Is this the BEST TOURNAMENT in Anime?! (YuYu Hakusho)

I've never seen or read anything about YuYu Hakusho in my life! So here's my blind review of it from start to finish! I want to complete this series in time to watch the live action Netflix adaptation of it and to see if it lives up to the hype surrounding it! I'm a fan of HunterXHunter but let's see if this stacks up!
Today we're diving into what many consider the greatest tournament in all of anime and manga. The Dark Tournament Arc!
SUPPORT OUR PATREON: / totallynotmark
MUSIC USED
HxH 99 & OVA Score
Street Fighter IV Intro Theme
Prelude to Pursuit (GAA)
Heart of the Investigation (Apollo Justice)
Torn Flesh (White Bat)
Mortal Kombat Theme (Cover by Koji Kobura)
Koopa's Road (Mario&Sonic 2014 Olympic Blah Blah Game)
Giga Chad (Cover by Veedah)
GigaSlayer Phonky Hell (Aaron F. Bianchi Jupiter)
Legend of the Martial Artist (Cover by Pokemixr92)
Cell (RTPN)
Termination (RTPN)
Embers (White Bat)
Dudley's Theme (SF 3rd Strike)
Crossfire (RTPN)
Sobre Sus Costales (Blasphemous 2)
Confession (VLR)
This is War (Cover by Halflives)
Violent Storm (Baten Kaitos)
Lifting the Veil - Critical Clash 1 (Octopath)
Bury The Light (Cover by LittleV)
Saw (RTPN)
Prophecies (Cover by Le Dernier Absent)
Twilight of the Gods (FE Echoes)

[@emekaamerican863]

Yes. Yes it is.

[@STRinor]

I can name 10 tournament arcs that are better

[@Dee-nonamnamrson8718]

Nah, the Hunter Exam Arc was better. Togashi used what he learned from making this series and perfected it in HunterxHunter.

[@ChiePet_]

Pin this comment

[@gintoki_sakata__]

​@@STRinorand you'll be wrong 10 times

[@brockfg]

​@nonamnamrson8718 hard disagree

[@Ashberryvillage10]

I'm jealous that Mark was able to experience the dark tournament for the first time ever this week. That whole arc was mindblowing and heartbreaking cave scene

[@GhengizKanye]

Bro i wish i had dementia so i could watch this for the first time every other day

[@douchebagbrigade]

In Dragonball fasion it use to end during the ice demon fight and then return to Rando arc

[@AKUNJIG]

I know. Watching this on Toonami was something you can't miss.

[@Ashberryvillage10]

@@douchebagbrigade core memory unlocked

[@zackarybell369]

Honestly even the nostalgia trips through it are amazing

[@youngrootv]

Seeing Kurama transform into Yoko Kurama still gives me chills to this day. When I saw that for the first time as a kid, my mind was absolutely blown!

[@magicdance4273]

"Yoko has returned, they cry"

[@deviousj5868]

And when Heiei said that Kurama was stronger than him i flipped my shit.

[@zerohikari2685]

I just realized that when the Dark Tournament was happening literally the Cell Saga was running parrallel to it at the same time in Shonen Jump. Could you imagine what that must have been like to read that each week?

[@Chaosic]

Yep and both Cell and Toguro pushed Gohan and Yusuke to go beyond their limits which ultimately was their undoing Cell and Toguro. Also Damien Clark voiced Cell and Toguro in the dubs for dbz and yu yu hakusho.

[@zerohikari2685]

@@Chaosic Literally happened a week apart. Gohan went SSJ2 02/09/93 and Toguro killed Kuwabara making Yusuke snapped on 02/16/93.

[@Chaosic]

@@zerohikari2685 I see thats good to know cool.

[@Sant323]

What a time it must have been for fans who were enjoying this as it was running. An insane factoid, for sure, and crazy to think Cell and Toguro were voiced by the same actor.

[@Chaosic]

@@Sant323 yep

[@lvl5Vaporeon]

A mulberry is a tree but Kuwabara is a man. I love this series.

[@solidskullz5736]

Kawabara really proves himself as one of the realest ones out there. He’s a chad in every sense of the word

[@GregoryFord98]

One of the coldest moments in all of anime. Kuwabara is this silly guy at first, but we learn he's incredibly competent, strong, and extremely moral.

[@GhengizKanye]

That quote always makes me cry laughing. He was so badass but why did he compare himself to a tree?

[@joshjames582]

@@GhengizKanye It's a pun on the literal meaning of his name in Japanese.

[@LightningAsh]

@@GhengizKanye Because he's our lovable goofball, bro

[@NRB10ful]

I loved the dub for this so much because of the attitude that they gave Yusuke. My favorite is when genkai is about to give him the final lesson and ask him to show off his spirit gun and she's disappointed with the results and he says, "why don't you show me how it was done in the good old days grandma?" And she responds with "Gladly you patronizing jackass"

[@spacecolon7760]

I grew up on the dub and adore it but really recommend giving the sub a try! Similar to the Dragon Ball sub there’s a bit of a less over exaggerated dramatic tone, Chris Santa is a different type of Vegeta/Kuwabara in voice and inflection

[@Deoxy360]

​@spacecolon7760 I grew up with the dub too. But I've been reading the manga ever since it dropped on shonen jump. Like what Mark has been saying, it's crazy to see Togashi evolve.

[@titheproven954]

I have always been a fan of Hiei asking Yusuke what is on his head (Pu) and Yusuke's response. The dub was gold for this scene as well.

[@hiphopstrongman]

@@titheproven954”What is that ridiculous appendage growing out of your head all about?” 😂

[@sine_fine]

@@spacecolon7760sub or dub for first time viewer?

[@chrono1742]

This is actually one of the rare instances where I prefer the dub. Toguro's final line in the dub is to me even more poignant. Genkai tells him not to regret the things that happened between them and he says "No Genkai, but it would have been a beautiful life." It leans more into the maybe romance between their characters then the original, but the line has so much weight I've never been able to get it out of my head canon for the series.

[@paradoxdungeon]

that moment hit me soooo hard. there’s something so heavy and sad about so much regret packed into just a few words. and toguro’s english VA also sells it. I replayed that scene like 3 times when I first saw it.

[@BlackTorrent]

Toguro in the english dub was made into a better character. In the sub he just kept going on about being at 100%. In the dub he talked about how this fight was personal to him (hinting at either his killing of Genkai or finally being able to push himself to his limits), they also did a better job with his overall relationship with Genkai as well. Sadly Toguro in the original japanese dubbing made him seem way more one dimensional. The english dub is one of those few animes and performances that are simply better.

[@internetjerk2839]

Back when English Dub actors actually gave a damn

[@richborn6700]

​@@internetjerk2839back when there were seemingly more than three English VAs. I swear they have like the same five voice actors these days for every project

[@JC-ew8lh]

@@richborn6700 You say that, but I always found it funny/disappointing that basically every EN dub back in early the 2000's almost NEEDED to have like 4 recurring VAs. Crispin Freeman was literally in EVERYTHING, as were Laura Bailey. Wendee Lee and Vic Mignogna too.

[@barrycrossnoe4801]

Shout out Funination crew for doing such incredible dub voice work in YYH, but also notably in DBZ as well (Justin Cook, Damien Clarke, Chris Sabat, among several others).

