Weekly Shonen Jump has had a storied history of legendary series ever since its inception in 1968, with classic series going back to the 80s. One such series is City Hunter, a manga and anime series that follows the sweeper Ryo Saeba and his partner Kaori Makimura as they perform odd jobs on the streets of Shinjuku.
The City Hunter anime ran from 1987 to 1991 and has had several anime films and adaptations since that time. Despite its age, it has continued to be a popular series among anime fans, and it's easy to see why. Here are some ways the anime has aged well since its original release.
5 Ryo's Charisma
As the main character of City Hunter, Ryo Saeba cuts an intimidating figure. With a handsome face and an athletic build, Ryo looks every bit the stereotypical action hero, and his cool demeanor during hectic situations and skill in martial arts and gunplay prove his efficiency as a sweeper.
However, he is not the stoic that he might appear to be. For every cool and serious moment that Ryo has, he has another moment that makes him look like a total goofball. However, those moments only serve to accent his more serious and somber moments. Ryo is an intensely multifaceted character and is able to serve the story when it is serious or silly. His charm as the main character has persisted even into the 21st century, with him even being featured as a playable character in the Jump Force video game.
4 The Characters
Ryo Saeba is a very strong main character, but he cannot carry the series on his own. In comes his partner and love interest Kaori Makimura, who generally serves as a foil to Ryo's many comical antics. Her being able to pull out a massive hammer to put a stop to Ryo's perverted shenanigans is an iconic part of anime slapstick, a trope that had a huge influence on the comedic anime that followed it.
While these two characters are certainly the core of City Hunter, the supporting cast that surrounds them also helps to flesh out the city of Shinjuku. There's the flirty and devious police detective Saeko Nogami, who always manages to rope Ryo into doing whatever she wants him to do, and the ex-mercenary Umibozu, who is a sometimes-enemy, sometimes-ally to Ryo.
Add to that the various characters that appear with each new case Ryo takes on, and City Hunter becomes a series full of vibrant and quirky characters. The characters of City Hunter are a big part of the series' charm, and their appeal remains decades after its end.
3 The Action And Drama
City Hunter crosses a lot of different moods and genres, but largely sits within the action genre. Each case usually involves Ryo Saeba having to protect someone (usually a beautiful woman) from some kind of danger, and a fight is generally to be expected. Despite his usually goofy demeanor, Ryo is a capable fighter and a crack shot with a gun, easily able to take out groups of armed men all by himself. While he is often thrust into dangerous and perilous situations, Ryo is always able to get himself out looking none the worse for wear.
Many City Hunter stories are also filled with drama, usually centered around the character involved in the case. While Ryo isn't always known for his understanding and delicate approach to sensitive topics, he always seems to be able to soothe the worries of his clients. With a complicated past himself, Ryo has more empathy and compassion than might be expected.
2 The Humor
While City Hunter is full of fast-paced action and incredibly emotional drama, it is also chock-full of laugh-out-loud comedic moments as well. In fact, most cases will often start out very silly and humorous, at least until the danger of the situation fully sets in for Ryo and his client. Even then, Ryo has a tendency to bring levity to almost any situation, though he does occasionally give deep emotional moments their proper weight.
City Hunter's humor can often be extremely crass and very raunchy. A lot of the shenanigans that Ryo gets up to would certainly be considered problematic nowadays, but there are certainly many other aspects of City Hunter's humor that still holds up to modern sensibilities. Much of what keeps Ryo's nonsense palatable is the instant comeuppance he often receives from his partner Kaori, who constantly has to keep him in line. Their dynamic is a core part of City Hunter and has influenced many pairings throughout the years.
1 Ryo And Kaori's Relationship
Ryo and Kaori's relationship was initially that of a goofball older brother and a tomboyish younger sister; Ryo felt compelled to protect Kaori from danger due to his promise to her deceased older brother, while the age difference between the two made the possibility of a relationship somewhat awkward. Nevertheless, there was a clear closeness between the two characters that couldn't be ignored by the series' fans.
As time passed, the two continued to grow closer, and their feelings toward each other began to grow romantic. Even then, the torment of his dark past kept Ryo from fully committing to a romantic relationship with Kaori. The relationship and romance between these two characters is yet another core part of the series that kept fans coming back and is a hallmark of the series.