YUU☆YUU☆HAKUSHO

DESCRIPTION

CAST

SPECIAL ActionYuu☆Yuu☆Hakusho Picture Drama
MANGA ActionYuu☆Yuu☆Hakusho
MOVIE ActionYuu☆Yuu☆Hakusho: The Golden Seal
MOVIE ActionYuu☆Yuu☆Hakusho: Meikai Shitou-hen - Honoo no Kizuna
OVA ComedyYuu☆Yuu☆Hakusho: Mu Mu Hakusho
SPECIAL ActionYuu☆Yuu☆Hakusho: TWO SHOTS / Noru ka Soru ka
OVA ActionYuu☆Yuu☆Hakusho: Eizou Hakusho
OVA ActionYuu☆Yuu☆Hakusho: Eizou Hakusho II

REVIEWS

• 

  Xelrog

  100/100
  Yu Yu Hakusho is shonen done right. If you haven't seen this show, you haven't seen shonen.

  Yu Yu Hakusho is every aspect of shonen anime done right. If you're like most people, there's a very good chance that there are at least a few, if not several, shonen superseries gracing your list as you read this, but if Yu Yu Hakusho is not among them, you have not yet seen all that a shonen anime can truly be.

  Writing: Let's get right into the thick of it... Yu Yu Hakusho's basic plot is a fairly simple one, as is the case for most of its brethren: It establishes a formula and tells you what to expect episode after episode. Yusuke Urameshi, a 14-year-old delinquent, is killed in a car accident, and given the opportunity to restore his life on the condition that he become the detective of the Spirit World, using his street-fighting prowess in combination with his newly-awakening "spirit energy" to trounce the bad guys. Simple enough, no?

  As Yusuke faces one case after another, however, honing his abilities and gaining new allies along the way, he is confronted with increasingly perilous situations, threatening his own life and those of his loved ones, as he faces off against foes, friends, and even himself. What sets this series--along with other works by Yoshihiro Togashi (also including Hunter x Hunter)--apart, however, is the sheer level of development that takes place in the plotline and in the characters. Yu Yu Hakusho truly is a series that grows upon itself, and many of its viewers may find themselves growing with it. Every action has its consequence, every character his or her own life and feelings... in particular, Yu Yu Hakusho's villains are some of the deepest and oftentimes most sympathetic characters you'll find anywhere.

  The series is the perfect length for what it is at 112 episodes, starting out in a fairly happy-go-lucky fashion with a new case and a new opponent week after week before expanding into an intricately-woven tapestry of character relations, ulterior motives, and a plain old romping good time had through it all.

  Art: The art is a little dated, this being an early- to mid-90's series, but the style is recognizable as being unique to the show and something that any long-time fans of the series would recognize immediately. Many characters, shots, and effects are wonderfully detailed, but as a whole, the show doesn't have the most glorious artwork in the world. Is that a problem? I don't think so in the slightest. The art style adds to the charm of this series and makes it that much easier to grow attached to it.

  Sound: The topic of sound is a very important one. Now, normally, if the Japanese and English dubs of a show are close enough in quality, I'll state as much and leave it to the individual viewer to decide which to partake in. The Japanese dub isn't a bad one, but Yu Yu Hakusho is one of those shows where I must heartily recommend the English version over the Japanese. The incredible amount of heart that FUNimation and the cast put into the dub of this series is inspiring, and second only to how much fun they had along the way.

  Many of the lines are modified and ad-libbed rather than being fairly direct translations, and some characters have been given accents and/or had the pronunciation of their names altered... the first of which I know many people, myself included, are pretty adamantly opposed to. But in this one case, if no others, Mr. Justin Cook and crew have so splendidly captured the spirit of the show that watching the English version and the Japanese version are two entirely unique experiences, and for what my opinion is worth, the English one is where the heart of this series really shines.

  ...oh, and the music's okay, too.

  Bottom line, you won't find another series with all the heart, growth, character development, action, drama, and above all, fun, wrapped so splendidly in a big, red, flippant-towards-authority bow. One Piece isn't a bad competitor, but Yu Yu Hakusho isn't quite as cartoony. If you have yet to watch this series, I highly recommend you do so, and if you're looking for something that's spirited and fun to watch but at the same time powerful and inquisitive, I urge you to pick up Yu Yu Hakusho as soon as possible.

