YuYu Hakusho Manga: 026 The Cursed Forest!!

I prefer to enchant my forests, though that is proving to be a bit of work these days. I was really hoping that the native moss would have choked out the invasive lawn grass by now, but I've been disappointed so far. Luckily, I've been informed of a cool service in my area that delivers mulch to my residence, and both product and delivery are FREE. So, all I need is a whole bunch of cardboard and I should be good to start smothering that nasty grass. Sadly, it'll be at the expense of the moss I love so dearly as well, unless I can find a way to superimpose it on top of the cardboard and mulch layer. So far experimentation has come to nothing. :(

I wonder if a cursed forest has MORE fucking grass...

Well, the demon is probably the real reason...

There's still a fair crowd of people who are now following Genkai as she walks along the porch. She looks over her shoulder and estimates that it's about fifty who are left, and says it's not bad. Yusuke is glancing around at the surrounding people, thinking that Rando could be any one of them, and wondering how he can find out which one it is. After all, there's a wide range of them, from a thickset guy with a wide nose, to a guy in what looks like a full-face gas mask with tubes leading over his shoulders, to another with his forehead studded randomly with bolts (???), to one with hollow cheeks and alternating lines of short bristling hair and clean shaved stripes along his skull leading into a little rat tail out the back. The whole crowd, though moving in some uniformity, seems to be unique in various ways, ALL nails that stick out. There's not a lot of indication which of them is supposed to be the demon.

Yusuke looks over at an uncomfortable-looking Kuwabara, who asks himself through clenched teeth what he's gotten himself into. Stroking his chin and leaning over to examine Kuwabara from another angle, Yusuke absently concludes that KUWABARA at least can be eliminated from suspicion of being Rando. Kuwabara asks Yusuke what he's talking about, calling him a "scuzz" in his frustration. 

Meanwhile, at the front of the procession, Genkai has come to a set of large doors in her compound, telling the group behind her that they will now proceed to the next phase of testing. When she opens the door, Yusuke and Kuwabara are in gibbering awe, the latter springing what looks like a NOSEBLEED. 

Are we sure Genkai isn't just looking for a buddy to hang with? 

One of the hopefuls is in disbelief that they're going to be tested HERE, something Genkai dryly confirms before demanding they all listen up. She tells them that they will each play these games to the best of their ability, one of them pinging invitingly behind her. Another prospective admits to her that he doesn't understand, asking how this will prove suitability to be her pupil. Genkai answers that these machines have been designed to measure their SPIRITUAL capacities in various ways, giving a number of examples. The Rock-Paper-Scissors game is supposed to measure the sixth-sense, and the panel showing the glowing cabinet adds that the ability is associated with sensitivity and the ability to handle charms and spells, as well as the score needed to pass, 10/15 games won. The punching game measure spiritual might, and offensive power and speed according to the panel, requiring getting 120 points with at least one of three tries to pass. Lastly, the karaoke game measures life energy, latent energy in the body according to the panel, and no doubt the ability to endure abject humiliation, but that's just my own suspicion. The hopefuls only get ONE try for this one, and they have to get 70 points to pass. 

Not sure HOW these machines can measure these things, when I'm still watching paranormal shows with the most sophisticated tool belting out random-ass words in a goofy voice. 

Yusuke points at another set of cabinets, asking what Tetris and Asteroids are supposed to measure, and Genkai answers dispassionately that they don't measure a thing, and are just for fun. The gods forbid an old girl have hobbies. She says that each prospective must pass two out of three of the testing games in order to move ahead, and adds as an afterthought that they all cost 100 yen to play each. I'm with Yusuke when he irritably calls her a greedy old bag, lol. 

One muscled guy holds up a hand he's already adorned with a boxing glove, announcing he'll take the first whack at the punching game, supposing it should be a cinch for him. But when he takes his shot, the screen displays a meager 18p, WAY below the 120 needed to pass. Genkai says it's terrible, watching him placidly as he falls over comically. He insists it's not possible, because he holds the record for the Nishiogi punching game. Genkai congratulates him in her dry way, but says there's not a HINT of spiritual power working with his physical strength, so he fails. 

Kuwabara takes a whack at it next and scores 129p, a pass with a healthy margin, no doubt. He turns to Yusuke and challenges him to beat that, while Yusuke straps on the glove, asking if he's kidding and bidding Kuwabara to just watch.

When's the wedding, boys?

