Every Hunter x Hunter Season, Ranked

Yoshihiro Togashi’s Hunter x Hunter is undeniably one of the greatest shonen anime titles of all time – whether it’s the original series or the 2011 adaptation by Madhouse. What makes HxH so amazing is the vividness of the characters, the illustrative adventure story, and the intense narrative arcs.

Without further ado, let’s jump into the reason why we are here in the first place. Here are all the Hunter x Hunter seasons and arcs from the 2011 adaptation, ranked from mediocre to the best. Worth noting that this ranking is completely subjective and reflects the opinions of the author.

TITLE	Hunter X Hunter
STUDIO	Madhouse
RELEASE DATE	October 2, 2011
IMDb RATING (as of July 29, 2026)	9/10
WHERE TO WATCH	Crunchyroll

6 Season 6 – The 13th Hunter Chairman Election Arc

The 13th Hunter Chairman Election Arc gets ranked last mostly because of what it isn’t rather than what it is. The political maneuvering between chairman candidates like Cheadle, Pariston, and Leorio is genuinely clever writing, but it lacks the emotional gut-punches the earlier arcs built up.

It also ends on the infamous hiatus cliffhanger, which stings more in hindsight. Smart, sure, but it trades character-driven stakes for boardroom strategy, and that’s a tough sell after the Chimera Ant Arc. It closes out the list at sixth because clever isn’t the same as compelling, and this arc leans hard on the former.

5 Season 2 – The Heavens Arena Arc

Heavens Arena exists mostly to get Gon Freecss and Killua stronger before the story ramps up, and it shows. The floor-climbing structure is repetitive by design, and while Wing’s Nen lessons matter long-term, the pacing drags compared to what comes before and after.

Hisoka Morow’s fight with Gon is a highlight, but too much of the arc feels like a training montage stretched across a dozen episodes. It’s necessary, just not particularly memorable on its own. It ranks fifth because it’s foundational for later arcs but forgettable as its own standalone stretch.

4 Season 4 – The Greed Island Arc

The Greed Island Arc slows the pace down on purpose, and that’s both its strength and its weakness. Watching Gon and Killua actually train and grow into their Nen abilities feels earned rather than rushed, and Genthru’s card game menace gives the arc real stakes once it gets going.

The problem is the front half spends a lot of time on game mechanics before the plot kicks in. It’s a solid middle-of-the-pack arc that rewards patience more than excitement. It sits at fourth because the slow burn pays off eventually, but “eventually” costs it points against faster-moving arcs.

3 Season 1 – The Hunter Exam Arc

Every great story needs a strong opening, and this arc nails it without overexplaining itself for Hunter x Hunter. Gon, Killua, Kurapika, and Leorio all get introduced with distinct motivations instead of generic backstory dumps, and the Trick Tower stretch shows early that this show isn’t afraid to make its heroes suffer.

Hisoka’s introduction alone sets the tone for how unpredictable the series can be. It’s not the most complex arc, but it earns its spot near the top for pure setup value. It ranks third because a first impression this strong deserves credit, even against arcs with higher stakes.

2 Season 3 – The Yorknew City Arc

The Yorknew City Arc is where Hunter x Hunter gets its teeth as one of the greatest shonen retrieval arcs. Kurapika’s revenge plot against the Phantom Troupe finally gets real stakes, the Nen system becomes fully weaponized, and the auction subplot ties everything together with genuine tension instead of filler energy.

Chrollo versus Kurapika is a rivalry built on grief, not rivalry for its own sake, which makes it hit harder. It’s tightly plotted, emotionally loaded, and never wastes an episode. It lands at second because it’s the tightest arc in the whole series, even if it doesn’t reach Chimera Ant‘s scale.

1 Season 5 – The Chimera Ant Arc

This is the one people mean when they say Hunter x Hunter stopped playing around – literally the creme de la creme of the series. The Chimera Ants start as a monster-of-the-week threat and end up forcing the whole cast to confront what power and morality actually mean.

Meruem and Komugi’s dynamic alone rewrites what a final boss can be, and Gon’s breakdown after Kite’s death is still one of the most talked-about moments in shonen history, becoming one of the most tragic anime arcs of all time. Nothing else in the series balances horror, philosophy, and heartbreak as this arc does. It sits at the first spot because no other arc pulls off tonal whiplash this well without losing the plot.

RANKING	SEASON	ARCS	EPISODES
1	Season 5	Chimera Ant Arc	76-136
2	Season 3	Yorknew City Arc	39-58
3	Season 1	Hunter Exam Arc	1-26
4	Season 4	Greed Island Arc	59-75
5	Season 2	Heavens Arena Arc	27-38
6	Season 6	13th Hunter Chairman Election Arc	137-148

Which one is your favourite season from the Hunter x Hunter anime series? We’d love to hear your thoughts and opinions on our list in the comments below.

All Episodes of the Hunter x Hunter anime series are available to watch on Crunchyroll.