YuYu Hakusho

I believe that anyone who draws has a desire to attract people with their art, but this is an ambition that I had suppressed for a long time. This is because back when I had just had my debut, my editor at the time had shown me a manga page by Hagiwara Kazushi BASTARD!!. I felt that if I were honest with myself, my art would never be able to compete with something like this. But I was never able to throw away my ideal of being able to draw manga without help from other people. A few times during the run of YYH, I finished my manuscripts all by myself. All of these instances were when my stress levels were at their highest. I dont know if anyone will understand, but when I was stressed because I wasnt satisfied with my manga, the only way for me to relieve this stress was to draw all my manga by myself.

Yusuke: Well, that wasnt normal. Okay Yusuke, just think; its not like this is the first time youve been in a jam. Today did start off different. I went to school

— YuYu Hakusho time

Keiko: Maybe Id be more tolerant, Yusuke, if I could see you in school more than once every ten days! You give our class a horrible attendance average, which gets me in trouble as a class representative, and plus you wont even be able to graduate middle school! Sometimes I think you dont care about anyone but yourself, and then you dont even do that right. You hear me?

— YuYu Hakusho time

Keikos Friend 1: Arent you just terrified of what he might do to you? Or even worse, what people might say of it?

— YuYu Hakusho people

Keikos Friend 2: Yeah, but you havent heard the latest news about him, Keiko. Hes super tough, and he kills for fun!

— YuYu Hakusho you

Keiko: Besides, Yusuke couldnt order around two people, let alone 2,000. He doesnt have many friends.

— YuYu Hakusho people

Kuwabara: That was a cheap shot last time and I was only knocked out for a little bit, okay? Now Im back and Im gonna beat your face up so bad even kittens wont look at you!

— YuYu Hakusho time

Yusuke: Plus, if you were a real messenger of death, youd take this more seriously. Like, how grim can you be when you say bingo? Youre supposed to wear a big black robe and look like a skeleton!

— YuYu Hakusho death

Botan: Now I understand what kind of person you are; its in my guidebook! Rather than be scared or surprised, you yell a lot and tell me I dont know what Im talking about.

— YuYu Hakusho book

Botan: Its funny, Yusukenone of us were expecting you to die today; youve thrown us all for a loop. Run someone with your credentials through that scenario a thousand times and they never wouldve saved a kid like that. No one saw it coming and quite frankly, we havent prepared a place for you yet.

— YuYu Hakusho funny

Yusuke: Oh, gimme a freakin break! Are you telling me you guys were expecting that little boy to die?

— YuYu Hakusho you

Botan: Well, I wasnt going to tell you this because I knew it would make you even more irritable, but without the confusion caused by you running into the street, that boy wouldve actually missed the car and escaped with one less scrape on his right shoulder.

— YuYu Hakusho you

Botan: Yeswell, the driver would have veered to the left. In other words, your death was a complete and utter waste!

— YuYu Hakusho death

Little Boy: I know some people sounded angry at him, but hes really nice. He made really funny faces at me too, and he got me my ball! I dont know why those people were crying like that. It was probably because they wanted to play with him, too.

— YuYu Hakusho funny

Koenma: Actually, Im proud to say that in addition to knowing the greatest secrets of the universe, I am also quite potty-trained.

— YuYu Hakusho universe

Koenma: Your ordeal will be what is inside of it, and I assure you, it wont be a chicken. Hatch this egg, and face what comes out.

— YuYu Hakusho you

Koenma: No, no, not at all. You only have to keep it with you. This is a Spirit Beast, and it feeds off the energy emitted from your soul. This will be a true and constant test of your character. The things you do and feel will change the monster inside for betteror for worse. If, as would be expected from your files, your spirit is wicked and cruel, then the beast that hatches will be the same way. It will devour you, and youll be lost forever. This, as you might imagine, is a very painful experience. However, if the energy you emit is good and true, then so will be the Spirit Beast. It will take care of you and guide you back into your living body. Of course, if it sounds too risky, you can opt out and remain as a ghost. The choice, Yusuke Urameshi, is yours.

— YuYu Hakusho change

Botan: This dream your mother had seems to give her comfort, and Keiko doesnt want to take that from her.

— YuYu Hakusho dream

Keiko: Whether or not I believe isnt the question. I knew it was you from the first time you spoke! I know! And its not just your stupid gags or how you laugh. Theres ways you move and speak that in a hundred years I wouldnt forget!

