Yu Yu Hakusho‘s final part, the “Three Kings” saga, may have lacked the emotional potency and thematic depths of the brilliant “Dark Tournament” and “Chapter Black” sagas, but it did clever work by expanding Togashi’s captivating and terrifying world. The greatest weakness of the story arc is the hastened conclusion brought about by Togashi’s declining health. However, even with that hastened conclusion, the “Three Kings” saga opened the doors wide for various challenges and terrors.
Much like in Togashi’s later work, Hunter x Hunter, where he expands and elevates the scale of monsters in the world by introducing the Dark Continent, the Demon World Tournament immensely raises the bar for Yu Yu Hakusho‘s demons. The rate at which previously presented demons grow and the number of powerful beings that still dwarf them help the Demon World Tournament leave a memorable impression. At the end of the tournament, there is a distinct need for more and a feeling to explore.
Yu Yu Hakusho‘s Dark Tournament Contestants Level Up
Reuniting with their challenging opponents from the legendary Dark Tournament proves joyful and hilarious for Yusuke, Kurama and Hiei. While most of these individuals try to kill the protagonists during the last tournament, everyone develops friendly and respectful rivalries. Impressively, they have leveled up their abilities to compete with Yusuke’s crew and some of the strongest known demons.
The rate and extent that Chu, Touya and others boost their power are beyond impressive. There is a lot of latent potential in Yu Yu Hakusho‘s demons that need the right circumstances to emerge. However, despite this remarkable boost, these well-established and vigorous fighters still need to make it far in the Demon World Tournament. The level of competition is awe-inspiring and sheds light on how strong the old guard can be.
Raizen’s Crew Sets the Bar Too High in Yu Yu Hakusho‘s Dark Tournament
When Raizen’s old friends unite to celebrate their fallen rival and flex their immense pressure, Yusuke is shocked. Having already beaten Toguro and Shusui, Yusuke has a better grasp of strength, and these folks show him a different standard. Raizen’s power makes sense as one of the Three Kings and an ancestor to Yusuke, but having his whole crew be monsters is surprising. This crew of old and weird demons arrives from nowhere and proceeds to sweep the tournament.
Saizou and Kujou remove big players like Kurama only to lose to other members of Raizen’s crew. Finally, Enki, the powerful, goofy, drunk demon, wins the tournament over Yusuke and the surviving Kings. These folks have been wandering the Demon World and have remained this strong, so they had to have fought one another and other unseen foes that offered legitimate challenges.
Yu Yu Hakusho‘s Enki, Mukuro, and Yomi Are Big Fish in a Huge Ocean
Mukuro and Yomi attracted fierce demons that kept them sharp, but they also held to circles and didn’t profoundly pursue more significant opponents, which is why the Three Kings have a tentative balance. These beastly demons only dabbled in a small portion of their respective worlds, and Raizen’s crew only explored another moderate piece, so the potential for more lurking legends is excellent. The hasty assembly of the Demon World Tournament and its friendly approach to deciding leadership limits the attendees.
The more deplorable and remotely located demons wouldn’t attend the tournament, leaving a wellspring of potential in the Demon World. Koenma admits the Demon World is like a near-endless basement, with the deeper levels housing scarier denizens. These deep dwellers wouldn’t have the peculiar diplomacy with Enma like the Three Kings.
While the Demon World Tournament provides an excellent window into its respective world, it leaves much implied and untouched for viewers to wonder about. The depths of the Demon World have to house things that would rival Enma and the Kings, if not exceed them. There is an exciting and terrifying aspect to the endless darkness of the Demon World and the potential for dormant or distracted evils.