Three Kings is underrated. It's not about the fights. It's not about length. It's about what was important to Yusuke, Yomi, Kuwabara, Kurama, Hiei and Mukuro. Raizen could've lived and easily ruled the Demon World but his promise not to consume human flesh anymore was more important to him than ruling the Demon World. That's what the arc really stresses to me. What is more important to you? Yomi thought ruling Demon World and going to war with Spirit and Human Worlds was what he wanted. Ultimately he found that being a father was more important to him. #ThankYouTogashi
You putted it in great words my friend. This arc is about self discovery and growth. And it’s amazing that this is one of the only arcs other than Genkai’s tournament not a single soul dies.
Giving kuwabara sacred energy would have bridged the gap between him and the other members. From what we saw sacred energy gives you “conjuration” abilities. Summoning a real sword and armor would have looked sick. Given his control over his spirit sword. He could have replicated abilities of the elder Toguro with his spear fingers. His growth as a fighter being in his battle IQ.
Ooh, they could have had him using his spirit sword as a sort of portal generator and worked for the Spirit World. He could have been working behind the scenes as a spy trying to keep the gang in line. Granted Kuwabara's character doesn't really seem like they'd make a great spy, but it could work as an arc.
I don't know if you're aware, but it was stated in follow-up material that Kuwabara had also become S-class level and went on to finish his studies in school. This, alone, makes him the strongest full-blooded human, and arguably strongest human of all time since it was said Sensui was the strongest Spirit Detective ever at that time, and only broke through into low S-class levels once he activated Sacred Energy. Yusuke doesn't really count because he'd gotten to A-class as a human, and then he broke the S-class barrier after he awakened his Mazoku lineage. Not to say he wouldn't have become S-class as a human eventually, but he did it as a hybrid in this case so can't give him that. Kuwabara's Spiritual awareness (which is what allowed him to create the Spirit Sword and Dimension Sword) is exactly what allowed him to become not only S-Class, but upper S-class like Yusuke, Yoko Kurama, Hiei. His spirit awareness sensed the looming threat of the Demon Realm Gate, and it began preparing his body for it, so Kuwabara was constantly growing stronger over time, more so during Yusuke's time away.
@@Saxandfifths I have since read the manga and after the end of the anime Kuwabara is shown using the dimensional sword to make portals and manipulate space. He actually has even crazier growth potential than I thought of at the time
I feel like, if Togashi were willing, if he went back to redo the Three Kinds arc as a pleasure project, it would be amazing. Poor man was so tired and sick that he just needed to put the nail in the coffin of YYH to save himself.
Exactly…the tournament had absolutely no place in this arc…when Yusuke proposed that idea, the arc just got extremely light hearted and that was the downfall. Well actually another part of the downfall was when they just oded on the time skip
I think Yusuke’s monologue during his fight with Yomi was actually pretty powerful in the sense that it was a direct reflection of Togashi’s mental state during this time. Perhaps he too began to feel numb to his purpose. I agree the pacing feels rushed and more time needed to be spent to explore this theme, but given what we know now about the author’s struggles, this felt like a genuine existential pang being communicated to the audience, intentionally or otherwise.
The sad part is, this arc could have been the best in the story. YYH is a classic example of a declining interest from the artist due to stress, pressure from the publishers and overwork which is a massive shame. It's a good thing Togashi's success with YYH gave rise to HxH which thankfully made him a big enough name to call the shots which almost all other Mangaka never get to do. The popularity of HxH still amazes me considering it started around the same time as One Piece and has basically a third of the chapters, and the fact that Jump still support him and try to keep HxH relevant.
YuYu Hakusho was one of my first experiences with anime and instantly became one of my favorites. The amazingly catchy theme song, the action, and how passionate each story was. Each of the main characters had their own narrative that just hooked me. It got me into a world and culture that I never would've experienced without watching. #ThankYouTogashi
Yuyuhasko is top 5 best anime all time an people know this an won’t tell the truth that shit well thought out delivered near perfect they made that big dude look impossible to beat that was impressive they way they did it
DBZ was my first experience with anime and there are a few moments that stick with me to this day like Goku vs. Vegeta, Goku going SSJ for the first time against Frieza, Gohan unlocking SSJ2 after Cell kills 16, etc. But nothing has ever stuck with me or affected me like the Dark Tournament. There’s this hard tone shift from “plucky unlikely heroes having cool adventures” to “shit just got real, this man will kill you and everyone you know & love unless you stop him, and right now you can’t even touch him”. Togashi somehow made a single tournament into an entire arc without it ever getting boring or repetitive. The part with Yusuke in the cave almost killing himself trying to absorb Genkai’s spirit orb was somehow both gut-wrenching and inspirational. And Toguro was the perfect villain because he wasn’t just intimidating and brutal but he knew how to hit Yusuke where it really hurt. The part after he kills Genkai when Yusuke can’t bring himself to tell anyone she’s dead really got me. And I haven’t even mentioned the character growth shown by Kuwabara, Hiei, and Kurama during the tournament. Kuwabara taking on the earth ninja when he can barely stand, knowing he’s going to die, and going in there anyway because no one else could was a massive chad move. There’s so much to say about this arc but there’s a reason it’s considered a masterpiece.
Sorry about the wait! I hope you're all doing well! I'm done with YYH for a while after this lol. The video has already been copyright claimed, but instead of delaying the video to edit around those claims, I decided to just go ahead as scheduled. Patreon: www.patreon.com/somewherepastnever SPN Discord server: discord.gg/8t3mu6ZD5j
What got claimed. When I get paid I'll donate to your Patreon. Love your content and didn't think you'd make this since you said you didn't like this arc. Personally I like the Arc and have a few defenses of it. But I understand the history of it regarding Togashi health and how repetitive it is. I think if the Arc had been an actual war Arc instead of tournament it would have been stronger overall.
I might chat on your Discord but my 2 major defenses if the Arc are actually character related not necessarily overall plot. Without the 3 Kings Arc you don't receive closure to Kurama back story of being a thief king, Hiei back story of being Kuinas brother and the resolutions to both characters. Yusuke's feels contrived because if not for the whole "half demon Mazaku" thing then this arc has no narrative focus. The 2nd reason is that ending it with Chapter Black leaves some narrative loose ends. Like all this time Yusuke has been a spirit detective to essentially maintain balance with human/demon kind, yet save for Saint Beasts arc we never see Demon world again or for that matter know how Shunsei and Togoro meddling effected Demon world. The 3 Kings saga isn't perfect at all. But it gives some resolution to the overall theme if the show and plot points set in motion since the beginning. The epilogue (King Enma is evil and the investigation with Yusuke and Kurama) could be cut out entirely *that's why the anime did it originally.
#thankyoutogashi After having re-watched the show recently with my partner, my favorite character went from Hiei to Kuwabara. He's _such_ a good person, and became more of the man he wanted to be. Also his breakdown, at the beginning of the arc. Less than a year, his friend dies not once, but *twice*, he learns the afterlife and demons are real, built brotherhood and changed lives. And his battle bros, the people he trusts more than anyone... they're leaving him behind. I'm tearing up just typing this.
His journey is amazing he loves cats and he cares about his friends. When i first seen him help his homies by not fighting i knew he was a real one. I love that he turns into a more peaceful person after everything too
Yu Yu Hakusho will forever hold a special place in my heart. It was my gateway anime, and has, to me, the best first episode of any show #thankyoutogashi
I appreciate that Togashi was honest about y he ended the series. I didn't feel that way when I was younger but I can understand now. It's my favorite anime and has been since I was a kid even if the ending was rushed it doesn't take away from all the amazing episodes and moments preceding it. I'll always be grateful that he created it in the first place. #ThankYouTogashi
The Raizen friends scene would have been more impactful I think if Yusuke was moved seeing the parallel with his own wake at the very beginning of the story
Before even watching this I want to say thank you for making this video because that's something I had an issue with and I never really thought about it consciously until reading the title of this, there was so much more they could have done and I was kind of surprised to see it cut short
Three Rulers arc,had a great ending, though the pacing at times,was slow,but I could relate Yusuke,Hiei trying to find there place in this world,still has one of the best endings of any anime I have seen.
I thought Yu Yu Hakusho was an amazing action anime growing up as a kid, an absolute favorite of mine. It was only in my teens and adult years that I had begun to recognize its brilliance. Many lessons such as "not half assing things and dedicating yourself wholly to something" was something that really struck out to me as a teen and as an adult I finally understand why: this is the start of breaking away from child and towards adulthood. Hell, Genkai minimalizing Yusuke's aptitude for fighting was a way to shatter Yusuke feeling of being special, the thing that entitled his ego. Him throwing a tantrum afterwards was just perfect on top of it, to show that he's still a child mentally.
Important to remember in the manga is arc was a mere 22 chapters. Just too short to cover the ambitious setup, given togashis health issues / desires. Glad we got what we got, but man its a messs
This Arc hits different in the Manga. But I understand that the Anime made changes after all the Manga was pretty dark for a Shonen democratic e.g. Mukuros backstory (Manga Chapter 172) still gives me chills to this day.
