YuYu Hakusho

YuYu Hakusho
File:YYH Manga Cover.jpg Yu Yu Hakusho
Genre	Supernatural, Action, Shōnen
Manga
Written by	Yoshihiro Togashi
Published by	Shueisha VIZ Media Editora JBC Glénat Kana
Anime
Directed by	Akiyuki Arafusa, Noriyuki Abe
Studio	Studio Pierrot

YuYu Hakusho (幽★遊★白書 YūYū Hakusho, literally Spirits Wander White Book, meaning "Ghost Files" / "Poltergeist Report") is a manga and anime series by Yoshihiro Togashi.

The anime, produced by Studio Pierrot, consists of 112 TV episodes and two movies: "The Golden Seal" (YuYu Hakusho: The Movie) and "Bonds of Fire" (YuYu Hakusho: Poltergeist Report).

In Japan, the series ran in Shueisha's Weekly Shonen Jump. The series consists of 175 chapters across 19 volumes. In North America, the manga currently runs in Viz's Shonen Jump.

The name of the series is spelled Yu Yu Hakusho in FUNimation's distribution of the anime, and Yuu Yuu Hakusho in the Viz manga. It originally started airing in February 2002 on Cartoon Network's Adult Swim block. Around March 2003, the show moved to Cartoon Network's Toonami block due to higher ratings with children. Then Yu Yu Hakusho was taken off Toonami around March 2005 and moved to a early Saturday morning timeslot at 5:30 A.M. where the series finished its run. It currently airs as part of the FUNimation programming block on CoLours TV.

A series of Yu Yu Hakusho Original Animated Videos were released only in Japan:

• Eizou Hakusho: Ankoku Bujutsukai (2 Volumes)
• Eizou Hakusho II: Yusuke Volume
• Eizou Hakusho II: Kurama Volume
• Eizou Hakusho II: Hiei Volume
• Eizou Hakusho II: Kuwabara Volume
• Opening Ending Encyclopedia
• Recap Guide Complete Advance Set (3 Volumes)

In the Philippines, the anime and both movies were initially shown on IBC 13, then on GMA 7, all under the name Ghostfighter [1], with the names of the main characters changed. It has also been released in Italy under the title Yu degli spettri.

It has also been broadcast across Japan, Southeast Asia and the Indian Subcontinent by the anime television network Animax.

Background

File:YuYuHakushologo.PNG

YuYu Hakusho logo (English manga)

In the beginning of the manga, Yusuke Urameshi is nothing more than a street-brawling delinquent who only goes to school about once every ten days. His teachers hate him and he has few friends. Yusuke's mother Atsuko is an alcoholic. She had him at the age of 14 and shows little interest in raising her son. He has a reserved seat in the guidance counseler's office. Since every single punk in the city is trying to take him on, Yusuke is pretty fed up with life.

However, no one could foresee his most famous deed: he dies trying to save a little boy from a speeding car. When he arrives in the afterlife, the people in the afterlife inform him that since no one was expecting him to die in that way, they are not prepared for his arrival.

In the manga (volumes 1 and 2), between the time Yusuke is run over and the when he manages to return to his body he has several adventures, (mostly helping people in need) that are omitted from the TV series.

File:Yuyuhakusho.gif

Right to Left: Yusuke, Kurama, Hiei, and Kuwabara

Eventually, Yusuke gets his life back and discovers a new power, he can see beings from the spirit world (yōkai). The series is centered around various tournaments and fights in later chapters.

Characters

Main article: YuYu Hakusho characters Template:Spoiler Names are in Western order, with the surname after the given name. The English anime name is to the right of the Japanese name if it applies.