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• 

  DarkKnightofAnime

  87/100
  Yu Yu Hakusho - Simple But Complex

  Ah YuYu Hakusho the series that spawned a generation right alongside Dragon Ball Z and honestly I can definitely see why cause in many respects it's right up there with the FMA franchise as a series that tells a simple story but by focusing on the struggles of it's characters you can easily find many deeper layers especially with the villains but lets not beat around the bush and jump right in starting with the story

  __Story__

  So the story starts off pretty simple the main character dies...So ya that's where we're starting people: 14 year old delinquent Yusuke Urameshi dies after saving a kid from being hit by an oncoming car. From there he meets the bright and chipper grim reaper Botan (geez never thought I'd use those words to describe the messenger of death) who offers him a second chance at life because get this apparently the kid he saved would've survived without his intervention essentially meaning Yusuke's death was POINTLESS...Okay real talk if that isn't the biggest Fuck You to a main character then I don't know what is

  Anyway from there he's brought to the Spirit World where he's given several tests of character from Koenma, the son of King Enma and interim Ruler of the Spirit World in order to prove that he's worthy of being given a second chance at life. Now I will admit the first problem I ever had with the series in both anime and manga format is that Yusuke returned to his body a little too quickly but I suppose if they did expand on that one detail then the pacing would've suffered so it was a necessary sacrifice

  After Yusuke returns to his body he's once again approached by Botan who tells him he's been hired as a Spirit Detective; a supernatural investigator who hunts down all manner of apparitions, demons and even some humans who commit crimes that pose a threat to the balance between the Human and Spirit Worlds along the way coming across a colorful cast of characters, both friends and foes alike. Now I have to admit when I heard about the whole Spirit Detective Concept it sounded like it was gonna be a pretty basic setup and while it is on the surface, the story does a good job of fleshing out and exploring the grey area with humans and demons through the Assignments Yusuke's given by Koenma and that the two races share more in common than you'd think

  Now having said that I will admit there are some aspects to the story that the anime actually changes compared to the Manga and while they aren't necessarily bad they do in certain respects give the anime a slightly different identity particularly involving King Enma and Sakyo's roles in the overall plot but like I said it's not a problem just a noticeable creative change.

  Final thing I'd like to talk about with the story is the final arc and it's no secret that it is the weakest of the bunch but I think with that arc in particular we can blame more on Shonen Jump's interference more than Togashi himself as it's clear he had the pieces laid out for a Human/Demon World War Arc, hell he even confirmed it more or less in an interview but from my understanding once the magazine learned of his intent with the arc (Deconstructing the characters) they shut him down and he was forced to end the series with another tournament so the last arc really one of those unique times where you look back and wonder what could've been if Shonen Jump (And Togashi's ailing health) weren't contributing factors

  __Characters __

  So we now move on with the characters and my favourites are your favourites: Yusuke, Kuwabara, Kurama, Hiei, Genkai and Botan. Ya if you couldn't tell its one of the rare times in a Shonen where all the main characters are my favourites but the beauty of YuYu Hakusho when it comes to its characters is that all the characters both main and supporting are both entertaining and memorable and majority if not all you remember cause there's something distinct about them that stands out be they human or demon. And I think a lot of that comes from the fact that the show keeps all the characters in such a grounded state where it portrays them as humans first, power junkies second. Some personal supporting favourites of mine are: Chu or as I like to call him the Demon Crocodile Hunter, Rinku who's the demon equivalent of Ness from SSB, Jin the Wind Demon who's so much like Yusuke you'd swear they're brothers Yukina the Ice apparition (and Hiei's sister) with the warmest heart you'll see and even a few human characters like Kuwabara's older sister Shizuru who really worked her way up on my best girls in anime list quite quickly just from how much of a no nonsense chick she is. But lets start getting a little more in-depth with the main cast. In fact one thing I admire is how natural the relationships between all the characters develop, it always felt like there was a natural progression of their relationship throughout the show and never once felt forced

