Yu Yu Hakusho: Ghost Files

- Season 1

(1992)

A traffic accident leaves 14-year-old independent street tough Yusuke Urameshi dead. His ghost watches the scene and recalls events leading up to his death. As he accepts his situation, Boton the Grim Reaper shows up, but her pink robes, baby blue hair and cheerfully chatty nature are not what Yusuke would've expected.

In Spirit World, Yusuke meets Koenma, the toddler-appearing son of King Yama, who presents Yusuke a chance for coming back to life through a spirit egg that will feed off his soul's energy. If Yusuke's energy is good, a spirit beast will hatch that will guide him; if not good, a monster will emerge to devour him. In the meantime Yusuke struggles to tell those closest to him in the living world not to cremate his body.

While waiting for his spirit egg to hatch, Yusuke's estimation of Kazuma Kuwabara rises stemming from the rare opportunity to observe his goofy rival dealing with two teacher going out of their way to hurt him, expel him and ruin a friend's life.

Sayaka the spirit investigator checks up on Yusuke's progress, particularly looking into Yusuke's relationship with Keiko, which seems entirely one-sided. An emergency arises putting Keiko's life and Yusuke's chance for a return in jeopardy, and Yusuke must make a consequential decision.

To reclaim his body, Yusuke must enter the dreams of the three people who want him back the most and convince at least one of them to kiss him on the lips before tomorrow at midnight or else he'll remain a spirit hovering over his comatose body for the next fifty-two years.

Yusuke gets his first assignment as Spirit Detective: Three criminals have stolen dark artifacts from King Yama's vaults in Spirit World. They must be caught and the items returned - a tall order, especially for an untested, first-time Spirit Detective like Yusuke.

Yusuke confronts two of the three artifact thieves, but dealing with them couldn't be more opposite. One strives brutally to eat his soul; the other wins his heart without trying.

Hiei, the last and feistiest of the three artifact thieves, attempts to weaken Yusuke by first attacking Keiko. He starts transforming her into a demon but finds that attacking Yusuke's friends only magnifies, not weakens, Yusuke's fighting abilities, making their confrontation more interesting. Aid later comes to Yusuke from an unexpected source.

Master Genkai is retiring and looking for one last apprentice to whom to pass along her special psychic fighting powers. Koenma wants Yusuke to enter her contest for that apprenticeship, not only to gain those special powers but to discover a homicidal master criminal named Rando who's surely to be one of the contestants as well. Arriving for the qualification tests, Yusuke meets a familiar acquaintance.

Genkai's final test is a tournament between the eight finalists, fought one-on-one in her pitch black dojo until opponents are either dead or incapacitated. All the while, Yusuke wonders which one may be the homicidal Rando in disguise.

Following Yusuke's first fight, Genkai moves the semi-final round to an ancient battleground where spirit energy overtakes the body, making it the best place to use spirit power.

Kuwabara and Shorin face-off in the semi-finals of Genkai's tournament, which goes directly into the final match with Yusuke; however, when all seems said and done and a winner about to be declared, Rando the human-hunter finally appears, portending dire consequences for all those still alive.

Yusuke confronts Rando but, with Yusuke's spirit energy depleted, the only question in everyone's mind is how long Rando will toy with his weakened prey before delivering the coup de grâce.

After six months training with Genkai, Yusuke returns home, but there's no time to rest. Spirit World's most notorious criminals, the Four Saint Beasts, petition for immediate immigration to the living world. To force the issue, they send a continuous stream of Spirit World insects to the living world that turn humans into murderous zombies. Reluctantly, Yusuke's on the case.

Enduring the Gate of Betrayal, Yusuke's team meets Genbu, the first of the Four Saint Beasts - a turtle-like monster of rock with a few special powers beyond the expected.

Yusuke and company continue their entry into Maze Castle, confronting Byakko, a predatory white tiger demon. Kuwabara, having improved upon his spirit sword since Genkai's tournament, insists on proving himself to the others by handling this gigantic Saint Beast alone.

