| Release Date |
October 1999 – March 2001 |
October 2011 – September 2014 |
| Episodes |
62 (including OVAs) |
148 |
| Fidelity to Manga |
Loosely follows the manga, especially after the Greed Island arc |
Faithful to the manga, follows the original storyline closely |
| Animation Style |
Classic late 90s animation, darker and grittier tone |
Modern animation with brighter colors and sharper designs |
| Pacing |
Slower pacing, expands on certain arcs and backstories |
Faster pacing, skips some filler, more action-packed |
| Tone |
Darker, more serious overall tone |
Starts light-hearted, becomes darker during later arcs |
| Ending |
Ends with the Greed Island arc |
Continues into Chimera Ant and Election arcs |
| Character Development |
More emotional depth added to characters |
More faithful to the manga, characters stay true to their original arc |
| Music/Score |
Dark, atmospheric score |
Upbeat, adventurous soundtrack |
| Notable Differences |
Expands on character backstories and adds filler |
Follows the manga more closely with minimal filler |