  __Yusuke Urameshi__

  Okay so starting off with the main protagonist we got Yusuke and honestly from the very first episode I was sold on him and not just as the protagonist but as a character in general cause most of my experiences with a Shonen protagonist nowadays consist of the main character in a world where he feels unfairly treated and tries to prove them wrong which is still an admirable goal for a main character but with Yusuke it's kinda backwards. We are introduced to Yusuke in the environment that looks down on him but Yusuke's mentality towards his situation is simply: "This is me accept it or get the hell out of my face" which in many respects makes him all the more intriguing to watch as it shows the main character is flawed but he's okay with that and in a way makes him more relatable than most

  __Kuwabara__

  Now if we consider Yusuke relatable just from how much he loves to get into fights then Kuwabara is relatable from just how much he represent both the type of character Yusuke is as well as how well rounded he becomes because Kuwabara starts out much like Yusuke but over time the layers really start to peel away and we see just how much he values the simple things like loyalty, honor and friendship; all things you'd find in a typical shounen protagonist but still with that little twist

  It sounds like a simple description right? Well that's cause it is, Kuwabara is a character that doesn't need much of a reason or purpose to do the things he does, he just acts on what he feels is the right think to do. This of course forms the basis of his honor code as to him it doesn't matter if your friend or foe he's willing to help even if there are times where they might not want it. Another string but relevant trait is how much Kuwabara values the friendships he's made with the other three members of the main group especially his bond with Yusuke as they genuinely feel like they're brothers as they roughhouse and tease eachother but still have plenty of room to respect each other as well

  __Kurama__

  Much like Kuwabara I like how Kurama can be simplistic but also complex just from the actions he takes. When we first meet Hiei he starts out as a villain alongside Hiei but as we go deeper into the story we start to realize that he has one simple desire: To protect his family and that's really all you need to know about him cause much like Kuwabara his desire to protect those he cares about is so real to the point where you worry of what he might do if you anger him

  One of the things I find interesting about Kurama is his fighting abilities and how a lot of his techniques are based around plant and flower manipulation which doesn't sound the least bit threatening on the surface but when you see it in action combined with Kurama's intellect and cunning it can actually be a very terrifying display to watch. Top it off with his ability to tap into the spirit of his former self; a fox demon bandit and Kurama's the whole package

  Speaking of which I may as well talk a little about his other side Yoko Kurama and initially upon watching the series the one thing that I thought was lacking is that I wanted to know more about Kurama's previous life as Yoko other than what we got with Yomi and it's one of those cases where I find myself split. I understand that sometimes less is more but in Yoko Kurama's case I actually want to know more but considering the way Togashi writes his stories I guess it was more than enough to keep us intrigued

  __Hiei__

  The big bad and brooding loner of the group himself yep it's Hiei and I'll say this with absolute Certainty: One thing that always appealed to me about Hiei is how subtle yet obvious his character development was. In the beginning of the series he's very much the villain but after his encounter with Yusuke you do start to notice the changes in his demeanor and even his views. I feel the first real hint of this was after the mission to save his sister Yukina from Tarukane where you could see a real sense of concern for her and a slight sense of mercy develop within him when he chose to spare Tarukane. I mean a portion of it could've been Yukina pleading with him not to kill but I like to think he still took something away from it. The next but slightly more obvious change was in the tournament where he loses his straight face demeanor a number of times in comedic fusion throughout the tournament as well as a more sarcastic tone. It all came full circle for me in the battle with Sensui where he lashed out at Sensui with a little of the Dragon of the Darkness Flame action

  Speaking of the dragon lets talk about Hiei's style of combat which in a word is brutal and he's definitely not afraid to show how much he loves tearing into his opponents with his swordsmanship skills and his flame powers. I think my favourite fight with him that showcased how uses all these talents is the fight with Bui where he learned to fully master the Darkness Dragon

  To end this portion of the review I wanna talk a little about Hiei's backstory. Now good old Hiei as we know was born a fire demon in a village of all female ice apparitions like his sister but from the moment he was born he was cast out by the elders of the village and thrown over a cliff cause he was considered a bad omen to the village...Geez Togashi really enjoys writing totally fucked up scenarios but at the same time that's also what makes it one of my favourites and it gives all we need to know about why he grew up so bitter yet conflicted when it concerns his sister

  

  Botan
  Okay so Botan was originally one of those characters for me that when I first saw her I thought I'd hate her and while there are annoying moments with her neither are they enough to make me want to tear my hair out insufferable (Unlike another character Cynthia Cranz has played) so for what we get it's fairly enjoyable and she does still have her badass and emotional moments I can get behind