Agreed. I liked his review but YYH manga is different. The beginning and ending are different than in the anime. The fact that it basically touched on how discrimination can be institutionalized and how perceived roles effect behavior. Its in the anime as well but its clearer in the way he ends the manga.
I would kill for one more arc or a continuation with a older kuwabara in one more Great case that's getting into these great fights with his potential fully realized and turning himself into a legend.
@@stevemclovin1566 that not what he wanted though...he wanted to go to a good college and get a good job, he just fights cause he enjoys it. It's a hobby, not his career or life. Kuwabara got everything he wanted by the end, and it's wholesome as shit.
@@casteanpreswyn7528 he's wasting his life. I really can't call His resolution wholesome or even good. He was shelfed with nothing reason to make it look better. He was forced into it by his sister. he's still chasing after yukina after years with no real progress or at least learning to move on. let's not even get started on the horrible way he got there, or the ways he was continuously undermined and used. Kuwabara deserved a lot better.
@@stevemclovin1566 he isn't wasting his life. He literally achieves his dream. Sure, he doesn't get the girl, but he was a 16 year old with a crush, not someone with a deep relationship. He got everything he wanted and still has the ability to fight if he feels like it, what isn't to celebrate? Honestly, the saddest person in his family is his sister who, after meeting the one person who will probably understand and love her, had to watch him die. You severely misunderstood Kuwabara if that's your take.
@@casteanpreswyn7528 boy that's kind of presumptuous just because I see for what it actually is, shelving. My interpretation of him is just as sound as yours. For one thing, I personally can't stand his sister. Her relationship with the guy you are talking about wasn't even in the original Manga, it's one of the rather bad addition the anime added. Second, togashi went through the trouble of confirming two random people getting married in the final chapters of his manga. Nothing would have been lost if the yukina subplot/gag was dropped the moment the dark tournament started. It's literally another joke at his expense. He was pigeonholed into mediocrity, going to school off screen with no transition period instead of properly refining his abilities under Genkai. Kuwabara can be so much more than that and that's where yyh fails at.
#THANKYOUTOGASHI for growing in me an acceptance of conflict, and that sometimes taking one head on is necessary to grow. That's an important theme in both his series, and I wouldn't be as successful today without learning that from the spirit detective arc first.
I believe Hiei was summoned because he was a finalist in the tournament. It probably caught Mukuro's eye. He was also the mastermind who broke into the spirit world vault, so there is that. He has a list of feats under his belt.
Did you read the manga? IMO the manga version post Chapter Black arc handled everything infinitely better, the dialogue, power creep, and structure. The timeline of 1 year, the downplayed fights, the returning characters powered up then turned cannon fodder, are all much more palatable in the manga. There’s also the official final wrap up arc, with the evolution of human and demon worlds, the futures of all the characters, the religious cult, and the return of Urameshi, I loved all of it in the manga, it’s a shame anime didn’t get any of that.
Thanks for deciding to do this analysis on the three kings arc, which I felt was an underrated arc that's not as bad as some people think that it is. I am honestly glad that the author of Yu Yu Hakusho did complete this great story, despite his health issues and Shonen Jump's strict scheduling conflict. I honestly like the three kings arc, even though I agree that the Chapter Black and Dark Tournament arcs were better. The three kings arc definitely developed the main characters of Yusuke, Kurama, Hiei, and even Kuwabara. Yusuke goes to demon world to further figure out the type of person he wants to be, Kurama has to deal the consequences of his past actions while dealing with an identity crisis between his human identity and his original demon self Yoko Kurama, Hiei is dealing with a sense of not having a purpose and not even having a desire to keep on living , and Kuwabara stays in human world to live a normal life showing that he wants a life beyond just fighting. I honestly like the three rulers of Raizen, Mukuro, and Yomi, and I wish we got to learn more about them. We do learn a bit about Raizen, his old sparring buddies, and the woman who would ultimately lead to Raizen's death through malnutrition. We learn a bit about Mukuro's dark past, and how it is slightly similar she is to Hiei. We learn the most about Yomi, his past with Yoko Kurama, his ambition to control all 3 worlds, and how Kurama is most responsible for Yomi being a threat by trying and failing to have Yomi killed. It was nice to see that by the end of the series, Yusuke, Hiei, and Kurama don't surpass Raizen, Mukuro, and Yomi respectively. In fact, no one surpassed Raizen at his peak. Even at his weakest, Raizen was still upper S class demon on par with Yomi and Mukuro individually. It just makes you wonder how much more powerful Raizen would have been if he had sustained his power. It's even implied that Raizen was originally the 1st or true king of demon world, with Mukuro and Yomi becoming rulers afterwards. It just feels fitting for Raizen's death to lead to great change in demon world, spirit world, and human world. Raizen will always be my favorite of the three rulers not only because he's strong, but because he may actually have best interests of the 3 worlds. As much as I would have loved a full scale demon war, I am actually glad that Yusuke went for a more peaceful way to settle the dispute in demon world via tournament. It's more sportsmen like, and it's something Yusuke is more used to. The demon world tournament is not as good as the dark tournament, but it still had great character moments for Yusuke, Kurama, Hiei, Mukuro, and Yomi. Yusuke and Yomi was good, and it ended in a satisfying way for Yusuke to lose by circumstance yet Yomi still loses because of the injuries sustained from Yusuke. I ultimately liked this arc, and loved Yu Yu Hakusho as a whole.
@@ForrestFox626 I respectfully disagree with the assessment that the 3 kings arc was a weak way to end the story. Technically, the adventures of these characters in this series doesn't really end, so much as we don't see what happens next. In the anime in particular, there's an ova that shows team Urameshi taking part in the next demon world tournament, but we have no idea what happens next.
@@StareachValcin You can tell me all that, but I don't really care about the new characters outside their relationship with the three protagonists. And at the end of the day I just think this story was rushed.
@@ForrestFox626 I am not going to pretend that it wasn't rushed at certain points, but the character development of the main characters was sound, the new characters connected with the main characters were all right, and the story did end strong.
@@ForrestFox626 I also felt bad for what the author went through to end this story somewhat on his own terms, but he created a satisfactory manga which became a satisfying anime.
It’s hard to put into words what this show means to me but the 2 characters I empathize with the most are Kuwabara and Genkai Kuwabara’s arc made me wanna be like him in the sense that he was always down with his friends and would do whatever he felt was right in the moment, even if it meant getting ridiculed and/or beaten into the ground, because he would always get back up, his ability to put aside his fears and his emotional intelligence are 2 things that I’ve aspired to emulate ever since I watched the show Genkai to me represents the pitfalls and downturns of life, she lost her best friend and lover to the pursuit of power and fear of death, something she understood as inherent to the human experience, and if I were her after the dark tournament I’d have retreated into my own sanctum too but as she mentored Yusuke and became a surrogate grandparent we got to see her caring side and that even though she’d seen and been through so much, even in her old age she was able to pass on her wisdom and create a legacy that would last longer than Toguro’s journey of immortality, prevailing in the sense that she would become eternal in the memories and teachings she’d leave behind Yusuke’s journey of figuring out who he was, Kurama’s journey of deciding which half of himself he wanted to stand by and Hiei’s journey of finding a place for himself all resonated with me but I just loved Kuwabara and Genkai’s arcs so much they became apart of me I owe a lot of who I became to Yu Yu Hakusho, and hopefully I can keep on bettering myself each and every day
The final arc of yu yu hakusho definitely hurt. The characters I watched struggle and rooted for so relentlessly, just kind of felt completely secondary to the series resolution . That said Yu Yu Hakusho is still my favorite anime, I loved Genkai’s tough love, Yuske and Kuwabara’s friendship and so many other aspects . So thank you Togashi and be well!
Found your Yu Yu Hakusho series while working on stuff and it was just what I needed! Your narration and flow is soothing to listen to, your exploration of the material is through and your quips are always on point. Keep it up!
This arc is what makes the series great. The "how do we get to a point where we can all co exist" without it being super cliché. A perfect ending to a series that was very well rounded
You don't coexist with evil. They just changed the premise of the previous arcs where demons are generally evil, but also pursue their own goals, to demons not being really evil at all.
@@bobjohnson1633 but in the real world what's evil? Lime honestly ask yourself whose truly evil and whose truly good. Yusuke would be the first to tell you he's not perfect and the same can be said about demons. His ancestor literally ate people until he met the right person. Not only that but think about all the other characters throughout the series. There was evil and good on both sides. So it wasnt always clear cut. This arc was basically saying everybody and everything aint evil a and not only that the winner of the tournament was literally put in charge to keep order between both worlds. So it wasnt just blind coexisting. Evil actors got dealt with accordingly
#thankyoutogashi YYH is my go-to anime for crappy stuff happening in my life. Ever since I first saw it on Adultswim then Toonami at 10, I fell in love with it! I'm sad it's not getting the attention it deserves. Even though I would love more of the series, as a creator myself I understand when your work becomes more draining than fun. I rather he ends it soon than hate it later. Thank you for creating this series Togashi! I still love it to this very day!!!
