Recently I reached one of the lowest forms of life — a college graduate who moved back in with his mom to save some money while he tried to figure out just what the fuck he’s doing with his life. And aside from filling out 10+ job applications a day in the hopes of finding something to claw my way out of crippling student load debt, I’ve also been watching more than my fair share of Hulu. Specifically I’ve been watching Harvey Birdman, Attorney at Law (why I never watched this growing up I’ll never understand) and as you’ve probably guessed by now, Yu Yu Hakusho. It’s actually the third time I’ve watched this magnificent series, with my last viewing in 2013 during my sophomore year of college. However both times have felt like the first, as Yu Yu Hakusho isn’t simply one of my all times favorites for nostalgia purposes — it’s also just really well made.
The art style could simply be discarded as reminiscent of a bygone era, if it weren’t for the fact that it still looks so damn good today! Sure you can catch a few scenes where the budget may have cracked, but as I watched it never ceased to amaze me how much detail they managed to cram in to every scene. I’ve also only ever watched the dub, and regardless of how you feel about that “debate”, there’s no question Yu Yu Hakusho has a fantastic dub. That only leaves — the plot.
On the freakish off-chance that you’re reading this post and have never seen Yu Yu Hakusho, (first off congrats on making it this far in, and second there’s a special place in demon world for people like you) here’s a brief synopsis;
One fateful day, Yuusuke Urameshi, a 14-year-old delinquent with a dim future, gets a miraculous chance to turn it all around when he throws himself in front of a moving car to save a young boy. His ultimate sacrifice is so out of character that the authorities of the spirit realm are not yet prepared to let him pass on. Koenma, heir to the throne of the spirit realm, offers Yuusuke an opportunity to regain his life through completion of a series of tasks. With the guidance of the death god Botan, he is to thwart evil presences on Earth as a Spirit Detective.
To help him on his venture, Yuusuke enlists ex-rival Kazuma Kuwabara, and two demons, Hiei and Kurama, who have criminal pasts. Together, they train and battle against enemies who would threaten humanity’s very existence. – MAL
So sure. Okay. Alright. I won’t pretend this isn’t just another Shonen anime that I love because it makes me feel like I’m stronger than I am. But out of it’s 4 seasons, there’s really only one that I don’t still love to this day, and I suspect I’m not the only person who feels that way…
Now I think I’m gonna wrap it up here. Partially because I feel like I’ve made my point, but more importantly because I still need to finish the fourth season… In closing however, just let me say a few things.
- Yuusuke Urameshi has excellent fashion sense
Seriously if you know where to get the dude’s jacket’s please give me the hookup.
- The Dark Tournament Arc was some of the best anime to ever anime
I mean hell I still have a crush on Koto after all these years… and Hiei….. and Kurama……
- Genkai’s death was still one of the most tragic moments in anime for me. Topping Clannad, but not quite Anohana levels.
Anyway, hope you enjoyed the post! What’re your thoughts on this anime classic?
The Dark Tournament is still probably the gold standard of tournament arcs. Beyond that, the story and the animation hold up rather well.