Yu Yu Hakusho season 1, episode 4 recap “Episode 4″

Yu Yu Hakusho season 1 episode 4 provides thrilling, edge-of-your-seat, nail-biting action and incredibly choreographed battles. As Yusuke, Kuwabara, Kurama, and Hiei arrive at Sakyo’s island and home, the group immediately splits up, with some having to battle some very strong and deadly Yokai.

Meanwhile, Yukina and Keiko befriend each other and attempt to escape. Will they be successful?

Yu Yu Hakusho season 1, episode 4 recap – Kurama vs Karasu

It doesn’t take long for our four heroes to split up. Refusing to work with the group, Hiei ventures on his own.

Then Kurama is forced to leave Yusuke and Kuwabara when Yokai Karasu arrives. Using his plant abilities such as the Rose Whip and actual roses, Kurama battles Karasu.

Between Karasu’s deadly long nails and nearly invisible explosive orbs, Kurama is constantly trying to outmaneuver his opponent. However, it becomes apparent to both Kurama and Karasu that Kurama’s human form is holding him back.

With no option left, Kurama decides to allow his demon form to take over once more and our Yokai becomes Yoko, the demon fox. In this form he is far more powerful, able to control extremely deadly and life size Venus flytrap-like plants.

Karasu is almost crushed to death until he uses his powers to slowly kill Kurama’s deadly plants. Having lost almost all of his energy, Kurama returns to his human form and makes one last attempt to win.

Thanks to a rose that Kurama threw earlier in battle, the hole left in Karasu’s hand is used to implant a deadly seed. The plant grows within Karasu, entering his literal veins, slowly killing him from the inside out.

The final blow is the plant wrapping around Karasu’s heart and crushing it.

Yu Yu Hakusho season 1, episode 4 recap – Hiei vs Bui

Meanwhile Hiei encounters his opponent, Bui, an extremely large Yokai carrying an overly large weapon, while dressed in extensive and heavy samurai armor. Although their fight seems to go back and forth, with Hiei gaining the upper hand multiple times, Bui decides to change the tide.

Upon removing all of his heavy armor, Bui becomes stronger, now able to get the upper hand on Hiei, to the point it seems Hiei is more on the defensive than offensive. Much like Kurama, Hiei has one last resort in order to win and he waits to use it until he absolutely needs to.

By unwrapping the coverings on his arm, Hiei is able to use the Dragon of the Darkness Flame. A gigantic black flame in the shape of a Asian dragon emerges and is able to practically burn Bui alive.

What remains is a barely breathing Bui, who begs Hiei to end his life. Hiei refuses, reminding audiences he does not like to be told what to do.

After both battles, Kurama and Hiei are looking worse for wear, with no energy practically left.

Yu Yu Hakusho season 1, episode 4 recap – Yukina’s second escape

While Kurama and Hiei were fighting Yokai, Yukina and Keiko quickly bond while trapped in cages next to each other. Keiko learns the truth about the existence of the Demon World and Yokai through the Korime named Yukina.

Upon healing Keiko’s hand, Yukina proves that not all Yokai are evil. Keiko’s plan to help them escape works, when she fakes bodily pain in order for a guard to enter the cage.

After using some wrestling moves she learned from Yusuke, Keiko takes the keys and helps Yukina escape. The two move through the area as quietly as possible, until they run into Kuwabara.

Mistaking him for an incoming enemy, Keiko hits him quite literally where it hurts. But our hero has no time to dwell on the pain, when he falls in love with Yukina at first sight.

Oh boy this is going to be awkward when he learns Yukina is Hiei’s sister… The three continue through the maze-like compound until they mistakenly believe they found an exit.

They try a large door, which upon opening, releases an animal-like Yokai. The three manage to escape the deadly being with some quick thinking and teamwork, until they meet the older Toguro brother.

Kuwabara immediately goes on the offensive using a metal pipe to attack, only to find that the older Toguro brother can manipulate his body, able to shift himself away from the pipe while creepily cackling. As for Yusuke, he’s spent the entire episode running, unaware that Genkai had been killed by the younger Toguro brother.

Koenma refuses to tell Yusuke the news, wanting him to focus on the battle ahead. When Yusuke arrives to the arena, he realizes he’s about to face the stronger Toguro brother before a room of the rich, including Tarukane.

He and the rest have been gambling all night, while losing a lot of money. What none of them realize is that Sakyo seems to have a Spirit World item himself that he keeps on his desk (probably the reason he never ever loses), and learns that the entrance that connects the Human and the Demon World has been opened.

Yu Yu Hakusho season 1, episode 4 review

So now I am more confused and uncertain as ever as to whether there will be a season 2 or not. Like the episode prior, many changes were made from the anime.

The biggest, for me at least, was the fact that both Kurama and Hiei face Yokai well before the Dark Tournament. A key arc after Yukina’s rescue involved Yusuke, Kuwabara, Kurama and Hiei joining the Dark Tournament, where their final opponents wind up being Team Toguro.

Remember when I said Yusuke faces Toguro twice? This is what I meant.

It’s there that we learn the full scope of Kurama’s past, including the reveal of Yoko, as well as where Genkai is killed by Toguro. Not to mention she and Toguro once had an actual relationship.

If the show followed the anime, both Yusuke and Kuwabara would be facing the younger Toguro brother together as their final battle before rescuing Yukina. With all that said, and leaving out more changes, I still feel as though this works.

I’m sure some won’t be happy about the changes, but for what it is worth, the changes do work. When I think of adaptations of any kind, I’m usually very disappointed, especially ones based on King Arthur tales.

Admittedly, I was disappointed to see Yoko’s reveal so early on as well as realizing that Yusuke is facing Toguro on his own for what, in the anime, was supposed to be the first time. But perhaps season 2 will continue with the Dark Tournament anyway and change some details.

Perhaps the Dark Tournament will be avoided, and the next arc will take its place. It’s very hard to tell where the story is going because of all of these changes.

With only one episode left I’m curious how season 1 will end. Will this be a season finale or series finale?

What did you think of Netflix’s Yu Yu Hakusho season 1, episode 4? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.