Digital-Ranger Talks about: Yu Yu Hakusho; the best Shounen Anime ever?

Last Year during the summer of 2016 (one of the worst years to be alive) I was looking for a show to watch because I had nothing to do at the time. After looking for some time I decided to watch Yu Yu Hakusho. Now originally for me when I was younger in the days of Toonami I saw a handful of episodes and really didn't think anything of it. Until I decided to watch this show in full which then quickly became one of my favorite animes of all time.

Yes, when I decided to rewatch this show in full for the first time it was a remarkable show that had a lasting impression on me as it did. My mind was blown away by just how much amazing this show could shine at the time. For this blog post it will be similar to my Zyuohger blog post from last week, so basically me just me gushing over how much I really love Yu Yu Hakusho and why it is my favorite Shounen Anime. Let start with of course the charters.

Yusuke- Yusuke Urameshi is not your typical Shonen main protagonist because Yusuke is an asshole. Compare Yusuke to the likes of Goku, Naruto, or even Luffy, they're all happy go lucky idols that are nice guys. But in Yusuke's case, he's a jerk to everyone, a punk getting into fights on regular bases, hell he even looks up girl skirts up. However we also learn that he father left him and his mom (if I had a dollar a main character had daddy issues) his mom is a drunk, his teachers hate him, and also everyone either afraid of him OR want to try and kick his ass.

All the while he put on this cool guy persona to make people think that he is this awesome guy when really when he just doesn't want his feeling to get the best of him. Now, something like this was a common archetype that was popular in the late 80's- Early 90's in Japan culture, what with Japan teenagers being delinquents in that point in time and culture from the aftermath of WWII (look that up yourself (It was the inspiration for Grave of the Fireflies). While Yusuke really needed to just admit how he truly feel to his friends he eventually does so when his friends are put in harm's ways.

Kuwabara- I love Kuwabara, he is such a lovable dummy that I can not help but love him. Kuwabara is Yusuke's "rival" as in Kuwabara thinks Yusuke is his rival but in reality, Yusuke defeats Kuwabara so many times that it's hard to keep track of. But were also shown that he care for Yusuke but just like Yusuke himself cares for Kuwabara, even if he doesn't want to show it. His antics are comedic most of the time but he does have a sense of honor to the guy which makes if likable even if again he is a punk. Kuwabara is just an awesome guy and I love him for both serious and for a comedic stick.

Kurama: Kurama is a charter that I truly enjoyed for his mannerism, he is also the smart one of the group... and also a demon. A long time ago Kurama was actually a 9 tailed fox Demon who was then attacked and injured his soul was then trapped in a woman who was pregnant... just accepted it. Kurama over the years became his own person and the first time we see him he is stealing these objects to help his sick mother. Kurama was also the one who always thought outside the box and managed to gain a win with his intelligence. He can also change back into his Deamon from called Youko Karama. And just Kurama being a nice charter is honestly refreshing compared to so many other shows where everyone is dumb, a jerk, or both Kurama is a treat to behold for me.

Hiei- Hiei is interesting because with his origins since he began as an 1 off villain but because of his popularity the charter became a part of the realgar cast member. He's a talented fighter with his Katana and even more powerful Dragon of the Darkness Flame. But he's a tragic figure being an outcast when he was little he was almost killed because he was the first male born in an all woman society (again just accept it). Hiei hates humans and sees them nothing more than weakens bugs, that were before he meets Yusuke who was the exception to the rule that rule. It's fleshed out more when Hiei at the start of the Dark Tournament Saga says that they could take on everyone.

If there is anything I can appreciate from this show it would be its style of animation being animated by Studio Pierrot of Naruto Fame (and I shall let you decide if I mean good fame or bad fame). All of the Fight scenes in the show are nothing more than visually stunning with either charter movement/ fluidity, dynamic camera angles, or the special effects that were used at the time. You really just have to see the fights in the show to understand what I am talking about. Although if you want the best example of the fights in the show just watch Yusuke vs the Doctor in the Chapter Black Saga, just a sight to behold. Now let get on with the arcs in the show

The Spirit Detective Saga

The Spirit Detective Saga (and also the plot of the show goes like this) the show's main protagonist 14-year-old delinquent Yusuke Urameshi is 1 day tragically killed for saving a kid from a car accident. He then meets up with the grim reaper, which is not a scary bony figure in a cloak holding a scythe but rather a cute anime girl named Botan. Botan tells Yusuke he was not supposed to die just yet and as such he is now supposed to do good deeds as a ghost in order to become alive once again. Now, this is what the original Concept for Yu Yu Hakusho was going to be but was then changed because it wasn’t popular and this original concept was canned after only Vol 2. of the Manga, Which is where things changed.

So after Yusuke was revived he now posses the powers to see demons and becomes a spirit detective with his signature weapon the Sprite Gun. The Spirit Detective Saga was where everything started getting out the first glimpse of what the show is exactly about. Yusuke a no good for nothing jerk, but does have a heart of gold. While there is that mindset of Demons trying to rule the world I feel like it is handled with the heroes being Yusuke and the others taking charge and how they act is also awesome to see (like Yusuke using the soul in his shoes to fight off this 1 enemy who uses black). And the first mission that Yusuke, Kuwabara, Kurama, and also Hihi were a part of was the begging of the awesomeness that is this show.