• Yusuke Urameshi (浦飯幽助 Urameshi Yūsuke) - Yusuke is the toughest kid in Sarayashiki Junior High School and has a typical tough guy approach to everything. He becomes a spirit detective after he had died. His main attack is the Rei Gun (Spirit Gun in the English Dub) where he can manipulate his Reiki into a projectile. He learns many other attacks from Genkai including the spirit gun double and shot gun. He mainly grows in strength from all of his different battles, because he responds to danger by unleashing his full strength. Near the end of the series, it is revealed that Yusuke is in fact a half demon. His demon ancestor copulated with a human female and arranged so that a descendant of his, once strong enough, would become a half demon. This explains Yusuke's incredible spirit powers.

• Kazuma Kuwabara (桑原和真 Kuwabara Kazuma) - Kuwabara (Which is what most people call him- the only characters seen referring to him as Kazuma are his sister and Yukina) is the second toughest kid in the school and was always trying to get Yusuke's spot. He leads a gang consisting of himself and three other people. As the show progresses, Yusuke and Kuwabara cease being rivals and become great friends. His main powers are his high Reiki sensitivity and his Rei Ken (Spirit Sword in the Dub), Reiki he has manipulated into the shape of a sword. He picks up a new spirit sword towards the end of the Dark Tournament, using the Tameshi no Ken (Sword of Trials/Trial Sword in the Dub) that Suzuki gives him. This increased his powers greatly, but also drained them, leaving him vulnerable at the start of the Chapter Black Saga. In the beginning of the Chapter Black Saga he learns the Jigen Tou (Dimensional Blade, or Dimension Sword in the Dub), which is stronger than his Rei Ken and can slice through dimensional barriers. He doesn't fully master this until the final battle with Sensui, when he uses it to break himself, Kurama and Hiei free from Itsuki's "pet" in an effort to save Yusuke. In the Three Kings saga, Kuwabara makes the decision that he will not try to ruin his life and retires from fighting so he can focus on his schoolwork.

• Keiko Yukimura (雪村螢子 Yukimura Keiko) / Kayko Yukimura - Although Yusuke vehemently denies it, Keiko is his girlfriend. Her personality is almost the exact opposite of his and she keeps up with her schoolwork much better than Yusuke. Eventually, Keiko tags along with Yusuke to the Dark Tournament, and sometimes falls prey to Yusuke's enemies that want an edge over him.(Like Hiei and Suzaku) She has a fiery personality and is quick to berate Yusuke when he strays out of line.

• Koenma (コエンマ) - Though he looks like an infant, he is actually 700 years old and the son of the ruler of the spirit realm (Reikai). He even says it on the show. detective after he helps him come back to life. His father is King Enma (Enma is named King Yama, the Sanskrit name, in the English anime). Koenma can also transform into a teenage form so he's not as suspicious looking in public and such, but he still retains his pacifier. He soon loses his pacifier when he tries to use a sealing spell on Sensui. Sensui proves he is immune to it by using the Sei Kou Ki (Sacred Energy in the English Dub), a type of Holy energy that is difficult to master. The attack disintegrates it. It isn't until later in the Three Kings saga after Koenma returns to the Spirit Realm that the pacifier is seen again.

• Botan (ぼたん)- One of the hundreds of ferry girls of the spirit realm who are responsible for guiding the souls of the recently departed to eternal judgement (in the American version, she is referred to as the "grim reaper"). Originally assigned by Koenma to be Yusuke's spirit guide after his fatal car accident, she becomes his case manager and supplies him with equipment and information. She is a very loving and warm-hearted woman who has a tendency to put herself in peril in order to protect the people she cares about.

• Hiei (飛影) a.k.a. Hiei of the Evil Eye (Jaganshi Hiei) - Hiei is a fire demon (hi yōkai) born of a Kōrime (氷女 Ice Maiden) who specializes in speed, swordsmanship and "Jagan" (Evil Eye) skills (邪眼術). He possesses an Evil Eye, or Jagan, which amplifies his power and enables him to summon the fires of Makai (Demon Realm). He was one of the three demons Yusuke fought on his first case. Hiei became a valuable ally afterwards. His twin sister is Yukina. As the story goes on Hiei also learns that even though he thinks he doesn't need any friends, he's the one who needs friends the most. The choice of vocabulary used in reference to Yukina's age in the early manga suggests Hiei and Yukina may be adolescents in the early story.

