There isn't too much different between versions. Episode 10 covers chapters 19 and 15 pages of 20. It corresponds to the last few minutes of episode 14 and all of episode 15 in the 1999 series. Episode 15 has fantastic art and decent animation in the Nippon Animation version.
To begin, Leroute isn't the one who gets into the gambling match with Leorio. Despite being jailed for trafficking endangered species and illegal gambling, Bendot takes over for Leroute in the 1999 series. There's no real reason--at first I thought it was in order to mask Leroute's voice, but you hear it in episode 15 before the robes are discarded.
Though this doesn't make an appearance until the latter half of episode 15 in the original series, you see it right as Leroute appears in the manga and 2011 series. Leroute, while bending over to check Majitani, drops a note. This can be seen in both the 2011 series and the manga. Since Bendot takes over, the 1999 series has it so every prisoner can talk to Majitani via his earpiece being a radio device and a transmitter being in their handcuffs. Sedokan somehow made it in prison.
It's pretty funny how nonchalantly Killua talks about death. He and Gon have slightly changed lines in this version. In the manga and 2011 series, Killua says that Kurapika should try not to be too selfish (without seemingly holding anything against him). In the 1999 series, Killua directly calls Kurapika "self-absorbed."
I've mentioned that I don't like Gon's characterization in episode 14--this is no different. He comes across as too childish. Instead of agreeing with Killua and Kurapika, pointing out the fact that Majitani was on the verge of surrender, the 1999 incarnation of Gon only takes away that Kurapika doesn't want to kill Majitani because he's not one of the Phantom Troupe. He isn't very observant. This comes into play in a later scene.
So Leorio gets mad that no one is taking him seriously and starts sulking. Tonpa does his inner monologue about the trap of their path. As we're still in episode 14, Gon's characterization is still screwed up. He doesn't allow Leorio to be by himself. For some reason, in the 1999 series after Leorio tells Gon to leave him alone, Gon invades Leorio's personal space and starts stretching right next to him...just because. Tonpa suddenly loses forty pounds in the manga.
Togari (his name in the Madhouse version) shows up. I mentioned in my comparison for episode 7 that the fighting styles in the Nippon Animation version are somewhat different from the manga's. In the Nippon Animation version, Togari spins his knives like a frisbee. He twirls them with his hands in the manga and 2011 series. Also, he only throws his blades like chakram in the 1999 series, whereas in the other versions he is simultaneously a close range and long range fighter. He employs a hit-and-run strategy.
This scene is so cool in the Madhouse version. Nicely done. For what it's worth, this is the first time that viewers see blood in the Nippon Animation version. Though Hisoka only gets cut in one place instead of two, like the other versions.
Hisoka's awesome. But we already knew that.
Togari's death is different between versions.
He gets decapitated in the manga and 2011 series. The Nippon Animation version implies that he does at first, but that red bar that covers half the screen isn't blood--it's censorship. After that scene, we find Togari presumably dead on the ground. But he's woundless. Hisoka covers up his scar immediately, so perhaps he sliced Togari's neck and covered it up for some reason.
By the way, Hisoka finishes the Trick tower in different amounts of time. In the manga and 2011 series, 6 hours and 17 minutes. He takes 12 hours in the 1999 series.
So there's another difference in characterization with Gon, though not nearly as annoying as the prior ones. In the 2011 series and manga, Gon is the first to realize that Majitani might be dead and points it out to Killua. In the 1999 series, Killua notices and Gon is the one who is surprised.
The rest of the episode is mostly the same, with Bendot switched in for Leroute. Leorio actually drops Majitani in this version, despite not doing it in the original.
Though the 1999 series sees the ending of the episode as an opportunity to ship Kurapika and Leorio. Leorio's teammates are silent in the manga/2011 series. Quote:
"Kurapika. I've dealt with the aftermath of your pride."
"Leorio...<3"
Next week should be special.
