Preorders for STYLE BOMB a YuYu Hakusho Fashion Zine are now open until Aug 12, 23:59 ET. We offer 40+ stylish illustrations, 27 polaroids, 6 articles, merch—to celebrate our love for this series! 💚
Visit our shop for more info!
🛒 shop.yyhfanzine.com ✨
Reblog and follow @yyhfanzine for a chance to win a Limited Bundle!
The "Yu Yu Hakusho x Play-P series" collaboration goods are scheduled to be released in July by "PLAYFUL MIND COMPANY".
- Pre-orders start on May 18, 2021
- Reservations can be made on their Official Online Shop: Karutassu
Another Yu Yu Hakusho collaboration! The characters are cute drawn in chibi-style. It's interesting that Rando and Suzaku were added in some of the goods! I'm happy Botan, Genkai and Yukina are also included. Let's take a look at the merch:
Goods:
❯ Acrylic Keychains
A square type and transparent acrylic keychain.
Price: ￥770 each (tax included)
Size: H: 50mm / W: 30mm / Thickness: 3mm
❯ Acrylic Stands
The pedestals can be connected to each other, allowing you to display your favorite characters together.
Price: ¥858 each (tax included)
Size: approximately 80mm x 45mm
Pedestal: Approximately 45mm x 45mm
❯ iPhone Flip Case
Price: ¥3,608 (tax included)
■ For iPhone 6/6s/7/8/SE (2nd generation): approx. 146mm x 73mm x 15mm
■ For iPhone 6Plus/6sPlus/7Plus/8Plus: approx. 165mm x 84mm x 15mm
■ For iPhone X/XS: approx. 146mm x 73mm x 15mm
■ For iPhone X/XS: approx. 146mm x 73mm x 15mm
■ For iPhone XR: approx. 160mm x 85mm x 17mm
■ For iPhone 11: approx. 160mmx 85mmx 17mm
■ For iPhone XS Max: approx. 166mm x 85mm x 15mm
■ For iPhone 11pro: approx. 146mm x 85mmx 17mm
❯ Smartphone Flip Case
Price: ¥3,608 (tax included)
The case comes in two sizes, M and L, to fit all types of phones:
■ M size: approximately 156mm x 194mm
*Compatible with models up to approximately H: 148mm x W: 80mm x D: 15mm.
■ L size: approximately 165mm x 200mm
*Compatible with models up to approximately H: 160mm x W: 85mm x D: 15mm.
❯ Wireless Battery
Qi compatible wireless charger.
Price: ¥4,180 (tax included)
Diameter: 100mm
Material: ABS
❯ Passcase
Price: ¥1,078 (tax included)
Approximately: 105mm x 70mm
Material: leather
❯ Envelopes
A B6 size mini case made of vinyl. You can store various things such as cosmetics, stationery, masks etc.
“PSST. YUSUKE. It’s me, Kurama.”
“Yeah, no SHIT. Look what you’re wearing? Wait, what arE YOU DOING??”
“Well, I heard that in the human world, selling marijuana plants made decent money. I’m planning on paying for a trip for my mother and step-father, and figured I had a lot of plants lying around so -”
“KURAMA OH MY GOD”
Excerpts from interviews in which the author, Yoshihiro Togashi, talks about Hiei and Kurama.
This is an attempt to bring forth official source, instead of non-reliable information like "Hiei and Kurama were initially going to be a couple" or "Togashi didn't intend them to be a couple, but could have easily done it". We can notice from the articles that Togashi-sensei is very reserved and doesn't give many details.
1. Togashi's initial plans for Hiei and Kurama
🡆 Interview from the "Yu Yu Hakusho Official Character Book Reikai Shinshiroku" (2005)
This interview was also published in an American Shounen Jump. Read the full transcription here.
JUMP COMICS: "When you first introduced Hiei and Kurama in Volume 3, did you plan for them to become major characters?"
Togashi: "I intended Kurama to be a major character from the very beginning, but I wasn’t sure about Hiei."
🡆 Weekly Shounen Jump 50th Anniversary Special Interview (November, 2017)
JUMP: "The fact that the two characters, Hiei and Kurama, had as many fans as the main character, Yusuke, was also a major factor to the success of Yu Yu Hakusho."
Togashi: "I was conscious that Kurama would become popular when I was drawing him, but that was not the case with Hiei. With no particular aim in mind, he was purely about what I thought was cool...like the incarnation of "chuuni" (laughs), I think that's how he came out."
T/N: This interview was also translated to the American version of the magazine, but they adapted the translation a little bit and didn't mention Hiei was inspired by the "chuuni disease".
Read the full scans on hxhsource.