— YuYu Hakusho time

Atsuko: I opened his coffin again because, well, I was going to smack him one more time for leaving me, but then I sawYusukes cheeks have some color! His skin is slightly warm! His heart is beating. Its slow, butmy boys alive!

— YuYu Hakusho war

Akashi: I dont know which boost to the schools reputation I like best: kicking out Kuwabara or having Yusuke die on his own!

— YuYu Hakusho school

Yusuke: I always said those teachers were out to get me! Im surprised they didnt run me over themselves!

— YuYu Hakusho tea

Kuwabara: But Im not gonna fight back, so you just hit me as much as youre gonna and let me get out of here!

— YuYu Hakusho fight

Akashi: Im so impressed. But I talked to some of the other teachers yesterday about our arrangement, and they said I was too easy on you.

— YuYu Hakusho men

Akashi: I was just as surprised as you are, but they were convinced! So, in addition to not fighting, you must all score fifty percent or higher on the Physical Science test!

— YuYu Hakusho science

Okubo: Yeah, I got a thirty-nine, so if I try a little harder Ill be good. Were gonna be okay, right Kuwabara? What did you get?

— YuYu Hakusho good

Akashi: And whats really painful is that you were so close! But Im afraid a promise is a promise, young man. Ill go notify Okubos employers.

— YuYu Hakusho pain

Takenaka: Yes, and I think if someone had corrupted my answer sheet the way that you and Mr. Iwamoto did to that boy, I wouldve wrung your neck too!

— YuYu Hakusho you

Botan: They cant hear words unless theyre asleep, but you can communicate feelings to living people when theyre on the same emotional wavelength. See? You reached Kuwabara with your feelings.

— YuYu Hakusho people

Botan: Dont worry Yusuke, he definitely cant see us or hear us, though theres a good chance he can feel you after what you went through together.

— YuYu Hakusho good

Sayaka: Now are we absolutely certain that Keiko wants Yusuke to come back to life again? After all, theres a great deal of manpower involved in making one of these life recoveries run smoothly. Theres no point in doing it if the people closest to you dont care!

— YuYu Hakusho life

Yusuke: Hey, look. This ordeal thing wasnt my idea, so dont throw me a guilt trip. And as for Keiko, how am I supposed to know? Its clear that if she had any sense shed want me gone.

— YuYu Hakusho guilt

Botan: Why do you say things you dont mean? You know she only scolds you because she actually cares about you. Sayaka, Ive learned not to listen to him most of the time. Hes just embarrassed, is all. Hes got the cutest crush on Keiko!

— YuYu Hakusho time

Sayaka: Hmmsmart, athletic, friendly but stern with her friendsher scores are next to perfect! This attraction between Yusuke and Keiko must obviously be one-sided.

— YuYu Hakusho art

Yusuke: Keiko, forget about me! Youre a lot more important to this world than I am! Dont be stupid! Go back!

— YuYu Hakusho world

Sayaka: You can save her life by using the power thats been gathered by the Spirit Beast youve been carrying with you.

— YuYu Hakusho life

Sayaka: But if you hatch the Spirit Beast now, before its ready, it wont be able to perform its usual duties.

— YuYu Hakusho ya

Yusuke: So my life for hers, huh? I wish someone had told me this morning that Id make this kind of choice.

— YuYu Hakusho life

Botan: Yusukethings arent going to be so easy on you for a while. You cant just wander around here anymore; Ill have to take you back. I dont know who Keiko will love in the future, but you cannot interfere. Theres no point in her saving her heart for someone she will never havelike you.

— YuYu Hakusho love

Yusuke: Okay Botan, just take me to Heaven or Hell or wherever it is Im going. Im tired of being here.

— YuYu Hakusho heaven

Koenma: Yusuke, youve shown to have more character than I thought. Ive been trying to figure out whether people around you really want you back. Contrary to my personal opinion, they actually do. More importantly, youve exhibited astounding potential to be a decent human being. Because this trait is so rare, Ive decided to give you another chance. In retrospect, it was a very good thing you threw this egg into the fire. If you had allowed it to hatch, the Spirit Beast, which had been feeding off your constant negative energy, would not have been a pretty sight. It would have bitten your head off. But as you and I know, thats not what happened. You threw the egg into the fire without hesitation, saving Keikos life at the cost of your own. You have a special quality buried underneath all that crap, and your added experience with death could make you very useful.