I was really concerned when I saw the episode count on this arc. The first several episodes set up an amazing storyline with all four of our heroes poised to be on different sides of a very nuanced conflict with no obviously good outcome. I wanted to see Yusuke struggle to overcome his father while tensions boiled toward all out war. I wanted to see Kurama stir Komi’s court into a frenzy, only to get ousted by his rival and have to flee. I wanted to see Hiei face the ultimate outcome of his hatred as his Queen offered him everything he once wanted, only to realize he’s no longer that vengeful demon. And I wanted to see Kuwabara get roped into helping the spirit world hunt down Yusuke, hoping to help his friend from the inside, only to find Yusuke seeming to fully support his demon father, leading Kuwabara with a difficult decision between being a hero or a good friend. Then there’s the fact that the war is 3-sided, meaning if two sides struggle with each other, the third gains an advantage by either waiting for them to wear each other down, or striking while either side is distracted by the other. Which king falls first, and where does that leave the other two for the final conflict? What an epic arc it could have been! Nope, let’s just take the series that did the best tournament arc of all time, and end it with the worst tournament arc of all time.
I watched this and the previous 2 arc videos you made and I gotta say, I genuinely enjoyed every second of all 3 vids. You remind me of a homie who breaks it down to me.
One of the things that throws me off when re watching Yuyu, is that it was shown on public TV in my country for almost 2 decades. Rerun after rerun. And not once were the original names used. Only English names. I can't help but default to them. But still one of the best shows of my childhood.
19:25 Makuro mentions being able to feel the emotions of Hiei, and was likely able to feel that she and Hiei would have a powerful connection, she's also shown to have his mothers Stone, so there's a lot there to unpack, but it is clear that despite the lack of past, she's made it clear that he was the key to her being freed from her hatred, for what little it's worth..
Strangely, I liked how the last Arc ended, but I understand how and feel where it was lack-luster. Your comments and ideas are on point. I would love if or when they might reboot this that they take fan critics and make the series better such as the 3 Kings Arc. Character development and expressing new inner conflict/resolving certain plot points would be great to read. ...Also, I do wish Kuwabara could have grown stronger and not be benched or dealt with being left behind. Maybe give Kuwabara hanging around Genkai to train his Dimensional Sword and kind of read Kuwabara going on with his life, but preparing for the worst scenario if Hei, Kurama and Yusuke plans failed...only for it not to be necessary and Kuwabara being more powerful than any normal Human Psychic and working/study hard to become success in life. Always striving to better himself in anyway Kuwabara can. YuYu Hakusho means kind of self actualize yourself as person...In a way of understanding one emotions and how we can grow or become smaller given what paths we take. I am not the best person. With emotions but I also feel like understanding my emotions or those around me is important and hopefully grow instead shrink as emotional matured adult. Also, Smile Bomb is my favorite opening song in Anime!
The key takeaways from Yu Yu Hakusho were mainly camaraderie, and knowing that you matter to people even when it feels like you don’t . I grew up with Yu Yu Hakusho, and having distant parents along with having only a small friend group. This show along with Tales of Symphonia and eventually Persona 4 shaped how I view a lot of things. Maintain your core group of friends who stick with you through thick and thin. that you are special even if you have some bad aspects to yourself. And that just being alive has value.
Ahh a saga where 3 warring kingdoms in a constant struggle for power with endearing characters on all 3 sides, would be awesome if they made a book...or show...or video game series that shows the events that could occur
Kuroko changed her mind the way she did because she has children. Yusuke is already seen as the strongest person in living world and said he understood PEOPLE being seen as FOOD concept, cut her a break.
When my lil bro was sick(during my first semester of college). Me and some of my friends went for karaoke at this anime con. Since my lil bro and me are big Fans of Yu Yu and Smile Bomb. I decided to sing that song during karaoke to cheer him up and he really loved it :). This show means a lot to him and me with its themes and characters. The final arc wasn’t perfect but it was a nice ending to the characters we cared about. I’m grateful ppl like you still talk about this amazing Series. Keep on rocking Dude🤘🏿🔥 #ThankYouTogashi
This arc on the manga is even more rushed, but I have to say that most of the things that you pointed out in your video (and I agree 100%) was filler content. The Mukuru/Hiei arc for example is WAY different, in a more gruesome and graphic way... And it's half of the three kings arc in the manga, the other half being the Kurama/Yomi relationship, and this was pretty much the same thing on the anime. While Mukuru backstory was watered down for understandable reasons, Yusuke development was boiled down to a comment at the end when he came back and he says that his fight with Yomi lasted for three days, finally putting his lust for fighting at ease. But he only say it and it's never shown, the manga cut from the announcement of his match with Yomi to the scene where they're making to the beach, with Kurama shouting some much needed exposition to Kuwabara. And there's way more hanging out after the beach, making the end at the manga different, but not necessarily better because it still feel pretty rushed and unfinished, but at least there's less plot holes and missed opportunities. Mainly because there is even less plot and opportunities... Pick your poison xD I still prefer the manga but that's just a matter of taste and not the "manga is always better" case.
#thankyoutogashi I think one of the lessons i learned the most with YYH is that we need to cherish the time we have in this world and become a better person as seen with Yusuke, he died and says the world is better off with him dead but when he sees his mother, only friend, one of his directors in school and even his "rival" devastated each in their on way he thinks more about how they feel about his sudden death and decides to do test to come back to life with a new vision of the people arround him and the world itself for him to grow strong as a person and as a fighter. And that's what inspired me to change some of my ways as well because just as Yusuke i grown up in a home without a father(he came to visit but it was always short and now he passed away in 2018 but i don't carry any anger against him) with most of my education coming from my mother and grandma and not to the point as Yusuke but when i was 14 i was also kinda of a troublemaker in school picking fights with the people that tried to bully me and others and by the eyes i feel like i grown past that but still keep a smug and snarky personality as Yusuke caring more for the people arround me and how my actions affected them, in the recent years i had know some people online that needed mental help and i am not a specialist in this but two best online friends i made are thankfull that i stepped into their life at the right moment or was there when they were thinking about just ending all making what you said and one the themes of YYH a solid ground, the bonds we made by choice are stronger and my bond with theese two people today are the reason that made them decide to keep living and see that there is more to life, i am still young and i am deciding what to do with my life, maybe get a job(even though i don't need to)just to help more at home in case my mother needs it but YYH has helped to see life in others ways and that the people arround me care about my actions or impact i left on their lives when i think nothing i did matter to others that much so without the hashtag this time, thank you Togashi and to all reading this: keep living, you maybe can't make the world better for everyone but you can make it better for the others arround you and yourself. Sorry if there was any error in my english that i did not notice, i am from Brazil
I am happy that YuYu Hakasho was able to be completed with a happy ending an all. I grew to love Kuwabara as my favorite character so it was sad not having him in season 3. I would like to say that i would rather have the artist take care of themself I wish Miura did. Mr.Togashi thank you for still being here an creating beautiful manga/anime. #thankyoutogashi
Fucking LOVE YYH. This anime really set the standard for what good anime should be. The storyline, the grittiness and the character design and development are flawless. Almost a perfect anime in my opinion. This anime just reminds you how good animation was back then with the grittiness. Also loved The Three Kings arc and definitely wish it was longer but hey man, great video, you just earned a subscriber
#Thankyoutougashi this show helped me with internal struggle and that the internal struggle was a bridge to metamorphosis. Puu's transformation was the Flashpoint for me
Really looking forward to your rewrite project. I do have a fondness for the three kings arc, but much of it because of the wasted potential and not because of what it actually did. I also really like Raizen's friend though, and feel like there could have been a better way of introducing them. Maybe reducing the number, or making better emphasis on individual ones, because I really appreciate the idea that there's always someone stronger.
Shadow viewer here. Just wanted to say that I deeply appreciate the amount of work and details you put in these YYH videos, it's always a pleasure to rediscover the story through the perspective of someone who also clearly adores the universe & characters that Togashi has created. Hope you have a great day
I've watched your Yu Yu Hakusho videos all up to this point and this came across my feed was surprised cause you said you would but glad you did. I always knew it wasn't liked, I remember as a kid, when I liked everything regardless of it being bad or not, I always felt off about this arc and you encapsulated that feeling into words. Earned a subscriber with this one. #thankyoutogashi
I elect to suppress my memories of anything post-Sensui Arc and this video essay is precisely what it means to "eat your greens" to me. Thanks for the wonderful analysis coupled with tasteful tracks and editing.