[@craxnor]

My favorite scene in the tournament is Yusuke threatening to break the rules and Hiei basically going “Y’know what yeah! Let’s fuck it up!”

[@benjamingardner3314]

Hiei is about that life, runs toward the smoke in every arch of this story.

[@Tyleya]

Bruh I never even thought of that.😂😂😂😂😂

[@AKUNJIG]

Damn Right!

[@ThePhoenixNecro]

Facts!!!

[@jimmyjohnjuan]

Definitely

[@LedosKell]

"I'm not leaving without war." -Hiei Hiei won me over with the shinobi match. Him and Yusuke ready to fight the entire stadium for the committee interference and then freaking Toguro threatening Butajiri for his behavior. And Kuwabara coming in despite all the internal injuries. Just an incredibly satisfying match because of the frustration and rage involved. Dr. Ichigaki gets most of the hate and it's justified, but Butajiri was the Black Club member who struck a negative chord for me when I first watched the Dark Tournament.

[@Ironcorgi2]

Hiei’s so cool I loved when he was all “ ya urameshi let’s murder everyone in this stadium cause they don’t want to play fair”

[@arabhero10]

Yeah because Ichigaki is a monster who owns up to it. He makes no secret of his depravity and at least has the balls to put his own ass on the line to win. Butajiri on the other hand is an honorless scumbag who hides behind others to do his dirty work, instead hoping his money and connections will get him what he wants.

[@magicdance4273]

Toguro just casually stating "I don't like the way you play, Butajiri", and then fucking _exploding his head_ with a finger flick is great character work.

[@TheHarunate]

No kidding, the moment Toguro killed Butajiri was a "hell yeah" moment for me when I first watched the show. Even as a villainous youkai that he had become, Toguro still has honor as a martial artist and would rather engage in a fair fight against his opponents instead of winning in such an underhanded way through executive meddling. What a man.

[@CecilyJisi]

hearing the Japanese voice of Genkai for the first time tells me just how nearly spot on Linda Young was in the dub

[@ryanleadbitter7749]

I’ve never been a fan of Linda Young’s Freeza, but her Genkai redeemed her for me.

[@xelic1996]

I only wish you could have mentioned how Yusuke's final power up was from him finally letting himself feel all those emotions that he kept locked away inside, that was always the most powerful message of the arc for me.

[@R0-83-RT]

He may bring it back up again during chapter Black considering the uno reverse card situation in that Arc. *Spoilers* in case Mark is reading this, though probably not. Yusuke basically decides to sacrifice himself in his battle against Sensui in order for Kuwabara to fully unleash the power of the dimension sword.

[@DrunkCrazyMonkey]

Well the fight with Yomi was never shown. It just skip and say Yusuke and Yomi fought for days before Yusuke collapsing. So the fight we seen in the anime was actually a filler.

[@JoshDoingLinux]

I watched the dub for this show and my heart broke into pieces when botan got back from escorting genkai to spirit world. Someone who’s normally very comedic and light hearted about death who is broken hearted by the death of someone close to her

[@truedarkness4052]

The dub is so goated. It fucking pulverizes the sub so hard it isn't even funny

[@defaultname7685]

faaaacts @@truedarkness4052

[@ohnah6261]

@@truedarkness4052wrong

[@wraith.ferron]

Mark finally understands why Kuwabara and Leorio are so beloved by their respective fandoms. I don't know of any mangaka that makes this trope of character better than he does.

[@stevemclovin1566]

I don't know about leorio but saying kuwabara is beloved is a bit of a stretch. Especially in the old days of the fandom where half of them hated him. Even now I would say he's more "liked" but not really more respected.

[@superblanco444]

@@stevemclovin1566being 4th place on the popularity poll is not being hated

[@wraith.ferron]

@stevemclovin1566 he was 3rd or 4th in just about every popularity poll Shonen Jump and Yahoo Japan ran for YYH. He is very popular in Japan and internationally, but I've noticed isn't very popular in the US for some reason.

[@jonathonchastain491]

​@@wraith.ferron could be a dubbing thing, his english voice is fucking awful so that could turn people off to bum outright

[@supermanhun]

​@@wraith.ferronAs a guy from USA people love him but we also like to laugh at him because his English voice actor really played up the sidekick of punk role.

[@dboss2289]

It may have been said already but I feel like the Funimation dub deserves a shoutout, especially in this Dark Tournament arc. The whole cast knock it out of the park, and the Yusuke/Genkai death scene always hits me hard. If you get a chance and haven’t done so, please give it a watch

[@nif3869]

"Give that back you old bitch" - words of Yusuke the wise

[@Omega_MCX]

Seconded! It's such a good example of what an English Dub should be. Not just cause dialogue has been rewritten to make it more accessible, but cause the voice acting talent itself is a cut above and they actually use accents! 😮 One thing I hate about current English Dubs is that everyone sounds awfully similar and if I was to turn my head I would have no idea who was talking, but in this it's very clear who is talking, during the tournament Jin having an incredibly thick Irish accent is amazing, especially how they play off it it where the other characters have no idea what he is saying, or Chu and his oddly but perfectly fitting Aussy accent. 😁

[@richborn6700]

Not to mention 98% of the traffic on this video will likely have seen the DUB first and foremost. Either the English or Phillipino

[@Sant323]

Seeing the little Spanish Dub nod during the video made me wanna check out the Spanish Dub of the show (now I get the random meme 😂) and it's interesting how close the dub was to the Japanese Dub compared to the English Dub being more creative with the dialogue and character interactions (not to mention the one liners). It makes me wonder what other dubs exist and whether they also got creative and/or stayed closer to the Japanese Dub.

[@keyblader007]

Yeah sad they didn’t use dub clips…

[@Zeikier]

The way the anime handled the anticipation for the Knife Edge Death Match is my favorite part of DT by far. It's incredible how well they made just standing still waiting for a decision to be made offscreen one of the most intense stretches of the fight.

[@Bronymonster44]

One of my favorite moments of this arc is when Yusuke is trying to absorb the power from Genkai, she's watching him. And after seeing so much bloodshed and agony from Yusuke, she comments on the idea that it was too early to do this and tries to remove that dangerous power from Yusuke. She feared this process would actually kill her student and her emotions conveyed in their exchange show that she has come to truly care for our hotheaded protagonist in a parental-like role.

[@jnhensley09]

And when she tried to take the spirit orb (his pain) away, he said "NOPE! GIVE IT BACK YOU OLD BITCH"

[@Quanze]

And then Yusuke says "fuck you that's mine" lol

[@Arcalite]

I love the dub of thr cave scene too, it brings me to tears. SCREW THIS TEST, IM GETTING US OUT OF HERE!!

