YuYu Hakusho, Vol. 06: The Dark Tournament

With volume six, YuYu Hakusho moves individual cases to the Dark Tournament (yawn). If you love fighting in tournaments storylines, you'll probably be impatient to get to the first match on p.167. Before then we get the story of how Kazuma Kuwabara and Yusuke Urameshi rescue the beautiful Yukina, an ice maiden demon whose tears turn into rare crystals that are worth a lot of money. That's why greedy human scumbag Gonzo Tarukane has held her prisoner for five years.

Kawabara falls in love with Yukina upon seeing her image in the assignment videotape sent to Yusuke. He didn't stick around to find out that she's the paternal half-sister of Hiei, the three-eyed demon who caused them so much trouble when Yusuke was new at the paranormal show more investigating business. Yusuke knows, but doesn't tell Kuwabara.

Returning supporting cast characters are Yusuke's boss, Koenma [Enma, Jr.], Yusuke's mother, Atsuko, Yusuke's best friend, cute and feisty Keiko Yukimura; and Kuwabara's older sister, Shizuru. (Poor Kuwabara. He's homely, she's pretty -- and her sixth sense is stronger than his. Obviously she was the winner in the family genetics lottery.)

I was amused when I noticed that the anime version pronounced Enma and Koenma's names with the 'n,' which is silent when it appears before an 'm'. Hot and tough Emma Peel and Emma Frost notwithstanding, 'Emma' usually conjures up images of little old ladies in 19th century clothes; so it's understandable that Viz didn't go with the correct pronunciation for the ruler of the Japanese underworld. In this volume we get to see Koenma in the handsome teen look he used for the human world. Too bad he spoiled it by continuing to suck on his pacifier, a 'dummy' if you're British. (By the way, when I was a child in the 1960s, pacifiers were also called 'nipples'. I wouldn't recommend calling them that these days.)

During the rescue we meet the Brokers of Darkness (demon brothers and their demon mercenaries. The most powerful of the underlings are the Ogre Triad. We also meet the Black Book Club, a bunch of rich, bored, degenerate humans. Sakyo is young and handsome, unlike the other members.

Super-powered siblings don't always have the same powers -- note Yukina and Hiei. The same is true for the Toguro brothers, leaders of the Brokers of Darkness. I don't want to spoil the action, so I won't say what they can do.

Yusuke gets a most unpleasant surprise when he finds out that his and Kuwabara's prowess in the rescue operation has earned them an invitation to participate in the Dark Tournament. The participants are usually demons, but humans who have interfered in demonic matters are forced to join guest teams. Hiei and the very handsome fox demon Kurama are stuck being on Team Urameshi. Their fellow demons consider them traitors. The fifth member of the team is the Masked Fighter, who gives everyone but Yusuke a shock.

This is one of the translated manga where the art hasn't been flipped, but you should get used to reading in the opposite direction from American comics. Do pay attention to the tiny print in the margins. They can be quite fun. (My favorite is on p. 45.) As a bonus, the author shares the boxing game he used to play in school. The players appear on p. 26 and the rules on p. 68. I recommend photocopying both pages if you want to play. show less

So now we're in the dark tournament. Very much like the anime, with a few minor differences. But I like those small differences, it's like a little treat.

The art for the fighting scenes are masterfully done. Vivid, strong, and of course full of blood. What I like the most is that the fights scenes aren't drawn out, they aren't super fast, they're just a little shy of perfect. I have issue when things, (like fighting scenes) get drawn out so thine, so fruitless, that it gets boring. I'm talking about you DBZ. It's get to the point where I'm not even cheering for anyone anymore, I'm just shouting,

Will someone just die already!

Yu Yu Hakusho, in mange or anime, does this perfectly, probably why I like watching it over, and over.

I'm show more happy,

Happy Reading

-Emily show less