  

  Genkai
  Genkai was a character that started off as the badass mentor but then by the time of the dark tournament I really started to feel more and more for her right up to the point where her connection with Toguro was revealed and her death. If I'm being honest I would've preferred if she stayed dead but her resurrection was still handled better than how DBZ does it. And I really like her relationship with Yusuke as he feels like that annoying grandson she never wanted but puts up with him because of his hidden potential

  

  Toguro and Sakyo
  And ya I think I should move on at this point with the antagonists cause this show has produced some really amazing ones in the form of Toguro, Sakyo and Sensui and the one thing I think that makes all these villains work so well is very much a similar logic that the main and secondary characters run on: They're human first, power junkies second, something that a lot of Shonen tend to miss the mark on. In Toguro's case it's very much a situation where once he became a demon he realized how much he actually cursed himself in his pursuit of power so he just wanted someone to kill him and he saw that possibility in Yusuke which formed the basis for his motivation in the Dark Tournament even if it meant killing the woman he loved.

  And with Sakyo he's truly one of those characters that personifies how flawed we as humans are because he recognizes and is aware how 'evil' he is but he's content with that because it's just who he is and every time he's on screen you can just tell he enjoys every minute of it

  

  Sensui
  Sensui for me was one of those villains where much like Sakyo all it took was his motivations to get behind him because much like Thanos even though you know what he's doing is wrong there's still a strange part of you that can't help but agree with what he says because in one form or another you've seen the corruption he's talking about. And just from the fact that his mind was fractured into 7 split personalities that was brought upon by his work as a Spirit Detective does add even more to the tragedy of his character and proves that there is never a black and white way of looking at things, there has always been and will always be shades of grey to the world no matter which way we try and justify it

  Amd this might sound a bit scary coming from me but I think at the core of what makes me latch on to Sensui so much is that while not as radical there have been times where I do wonder if it is better if we as a human race were better off just wiped off the map, hell it feels we're headed in that direction already and to a degree even deserve extinction, ya I know dark but that's also what made me latch on to Thanos from Infinity War

  __Animation and Artwork__

  Now art and animation wise I have to admit it does hold up very well but then again I've always had a soft spot for Cell animation over digital and I'm not gonna sit here and say it was perfect; there were definitely moments and episodes where the animation went from taking a slight dip to the occasional nose dive but I think majority cases in the latter category was due to a change in staff so it's somewhat of an understandable dip in quality. But with that being said for every two or three times where the animation doesn't exactly hold up there are just as many moments where it does especially when you see characters utilize their attacks which to me is when the colors just pop off the screen and the show becomes a truly visual wonder

  So for those who are unaware the animation was done by Studio Pierrot who since then have become pariahs to the anime community for their handling of the Naruto/Boruto franchise and the Tokyo Ghoul anime adaptations and ya i'd be lying if I said I couldn't understand why I mean Boruto is fine but it's also a constant reminder that modern Pierrot feels like they're desperate to hold on to any franchise they can at this point but at the same time at least YuYu Hakusho is an example of what they could do before going in a very odd direction

  __Music/Soundtrack__

  Now the music, especially the opening is interesting because for a dark shounen series like this there are a lot of times where the music is surprisingly upbeat. I mean don't get me wrong there is music and soundtracks that perfectly capture the intensity of the more harsh and dramatic moments but the majority of songs in Yu Yu Hakusho have this generally upbeat feel to them whichj really feels like its luring by promising an upbeat experience only to dashj those hopes away with some of the most tragic and fucked up scenarios in an anime comparable to something out of the FMA franchise

  Now focusing in on the opening for a bit, the title of it is called Smile Bomb and it is by far one of the biggest emotional traps the series has because the tune is catchy as hell with an overall rocking beat and the singers (Mawatari Mitsuko in Japanese and Sara White in English) do a good job at capturing the high energy of the opening but there is kind of an interesting aspect to this opening that lends itself to theories: As manga readers will know Yu Yu Hakusho was the first manga published in Shonen Jump by Yoshihiro Togashi who's currently the author of Hunter x Hunter (Hunter x Hunter 2011 anime wise) but where am I going with this? Well much like how Departure was the singular opening theme used in Hunter x Hunter's second anime adaptation with the only difference being a change in opening animation , the same also holds true for Smile Bomb which leads me to believe that one specific creative detail between the two anime was more than likely a choice Togashi made personally and if that is in fact the case then the man really likes to troll his audiences' expectations