Kuwabara's fight with Byakko continues as the white tiger consumes the boy's spirit energy, growing larger and more threatening by the bite, while, back on Earth, Botan struggles alone against the spreading psychotic influence of the Makai insects.

With two Saint Beasts down and two to go, Yusuke's team encounters a maze in Maze Castle. Seiryu the blue ice dragon greets the boys, and Hiei wants a crack at him. Meanwhile, infections on Earth from the Makai insects are getting too much for Botan to handle.

As his team fends off an army of cultivated humans, and while Botan keeps Keiko clear of the homicidal clutches of infected humans back on Earth, Yusuke stands alone against Suzaku, leader and last of the Saint Beasts.

Suzaku uses The Prism of Seven technique to create seven Suzakus. Not merely copies, each one has independent will and full powers - all aimed at the torture and annihilation of Yusuke.

With Keiko running out of room to run and Yusuke's teammates unable to reach him, Suzaku and Yusuke's fight to the death continues uninterrupted, each taxing himself to the last blast of energy in order to win.

Koenma sends Yusuke a cassette tape explaining his next mission - a rescue mission. An ice apparition named Yukina is being held and tortured by exploitative human criminals because her tears turn into precious jewels.

With Yusuke, Kuwabara and Botan having unexpectedly gotten past the first demon guard, Gonzou Tarukane takes the opportunity to increase his wealth by placing bets with five ultra-wealthy underworld associates on whether or not these youthful intruders will get past the remaining demons guarding his complex, knowing the Toguro Brothers will be his ace in the hole in the end.

Yusuke and Kuwabara take on Miyuke, Immaki and Gokumonki, known as The Triad, as the underworld gamblers eagerly watch the outcome of their bets.

The previous demons were handled with relative ease, but, against the Toguro Brothers, Yusyuke and Kuwabara find themselves outmatched.

A figure from Yusuke's recent past extends him and Kuwabara a special invite to attend an upcoming dark martial arts tournament where combatants, almost all demons and all in teams of five, fight to the death. Attached consequences make it an invitation Yusuke can't refuse.

Bound for the tournament on Hanging Neck Island with a masked fifth teammate, Team Urameshi discovers unstructured preliminary rounds conducted aboard ship. Despite the surrounding violence, Yusuke remains persistently asleep throughout. Keiko and Shizuru, meanwhile, corner Botan and insist on knowing what's going on.

The Dark Tournament begins. First up: Team Urameshi vs Team Rokuyukai, with Kuwabara facing Rinku, a boy with surprising talent, unabashed ruthless and smirking pre-pubescent confidence.

Kuwabara struggles to finish the fight against Rinku's Serpent Yo-yo attacks. Later it's Kurama turn to deal with Roto, a cruel demon who employs a very dirty tactic to gain an unfair advantage.

Hiei takes on Zeru, leader of Team Rokuyukai. Brandishing incendiary techniques - heat energy vs Dragon of the Darkness Flame - it doesn't seem either one will accept victory short of making the other toast. Through it all Yusuke remains asleep - till Chu, the real leader of Team Rokuyukai, staggers forth for the next match.

Yusuke versus Chu, the loud-mouth, drunken leader of Team Rokuyukai. Both love a good brawl, and as they confront each other's personal power, a mutual respect develops. Too bad this good, clean fight is pretty much to the death.

With their spirit energies depleted, Yusuke and Chu agree to settle things in a knife-edge death match, an in-your-face, bare-knuckled slugfest where a naked back heel is kept poised before a knife planted in the ground. The first one to lose ground and step back - gets cut.

As the tournament moves on with other fighters, Team Urameshi gets a break and separates - Yusuke to wonder why his spirit gun hasn't returned, Hiei to work through the disuse of one burned out arm, Kurama to scope out the other fighters, and Kuwabara to wonder who their masked fifth team member is. Meanwhile Younger Toguro gets to impress the crowd.

The two demon fighters of Team Ichigaki keep Hiei and Kurama busy beyond the arena, leaving their human counterparts to handle Yusuke, Kuwabara and the Masked Fighter after the team owner strikes an odd bargain with Yusuke for his body.

Yusuke and Kuwabara feel sorry for the three human Team Ichigaki fighters, who're totally controlled against their will, but sympathies for the opponents' plight may get Team Urameshi killed. Meanwhile, a disguise rips open and everyone gets a glimpse of the mysterious masked fighter for the first time, which ends up only deepening the mystery.

With Kuwabara seriously hurt, Dr. Ichigaki's control over his three human fighters is finally put to an absolute end, but the doctor has one more trick up his wicked sleeve to exact a personal victory over Yusuke and his team.

With three fighters down and no recovery time, Team Urameshi faces Team Macho, who are soon revealed as the Shinobi, mercenaries of Spirit World. Kurama decides to take on Gama, whose make-up brushes prove to be a much greater weapon than they would seem.

Paralyzed by Gama's dying curse, Kurama is entrapped to fight Touya, the ice master, in the next match. Not only is Touya a fit and determined fighter, he's Kurama's intellectual equal as well, which may make pulling off a victory against him impossible.

Yusuke faces Bakken, a cruel giant who uses his sweat glands to create blinding mists within which he can strike unseen; then, Jin, the wind master, is ready to have a jolly go at Yusuke.

Yusuke finds a soul-brother in the joyful apparition Jin, against whom he must continue to fight and try to beat. Both relish a good scrap firsthand and hold nothing back in trying to pound and impress the snot out of each other.

Yusuke tries to use his Spirit Wave attack against Jin, leading to a victory, but it seems that Yusuke has been disqualified. Despite this, Kuwabara decides to fight in Yusuke's place.

Mr. Butajiri's endless machinations of the Dark Tournament have almost guaranteed a loss for Team Urameshi. Their last option is the severely injured but noble Kuwabara stepping into the next match against Risho, cold-hearted leader of Team Masho and master of earth. It's a decision none of Kuwabara's teammates endorse.

After feeding off Yusuke's soul energy for a year, his spirit beast finally hatches, and the result catches everybody by surprise. Soon thereafter, the mysterious masked fighter is finally ready to reveal herself to Yusuke.

Genkai's ready to transfer her powers to Yusuke, but they final requirement may be more than Yusuke can handle. Meanwhile, semi-finals of the Dark Tournament commence in a new stadium. Even with two fighters MIA, Team Urameshi's up first against Team Uratogi.

Hiei faces Kuro Momotaro, who uses steaming spheres to apply beast armor, granting him virtual invincibility. Back in the cave, the transfer of power isn't working and Genkai must remove the Spirit Wave Orb before it rips Yusuke apart.

The Hiei-Kuro Momotaro fight concludes to the satisfaction of Team Uratogi. Kurama gets the next match against a foe who uses a mystical weapon that produces a greatly unexpected result. Meanwhile, Yusuke is still writhing in the cave, being eaten alive from the inside out.

After many years, Yoko Kurama has returned in his true and pure form, How could this help team Uramashi?

Team Urameshi suffers its first loss to Team Uratogi, and when Genkai returns as the Masked Fighter, an outcry of "foul" arises when her mask's removed and her appearance is not like before, threatening the team with disqualification.

Genkai is now weak without her Spirit Wave, for she must rely on her wits if she wants to survive against Shishi Wakamaru's attacks.

Only Onji remains to fight for Team Uratogi, but Genkai, formerly known to all as The Masked Fighter, sees that Onji is the real masked fighter of this tournament. Outed, Onji drops his disguise and Suzuka, a narcissistic demon in clown make-up, makes his grand appearance.

It's the last of the semi-finals: Team Toguro vs. Team Gorenja. The confident Gorenja team is so easily defeated as to make the upcoming pairing of the Toguro team against Yusuke's seem like a night of college senior men taking on junior high boys. However, before the day of the finals can arrive, a pair of former lovers between the two final teams meet in private one last time.

Genkai and Younger Toguro: One last meeting between former lovers, between former teammates, between old fighters - before they try to privately kill each other well away and removed from all considerations of the tournament.

While Yusuke continues to sit in stunned grief over the loss of Genkai, Sakyo reveals his ultimate plans to the tournament directors for the trillions in gambling money he'll rake in from the Dark Tournament. It's a plan that leaves them aghast then speechless.

The final round of the Dark Tournament is just about to begin, with Team Urameshi facing Team Toguro, but each team visibly lacks a fifth fighter in order to qualify and continue, so each team is subsequently joined by a surprising fifth member.

Kurama faces off against Karasu, hoping to hold out long enough for Yoko Kurama to come forth after drinking Suzuka's juice from the Fruit of a Previous Life. That's the plan, anyway, but can Kurama survive long enough is the question.

With Yoko Kurama present, it's Karasu's turn to run, but with both of a mind to annihilate or take the other along in death, it's a wonder if either combatant will live to claim a victory at the end.

The first match is over but not the end of problems for Team Urameshi. Bui steps up for Team Toguro; Hiei answers the challenge. Both fighters wield powers beyond their control, which will likely spell doom for quite a number of spectators in the stands.

To defeat Bui, Hiei summons up the Dragon of the Darkness Flame once again. Though he's gained a bit more control of the technique since last time he called it forth, it's still an unpredictable beast that could take out both target and attacker, as well as anyone else in the stadium.

The stadium is heavily damaged, but the next fight is up. Elder Toguro, the sadistic shape-shifter, takes special delight to revealing Genkai's death to Kuwabara, who was not told about it by any of his teammates. Ogre, meanwhile, sits in with Koto, uninvited, hoping to open a new job opportunity for himself by impressing others with commentator skills.

Kuwabara ends his fight with Elder Toguro only to redirect his unabated anger against his own team, especially Urameshi, for keeping him in the dark about Genkai's death. Before the long, anticipated battle between Yusuke and Younger Toguro can finally begin, Sakyo proposes that this next fight be the last and decisive fight of the tournament, upon which he places one last high-stakes wager.

Before even the first punch can be thrown, Younger Toguro's aura of demon energy is enough to melt the flesh off weaker apparitions in the stadium, causing Koenma to act quickly to protect Yusuke's teammates, while Puu does likewise for their friends in the stands. Several former adversaries also arrive to watch the final match.

They've initially tested each other. Now power levels above power levels are unleashed between Urameshi and Younger Toguro, heading toward full power with no one yet going down - except those poor unfortunates in the audience.

Younger Toguro's invincible demon body craves a good fight, one it hasn't been able to have in a long long time. If reaching that goal takes beating more power out of Yusuke or threatening the lives of everyone in the audience to provide the boy with enough emotional incentive, then so be it. Among those suffering, violence-overload puts Keiko in shock.

The death of Kuwabara finally opens up Yusuke to his emotions and, thereby, to his full power. Now he's at Toguro's level - just what Toguro's been waiting for.

The protagonists prepare to sail home since the tournament has ended. In the Spirit World, the Younger Toguro demands to go to the most brutal level of the underworld to repent for his deeds in life. It is explained that the Younger Toguro had been psychologically scarred fifty years ago by a demon named Kairin, who killed all the students of his dojo. Genkai confronts the Younger Toguro for blaming himself for his wrongdoings. Genkai is resurrected in the Living World as the prize for winning the tournament.

With the tournament over, it's time to leave Hang Neck Island and go home, while in Spirit World it's time for the final judgment of Toguro, the sentencing upon his afterlife, and one final meeting with Genkai.

Spirit World registers strange activities going on near Yusuke's city. Both Kurama and Hiei notice it, too. Koenma sends Botan to give Yusuke a cautionary heads up, but there's more of a direct threat afoot than any of them realize.

Yusuke has been kidnapped by three humans. Schoolboys, no less, but not ordinary. Following Yusuke's abduction, Hiei, Kurama and Kuwabara find themselves formally invited to come meet with the kidnappers.

A contest. While in the altered reality territory of the first kidnapper, the word "hot" has been made taboo. If any of Yusuke's would-be rescuers say it, they'll lose their souls to him. It's an intellectual game that none but Kurama seem equipped to handle.

