The second time Yusuke dies, Kuwabara literally says "If you're not here, then who am I?" and I think that really drives it home. Going his own way was the character development he needed, even if it's bittersweet.
@@narrow3601 Probably sitting around wishing to fight again. Fighting was his favorite thing in life, and Yusuke clearly was his favorite opponent. So he was probably dreaming about that
Kuwabara is my favorite character in the show. When I was younger I was upset he wasn't in the last tournament, but now that I'm grown I'm happy he's making a good life for himself in Human World.
Irony is Hiei probabbly prefers his future brother in law to be a boring responsible scholar. "YOU WANT TO GO WHERE?! YOU WANT TO GET YOURSELF KILLED WHILE YOUR SUPPOSE TO BE WATCHING MY BABY SISTER?! IM ALREADY A ONE MAN MOTHER FUCKING BLACK DRAGON ARMY, KEEP YOUR ASS INSIDE!"
My favorite part is during the second to last episode, Kurama is watching Yusuke fight and he imagines Kuwabara next to him, cheering for Yusuke even though he isn't there. Really says a lot about them I think.
There's a level of friendship that the bond is so strong, that the shared understanding makes it so little communication is needed. The reason it may of seemed these two didn't interact on full display was because the two understood one another. If you have that friend that you haven't talked to in months but when reunited, move as if you two were just hanging out the other day, Kurama and Kuwabara understood one another so unlike their contemporaries Yusuke and Hiei where sometimes you needed to talk to get an understanding across. It was your comment that made me want to write this because most likely in that moment, Kurama understood exactly what his friend would say or do had he been there. It's a testimony that the two are indeed close friends ❤️
I like to think that with Kuwabara's heightened spirit awareness a small part of his spirit was actually there reaching out to his friends. That is the kind of thing Genkai could do at will once or twice throughout the series.
Kurama is often used as foreshadowing for aspects of future main villains we'll see in the series (spilt personalities, is kinder then we're initially lead to believe and has a sense of justice that his reputation doesn't imply, etcetera) He also never underestimated an opponent or thought pure brute strength nor intelligence alone would win him the day.
He undersestimated ouji i think... and sishiwaka... but maube he was afraid and just pretending... i agree with you... also... he is the one who 'kills' toguro... and the one sensui most needs...
I suspect since he still talked to kurama etc and his spirit sword kept growing in strength maybe didn't stop training even working hard for his degree 🤔
Yeah, the fact that he was purely human with no Demon blood, but able to reach S-class probably makes him the strongest human we've seen in the series if you think about it. Also, my guess as to how his powers may have grown would be that he learned to materialized his energy into other weapons besides just the sword, so maybe he learned to project things like Axes, maces, whips, and possibly even more mobile things like an Energy Bow that could shoot energy arrows/lasers/beams. Plus he's always had GREAT spirit awareness so maybe he tapped into some type of psychic abilities or something. Very interesting to ponder.
@@Saxandfifths he's definitely one of my favourite anime characters ever and since spirit awareness ran in his family plus with his training it makes his even better that he reached such heights
_The Four Protagonists_ - Yusuke, A Human/Demon who would call Demon World home. (Keiko is the Main reason he returns. When she dies, he will likely return to Demon World) - Kuwabara, A Human who calls The Human World home. - Kurama, A Demon/Human who calls The Human World home. - Hiei, A Demon who calls The Demon World home.
Yes, and if I may say the same thing in another way: a human, a demon, a demon who became a human, and a human who became a demon. It's such good writing.
I was ready for you to draw the parallel between Kuwabara and Leoario both leaving to study and further his own goals. He wouldnt have lasted in ant kingdom but was very important after in a different arena: politics. Also transdimension punch is as cool as the transdimension spirit sword.
Kuwabara and kurama also both have names that start with a K that rhyme, both have red hair, both used to be leaders of a group of degenerates and now regret their past and want to apply themselves in a positive and productive way. Both have insane endurance and sometimes suffer a lot of punishment before turning a fight around. Both are more sensitive to the emotions and wants of others. In contrast, Hiei and Yusuke have names that rhyme, neither are really concerned too much about the past or future, living in the moment and a little more down to Earth. Both are often very blunt and rough around the edges. They tend to overwhelm with speed and power and aren't usually as creative as Kurama or as careful and observant as Kuwabara. Both don't take long to revert back to a demon life style when summoned back while Kurama is very unsure of his own identity. Both Hiei and Yusuke are also kinder than they let alone with Hiei being very protective of his sister and growing to value his companions and Yusuke not realizing just how much he cared about Genkai till she was gone for example.
Dang, just when I think I've caught all the subtle details in this story, someone cleverly points out another! Fantastic video! I hadn't noticed how similar Kurama and Kuwabara's stories really were in terms of their weaknesses and ultimate victories. And I agree completely that Kuwabara needed to be left out of the last arc. In fact, that decision was one of the things that solidified this as one of the best written shows I've seen. Usually, they're so desperate to keep all the "main" cast together for the whole story that they can't develop as individuals. I was just blown away by how they let each character learn and grow in ways that made sense for them and fulfilled what they wanted out of life. The focus being so heavy on the characters and their journeys is why I think this is probably the best show for someone like me, because I love interesting character studies. Honestly, I actually really dislike traditional action shows and movies. I don't like a lot of fighting or blood. This show shouldn't be one of my favorites, but the characters are so compelling and the way he uses their fighting as a means of story-telling instead of just "time to punch stuff" separates it from the rest.
I really liked this overall! Though I disagree that Kuwabara was weak, he was A class, same as much of the rest of the team and also had a power so dangerous Sensui needed to dodge it.
I feel like they nerfed him a bit and this guy isn't giving kuwabara enough credit. Apparently he was rated to be of s class strength in the manga. Which makes sense when you realize in his fight with Sensui he didn't try to stop or block his attacks because they were the only attacks at that time that could severely damage him. He chose to dodge.
Kuwabara's dimentional sword made him S class however he needed a lot more training to be a good fighter with it, his sword was similar to mukoro's ability to cut through dimensions so you can tell the difference
Kuwabara had a great weapon, but he was still fairly weak as a fighter. He didn't have the meneuverability or defensive capabilities that the other strong fighters posessed. It's like a toddler with a sword that can cut anything...sure the sword is a bit scary, but the wielder is unable to use it to its potential so it's not so bad. Even the best and strongest glass canon is still just a glass canon.
@@taylorhillard4868 Defensive capa...he took Elder Toguro's stab point blank and it couldn't pierce his skin XD He was able to take a full power charge from Risho when he was using nearly all his spirit energy just to stay on his feet. He was taking blows from Sensui powered up who you may recall casually broke Yusuke's arm with a touch. Kuwabara may not be able to stand toe to toe with S class demons but as Hiei said they are rare. He may have a tough time using his abilities sometimes but he is far from weak.
@@ajregalia1334 I think it's mostly that he is far too inconsistent. Yes, he was able to block Elder Ts one attack....after getting stabbed by him 8-10 times....and then getting stabbed another 4 times and pinned down. 1/12 is not great odds for a defensive roll.
happy to find this video as i'm a big fan of this pair but i'm surprised there wasn't more detail about the ending episodes of the anime that really solidify kurama and kuwabara as good friends who care about eachother. it seemed like kurama kept up with kuwabara and cared about his studies. seeing them hang out together before meeting up with everyone else was a real treat.
Yes Kuwabara was the heart of the team and Kurama was the soul. Yu Yu Hakusho really is a great dynamic of characters at each other’s throats yet come together when it matters most
the two of them were never at each other's throats, kuwabara and kurama had the closest connection in their entire friend group, they hang out outside of the group,they were always complimenting and encouraging each other, always having fun with each other. a very wholesome bond.