• Kurama (蔵馬), also known as Shuichi Minamino　(南野秀一 Minamino Shūichi) as a human - Kurama is a demon who has the power to use plants as lethal weapons. He is one of the three demons Yusuke Urameshi faces on his first case. Kurama does not fight Yusuke, for he is trying to use the artifact he stole (the reason Yusuke is after him)to save his human mother. He was originally the powerful and infamous Kitsune thief, Yoko Kurama (妖狐蔵馬 Yōko Kurama) until he was shot by a hunter and only barely escaped by inhabiting the body of an unborn human baby. He grew up as the human child Shuichi, and planed on abandoning his "family" once his demonic power returned, but never did because he grew to love his mother. He blames himself for his mother's (Shiori) poor state of health. The "pretty boy" of the group, he is also the cleverest and wisest member. Despite his good looks and soft-spoken nature, Kurama can become a ruthless killer who will destroy anything that stands in his way or threatens what he loves. Although he carries himself with an air of nobility, he is not above using cruelty and torture if he feels his enemy deserves it. Kurama has a wide variety of techniques, because of his ability to control a wide variety of plants, including the oft-seen Shimanekiso (シマ Vine whip or Rose Whip in the dub).

(Humorously enough, the translators for the Philippine version of Yu Yu Hakusho anime mistook Kurama for a girl in its early episodes and had the characters refer to Kurama as "she." They discovered their mistake by the time the story reached the Four Saint Beasts plot and switched Kurama's voice actress for a male voice. They also excuse the sudden switch in voice and assumed gender with a vague explanation that Kurama pretended to be a girl Suiichi Minamino to protect his identity.)

• Genkai (幻海) - The aged fighter who held a tournament to decide who would be her successor. Yusuke wins and she trains him in the Spirit Light Wave Fist (霊光波動拳 Reikō Hadō Ken), a.k.a the Spirit Wave in the English Dub and coaches him to the extreme. Though she may appear to hate Yusuke and the others because she is not very kind, she truly cares about all of them and tries to lead them down the right way. In the past, she was one of the most powerful human fighters ever to be known in both Ningenkai and Makai, alongside with her fighting parter and suggested lover, Younger Toguro. She dies in the during the Dark Tournament, but is wished back to life by Yusuke. When manipulating her Spirit Energy to a certain extent, Genkai can temporarily revert to the state of a twenty year-old woman. This is due to the fact that in the series, a fighter who uses Reiki's cellular makeup automatically shifts to the form of the time of their life when the individual in question is at the peak of their power. Although Genkai is of advanced age, she is still a fighter to be respected and feared.

• Yukina (雪菜) - She is an ice yōkai (An "Ice Maiden" 氷女 Koorime/Kōrime)who was captured by a mobster, Gonzo Tarukane (name meaning "stooping monkey"). When ice maidens cry, their tears harden into rare, priceless jewels. Yusuke, Botan, and Kuwabara rescue her from Tarukane, who is torturing Yukina to force her to produce the gems. She returns later during the Dark Tournament (Ankoku Bujutsukai) looking for her brother (she isn't aware that Hiei is her brother). She is also naive of Kuwabara's affection towards her. As a Koorime, she has the ability to cause cold temperatures, as well as use powers of healing.

Story arcs

• Spirit Detective Saga
• Dark Tournament Saga
• Chapter Black Saga
• Saga of the Three Kings

Terms

Reikai Tantei (literally Spirit Realm Detective) / Spirit Detective - "Spirit Detective" is the name given to those who defend the human world (Ningenkai) from interference from demons, beasts, and apparitions known as yōkai hailing from the Demon World (Makai). Reikai Tantei are usually picked by Koenma, the prince of Spirit World (Reikai), the realm of the dead or disembodied.