  Now the ending songs I will admit I'm a bit more objective about cause while all relatively good songs I think the only ones I actually ended up liking are Ending 1 "The Homework Doesn't End" , Ending 3 "Unbalanced Kisses" and Ending 4 "The Sun Will Shine Again" and that's not to say I don't like the other ending songs but it is a case where they started off hyped but then it fell flat in certain places as well but hey three out of five isn't bad

  __Conclusion__

  Time for the final thoughts and the biggest question is: Where do I stand on Yu Yu Hakusho? And has it Held Up?

  Honestly I'd say yes cause I feel whether you read the manga or not this is an anime that everyone can find some manner of enjoyment in and as a manga reader myself I thouroughly enjoyed it even if I was aware of the differences that were made to the content of the story the changes themselves weren't distracting enough to make a difference to my overall enjoyment and as someone who became a fan of YuYu Hakusho about a year ago (Grew up more as an FMA Brat) I'm still glad I did watch it cause this series was definitely one of the first to present the idea that Shonen can be emotionally dark and tell a complex story without crossing over into the Seinen genre. Yu Yu Hakusho really is a gem and I highly recommend it to those very few who haven't seen it

  And after tallying up all the facts on Anilist I can give it no more and no less than a glowing recommendation of

  8.7/10
  87/100

  LATER GUYS!!

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• 

  myvelouria

  95/100
  How Yoshihiro Togashi redefined battle shonen.

  This review is spoiler free.

  

  In 2015 I was at my local convention enjoying the closing ceremonies, a certain AMV played and then I realized I had really been missing out. The video was for “Yu Yu Hakusho” the acclaimed adaptation of Yoshihiro Togashi’s influential manga. And in that moment it was as if lightening had struck me and opened by eyes to something I should have seen a long time ago. I had always been aware of the series, in fact the reason I had decided to watch the 2011 “Hunter x Hunter” anime was because of people saying “it’s by the guy who did ‘Yu Yu Hakusho’”. However due to a variety of reasons including the fact that I didn’t have access to Cartoon Network when it was airing on American TV I just had not seen it for myself. But once I finally sat down to watch it I was completely blown away. Not only was it as good as “Hunter x Hunter”, it may have even been better. All throughout its 112 episode run I was hooked and when it came time for me to rewatch it I was impressed all over again. With its unique blend of action, horror, comedy, and fantasy it is easily one of the highlights of the 90s that helped inspire hits like “Naruto”, “Bleach”, and I even see some influence in “Kimetsu no Yaiba”. Not to mention the ways it helped pave the way for Togashi’s other big hit. More than that though, it is also one of the greatest anime to come from that decade. As someone who loves shonen anime and manga this is something I cannot recommend enough.

  Our protagonist is the fourteen year old delinquent Yusuke Urameshi. He’s brash, he’s aggressive, he’s sharp tongued, and he’s dead. While skipping school he has a moment of surprising selflessness and saves a small child from being hit by a car at the expense of his life. After meeting the Shinigami Botan he is brought to meet Koenma, the son of King Enma and ruler of the Spirit Realm. Koenma senses Yusuke possesses an unusually high spirit energy and upon having him complete a series of tasks he is resurrected and appointed as a Spirit Detective. Once granted his new chance at life he develops a new friendship with a previously rival delinquent, Kazuma Kuwabara, and undergoes the tutelage of the martial arts master Genkai. Through a series of missions he eventually builds relationships with the beautiful and benevolent fox demon Kurama and the dark and mysterious Jagan master Hiei. Together these characters make up our main cast and we follow them through rescue missions, to the epic splendor of the Dark Tournament, to a brewing war in the Demon Realm, and so much more in between.