@@c.galindo9639 i think in general their whole friend group went through alot together, they're all basically family and they all care about each other,
@@RekoReadsBooks I know which is why they are strong together but also will push each other in ways that may seem harsh but they have the best intentions in the moment for whoever they’re looking out for
Initially, I had no favorite character. They are all so integral to the narrative and themes, as well as each others' arcs, that not a single one stood out from one another, and I mean this in a positive light. But what eventually gave Kurama the edge were two lines of (dub) dialogue in-particular during the Chapter Black arc, lines that stand among my favorite of any medium. They sum up both his unwavering compassion and capacity for cruelty at once, two opposing forces joined in single moments, and really just embody the character outright (and ngl they are also badass). The first, during Genkai's test, the line just after when Kaito threatens to crush the souls of his friends (in which Kaito himself also has a great line about the intricacies of souls, aka ones moral compass, and having power over them): He proclaims: "I'm warning you. You so much as bruise what you hold in your hand and I will show you pain. The hue of your soul will cease to matter, because you will not be judged when you die, you will no longer exist." It gave me goosebumps at the time, and yet other lines have done similar and not stuck with me as long. What separates it, in my opinion, is like I said: it encapsulates who he is, someone who can show mercy and prefers it, but also who can punish you more severe then you could even imagine. He isn't just saying something cool; he is communicating where the line between his two selves cross, and I think it's an absolutely brilliant subtle deconstruction of him which only foreshadows what we come to know later on. The second, and probably my favorite of the two, is at the end of his "fight" (if you can call it that) with Elder Toguro: "The tree won't stop until its host is dead, but as you've said Toguro, your regenerative powers make you unable to die. You will suffer for eternity here, torn between your hate, and your agony, and so be it. Rogues like you deserve to be damned." Okay, goosebumps obviously. The simple notion of eternal suffering at his hands is enough to make you uneasy. But in retrospect this line sums up not just what he thinks of Toguro, he is also loathing himself for his own past actions (of which we get in more detail later). Only unlike with Toguro's second chance, he had up till that point chosen to change who he was. He hasn't 100% forgiven himself, again there is obvious self-loathing (imo) in that line, but he understands the difference between he and Toguro. It is also just such a cathartic moment after what he was forced to do just prior with the boy, itself very telling of his character, and again communicates where the line between his merciful (human) self and vicious (demon) self lies.
TRUE. In terms of duality, VERY few characters in anime in general can compare with Kurama, if any. I'm sure if I thought about it long enough, I could think of a few to rival Kurama in that aspect, but definitely not off the top of my head. Such a well-written character, holy hell.
Kuwabara choosing to focus on studying can also be traced back as early as episodes 3 and 4, where his gang says he took a liking to studying after he helped Okubo keep his job by getting more than 50 points in that test. I think that can be considering a foreshadowing
YuYuhakasho one of the few animes that found a way to keep the original cast important while upgrading the main character. I feel a big reason this was accomplished is the main character was buffed at a slower pace compared to other MCS while the group he's part of majority wise all starts off stronger than him, while remaining stronger for a while, and at the same time getting major upgrades themselves, it takes a genuine long time before we can say that Yusuke is outright stronger than his friends, and even than if your talking about a death match between Hiei and Yusuke it's debatable, for yusuke still doesn't know how to control his full power perfectly.
Kurama struggled with his identity and sense of morals...so he felt indebted to self-sacrifice Kuwabara struggled with his sense of team value so he also felt indebted to self-sacrifice They really are both the same and it’s funny because I always saw them as similar when looking beyond their appearances. I just think Kurama wants to achieve a sense of balance between his good and evil and Kuwabara wants to feel as if he’s worth something to someone. Leading them both eventually to realize that they have to go on their own
Just finished the anime this week. Kurama and Kurwabara are my two favorites from the show. Good video. Thank you for discussing their dynamic. Three Kings might be my favorite arc. I agree Kuwabara needed to go his own way and I'm sad to learn the manga didn't include the wonderful conclusion to Kurama's arc like the show did but I think it was the perfect end for Kurama and I'm very satisfied with it.
i never considered before how thematically intertwined Kurama and Kuwabara are. you're totally right, both represent the idea of future. Kurama just wants to live his normal human life as Shuichi, but his past haunts him. as he embraces Yoko more and more, he feels like, with the masks he has to wear, and as these masks begin to collide.. who IS he? is he Yoko, the powerful thief from long ago? is he Shuichi, the human who dearly loves his mother? or, is he Kurama, the Yokai who protects humanity from Yokai who choose darkness as their path. throughout the story, these masks get swapped often, so often so, that Kurama loses who he is. through the final arc of the story, thanks to being confronted by his past that haunts him, and his befriending of his enemy from long ago.. he realizes that he's himself. he's all three of these. he doesn't have to choose, because as you go towards the future, you aren't a static being, you *change*. these three people he has been in the past.. he realizes that he doesn't have to pretend anymore. he's himself. he's Shuichi, Yoko, Kurama.. he's his own person, and can carve out a future for himself. the part of him that is a brutal killer is part of him, so is the kind intelligent schoolboy, and so is the protector of mankind. Kurama is his own person, and as he walks towards a brighter future, he can only do his best and see what person he will grow into. he doesn't have to pretend to be something else for others anymore. he can be him, and learn who he is. Kuwabara's arc, as i said at the beginning, is similar. from the start of the story, depends on Yusuke. Yusuke doesn't realize it at first, but in a way, Yusuke is his reason for living. someone who can always beat Kuwabara.. it gives him something to strive towards. then.. Yusuke dies. this makes Kuwabara break down, yearning for his rival back. Yusuke , when he comes back to life, befriends Kuwabara, who bond over their mutual love of fighting. later in the story, Yusuke dies again. "No! You can't be dead! If you're dead, then who am I?!". for many story arcs, and death defying adventures, Kuwabara has just gone along with what he's been told to do. in endless battles, endless fights to the death.. Kuwabara ended up forgetting who HE is. he gained a co-dependency. this is the turning point for Kuwabara's character, where, no longer valuing his own life, decides that he wants to die. not just by his own hand, but by the hands of the man who killed Yusuke, so he can go with him. when Yusuke comes back to life again, this suicidal feeling fades, but it really gets Kuwabara thinking.. what's the point of my life, if it all revolves around Yusuke? sure, he doesn't think this directly, but he's a bit stupid, so he wouldn't realize this outside of his subconscious. after this story arc, Kuwabara realizes he cant keep mindlessly living in the present. he has to be somebody. he needs a future. so, he works hard to get into a good High School, so that he doesn't disappoint himself, and his sister, who was aimless at his age, and, from her perspective, ruined her own life because of this. fighting.. what's the point? people only get hurt and die in the end. Kuwabara realizes that it wasn't the fighting he loved, not entirely. He loves his friends. but, if you have no future, and you live only for your friends.. what's the point of your own life, really, in the end? Kuwabara is then resolved to make something of himself. soon after, Yusuke tells Kuwabara that he's leaving. to the Demon Realm. not to enact some kind of justice, no. just to fight for the sake of it. Yusuke and Kuwabara's lives have completely diverged at this point. Yusuke, who lives only for fighting's sake. Kuwabara, who's decided he needs a real life, and a real future. Kuwabara realizes the truth. Hiei, Kurama, Yusuke, who are all troubled in this moment, think that all they need in life is to fight, it doesn't matter what side they're on, they just need to tear people apart. you wouldn't think so, but Hiei and Kuwabara are going through similar things right now. Hiei has completed every goal he had for his life, so now, he just wants to die. Kuwabara has decided that a vengeful suicide isn't the answer, but now Hiei is struggling with that very task. Hiei just wants to die an honorable death, as Yusuke's resurrection doesn't give him closure to the rest of his life. luckily for Kurama, as mentioned above, he resolves this conflict within himself, as does Hiei, somewhat, who, with his girlfriend Mukuro, has gained a new reason to live. for the sake of his friends. Kurama, Yusuke, Mukuro.. if you're surrounded by people that you like.. maybe living, isn't so bad? Kurama and Kuwabara, in the end, come to the same conclusion. "I need a future. i can't keep dwelling on the present/past.". a beautiful intertwined double character arc.
much like raizen kuwabara and kurama displayed the power of love and compassion that is unrivaled and unmatched but their compassion isn't limited to their friends and family
5:57 WOOOAH. It might've been after the anime finished up, but Kuwabara's legit the strongest human in the series. Let's not start labeling his power weak now lol
He is weak. But look at what he's standing next to. Look at the people who he calls his peers, and who consider him their peer. He may be the weakest link, he's the weakest link of a chain of immense strength, and that weak link can hold a lot of fucking weight by itself.
@@pkphantom Any of his 3 peers are more powerful than him. The 3 kings could crush him like a bug, as could several of the monks. We won't even discuss what Enki's crew would do. The series had entered a whole new threshold of power, and the demon boys were still only about the middle of that scale by the end. So yes, by the new scale, he was weak. But he could still win the Dark Tournament single-handedly now
It's a pretty big understament of his powers. His body knew it was going to need a weapon plus his regular sword is extremely flexible, like a Swiss army knife. It was a big flaw day to almost not train him at all. I even hate the path he took to get there. plus I notice a lot of people love to say shit baout kuwabara that they would not say about the other three.