Ningenkai The human world. (Earth)

Reikai The world of spirits.

Makai The world where demons reside.

Reiki Spirit energy possessed by humans.

Youki Energy possessed by Youkai (demons). Demonic energy

Youkai Demons.

Classes

Main article: List of YuYu Hakusho demon ranks

In YuYu Hakusho, the ranking of demons and apparitions is done by grade letters. E-class is the weakest class of demons, only slightly stronger than ordinary humans. Meanwhile, The S-class is the strongest demon classification. Each class also has sub-divisions of upper special (or ++), upper (or +), middle, and lower (or -). For example, A has four subclasses: A-, A, A+ and A++. While the classes are intended for ranking demons, they are also used to classify powerful humans. A* indicates that the particular character is at the highest level of that rank. In the Three Kings Saga, it seems that many demons surpass the Upper S-Class rankings, so Yu Yu Hakusho adopts a numerical system. 80,000 on this system is equivalent to a Middle B-class, 120,000 to a middle A-class, and 200,000 to a Middle S-class. However, the Device used to record the energy levels aforementioned breaks before the Makai Tournament, so the few figures are just inferred when comparing the class and the energy readings.

Theme songs

• Opening
  • "Hohoemi no Bakudan" (Smile Bomb) by Matsuko Mawatari (originally used only on Adult Swim but now seen on regular Cartoon Network)
    • In the English version, this and the ending themes are dubbed on the English tracks.
    • During the Chapter Black Saga, the images of the entire opening have been replaced with updated ones. Some of those images are updated during the Saga of the Three Kings.
    • The full song was used as the closing for the final episode.

• Ending
  • "Homework ga Owaranai" (Neverending Homework) by Matsuko Mawatari (1-29) (Used on Cartoon Network up until Toonami moved to Saturday Nights)
  • "Sayonara BYE BYE" by Matsuko Mawatari (30-59) - Used on the Cartoon Network version starting with the Finals of the Dark Tournament storyline.
  • "Anbaransu na Kisu wo Shite" (Unbalanced Kiss) by Hiro Takahashi (60-83) Used for the Cartoon Network Version starting with the beginning of the Chapter Black Storyline using the English lyrics and music from Ending #4.
  • "Taiyō ga Mata Kagayaku Toki" (The Sun is Shining Again/When the Sun Shines Again) by Hiro Takahashi (84-102) Used for the Cartoon Network Version finishing the Chapter Black Saga.
  • "Daydream Generation" by Matsuko Mawatari (103-111) Used for the Cartoon Network Version starting the Three Kings Saga(episode 95)

• Main Character Songs
  • Kurama (By Megumi Ogata)
    • "Kurayami ni Akai Bara ~Romantic Soldier" (Red Rose in the Darkness ~Romantic Soldier)
    • "Kyou no Sayonara wa Mirai no Hajimari" (Today's Goodbye is the Start of Tomorrow)
    • "Nightmare"
    • "Koori no Naifu o Daite" (Embracing the Ice Knife)
  • Hiei (By Nobuyuki Hiyama)
    • "Kuchibue ga Kikoeru" (I Hear a Whistle)
    • "Manazashi no Aria"
    • "Ryuusei no Solitude" (Solitude of a Shooting Star)
    • "Tasogare ni Se o Mukete"
  • Kuwabara (By Shigeru Chiba)
    • "DACHI" (Buddies)
    • "Eien ni THANK YOU!" (Thank You Forever)
    • "Konjou Icchokusen" (Guts All the Way)
    • "Otoko no Junjou" (The Simple Feelings of a Man)
  • Yusuke (By Nozomu Sasaki)
    • "All Right!"
    • "Akatsuki no Chikai" (Rising Sun)
    • "Dead or Alive ~Toshi Kami" (Dead or Alive ~Holy Battle)
    • "FIRE"
    • "Kokoro o Tsunaide" (Join our Hearts)
    • "TOUGH"
    • "Tsukanoma no Sunset"