[@fluffypuppy4388]

I love that scene but my favorite part might be when Yusuke takes it back and how he does it in the most Yusuke way and and shows Genkai and Yusukes dynamic/relationship perfectly. Clearly they both like and care for the other but the sarcastic ass hole relationship between them is to me what makes it one of the best relationships there is

[@shonenbois]

Yusuke and Kuwabara’s friendship/bromance is just a great example of how Togashi is able to write these endearing and wholesome friendships in his stories Like I swear Yusuke’s somber tone over Kuwabara’s “death” in the Dub just hits so hard. Shout out to Justin Cook(Yusuke’s Dub VA) for his voice work as Yusuke

[@nerdius8204]

indeed, its sometimes more fun to watch the Cast members interact with wach other in the slice of Life bits. togashi did a great Job making us investest in the characters

[@solidskullz5736]

And that would go on to inspire Gon and Killua’s friendship

[@rubyjune1930]

The YYH dub is so incredible

[@theradionicrevival8068]

@@nerdius8204I think it’s always fun to have characters interact and have downtime. The issue is just knowing when and when not to utilize The mix between the shorter attention spans, cancelling everything before it even gets its foot in the door and the overall stigma filler used to have due to its more notorious usage, it’s a shame people are so allergic to a neutral trope like filler. It’s just a writing tool at the end of the day, it’s all about how it’s used. Honestly a big issue I and most people have when it comes to getting into new stories these days, particularly shonen anime/manga is how “on the move” everything always is. It’s always just hype for the next fight and rushing to finish it often once we ever even get there. It’s crazy cause what makes the heaviest moments in stuff like dragonball or yyh hit WERE the contrast in tonal levity due to knowing what the world was like when it and its people were peaceful It makes the action and death hit hard since we have intimate knowledge and familiarity with what’s sleeping behind it. It’s crazy how many mainstream anime I see these days that only elaborate about a character AFTER they’ve already died and expect anyone to care Even when there main characters, it’s odd how little of them we actual got to know or see before they made their exist

[@DelightfullyMADD]

What I love about YuYu Hakusho's tournament arc is that unlike so many other tournament arcs from series like Dragon Ball is that all of the main characters get their time to shine and show how badass they are. At no point do I feel like this story is just "The Yuusuke story". Sure he's still the main character and gets the most development, but Kurama and Hiei both feel as if they are every bit as badass and capable as Yuusuke is, and in some ways are more badass than him. Even Kuwabara, as the most mundane of the bunch, still has his time to shine and showcase his unique talents and badassery. Compare this to Dragon Ball. I am a long time fan of Dragon Ball and I love it to death, but I am not blind to it's issues either, and Dragon Ball very much became 'the Goku show', with a little bit of Vegeta thrown in. Most of the other characters were thrown to the wayside, forgotten, or otherwise woefully underdeveloped and under utilized, and it's clear that Toriyama has a real issue with juggling multiple characters. YuYu Hakusho however mostly manages to avert this, with the four man band all still remaining relevant and having their own arcs and stories, and while Yusuke certainly does take up the majority of the limelight, it feels much more evenly split at something like 30/25/25/20 (Yusuke 30/Hiei 25/Kurama 25/Kuwabara 20). Sure Kuwabara is ultimately a bit left out, but compared to the likes of Krillin or Piccolo from Dragon Ball, he fares much much better in YuYu Hakusho.

[@thomaspeters1994]

I wish yyh and dbz were remix😅

[@wat5058]

I've never forgotten how I learned of this series when I was six years old because I somehow, without even knowing HOW, got my hands on a handful or two of Yu-Yu Hakusho trading cards that I kept in a drawer that was essentially just a gigantic pile of all my trading cards from various games (mostly Yu-Gi-Oh). I googled it one day, found out it was an anime, watched it, and the series has had a major impact on my life ever since. Glad to see you enjoyed the arc, Mark.

[@andyrodriguez500]

The cave scene hits sooo hard honestly. Brought tears to my eyes seeing yusuke all messed up trying to save pu

[@tyrantravealpha]

I remember reading it and then seeing the dubbed version of the scene a few days later, man it hits hard.

[@andyrodriguez500]

@@tyrantravealpha dubbed was so good too! Yusuke yelling "SCREW THIS TEST IM GETTING US OUTTA HERE!" Im tearing up thinking about it honestly lol

[@Aeon1989]

The Dub of Yu Yu Hakusho is what all dubs need to stride to be. I want to feel your scream and sorrow! A lot of dubs miss those emotions when they "yell" and cry

[@Rykiz_Vidz]

​​@@Aeon1989Yusuke and Hiei were the two best voice actors for their characters hands down. Hiei with the dark and brooding voice and tone, and Yusuke with the way he yells SHOT-GUN!!! is so damn satisfying.

[@hegcho]

Brang? what's that?

[@theSuper1Player]

The brilliance of this arc can’t be overstated. If you’ve never seen Yu Yu Hakusho, and this video made you the least bit interested, you owe it to yourself to watch/read it. Even though Mark covered this arc very well, he could only cover so much of what makes it great. Everyone in the core cast of characters shines. All of Team Urameshi has fantastic interactions and utterly badass moments, the girls offer a great sense of levity and perspective whenever the focus shifts to them, and Koenma is able to show how great of a Kami-esque guardian figure he is while still being the same odd comedic character he always has been.

[@FernandoGonzalez-hu3id]

One scene that for some reason has been stuck with me after nearly 20 years is when Koenma and Sakyo straight up bet their lives on the outcome of Urameshi-Toguro

[@buckycharms5393]

Fr

[@iruga7379]

@@FernandoGonzalez-hu3id That momment i thought that Koema had balls of steel...betting your own life against that force of nature that was Toguro...omfg.

[@wiseman46237]

And the dub is such a fucking treat that you can't help but feel yourself drawn into the story and loving the characters. Every next episode preview even gets you hyped up to watch it like your 7 years old watching Toonami at 12am past your bed time.

[@ajrenaissance]

This might be the first review of Mark’s I wasn’t crazy about. I’m very happy he got to experience this arc but everything just feels a little to glossed over. I’m probably biased because YYH is my favorite anime of all time and was expecting a super nuanced review getting into the weeds of the main 4, especially with Kurama and Hiei being my favorite characters. All in all glad he got to experience the best tournament arc in anime and happy he seems to have enjoyed it.

[@blackroomred]

probably a hot take seeing as how hxh is seen as THE togashi work and has a more widely acknowledged iconic status in the genre, but i personally i always loved yyh more. it's probably one of my most rewatched series ever and it just fills me with the kind of satisfaction only very, very few series/anime do after a complete watch. this arc is definitely its most widely beloved one, but you'll be in for a treat with the following one as well.

[@jackroberts2704]

YYH has a bit more heart. HXH can be plenty emotional, but the core 4 characters aren't together nearly as much as the spirit squad.

[@inflatable_dream]

Mark, I would look over Toguro’s decision to go to limbo again. In my opinion it shows how complex an antagonist he really is. Toguro kills Genkai to test Yusuke, putting him in the same situation he was in 50 years ago. Yusuke overcame this without giving up his humanity, Toguro realizes he was wrong all along and purposely chooses the worst part of the afterlife, and even tells Genkai to make sure Yusuke follows the right path, and doesn’t make the same mistakes he did. Also it’s shown Toguro still cares for Genkai through his reactions to his older brother’s mocking of her. Some would say it’s because he wants a fair fight, but I always felt the main reason Toguro punches his older brother out of the arena is because of how he speaks of Genkai.

[@neisan92]

That's exactly why he does it.