Genkai hums thoughtfully as she looks at Yusuke, thinking that this one has some spiritual punch. Literally. As Kuwabara yells at Yusuke that he'll beat him in Rock-Paper-Scissors and Yusuke roars back that it's a fat chance for that, ponders how Yusuke could be a first class demon slayer with a bit of training, but she's also looking around for some other prospects. Her attention is next grabbed by Kuwabara when he's being admired by bystanders for winning all 15 rounds of Rock-Paper-Scissors, and he's gloating to a frustrated Yusuke, who only won two of the 15 tries due to his self-admitted crappy sixth sense. Genkai notes that that lanky kid (Kuwabara) has a powerful sixth sense, and it might be possible to train him up to some of the advanced weapons and techniques. 

Then her attention is pulled elsewhere yet again when more admiration is directed to a long-haired, scarred guy who's score on the punching game is an amazing 171 points - even better than Yusuke per one of the peanut gallery. Then at the karaoke machine, a bald monk-type with a swastika on his forehead (NOT a Nazi swastika, though that's doesn't stop me from flinching every time I see it henceforth) is making everyone's ears bleed with the most terrible singing one commentator has ever heard. BUT, he's scored 100 points, and as someone else points out, you can literally see his aura. 

Yusuke and Kuwabara are still sniping at each other in the background, the former suggesting that karaoke will settle their little rivalry and the latter inviting him to "wail away". Genkai isn't paying them any attention anymore, smiling genuinely as she considers how many more real contenders have showed up to her auditions than she had hoped. 

Sadly, we don't get to see the little spat between Yusuke and Kuwabara on the microphone, but we can safely assume Yusuke passed that test, considering how badly he performed in Rock-Paper-Scissors earlier. He's among 20 that make it through to the next phase of the tests, and that Genkai looks back at as she's leading them outside and admits she didn't think so many would get this far. Yusuke looks around and observes that she's taking them a ways from the temple, and Kuwabara wonders aloud what this is about and where they're going. They both seem pretty nervous. 

A fair number of guys who would no doubt be playing macho in most other circumstances are visibly perturbed by the prospect of another test taking place in the creepy forest beyond the rope. In fact, one of them says that this place is MORE than creepy, and is emitting a demonic aura. Genkai informs them that this is a primeval forest teeming with dangerous beasts and deadly traps, where compasses don't work, and a variety of demons call home, called - affectionately I'm sure - The Cursed Forest. The faces of her remaining hopefuls screw up in abject terror while she continues on, telling them that it's no place for ordinary people, NONE having ever come out alive. 

Then I suppose you're sending them in there to die, though how you could possibly know what's in there without having come out alive yourself is a question worth asking.

Genkai directs their collective attention to a large tree on a hill in the distance, which is their goal in the time span of two hours, which will be a pass if they can do it. 

Two men turn tail and flee, stating they're not willing to risk their necks for a couple of martial arts tricks. With a smirk, Genkai says that they're wise, saying that many learn their limits and heed the lesson when faced with the tangible threats of the forest. 

Didn't everyone COME HERE in the hope of getting proper training???

Yusuke and Kuwabara are looking over at these guys with some serious disdain, and I don't blame them. Dudes are being extremely obvious in trying to get rid of a majority of their competition through intimidation rather than their actual skills. Yusuke steps forward and declares he's in, because do or die, he wants to find out what this hag knows. The hag herself retorts that it's MASTER Hag to him. I love her, lol.

Yusuke points a finger in Mr. Loreal's face, asking him who says training would make any difference anyway, questioning if that's the REAL advantage these clowns have. They remain silent in the face of this interrogation, and the next panel focuses on Kuwabara growling at Yusuke that he's doing this if his rival is doing it, to which Yusuke responds that it's Kuwabara's own neck. Kuwabara grins, thinking that learning Genkai's techniques could help him to realize his fondest wish of beating Urameshi to a pulp, a note in the panel next to him indicating that he's forgotten all about the advice he had come here initially to get. 

The remaining prospectives are shown in a line on the other side of the rope, starting to run when Genkai yells go. She tells them that they might just make it if they use their sixth sense to perceive danger ahead before they have to encounter it, then speeds easily into the distance in front of the group with her hands behind her back, stunning them as she she tells them she'll meet them at the tree. She adds that they'll get to their destination faster if they can keep up with her, but I'm surprised if they can hear her, given how far ahead she is already, and the exclamations of surprise and admiration at her inhuman velocity. 

Yusuke dismisses the "sixth sense" advice Genkai gave, preferring instead the adage that the shortest distance between two points is a straight line. He did, after all, fail his Rock-Paper-Scissors test. 

Should have brought a picnic lunch or a pack of cards or something. 

Genkai looks out over the expanse of forest, psychically locating the auras of the participants, and finds that the nearest one is about 500 meters away. She estimates that five or six of them still have time to make it within the time limit. 