• Other Character Songs
  • Hinageshi
    • "Anata o Dakishimeru Watashi de Itai" (I Want to Embrace You)
  • Toguro
    • "Cry Lonely Cry"
    • "Icy Blood"
  • Keiko
    • "Donna Toki Demo Anata to Mezametai"
    • "YELL"
  • Touya
    • "GLEAM ~Yami ni Hikaru" (GLEAM ~Shining in the Darkness~)
  • Kaname Hagiri
    • "Kiri no Naka no Sniper" (The Sniper in the Mist)
  • Chuu
    • "Maa, Nome yo" (Just Have a Drink)
  • Itsuki
    • "Never Ending Dreams"
  • Mukuro
    • "REBIRTH ~Saisei~" (REBIRTH ~Rebirth~)
  • Yomi
    • "Sennen no Yami no Hate" (The End of a Thousand Years of Darkness)
  • Koenma
    • "TOKOTON"
  • Jin
    • "Tsumujikaze de Fly Away" (Fly Away with a Whirlwind)
  • Sensui
    • "Unbelievable"
  • Suzuki
    • "Utsukushi Sugite..." (Too Beeutiful...)

• Group/Duet Songs
  • "Mienai Mirai" - Kurama, Yusuke, Hiei, Kuwabara, Yukina, Keiko, Botan, and Koenma
  • "Wild Wind ~Yasei no Kaze no You ni (Wild Wind ~Like the Wind of the Wild) - Hiei and Kurama
  • "Yasashisa Wa Nemuranai" (Kindness Never Sleeps) - Kurama, Yusuke, Hiei, and Kuwabara
  • "Moonlight Party" - Botan and Koenma
  • "EYE TO EYE" - Kurama, Hiei, and Kuwabara
  • "Rocket Hanabi no LOVE SONG" - Kuwabara & Yukina
  • "Omoide o Tsubasa ni Shite" (Turning Feelings into Wings) - Yusuke & Keiko
  • "Love Song o Anata ni" (A Love Song for You) - Koto, Juri, Ruka
  • "HOLD OUT!" - Botan, Keiko, Yukina
  • "Hikari no Naka de" (Inside the Light) - Yusuke, Kuwabara, Kurama, Hiei
  • "Eien no Requiem" (Never Ending Requiem) - Sensui & Itsuki
  • "Dark Side Stories" - Yoko Kurama & Hiei
  • "Boku-tachi no Kisetsu" (Our Seasons) - Yusuke, Kurama, Kuwabara, Hiei

• On the FUNimation DVDs, there is a flaw in DVD volumes 9-12. The English lyrics track for Ending #2 did not start until Episode #43, which is the first episode on DVD Volume #13. On all the DVDs that have this, it will only play the English version of Ending #1 for the end credits by not turning on the Japanese subtitles (English subtitles that follow the Japanese version) in the menu. The reason behind this flaw is that no English track was produced at that time during the DVD releases.

• "Daydream Generation"(Ending 5) first aired on episode 95 in the U.S. starting the Three Kings Saga.

• "Hohoemi No Bakudan" and "Homework ga Owaranai" were re-made by Kurama on a special collecter item CD. The same applies for "Anbaransu na Kisu wo Shite" and "Taiyō ga Mata Kagayaku Toki" by Yusuke. Koenma re-sang "Daydream Generation". The dance re-mixes and karaoke versions of most of the character songs were also on this (and other) Yu Yu Hakusho CD's.

Trivia

• Volume 1 of the manga has an advertisement for a dōjinshi manga created by Togashi titled Church! Volume 3 - We're Carried Away Here. According to the volume, the manga is no longer available.