[@arabhero10]

Toguro wanted to be proven wrong. He wanted to die, but only by the hand of someone who could truly prove him wrong. Years after obtaining what he thought he wanted he realized what he gave up and what he lost. His final conversation with Genkai in the spirit world proves that. It’s why he chooses to go to limbo. Not just because of his lingering guilt over his failures, but because he doesn’t feel he deserves happiness after sacrificing the very thing that brought it to him in the first place. Had he wanted to, he could’ve killed Genkai at any time, but Yusuke? Yusuke held up a mirror to himself, and not unlike his former lover, he wanted to see if Yusuke would surpass him by becoming like him, justifying his choice, or surpassing him by rejecting him, refuting what he was unable to refute himself.

[@Rykiz_Vidz]

@arabhero10 It's kinda funny because Toguro thought he was so strong and the most powerful demon. Then once we get to the end of the next arc we realize he wasn't an S class demon. I don't think he was even a high A class level demon. He was only like low A class. Because near the start of the next arc we find out Hiei is ranked as like an upper B class or lower A class or something.

[@APRobertsVII]

⁠@@Rykiz_VidzToguro was the most powerful demon on Earth at the time. Aside from Sensui (who was basically unknown at the time), Toguro was the most powerful character on Earth, full stop. He was the pinnacle of the living world and the Kekkai (spelling?) barrier prevented anyone in the Spirit World from dethroning him. You’re right that the series power levels scale far beyond Toguro, but I think Togashi went to a good deal of trouble to create a sensible explanation for Toguro’s status as strongest at the time.

[@jwalkblue7]

​@@APRobertsVII100%. A rank and higher couldn't enter the human world. Therefore Toguro being a high B makes perfect sense.

[@Dw7freak]

We need to remember that the Dark Tournament also introduced one of the best tropes in anime: the cute animal/demon girl announcer/referee!

[@dnm3732]

Koto ❤

[@annhoc]

So true lol. Koto and Juri is *chef kiss*

[@dpglounge4900]

I don't want to die a Virgin lol

[@deaj8450]

@@dpglounge4900 I think I remember in the later demon world tournament when Koto is introducing herself as the announcer she references Juri saying that, and that she was 'successful on her quest.'

[@dpglounge4900]

@@deaj8450 let's find her a man lol

[@devontetheone]

best anime in history (english dub version better) (note also for yall that dont know. Yu Yu Hakusho came before HxH, togashi made it after YYH)

[@jesseowenvillamor6348]

Nope. The original Japanese version is always better

[@devontetheone]

@@jesseowenvillamor6348 🧢 Japanese version is not better then the English

[@jesseowenvillamor6348]

@@devontetheone It is

[@hihowareya2445]

@@jesseowenvillamor6348 not always

[@JoeShmo909090]

no its not@@jesseowenvillamor6348

[@Megamon0001]

Yu yu Hakusho’s tournament arc was so good and still is to the point where any modern tournament arc of other animes just do not compare in hype. Amazing anime

[@Conflict-ff5pi]

Kuwabara purposefully putting himself in harms way because he knew if he got injured it'd give Yusuke a power boost is such a funny yet clever way to play with shonen tropes and i'm shocked no other series i know of has done it.

[@alicepbg2042]

but they have... it's not that uncommon. the difference is that the villain usually doesn't just pretend to kill them. they just do (or try to but get stopped). like, remember when goku literally planned on gohan getting a rage boost to beat cell?

[@caosisaac]

A great subversion of this is digimon adventure 01. When taichi first gets the crest of courage he purposefully throws himself in danger against an enemy greymon because he is sure that is what is needed for his own greymon to digivolve to new heights. And he is right; but the resulting cost of skullgreymon losing all traces of empathy and reason and becoming a potentially bigger threat than the main villain they are facing is a harsh lesson to taichi on what courage truly means.

[@wraith.ferron]

@alicepbg2042 this was 1991, and it was incredibly rare for its time. It's still uncommon now.

[@alicepbg2042]

@@wraith.ferron it's not that rare. Specially in comedies that make fun of it... but it happens in fucking yugioh of all things. Don't know what to tell you beyond that... this type of thing happens. What's more unique here, is that the villain is bluffing and the victim plays along.

[@ArcDragoon]

I would argue that a lot of Shounen does this already. The difference is the ground work. The "power of friendship" and its subversion happens a lot, for better or worse. The difference is in YYH is that, Togashi constantly made it a point that this was Yusuke's character. From the very beginning, it is basically the first thing we learn about Yusuke. Him jumping in front of the car to save a kid. And Mark made comments about it in the first part of the review, where he kinda scoffed at the stereotypical power-up through the power of friendship that happens at a couple of times. Every time Yusuke put his life in risk for someone else was always a build up to this point in the story.

[@brianetie86]

Mark needs to watch the dub! Justin Cook’s screams of pain are so visceral it’s like you’re getting a taste of Yusuke’s agony yourself.

[@naeonixion]

Core memory unlocked

[@aboutmybacon]

Swear man

[@GregoryFord98]

Yeah, I can hear Yusuke screaming in pain in the cave or yelling. ABIAS to unlock the cuffs

[@gc8568]

I said it in the last video but it continues to be annoying that the only series I recall him watching Dubbed is Dragon Ball, and that’s only because he saw it as a child. It’s not even like the YYH Sub is bad, but the Dub makes changes that only add to the series rather than take away from it. Not only does It gives it more charm and makes it iconic, but the voice acting is honestly just better it’s the overall better viewing experience. The same thing goes for the YYH Filipino Dub, they made changes that worked better for their language, I heard they even added local slang into their dub. It just doesn’t make sense why he’s doing himself yet another disservice by not watching the version that makes the series objectively better, he did the same thing with Full Metal Alchemist and I have no doubts he’ll continue to do it again in the future.

[@kyledavis5646]

URRRRAMESHI! 😎

[@musicman2494]

Literally every single anime or "cartoon", or even some live action shows, owes everything to the Anime of YuYu Hakushou. Even things from Cyber Punk to Pokemon have made a reference to it. Him taking the cuffs offs in the finals is literally what inspired Leaf to do it against Gara. Yusuke's spirit lives on. And always will.

[@theguywholikesmario4613]

Man, that Toguro AMV legitimately gave me chills.

[@MrBakku]

that fact mark´s editor knows the ¨Duelo a muerte con cuchillos¨ meme is further proof of being a chad of culture and carries this channel

[@totallynotmusic7803]

Pienso que van a pelear con cuchillo

[@MrBakku]

​@@totallynotmusic7803nunca habia escuchado algo asi...

[@TiroDvD]

May you explain that meme for me? I"ve seen the English dub. I know that those words are "duel (preposition) death with knives."

[@bad-people6510]

I did really appreciate just how harshly they stacked the stakes against the protagonists right from the get go. Having them even in the first round barely survive by the absolute skin of their teeth, while at the same time the big-bads just stroll through the competition effortlessly.

[@markalexander6036]

43:31 Bury the Light is a fantastic piece of music to frame the final battle of the Dark Tournament. The ideological conflict between Yusuke and Toguro is remarkably similar to that of Dante and Vergil in the Devil May Cry series. Toguro and Vergil cast aside their humanity, viewing it as a form of weakness. Meanwhile, our heroes Yusuke and Dante, embrace their humanity as a source of strength.

[@tylermorrison9775]

I think one of my Favorite things about Toguro as a character is when Sakyo offers him alcohol and he instead asks for Orange Juice ( I believe its tea in the sub). I love how much of a interesting character contrast this is, for this whole arc we've only really seen Toguro as this massive force, with a cunning intellect to boot, but in this small moment you get this little extra peak of character depth and its so fascinating. I love that in good villain writing, and I feel like this is expanded even further in HxH with the Phantom Troupe.