After one of those little filler panels showing a dressed-up Botan (I'm still not sure I understand the purpose of these...) we're shown Kuwabara in making his way through the woods carefully, the one that Genkai identified as the person in first place. He's muttering to himself that he managed to KINDA follow his instincts, not having come across any traps or demons so far, so he reckons he HAS to be going the right way. There's a copse of trees in front of him that he doesn't like the feel of, so he resolves to go a different way instead. 

Meanwhile, another guy, noted in a label to be in 15th place, realizing he's right back where he started, and yet he's still questioning if it's just his imagination that he's going in circles. We get a top-down view of him ACTUALLY circling a big boulder under a big label of FAIL. Yet another guy has run into this giant grinning head with a lolling tongue and arms hanging it from a tree branch, constituting a FAIL as well. Two more of the hopefuls are tied in vines and hanging, one of them upside down, a mocking flower with a pair of big lips and its own lolling tongue, called in a note a "loiter weed", which is absolutely hilarious. 

At last, we're back with Yusuke, who is noted to be in 10th place, and is stomping through the undergrowth in tatters, with a scowl and a snake hitching a ride on his shoulder. He complains that he's totally lost the trail, doesn't know which direction he's going anymore, and wherever he's found himself is crawling with snakes and leeches. I guess he's been wading through water, then? 

Suddenly something nicks a small cut into his cheek, to his shock. He's found himself in a dark grove with some of the most adorable bats I've ever seen flitting around him. Behind him, someone asks what fool has found his way into their domain, and Yusuke turns to see...

Uhhhhh...

If he starts counting, I'm out. 

This Bat Master detaches from its branch and flies at Yusuke with a "YUM" noise and an entourage of bats, and Yusuke recoils in alarm.

Back at the tree, Genkai is still standing alone, scoffing about how it seems they're ALL having some trouble. She DOES admit that she's here to help anyone who gets themselves TOO hopelessly trapped, which is somewhat of a relief. For a moment there, I was concerned that her plan was to just let whoever didn't make it die in the forest at the hands of those nasty beasties in there.

Kuwabara ascends the hill and greets Genkai, expressing his surprise that he's the first one here. Slowly, a small collection of worthy prospects assembles on the spot until...

Kuwabara is acutely aware of a certain someone being missing, and after a hesitant moment, he lunges forward to insist to Genkai that there SHOULD be eight of them. Genkai makes a disinterested noise and looks at what looks to possibly be a pocket watch in her palm, saying that there's one more minute left, and rules are rules. After a short wait, Genkai announces placidly that time is up, but Kuwabara urges her to wait and look at the rustling treeline where a silhouette is emerging. 

It's not really a shock that it's indeed Yusuke, but Kuwabara is obviously excused from having seen this coming. He stomps out of the foliage in a temper, dragging something behind him, and complaining that his straight path was a dud and he thought he'd NEVER get here in time. Genkai asks him if he REALLY came straight to this spot, because if that's the case Yusuke should have met the toughest demon in the forest, The Bat Master. THAT'S THE TOUGHEST???

My guy, it's no wonder you're late if you wasted time trying to BAG a demon on the way. This was not part of the assignment. 

Genkai doesn't exactly look HAPPY about it, but she is questioning who this kid is who CAPTURED the Bat Master, so I guess he's impressed her further in a certain way. Although, if this Bat Master really is getting paid for his role in this little test, maybe she should offer him a little bonus for the literal pains he's taken. 

The next page is mostly occupied with profiles of the finalists of the forest test, listing their stats in all the arcade games before. There's a note here as well that Rando HAS made it into this group, and invites the reader to guess which one of them is the dangerous demon that was the excuse for Yusuke to be here. I COULD say that if I were a demon trying to disguise myself in this situation, it would be as an unassuming sort so as to inspire underestimation by my opponents. But that could just be because I know who it is, having watched the anime. XD

People be exceeding your expectations too much, lol.

So, what did I think of this chapter overall? It's been a while since I've used SO MANY GIFs for a chapter recap - this was a FUN chapter! It seems tailor-made for a teenage sensibility, what with the arcade games and the ghost story of the forest, which is almost contradictory to the dour and serious attitude of Genkai. There is some sense in it, though, since Genkai is also presented as an old woman who has no reason to give a shit. She's earned so much renown from her discipline that people (including myself) expect her to be this almost inhuman paragon of enlightenment and dignity. But this chapter drives home that even a woman who is the top spiritual specialist has interests and hobbies, and is creative enough to tie them into her search for an apprentice. After all, what's the point of spending so much time training someone who doesn't have ANYTHING in common with you? 

Genkai is just bursting with so much personality, and it's great to see in a character that's not only a woman, but an OLD woman. You just don't get that very often in stories, and it's especially rare that an old woman is presented as a mentor for a young man. In fact, I don't know if I've EVER seen that outside this story. WILD.