Yu Yu Hakusho, one of the most successful and iconic animes and manga ever created, follows the journey of Yusuke Urameshi. The story famously begins when the 14-year-old delinquent makes the shocking move of saving a child’s life at the cost of his own.

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Blending martial arts with the supernatural, Yu Yu Hakusho tells a compelling and dynamic Shonen story backed by an amazingly creative premise and setting.

In Yu Yu Hakusho, Yusuke Urameshi kicks butt as everyone’s favorite Spirit Detective

Shortly after his death, Yusuke is greeted by a rather bubbly grim reaper who informs him that the boy he saved was not going to die and that his sacrifice was, well, not needed. (This has to be one of the most hilariously morbid ways to begin a series.)

Yusuke’s selfless act catches the spirit world off guard. He was known to be a bad egg so. So, when his pointless sacrifice is taken into account, everyone in the afterlife is initially confused regarding what to do with the 14-year-old. The character eventually agrees to be resurrected after seeing the pain his death has caused to those around him, especially his mother.

However, when he is brought back, he is imbued with new abilities, such as being able to spot demons possessing everyday people. And thus, Yusuke’s story arc begins as he becomes Earth’s personal defender, its Spirit Detective.

Throughout Yu Yu Hakusho, fans get to see the character tangle with demons, former Spirit Detectives gone rogue, and psychic children who are downright crazy (not in The Shining kind of way, but more in the “I really love video games kind of way”). And that doesn’t even scratch the surface.

Yusuke’s journey of becoming a brash hooligan to an eventual guardian against supernatural threats propelled his character forward into anime and manga legend territory. When you talk about iconic Shonen protagonists, you gotta bring up the bullet-dodging and spirit-punching Yusuke Urameshi.