![]() ![]() ‘Spirit energy’ (‘Nen’ is its more complex counterpart in HxH) sets a stage of evolving power levels and continuous revelations as our fearsome foursome grows dark items of power, complete with demonic curses and prices to pay in using them - used sparingly - create unique opportunities to mix up the fighting. Yu is full of them - as many battle anime are - and the format of the show services them well. In watching/reading both Yuu and Hunter x Hunter, Togashi’s other renowned work, one comes to see that this author loves his games, his toys, his techniques, and most of all - rules. ~ art source Tricks, items and techniques, a serial sandbox Therefore, Yusuke’s power is beyond attractive to them and their battle-hardened, nigh immortal natures. Yusuke’s ‘ impetuous spirit’ as ancient demon Yomi calls it, is exotic and rare, especially from such a young human being. ![]() Notably, our spirit detective x martial artist x bastard bad boy is respected by the top tier demons in the ‘Three Kings Saga’ most of all not because he is strong - but because he lacks a cogent philosophy, or pathology, to be judged or critiqued, with its flaws and half-hearted rationalizations Yusuke, in the unconscious wisdom of aimless boyhood, or via ancestral connectedness to his royal demon blood, appreciates the art of battle for its own sake - he fights for the joy of the fight, the competition and mettle-making and the honor of martial reciprocation with a worthy foe. The sage Genkai becomes like a father to him through her unforgiving trainings. He grows into a man through his bouts of violence in arenas, and moreso through his taking on of the responsibilities of those around him, even to the point of protecting the entire living world itself. As he grows in power, surpassing all three of his companions, and eventually each of the principal villains, he only gradually discovers why it is he fights.įatherless and with a lovably deadbeat mother harboring him in a less-than-ideal home life, Yusuke is a lost boy. ![]() His journey is the most uncertain, his worldview the most ill-defined and akin to change. Yusuke’s life, more than any other character in the series, and rightfully so as the protagonist, is the most in flux. Their disparate personalities are earned from their relative backgrounds the true delight comes in seeing them come together alongside each other, Yusuke, and Kuwabara, to fight the good fight. As an abandoned child forced to kill his way to autonomy and freedom and survival, he is cold and unfeeling for good reason. Just as his second life’s humanized rearing reveals his current disposition, so too does Hiei’s. Kurama, an ancient demonic fox, former thief and leader of a ruthless band of rogues, now transformed into human childhood and carrying an indestructible bond with his adoptive human mother, is motivated by an entirely different environmental context than any of his prior demonhood would indicate. Theirs is a dichotomy of moral force, a polarized battle between aggression and patience, and one that slowly but surely converges as their pasts and upbringings are revealed. Hiei: “ This is a kill or be killed world.” Kurama: “ Why do you think that is?” ~ Hiei wants to win, Kurama wants to understand. It is Kurama and Hiei that compellingly counter one another in their worldviews. The job of a ‘spirit detective’, as our main protagonist Yusuke Urameshi soon becomes, is to be a protector of the living world against the dark forces underneath… The worldbuilding is tremendous, and subtly effective throughout the series’ four main arcs ~ there is an afterlife, an interconnected Human World x Spirit World x Demon World, and conflicting factions of demons and potential portals to and from them all. Manga author Yoshihiro Togashi, a fan of the occult and the horror genre, began the adventure with no particular end in mind, only the characters and the lore of a universe of demons and ghosts and the parallel realms housing such rogue spirits. Beginning with the death of the main character to introduce him to life after life, the story shifts early from comedic occult detective work into crafty and fun supernatural martial arts showdowns against spooky monsters and gangster demons. Yu is also a pretty concisely packed shonen battle anime, with a full 1990s aesthetic and style, so clearly inspired by Dragon Ball and others of the genre. Yu☆Yu☆Hakusho is a story about life and death, humanity and spirituality, the occasional beauty of violence and the longs arcs one must traverse to find peace. ![]()
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