yu yu hakusho

The name of the series is spelled Yu Yu Hakusho in FUNimation's distribution of the anime, and YuYu Hakusho in the Viz manga. It originally aired on Japan's Fuji Television network from 1992 to 1995 [1], and was later brought over to the US by FUNimation in 2001.

BACKGROUND
Yusuke Urameshi is nothing more than a street-brawling delinquent with a typical tough guy approach to everything. Yusuke's mother Atsuko, an alcoholic, had him at the age of 14 and shows little interest in raising her son. He has a reserved seat in the guidance counselor's office, and every single punk in the city is trying to take him on. Yusuke is pretty fed up with life.

However, no one expects a sudden act of heroism on his part: he dies trying to save a little boy from a speeding car. In fact, when he arrives in the afterlife, he is informed that no one was expecting him to die that way, and were not prepared for his arrival.

After numerous tests to gauge his worth, Yusuke is eventually revived, and is assigned to work for the Spirit Realm as a detective investigating demonic cases in the human world. He comes into spiritual abilities of his own, and enlists the help of numerous friends from Reikai (spirit world), Makai (demon world) and Ningenkai (human world) to aid him in his cases, and fight off demons and humans seeking to usurp and rule over all three worlds.

CHARACTERS
Yusuke Urameshi (浦飯幽助 Urameshi Yūsuke) - Yusuke is the toughest kid in Sarayashiki Junior High School and has a typical tough guy approach to everything. He becomes a spirit detective after he died and was revived by Keiko's kiss. His main attack is the Rei Gun (Spirit Gun in the English Dub) where he can manipulate his Reiki into a projectile. He learns many other attacks from Genkai including the spirit gun double and shot gun. He mainly grows in strength from all of his different battles, because he responds to danger by unleashing his full strength. Near the end of the series, it is revealed that Yusuke is in fact a half demon. His demon ancestor copulated with a human female and arranged so that a descendant of his, once strong enough, would become a half demon. This explains Yusuke's incredible spirit powers.

Kazuma Kuwabara (桑原和真 Kuwabara Kazuma) - Kuwabara is the second toughest kid in the school, and resents Yusuke for it. Originally rivals, Yusuke and Kuwabara would start a grudging friendship that only strengthens throughout the series. Although human, Kuwabara has high Reiki sensitivity; shortly after accompanying Yusuke on missions, he is able to manifest a Rei Ken (Spirit Sword in the English dubbing); a type of Reiki that normally takes on the shape of a glowing sword.
After the Dark Saga, Kuwabara is believed to be the strongest human alive (Genkai implies this). Though he may not be the strongest in the "gang", he is certainly the kindest.

Keiko Yukimura (雪村螢子 Yukimura Keiko) / Kayko Yukimura - Although Yusuke vehemently denies it, Keiko is his girlfriend. Her personality is almost the exact opposite of his; she is a model student, and often berates Yusuke for playing hookey or for getting into trouble. Her relationship with Yusuke has sometimes made her a target of demons who had sought to gain the upper hand against the detective. Keiko eventually learns of Yusuke's life as a Reikai detective, and while apprehensive of some of his more dangerous fights, often supports and cheers him on. At the final episode, it seems that she will no longer wait for Yusuke because Yusuke made a promise to her that he will be right back after his mission in the demon world is done. Eventually, when Keiko seems to be breaking down and looks broken hearted, Yusuke surprises her and the two confess their mutual love for each other.

Koenma (コエンマ) - Though he resembles an infant in appearance, he is actually over 700 years old and is the son of Enma-Daioh (King Yama, the Sanskrit name, in the English anime), the ruler of the spirit realm (Reikai). Koenma also has the ability to transform into a teenage version of himself (ostensibly for formal occasions) but still retains his trademark pacifier. He does this only to blend in with the human world.

Botan (ぼたん)- One of the hundreds of ferry girls of the spirit realm (a type of shinigami) responsible for guiding the souls of the recently departed to eternal judgement (in the American version, she is referred to as the "grim reaper"). Originally assigned by Koenma to be Yusuke's spirit guide after his fatal car accident, she becomes his case manager, supplying him with equipment and much of the information he needs. Botan is a kind and warm-hearted woman who has put herself in peril on several occasions to protect the people she cares about. She takes her job very seriously, although she tends to act in a very bubbleheaded manner.

Hiei (飛影) a.k.a. Hiei of the Evil Eye (Jaganshi Hiei) - Hiei is a fire demon (hi yōkai) born of a Koorime (氷女 Ice Maiden) who specializes in speed, swordsmanship and "Jagan" (Evil Eye) skills (邪眼術). His artificially created Jagan amplifies his power and enables him to summon the black fires of Makai (Demon Realm) and channel it as an energy attack, often in the shape of a dragon. He's a bit of a hot head and is not very fond of Kurwabara or fool/idiot/moron/human etc. as he calls him (Many fans have made-up a nickname they supposedly think Hiei uses for Kuwabara; Kuwabaka. Baka meaning "Moron" or "Idiot" in Japanese). Hiei is also a bit short. His twin sister Yukina is unaware of their relationship, and Hiei has gone as far as to threaten harm to others to prevent Yukina from realizing that he is actually her brother. The choice of vocabulary used in reference to Yukina's age in the early manga suggests Hiei and Yukina may be adolescents throughout the series.

Kurama (蔵馬), also known as Shuichi Minamino (南野秀一 Minamino Shūichi) in his human form - Kurama is a demon with the ability to summon and control plants. He was originally the powerful and infamous yōkai) Kitsune thief, Fox Demon Kurama (as stated in the English manga) or Yoko Kurama (as stated in the English anime) (妖狐蔵馬 Yōko Kurama) until he was wounded by a hunter. Managing to escape by inhabiting the body of an unborn human baby, he grew up as the human child Shuichi, and planned on abandoning his "family" once his demonic power returned at the age of ten, but grew to love his human mother, Shiori Minamino. Kurama has a wide variety of techniques, because of his ability to control a wide variety of plants, including the often seen Rose Whip. In The "Dark Tournament" Kurama was given a potion to aid him in his transforming to his "Yoko Kurama" state, but in later episodes seemed to be able to transform at will.

Genkai (幻海) - The aged Reiki fighter who rigorously trains Yusuke in the Spirit Light Wave Fist (霊光波動拳 Reikō Hadō Ken, Spirit Wave in the English dub) technique. Though her manner is often gruff, she cares for Yusuke and the others, and constantly tries to help them grow stronger. In the past, she was feared as one of the most powerful human fighters in both Ningenkai and Makai.

Yukina (雪菜) - An ice yōkai (An "Ice Maiden" 氷女 Kōrime) whose tears can harden into rare, priceless jewels (a characteristic of the Kōrime race). Yusuke, Botan, and Kuwabara rescued her from Gonzo Tarukane, a black market businessman who was torturing her to produce the gems. She reappears later in the series, searching for her brother. She is unaware of the fact that Hiei is her sibling, and that Kuwabara is in love with her. As a Kōrime, she has the ability to cause cold temperatures, as well as use powers of healing.