Yu Yu Hakusho season 1, episode 2 recap “Episode 2″

Now that Yusuke is back, his new job as Spirit Detective for Koenma is just beginning. In Yu Yu Hakusho season 1 episode 2, Yusuke must track down three Yokai who have stolen three valuable objects.

Yu Yu Hakusho season 1, episode 2 recap – Goki

Goki, Kurama, and Hiei are three Yokai who have successfully stolen three objects: orb, mirror, and blade. Yusuke’s mission is to retrieve all three, starting with Goki.

The trouble is Yusuke isn’t strong enough to take on Goki, who is going to be the strongest of the three. This Yokai has been stealing the souls of children with the intent on eating them later.

Because of this, children who live nearby the little boy Yusuke saved from the truck in episode 1, have been falling unconscious. Yusuke uses this as his means to start the investigation.

It doesn’t take him long to discover Goki, disguised as a human. Upon following him to a car junkyard, Goki’s true form is revealed: a gigantic red and muscular demon.

Yusuke’s fight to retrieve the orb becomes increasingly more difficult than his first task with the possessed classmate. When the child he rescues distracts Goki, resulting in his soul being stolen, Yusuke uses this opportunity to attack him head on, using his Spirit Energy in the form of the Spirit Gun (classic!).

With the orb retrieved, the souls are returned to the children. What confuses Yusuke is the fact that Kurama watched the entire battle unfold and refused to intervene.

Yu Yu Hakusho season 1, episode 2 recap – Kurama

Speaking of Kurama, Yusuke manages to follow him to a hospital, where it is revealed why this Yokai wants the mirror. Turns out Kurama was a Yokai who was badly injured.

In order to survive, he transported himself into a pregnant womb and was born to human parents. He planned on leaving them once he regained his strength but couldn’t.

Now his mother is on her deathbed, and he needs the mirror in order to save her. Kurama promises to return the mirror after he uses it.

At the same hospital Kuwabara’s friends are recovering from the violent battle with their possessed classmate. Seeing his dear friends severely injured, with one suffering extensive burns, Kuwabara feels deeply ashamed and guilty.

He becomes fixated on Yusuke when he’s able to see him and Botan when no one else can see the blue haired, pink kimono wearing girl. Through following Yusuke, he’s able to learn about Kurama and the mirror.

The mirror will need to be used on the next full moon, but Kurama doesn’t know that whoever uses the mirror to make their wish, will pay with their life. It becomes a race to the hospital as Yusuke tries to warn Kurama, while Kuwabara follows believing Kurama to be a liar.

When they both arrive, Kurama is in the midst of making his wish. Yusuke warns Kurama of the payment and refuses to allow him to die only for his mother to suffer heartbreak over his death.

Yusuke decides to give the mirror half his life with half of Kurama’s. The wish is made, and Kurama’s mother is healed.

Yu Yu Hakusho season 1, episode 2 recap – Toguro

With two items now in his possession, Yusuke’s final Yokai will be Hiei. Hiei meanwhile already used the blade to slice his forehead and create a third eye.

With this third eye, he is able to find a man transporting a valuable tear of ice. The tear of ice is from the Korime, a beautiful young girl whose tears can turn into ice.

She’s locked in a cage under the possession of Tarukane, a rich businessman who received her from Sakyo, in exchange for the giant pit. Getting the Korime to cry has been a struggle for Tarukane and once he learns that the tear of ice was stolen by a Yokai, he immediately wants to return her to Sakyo.

Refusing to take her back, Sakyo decides to provide Tarukane some security in the form of an extremely tall and broad shouldered Toguro and a creepy Yokai perched on his shoulder. What Tarukane doesn’t know is that one of his men plans on freeing the Korime.

But will he succeed?

Yu Yu Hakusho season 1, episode 2 review

Season 1 episode 2 continues to follow the anime pretty closely, especially with Goki and Kurama. Although I remember the timeline of the anime quite well, which means I often know what’s coming next, it doesn’t remotely hinder my viewing experience.

If anything, it makes me that much more excited to see how the show will present the events to follow. I do like that certain aspects of the story are more flushed out, like Kwabara’s injured friends and Sakyo.

I was slightly worried that the show was going to retcon Kuwabara’s sensitivity to the paranormal and Spirit World but thankfully they didn’t. I look forward to watching his very animated declarations of love for the Korime in the coming episodes.

Speaking of, the Korime, who we will later learn is named Yukina, is stunning! From her eyes to the color of her hair, she looks exactly like the character, completely embodying her innocence.

I still love the way the show is progressing. The pace works and the continued exposition doesn’t bore nor disappoint.

Hiei’s introduction, if you will, was so incredibly bad#$%. It’s such a relief to see people who know and love the source material so well, to the point they get so many things right.

What did you think of Netflix’s Yu Yu Hakusho season 1, episode 2? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.