🡆 V-JUMP Interview (12.30.1992): Bringing back Hiei and Kurama to Suzaku's Arc
Full interview: "Togashi-sensei talks about Yu Yu" (V-JUMP, 1992-93)
Togashi: "The Four Holy Beasts were chosen first. I made four enemies on impulse, but the only humans were Yusuke and Kuwabara. When it became clear that they weren't strong enough to take on two demons each, Hiei and Kurama appeared on the scene. They are the current protagonists (guffawing). Joking aside, this series made me realize how difficult it is to do a battle manga."
2. Kurama and Hiei's models
We've all heard rumors like: Hiei was modeled after Vegeta (DBZ) or Kurama was going to be a woman. Let's learn the true from sensei himself.
🡆 "Yoshirin de Pon!" (1994): Togashi reveals that Hiei's model is Skunky, from the series "Patalliro!" by Mineo Maya.
You can check the full "Yoshirin de Pon!" doujinshi at @brickme. It would also be interesting to check @MAYA_MUSUME Twitter. She's the daughter of Mineo Maya and posted some Yu Yu Hakusho's illustrations made by the mangaka.
🡆 V-JUMP #8 (1993) & Weekly Shounen Jump #35 (1991): Kurama's model is a real person!
Q: "I heard from a friend that Kurama has a model, but what kind of person is he?" (Mari Ishikawa, Ibaraki Prefecture)
A: "This was written in the postscript of the Weekly Shonen Jump Table of Contents. The model for Kurama is a friend of Togashi-sensei. It seems that he's a quite peculiar person, such as claiming being a French aristocrat even though he's Japanese."
T/N: Togashi's original comment was made in the Table of Contents of the Weekly Shounen Jump issue 35, 1991:
Yoshihiro: "Kurama's model is my friend. He is Japanese, but insists he's a French aristocrat."
3. Kurama and Hiei's names & calling Hiei a child
Most people think their names come from the mountains in Kyoto, Mount Hiei and Kurama, but some even claim that Togashi said that in an interview (??). Well, he said quite the opposite!
🡆 "Yu Yu Hakusho Official Character Book Reikai Shinshiroku - Main Character Comment Section from Yoshihiro Togashi" (2005)
Q: About Hiei
Togashi: "Some people thought that his name was taken from the mountain, but I applied the kanji to the sounds I chose based on my own senses. A non-docile child who uses abusive language. The battles are as concise as possible and wins quickly."
Q: About Kurama
Togashi: "Some people thought that his name was taken from the mountain, but I applied the kanji to the sounds I chose based on my senses. He is the typical "desu ne" (ですね) character who is usually polite, but scary when he gets angry. The surname, Minamino, comes from "Youko Minamino" (singer). But there were other surname candidates such as Minamida, Ishino and Gushiken." (other Japanese celebrities whose first names are Youko)
🡆 V-JUMP #8 (1993): about Hiei's name
Q: "How did you come up with the name 'Hiei'?"
Togashi: "I decided on it so easily that I can't remember (laughs). I had a black image in mind, so I wanted to add the chinese character '影' (shadow)."
Q: "Kurama turns roses into whips, but what happens if he uses other plants as weapons?" (YーFox, Osaka Prefecture)
A: This question was answered by Togashi-sensei instead of Kurama!!
"He likes to chop and often uses long leaves like swords and petals like razors. It seems that plants from the Human World are not very suitable for weapons, but he says that sunflowers can be used like shotguns and cacti like bombs. Between ourselves but: "if you are interested, cedar pollen can be used to kill almost everyone in Japan in a day". I just pray that he won't be capricious. Well, this guy is scary! Perhaps, Kurama might be the strongest…"
Kurama: "I won’t do that."
5. Other sources
We can also find minor but funny information about Hiei and Kurama in the Weekly Shounen Jump #3-4, 1994. This issue brings a commemorative article of the 3rd year of the serialization, including:
Togashi-sensei Direct Answer! The secrets of "Yu☆Yu☆"!!
Botan's Assault Interview! The Secrets of the "Yu Yu" Four Warriors
Yusuke, Kurama, Hiei and Kuwabara choose their TOP 3 Matches
Other information about the color scheme of the school uniforms used in the anime, Kurama being voiced by a woman etc. can be found in interviews done with the animation staff:
Special ☆ Extra ☆ Talk with Ken Hagino (Producer) x Noriyuki Abe (Director) x Mari Kitayama (Character Design)
[Yu Yu Hakusho Reikai Communication] Special Talk with Noriyuki Abe (Director) x Mari Kitayama (Character Designer)
Kurama's hair and uniform color in the anime have nothing to do with the red fox like some Wikis say.
There's also much speculation about Mukuro and Hiei. According to Togashi's comments to the "Official Character Book", Mukuro was designed as someone Hiei would date. No further information was given by the author:
Mukuro - About the Character
Lastly, about Hiei's green transformation, there isn't any official statement from the author, but the "Official Character Book" has a "Special Note" on the issue:
