Yusuke Urameshi

Yusuke Urameshi (浦飯幽助 Urameshi Yūsuke) is a fictional character in the anime and manga series YuYu Hakusho.

His seiyū is Nozomu Sasaki. His English Voice Actor in the FUNimation dub is Justin Cook. In the English Yu Yu Hakusho: Poltergeist Report movie he is voiced by Rik Nagel.

Yusuke, who is 14 at the start of the manga, is the toughest pupil in his school, Sarayashiki Junior High School, and is the rival of Kazuma Kuwabara, the second toughest pupil. He picks fights with children his age. In addition, in the manga, Yusuke smokes, gambles, and drinks alcohol.

One day, he was hit and killed by an automobile while pushing a child out of the way from the car. He learned that the Underworld does not know what to do with him since he wasn't supposed to die then. He was given the opportunity to become alive again, but he initially declined.

After seeing people at his funeral mourn for him, including his mother, Atsuko, his favorite teacher, Mr. Takenaka (Mr. Takanaka in the English anime), his rival Kazuma Kuwabara, and his best friend Keiko Yukimura (Kayko Yukimura in the English anime), he decides to become alive again because his friends and family needed him. In order for him to be revived, he had to be kissed by someone. Keiko delivered the kiss that brought him back alive.

The condition that he got was that he had to help the Underworld fight yōkai who were causing trouble. Therefore, he became a Spirit Detective (Reikai Tantei, or Spirit Realm Detective in the original Japanese). He is guided by Botan, the ferrywoman of the Sanzu River.

Yusuke must face powerful yōkai and make rash decisions, but with his friends on his side, he succeeds. He becomes the apprentice to the aged fighter Genkai, and soon after is invited to the Dark Tournament (Anokoku Būtsukai or Black Martial Arts Tournament in the original Japanese) by Younger Toguro, a powerful yōkai of the Toguro Brothers that he fought against previously from his fourth mission. Towards the end of the tournament, Genkai gives him most of her Reiki so Yusuke could stand a chance against Younger Toguro. It is revealed that Toguro was Genkai's partner from a previous tournament. After suffering a mortal wound, Genkai with the last of her strength explains that when they won the tournament fifty years ago, Toguro, who was once human, had his body become a yōkai in order to preserve his strength. Before dying, Genkai warns Yusuke not to become like Toguro then she dies. Yusuke is now really angry with Toguro over his master's death and vows to defeat him. Yusuke wages the final battle with Toguro and emerges victorious.

In the Chapter Black Saga he awakens his yōkai blood after he gets killed again by Shinobu Sensui. It is then revealed that he desended from the an Evil Yōkai Clan, and it was his previous death and previous missions that helped awaken his dormant yōkai blood.

Attacks

Here is the listing of all Yusuke's attacks

• Rei Gun (Spirit Gun in the English anime) - This is Yusuke's most common attack where he concentrates his Reiki into his right index finger and releases it as a projectile. It can be from a small shot to a full sized cannon blast. It's only weakness is that Yusuke can only use it a certain number of times per day. At first he could only use it one per day but after much training under Genkai, by the beginning of the Dark Tournament (Anokoku Būtsukai) Yusuke can use it four times per day which becomes his maximum limit.
• Rei Kō Ha (Spirit Shotgun in the English anime and manga) - Taught to him by Genkai it is where Yusuke gathers Reiki into his fist to form a ball and release minature Rei Gun Shots from it. While the Technique is not as powerful as the Rei Gun some advantages it has over it is it is more effective against quick opponents because it is harder to dodge and it can hit multiple targets at the same time. Used only a couple of times in the series and also in the movies.
• Renshyaa (Spirit Gun Double in the English Dub)- Used once during the Dark Tournament against Chu of Team Rokuyukai (Jolly Devil Six in the English manga) in the last match of the first round. It is where Yusuke fired his last two Rei Gun Shots one right after another.
• Rei Kō Dan (Spirit Wave in the English Dub) - Used once during the Dark Tournament. In one of Yusuke's matches he faced against Jin a powerful Wind Tamer from Team Mashotsukai who had a serious advantage over Yusuke since his winds could block or redirect Yusuke's Rei Gun Shots even at point blank range. Its starting pose looks like the Rei Kō Ha but this attack is where Yusuke punches with Reiki around his arm like a bullet. If used as a long range attack it is not as powerful as the Rei Gun but if used at point blank range then the damage it does is more powerful than the Rei Gun. Because it looks simular to the Rei Gun the same rules apply. The Reason why Genkai did not want to directly teach it to Yusuke is because the attack has a bigger burden on his body than the Rei Gun.

• Sprit Gun Mega The sprit gun mega is just where Yusuke gathers most of his spirit energy and forms it into a large sphere of energy and then shoots it. The Mega Gun is used once during the Dark Tournament. After Toguro kills Kuwabara, Yusuke's spirit energy almost hits the maximum. In the middle of the battle, Yusuke uses his Mega and is still able to stand up after his attack.

Trivia

• The English equivalent of Yusuke's given name is "Eugene".