YuYu Hakusho Manga: 008 The Temporary Resurrection (Part 1)

Temporary? No, that won't do! The powers that be are already dangling life in front of Yusuke like he's a salivating dog, it just seems cruel to give him a taste of it only to yank him back on a chain again. I hope there's a fair reason for putting him back in his body temporarily, and it's not just another sneaky test. Although, if I'm honest, it wouldn't surprise me if it were a little of both. That seems to be the main M.O. of the Spirit World at this point. Giving him a straightforward task that promises to be one thing, but it serves a somewhat secret, secondary purpose. 

Oh good, is she actually IN this chapter? LOL.

Her friends implore her to go "blimp out" with them, hitting me over the skull with the teenage-girl-overly-concerned-about-weight-even-if-she-is-rejecting-dieting trope. Then one of them guesses that Keiko is going over to Urameshi's place again, and she casually affirms this, much to the friends' concern. While the tall one makes a pitying sound at her, the bespectacled one prepares to give her some advice that might seem harsh, but intends it to be friendly nonetheless. Pigtails picks up this thread and runs with it, lecturing about how terrible, and yet PERMANENT it is when people we care about die. Spectacles clarifies that they're not saying that Keiko should forget about Yusuke, but she should acknowledge that she has a life and a future to engage with. They're talking like she's walking around in rumpled clothes, letting her grades decline, and moping around sighing all the time, but this is CLEARLY not the case.

Wait a moment, do they still think he's dead? It looks like Keiko is about to tell them this pretty BIG detail she hasn't mentioned yet, but stops before it comes out, kind of bewildering her friends. She mentally criticizes her dumb ass for almost letting the fact that Yusuke is still alive slip, even though only she and Atsuko can know about it. Why? Well, for now, there's no real answer. Pigtails suggests that Keiko was GOING to say that Yusuke is still in her heart, and Spectacles bows her head and mumbles about how beautiful that is. At last, they agree that it's good enough for them if Keiko loves Yusuke THAT much, and after Keiko utters a harried "thank you" for an end to their concern-trolling, they suggest she meets them later at their usual coffee shop, to which condition she gives her first agreement. 

As she's striding along on the way to his home, Keiko recaps in her head the lay of the situation: Yusuke's soul and body separated, he's alive but not conscious, and one day he'll wake up when his spirit comes back into his body. Very concise, thanks kiddo. When she arrives at the house, she finds a note from Atsuko that says she had to go away for a week or so, and Yusuke is fine, sleeping like the dead, hardy-har. With an added comment about ramen being in the cupboards if Yusuke DOES wake up, the note ends, and Keiko grumbles that it's no wonder Yusuke was such a mess with a feather-brained mother like her. Fuckin' wrecked. 

After a frustrated sigh, Keiko looks over with a sad expression at the slumbering Yusuke.

Would that he could, but all he can do at THIS moment is piss and moan about how BORED he is. He's floating cross-legged in the air and asking the open air how he's supposed to come back to life just doing exactly that all damn day. He's already decided that this is the day that Botan is going to answer his questions, and everything seems to depend on those answers to him. 

Just then, Botan zooms over on her oar, excited to deliver some apparently CRAZY news. Irritated as usual, he repeats the adage about speaking of the devil.

Well. It's not answers.

Yusuke is understandably caught off-guard, and haltingly asks for confirmation that this means he can go back, putting him in an uncharacteristically deferential voice. Botan asks him if he has a problem with this, weirdly combative, coming from her, and Yusuke is even more flustered, initially saying YES and having to walk that back and say NO. Ultimately he has to admit that he doesn't get it, because he hasn't DONE anything yet. Asking once more if he can ACTUALLY go back, Botan confirms that it's the truth, but adds that it's only for a day. Yusuke topples over in exasperation and complains that there's always a catch.

Botan explains in turn what was explained to her by Koenma, that it's necessary maintenance for the body, because it might ACTUALLY die if it stays soullessly inert for too long a period. Koenma said that the soul needs to return to the body once a month to recharge the body's vitality, and asks the audience if they remember him while he's at it, for good measure. Thanks for busting that fourth wall like the Kool Aid Man, dude. Appreciate it.

Suddenly dressed like a battery, Yusuke tentatively compares his body to a Walkman and his soul as the batteries. Ooof, that is a painfully DATED analogy. My knees and back hurt now, and I can't explain it. Botan laughs that this is more-or-less what she's getting at, and warns him that he's still in the midst of his weird test, so he's not allowed to talk to his mom or Keiko due to the strict rules of the underworld. If he breaks THIS one, he and his body are separated for good. Yusuke asks for confirmation that if he slips up and says anything he's a goner, and Botan, chipper as ever, says that he doesn't come back, his body will run down next month, and it's all over.

That's going to be a SERIOUS problem if Keiko is hanging around the house then, ISN'T IT? But Botan asserts that even if he managed to avoid THAT upon getting up, he'll still not want to walk around town like a zombie, so she advises him that it's best to just sleep while his body recharges. Sweatdropping, Yusuke is less-than-enthusiastic about the prospect of coming back to life for a day just to lie there like a lump, wondering what the point is of THAT. Risky situations make for some great reading material, that's the point.

As he sits there pondering, Botan beckons for him to come along, and the next thing anyone knows, we're outside Yusuke's place.

Impulsive as he is, Yusuke jumps up out of bed and hoots and hollers about being resurrected, saying hello to his limbs, expounding upon how much he's missed them. Outside the door, he hears the tap of footsteps and balks, hopping back under his covers to pretend to be in his coma again. The steps pass and recede, and Yusuke opens his eyes, sighing that it must have just been one of the neighbors. 

He finds the note Atsuko left for Keiko and is stoked to find that she's off with some new boyfriend or something, because to him, this means all he has to do is avoid Keiko. He stands with the note in his hand for a ponderous moment, presumably remembering the warning from Botan, but he is not one to ponder long. He literally throws off his pajamas, with a declaration that he's not going to waste this day away by sleeping it away. 

Yeah, there's no doubt why THIS is a two-parter. 

Honestly, I'm surprised there's clean clothes for this coma-child to wear out and about. 

Yusuke turns and stares at the guy who bumped into him, who readjusts his glasses on his face and asks what the problem is, since he already apologized. With some giddy giggles, Yusuke points at his own wacky grin and asks if the guy can ACTUALLY see him. The guy is mystified and a little annoyed as Yusuke gushes about how fantastic it is to be able to touch and talk to people. Walking off, the stranger turns to look suspiciously back at what he assumes aloud to be some sort of idiot. 

While Yusuke continues to beam with happiness, he's hailed by two OTHER guys, whose smirks and slicked hair speak to a more sinister purpose than the other guy just walking along. They ask if Yusuke has any cash on him, and that they "lost their wallets" wink-wink. They're still playing the weird innocent angle as they tell Yusuke that he should help those in need, and that they need ALL the cash he has. Yusuke in turn points at his own face again, asking if they're talking to/looking at him. Again, he's mystified his would-be attackers, who questions why they SHOULDN'T be. Sighing in his unique bliss, Yusuke talks of how great it is to be alive, one of the muggers calling him a space case. 

In his frustration, the other mugger gets in Yusuke's face and tells him that he shouldn't mess with the school they represent - Kasanegafuchi Junior High School. Hey, isn't that the school that Kuwabara's gang pissed off at the beginning of the last chapter? This must be some turf war these schools have going on... Anyway, the guy demands all of Yusuke's money again, this time much more explicitly. 

Yusuke thinks that this bunch has gotten a bit arrogant since he's been gone, and the thought must have shown on his face, because the two other kids ask him what is with his mean expression and if he's going to give them trouble. The goofy grin is back on Yusuke's face in a second, and he waves them off with a chuckle, saying that it's lucky they found him in a good mood. He tells them to take off, but on his way past them, one of the punks grabs his shoulder and starts to ask who this scrawny little guy thinks he is. 

This is, of course, a mistake. 

Yusuke throws the guy backward. As the punk is coughing on the ground, his partner in crime goes to his side and asks if he's alright, and Yusuke walks off with a casual goodbye. The humiliated punk growls insults at Yusuke's back and prepares to get to his feet to confront their lost bank again, but the other one holds up staying hands, telling him to forget about the weird kid. He tells his friend that there will be consequences if they're late to their appointment with someone named "Dai", and invites him to let this go so they can get their asses over there.