One of the reasons I like the torunament happening and Raizos buddies are as follows 1, for Raizou, it tells us he was an absolute monster that made these powerful individuals rather forfeit the power struggle before it began (as they said, had they known the Raizo of before, they wouldnt have dared shown their faces) this tough, create some problems, like why was Raizo specifically so strong to begin with 2, on the torunament, cause it shows Yusukes growth and the end of a cycle, their first torunament was a mess, it was a messy fight with no chance of refusal for them, but, as we learned from Kyoko, Yusuke liked it to a degree His growth is shown on his understanding of demons, he knows he is at a major disadventage in army and tactics wise, but he understand demons enough to know, if given a chance, they will aim for the top, his proposal was for 3 main propouses, divide their forces, eliminate schemes and have a good time, heck, he most likely expected Mukuro to win
if I remember correctly this happened because the show was cancelled for being too violent, I didn't know they were given a deadline and warning to rush out a finale but it makes sense now that I think about it.
((Quick Edit: the edits in this video got me laughing pretty good; so we’ll done)) I figure Yusuke getting got quickly by Hokushin being due to Yusuke’s having a lot on his mind. I do think the Three Kings arc was more focused on giving some sense or degree of closure for Kurama and Hiei. I don’t think Mukuro had to have a direct connection to Hiei to recruit him. Regarding how she would know of him… If you think back to the Dark Tournament, his using the Dragon of the Darkness Flame and living caught attention… but him mastering the dragon technique would have landed him on the radar of someone seeking power. Mukuro was fixated on those representing her being among the most powerful. What better candidate than one who mastered a technique that was famous for killing its user? That’s what I made of it. It’s something I hadn’t thought of or consider much until the “what business did Mukuro have with Hiei in the first place” question was posed. (Hiei was definitely a problem character for Togashi, since he wasn’t ever supposed to appear beyond his first appearance.)
Just here to say I can't wait to hear your version of a rewrite. Love your thoughts on the series as a whole and can't wait to see where the fantasticly set up plot lines can potentially go when not rushed! 😊
Mukuro noticed Hiei's strength level while he's at the Demon World fighting Sensui. She wonders why Hiei is still not with her faction and wanted to recruit him. At least that's what I remember from the dub.
Awesome video, brother. I just finished this video and I already watched your Chapter Black and Dark Tournament videos. YYH is easily my all time favorite anime and you touched on a lot things I always thought about the show. Can't wait to see that Three Kings rewrite video as like I just said, you touched on things I always thought about (like how the Three Kings Saga could have differed).
Yu Yu Hakusho as always been, and hopefully will always be, one of my favorite anime of all time. I love it for multitudes of reasons, but I think my favorite is that each and every member of the main cast, and even the side cast, seems dynamic and well thought out as people, rather than placeholders or tropes. Even today, the main cast of Yu Yu Hakusho still stands out to me for being fairly unique in the way of character interactions, characterization, and overarching story. I still aspire to one day write something as loved as this show. #thankyoutogashi Keep us posted on the re-write! Interested in seeing what you come up with.
I enjoyed 3 Kings, I think it's in character for Yusuke to propose a tournament. But all your criticisms are completely valid and also things I thought while most recently rewatching the series. I hope that if ever YYH gets the HunterxHunter, Ruroni Kenshin, ect treatment and gets a remake that the arc is better fleshed out a second time around.
The mention of demons consuming humans brought up to mind the question "what did younger Toguro eat?" the only times we see him consume anything is his demon form consuming other demons while he is in his higher output form but while he is walking around casual he mentions wanting a glass of orange juice over ice... like was Toguro walking around spending his hard earned coin on eating half a cow a day and raiding the local max muscle?
Honestly as messy as this arc is, one thing about it I absolutely adore is Yomi as a villain. He is easily the second most well written villain the series other than Toguro, and personally my fav. He just has so much presence, charisma, and wit. While also remaining constantly cool and collected. His motives are also very understandable and to the point and rather nuanced, unlike Shinsui whose motivations I felt were kinda cluttered. Plus the way that Yomi behaves, aka genuinely having a sense of respect, even for those who stand against him, shows that he is truly a pretty morally grey antagonist. Especially if u consider the fact that what he wants is legit probably, at least what he thinks is genuinely best for his ppl. Making his motives come from a sense of utilitarianism, and not spite. I just wish we coulda saw more of his character being displayed and had time to see him even more, and delved into his past with Kurama more even if that already was handled decently well in the Three Kings Arc.
I am sure that a bunch of nice guys like Enki's group would trash on the weak. Makes perfect sense. It was clear to me that arrogant as the thought process was others were beneath there notice. Secondly You brought up the established idea of Demon worlds unfathomable size... so deep in Demon world is more than liky an uncivilized den of monsters. So if the Enki friends had their own domains. I agree it would be nice to not expect humans to connect the dots on complicated matters; but Togashi decided to let his subtle hints be just that in his rush.
#thankyoutagashi yu yu hakusho or ghost fighter, as it was called here, was a big thing here in the philippines. Probably 2nd most popular behind dbz in the late 90s and early 2000s. I love this anime and yes i agree they dropped the ball in the last ark. Thank you for doing this video essay. Looking forward to watching more of your stuff! Please do detective conan or hajjome no ippo next!
just found and watched this video in January 2024 and you did amazingly great on this video and i hope you keep it up! you got a new subscriber in me too thanks for your effort and making the work day better for me
Weird why spirit world would think a retired spirit detective would be able to remotely stop Yusuke. Shes probably as strong as yusuke pre dark tournament
#thankyoutogashi I watched YYH in high school, then I got clinical depression when I started college. Remembering YYH and especially the EDs motivate me to fix my depression. 3 kings arc (before the tournament) is the best arc in shonen
When I was first watching this, I was so excited expecting a 3 way full out war of 3 armies led by Yusuke and Raizen vs Yomi and Kurama vs Hiei and Mokuro and we got a lesser tournament arc. *sigh*
I'll probably edit this and add things but I have some points to make. - If you have 1 billion demons 10k S-class is still a very small percentage - The whole tournament itself was typical Yusake subverting the established narrative. - Yusake's mental breakdown was hinted at when he mentioned that even if they do need help they shouldn't mention it because it makes them look weak.
This is such a great video. No one has covered YYH like you have sapciffically the Chapter Black saga. The you went into such a wide range of detail of each struggle our boys went through and the complexities of Sensui. I liked the Three Kings saga when watching it for the first time as a kid. Now that im older and after rewatching the saga about a month before you dropped this video I have seen how dry, poor story telling feeling rushed, and declining art style I can understand why most people dislike this saga. I do really like the ending and always makes me feel sad because I love all these characters and Yusuke is the most relatable protagonist in anime imo. After rewatching YYH last month I have noticed how during Chapter Black Yusuke and the rest of the boys talk to other characters with their teeth together. I am not sure if that was intentional, but it makes sense in terms of how the characters may be under a lot of stress, but Im not to sure.
Despite the messy last story arc, I still feel that YYH has one of the best endings of all anime I've seen.
That's only because the author of the manga died before the anime finish
@@GojosBackHand he didn’t die. This is not true
@@GojosBackHand he isn’t dead lol
@@GojosBackHand bro wtf
@@GojosBackHand in the first 5 minutes of the video bro says the author wrote fans a letter after ending the series did you watch any of the video
Three Kings is underrated. It's not about the fights. It's not about length. It's about what was important to Yusuke, Yomi, Kuwabara, Kurama, Hiei and Mukuro. Raizen could've lived and easily ruled the Demon World but his promise not to consume human flesh anymore was more important to him than ruling the Demon World. That's what the arc really stresses to me. What is more important to you? Yomi thought ruling Demon World and going to war with Spirit and Human Worlds was what he wanted. Ultimately he found that being a father was more important to him. #ThankYouTogashi
This guy gets it.
Thank you
You putted it in great words my friend. This arc is about self discovery and growth. And it’s amazing that this is one of the only arcs other than Genkai’s tournament not a single soul dies.
ive been waiting since the " im def not going to do the 3 kings arc one line" can wait
Same 😆
We all knew it was bullshit the second he said it
Bro what even is this. Doesn't name the anime at all and is so damn vague through out
@@lifeunderthestarstv you looking for trouble mister? If you don't know Yu Yu. Then do you really know yourself
I definitely believed him lol
Giving kuwabara sacred energy would have bridged the gap between him and the other members. From what we saw sacred energy gives you “conjuration” abilities. Summoning a real sword and armor would have looked sick. Given his control over his spirit sword. He could have replicated abilities of the elder Toguro with his spear fingers. His growth as a fighter being in his battle IQ.
Kuwabara energy is better than sacred energy in my opinion. His dimension cutting sword isn’t just a sword. That’s his Spirit Energy.
Ooh, they could have had him using his spirit sword as a sort of portal generator and worked for the Spirit World. He could have been working behind the scenes as a spy trying to keep the gang in line.
Granted Kuwabara's character doesn't really seem like they'd make a great spy, but it could work as an arc.
I don't know if you're aware, but it was stated in follow-up material that Kuwabara had also become S-class level and went on to finish his studies in school. This, alone, makes him the strongest full-blooded human, and arguably strongest human of all time since it was said Sensui was the strongest Spirit Detective ever at that time, and only broke through into low S-class levels once he activated Sacred Energy.
