From CBR · Demi Phillips · · 1m 40s
5 Classic Anime That Shaped Hunter x Hunter
How Dragon Ball, Fist of the North Star and others influenced Yoshihiro Togashi's iconic shonen series.
In brief
How Dragon Ball, Fist of the North Star and others influenced Yoshihiro Togashi's iconic shonen series. Yoshihiro Togashi drew from Dragon Ball, Fist of the North Star, Nausicaä and Yu Yu Hakusho to create Hunter x Hunter's complex battle systems and character dynamics. Originally reported by CBR.
Dragon Ball's Shonen Legacy
Hunter x Hunter adopted Dragon Ball's battle shonen tropes including young heroes, martial arts training and tournament structures.
“Gon begins as a cheerful child leaving home for an enormous adventure”
Fist of the North Star's Battle Philosophy
Togashi borrowed Fist of the North Star's approach where opponents carry philosophies and emotional burdens into combat.
“The Phantom Troupe are mass murderers but they genuinely grieve for one another”
Nausicaä's Eye Transformation
Kurapika's Scarlet Eyes were inspired by Nausicaä's Ohmu that change eye color when enraged.
“The enormous ohmu normally possess calm blue eyes but their eyes become intensely red when they are enraged”
JoJo's Bizarre Ability System
Hunter x Hunter shares JoJo's love for highly specific abilities with strict limitations and strategic use.
“Knuckle's hakoware essentially transforms a fight into a supernatural debt calculation”
Yu Yu Hakusho's Foundation
Yu Yu Hakusho provided Togashi with experience in supernatural battles and morally complex characters for Hunter x Hunter.
“The Dark Tournament Arc progressively treats villains as characters rather than disposable opponents”
Togashi's Creative Evolution
Togashi transformed Dragon Ball's templates into Hunter x Hunter's darker, more complex battle systems.
“Togashi's admiration for dragon ball has remained visible decades later”
Key Influences on Character Arcs
Meruem's transformation mirrors Fist of the North Star's impact on character development through emotional depth.
“When discussing the scene between meruem and komugi, togashi referenced the lasting impact of iconic death imagery from fist of the north star”
Hunter x Hunter's Unique System
Nen's rule-based combat system builds on Dragon Ball's foundations but adds deeper strategic complexity.
“Togashi built a much more systematic framework around aura categories, restrictions and individual technique development”
The Phantom Troupe's Depth
The Phantom Troupe's emotional complexity shows how Togashi evolved from Fist of the North Star's influence.
“The Phantom Troupe are mass murderers but they genuinely grieve for one another”
Togashi's Creative Legacy
Hunter x Hunter's influence on modern shonen anime stems from Togashi's deep understanding of character and battle systems.
“Togashi has long been an admirer of hirohiko araki's work”
The short version
Yoshihiro Togashi drew from Dragon Ball, Fist of the North Star, Nausicaä and Yu Yu Hakusho to create Hunter x Hunter's complex battle systems and character dynamics.