[@StxtchKiss]

I experienced the dark tournament arc for the first time ever via the dubbed anime during covid and was able to binge the whole thing. Truly an unforgettable experience.

[@jdrvargo287]

Introduced my mom to the series as well around that time. She has become a diehard fan of the series same as myself.

[@theradionicrevival8068]

Had a similar experience Read the manga beginning to end in highschool and procrastinated picking up the anime, never knew anything about it other than that it existed and kuwabara sounded dumb. I was hesitant because I already read the manga a year prior and new what would happen and didn’t see the point. (I was young and used to modern day anime adaptions and how they’re usually 1:1 recreations with little differences) Briefly school was on hold for a few weeks because of a surprise hurricane and our town got MASSIVELY flooded As someone who can’t swim and hearing stories of our teachers and students being displaced and hitting the boats I coped by just watching the anime on VRV for the first time out of fear and isolation to take my mind off it. And GOD did the wave of fear and depression just melt away the second I heard smile bomb The way my eyes let up and my breathing slowed down was nutty; I was genuinely surprised at how happy and calm it made me feel Despite already reading, I STILL found myself getting sucked back in.

[@dronezrk]

First part "ugh, how cliche, he won by the power of friendship" second part" he won by the power of friendship!" A punk kid working past his trauma and issues, learning what's important, and accepting his emotions yielding greater spiritual strength. This is "power of friednship" done well.

[@Sant323]

Given the sub vs. dub war that's been going on, I really appreciate seeing a series like Yu Yu Hakusho beloved in different dubbings. That each one had their own lines that resonated with that region of the world but felt the exact same impact I think we all did when we first got into this series. I never had a chance to read the manga, I could never find it. Anime was the next best thing, even if preferred. I'll always prefer dub just because I enjoy listening and watching the show without trying on subs but it is crazy how different the experience felt for me when i watched it in Sub and the same scenes still hit me, some maybe a little harder even. It made me wonder, what other lines did this show have that felt just as impactful in different dubs? Hell, what about in Spanish for my mom? She's already loving the show listening to the English Dub (her weakest language) but Maybe now we can watch the series together in her native Tongue. It's a beautiful thing.

[@aidanhester80]

Amen

[@amrey3628]

Thank you Mark, for giving us fanatics a space on a very popular KZbin channel to congregate about one of our favorite manga/anime series. I first remember seeing Yu Yu Hakusho on Cartoon Network's Toonami Adult Swim promotional broadcasts when I was a preteen. I was instantly hooked by the artwork and the tone of the show. And, even as a grown man now, I still get very nostalgic about this series. Some of the guys I work with have heard me talk about this show/manga before, but they've never watched or read it. With the live adaptation coming out soon, they've decided to give it a run through and have been asking me my thoughts about it. I can't begin to describe the joy I have when talking about this series or the fact that so many more people are about to become potential fans of it 😊. It's like that kid in me is being resurrected 😅😅 Yu Yu Hakusho is one of the best Shonen mangas for us to be fortunate enough to experience. I'm giddy with anticipation as to how the live adaptation turns out. Thank you so much again for reviewing and experiencing this for the first time. I hope you all have a truly great day & enjoy the magic of this series as much as I still do 🤗.

[@Gokulosestoavirus]

Toguro is everything a dragon ball villain should be. Smart, cunning, and someone who isn’t afraid of the main character, understands the main character, and attempts to rationalize motivations outside of “taking over the world”

[@The810kid]

YYH main villains all have balls of steel and don't throw tantrums when they are about to lose.

[@richinfacts6003]

Nah, Dragon Ball villains are fine the way they are. Why YYH fans always gotta throw shade at Dragon Ball to elevate there series? Says a lot of if you ask me 😂

[@jingzero4346]

@@richinfacts6003 Thank god nobody asked you :P

[@theradionicrevival8068]

Tbh I think most of the main DB villains fit and worked the way they were. DB and yyh are incredibly different shows they work because they’re obviously built to around facilitating they’re respective universes Guys like toguro wouldn’t quite fit in in the same way cell wouldn’t. I never got the need to pit two bad bitches against each other and put one down to gas up your fav DB and yyh ARE fundamentally different; they’re styles ain’t for everyone. But just because one isn’t for you doesn’t always inherently mean there was a problem in the writers room.

[@nichescenes]

@@richinfacts6003yeah I don’t want all stories to feel the same. Not all shonen is better complex and not all shonen is better with no contrivances. Sometimes silly deus ex machine helps heighten a fight for me and I don’t mind a payoff that isn’t everyone dies and I learned depression is the cost or some crap.

[@tyrantravealpha]

Yusuke's drip in this arc is my favorite design of his. It captures Yusuke's fighting spirit and badass attitude so perfectly.

[@The810kid]

I like it because Yusuke has formal gear as a martial artist. An outfit I consider his signature outfit. Everything else is just him in street clothes.

[@tyrantravealpha]

@@The810kid I'm especially fond of how simplistic it is too. No huge logos, no intricate patterns, just simple clothes, with somewhat muted colors that allow for full movement.

[@wwalton]

"The bond you share with your spirit beast is a full package deal Yusuke if your in pain it will suffer, if you die so will it, it is you" the moment proceeding those words made me bawl my eyes out when I was a kid and probably now honestly

[@BlueDude-cf9mk]

Hiei was the MVP of this arc in my opinion. Homie was dropping bodies, dude was craving battle, volunteering over and over again to fight and getting stronger after each battle. He had the biggest flex mastering the Dragon of the Darkness Flame.

[@NakaliTama]

I literally watch Yu Yu Hakusho once a year annually going on almost 2 decades doing so- and I’m still hooked to see some guy that isn’t Mark cover it

[@charcoal200]

Oh cool, I'm not the only one the rewatches Yu Yu once a year lol

[@f4est399]

Are you me?

[@TheBlueArmageddon]

The dub was way better in terms of dialogue for Yusukes fight with Toguro. One example I can think of is Toguro powering up even further, where he says "What I called 100% was in reality closer to 85..." but in the sub says "100% of one houndred percent" ... which means almost nothing another example is when Toguro is about to die, and in the dub he says "I killed Genkai, but one still remained, now that final piece can be put to rest..." and he means himself, but for a split second you think he means Yusuke. It is such a much better line than "I finally got to go all out"

[@TravissMcCoy]

I still feel like he this is the first time he should've watched the dub first 😬😬 it's driving me crazy!

[@SiNKarnage]

The Dub encapsulates more emotion over the sub. The scene where Yusuke overcomes Genkais Spirit Energy was so exhilarating as he screams to the top of his lungs you'd think he was gonna go SSJ3 for a second, the Sub has none of that hes almost silent when he does it.

[@Ash_Wen-li]

Guys the manga doesn't have a dub

[@Reshi9984]

@@TravissMcCoyhis editors are the ones who put the anime clips, he reads the Manga first

[@TheBlueArmageddon]

@@Ash_Wen-li which is why its better. The dub took all the uneccesary filler dialogue and used that time to fill in with great quips and character moments

[@J85909266]

I think you correct in that the reason The Dark Tournament is seen as the best tournament arc by so many is because of how different it is. I have so many distinct memories and feelings for seeing it for the first time rather than just liking it because it had cool battles and flashy moments.