— YuYu Hakusho life

Yusuke: Nice pad. My mom mustve had good fire insurance. So are you going to put me back in my body now?

— YuYu Hakusho good

Koenma: Not just yet. Energy of the body and energy of the soul have their own wavelengths. Unless the two are perfectly aligned, they cannot join, which wont happen until tomorrow.

— YuYu Hakusho soul

Koenma: Well, thats the best case scenario. There is a small problem: the frequencies of your wavelengths, interestingly enough, are lower than most people. If you miss this chance tomorrow, youll have to wait awhile to realign.

— YuYu Hakusho people

Koenma: Yes, but I think it would be wise if you tried to do it tomorrow instead, and in order for that to happen youll need someone in the Living World who cares about you at least a little bit to donate their life energy.

— YuYu Hakusho life

Yusuke: Come on Kuwabara, get your head out of that damn game and listen to me! I dont want you to think Im weird or anything, but please please please just kiss me!

— YuYu Hakusho kiss

Yusuke: The only thing I can do: wait around another fifty years. Then Ill go see Keiko when shes an old hag!

— YuYu Hakusho

Sakamoto: Fool. Youve missed the point entirely. I was trying to teach you the thrill of stealing things. This is not what we agreed upon! Now apologize. You heard me. Get on your knees and apologize for being wrong.

— YuYu Hakusho you

Kuwabara: Hard to say. I think the feeling is hidden really good. Its just hanging in the air and I cant tell where its coming from. Sort of like aa

— YuYu Hakusho good

Hiei: I dont give a damn about their internal disputes. The only important thing is how strong they are. Ive fought my share of Ice Warriors. Seriyu, the Blue Dragon fell to my sword quickly enough, but he was no master; he was a fool who thought he could get by on half of his lessons. But if there is any true Ice Master, anyone who completed the full training that his master intended and knows the art of iceit is Touya.

— YuYu Hakusho war

Jin: I thought I was crazy, Urameshi, but you take the prize. The hell was that? You dont make bombs go BOOM in your face!

— YuYu Hakusho thought

Mitarai: Have you ever seen hundreds of frightened people, waiting in line to be killed in a camp? Have you seen horsemen raid and destroy a village, dancing on the bodies of their victims while singing happy songs? Have you ever seen a gigantic bomb wipe away millions who have never even picked up a weapon?! A civil war, where a mom is hacked down in front of her child, or a child in front of his mom. And the soldierbreaking up a family who loves each other, leading them into a fireand his eyes enjoying the torture.

— YuYu Hakusho love

Yusuke: Thats right, Goldie. And thats my bed youre sleepin in, thanks to the human freight train there, dragging you in so we could stitch you back up.

— YuYu Hakusho man

Atsuko: You fool! Why? What were you thinking, Yusuke? No one gave you permission to die! You got hit by a car, strong people live through that! Were you mad at me, Yusuke, were you mad? Didnt I raise you good enough?

— YuYu Hakusho people

Atsuko: I just had the strangest dream about Yusuke. Yusuke was living in some other world full of ogres and he kept knocking them down until he became their leader. Sounds like him, doesnt it?

— YuYu Hakusho world

Shizuru: If you know, then why dont you act on it before youre a deadbeat loser like me?! I didnt help raise you for nothing, and if you keep fighting demons, youre on your own! So decide, the exam for the Maiken High School is coming up! You pass, or you get out!

— YuYu Hakusho school

As a result, those chapters ended up horrible. Both the characters and the backgrounds were messy. The one shot Two Shots, Karasu vs. Kurama, Yusuke vs. Sensui, the scene where Yusuke meets Raizen, I drew most of those alone. The latter two were finished in half a day before my deadline, as a reader guessed and criticized in a letter. This might mean I fail as a professional, but I was satisfied. I had already started to think that no matter what anyone says, no matter how messy the finished pages are, I just wanted to draw this by myself, and I had no reason not to go through with it.

— YuYu Hakusho art

It saddens me to say this, but I had explored every possible direction for the YYH characters that I could in the context of a professional publication. All I could do at this point was to start deconstructing the characters, or go on repeating the same storylines over and over until the readers got bored. My attempts to deconstruct the characters were, of course, turned down by Jump. I didnt have the strength, physically and mentally, to keep doing the same thing over and over.Yoshihiro Togashi Vol. 19

— YuYu Hakusho art

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