@@stevemclovin1566 You forget he trained with Hiei and Kurama. Remember, he's not a 'training' guy. He's a self taught street thug. Even Yusuke didn't 'want' to be trained
Good thoughts. I take exception, though, to one thing. You describe Kuwabara's power level as "paltry", but he was clearly stronger than Kurama and Hiei during the fight with Sensui. Look at the beginning of the fight, when Sensui's aura blows the demons off their feet, but Kuwabara is not only left standing, he's actually able to charge forward. And of course, he could get stronger through training. I do agree that him quitting was the best thing for him. He wasn't needed for the final arc to end the way it did, which was probably the best possible ending, and he wouldn't have gained anything from it. In a sense, he didn't really need much in the way of character development. He wasn't a selfish jerkass like Yusuke or Hiei, and he didn't suffer from an identity crisis like Kurama. He always understood the value of love and friendship; no lesson to be learned there. He was always clear on what kind of person he was. If anything, the area where he most needed to grow was his intellect, and he's doing that by buckling down in school and getting a good education.
Compared to the 3 Kings, godlike beings that could defeat even his most powerful friends, he IS paltry. But that 'paltry' power is A level, a power so high that spirit world prioritized locking beings of that strength and higher out of living world. They would rather ten thousand Younger Toguros get through than ONE being as strong as Kuwabara. Is he weak? Yes. But compared to WHAT?
@@TheKyrix82 -- My point was that if Kuwabara had chosen to train, he could have kept up with Kurama and Hiei or even stayed ahead of them. He still would have been weak compared to the kings and Raizen's old friends, but strong enough to be a major player. Although, if you think about it, Kurama and Hiei didn't really affect the tournament much. Kurama's big contribution was telling Yomi he and his men were jumping ship to compete, and even then, what really made Yomi go along with it was Makuro saying she accepted Yusuke's proposal.
@@ssblue8832 Kurama and Hiei affected the tournament a great deal actually. It was Kurama and the Dark Tournament boys breaking rank and jumping in on Yusuke's side that convinced Yomi to go along with the tournament in the first place, otherwise he might have killed Yusuke there (and we've seen that he did indeed have the power to do that), and as for Hiei, his fight with Mukuro broke her chains and dissipated all the hate she'd carried with her for millennia, which had the side effect of all but snuffing out her fighting spirit, otherwise she might have beaten Natsume and went on to crush Enki...which wouldn't have been a horrible thing for human world, as it was implied that Yomi was the one who wanted to just eat humans constantly, whereas Mukuro had taken a route similar to Raizen, not starving herself, but only eating when she absolutely had to.
@@TheKyrix82 -- I mentioned Kurama's defection, but it wasn't until Mukuro said she accepted Yusuke's terms that Yomi thought, "Damn you, Mukuro," and accepted as well. That was the tipping point. I did forget about the chains thing. And Mukuro winning might not have been so horrible, but I doubt she would have outlawed demons making trouble in Human World.
Great analysis...I just re watched all of yu yu and glad to see someone else caught how great of a character kuwabara is! Appreciate the content bro ! 👌
You made some good points, specifically the one about the group dynamic balancing each other quite well and each acting as a foil to one another. I disagree; however, that Kuwabara wouldn’t have survived in demon world. He had an A class power level at the conclusion of the Sensui arc, in addition to his unique abilities, so long as he did not attempt to act recklessly and instigate fights with superior demons he’d have been fine. Also, it’s not as if Yusuke would’ve allowed him to perish. I may be mistaken but I believe at the end of the manga he’s pictured with the gang again back in demon world for the next tournament.
The day Kuwabara put down his fists and set straight his life was amazing for me. I mentally stood up and clapped for this decision. The guy fought so much for so long and for the stuff he believed was right, not only he had no reason to fight any more demons, he learned that fighting as fun as it may look like, hurting others was not. He chose a peaceful normal life and let the real fighters keep fighting. You gotta respect him for that.
Def a good development. It was clear as only a human he was having trouble keeping up the farther things went. I do think it would've been cool if they'd shown him keeping up his training at the same time though.
@@J-Hue his biggest problem is he was never trained properly. If he studied under Genkai during the three kings to refine his potential, he would have been truly great.
kuwabara is earnest in the moment selfless... kurama has regret about his past life that kuwabara does not know about so when kuwabara for instance says hes very caring its irony for the audience cause we know he has regrets and we find out his past so kurama kinda wants to make amends and live up to that pedestal kuwabara places him on....
Right? Kurama always acts like Kuwabara dragged him into it [for instance when they let Yusuke believe Keiko is dead Kurama turns to Kuwabara while stifling his laughter and claims that he made him do it] but Kurama would never let someone drag him into something he didn't want to do. He was 100 percent complicit and there are times when it was likely all his idea
@@anonymouspumpkin8296 Totally! Well he's a fox and they're known to be tricksters. Kurama can definitely troll lmao. He also likes to tease Hiei a lot.
That's why I love his character and the writing. He wasn't just a big oaf or comedic relief. Most humans wouldn't have been able to physically and mentally survive the dark tournament and he did it with loyalty, strength and determination.
In my opinion you are wrong about one thing. Kurama during his life as a bandit he did care about his teammates. That was why he taught Yomi that harsh lesson. If you remember he tells Yomi that he should watch it that his foul character will be the death of him and then when he sets up that trap that guy says "Life is more important then the reward. So, if he didn't care then he wouldn't have gone to such lengths. Sure he was a bandit and killed and stolle. However, It was Yomi that got him into the predicaments. Kurama wanted to avoid conflict and get in and out with as little causalities as possible.
Remember that part of the reason he sought to teach Yomi that lesson is that Yomi's reckless stunts were getting his subordinates killed. Yoko may not have a HUGE value on the lives of others, but he hates being wasteful.
I think Genkai missed a bet by not taking him on as a second apprentice. Obviously, only Yusuke would get the Spirit Wave Orb, but the boys were so competitive with each other, Kuwabara would have worked his ass off to catch up to Yusuke, and if Yusuke noticed Kuwabara nipping at his heels, he might have worked harder.
@@ssblue8832 Yes, but honestly, she had all she could handle with Yusuke as it was. And Shizuru would NOT have let her brother disappear for months at a time to train with Genkai like Atsuko did for Yusuke. Hell, he probably told her it was a summer camp or something.
My one gripe with this video is when you said Kuwabara wouldnt last a day in the Demon World. I dont agree especially when he has the strongest ability out of the group, The Dimension Sword. I think that more than makes up for his lack of power. Its literally a sword that ignores durability and cuts through anything. So I think he would do well in Demon World. Other than that it was a great video!
I don't think kurama left behind Yoko, he even tells Hiei that when the former asks him if he has forfeited himself as Yoko Kurama. He says no, he never truly leaves anything behind. What I understood is that he made peace with who he was as both human and demon thus integrating his personalities.
kurama and kuwabara have good role models in their life so they both seem to be good boys because of the main female in thei life I guess is the point ...yusuke and hiei well the less said the better about their moms...so thats kinda what togashi I think was sorta saying about why they get along so well
I’ve watched Yuyu Hakusho and definitely am one of those people that hold Kuwabara as what a man should strive to be but I never thought of how his goals are all externally influenced throughout the series as he is reactionary rather than the type to ever be proactive unless pushed to do so.
I would love a Yu Yu Hakusho game in the spirit of Budokai Tenkaichi. Just everybody from the series from Gouki all the way to Raizen and everyone in between
No, Kuwabara could've gone to Demon World to finally find Yukina's long-lost brother, thus finally having a true confrontation between Kuwabara and Hiei.
@@marcrenaud8392 Hiei HAS acknowledged him. And in typical Hiei fashion, he's done so very subtly. Notice that at absolutely no point has he expressed any opposition to Kuwabara's affections for Yukina. He calls him names, he verbally bullies him, he treats him like a fool...but he recognizes that he's a good man and knows his sister would be hard pressed to find someone better for her or more devoted to her. He knows Kuwabara would die for Yukina, and short of Hiei himself, he knows she couldn't ask for a better protector.
nah I dont think so cuz like leorio and kurapika seem to be more "intimate" than the other two (I may be wrong cuz I only watched 23 episodes of hxh tho)
Keep in mind, once you got to B class, growth was exponential, not incremental. Despite everyone else being C rank, Younger Toguro could have won the Dark Tournament by himself, fighting EVERYONE. At the same time. Consequently, replace every one of those fighters with Younger Toguro, and an A rank could do the same thing. Ditto with the S rank. That's why Kurama made such a big deal about bringing six A rank warriors into Yomi's army. The six of them, by themselves, were basically a match for 80% of Mukuro's army.
Why? Bui himself was lower B-Rank, and the armor was little more than weighted clothing. That's like saying "Yamcha should train with King Chappa, then he'd be on par with a Super Saiyan 3"
@@TheKyrix82 Dumbass. Kuwabara got a Dimension cutting sword. If he got Armor of a similar quality he would definitely be stronger. Bui isn't a weakling. He is by the S-Class standards but Kuwabara is only A-Rank and could still get stronger from learning something like that. Sit down.
@@TheKyrix82 You can learn and get stronger training with someone weaker than you. Also I highly doubt Kuwabara would defeat Bui. He's A-Rank but that always felt just that the creator as throwing him a bone.