Another contest awaits. This time, one of Yusuke's rescuers has been replaced by an impostor and it's left for Yusuke to discover who. If Yusuke guesses wrong, the one impersonated dies.

A tunnel between Demon World and Living World is opening up in nearby Mushiyori City - an unnatural, deliberately created tunnel. Because of the opening, humans in that city - such as the three schoolboys who kidnapped Yusuke - are acquiring paranormal powers. Genkai defines the parameters to the group of what needs to be done before they can act effectively.

Entering Mushiyori City, Genkai divides the team into two, one to locate the barrier hole, the other to gather intelligence on their enemies. Yusuke's group soon wanders into the territory of Murota, a mind-reading pugilist whom they must engage in order to determine whether he's friend, foe or just an annoying obstacle.

Inside the hospital, Yusuke's group enters the territory of another psychic. This time it's definitely that of a major unfriendly, one who's out to infect everyone with a killer virus, but that isn't his only sick trick.

The Doctor pushes Yusuke toward the decision of making him his first human kill, and with people dying throughout the hospital from the Doctor's disease it looks like Yusuke has little choice but to comply.

With the world coming to an end sooner than originally anticipated, more members of Genkai's team go AWOL. Kuwabara, still devoid of spirit power, enjoys one last night out with his gang, while Kurama privately pursues a hunch that might produce additional information about the mastermind behind the tunnel. Meanwhile, another one of the seven attacks.

Seaman, master of water, targets Kuwabara and his gang, easily gaining the upper hand, but what no one except Genkai realizes is that Kurabara's spirit energy hasn't vacated him. It's busy transforming into something greater. Now, if only Kuwabara can live long enough through its dormancy to enjoy the benefits of it later on.

Koenma comes to Earth to lay open the background on former Spirit Detective Sensui Shinobu and reveal what's lead to his becoming their current enemy and mankind's greatest threat, but before they can utilize any of this belated intel, Sensui pays them a surprise visit.

Sensui requires Kuwabara's help, with or without his consent, so he keeps everyone busy in order to catch the unwary lad apart from the group.

With Kuwabara successfully kidnapped and whisked out of town, the rest are left to regroup, all except Yusuke who's in hot pursuit of the kidnappers - on a kid's bicycle no less.

Inside Sniper's territory, Yusuke is literally targeted for death, dodging various and unexpected kinds of ammunition that relentlessly seeks him out. A former acquaintance appears, but it's dubious if it's to Yusuke's rescue.

Game Master awaits Yusuke's group in Demon's Door Cave, bringing to life an arcade game called Goblin City in which seven warriors must battle the Goblin King, the master of all other games, and who must be defeated four out of seven times to be vanquished.

Yusuke's group continues to progress through Gamemaster's live enactment of Goblin City. The way seems easy enough till Gamemaster finally steps into his role as the Goblin King.

Kurama takes up the next game with Game Master and makes sure the boy's aware that, in the Goblin City game they're playing, the loser dies - something that Sensui never let on when he recruited the young player.

With thirty minutes to go before the tunnel opens and the world as humans know it ends, Yusuke's group is invited to take on Gourmet, but before the encounter gets far, an older enemy reasserts himself - or should one say an "Elder" enemy?

Once Itsuki's ancient pet yamanate swallows the other fighters, trapping them in its limbo-like territory, spirit detectives Yusuke Urameshi and Shinobu Sensui are left to fight it out undisturbed.

While the others remain either trapped inside the Yamanate or standing outside the cave entrance awaiting an outcome, Yusuke steps up his game, trying to catch Shinobu by surprise, but it's Shinobu who does the surprising.

Shinobu Sensui - or whomever it is everyone's been dealing with - reveals he is only one of seven split-personalities, each with their own fighting capabilities. As Yusuke's bullet-ridden body is just about to be finished off by Kazuya, Koenma finally arrives, ready to whip out his Mafukan on Shinobu.

Shinobu unveils power above either Spirit Energy or Demon Energy - Sacred Energy.

Yusuke's friends realize he's about to sacrifice himself in a losing fight in order for them to tap into their deeper power, lacking the strength of mind to reach it themselves without the pain of loss, especially Kuwabara.