  

  When it comes to the characters I think Togashi really hit it out of the park. Yusuke is one of my favorite protagonists in all of anime and a perfect example of how to make an amoral character that isn’t placed on some pedestal because he’s the main character. Yusuke can be selfish, he makes mistakes in his relationships, he is impulsive, and he has little to no concern for being polite. Often someone has to tell him the way he’s behaving isn’t okay, usually with it being either Kuwabara or his childhood friend and love interest Keiko. The flaws that he possesses feel like genuine flaws, they aren’t distorted into feeling like something positive or ignored. What keeps him from feeling too far in one direction is the fact that Togashi understood where to place his good qualities and keep him balanced. Yusuke is a very funny and enjoyable personality despite his issues and we see on several occasions what he values and wants to protect. Despite his problems with his mother, Atsuko, he still couldn’t bear to see her grieve his death and his budding romance with Keiko offers a softer side to Yusuke. And as the series progresses you see him develop into a stronger version of himself. With a character like Kuwabara even though he’s another loud delinquent teen he is also surprisingly level headed compared to Yusuke, often acting as a voice of reason. He also possesses a romantic side that serves for some really endearing and lighthearted moments. As a full blooded human in a group containing two demons and someone who came back from the dead he sometimes has his struggles with fighting, but when the moment strikes he can surprise everyone with what he’s capable of. Kurama is a character who I think would have been very flat in the hands of a lesser writer, but thankfully Togashi is not that. He was once a legendary demon thief who suffered a near fatal injury and had to take refuge within the body of a human couple’s son. By becoming their child he found himself softening to humanity and even going as far as to offer his own life in exchange for saving his mother. But when things get tense we see the thorns beneath the elegant surface and get a taste for the demon Kurama once was. In the case of Hiei he is another that could have been dull in the hands of somebody else. Unlike someone like Vegeta, his most obvious predecessor, Hiei is given more depth of personality and isn’t purely defined by his lust for power. When it’s discovered that his sister Yukina has been kidnapped we see that Hiei is willing to go to great lengths for her even if he doesn’t gain anything from it. He guards his secrets with an iron grip, but when the viewer comes to learn about them Hiei is seen in a whole new light. And unlike the characters he would influence, like Sasuke Uchiha, he is also capable of having a dry humorous side and being used in some really enjoyable comedic scenes at his expense. This main set of four is just spectacular, one of the best main casts from a Jump series, and I can’t imagine the anime without them.

  

  One of the reasons I like Togashi so much as a mangaka is how he is able to work with various shonen conventions and still provide a unique spin on them. Many have said he was subverting tropes in “Hunter x Hunter”, but what I really think he was doing was offering his own take on certain concepts and ideas. The same applies to “Yu Yu Hakusho” as well. One of the best examples is within the iconic Dark Tournament arc. Big arcs built around fighting tournaments were not a new concept when Togashi wrote this, but despite how common this type of arc is to a shonen fan he keeps it fresh. We see throughout the tournament that Team Urameshi was at a consistent disadvantage because the organizers of the event didn’t want them to succeed and neither did the audience. The people running it go to all kinds of measures to hinder their chances at winning and it can make the viewer feel rather frustrated along with the characters. This is a great thing though because in so many action heavy arcs like this I don’t feel as if the main characters are fighting against much of anything. They may fumble for a brief period, but they still end up winning in a way that doesn’t feel like it was earned and feels more like the plot dictating the events. With this arc there are times where Yusuke doesn’t get to fight and we see how the personal decisions Hiei makes end up hurting his ability to participate. There are also times where the rules of the tournament come back to bite the characters. It doesn’t feel like they had it easy for this arc and that’s why when they are victorious it feels amazing. Another shonen classic is having the antagonist parallel the main character, we all saw plenty of this in “Naruto”. However I feel like it gets explored better in this anime with the connection between Sensui and Yusuke. Sensui was once a Spirit Detective until he made a shocking discovery about those he was protecting and broke away from it all sinking further into darkness. Through him we are asked to confront if this job is going to benefit Yusuke in the long run, will he end up like Sensui? It feels very engaging because Yusuke has already shown that there is a certain risk with him, he isn’t a wholesome and perfect person and doesn’t listen to authority figures. So the thought of him going down a different path has weight. There are also the previously discussed ways Togashi worked with popular character archetypes and found ways to make them more than their tropes. I also think it’s worth mentioning how the audience sees a great deal of development between Yusuke and Keiko romantically, something so many shonen don’t bother with and treat like an afterthought. When it comes to Togashi’s writing choices it never feels like he’s showing off or trying to deconstruct things. What I gain is this sense of someone who really loves shonen anime and manga providing his own twist on the familiar.