Yusuke doesn't really count because he'd gotten to A-class as a human, and then he broke the S-class barrier after he awakened his Mazoku lineage. Not to say he wouldn't have become S-class as a human eventually, but he did it as a hybrid in this case so can't give him that.
Kuwabara's Spiritual awareness (which is what allowed him to create the Spirit Sword and Dimension Sword) is exactly what allowed him to become not only S-Class, but upper S-class like Yusuke, Yoko Kurama, Hiei. His spirit awareness sensed the looming threat of the Demon Realm Gate, and it began preparing his body for it, so Kuwabara was constantly growing stronger over time, more so during Yusuke's time away.
@@Saxandfifths I have since read the manga and after the end of the anime Kuwabara is shown using the dimensional sword to make portals and manipulate space. He actually has even crazier growth potential than I thought of at the time
*"It's not a good party till someones on the floor"*
Yusuke is so cool, man wish we got more MC's even close
I feel like, if Togashi were willing, if he went back to redo the Three Kinds arc as a pleasure project, it would be amazing. Poor man was so tired and sick that he just needed to put the nail in the coffin of YYH to save himself.
I wonder why Togashi doesn't leverage it to his disciples (get some if he doesn't have). This way he is free lots of times. Win-Win for everyone
@@camn9441maybe he didn’t trust anyone to handle the series besides himself.
3 kings arc should have been a full out war. story of betrayal. secret alliances. human world getting involved, etc.
Facts
Exactly…the tournament had absolutely no place in this arc…when Yusuke proposed that idea, the arc just got extremely light hearted and that was the downfall. Well actually another part of the downfall was when they just oded on the time skip
Maybe next season lol 😂
@@jadenhall7938 the biggest downfall is when he gets knocked out in the tournament and the story ends
Fr
I think Yusuke’s monologue during his fight with Yomi was actually pretty powerful in the sense that it was a direct reflection of Togashi’s mental state during this time. Perhaps he too began to feel numb to his purpose. I agree the pacing feels rushed and more time needed to be spent to explore this theme, but given what we know now about the author’s struggles, this felt like a genuine existential pang being communicated to the audience, intentionally or otherwise.
The sad part is, this arc could have been the best in the story. YYH is a classic example of a declining interest from the artist due to stress, pressure from the publishers and overwork which is a massive shame. It's a good thing Togashi's success with YYH gave rise to HxH which thankfully made him a big enough name to call the shots which almost all other Mangaka never get to do. The popularity of HxH still amazes me considering it started around the same time as One Piece and has basically a third of the chapters, and the fact that Jump still support him and try to keep HxH relevant.
togashi never finishes what he starts tho and that goes for hxh it will be the biggest what if
YuYu Hakusho was one of my first experiences with anime and instantly became one of my favorites. The amazingly catchy theme song, the action, and how passionate each story was. Each of the main characters had their own narrative that just hooked me. It got me into a world and culture that I never would've experienced without watching. #ThankYouTogashi
Yuyuhasko is top 5 best anime all time an people know this an won’t tell the truth that shit well thought out delivered near perfect they made that big dude look impossible to beat that was impressive they way they did it
DBZ was my first experience with anime and there are a few moments that stick with me to this day like Goku vs. Vegeta, Goku going SSJ for the first time against Frieza, Gohan unlocking SSJ2 after Cell kills 16, etc. But nothing has ever stuck with me or affected me like the Dark Tournament. There’s this hard tone shift from “plucky unlikely heroes having cool adventures” to “shit just got real, this man will kill you and everyone you know & love unless you stop him, and right now you can’t even touch him”. Togashi somehow made a single tournament into an entire arc without it ever getting boring or repetitive. The part with Yusuke in the cave almost killing himself trying to absorb Genkai’s spirit orb was somehow both gut-wrenching and inspirational. And Toguro was the perfect villain because he wasn’t just intimidating and brutal but he knew how to hit Yusuke where it really hurt. The part after he kills Genkai when Yusuke can’t bring himself to tell anyone she’s dead really got me. And I haven’t even mentioned the character growth shown by Kuwabara, Hiei, and Kurama during the tournament. Kuwabara taking on the earth ninja when he can barely stand, knowing he’s going to die, and going in there anyway because no one else could was a massive chad move. There’s so much to say about this arc but there’s a reason it’s considered a masterpiece.
real whats your top 5? my top 2 is yyh and fma@@jordanbarclay4434
Sorry about the wait! I hope you're all doing well! I'm done with YYH for a while after this lol.
The video has already been copyright claimed, but instead of delaying the video to edit around those claims, I decided to just go ahead as scheduled.
Patreon: www.patreon.com/somewherepastnever
SPN Discord server: discord.gg/8t3mu6ZD5j
What got claimed. When I get paid I'll donate to your Patreon. Love your content and didn't think you'd make this since you said you didn't like this arc.
Personally I like the Arc and have a few defenses of it. But I understand the history of it regarding Togashi health and how repetitive it is. I think if the Arc had been an actual war Arc instead of tournament it would have been stronger overall.
I might chat on your Discord but my 2 major defenses if the Arc are actually character related not necessarily overall plot.
Without the 3 Kings Arc you don't receive closure to Kurama back story of being a thief king, Hiei back story of being Kuinas brother and the resolutions to both characters.
Yusuke's feels contrived because if not for the whole "half demon Mazaku" thing then this arc has no narrative focus.
The 2nd reason is that ending it with Chapter Black leaves some narrative loose ends. Like all this time Yusuke has been a spirit detective to essentially maintain balance with human/demon kind, yet save for Saint Beasts arc we never see Demon world again or for that matter know how Shunsei and Togoro meddling effected Demon world.
The 3 Kings saga isn't perfect at all. But it gives some resolution to the overall theme if the show and plot points set in motion since the beginning. The epilogue (King Enma is evil and the investigation with Yusuke and Kurama) could be cut out entirely *that's why the anime did it originally.
You gotta make a cyberpunk edgerunners video. It has become my favorite anime ever
I think the hiei backstory really is the highlight of this saga
#thankyoutogashi
After having re-watched the show recently with my partner, my favorite character went from Hiei to Kuwabara.
He's _such_ a good person, and became more of the man he wanted to be.
Also his breakdown, at the beginning of the arc.
Less than a year, his friend dies not once, but *twice*, he learns the afterlife and demons are real, built brotherhood and changed lives. And his battle bros, the people he trusts more than anyone... they're leaving him behind. I'm tearing up just typing this.
Truth👍
His journey is amazing he loves cats and he cares about his friends. When i first seen him help his homies by not fighting i knew he was a real one. I love that he turns into a more peaceful person after everything too
Kuwabara: The man, the myth, the man, The. Man.
So mad they left him behind. I hated him as a kid but as an adult I realize that's the type of son I'd like to raise.
He might’ve not been in the Makai tournament but he was there in spirit rooting for his man Urameshi.
To be honest after watching this I realize how good this arc could’ve been Also in this arc Kurama was easily the best written and my favorite
Playing the instrumental for TLC's "Creep" while talking about power Creep was a nice touch 😂
Yu Yu Hakusho will forever hold a special place in my heart. It was my gateway anime, and has, to me, the best first episode of any show
#thankyoutogashi
Very excited to hear your rewrite. I've always been just as deflated when such an interesting arc dwindles down to another tournament.
I appreciate that Togashi was honest about y he ended the series. I didn't feel that way when I was younger but I can understand now. It's my favorite anime and has been since I was a kid even if the ending was rushed it doesn't take away from all the amazing episodes and moments preceding it. I'll always be grateful that he created it in the first place. #ThankYouTogashi
The Raizen friends scene would have been more impactful I think if Yusuke was moved seeing the parallel with his own wake at the very beginning of the story
Before even watching this I want to say thank you for making this video because that's something I had an issue with and I never really thought about it consciously until reading the title of this, there was so much more they could have done and I was kind of surprised to see it cut short
Three Rulers arc,had a great ending, though the pacing at times,was slow,but I could relate Yusuke,Hiei trying to find there place in this world,still has one of the best endings of any anime I have seen.
I thought Yu Yu Hakusho was an amazing action anime growing up as a kid, an absolute favorite of mine.
It was only in my teens and adult years that I had begun to recognize its brilliance. Many lessons such as "not half assing things and dedicating yourself wholly to something" was something that really struck out to me as a teen and as an adult I finally understand why: this is the start of breaking away from child and towards adulthood.
Hell, Genkai minimalizing Yusuke's aptitude for fighting was a way to shatter Yusuke feeling of being special, the thing that entitled his ego. Him throwing a tantrum afterwards was just perfect on top of it, to show that he's still a child mentally.
Important to remember in the manga is arc was a mere 22 chapters. Just too short to cover the ambitious setup, given togashis health issues / desires. Glad we got what we got, but man its a messs
This Arc hits different in the Manga. But I understand that the Anime made changes after all the Manga was pretty dark for a Shonen democratic e.g. Mukuros backstory (Manga Chapter 172) still gives me chills to this day.
Agreed. I liked his review but YYH manga is different. The beginning and ending are different than in the anime. The fact that it basically touched on how discrimination can be institutionalized and how perceived roles effect behavior. Its in the anime as well but its clearer in the way he ends the manga.