[@markuswelander8551]

I like the conclusion to the Ichigaki fight mostly because I feel like Genkai needs a cool feat like that, she always gives off the vibe that she didn't neccessarily teach him everything she knows.

[@devaunbeats]

I hope when he watches the anime he watches the dub. It elevates it so much.

[@IjiModo]

God I love re-experiencing this series vicariously

[@death1019]

Watching you experience the anime that got me through one of my darkest parts of life is such a joy! I'm on the edge of my seat and reliving it through you. Thank you so much!!

[@fildelara279]

In the early 2000's, people from our country, young and old stop working at 4pm to watch yuyu hakusho's dark tournament. That's how iconic this arc is here.

[@nunouno001]

Cannot wait to see Mark’s thoughts on Chapter Black, which is basically where the seeds of Hunter X Hunter are truly planted. And then there’s the Three Kings Saga, when Togashi’s back startled to get sore.

[@valentds]

the first part of the kings are incredible tho

[@aziraphale60]

Three kings had such depth of potential. The fact that Togashi had to suddenly end it is a tragedy.

[@desu2000]

@@aziraphale60 I hope he reviews the Three kings arc version in the anime as well. It's more complete and the Yusuke vs Yomi fight has some depth that the manga doesn't have.

[@GeneralUile]

Chapter Black's climax is... lacking. I would even say it's a bit cowardly. It's literally the only part in the entire manga/anime which doesn't sit well with me.

[@BlackJacked]

​@GeneralUile I'd argue against that. It shows how Yusuke can be the bridge between human and demon-kind, and brings the themes of that saga to a fitting finish.

[@rvegeta]

As a Spanish Viewer I was so happy that they included the "Duelo a muerte con cuchillos" meme, the editors are the best ❤

[@Chalepastel]

duelo a muerte con cuchillos?

[@Dalkiel_]

duelo a muerte con cuchillos?@@Chalepastel

[@fernandotrevinocastro1018]

Con cuchillos? Duelo a muerte! Duelo ? Cuchillos?

[@yeyofamoelguerosalvaje6861]

Qué es eso?

[@Chalepastel]

es un duelo hasta la muerte... con cuchillos@@yeyofamoelguerosalvaje6861

[@Ericrawnsley]

The way this show hits you in the feels is crazy. Can literally bring a grown man to tears. Easily my favorite anime ever.

[@countzecluse]

Your music selection is and has been fantastic Mark! Something tells me you get down with fighter games, eh? Let's fight!! 😉

[@jb0258]

And rpgs! Often times hear star oceans, and dragon quest ost's

[@mr.skateandwatch]

This story earns the head of a Mt. Rushmore of Tournament Arcs! It’s so legendary

[@StardustSaiyan13]

Tournaments don’t get more hype than the Dark Tournament. This is a masterful arc from beginning to end. And I can’t think of a more compelling team to root for. The chemistry between members of Team Urameshi is incredible and the mystery behind Team Toguro and their leader’s connection to our protagonists was built wonderfully. Their final clash at the end of the arc is perfect, poetic and established Toguro as a top tier antagonist in all of fiction for me. I loved seeing the team level up after each fight. Hiei’s Dragon of the Darkness Flame. The transformation of Yoko Kurama. Kuwabara’s versatile use of the spirit sword. Yusuke and Genkai’s training with the spirit wave. All amazing to watch! Great balance of action, comedy, and tragedy throughout. Such a thrilling ride.

[@Woodsaras]

Did chat gpt write this comment? Lol

[@StardustSaiyan13]

@@Woodsaras nope, just a fan of the material lol 🤷🏾‍♂️

[@DBZpfpguy]

@@Woodsaras Not you again, you troll.

[@Woodsaras]

@@StardustSaiyan13 sounds generic and has nothing to do with actual meterial. Hence written by a chat gpt bot.

[@Woodsaras]

@@DBZpfpguy nobody's trolling nobody. Yall just like sht just because other people like it. Like a bunch of sheep. Yu yu hakusho is low quality anime narratively. Yall afraid to criticize it because you have no confidence and education to be doing that. Thats why yall just like whats popular, even if its low qualit.y

[@vincentflannigan2727]

My first video I see so no bias that intro was straight intense! Already leaving a like just for that... and now back to the video

[@trehanzy1776]

You need to watch the dub. The voice choices for Chu and Jin is priceless

[@JaxBlade]

Mark EXPERIENCED The Peak of Peaks when it comes to Anime Tournaments, Excited to watch this

[@danielsantiagourtado3430]

Yes man! BEST tournament arc of all time

[@solidskullz5736]

One of the greatest arcs in anime and manga history

[@Woodsaras]

Peak if you're bellow 80 iq and cant discern poor writting.

[@Ratchetfan321]

WATCH THE DUB MARK

[@gjtrue]

I think the eldritch body horror of the Yu Yu Hakusho manga is criminally underrated. Some outright creepy demon designs and artwork.

[@Che1seabluesdrogba11]

The dub is really good and what's also crazy cool is they made English dubs of the opening and endings in English that sound so close to the original

[@TheoVorster]

While Chapter Black is my favorite YYH arc, the Dark Tournament arc definitely remains one of my favorite tournaments arcs in shōnen manga in general.

[@goldeneaglereborn]

Damn Theo was popping. You still big pimping bruh?

[@MadsonOnTheWeb]

I feel similar

[@TBIcel]

I won't say chapter black was trash but best well I'd say far from it too many things I disliked (though the concept of psychics I liked among a few others) I think the excuse for sensui being so strong because multiple personalities giving more training was one of the strangest excuses for being so strong I've seen and the worst excuse in this show. The yusuke is part demon thing I wasn't such a fan of though gave me more appreciation for kuwabara when he's made into the only human on the team and the next arc felt lacked stakes and it shows it was very rushed for a finale in large part due to the author's declining health.

[@Rynjinivar]

@@TBIcel Huh? Not sure where you're getting the "Sensui is strong because his multiple personalities give him more time to train" thing from. His other personalities are purpose-built to A.) carry out specific tasks and B.) shield his conscience from his sins. Sensui is strong specifically because he's naturally talented and trained a lot to get stronger (which his other personalities inherited at a baseline, it's the same body after all) and he can use Sacred Energy (and only the real personality can do this, in part because he's just better, in part because of the "shielded from his sins" thing so he can fight unfettered by regrets and maintain the sanctified mental state required to wield it).

[@sepheroithisgod]

This is probably one of the most iconic Dubs, kinda sad to only hear the JP version in here.

[@grantshope]

Yeah! I wish he did the dub, both because it’s great, and because I like to listen to long form videos like this as I sleep/work/do whatever. I can’t understand the Japanese VAs so he often cuts to scenes from the anime for effect, and it misses for me because I’m not looking at the screen.

[@Sant323]

I will say his International Dub Highlights from his DBZ review and the little Spanish Body made me want to check out the Spanish Dub and I'm amazed at how close its Dub followed the Japanese Dub. Not one to one, but enough for me to notice it. I actually did not mind most of the voice cast used and makes me wonder what other dubs, either what they did for the English Dub or if others just followed the Japanese Dub.