  

  The anime ran from 1992 to 1995 and was produced by Studio Pierrot and what they accomplished with it feels truly miraculous. To have a long running TV anime in the early 90s be as consistently well animated as “Yu Yu Hakusho” is no small feat. Something that a lot of people need to realize is that the 90s was a rough period for the anime industry due to a period of economic stagnation that hit Japan around 1991 and lasted throughout the decade, which has since led to it being referred to as the Lost Decade. The effects that this had on Japan were so large that the economy is in many ways still recovering and the anime industry took a very massive blow. Some have even called this the biggest moment in anime history along with the release of the original “Astro Boy” TV series. Due to this many TV anime from the 90s experienced production and budget issues and the ones that we all know and love as animation marvels are outliers. Many anime fans will often cite shows like “Neon Genesis Evangelion” as proof that anime in the 90s were all amazing, but what those people fail to realize is Hideaki Anno experienced many problems during its production and its higher quality episodes don’t really speak for other anime of that time. Shows like “Evangelion” and “Yu Yu Hakusho” are ultimately the exception, not the rule, when it comes to 90s anime. This show was directed by Noriyuki Abe who would go on to direct “Bleach” as well as serving as chief director for the first 104 episodes of “Boruto” and I can’t begin to imagine what it was like for him to make this anime. To have an anime air consecutively for years and to keep the animation this consistent and fill it with some of the best sakuga of the decade feels unreal. Among its staff was a then up and coming director by the name of Akiyuki Shinbo. Since then he has gone on to be the brain behind the “Monogatari” series, “Puella Magi Madoka Magica”, “Sayonara Zetsubou-sensei”, and “Sangatsu no Lion”. You may have heard of them. He directed and storyboarded several episodes during the anime’s run and they are among the best in the entire show. Episode 30 in particular stands out for both Shinbo’s direction and one of my all-time favorite animation cuts done by Atsushi Wakabayashi, who went on to do amazing work in “Naruto”.

  EPILEPSY WARNING, FLASHING LIGHTS

  The episodes directed by the other staff members don’t slack off either, some of them are so top notch that they feel like one big series of sakuga moments in a twenty-three minute run time. Whether its body horror like in the fight between Kuwabara and elder Toguro or character animation like what we see between Sensui and Yusuke in their climactic battle, there are so many memorable scenes thanks in part to the effort and talent of the animators. I would go so far as to say this is the best animated Jump adaptation of all time. It really is that good.

  

  “Yu Yu Hakusho” is an anime that reminds me of why I enjoy shonen so much. The action, the characters, the creative fighting styles, the settings, the humor, the drama, I feel like it encapsulates so much of what keeps me going back to Jump. While it isn’t offering the same sort of thought provoking themes I would find in a Naoki Urasawa manga, it also doesn’t need to do that to be great. It does have its fair share of interesting plot threads and character arcs, but I don’t think it ever felt like that was disrupting the tone that originally brought me to it. What Togashi laid out in his story was so chock full of fun and entertainment that I didn’t want it to stop. It speaks volumes of the anime’s quality that I found myself saying “after this episode I’ll turn it off” and then I’d end up watching several more. I didn’t want to put it down and when I decided to rewatch it I was actively excited to watch it every night. Like I had said when I reviewed “Gintama”, it really says a lot to be able to go back to a long form anime and still be in your seat and engaged like you were when you first watched it. I still laughed and cried at all the places that I did on the first viewing and found myself paying even closer attention to the stunning visuals. Not to mention the seiyuu cast consisting of Nozomu Sasaki, Shigeru Chiba, Megumi Ogata, Nobuyuki Hiyama, Mayumi Tanaka, Toshiyuki Morikawa, Kappei Yamaguchi, Megumi Hayashibara, Norio Wakamoto, Tesshou Genda, in the main and supporting cast there are so many wonderful performances. We were very fortunate to have an adaptation like this for the manga that Togashi infamously burned himself out making. All the efforts of himself and the staff of the anime paid off and left us with a masterpiece for the ages. It truly is an anime worth seeing whether you love shonen as much as I do or not. After all, the other world isn’t watching for nothing.

  
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