I look forward to seeing your rewrite. I think there was so much potential lost in this arc and I wish there had been more time to flesh it out
I think Kuwabara’s new sword would be the perfect way to raise the floor. It would’ve been a very easy excuse to buff him and give new abilities.
I would kill for one more arc or a continuation with a older kuwabara in one more Great case that's getting into these great fights with his potential fully realized and turning himself into a legend.
@@stevemclovin1566 that not what he wanted though...he wanted to go to a good college and get a good job, he just fights cause he enjoys it. It's a hobby, not his career or life. Kuwabara got everything he wanted by the end, and it's wholesome as shit.
@@casteanpreswyn7528 he's wasting his life. I really can't call His resolution wholesome or even good. He was shelfed with nothing reason to make it look better. He was forced into it by his sister. he's still chasing after yukina after years with no real progress or at least learning to move on. let's not even get started on the horrible way he got there, or the ways he was continuously undermined and used. Kuwabara deserved a lot better.
@@stevemclovin1566 he isn't wasting his life. He literally achieves his dream. Sure, he doesn't get the girl, but he was a 16 year old with a crush, not someone with a deep relationship. He got everything he wanted and still has the ability to fight if he feels like it, what isn't to celebrate?
Honestly, the saddest person in his family is his sister who, after meeting the one person who will probably understand and love her, had to watch him die. You severely misunderstood Kuwabara if that's your take.
@@casteanpreswyn7528 boy that's kind of presumptuous just because I see for what it actually is, shelving. My interpretation of him is just as sound as yours. For one thing, I personally can't stand his sister. Her relationship with the guy you are talking about wasn't even in the original Manga, it's one of the rather bad addition the anime added.
Second, togashi went through the trouble of confirming two random people getting married in the final chapters of his manga. Nothing would have been lost if the yukina subplot/gag was dropped the moment the dark tournament started. It's literally another joke at his expense. He was pigeonholed into mediocrity, going to school off screen with no transition period instead of properly refining his abilities under Genkai. Kuwabara can be so much more than that and that's where yyh fails at.
#THANKYOUTOGASHI for growing in me an acceptance of conflict, and that sometimes taking one head on is necessary to grow. That's an important theme in both his series, and I wouldn't be as successful today without learning that from the spirit detective arc first.
I believe Hiei was summoned because he was a finalist in the tournament. It probably caught Mukuro's eye. He was also the mastermind who broke into the spirit world vault, so there is that. He has a list of feats under his belt.
Did you read the manga? IMO the manga version post Chapter Black arc handled everything infinitely better, the dialogue, power creep, and structure. The timeline of 1 year, the downplayed fights, the returning characters powered up then turned cannon fodder, are all much more palatable in the manga. There’s also the official final wrap up arc, with the evolution of human and demon worlds, the futures of all the characters, the religious cult, and the return of Urameshi, I loved all of it in the manga, it’s a shame anime didn’t get any of that.
Thanks for deciding to do this analysis on the three kings arc, which I felt was an underrated arc that's not as bad as some people think that it is. I am honestly glad that the author of Yu Yu Hakusho did complete this great story, despite his health issues and Shonen Jump's strict scheduling conflict.
I honestly like the three kings arc, even though I agree that the Chapter Black and Dark Tournament arcs were better. The three kings arc definitely developed the main characters of Yusuke, Kurama, Hiei, and even Kuwabara. Yusuke goes to demon world to further figure out the type of person he wants to be, Kurama has to deal the consequences of his past actions while dealing with an identity crisis between his human identity and his original demon self Yoko Kurama, Hiei is dealing with a sense of not having a purpose and not even having a desire to keep on living , and Kuwabara stays in human world to live a normal life showing that he wants a life beyond just fighting. I honestly like the three rulers of Raizen, Mukuro, and Yomi, and I wish we got to learn more about them. We do learn a bit about Raizen, his old sparring buddies, and the woman who would ultimately lead to Raizen's death through malnutrition. We learn a bit about Mukuro's dark past, and how it is slightly similar she is to Hiei. We learn the most about Yomi, his past with Yoko Kurama, his ambition to control all 3 worlds, and how Kurama is most responsible for Yomi being a threat by trying and failing to have Yomi killed. It was nice to see that by the end of the series, Yusuke, Hiei, and Kurama don't surpass Raizen, Mukuro, and Yomi respectively. In fact, no one surpassed Raizen at his peak. Even at his weakest, Raizen was still upper S class demon on par with Yomi and Mukuro individually. It just makes you wonder how much more powerful Raizen would have been if he had sustained his power. It's even implied that Raizen was originally the 1st or true king of demon world, with Mukuro and Yomi becoming rulers afterwards. It just feels fitting for Raizen's death to lead to great change in demon world, spirit world, and human world. Raizen will always be my favorite of the three rulers not only because he's strong, but because he may actually have best interests of the 3 worlds. As much as I would have loved a full scale demon war, I am actually glad that Yusuke went for a more peaceful way to settle the dispute in demon world via tournament. It's more sportsmen like, and it's something Yusuke is more used to. The demon world tournament is not as good as the dark tournament, but it still had great character moments for Yusuke, Kurama, Hiei, Mukuro, and Yomi. Yusuke and Yomi was good, and it ended in a satisfying way for Yusuke to lose by circumstance yet Yomi still loses because of the injuries sustained from Yusuke. I ultimately liked this arc, and loved Yu Yu Hakusho as a whole.
I don't think the Three Kings arc is bad, just a weak way to end the story
@@ForrestFox626 I respectfully disagree with the assessment that the 3 kings arc was a weak way to end the story. Technically, the adventures of these characters in this series doesn't really end, so much as we don't see what happens next. In the anime in particular, there's an ova that shows team Urameshi taking part in the next demon world tournament, but we have no idea what happens next.
@@StareachValcin You can tell me all that, but I don't really care about the new characters outside their relationship with the three protagonists. And at the end of the day I just think this story was rushed.
@@ForrestFox626 I am not going to pretend that it wasn't rushed at certain points, but the character development of the main characters was sound, the new characters connected with the main characters were all right, and the story did end strong.
@@ForrestFox626 I also felt bad for what the author went through to end this story somewhat on his own terms, but he created a satisfactory manga which became a satisfying anime.
It’s hard to put into words what this show means to me but the 2 characters I empathize with the most are Kuwabara and Genkai
Kuwabara’s arc made me wanna be like him in the sense that he was always down with his friends and would do whatever he felt was right in the moment, even if it meant getting ridiculed and/or beaten into the ground, because he would always get back up, his ability to put aside his fears and his emotional intelligence are 2 things that I’ve aspired to emulate ever since I watched the show
Genkai to me represents the pitfalls and downturns of life, she lost her best friend and lover to the pursuit of power and fear of death, something she understood as inherent to the human experience, and if I were her after the dark tournament I’d have retreated into my own sanctum too but as she mentored Yusuke and became a surrogate grandparent we got to see her caring side and that even though she’d seen and been through so much, even in her old age she was able to pass on her wisdom and create a legacy that would last longer than Toguro’s journey of immortality, prevailing in the sense that she would become eternal in the memories and teachings she’d leave behind
Yusuke’s journey of figuring out who he was, Kurama’s journey of deciding which half of himself he wanted to stand by and Hiei’s journey of finding a place for himself all resonated with me but I just loved Kuwabara and Genkai’s arcs so much they became apart of me
I owe a lot of who I became to Yu Yu Hakusho, and hopefully I can keep on bettering myself each and every day
The final arc of yu yu hakusho definitely hurt. The characters I watched struggle and rooted for so relentlessly, just kind of felt completely secondary to the series resolution . That said Yu Yu Hakusho is still my favorite anime, I loved Genkai’s tough love, Yuske and Kuwabara’s friendship and so many other aspects . So thank you Togashi and be well!
Found your Yu Yu Hakusho series while working on stuff and it was just what I needed! Your narration and flow is soothing to listen to, your exploration of the material is through and your quips are always on point. Keep it up!
This arc is what makes the series great. The "how do we get to a point where we can all co exist" without it being super cliché. A perfect ending to a series that was very well rounded
You don't coexist with evil. They just changed the premise of the previous arcs where demons are generally evil, but also pursue their own goals, to demons not being really evil at all.
@@bobjohnson1633 but in the real world what's evil? Lime honestly ask yourself whose truly evil and whose truly good. Yusuke would be the first to tell you he's not perfect and the same can be said about demons. His ancestor literally ate people until he met the right person. Not only that but think about all the other characters throughout the series. There was evil and good on both sides. So it wasnt always clear cut. This arc was basically saying everybody and everything aint evil a and not only that the winner of the tournament was literally put in charge to keep order between both worlds. So it wasnt just blind coexisting. Evil actors got dealt with accordingly
How can't yomi hear them all just 1 room over. All that shuffling, all those pencils scratch paper, the suppressed snickering
I am so excited for your rewrite project!!!!