[@jp3813]

Try saying that about the 1994 movie.

[@KegOfMeat]

My biggest gripe with Marks content.

[@joshemfinger]

Not only is it one of if not THE best Tournament arcs in anime/manga, it also has probably one of the most complex and memorable villains. In my mind, the Toguro brothers are as iconic and memorable on the level of villains such as Frieza

[@blizz44]

Facts

[@ChaosMechanica]

Past the idiocy and jocky moments, Kuwabara is--hands down--the BEST person to have at your back. His loyalty and determination means he'll fight to his last breath to help, even if he knows he himself won't make it. He's the Samwise to Yusuke's Frodo.

[@cheeseisjustaloafofmilk9787]

Mark I beg of you when you do eventually watch the anime please watch it in dub. Yu Yu Hakusho probably had one of the best dubs i've ever heard I'm sure you'll love Jin's voice actor 😂

[@74midnightrider]

Haha I would love to see how Mark feels about Jin’s English voice actor. He was one of my favorite characters, partially due to his voice

[@R0-83-RT]

Ahh, yes Jin our favorite Wind Yokai Ninja with a faux Irish accent.

[@Manskeeeee]

He won't lol

[@Dark_Jaguar]

The voice acting's okay, but I'm not sure why people think it's so amazing. I really can't get behind Kuwabara's ridiculous voice there. I still end up preferring the Japanese voices myself, but I won't fault the english dub too much. It has it's fans for a reason, I just wouldn't consider it like... "you don't know what you're missing" tier in the same way I think of Disney's Studio Ghibli dubs or the english dub of the Metal Gear games.

[@futur3ndings651]

@@Dark_Jaguar Personally I wouldn't call the English dub for the show perfection, but it's in my opinion one of the closest ones to it if we're going to list all dubbed anime that have existed. Very few are good if at all serviceable in handling pivotal moments that are meant to exude emotional value.

[@Azure_Aether]

Im glad you really enjoyed the Dark Tournament. Its really a wild ride in every possible way. Also shoutout to your editors taste in music. Street Fighter, Fire Emblem, Halo. Those soundtracks rang like a bell the second they came in.

[@AshlynOne]

I'm so sad we didn't get the english version of the cave scene with that amazing scream. "SCREW THIS TEST I'M GETTING US OUT OF HERE!"

[@wolfwyvern5334]

its by far the best english dub i've heard in anime. yusuke's actor is just amazing

[@AshlynOne]

@@wolfwyvern5334 Justin Cook does some of the best voicework ever. He's done a lot of very satisfying roles. But Yusuke I think will forever be his best, just because the writers and directors for the english dub KNEW how to use his voice so damn well and took his already great performance and made this final result that was all cylinders firing at full capacity. Long story short, Justin Cook is a great voice actor and Yusuke is his best role, imo.

[@thehoodedhero5452]

Your review of my favorite anime of all time is absolutely amazing. The production, the sound quality, the excitedness that oozes through is awesome. Thank you! And to do it through reading the manga, not just the show, is great.

[@Fissiccisst1]

I'm not sure about the JP version of the anime. But as a Dub Watcher, I always found it interesting that Toguro generally has a calm demeanor, an "oh would you look at that" kind of reaction to most things. He threatening, sure, but not in a loud way, with a more of a matter of fact delivery of lines and threats. Confident, but not arrogant, imposing, not hot headed. The older(smaller) brother was the more sadistic one, with Toguro often looking on, but not participating. On a completely different note. I find it interesting that Mark keeps using a panel with the principal when mentioning the teachers. But the principal I always felt was the only adult at the school that truly felt the good in Yusuke. I always got the sense that he knew Yusuke was more than the deliquent he pretended to be. But possibly thats also just a distinction in the english dub.

[@sarafontanini7051]

yah the principal was like the only one whok new there was more to yusuke from the get go, his thing was how he was disappointed in yusuke for not expressing that. and yeah Toguor's great. he doesn't scream, or shout or be a raging dumbass. He's usually very calm and composed and isn't as cruel as his shitty brother

[@bafenada1141]

The principal was also like this in the japanese version

[@ivanbluecool]

Can't wait for the chapter black arc review. Sensui is such an amazing villain and the powers are so cool. Plus you'll probably see people get philosophical while being so bubbled

[@Dayman90]

He’s up there with Char from Gundam and Griffith from Berserk for my favorite anime villains

[@Ash_Wen-li]

​@@Dayman90Good taste in villains

[@truedarkness4052]

Yeah, Sensui is easily the best antagonist in the Shonen genre.

[@oldaccount181]

I wish you could’ve talked more about the character work throughout the arc. There’s so many layers with each player in the tournament that truly make the dark tournament unlike any other

[@marvellesaulsberry]

Nothing beats that anime dub preview before the death of genkai episode where Yusuke in the most somber of ways just straight up says Genkai dies in the next episode

[@yungk777]

You make me wanna watch this anime again, Yu Yu Hakusho just that good of a show, can’t wait for you to talk about the Chapter Black arc and what you think of Sensui.

[@pokepat460]

I highly recommend the dub over the original Japanese. It's a much better experience for an English speaker.

[@SuperNeos2]

One of the rare cases where the dub is better than the sub

[@motherplayer]

Don't sell the Japanese so short. I prefer the dub too, but I wouldn't sat it's not worth recommending too. I watched em both, so it was fun to see what was different.

[@truedarkness4052]

​@SuperNeos2 Not really rare. Though that's probably just me since I find Japanese voices to be annoying

[@Lloyd00]

The sub is fine but the dub is really something special.

[@ObscureSwan]

A fine reason for him to rewatch the series

[@06yarbrougha]

Dude, is so happy for you that you FINALLY got to experience this arc! I personally rewatch the Yusuke-Togoro fight every year on my birthday as a sort of gift to myself. It is my absolute favorite fight, not just because of the amazing fight itself, but everything surrounding it. And you did an amazing job of explaining WHY it's so dang good! I hope you enjoy the Bible Black Arc, it gets alot of flak that I feel is unwarranted but it is actually fantastic. You also see the foundations of HxH's Nen abilities there in the Psychic Territories, and I think it's also where Kubo got his inspiration for the Fullbrings too

[@allanolivas9814]

I’m glad you added the Spanish part for duelo a muerte con cuchillos it’s a running meme in the Latin community

[@mrbobjackpeanutbutter]

Cant wait for Sensui, his arc is up there with the Dark Tournament for me

[@wumbojet]

Even if it wasn't because of me, I feel so seen with editor-san putting a "Duelo a muerte con cuchillos" reference, thank you editor-san.

[@vinceanthony9608]

I wish apart from reading it, that Mark rewatches the whole tournament in the English Dub. I grew up watching it and all the parts he loves in the manga are so elevated with the voice actors in the english dub.