@@BlackWingedSeraphX The thing is, Bui's armor wasn't 'armor' in that sense. And you're forgetting that the class rankings make things seem a lot closer than they are. Going from B to A to S isn't like going from 1 to 2 to 3, it's like going from ounces, to pounds, to tons. The gap between an S rank fighter and an A rank fighter is bigger than the gap between an A rank fighter and a D rank fighter. And keep in mind, a B class like Toguro was powerful enough to solo hundreds, if not thousands, of C ranks. To use another anime as an example, If Goku and Vegeta in the Saiyan Saga of Dragonball Z were B rank, and Goku and Frieza from the Frieza Saga were A rank, then Super Saiyan 3 Goku from the Buu Saga would be S rank.
KURAMA IS MEH BOY. How is there a Yuki fan club but no kurama fan club? (Not hate towards Yuki btw he's cool too) Please comment if you would like to join the kurama fan club
Kuwabara is literally s class by the end he could have at least competed in the makai tournament and beat the likes of shishi or rinku who got power boosted but didn’t because he doesn’t live solely for violence and would rather act as a protector of the living than a conqueror of the strongest beings in existence, a dynamic which is similar to how yusuke abandoned his pointless emotionally detached tough guy persona except that yusuke had the responsibilities of makai thrust upon him by raizen dying and yomi not being content with a stalemate
Great video! After this I checked out a lot of your other videos and they have great stuff too defiently subsrcibing. I’m a bit upset over the choice of top ten waifus but hey no ones perfect🤪.
I think you did a really good job on the video and attempting to view the characters of YYH in a lense ive never thought about ~ However I'm a little confused on what you mean at 1:39, because you kinda being up Ging and drop the subject without going further. Did I miss something?
Cherryboywriter wrote like a eight thousand word piece on Beyond Netero, but I haven't read the hxh manga to read this post. I believe the detailed answer could be buried in here. uzerfriendly.com/beyond-netero-the-hunt-for-humanity/
Sabat himself said that when he saw Kuwabara for the first, he thought he looked so stupid that he came up with the dumbest voice he could think of to make fun of him. The directors loved his performance and that's how he got casted.
I'm sorry, but this guy is a hack. Not only does he call the decision of keeping Kuwabara out of the three kings arc being a good thing "controversial", (even though, by the way, it's literally STATED IN THE SHOW that not only had Kuwabara gotten better at studying, gotten much better grades, and would be going to a nice college/university. Sooo, pretty sure that decision wasn't controversial). Oh, and then he follows that up with one of the dumbest lines I've ever heard: Kuwabara wouldn't last even a few minutes in demon world with his "paltry" power level. Like, what? Kuwabara is usually viewed as the "weakest link" of the team, except he's probably one of the strongest. Yes, he's outspeeded by Hiei, and outsmarted by Kurama, but he's shown levels of endurance and determination equal to that of Yusuke, many times. Not only that, but Kuwabara has nice variety of attacks (spirit sword, double spirit sword, spirit flyswatter lmao, spirit daggers, spirit lasso, spirit polevault, spirit spear, spirit snake? (He used it against the yoyo kid)). But wait, it gets better. He may not be as fast as Hiei, but he defeated the elder toguro brother while enduring major damage, keeping up with the speed of the second strongest demon in the tournament (elder toguro brother) AND destroying the dude SEVERAL TIMES, all of this before even the sensui arc. While Sensui styled on all 3 of them, Kuwabara was there keeping up with dark dragon absorbed Hiei and Yoko-Kurama, and Kuwabaras attacks were the only ones sensui dodged. Why? Because Kuwabara can literally slice through goddamn dimensions. HE CAN LITERALLY CUT ANYTHING IN HALF. The ONLY demon who's able to also do this is ONE OF THE THREE KINGS. Centuries of the kekai barrier being in place, every demon from D rank to S rank wants out and about in the living world. Who's the absolute savage that finally destroys the kekai barrier? FUCKING KUWABARA SON. "Paltry power level"? "Wouldn't last a few minutes in demon world? Give this man with a hairstyle from the gods some RESPECT.
He is the weakest link of the chain, but that doesn't mean much when you look at how powerful the chain is. And consider that he holds his own with three extremely powerful demons. And this isn't Dragonball, where the protagonist does all the heavy lifting. Kuwabara pulls his own weight. He contributes. He is THE reason they beat Team Masho and advanced in the Dark Tournament instead of being disqualified and executed. His 'death' was the thing that allowed Yusuke to finally go all out. He's the one who beat Byakko nearly to death, when the tiger might have killed one of the others in a fight. If any of the others had fought Sea Man, they would have died, since none of them had a way to escape a territory. The list goes on. So yeah, he is, by far, the weakest link of the four, but that chain is seriously heavy duty, and that weak link can hold a lot of fucking weight by itself.
The second time Yusuke dies, Kuwabara literally says "If you're not here, then who am I?" and I think that really drives it home. Going his own way was the character development he needed, even if it's bittersweet.
Still though I wonder what he was doing in his free time after getting into the school of his dreams
@@narrow3601 Probably sitting around wishing to fight again. Fighting was his favorite thing in life, and Yusuke clearly was his favorite opponent. So he was probably dreaming about that
"Kakarot, you died without fear. What does that make of me?"
Kuwabara is my favorite character in the show. When I was younger I was upset he wasn't in the last tournament, but now that I'm grown I'm happy he's making a good life for himself in Human World.
don't worry he entered into the next tournament in the epilogue.. He Is S Class now.
Irony is Hiei probabbly prefers his future brother in law to be a boring responsible scholar.
"YOU WANT TO GO WHERE?! YOU WANT TO GET YOURSELF KILLED WHILE YOUR SUPPOSE TO BE WATCHING MY BABY SISTER?! IM ALREADY A ONE MAN MOTHER FUCKING BLACK DRAGON ARMY, KEEP YOUR ASS INSIDE!"
@@elpopman2055 what epilogue?
@@keptitreal1007 did you not really not read the Yu Yu Hakusho manga?
@@elpopman2055 you mean.. am I or am I not a complete weeb? No, I watch instead of read haha low IQ sorry
My favorite part is during the second to last episode, Kurama is watching Yusuke fight and he imagines Kuwabara next to him, cheering for Yusuke even though he isn't there. Really says a lot about them I think.
There's a level of friendship that the bond is so strong, that the shared understanding makes it so little communication is needed. The reason it may of seemed these two didn't interact on full display was because the two understood one another. If you have that friend that you haven't talked to in months but when reunited, move as if you two were just hanging out the other day, Kurama and Kuwabara understood one another so unlike their contemporaries Yusuke and Hiei where sometimes you needed to talk to get an understanding across. It was your comment that made me want to write this because most likely in that moment, Kurama understood exactly what his friend would say or do had he been there. It's a testimony that the two are indeed close friends ❤️
I like to think that with Kuwabara's heightened spirit awareness a small part of his spirit was actually there reaching out to his friends. That is the kind of thing Genkai could do at will once or twice throughout the series.
Kurama is often used as foreshadowing for aspects of future main villains we'll see in the series (spilt personalities, is kinder then we're initially lead to believe and has a sense of justice that his reputation doesn't imply, etcetera)
He also never underestimated an opponent or thought pure brute strength nor intelligence alone would win him the day.
He undersestimated ouji i think... and sishiwaka... but maube he was afraid and just pretending... i agree with you... also... he is the one who 'kills' toguro... and the one sensui most needs...
We know that that battle vs iommi is filler, but yusuke couldve thought in keiko and also in him too for that last stand
Lets be 1000% honest. Togashi knows how to write great characters and synergy between them
it's his best asset
100% man. That’s what I love about Togashi and makes me love HxH a lot. The relationship between Gon Killua Kurapika and Leorio
"Just as a cherry blossom is a flower among flowers, Kuwabara is a man among men" - Kuwabara
A mulberry is a tree and Kuwabara is a man - Kuwabara (biga dicku sword pull)
I wanted to see more of his powers. Kuwabara's was the most interesting. At epilogue he did become s class. I would love to find out how
I suspect since he still talked to kurama etc and his spirit sword kept growing in strength maybe didn't stop training even working hard for his degree 🤔
@@mrhalloween1152 of course he had a bad ass sword that can slice through anything why stop training even if it’s just a little
@@jalenrobinson5225 he had his studies he wanted to do too abit like gohan in dbz but kuwabara carried on when some may quit
Yeah, the fact that he was purely human with no Demon blood, but able to reach S-class probably makes him the strongest human we've seen in the series if you think about it.
Also, my guess as to how his powers may have grown would be that he learned to materialized his energy into other weapons besides just the sword, so maybe he learned to project things like Axes, maces, whips, and possibly even more mobile things like an Energy Bow that could shoot energy arrows/lasers/beams. Plus he's always had GREAT spirit awareness so maybe he tapped into some type of psychic abilities or something. Very interesting to ponder.
@@Saxandfifths he's definitely one of my favourite anime characters ever and since spirit awareness ran in his family plus with his training it makes his even better that he reached such heights
kuwabara and shuichi ar good boys
Indeed
And also their voice of tien and vegeta
Quite!
good cop bad cop
@@justdoit4317 voice of Yamcha and Tien as well who are good friends in their respective verse
_The Four Protagonists_
- Yusuke, A Human/Demon who would call Demon World home. (Keiko is the Main reason he returns. When she dies, he will likely return to Demon World)
- Kuwabara, A Human who calls The Human World home.
- Kurama, A Demon/Human who calls The Human World home.
- Hiei, A Demon who calls The Demon World home.
Yes, and if I may say the same thing in another way: a human, a demon, a demon who became a human, and a human who became a demon. It's such good writing.
like father like son
I was ready for you to draw the parallel between Kuwabara and Leoario both leaving to study and further his own goals. He wouldnt have lasted in ant kingdom but was very important after in a different arena: politics. Also transdimension punch is as cool as the transdimension spirit sword.
ToGODshi with the parallels~
They are also tall simps
They’re also perceived as idiots by most but they’re the heart of their respective teams
They’re also perceived as idiots by most but they’re the heart of their respective teams
I was glad that Kurama and Kuwabara got along alright, like a brotherly kind of bond.
That moment in the final tournament when Kurama thought he heared Kuwabara was so emotional.
Kuwabara and kurama also both have names that start with a K that rhyme, both have red hair, both used to be leaders of a group of degenerates and now regret their past and want to apply themselves in a positive and productive way. Both have insane endurance and sometimes suffer a lot of punishment before turning a fight around. Both are more sensitive to the emotions and wants of others.
In contrast, Hiei and Yusuke have names that rhyme, neither are really concerned too much about the past or future, living in the moment and a little more down to Earth. Both are often very blunt and rough around the edges. They tend to overwhelm with speed and power and aren't usually as creative as Kurama or as careful and observant as Kuwabara. Both don't take long to revert back to a demon life style when summoned back while Kurama is very unsure of his own identity. Both Hiei and Yusuke are also kinder than they let alone with Hiei being very protective of his sister and growing to value his companions and Yusuke not realizing just how much he cared about Genkai till she was gone for example.
My name also starts with a K
Kuwabara and Kurama’s name does not rhyme...
@@i90sknd75 true
@@i90sknd75 they do. They both end with short a sound. Just like how the words name and game rhyme.
Not both red hair, you color blind?
Dang, just when I think I've caught all the subtle details in this story, someone cleverly points out another! Fantastic video! I hadn't noticed how similar Kurama and Kuwabara's stories really were in terms of their weaknesses and ultimate victories.
And I agree completely that Kuwabara needed to be left out of the last arc. In fact, that decision was one of the things that solidified this as one of the best written shows I've seen. Usually, they're so desperate to keep all the "main" cast together for the whole story that they can't develop as individuals. I was just blown away by how they let each character learn and grow in ways that made sense for them and fulfilled what they wanted out of life.
The focus being so heavy on the characters and their journeys is why I think this is probably the best show for someone like me, because I love interesting character studies. Honestly, I actually really dislike traditional action shows and movies. I don't like a lot of fighting or blood. This show shouldn't be one of my favorites, but the characters are so compelling and the way he uses their fighting as a means of story-telling instead of just "time to punch stuff" separates it from the rest.
I really liked this overall!
Though I disagree that Kuwabara was weak, he was A class, same as much of the rest of the team and also had a power so dangerous Sensui needed to dodge it.
I feel like they nerfed him a bit and this guy isn't giving kuwabara enough credit. Apparently he was rated to be of s class strength in the manga. Which makes sense when you realize in his fight with Sensui he didn't try to stop or block his attacks because they were the only attacks at that time that could severely damage him. He chose to dodge.
Kuwabara's dimentional sword made him S class however he needed a lot more training to be a good fighter with it, his sword was similar to mukoro's ability to cut through dimensions so you can tell the difference
Kuwabara had a great weapon, but he was still fairly weak as a fighter. He didn't have the meneuverability or defensive capabilities that the other strong fighters posessed. It's like a toddler with a sword that can cut anything...sure the sword is a bit scary, but the wielder is unable to use it to its potential so it's not so bad. Even the best and strongest glass canon is still just a glass canon.
@@taylorhillard4868 Defensive capa...he took Elder Toguro's stab point blank and it couldn't pierce his skin XD
He was able to take a full power charge from Risho when he was using nearly all his spirit energy just to stay on his feet. He was taking blows from Sensui powered up who you may recall casually broke Yusuke's arm with a touch. Kuwabara may not be able to stand toe to toe with S class demons but as Hiei said they are rare. He may have a tough time using his abilities sometimes but he is far from weak.
@@ajregalia1334 I think it's mostly that he is far too inconsistent. Yes, he was able to block Elder Ts one attack....after getting stabbed by him 8-10 times....and then getting stabbed another 4 times and pinned down. 1/12 is not great odds for a defensive roll.
happy to find this video as i'm a big fan of this pair but i'm surprised there wasn't more detail about the ending episodes of the anime that really solidify kurama and kuwabara as good friends who care about eachother. it seemed like kurama kept up with kuwabara and cared about his studies. seeing them hang out together before meeting up with everyone else was a real treat.
Yes Kuwabara was the heart of the team and Kurama was the soul.
Yu Yu Hakusho really is a great dynamic of characters at each other’s throats yet come together when it matters most
the two of them were never at each other's throats, kuwabara and kurama had the closest connection in their entire friend group, they hang out outside of the group,they were always complimenting and encouraging each other, always having fun with each other. a very wholesome bond.
@@RekoReadsBooks yes but theyw ould be at each other’s throats in other ways not literally
@@c.galindo9639 i think in general their whole friend group went through alot together, they're all basically family and they all care about each other,
@@RekoReadsBooks I know which is why they are strong together but also will push each other in ways that may seem harsh but they have the best intentions in the moment for whoever they’re looking out for
This is the quality content that I subscribed for.
Initially, I had no favorite character. They are all so integral to the narrative and themes, as well as each others' arcs, that not a single one stood out from one another, and I mean this in a positive light. But what eventually gave Kurama the edge were two lines of (dub) dialogue in-particular during the Chapter Black arc, lines that stand among my favorite of any medium. They sum up both his unwavering compassion and capacity for cruelty at once, two opposing forces joined in single moments, and really just embody the character outright (and ngl they are also badass).
The first, during Genkai's test, the line just after when Kaito threatens to crush the souls of his friends (in which Kaito himself also has a great line about the intricacies of souls, aka ones moral compass, and having power over them): He proclaims:
"I'm warning you. You so much as bruise what you hold in your hand and I will show you pain. The hue of your soul will cease to matter, because you will not be judged when you die, you will no longer exist."
It gave me goosebumps at the time, and yet other lines have done similar and not stuck with me as long. What separates it, in my opinion, is like I said: it encapsulates who he is, someone who can show mercy and prefers it, but also who can punish you more severe then you could even imagine. He isn't just saying something cool; he is communicating where the line between his two selves cross, and I think it's an absolutely brilliant subtle deconstruction of him which only foreshadows what we come to know later on.
The second, and probably my favorite of the two, is at the end of his "fight" (if you can call it that) with Elder Toguro:
"The tree won't stop until its host is dead, but as you've said Toguro, your regenerative powers make you unable to die. You will suffer for eternity here, torn between your hate, and your agony, and so be it. Rogues like you deserve to be damned."
Okay, goosebumps obviously. The simple notion of eternal suffering at his hands is enough to make you uneasy. But in retrospect this line sums up not just what he thinks of Toguro, he is also loathing himself for his own past actions (of which we get in more detail later). Only unlike with Toguro's second chance, he had up till that point chosen to change who he was. He hasn't 100% forgiven himself, again there is obvious self-loathing (imo) in that line, but he understands the difference between he and Toguro. It is also just such a cathartic moment after what he was forced to do just prior with the boy, itself very telling of his character, and again communicates where the line between his merciful (human) self and vicious (demon) self lies.
TRUE. In terms of duality, VERY few characters in anime in general can compare with Kurama, if any. I'm sure if I thought about it long enough, I could think of a few to rival Kurama in that aspect, but definitely not off the top of my head. Such a well-written character, holy hell.
kuramas lines are along some of the best i’ve seen in probably anything i’ve watched, let alone anime, let alone this series ofc
Kuwabara choosing to focus on studying can also be traced back as early as episodes 3 and 4, where his gang says he took a liking to studying after he helped Okubo keep his job by getting more than 50 points in that test. I think that can be considering a foreshadowing
Kuwabara is officially my new favorite character in this show. And I don't even watch it anymore. Anyone that loves cats is best in my book.
Kuwabara and Kurama interacting is so weird because there personalities are so popular opposites, it's jarring.
The speeches and dialoue are legendary the writers went all in and that's one of the reasons this anime will always be a classic
this show never gets old.. im re-watching for 10th time.
Only tenth? Thems rookie numbers!
YuYuhakasho one of the few animes that found a way to keep the original cast important while upgrading the main character. I feel a big reason this was accomplished is the main character was buffed at a slower pace compared to other MCS while the group he's part of majority wise all starts off stronger than him, while remaining stronger for a while, and at the same time getting major upgrades themselves, it takes a genuine long time before we can say that Yusuke is outright stronger than his friends, and even than if your talking about a death match between Hiei and Yusuke it's debatable, for yusuke still doesn't know how to control his full power perfectly.
1:39 turn on captions and read that line
Kurama struggled with his identity and sense of morals...so he felt indebted to self-sacrifice
Kuwabara struggled with his sense of team value so he also felt indebted to self-sacrifice
They really are both the same and it’s funny because I always saw them as similar when looking beyond their appearances. I just think Kurama wants to achieve a sense of balance between his good and evil and Kuwabara wants to feel as if he’s worth something to someone. Leading them both eventually to realize that they have to go on their own
Just finished the anime this week. Kurama and Kurwabara are my two favorites from the show. Good video. Thank you for discussing their dynamic. Three Kings might be my favorite arc. I agree Kuwabara needed to go his own way and I'm sad to learn the manga didn't include the wonderful conclusion to Kurama's arc like the show did but I think it was the perfect end for Kurama and I'm very satisfied with it.
Glad you enjoyed it!
Kuwabara was such an incredible character.
I could rewatch this & still enjoy it just as much a the first time.
i never considered before how thematically intertwined Kurama and Kuwabara are. you're totally right, both represent the idea of future. Kurama just wants to live his normal human life as Shuichi, but his past haunts him. as he embraces Yoko more and more, he feels like, with the masks he has to wear, and as these masks begin to collide.. who IS he?
is he Yoko, the powerful thief from long ago? is he Shuichi, the human who dearly loves his mother? or, is he Kurama, the Yokai who protects humanity from Yokai who choose darkness as their path. throughout the story, these masks get swapped often, so often so, that Kurama loses who he is. through the final arc of the story, thanks to being confronted by his past that haunts him, and his befriending of his enemy from long ago.. he realizes that he's himself. he's all three of these. he doesn't have to choose, because as you go towards the future, you aren't a static being, you *change*.
these three people he has been in the past.. he realizes that he doesn't have to pretend anymore. he's himself. he's Shuichi, Yoko, Kurama.. he's his own person, and can carve out a future for himself. the part of him that is a brutal killer is part of him, so is the kind intelligent schoolboy, and so is the protector of mankind. Kurama is his own person, and as he walks towards a brighter future, he can only do his best and see what person he will grow into. he doesn't have to pretend to be something else for others anymore. he can be him, and learn who he is.
Kuwabara's arc, as i said at the beginning, is similar. from the start of the story, depends on Yusuke. Yusuke doesn't realize it at first, but in a way, Yusuke is his reason for living. someone who can always beat Kuwabara.. it gives him something to strive towards. then.. Yusuke dies. this makes Kuwabara break down, yearning for his rival back. Yusuke , when he comes back to life, befriends Kuwabara, who bond over their mutual love of fighting.
later in the story, Yusuke dies again. "No! You can't be dead! If you're dead, then who am I?!". for many story arcs, and death defying adventures, Kuwabara has just gone along with what he's been told to do. in endless battles, endless fights to the death.. Kuwabara ended up forgetting who HE is. he gained a co-dependency. this is the turning point for Kuwabara's character, where, no longer valuing his own life, decides that he wants to die. not just by his own hand, but by the hands of the man who killed Yusuke, so he can go with him. when Yusuke comes back to life again, this suicidal feeling fades, but it really gets Kuwabara thinking.. what's the point of my life, if it all revolves around Yusuke? sure, he doesn't think this directly, but he's a bit stupid, so he wouldn't realize this outside of his subconscious.
after this story arc, Kuwabara realizes he cant keep mindlessly living in the present. he has to be somebody. he needs a future. so, he works hard to get into a good High School, so that he doesn't disappoint himself, and his sister, who was aimless at his age, and, from her perspective, ruined her own life because of this. fighting.. what's the point? people only get hurt and die in the end. Kuwabara realizes that it wasn't the fighting he loved, not entirely. He loves his friends. but, if you have no future, and you live only for your friends.. what's the point of your own life, really, in the end? Kuwabara is then resolved to make something of himself.
soon after, Yusuke tells Kuwabara that he's leaving. to the Demon Realm. not to enact some kind of justice, no. just to fight for the sake of it. Yusuke and Kuwabara's lives have completely diverged at this point. Yusuke, who lives only for fighting's sake. Kuwabara, who's decided he needs a real life, and a real future. Kuwabara realizes the truth. Hiei, Kurama, Yusuke, who are all troubled in this moment, think that all they need in life is to fight, it doesn't matter what side they're on, they just need to tear people apart. you wouldn't think so, but Hiei and Kuwabara are going through similar things right now. Hiei has completed every goal he had for his life, so now, he just wants to die. Kuwabara has decided that a vengeful suicide isn't the answer, but now Hiei is struggling with that very task. Hiei just wants to die an honorable death, as Yusuke's resurrection doesn't give him closure to the rest of his life.
luckily for Kurama, as mentioned above, he resolves this conflict within himself, as does Hiei, somewhat, who, with his girlfriend Mukuro, has gained a new reason to live. for the sake of his friends. Kurama, Yusuke, Mukuro.. if you're surrounded by people that you like.. maybe living, isn't so bad? Kurama and Kuwabara, in the end, come to the same conclusion. "I need a future. i can't keep dwelling on the present/past.". a beautiful intertwined double character arc.
why did i think this was going to be a kuwabara x kurama pairing
Kuwabara the red head who has a realistic hair color vs Kurama who has anime red hair color.
Perfection.
Yusuke was born into humanity...Demonhood came after...
much like raizen kuwabara and kurama displayed the power of love and compassion that is unrivaled and unmatched
but their compassion isn't limited to their friends and family
5:57 WOOOAH. It might've been after the anime finished up, but Kuwabara's legit the strongest human in the series. Let's not start labeling his power weak now lol
He is weak. But look at what he's standing next to. Look at the people who he calls his peers, and who consider him their peer. He may be the weakest link, he's the weakest link of a chain of immense strength, and that weak link can hold a lot of fucking weight by itself.
@@TheKyrix82 I don't agree with your perspective but I can respect it
@@pkphantom Any of his 3 peers are more powerful than him. The 3 kings could crush him like a bug, as could several of the monks. We won't even discuss what Enki's crew would do. The series had entered a whole new threshold of power, and the demon boys were still only about the middle of that scale by the end. So yes, by the new scale, he was weak. But he could still win the Dark Tournament single-handedly now
It's a pretty big understament of his powers. His body knew it was going to need a weapon plus his regular sword is extremely flexible, like a Swiss army knife. It was a big flaw day to almost not train him at all. I even hate the path he took to get there. plus I notice a lot of people love to say shit baout kuwabara that they would not say about the other three.
@@stevemclovin1566 You forget he trained with Hiei and Kurama. Remember, he's not a 'training' guy. He's a self taught street thug. Even Yusuke didn't 'want' to be trained
I got the kids into this series.
The times Kuwabara and Kurama pranks Yuske, were like
😆 🤣 😂 😹!!!
Good thoughts. I take exception, though, to one thing. You describe Kuwabara's power level as "paltry", but he was clearly stronger than Kurama and Hiei during the fight with Sensui. Look at the beginning of the fight, when Sensui's aura blows the demons off their feet, but Kuwabara is not only left standing, he's actually able to charge forward. And of course, he could get stronger through training.
I do agree that him quitting was the best thing for him. He wasn't needed for the final arc to end the way it did, which was probably the best possible ending, and he wouldn't have gained anything from it.
In a sense, he didn't really need much in the way of character development. He wasn't a selfish jerkass like Yusuke or Hiei, and he didn't suffer from an identity crisis like Kurama. He always understood the value of love and friendship; no lesson to be learned there. He was always clear on what kind of person he was. If anything, the area where he most needed to grow was his intellect, and he's doing that by buckling down in school and getting a good education.