#thankyoutogashi
YYH is my go-to anime for crappy stuff happening in my life. Ever since I first saw it on Adultswim then Toonami at 10, I fell in love with it! I'm sad it's not getting the attention it deserves. Even though I would love more of the series, as a creator myself I understand when your work becomes more draining than fun. I rather he ends it soon than hate it later. Thank you for creating this series Togashi! I still love it to this very day!!!
I was really concerned when I saw the episode count on this arc. The first several episodes set up an amazing storyline with all four of our heroes poised to be on different sides of a very nuanced conflict with no obviously good outcome. I wanted to see Yusuke struggle to overcome his father while tensions boiled toward all out war. I wanted to see Kurama stir Komi’s court into a frenzy, only to get ousted by his rival and have to flee. I wanted to see Hiei face the ultimate outcome of his hatred as his Queen offered him everything he once wanted, only to realize he’s no longer that vengeful demon. And I wanted to see Kuwabara get roped into helping the spirit world hunt down Yusuke, hoping to help his friend from the inside, only to find Yusuke seeming to fully support his demon father, leading Kuwabara with a difficult decision between being a hero or a good friend.
Then there’s the fact that the war is 3-sided, meaning if two sides struggle with each other, the third gains an advantage by either waiting for them to wear each other down, or striking while either side is distracted by the other. Which king falls first, and where does that leave the other two for the final conflict? What an epic arc it could have been! Nope, let’s just take the series that did the best tournament arc of all time, and end it with the worst tournament arc of all time.
I watched this and the previous 2 arc videos you made and I gotta say, I genuinely enjoyed every second of all 3 vids. You remind me of a homie who breaks it down to me.
With all the wasted potential the three Kings arc had. I will always love the ending it feel satisfying honestly
One of the things that throws me off when re watching Yuyu, is that it was shown on public TV in my country for almost 2 decades. Rerun after rerun. And not once were the original names used. Only English names. I can't help but default to them. But still one of the best shows of my childhood.
19:25 Makuro mentions being able to feel the emotions of Hiei, and was likely able to feel that she and Hiei would have a powerful connection, she's also shown to have his mothers Stone, so there's a lot there to unpack, but it is clear that despite the lack of past, she's made it clear that he was the key to her being freed from her hatred, for what little it's worth..
Strangely, I liked how the last Arc ended, but I understand how and feel where it was lack-luster.
Your comments and ideas are on point. I would love if or when they might reboot this that they take fan critics and make the series better such as the 3 Kings Arc.
Character development and expressing new inner conflict/resolving certain plot points would be great to read.
...Also, I do wish Kuwabara could have grown stronger and not be benched or dealt with being left behind. Maybe give Kuwabara hanging around Genkai to train his Dimensional Sword and kind of read Kuwabara going on with his life, but preparing for the worst scenario if Hei, Kurama and Yusuke plans failed...only for it not to be necessary and Kuwabara being more powerful than any normal Human Psychic and working/study hard to become success in life. Always striving to better himself in anyway Kuwabara can.
YuYu Hakusho means kind of self actualize yourself as person...In a way of understanding one emotions and how we can grow or become smaller given what paths we take. I am not the best person. With emotions but I also feel like understanding my emotions or those around me is important and hopefully grow instead shrink as emotional matured adult.
Also, Smile Bomb is my favorite opening song in Anime!
The key takeaways from Yu Yu Hakusho were mainly camaraderie, and knowing that you matter to people even when it feels like you don’t . I grew up with Yu Yu Hakusho, and having distant parents along with having only a small friend group. This show along with Tales of Symphonia and eventually Persona 4 shaped how I view a lot of things.
Maintain your core group of friends who stick with you through thick and thin. that you are special even if you have some bad aspects to yourself. And that just being alive has value.
Ahh a saga where 3 warring kingdoms in a constant struggle for power with endearing characters on all 3 sides, would be awesome if they made a book...or show...or video game series that shows the events that could occur
Kuroko changed her mind the way she did because she has children. Yusuke is already seen as the strongest person in living world and said he understood PEOPLE being seen as FOOD concept, cut her a break.
I gotta say I’m looking forward to hearing your rewrite of the three kings
When my lil bro was sick(during my first semester of college). Me and some of my friends went for karaoke at this anime con. Since my lil bro and me are big Fans of Yu Yu and Smile Bomb. I decided to sing that song during karaoke to cheer him up and he really loved it :). This show means a lot to him and me with its themes and characters. The final arc wasn’t perfect but it was a nice ending to the characters we cared about. I’m grateful ppl like you still talk about this amazing Series. Keep on rocking Dude🤘🏿🔥
#ThankYouTogashi
I found your channel through your Dark Tournament video. I’m glad you continued through these, they are great in-depth takes.
Thanks for this vid. I only caught a few episodes and didn’t understand how this show really ended.
This arc on the manga is even more rushed, but I have to say that most of the things that you pointed out in your video (and I agree 100%) was filler content. The Mukuru/Hiei arc for example is WAY different, in a more gruesome and graphic way... And it's half of the three kings arc in the manga, the other half being the Kurama/Yomi relationship, and this was pretty much the same thing on the anime. While Mukuru backstory was watered down for understandable reasons, Yusuke development was boiled down to a comment at the end when he came back and he says that his fight with Yomi lasted for three days, finally putting his lust for fighting at ease. But he only say it and it's never shown, the manga cut from the announcement of his match with Yomi to the scene where they're making to the beach, with Kurama shouting some much needed exposition to Kuwabara. And there's way more hanging out after the beach, making the end at the manga different, but not necessarily better because it still feel pretty rushed and unfinished, but at least there's less plot holes and missed opportunities. Mainly because there is even less plot and opportunities... Pick your poison xD I still prefer the manga but that's just a matter of taste and not the "manga is always better" case.
#thankyoutogashi
I think one of the lessons i learned the most with YYH is that we need to cherish the time we have in this world and become a better person as seen with Yusuke, he died and says the world is better off with him dead but when he sees his mother, only friend, one of his directors in school and even his "rival" devastated each in their on way he thinks more about how they feel about his sudden death and decides to do test to come back to life with a new vision of the people arround him and the world itself for him to grow strong as a person and as a fighter.
And that's what inspired me to change some of my ways as well because just as Yusuke i grown up in a home without a father(he came to visit but it was always short and now he passed away in 2018 but i don't carry any anger against him) with most of my education coming from my mother and grandma and not to the point as Yusuke but when i was 14 i was also kinda of a troublemaker in school picking fights with the people that tried to bully me and others and by the eyes i feel like i grown past that but still keep a smug and snarky personality as Yusuke caring more for the people arround me and how my actions affected them, in the recent years i had know some people online that needed mental help and i am not a specialist in this but two best online friends i made are thankfull that i stepped into their life at the right moment or was there when they were thinking about just ending all making what you said and one the themes of YYH a solid ground, the bonds we made by choice are stronger and my bond with theese two people today are the reason that made them decide to keep living and see that there is more to life, i am still young and i am deciding what to do with my life, maybe get a job(even though i don't need to)just to help more at home in case my mother needs it but YYH has helped to see life in others ways and that the people arround me care about my actions or impact i left on their lives when i think nothing i did matter to others that much so without the hashtag this time, thank you Togashi and to all reading this: keep living, you maybe can't make the world better for everyone but you can make it better for the others arround you and yourself.
Sorry if there was any error in my english that i did not notice, i am from Brazil
I am happy that YuYu Hakasho was able to be completed with a happy ending an all. I grew to love Kuwabara as my favorite character so it was sad not having him in season 3. I would like to say that i would rather have the artist take care of themself I wish Miura did. Mr.Togashi thank you for still being here an creating beautiful manga/anime. #thankyoutogashi
Fucking LOVE YYH. This anime really set the standard for what good anime should be. The storyline, the grittiness and the character design and development are flawless. Almost a perfect anime in my opinion. This anime just reminds you how good animation was back then with the grittiness. Also loved The Three Kings arc and definitely wish it was longer but hey man, great video, you just earned a subscriber
#Thankyoutougashi this show helped me with internal struggle and that the internal struggle was a bridge to metamorphosis. Puu's transformation was the Flashpoint for me
Really looking forward to your rewrite project. I do have a fondness for the three kings arc, but much of it because of the wasted potential and not because of what it actually did. I also really like Raizen's friend though, and feel like there could have been a better way of introducing them. Maybe reducing the number, or making better emphasis on individual ones, because I really appreciate the idea that there's always someone stronger.
Shadow viewer here. Just wanted to say that I deeply appreciate the amount of work and details you put in these YYH videos, it's always a pleasure to rediscover the story through the perspective of someone who also clearly adores the universe & characters that Togashi has created. Hope you have a great day
I appreciate you taking the time to leave some kind words! I hope you're also having a great day whenever you see this!
I love that the Dark Tournament Arc is by far the most popular one but the next 2 (Chapter Black & Three Kings) are better and no one talks about them
Yyh is my favorite anime of all time and your analysis was spot on new sub here!
