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At the beginning of Yu Yu Hakusho's first episode, the main character dies in a car accident. The series goes on to portray the afterlife as a bureaucracy populated by blue-skinned oni and governed by a despotic toddler. Its tongue-in-cheek humor, dramatic plot and likeable characters instantly succeeded in satisfying fans of the original manga. First airing in 1992, it was at the time the only show which could compete with the Dragonball franchise in terms of sheer popularity. Blessed with a staggering budget, Yu Yu Hakusho has aged very gracefully and remains capable of holding its own against even the newest shounen action titles.
Though it adheres to numerous conventions of the genre, the show is well-executed and rarely feels tired or repetitive. Its strongest themes are sacrifice and friendship--three of the four protagonists possess checkered pasts, but over the course of the series they redeem themselves through a combination of hard work, loyalty and courage. A true gem among fighting anime, Yu Yu Hakusho laid the foundation for other popular shows like Flame of Recca and Hunter x Hunter
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