Compared to the 3 Kings, godlike beings that could defeat even his most powerful friends, he IS paltry. But that 'paltry' power is A level, a power so high that spirit world prioritized locking beings of that strength and higher out of living world. They would rather ten thousand Younger Toguros get through than ONE being as strong as Kuwabara. Is he weak? Yes. But compared to WHAT?
@@TheKyrix82 -- My point was that if Kuwabara had chosen to train, he could have kept up with Kurama and Hiei or even stayed ahead of them. He still would have been weak compared to the kings and Raizen's old friends, but strong enough to be a major player.
Although, if you think about it, Kurama and Hiei didn't really affect the tournament much. Kurama's big contribution was telling Yomi he and his men were jumping ship to compete, and even then, what really made Yomi go along with it was Makuro saying she accepted Yusuke's proposal.
@@ssblue8832 Kurama and Hiei affected the tournament a great deal actually. It was Kurama and the Dark Tournament boys breaking rank and jumping in on Yusuke's side that convinced Yomi to go along with the tournament in the first place, otherwise he might have killed Yusuke there (and we've seen that he did indeed have the power to do that), and as for Hiei, his fight with Mukuro broke her chains and dissipated all the hate she'd carried with her for millennia, which had the side effect of all but snuffing out her fighting spirit, otherwise she might have beaten Natsume and went on to crush Enki...which wouldn't have been a horrible thing for human world, as it was implied that Yomi was the one who wanted to just eat humans constantly, whereas Mukuro had taken a route similar to Raizen, not starving herself, but only eating when she absolutely had to.
@@TheKyrix82 -- I mentioned Kurama's defection, but it wasn't until Mukuro said she accepted Yusuke's terms that Yomi thought, "Damn you, Mukuro," and accepted as well. That was the tipping point.
I did forget about the chains thing. And Mukuro winning might not have been so horrible, but I doubt she would have outlawed demons making trouble in Human World.
@@ssblue8832 Enki was the best case scenario
Great analysis...I just re watched all of yu yu and glad to see someone else caught how great of a character kuwabara is! Appreciate the content bro ! 👌
Kuwabara is a real bro
Yu yu hakusho is one of the greatest anime ever
I miss these characters all a sudden
your channel is such a precious find!!!! love this vid
This is so well done! Yu yu hakusho was one of my first anime, but even after almost 10 years it remains my favourite.
A true swordsman never loses twice.
Me: *cough cough* Zoro
You made some good points, specifically the one about the group dynamic balancing each other quite well and each acting as a foil to one another. I disagree; however, that Kuwabara wouldn’t have survived in demon world. He had an A class power level at the conclusion of the Sensui arc, in addition to his unique abilities, so long as he did not attempt to act recklessly and instigate fights with superior demons he’d have been fine. Also, it’s not as if Yusuke would’ve allowed him to perish. I may be mistaken but I believe at the end of the manga he’s pictured with the gang again back in demon world for the next tournament.
kurama will always stay my favorite character
I agree that Kuwabara had noting to gain by going to demon world, but I feel they gave him this awesome upgrade and don't show more of it.
He got a more awesome upgrade. He finally beat Yusuke. HE got into a damn good high school, and he's doing well there.
The day Kuwabara put down his fists and set straight his life was amazing for me. I mentally stood up and clapped for this decision. The guy fought so much for so long and for the stuff he believed was right, not only he had no reason to fight any more demons, he learned that fighting as fun as it may look like, hurting others was not. He chose a peaceful normal life and let the real fighters keep fighting. You gotta respect him for that.
Def a good development. It was clear as only a human he was having trouble keeping up the farther things went. I do think it would've been cool if they'd shown him keeping up his training at the same time though.
@@J-Hue his biggest problem is he was never trained properly. If he studied under Genkai during the three kings to refine his potential, he would have been truly great.
kuwabara is earnest in the moment selfless... kurama has regret about his past life that kuwabara does not know about so when kuwabara for instance says hes very caring its irony for the audience cause we know he has regrets and we find out his past so kurama kinda wants to make amends and live up to that pedestal kuwabara places him on....
Hiei is 1 of my favorite characters. So is the show itself.
I also want to point out that these two also loves to prank Yusuke.
Right? Kurama always acts like Kuwabara dragged him into it [for instance when they let Yusuke believe Keiko is dead Kurama turns to Kuwabara while stifling his laughter and claims that he made him do it] but Kurama would never let someone drag him into something he didn't want to do. He was 100 percent complicit and there are times when it was likely all his idea
@@anonymouspumpkin8296 Totally! Well he's a fox and they're known to be tricksters. Kurama can definitely troll lmao. He also likes to tease Hiei a lot.
Wow this was an interesting detail I never really looked at. Thank you for this :)
Glad you liked it!
Despite him not being the strongest he was always the manliest and always had the girls...that’s all that matters!
Kuwabara was op if you think about it. He’s 100% human and he was able to hang in the dark tournament.
That's why I love his character and the writing. He wasn't just a big oaf or comedic relief. Most humans wouldn't have been able to physically and mentally survive the dark tournament and he did it with loyalty, strength and determination.
- "Kuwabara; is he truly the Apex of masculinity that viewers make him out to be?"
- *"YES."*
Definitely agree with you about that being a proper ending for him
Lol very well put bro! Yu Yu Hakusho is legendary!
In my opinion you are wrong about one thing. Kurama during his life as a bandit he did care about his teammates. That was why he taught Yomi that harsh lesson. If you remember he tells Yomi that he should watch it that his foul character will be the death of him and then when he sets up that trap that guy says "Life is more important then the reward. So, if he didn't care then he wouldn't have gone to such lengths. Sure he was a bandit and killed and stolle. However, It was Yomi that got him into the predicaments. Kurama wanted to avoid conflict and get in and out with as little causalities as possible.
Remember that part of the reason he sought to teach Yomi that lesson is that Yomi's reckless stunts were getting his subordinates killed. Yoko may not have a HUGE value on the lives of others, but he hates being wasteful.
Two gingers when good hearts while you got two guys with black hair that are rough on all the edges but the middle
Thumbnail so wholesome and cute
i wish kuwabaras theme was used more lol it fits his personality so well
Kuwabara and Kurama
That a good ship.
Kuwabara always had the most potential in regards to his powers. I really wish he would train with Genkai he would be a beast
Honestly, it's kind of amazing he's as powerful as he is, when you consider that his primary strength is awareness
I think Genkai missed a bet by not taking him on as a second apprentice. Obviously, only Yusuke would get the Spirit Wave Orb, but the boys were so competitive with each other, Kuwabara would have worked his ass off to catch up to Yusuke, and if Yusuke noticed Kuwabara nipping at his heels, he might have worked harder.
@@ssblue8832 Yes, but honestly, she had all she could handle with Yusuke as it was. And Shizuru would NOT have let her brother disappear for months at a time to train with Genkai like Atsuko did for Yusuke. Hell, he probably told her it was a summer camp or something.
Nice video.
I'm with you on the Kuwabara Three Kings arc.
My one gripe with this video is when you said Kuwabara wouldnt last a day in the Demon World. I dont agree especially when he has the strongest ability out of the group, The Dimension Sword. I think that more than makes up for his lack of power. Its literally a sword that ignores durability and cuts through anything. So I think he would do well in Demon World. Other than that it was a great video!
I don't think kurama left behind Yoko, he even tells Hiei that when the former asks him if he has forfeited himself as Yoko Kurama. He says no, he never truly leaves anything behind.
What I understood is that he made peace with who he was as both human and demon thus integrating his personalities.
Kuwabara was almost as strong as Link. He could have joined Kurama trained soldiers and survived in the makai.
i agree and this is my favorite anime
He is at least an a level by the end of the black arc
He became S Class in epilogue.
I love these characters so much
dragon of the darkness flame took a toll on Hiei in the tournament
kurama and kuwabara have good role models in their life so they both seem to be good boys because of the main female in thei life I guess is the point ...yusuke and hiei well the less said the better about their moms...so thats kinda what togashi I think was sorta saying about why they get along so well
Hiei might not have been the trainwreck he was if his mother had been allowed to be exiled with him like she wanted.
True. But at least Yusuke’s mother deep down cares about him. Hiei’s people are cold AF. Literally.
I’ve watched Yuyu Hakusho and definitely am one of those people that hold Kuwabara as what a man should strive to be but I never thought of how his goals are all externally influenced throughout the series as he is reactionary rather than the type to ever be proactive unless pushed to do so.
3:20 Kurama is very confusing to me, but isn't he just Minamino Shuichi but with Yoko Kurama's memories
My favourite charecter is kurama
0:40 for a second there I was like "Did he say 'booty' or 'Duty'?"
They are my favorites!
Who would crowdfund another YuYu Hakusho game?
(1 on 1 Fighting for the Bosses, action-horror for the exploring/mystery)
I would love a Yu Yu Hakusho game in the spirit of Budokai Tenkaichi. Just everybody from the series from Gouki all the way to Raizen and everyone in between
Kuwabara’s pompadour reminds me of shrimp nigiri 🍣
No, Kuwabara could've gone to Demon World to finally find Yukina's long-lost brother, thus finally having a true confrontation between Kuwabara and Hiei.
Oooooh good shit 😍
Yup, and have Hiei finally acknowledge him.
@@marcrenaud8392 Hiei HAS acknowledged him. And in typical Hiei fashion, he's done so very subtly. Notice that at absolutely no point has he expressed any opposition to Kuwabara's affections for Yukina. He calls him names, he verbally bullies him, he treats him like a fool...but he recognizes that he's a good man and knows his sister would be hard pressed to find someone better for her or more devoted to her. He knows Kuwabara would die for Yukina, and short of Hiei himself, he knows she couldn't ask for a better protector.
So... they're Leorio and Kurapika?
nah I dont think so
cuz like leorio and kurapika seem to be more "intimate" than the other two (I may be wrong cuz I only watched 23 episodes of hxh tho)
@@scanneottdiorr8643 they kinda get discarded for like 60 episodes tho so as much as I love them you won't see them much later on.
Question is does kuwabara ever get with yukina?
I agree with your analysis of kuwabara's character but you didnt have recall his power level paltry like he was A-class level
S rank in the manga
S rank in the epilogue and S rank at the end of the manga
Keep in mind, once you got to B class, growth was exponential, not incremental. Despite everyone else being C rank, Younger Toguro could have won the Dark Tournament by himself, fighting EVERYONE. At the same time. Consequently, replace every one of those fighters with Younger Toguro, and an A rank could do the same thing. Ditto with the S rank. That's why Kurama made such a big deal about bringing six A rank warriors into Yomi's army. The six of them, by themselves, were basically a match for 80% of Mukuro's army.
Kuwabara should have trained under Bui and learn to use the Spirit ARMOR. I bet that would have brought him to S-Rank.
That would be cool but he got to S class by himself anyways
Why? Bui himself was lower B-Rank, and the armor was little more than weighted clothing. That's like saying "Yamcha should train with King Chappa, then he'd be on par with a Super Saiyan 3"
@@TheKyrix82 Dumbass. Kuwabara got a Dimension cutting sword. If he got Armor of a similar quality he would definitely be stronger. Bui isn't a weakling. He is by the S-Class standards but Kuwabara is only A-Rank and could still get stronger from learning something like that. Sit down.
@@TheKyrix82 You can learn and get stronger training with someone weaker than you. Also I highly doubt Kuwabara would defeat Bui. He's A-Rank but that always felt just that the creator as throwing him a bone.
@@BlackWingedSeraphX The thing is, Bui's armor wasn't 'armor' in that sense. And you're forgetting that the class rankings make things seem a lot closer than they are. Going from B to A to S isn't like going from 1 to 2 to 3, it's like going from ounces, to pounds, to tons. The gap between an S rank fighter and an A rank fighter is bigger than the gap between an A rank fighter and a D rank fighter. And keep in mind, a B class like Toguro was powerful enough to solo hundreds, if not thousands, of C ranks. To use another anime as an example, If Goku and Vegeta in the Saiyan Saga of Dragonball Z were B rank, and Goku and Frieza from the Frieza Saga were A rank, then Super Saiyan 3 Goku from the Buu Saga would be S rank.
And now we are getting a live action
oh no o.o
How did that one guy come back to life after Hiei cut his head off?
Mukuro saves both Hiei and Shigure by putting them in DBZ regeneration tanks
@@WeebRevolution oh ok. I never knew that. That explains it. Thanks. 👌
Super glue
Yeah, the part that is glossed over is Hiei also 'died' in that fight.
great video
Togashi truly is the king of shonen.
Facts
More like the king of anime altogether
Wouldn't go that far.
@@anthonybell5666 fax
@@UnifiedEntity no ToGODshi is king.
KURAMA IS MEH BOY.
How is there a Yuki fan club but no kurama fan club? (Not hate towards Yuki btw he's cool too)
Please comment if you would like to join the kurama fan club
let me join
@@tsokkou4932 ok!
Title is misleading. I thought it was going to be about Kurama and Kuwabara friendship from the thumbnail. But good video tho
Kuwabara is literally s class by the end he could have at least competed in the makai tournament and beat the likes of shishi or rinku who got power boosted but didn’t because he doesn’t live solely for violence and would rather act as a protector of the living than a conqueror of the strongest beings in existence, a dynamic which is similar to how yusuke abandoned his pointless emotionally detached tough guy persona except that yusuke had the responsibilities of makai thrust upon him by raizen dying and yomi not being content with a stalemate
Yusuke born into demonhood ? I don't get that.i thought he was human but had the demon gene dormant in his body.
I felt Kuwabara's arc was fitting. It felt right for him
I will always call them the Fab Four for anime
Great video! After this I checked out a lot of your other videos and they have great stuff too defiently subsrcibing. I’m a bit upset over the choice of top ten waifus but hey no ones perfect🤪.
Thank you, appreciate the sub!
I think you did a really good job on the video and attempting to view the characters of YYH in a lense ive never thought about ~
However I'm a little confused on what you mean at 1:39, because you kinda being up Ging and drop the subject without going further. Did I miss something?
Cherryboywriter wrote like a eight thousand word piece on Beyond Netero, but I haven't read the hxh manga to read this post. I believe the detailed answer could be buried in here. uzerfriendly.com/beyond-netero-the-hunt-for-humanity/
@@cherryboywriter6299 LOL
I appreciate you using the dub
Sabat himself said that when he saw Kuwabara for the first, he thought he looked so stupid that he came up with the dumbest voice he could think of to make fun of him. The directors loved his performance and that's how he got casted.
Yes, ToGODshi :)))
Please do a Yomi video :)
I'm sorry, but this guy is a hack. Not only does he call the decision of keeping Kuwabara out of the three kings arc being a good thing "controversial", (even though, by the way, it's literally STATED IN THE SHOW that not only had Kuwabara gotten better at studying, gotten much better grades, and would be going to a nice college/university. Sooo, pretty sure that decision wasn't controversial).
Oh, and then he follows that up with one of the dumbest lines I've ever heard: Kuwabara wouldn't last even a few minutes in demon world with his "paltry" power level. Like, what? Kuwabara is usually viewed as the "weakest link" of the team, except he's probably one of the strongest. Yes, he's outspeeded by Hiei, and outsmarted by Kurama, but he's shown levels of endurance and determination equal to that of Yusuke, many times. Not only that, but Kuwabara has nice variety of attacks (spirit sword, double spirit sword, spirit flyswatter lmao, spirit daggers, spirit lasso, spirit polevault, spirit spear, spirit snake? (He used it against the yoyo kid)). But wait, it gets better. He may not be as fast as Hiei, but he defeated the elder toguro brother while enduring major damage, keeping up with the speed of the second strongest demon in the tournament (elder toguro brother) AND destroying the dude SEVERAL TIMES, all of this before even the sensui arc. While Sensui styled on all 3 of them, Kuwabara was there keeping up with dark dragon absorbed Hiei and Yoko-Kurama, and Kuwabaras attacks were the only ones sensui dodged. Why?
Because Kuwabara can literally slice through goddamn dimensions. HE CAN LITERALLY CUT ANYTHING IN HALF. The ONLY demon who's able to also do this is ONE OF THE THREE KINGS. Centuries of the kekai barrier being in place, every demon from D rank to S rank wants out and about in the living world. Who's the absolute savage that finally destroys the kekai barrier? FUCKING KUWABARA SON. "Paltry power level"? "Wouldn't last a few minutes in demon world? Give this man with a hairstyle from the gods some RESPECT.
I definitely agree with this
Kuwabara's power level is for sure debatable, but his actual combative abilities on average are pretty shit ngl.
He is the weakest link of the chain, but that doesn't mean much when you look at how powerful the chain is. And consider that he holds his own with three extremely powerful demons. And this isn't Dragonball, where the protagonist does all the heavy lifting. Kuwabara pulls his own weight. He contributes. He is THE reason they beat Team Masho and advanced in the Dark Tournament instead of being disqualified and executed. His 'death' was the thing that allowed Yusuke to finally go all out. He's the one who beat Byakko nearly to death, when the tiger might have killed one of the others in a fight. If any of the others had fought Sea Man, they would have died, since none of them had a way to escape a territory. The list goes on. So yeah, he is, by far, the weakest link of the four, but that chain is seriously heavy duty, and that weak link can hold a lot of fucking weight by itself.