• In the last issue of Shonen Jump, a demon holds a banner that says "Togashi, pay me back!"

• In episode six of the anime series, the words "Mad Piero" can be seen as graffiti on one of the walls. This is a self-reference from the anime studio behind the production of the series, Pierrot, whose name is pronounced as Piero, and is the Japanese word for clown, derived from the French language. A villain by the name of "Mad Piero" also appears in the anime title Cowboy Bebop.

• In episode 9, The Successor to Genkai! The Tournament Begins, background characters that look remarkably like Zangief, Dhalsim and E.Honda from the fighting game franchise Street Fighter appear behind Yusuke and Kuwabara.

• When Yusuke, Botan, Kuwabara and his sister Shizuru are watching a video (VHS) (sent by Hiei from orders of Koenma) about Yukina in Episode 22, the video started featuring Koenma spoofing (with trademarks of his own name) Columbia Pictures, with Koenma circling and holding a torch; and a stunted male oni meowing inside the name Koenma as a parody of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer.

• Kuwabara's favourite band is Megallica, the "Gods of Heavy Metal" as he calls them, in the Chapter Black saga; Megallica may possibly be a tribute/parody of both Megadeth and Metallica.

• In one chapter of the manga, Yusuke heads over to the local cafè and begins to read a comic-book magazine called "Weekly Chunen Jumbo". This could most likely be a reference to the magazine that distributes the manga, Shueisha's "Weekly Shonen Jump" and Viz's "Shonen Jump Magazine".

• In The Three Kings saga, Koenma appears at the tournament dressed incognito as Sailor Moon's Tuxedo Mask, perhaps because series creator Yoshihiro Togashi began to date Sailor Moon creator Naoko Takeuchi (whom he later married).

• In chapter 44 of the manga, Kurama claims, "Just call me Tuxedo Mask.", again a possible reference to Tuxedo Mask of the Sailor Moon series.

• In Episode 44 while Kuwabara is playing cards, the Ace of Spades is printed with Nintendo's name, with Nintendo also coming up again other times throughout the series.

• The Idunn Box used during the Dark Tournament may have been named from the Norse goddess, Iðunn.

• In the final episode, while Kurama is speaking to Kuwabara on the train, a sign on a building reads in English "YUYUHAKUSHOEND!".

• In the final episode, the two girls shown as Keiko's classmates bear strong resemblances to Haruka Tenoh (Sailor Uranus) and Michiru Kaioh (Sailor Neptune) of the anime Sailor Moon.

• Also in the final episode, in the scene where Keiko is walking home, a truck drives by with the name "Narlboro" on the side, a reference to the cigarette brand Marlboro.

• YuYu Hakusho is the only anime that debuted on Adult Swim to move to Cartoon Network's Toonami block. Other shows have transitioned from Toonami or the rest of Cartoon Network to Adult Swim, such as some of the Gundam series and The Big O, but this is so far the only example to do it in reverse.

• The kanji that were used by the author to spell Yuu Yuu Hakusho have 2 possible meanings. 1 is "Astral Visit Report", and the other is "Chronicle of Yuusukes Journey". The second is supported by the fact that the same kanji is used for the Yuu in the title, as for the Yuu in Yuusukes name (Yuusuke means lit. "Ghost Helper", Hakusho translates roughly to document, white paper, or report). The second meaning is also supported by the end of the anime, which states that the show is nothing but a record of Yuusukes travels, recorded by rei-kai intellegence.
• Originally in the English Dub, Spirit Energy was defined as the special power used by both Humans and Demons. However, the special power used by Demons was later given its own defination as Demon Energy. The Demon Energy term was first coined by Hiei in Episode 88.

External links

• Studio Pierrot's Yu Yu Hakusho website Template:Ja icon
• FUNimation's Yu Yu Hakusho website Template:En icon
• GMA's Ghost Fighter website
• YuYu Hakusho at IMDb
• YuYu Hakusho at TV.com