Hunter x Hunter Watch Order: 2011, 1999, OVAs and Movies

For a straightforward first watch, choose Hunter x Hunter (2011), episodes 1–148. The 1999 series is an alternative adaptation with its own three OVA follow-ups, not a first season you need to complete before the 2011 anime. If you want the movies too, save Phantom Rouge and The Last Mission until after the 2011 TV run.

Choose your Hunter x Hunter TV adaptation

Both adaptations begin with Gon’s journey toward becoming a Hunter. The 1999 series is not a season you need before 2011: watching them back-to-back takes you through the beginning twice.

Hunter x Hunter 1999 vs 2011: what changes in your watch list?
Question	2011 adaptation	1999 adaptation
How many episodes?	148 TV episodes	62 TV episodes plus 30 OVA episodes: 92 altogether
Do I need OVAs?	No older OVA inserts	Yes: the 2002 OVA, Greed Island and G.I. Final continue the TV story
How far does it go?	Beyond Greed Island to Chimera Ant and the Hunter Chairman Election	Through Greed Island when all three OVA sets are included
Who should choose it?	A first-time viewer wanting the longer adaptation in one numbered run	Someone interested in the older production, or already watching that version

VIZ’s final numbered anime set contains episodes 124–148. If you choose that adaptation, you do not need to insert the older OVAs anywhere inside it.

The 1999 series and its three OVAs

If you have already reached episode 62 of the 1999 series, the next title to look for is the 2002 Hunter x Hunter OVA. Continue through the three OVA releases in the order below.

The older adaptation’s TV and OVA sequence
Order	Title	Release	Episodes
1	Hunter x Hunter	1999–2001 TV series	62
2	Hunter x Hunter OVA	2002	8
3	Hunter x Hunter: Greed Island	2003 OVA	8
4	Hunter x Hunter: G.I. Final	2004 OVA	14

Nippon Animation’s production catalog confirms the 62 + 8 + 8 + 14 episode counts. Look for G.I. Final when finding the last OVA set; it is also described as the Greed Island concluding chapter.

For the 1999 route, keep all three OVAs. They continue its story through Greed Island. They are optional only if you choose the separate 2011 adaptation instead.

If you later decide to watch the 2011 adaptation, begin that version at episode 1. This guide keeps each adaptation intact rather than constructing a hybrid from selected episodes of both versions.

When should you watch the two Hunter x Hunter movies?

The movies do not continue episode 148. They are optional additional adventures. For an uninterrupted first watch, finish the 2011 series, then add:

Hunter x Hunter: Phantom Rouge — released in Japan in January 2013.
Hunter x Hunter: The Last Mission — released in Japan in December 2013.

Both films came out while the 2011 series was running. Watching them afterward is our recommendation for avoiding interruptions and seeing the cast introduced first—not an author-confirmed canon position after episode 148.

For the older adaptation’s continuation, use its three OVAs, not these films.

Phantom Rouge and The Last Mission in VIZ’s Hunter x Hunter movie bundle | Credits: VIZ Media

Recap episodes and season labels

Already partway through? Find your next step

Finished 1999 episode 62: start the 2002 OVA, not the 2011 series.
Finished the eight-episode Greed Island OVA: continue with the 14-episode G.I. Final.
Watching the 2011 series: continue its episode numbering, even if your service starts a new season label.
Finished 2011 episode 148: the TV run is complete; the films are extras, not a replacement final season.

For the 2011 series, Nippon TV’s episode archive explicitly marks episodes 13 and 26 as recaps. You can leave them in during a full numbered watch or skip those two if you want to avoid recap material.

That is a narrow distinction, not a general instruction to skip any episode described as “filler” elsewhere. Check episode numbers and titles when comparing releases, especially if a particular edition leaves out a recap.

Likewise, season labels alone are a poor way to distinguish the adaptations. The useful identifiers are 1999 versus 2011, the episode range, and whether a listing is one of the three older OVAs.