment of its cover, I couldn’t be happier to have been so wrong about this gem. It’s a show about a young boy who wants to follow his absent father’s example by becoming a hunter and finding his him.
Gon Freecss is a highly motivated 12 year old who is pure of heart. This kid radiates sunshine and the innocence of children untouched by the atrocities of the world, which is such a welcome change to the tortured, old soul child troupe that is becoming more common and, frankly, dull.
Being a hunter is one of the toughest yet most rewarding professions, but to the main character it is more than that; it is the reason his father left him in the care of his cousin so he could pursue his career.
So already there is something you wouldn’t necessarily consider a motive in a children’s anime. I won’t go on to explain more of the initial plot because it works better when you don’t know too much about the story. There are 5 seasons available on Netflix, but that doesn’t cover all of the episodes. The season ends just when you start getting to the really good parts.
Some anime that are lacking in character development can make up for it in other areas, but Hunter x Hunter is not like that at all. Seeing the show go from strength to strength along with its characters is refreshing. It’s not overly obvious as to what will happen next; there are a lot of crazy moments as well as gut-churning parts that make you realise just how much you care for the characters, but overall it’s a great show to spend some time on.
If you need a light hearted anime, or just want something to kill the time before binge-watching seasons of your favourite shows, I would definitely recommend Hunter x Hunter.
Fans of Fairy Tail, Full Metal Alchemist and Naruto will LOVE this!
Noflix – Knights of Sidonia
This is a Netflix original and I couldn’t get into it. I just couldn’t and, believe me, I tried. Much harder than I should have needed to! I watched the entire season from beginning to end even though I didn’t want to, just to do this justice.
Personally, it did not do anything for me what so ever. It’s set in the year 3394, a thousand years after humans have fled the earth after it was destroyed by Gauna, which are giant alien monsters. The humans fled on massive ships, one of which is called Sidonia.
Humans aren’t really the same any more; we photosynthesise, cloning is common place and we choose our own gender, which I thought was a pretty cool idea. The fate of the other ships is unknown, meaning Sidonia could have the last remaining humans on it.
Nothing is really known about why the Gauna want to attack the humans but Sidonia has its own protection when it comes to fighting them. If you guessed mechs, you don’t get a prize, because the answer is usually mechs anyway. As much as I love mechs, this just didn’t do it for me. The remaining human population is screened to see who is a fit candidate to be a pilot. It is a very big honour to pilot a Guardian, as you would expect.
And so we’re introduced to the protagonist Nagate Tanikaze, a citizen of Sidonia who lived underground for years with his grandfather; he is selected to be a Guardian pilot after his grandfather’s death when he is caught on the surface.
I just didn’t care enough for the show as a whole. It was interesting; it killed time but ultimately that was all it was for me. Maybe I will find the will to watch it again some day but I wouldn’t hold my breathe.
But the opening theme song is pretty awesome.
Fans of Evangelion and Gundam will HATE this!
What do you think? Do you agree or disagree? Let us know below!
