The 1990s were a hugely important time for anime, launching many classic action series like Dragon Ball Z that have since become defining examples of the genre. Dragon Ball Z is particularly known for breaking through to a wider international audience, and it continues to be popular today with new stories being added to the franchise.
While Dragon Ball Z is hugely popular and influential, Yu Yu Hakusho is just as deserving of recognition. Although Yu Yu Hakusho isn’t as consistently praised today, it actually surpasses Dragon Ball Z in several ways. Many current anime fans might not know about Yu Yu Hakusho, but it’s a must-watch for anyone interested in classic battle shonen anime from the 1990s.
Yu Yu Hakusho’s Character Development Is a Major Part of Its Appeal
The most compelling anime stories succeed because of their characters – specifically, how those characters drive the plot. It’s not enough for a main character to simply be strong; they need to feel like a relatable person, not just a stereotypical figure. At the start of Yu Yu Hakusho, Yusuke Urameshi is a lazy and unmotivated teenager who doesn’t take life seriously. The changes Yusuke goes through – in terms of his body, emotions, and spirit – are a key reason why Yu Yu Hakusho is so rewarding to watch. Throughout the series, Yusuke grows into a brave spirit detective, a skilled martial artist, and ultimately, a celebrated hero who saves the Spirit World.
Yusuke, the main character in Yu Yu Hakusho, faces significant changes and heartbreaking events – the series doesn’t avoid difficult topics, like the fate of Genkai or the revelation of Yusuke’s demon ancestry. While Goku in Dragon Ball Z experiences a similar journey, traveling to another world and discovering he’s an alien, his character development feels less impactful. Much of Goku’s growth actually happens in the original Dragon Ball series. Yu Yu Hakusho handles this process more effectively, making Yusuke’s development feel natural, consistent, and satisfying.
Similarly, the supporting characters in Yu Yu Hakusho – like Kuwabara, Hiei, and Kurama – all experience satisfying resolutions by the end of the series. Even some of the villains, such as Toguro, are given surprisingly complex motivations, something Dragon Ball Z’s villains often lack. While characters in Dragon Ball Z like Piccolo, Vegeta, and Gohan do change over time, Yu Yu Hakusho provides a stronger feeling of completion for its heroes. This sense of closure hasn’t been diminished by ongoing sequels and spin-offs, which have continued the Dragon Ball Z story.
Yu Yu Hakusho Has Better Pacing, Less Filler & A Stronger Tournament Arc Than Dragon Ball
While Dragon Ball Z is a popular anime, it’s a very long series. With 291 episodes, it requires a significant time commitment, and even the shorter Dragon Ball Z Kai has 167 episodes. This length can discourage new viewers, especially since it’s a sequel to the original Dragon Ball, which has 153 episodes of its own. Dragon Ball Z uses its extended length to develop its story, but it can feel overwhelming to those unfamiliar with the series. In contrast, Yu Yu Hakusho tells a complete story in just 112 episodes. While 112 episodes isn’t short, it’s much more manageable than the massive length of Dragon Ball Z.
Having fewer episodes doesn’t matter if the anime isn’t well-made and fails to adapt the source material effectively. Dragon Ball Z is a prime example – it feels overly long and padded with unnecessary filler, including entire story arcs that aren’t part of the original story. Even exciting fights lose impact because they’re stretched out for far too long. The legendary battle between Goku and Frieza, intended to be a highlight, becomes exhausting over many episodes. In contrast, Yu Yu Hakusho maintains a strong pace. It smartly streamlines the initial stories to get to the more engaging action quicker, improving upon the original material.
The fight scenes in Yu Yu Hakusho are consistently exciting and never drag on – in fact, many fans wish they were even longer. A common complaint about the series is that its final arc, the Three Kings Saga, feels hurried, though the anime actually does a better job of pacing it than the original manga. Dragon Ball Z‘s final arc, the Peaceful World Saga, receives similar criticism for feeling rushed and ending too quickly.
The Dark Tournament Saga is widely considered the best part of Yu Yu Hakusho, and it delivers 41 episodes of non-stop, imaginative battles. While the original Dragon Ball was known for its great tournaments, Dragon Ball Z moved away from that. Dragon Ball Z‘s tournaments didn’t feel as rewarding. Tournaments are a simple way to create thrilling fights, and Yu Yu Hakusho really excels at this, proving it’s even better at this classic element than Dragon Ball.
While both were popular, Yu Yu Hakusho seemed to understand what audiences wanted in the ’90s better than Dragon Ball Z. Dragon Ball Z lost some momentum in its later half by chasing less successful trends, while Yu Yu Hakusho continued to improve. Interestingly, Dragon Ball Super‘s lengthy Tournament of Power saga appears to have taken cues from Yu Yu Hakusho‘s iconic Dark Tournament.
Yu Yu Hakusho Also Has a Better English Dub Than Dragon Ball
The debate over whether to watch anime with subtitles (“subs”) or dubbed audio continues. While experiencing a series in its original language is often recommended, shows like Dragon Ball Z and Yu Yu Hakusho gained massive popularity specifically because of their English dubs, which helped them reach a wider audience. Both series were staples on Cartoon Network’s Toonami and Adult Swim, becoming daily viewing for many fans. The English dub of Dragon Ball Z is definitely a product of its era, and the changes made in Dragon Ball Z Kai demonstrate how much translation and voice acting styles can evolve over a decade. The success of Dragon Ball Z with Funimation allowed them to acquire and dub Yu Yu Hakusho in the first place.
Building on what they learned with Dragon Ball Z, Funimation was able to make the dub of Yu Yu Hakusho even better. They showed a greater appreciation for the original anime by, for example, keeping the original music instead of creating new tracks. This commitment to the source material extended to the overall direction of the dub, led by Justin Cook, who also voiced the main character, Yusuke Urameshi. Cook and the entire team’s dedication resulted in a fantastic and faithful script, along with memorable performances that some fans even prefer over the original Japanese versions.
Their work on the Yu Yu Hakusho dub was a turning point, leading to even better results on later Dragon Ball projects. In a way, Yu Yu Hakusho paved the way for the Dragon Ball dub to improve. With its excellent dubbing, compelling character arcs, and smooth storytelling, Yu Yu Hakusho stands out as one of the best action anime of the ‘90s and deserves a fresh look today.
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2025-11-07 01:45