With Yusuke dead, his friends take up the fight, following Shinobu down the tunnel to Demon World that is now finally open.

While Hiei, Kurama and Kuwabara fight a determined but losing battle in Demon World against Shinobu Sensui, King Yama sends his Spirit World Special Defense Force on an emergency mission to Earth. Their agenda: secondarily to close and guard the tunnel but primarily to destroy the body of Yusuke Urameshi - a mission which confuses and appalls Koenma in equal measure.

Yusuke has it out with Shinobu in Demon World. Meanwhile the SDF, fearing both fighters equally, regroups to focus collectively on the tunnel, committed toward sealing both Yusuke and Shinobu inside Demon World forever.

Yusuke gets in touch with his inner demon, or visa versa. With his friends agog, the experience leaves Yusuke a bit transformed but also fully enabled to kick Sensui's can in a battle royal within Demon World.

Everyone who was involved with Sensui, either with him or against him, now eases back into normal, everyday life to varying degrees, making choices that effect their long-term futures. For many it's a parting of the ways.

Since Raizen took him over in his fight with Sensui, Yusuke has been unsettled and adrift, restless, and wondering what to do next. He's finally sent to talk things over with someone whom he has a connection, but there's an interruption.

Three mystic messengers from Demon World explain their reason for tracking down Yusuke, but something about their story smells and Yusuke believes there's more to it than they're telling.

With an impending crisis looming in Demon World, multiple invitations reach out to Yusuke and his former teammates, leaving their future associations with each very uncertain. With a price upon his head from King Yama, Yusuke prepares to leave Living World with the uncertainty of ever being able to return.

Kuwabara is brought up to date on what's happening with his fellow fighters before they exit his life and begin separate journeys to Demon World.

Demon-style training begins. In the course of it, Hiei finds himself vividly recalling the bitter past. Meanwhile Mukuro thinks Hiei should now fight a more powerful opponent and sets upon him Shigure, the very "surgeon of the damned" who gave Hiei his Jagan Eye.

As Hiei's confrontation with Shigure nears a swift and noble end, his life as the cursed child of a glacial village flashes before his eyes. For sharing his consciousness so openly and fully, Mukuro rewards him with a rare and personal gift.

Having been friends and allies centuries earlier in their youthful bandit days, Kurama answers Yomi's invitation to serve as advisor for his army in the, as yet, looming battle for Demon World, but Yomi has it in mind to ask Kurama for a second favor, one he has every intention of fashioning into an offer Kurama can't refuse.

Kurama returns to Living World to get new allies for Yomi.

Yusuke finds out about his heritage.

Raizen's death has upset the balance of power in Demon World. As Mukuro and Yomi prepare their next move, Yusuke arrives at a brilliant decision that just might preserve the peace. But at what cost?

By embracing Yusuke's unlikely proposal, Yomi and Mukuro have secured peace for the moment. Nonetheless, the battle to control Demon World must begin. Who will win the tournament and grasp complete power?

As the preliminary round of the tournament draws to a close, one match between a father and son still rages on. Before the competition can continue, the vigor of youth must defeat the patience of age.

As the main bouts of the Demon World tournament get underway, it looks like some of the fighters' motivations for entering aren't exactly what they seemed. They all have their eyes on one warrior as the prize - Yusuke.

Kurama and Shigure battle but is torn by his two identities.

Team Urameshi prepares to return to the world of the living and leave their fallen mentor and friend behind. But, far away, a chance encounter between two former allies offers a hint of things to come.

As the Demon World Tournament rages on, Yusuke finds himself staring down Yomi. Both warriors have their own reasons for competing, but one soon learns he may not have any reason to continue.

Yusuke awakens from his fight with Yomi to discover all but one fighter has been eliminated! Demon World has its new King! Who emerged victorious? And what does it mean for the three worlds?

Kuwabara is studying hard for his college entrance exams, but nothing could prepare him for what happens when he arrives at a mysterious meeting with Genkai. One after the other, the old gang shows up - but where is Yusuke?