The Dark Tournament Saga

At first, I sighed because you know Tournament saga… because every shonen anime has a tournament saga in there somewhere. But would you be surprised that this is actually my favorite saga in this show? I was pleasantly surprised by this that I ended up loving this saga and became my personal favorite saga in the entire show. And again I was surprised by this because... Tournament Saga. I basically loved many ones on one fights because these 1 off charters were such a delight to watch in action. I love Chu and his Australian drunk personality, I love Jin and his fight scenes (like he has some of the best fight scenes in an animated show period), and I also Love Tougou which leads to my next point.

Tougou started as a hit man initially but through his battle with Yusuke he was fascinated by his powers and wanted a proper rematch with Yusuke, so he threaten his family if he did not come and fight him at the dark tournament which Yusuke agrees to do so. Tougou is probably my favorite villain in the whole show, I mean sure he’s not super complex and his origin is at the end of the show. But he is just so DAMN threatening as a villain that I just find myself loving a hitman who is just so powerful. He even has some nuance to him with his famous scene of him rejecting alcohol and requesting Orange Juice instead. And the final battle between the 2 of them was just simply breathtaking, I couldn't even breath from the excitement that was the 2 fighting.

The Chapter Black Saga

The Chapter Black Saga is my least favorite Saga is my least favorite Saga out of the 4 Sagas, I am not the biggest of this arc. Things sound promising with this rogue Sprite Detective named Sensei planning on ending the Human World by letting in the Demons from Demon World into the Human World. Sensei was similar to Yusuke being a sprite Detective, but just with Sensei seeing the world in black and white and the demons were evil while humans were good and he just left it at that. Until 1 fateful day in a case where he sees the gray in humanity. He sees humans mutilating innocent Demons because they just can. This made Sensei snap, for revenge he steals this VHS tape that has all of the evil that humans commit and show it to others so that they can join forces with him. The name of the VHS Tape... It's called Chapter Black hence why this saga is called the Chapter Black Saga.

Let me get this out of the way right now I am not a fan of Sensei, I’m sorry but I just am not. I can't tell you the exact reason for that is but I really am just not. No, really I do not like this guy but I can not give you any explanation why that is.I like the idea of a Sprite Detective seeing Black and White until he sees gray but it still does not change the fact that I just do not like him for whatever reason. I guess if there was 1 reason it maybe would be he might simply pull powers from his ass but I also realize that a lot of anime villains do the same but I am sorry really I am I just can not tell you why I do not like him. Now for why I do not like this Saga is something I can explain more on.

For starters, I am not a fan of the new charters (which I will not even list off because outside of the first 5 or so episodes they do nothing notable to speak of, and I bring them up because they are always in the 2nd opening until the end of the show). Spoiler here But I am also not a fan of Yusuke being part Demon. It was badass to see Yusuke a human defeating a demon like Demon like Toguro person, why was a Demon like Toguro since we did, thought he was human but here not so much which just ultimately sucks. Also, how was it that the Dark Tournament Saga which was 40 episodes long felt shorter than the Chapter Black saga which was only 27 episodes long, it really must be me only. But Yeah it was the weakest saga overall to me and that means that I have A UNPOPULAR OPTION!

The 3 Kings Sagas

The 3 Kings Saga (also the shortest saga out of all of the sagas) felt like an ending/ a natural conclusion to this show and these characters as well. After Yusuke finds out that he is descended from a Demon Yusuke Hiei and Kurama goes to the Demon Wold to stop the fight off the 3 Kings of Demon World so war won’t destroy the land. The issue however with this arc is felt rushed. Things more than often felt rushed in the saga where you imagine it would continue to this path but not really. Now at this point, this is where the creator of Yu Yu Hakusho Yoshihiro Togashi was tired of writing this show and would then working on his other famous Manga Hunter x Hunter, which then he stopped because of his health problem. Because Weekly Shonen treats their workers more like robots than actual people.

But yeah it was a final finally to the show and really I could not ask for any more from the show. I mean it could come back and pull a Super I guess but I am still fine with the show being done with, it had it own time to shine. And that ending joke with the narrator was really a funny joke not spoiling it for you but it is worth watching over 112 episodes to see it. Oh Yeah, this is also the shortest Shoen Anime out there and it gets a few points from me for that.

And that was me gushing all over Yu Yu Hakusho, and this show was amazing! I hope You see why the reasons that this is my favorite Shounen anime. Sure I said something that everyone has said at this point BUT what's wrong with this? Can't we just love a show and just express how awesome this show is even if it has been said to death why this show is awesome in the first place? Regardless I thoroughly enjoyed this show and was glad I was able to see a show this amazing and unique show that everyone says is a spectacular show. We are going back to Digimon Tri so I have my confessions review for Loss.

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