I've watched your Yu Yu Hakusho videos all up to this point and this came across my feed was surprised cause you said you would but glad you did. I always knew it wasn't liked, I remember as a kid, when I liked everything regardless of it being bad or not, I always felt off about this arc and you encapsulated that feeling into words. Earned a subscriber with this one. #thankyoutogashi
Keiko feelings for Yusuke= The mood of "Smile bomb" (the opening theme song).
I'm subscribing 1 min in just for doing this. Can't wait to finish the vid
I elect to suppress my memories of anything post-Sensui Arc and this video essay is precisely what it means to "eat your greens" to me. Thanks for the wonderful analysis coupled with tasteful tracks and editing.
One of the reasons I like the torunament happening and Raizos buddies are as follows
1, for Raizou, it tells us he was an absolute monster that made these powerful individuals rather forfeit the power struggle before it began (as they said, had they known the Raizo of before, they wouldnt have dared shown their faces) this tough, create some problems, like why was Raizo specifically so strong to begin with
2, on the torunament, cause it shows Yusukes growth and the end of a cycle, their first torunament was a mess, it was a messy fight with no chance of refusal for them, but, as we learned from Kyoko, Yusuke liked it to a degree
His growth is shown on his understanding of demons, he knows he is at a major disadventage in army and tactics wise, but he understand demons enough to know, if given a chance, they will aim for the top, his proposal was for 3 main propouses, divide their forces, eliminate schemes and have a good time, heck, he most likely expected Mukuro to win
That TLC “creep” instrumental…chefs kiss 🤌🏾
if I remember correctly this happened because the show was cancelled for being too violent, I didn't know they were given a deadline and warning to rush out a finale but it makes sense now that I think about it.
Thanks for making this after you said you wouldn’t! I really appreciate it
the bald slander in this video is next level
"charlie brown informs him"
lmao
Just started and soooo glad you did this!
((Quick Edit: the edits in this video got me laughing pretty good; so we’ll done))
I figure Yusuke getting got quickly by Hokushin being due to Yusuke’s having a lot on his mind.
I do think the Three Kings arc was more focused on giving some sense or degree of closure for Kurama and Hiei.
I don’t think Mukuro had to have a direct connection to Hiei to recruit him. Regarding how she would know of him… If you think back to the Dark Tournament, his using the Dragon of the Darkness Flame and living caught attention… but him mastering the dragon technique would have landed him on the radar of someone seeking power. Mukuro was fixated on those representing her being among the most powerful. What better candidate than one who mastered a technique that was famous for killing its user?
That’s what I made of it. It’s something I hadn’t thought of or consider much until the “what business did Mukuro have with Hiei in the first place” question was posed.
(Hiei was definitely a problem character for Togashi, since he wasn’t ever supposed to appear beyond his first appearance.)
Just here to say I can't wait to hear your version of a rewrite. Love your thoughts on the series as a whole and can't wait to see where the fantasticly set up plot lines can potentially go when not rushed! 😊
Mukuro noticed Hiei's strength level while he's at the Demon World fighting Sensui. She wonders why Hiei is still not with her faction and wanted to recruit him. At least that's what I remember from the dub.
Honestly, I would love to see the development of a time skip Arc. It’s so much from this Arc that could transition into what a future would look like
Awesome video, brother. I just finished this video and I already watched your Chapter Black and Dark Tournament videos. YYH is easily my all time favorite anime and you touched on a lot things I always thought about the show. Can't wait to see that Three Kings rewrite video as like I just said, you touched on things I always thought about (like how the Three Kings Saga could have differed).
Yu Yu Hakusho as always been, and hopefully will always be, one of my favorite anime of all time. I love it for multitudes of reasons, but I think my favorite is that each and every member of the main cast, and even the side cast, seems dynamic and well thought out as people, rather than placeholders or tropes. Even today, the main cast of Yu Yu Hakusho still stands out to me for being fairly unique in the way of character interactions, characterization, and overarching story. I still aspire to one day write something as loved as this show. #thankyoutogashi
Keep us posted on the re-write! Interested in seeing what you come up with.
I enjoyed 3 Kings, I think it's in character for Yusuke to propose a tournament. But all your criticisms are completely valid and also things I thought while most recently rewatching the series. I hope that if ever YYH gets the HunterxHunter, Ruroni Kenshin, ect treatment and gets a remake that the arc is better fleshed out a second time around.
The mention of demons consuming humans brought up to mind the question "what did younger Toguro eat?" the only times we see him consume anything is his demon form consuming other demons while he is in his higher output form but while he is walking around casual he mentions wanting a glass of orange juice over ice... like was Toguro walking around spending his hard earned coin on eating half a cow a day and raiding the local max muscle?
Honestly as messy as this arc is, one thing about it I absolutely adore is Yomi as a villain. He is easily the second most well written villain the series other than Toguro, and personally my fav. He just has so much presence, charisma, and wit. While also remaining constantly cool and collected. His motives are also very understandable and to the point and rather nuanced, unlike Shinsui whose motivations I felt were kinda cluttered. Plus the way that Yomi behaves, aka genuinely having a sense of respect, even for those who stand against him, shows that he is truly a pretty morally grey antagonist. Especially if u consider the fact that what he wants is legit probably, at least what he thinks is genuinely best for his ppl. Making his motives come from a sense of utilitarianism, and not spite. I just wish we coulda saw more of his character being displayed and had time to see him even more, and delved into his past with Kurama more even if that already was handled decently well in the Three Kings Arc.
I think yyh wrapped up nicely.
it had a good ending, that's more than you can say for other Anime.
I am sure that a bunch of nice guys like Enki's group would trash on the weak. Makes perfect sense.
It was clear to me that arrogant as the thought process was others were beneath there notice. Secondly You brought up the established idea of Demon worlds unfathomable size... so deep in Demon world is more than liky an uncivilized den of monsters. So if the Enki friends had their own domains.
I agree it would be nice to not expect humans to connect the dots on complicated matters; but Togashi decided to let his subtle hints be just that in his rush.
#thankyoutagashi yu yu hakusho or ghost fighter, as it was called here, was a big thing here in the philippines. Probably 2nd most popular behind dbz in the late 90s and early 2000s. I love this anime and yes i agree they dropped the ball in the last ark. Thank you for doing this video essay. Looking forward to watching more of your stuff!
Please do detective conan or hajjome no ippo next!
just found and watched this video in January 2024 and you did amazingly great on this video and i hope you keep it up! you got a new subscriber in me too thanks for your effort and making the work day better for me
JUMP SCARE AT 52:26 oh my goodness 🙃🫠
Oh boy. A big chunk of my work day is going to go by while listening to this.
You DO owe us this video. Thank you. Love your content
It will never not disappoint me that Bui never made a reappearance despite surviving the Dark Tournament.
That 8 bit “Gangsta’s Paradise” was dope lol
Thank you for delivering and even keeping us occupied with your analysis!
Thanks for tuning in!
Fantastic work dude.
I've waited SO LONG for this!
I didn’t even watch yet , I’m just glad this video has been made because the wasted potential of the 3 kings arc has bugged me forever.
Weird why spirit world would think a retired spirit detective would be able to remotely stop Yusuke. Shes probably as strong as yusuke pre dark tournament
#thankyoutogashi
I watched YYH in high school, then I got clinical depression when I started college. Remembering YYH and especially the EDs motivate me to fix my depression.
3 kings arc (before the tournament) is the best arc in shonen
48:19-48:22 "Mako's a freaky fish guy" IYKYK
looking forward to the rewrite series!
If Raizen didn’t sound like classic Piccolo, I don’t think he would have as much votes as he got. But you must admit, he has one hell of a design.
When I was first watching this, I was so excited expecting a 3 way full out war of 3 armies led by Yusuke and Raizen vs Yomi and Kurama vs Hiei and Mokuro and we got a lesser tournament arc. *sigh*
I'll probably edit this and add things but I have some points to make.
- If you have 1 billion demons 10k S-class is still a very small percentage
- The whole tournament itself was typical Yusake subverting the established narrative.
- Yusake's mental breakdown was hinted at when he mentioned that even if they do need help they shouldn't mention it because it makes them look weak.
That moment you realize Kurama is a poison ivy version of Naruto.
This is such a great video. No one has covered YYH like you have sapciffically the Chapter Black saga. The you went into such a wide range of detail of each struggle our boys went through and the complexities of Sensui.
I liked the Three Kings saga when watching it for the first time as a kid. Now that im older and after rewatching the saga about a month before you dropped this video I have seen how dry, poor story telling feeling rushed, and declining art style I can understand why most people dislike this saga. I do really like the ending and always makes me feel sad because I love all these characters and Yusuke is the most relatable protagonist in anime imo.
After rewatching YYH last month I have noticed how during Chapter Black Yusuke and the rest of the boys talk to other characters with their teeth together. I am not sure if that was intentional, but it makes sense in terms of how the characters may be under a lot of stress, but Im not to sure.
When you called the bald guy Charlie Brown I just lost it 🤣. Very good video my man.