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Year: 1992-1995
Genre: Action, Comedy, Demons, Supernatural, Martial Arts, Shounen
Episodes: 112
Rating: 4.5 out of 5
We hear stories all the time about spirits and demons. Have you ever wondered if there was a police force on the other side who cleans up the ghosts that are haunting people? Do you think you could be a detective that investigates the spirits and demons that haunt the world? Be like a ghostbuster in real life but without a proton pack. You have magical abilities instead.
Yu Yu Hakusho is an anime of a kid who dies but comes back to life to help the spirit world fight off demons. Through his journey, he learns about himself and gains power that he has never dreamed of.
Overview
Yusuke Urameshi is a 14-year-old delinquent with a very dim future. It is the school’s biggest bully and loves to talk with his fists rather than his words. One day, Yusuke jumps in front of a car to save a little boy’s life. While his spirit looks down at his lifeless body, he gets a second chance as he made the ultimate and uncharacteristic sacrifice. The powers at be in the spirit realm are not yet prepared to let him pass on. Koenma, heir to the throne of the spirit realm, offers Yusuke the deal of a lifetime. He can regain his life by completing specific tasks and, once on Earth, will become a Spirit Detective.
As Yuskue becomes Earth’s spirit detective, he must battle demons of all sorts. To help him at his new job, he enlists the likes of his ex-rival Kazuma Kuwabara, and two demons, Hiei and Kurama, who have criminal pasts and the death god Botan. With his new crew, they will protect the world from all sorts of threats.
Review
The story of this anime is FANTASTIC, and I see why many people rank this anime in the Top 25 of all time. I remember watching some of this series when I was in high school and always had to stop around the Toguro arc. Still, I am happy that I finally watched the whole thing. I felt like the final two seasons were somewhat meh, but I won’t hold it against it. I think it’s because I have seen them elsewhere and finally see where those anime got the storyline from.
The first season is a great set up with understanding who Yusuke is as a person and how he got to be a spirit detective. I mean, when the last thing you would’ve done is save a person’s life, and everyone is shocked, you might want to look in the mirror. I like how the first season spends some time introducing some significant characters but also progressing Yusuke with his powers. I like how they showed him getting his ass handed to him physically and verbally by Genkai. The ending of the season with the introduction of the Toguro brothers was a nice touch.
The best season of this anime was by far season 2. I thought that one was the best because it was far more intense but seemed to have a purpose behind it. The Dark Tournament was a great idea, and we saw more demons who fought like the drunk Chu and the Wind Master Jin. This was the season we learned more about the relationship between Younger Toguro and Genkai. To me, this was the season that really set it off like the Frieza saga in DBZ. The season where Yuuske really became a beast.
Now season 3 was a complete bore to me. It was okay, but I wasn’t really interested in the whole season, and I invested so much in season 2. This season presented a mission where the border between the demon world and the human world was slowly opening from the dude in the second season. If it fully opened, then both worlds would combine, leading to chaos. Now, I like having a former spirit detective situation, causing havoc, and having a videotape that is so crazy to look at it will lead people to destroy humanity. It just felt so out of place and slow to me. It felt really slow to me.
Then in season 4, we get that Yusuke is part demon, and he goes to the demon world to be with his dad, who is a king but is on the verge of death. The situation in this season is that an all-out war could happen in the demon world. The three main characters all end up on separate sides. Once the big dog that is Yuuske’s dad passes away, the best way to solve the issue is to have a tournament. It was nice to see what happened on the demon side of the world and their characters. I would say that I liked this season because it mirrored the second season, but the feeling of life and death was thrown out, and it wasn’t as fun to watch.
I would say there are many characters that one should care about in this anime, but it is only built around four main characters in reality. First, there is resident badass and bad boy Yusuke Urameshi. Sometimes school isn’t meant for someone, and Yusuke is one of those people. It’s hard to believe that he is only fourteen-years-old at the start of the series. No matter how much of a problem child he thinks he is, he has a good heart when he saved the little boy from the car, which sets him upon the journey of being a spirit detective. Now he does have quite the mouth on him, but he seems to back it up over and over again through the course of the show. He is one of those characters that you will grow to love, and if not, his fists or spirit gun will make you love him.
Right behind him is his loudmouth friend and rival, Kazuma Kuwabara. Kuwabara is one of the most lovable characters. Even though he is a tough guy like Yusuke, he is still far more loving and has a sweeter side. His love for his cat is funny and how he quickly seems to fight off all comers in the name of love for Yukina is a soft spot. Even though he is not the crew’s smartest, he seems to find a way to win when it matters most.
The two demon friends or companions that are the best in this show are Kurama and Hiei. Kurama is the intelligent one of the group. He is a Fox Demon and a former thief. He has a unique background, as fifteen years before the series began. He was severely injured and escaped to the Human World in soul form. He entered an embryo in a pregnant human woman, becoming Shuichi Minamino. In his demon form, the dude is a straight-up beast and powers to rival many. He loves to use plants, rose, and his mind as primary weapons. Hiei is considered the cocky one of the group. He starts off as a bad guy but turns into a good guy during the second season. The dude is a straight-up beast when he has his sword and Jagan eye. Would think he would have short man syndrome, but the dude just loves to show how superior he is to everyone.
My favorite character is Genkai. She is an elderly martial arts expert who is famous among humans and demons and is considered one of the top five reiki masters. Homegirl has no problem whipping anyone’s ass and calling them a dimwit. Her training is legendary as she plays absolutely NO games. Even though she becomes a minor character in the last two seasons, you see her background in season 2.
Out of all the villains, the one that is the best is Younger Toguro. I just felt like the story hit the best when he was the main villain. The minute you saw him, you were like, “Oh S**t!” She had the whole Terminator look going with his high-top haircut and shades. I just felt like he was the arch that brought the most to the show. He is like the Frieza saga in Dragon Ball Z.
Also, the dubbed voice acting is excellent in this anime. I enjoyed all the voice actors because it made you really feel like you knew the characters. Hiei had a voice of confidence and superiority. Kurama sounded so cool, calm, and intelligent. Let’s take a second to talk about Kuwabara’s voice. Homeboy sounded like an old man or something. Like he has been drinking some hard alcohol.
The opening theme, “Smile Bomb” by Matsuko Mawatari, is actually really lit and fun to listen to. As someone who usually never listens to opening theme songs, I was happy to take a few minutes to listen to it. It has a really nice melody and upbeat. The sequence that it plays to is also entertaining to watch. I want to say that the lyrics are actually really intriguing and has that 90s vibe to them.
After watching this anime, I see why it is considered one of the best anime series to watch. It is an excellent starter anime for anyone who wants to get into this genre. The characters are great, and the voice acting is beyond impressive. The opening theme song will get you going. If you are looking for a great starter anime, then this is the one for you.
