Every anime and manga fan who enjoys the “dark” era of Shonen owes quite a lot to Yu Yu Hakusho. Written and drawn by Yoshihiro Togashi (Hunter x Hunter), Yu Yu Hakusho broke the mold by splicing elements of supernatural horror into the tournament-based Shonen action formula story.
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With Netflix set to produce a live-action adaption of the series, now is the perfect time to read Yu Yu Hakusho and watch its top-tier anime adaption. While it’s not nearly as long as many other long-running Shonen manga, Yu Yu Hakusho still has quite a lot of story to tell, so here’s all of the series’ story arcs in order!
How Do Story Arcs Work in Yu Yu Hakusho?
The story of Yu Yu Hakusho follows Yusuke Urameshi, a high-school delinquent who, in an uncharacteristic act of selflessness, sacrifices himself to save a child from being run over by a truck. After being offered the chance to return to life by the prince of the Underworld, Yusuke assumes the mantle of the “Spirit Detective,” an agent of the Underworld tasked with hunting down rogue demons and spirits who threaten humanity.
Like many other long-running Shonen series like One Piece, Yu Yu Hakusho’s story is divided into several “sagas,” which can be broken down into various arcs. Here’s a breakdown of all the sagas and arcs in Yu Yu Hakusho.
Related: All Fairy Tail Arcs in Order
Spirit Detective Saga
| Story Arc | Manga Chapters | Anime Episodes |
|---|---|---|
| Yusuke’s Ordeal Arc | Chapters 1-18 | Episodes 1-5 |
| Artifacts of Darkness Arc | Chapters 19-24 | Episodes 6-8 |
| Genkai’s Tournament Arc | Chapters 25-32 | Episodes 9-13 |
| Beasts of the Maz Castle Arc | Chapters 33-44 | Episodes 14-21 |
| Rescue Yukina Arc | Chapters 34-51 | Episode 22-25 |
Dark Tournament Saga
| Story Arc | Manga Chapters | Anime Episodes |
|---|---|---|
| Round One – Team Urameshi vs. Team Rokuyukai Arc | Chapters 52-61 | Episode 26-33 |
| Round Two – Team Urameshi vs. Dr. Ichigaki Team Arc | Chapters 62-65 | Episode 34-36 |
| Round Three – Team Urameshi vs. Team Masho Arc | Chapters 66-77 | Episode 37-44 |
| Semi-Finals – Team Urameshi vs. Team Uraotogi Arc | Chapters 78-87 | Episodes 44-52 |
| Semi-Finals – Genkai’s Death Arc | Chapters 88-93 | Episodes 52-53 |
| Finals – Team Urameshi vs. Team Toguro Arc | Chapters 94-110 | Episodes 54-65 |
| Epilogue Arc | Chapters 111-112 | Episode 66 |
Chapter Black Saga
| Story Arc | Manga Chapters | Anime Episodes |
|---|---|---|
| Rescue Yusuke Arc | Chapters 113-118 | Episodes 67-70 |
| The Doctor Arc | Chapters 119-123 | Episodes 71-74 |
| The Seaman Arc | Chapters 124-127 | Episode 75-77 |
| The Sniper Arc | Chapters 128-132 | Episodes 78-80 |
| The Game-Master Arc | Chapters 133-136 | Episodes 81-83 |
| The Last Half-Hour Arc | Chapters 137-145 | Episodes 84-93 |
| Into the Makai Arc | Chapters 146-153 | Episode 94 |
Three Kings Saga
| Story Arc | Manga Chapters | Anime Episodes |
|---|---|---|
| The Invitation Arc | Chapters 154-158 | Episodes 95-97 |
| 1-Year Arc | Chapters 159-163 | Episodes 96-103 |
| Makai Unification Tournament | Chapters 164-170 | Episodes 104-111 |
| And So… | chapters 171-175 | Episode 112 |
How to Read and Watch Yu Yu Hakushu
Yu Yu Hakusho is one of the most popular manga ever published, so it’s easy to find online. Both Viz Media and the Shonen Jump reader app host Yu Yu Hakusho, so you can read it if you have an account on either. The Yu Yu Hakusho anime is available on Crunchyroll, but only if you have premium.
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