[@nichescenes]

Yeah but what i like most about him is that he doesnt like animation or atleast doesnt watch it and focuses on art. I was surprised he was an artist but it makes sense. Most channels react and review its different to focus on manga and know manga even if he's sorta new to it...using his logic from books to review. ALSO LOVE THAT he doesnt do that thing were most of us grew up on dbz but shun it now that we know "TRUE STORY" is seinin and depression and slice of life or some story about drama or mindblowing uniuqe stuff thats over fast so we can get to the next story. Just finished slam dunk and it didnt have to live up to expectations or be some deep exploration of life, it got me back into basketball, i brought a basketball and plan to play and have fun again (my old one popped) that's better than some story about the real villian is ourselves and the end etc. DBZ is fun and exciting doesnt make it worst than others cause it doesnt do some deep dive into reality etc. Its what makes me angry when people make manga fail by reading 2 chapters or 2 eps and say it wasnt that good generic dropped fine but if tons love it maybe your wrong and those who watched the whole thing see more and know more (they do). That said i still think the response he got from not liking hxh made him salty and he's being more open to yuyu. HXH was too early for him to read...and all the hype ruined it for him like it does for Chainsawman...which happen to me then i noticed hey im hating to hate, and i do like it...its just fun sometimes nothing too deep for you to like something.

[@lloydirving6209]

manga > sub > eng dub. its ok you love it so much because you grew up watching it dubbed, but don't let nostalgia cloud your vision

[@nichescenes]

@@lloydirving6209 fun is pretty funny for the time though lol

[@lostinlucidity]

DBZ is iconic. YYH is legendary. The storytelling, characters and artstyle is what made this anime my favorite of all time, it's criminally underrated.

[@solidskullz5736]

I love tournament arcs in anime like the world tournament in Dragon Ball or the chunin exams in Naruto, but the Dark Tournament truly is on another level. The fights have stakes, the characters, even the minor ones are memorable, and it paves the way for Yusuke and Toguro to prove themselves as one of the greatest protagonists and antagonists in anime and manga. One of my favorite fights is with Jin. Not only are his wind powers cool but he’s just so charming with his accent and how friendly he is

[@Woodsaras]

Bllsht azzpull comment. Do you just string random words together them having zero basis in reality?

[@hausofallie]

I’m so glad you are reading Yu Yu Hakusho. I’ve gotten into anime/manga within the last few years, and I see over and over the influence and inspiration Yu Yu Hakusho has left in the community. Unfortunately, it feels like it has been left behind and forgotten due to its age, but I’m so glad that not only reviews like this, but the live action are bringing it back into the spotlight. Yu Yu Hakusho is why we ended up with so many other mangas. Togashi alone has inspired so many to create, even outside of the mangaka community. A little comment on a video like this isn’t enough to express how happy the praise for this series makes me. Thank you for making this video and for taking the time to read this amazing story, and for sharing it here where others might decide to pick it up as well.

[@dragoniota]

I appreciate how you highlight the art in the manga. It really is incredible to read at its best.

[@pabloruiz5821]

Thank you Mark I love how your channel grew over time and you done one of my favorite anime Justice. I love it

[@christianwhite7294]

To this day, this is the only anime I’ll watch in English, eng VA’s do an amazing job also

[@Netherwolf6100]

Younger Togoro is by far one of the best antagonists in anine history for me. He has a such a nuanced and layered personality, set of goals, interpersonal conflicts and overall judgement that it's hard for me to hate him. I love that Mark is finally giving this Shonen series a chance. It makes me very happy. 😊😊😊😊 Can't wait for Chapter Black because I unironically love that arc as well.

[@R0-83-RT]

Something I really like about Toguro is he knows he's a monster, and while he does feel genuine guilt for what he has become, this doesn't redeem him. The character is still selfish at the end of the day. It's not an Anti-villain situation where the villain is justifying his actions by having a nobel goal, or a redemption arc where a villain realizes their actions were wrong and chooses to redeem themselves. Its a very odd situation where one can label just about all a villain's actions as selfish, yet at the end of the day there still is a sympathetic element to Toguro.

[@sijrichters]

I loved this deep dive into my favorite YYH arc. That part where you discussed him firing that Reigun into the sky for Genkai made me tear up all over again. I hope you can review the anime someday too. The original JP soundtrack and sound direction for the anime is highly underrated and I'm not just talking about the OP and ED songs. Some of the background music especially the part when Yusuke finally awakens his true power against Toguro and he grabs his arm (the tracks are called Sad Song and Struggle of Sadness) stuck with me after all these years. It's haunting. I love it.

[@RatedShadowXrd]

How not to do a tournament arc: high school dxd’s Azazel cup How to do a proper tournament arc: Yu Yu Hakesho’s dark tournament

[@brotherblitzwing]

I absolutely love this series and am so glad Mark is getting the chnace to experience it. The cave scene with Pu stands as one of the best tear jerker scenes for me. I cant explain how much it affected me as a person

[@MrMrdreary]

Started watching this on toonami back in the day. I never knew anything about it's history or production. But learning it now gives me a deep satisfaction in that this was one of my establishing intros into anime

[@tbuckyt]

Been looking forward to this! Thanks for your content

[@tauhidchappell3008]

WOW I somehow stumbled upon this episode only a day after you uploaded it now I'm eagerly waiting for the next part (arc) lol. So glad you had a good time with this arc. One of my faves.

[@eshel9886]

Top 3 best fights of the dark tournament for me: 3. Dr. ichigake fight 2. The knife edge death match 1. Yusuke vs. Toguro Best parts of the dark tournament: 1. Toguro 2. Kuwabara’s sacrifice/fakeout 3.The interactions between shizuru, keiko, botan, and yukina. 4. Yusukes test 5. Teen koenma 6. Dragon of the darkness flame

[@mafiaseargent]

Don't forget the boat scene where hiei says if the masked fighter loses the match they'll just wipeout everyone else on the boat and say they're the team that won.

[@motherplayer]

I quite liked Hiei against Peach Boy. Seeing him go through the adversities of that protective armor he used before he brought out he can use that dark dragon energy in his sword? Highly amusing.

[@truedarkness4052]

You actually liked the Dr. Ichigaki stuff? I'm surprised I thought that stuff was the weakest bit of this saga. I'm curious to hear your thoughts

[@Lloyd00]

How is the dragon of darkness flame nowhere to be seen?

[@eshel9886]

@@truedarkness4052I enjoyed the dr. Ichigake fight because it provided a moral dilemma for yusuke and Kuwabara. They faced humans who were literally being controlled by an evil doctor. While it’s true that the fighters themselves were one off characters, the way yusuke and kuwabara felt about them made me sympathize with them. When yusuke beat dr. Ichigake to a pulp, I felt very satisfied at the end. I guess appreciate it more now because of the Chapter black saga, which played into the human aspect a bit further.

[@Blondie_117]

The scene where Yusuke completes his test for the spirit bomb in the dub is SOOO FUCKIN GOOD!!

[@jdrvargo287]

Spirit Wave, but hell yeah!

[@Blondie_117]

@@jdrvargo287 sorry been a minute since I’ve rewatched it 😂 I just remember “oh that’s just Perfect I get to let down my own inner self too” “he’s in pain bc I am bc I couldn’t carry my own weight” & then finally “SCREW THIS TEST IM GETTING US OUTTA HERE!!!”

[@bosslca9630]

Time to watch (and Cry) to this arc again. Thanks TNM, this review is something I'm going to come back to evey time I need my heart pounding. The AMV segments alone are beautiflly well done!

[@BlackTorrent]

holy hell, the editing, music syncing, music choices are simply fantastic. The Bury the Light cover in use for Toguro was spot on and fits perfectly for both him and what he represented for Yusuke.