Hm. Interesting. I wonder if we're about to meet "Dai"...

The humiliated punk yells after Yusuke that he won't forget this, but Yusuke isn't listening, too busy planning out what he's going to do first while he's out and about. What a shame - he might have picked up some valuable info if he'd kept one ear on them. Meanwhile, Botan is hovering nearby and fretting visibly about his insistence on tempting fate. She knows he'd do better to just stay quiet, but tries to convince herself that MAYBE he won't do anything stupid in the next 24 hours. Yeah, fat chance. 

Not so much fickle as stacked against him deliberately in order to insert tension in the story.

While Keiko and her friends are absorbed in a conversation in which Spectacles is making what seems to be a dicey claim, the two punks who tried to get at Yusuke earlier are walking in the opposite direction, the more angry one grumbling a bit. He's massaging at his neck and damning that absurdly happy bastard, vowing to kill him next time they cross paths. The other one pensively claims that there's something familiar about him. Didn't get a good look at him when his hand was on your throat, dude?

As Spectacles is swearing up and down that you can hear the word "senpai" in the middle of some song, and you have to listen close, Grumpy and his friend draw level with her and they bump into her as she's facing her friends in the opposite direction. Grumpy lets out a little "ow" as if it actually hurt him to gently brush past a little slip of a girl, and Spectacles immediately starts apologizing. He grimaces down at her and asks her HOW sorry she is, and understandably flustered, she says she's REALLY really sorry, starting to acknowledge that she wasn't looking where she was going.

Grumpy cuts her off, ranting about how she was not looking where she was going, flapping her gums, and getting in everyone's way. He calls her an UGLY COW, then kicks her hard as he yells at her to get her four-eyed face out of the street. Poor thing is sitting on the ground, her friends crouched next to her and asking if she's alright (And joy beyond joys, Keiko calls her Natsuko, so we have a NAME!), while she lets out a genuine "ow". 

The two punks are on their way again, Grumpy still surly after his tantrum and making caveman noises or something. Keiko is PISSED, yelling at these dudes to hold it, and reminding them in her mounting anger that her friend apologized. Grumpy screams back at her that no one cares, asking if she's got a problem, which, uh, should be obvious. Not too bright this one. His partner sneers at Keiko that she caught Grumpy on a bad day, so it's best not to piss him off right now. Keiko straight-up tells them that her mood is even WORSE than his could be, and demands that they come back and apologize to Natsuko. Grumpy does come back, but only to pucker his lips at her after asking what she's going to do otherwise, threatening to steal a smooch off her and cop a feel instead. 

This guy is 0 for 2 today. I don't know if he's unlucky right now or is just THIS terrible at being a punk, but I would hazard a guess that HE was the one that went to the hospital in the last chapter.

Not far off, Kuwabara's crew is discussing when Kuwabara is going to be joining them, which is apparently after he finishes his homework. It's clear that he's already taken a shine to putting in an effort at school! The fair-haired one asks what the deal is - the test is over - and the mid-sized one jokes that Kuwabara has gotten a little taste of studying, and now he's hooked. They speculate on him being in touch with his inner scholar, tongue-in-cheek the whole way, when that mid-sized kid observes ahead of them some girls, ones that he asks for confirmation that they go to their school. 

It is, as you have no doubt guessed, Keiko with her friends behind her, and she's yelling that Grumpy deserved it after Grumpy's friend alternates between asking Grumpy if he's alright and calling Keiko crazy. Grumpy sits on the ground, blood spraying from his nose like he's in a goofy British comedy. Grumpy's friend pulls back his fist to hit Keiko, telling her SHE asked for what he's winding up for, but a shoe flies at him and clocks him right in the back of the head. 

I think there's an emerging problem of having way too many characters squaring off at once...

Our two nameless punks, one still spewing blood from his nose (is he going to have to go to the hospital again for a hemorrhage or what???), identify the trio that just showed up as from the Sarayashiki Junior High School with a groan. Kuwabara's mid-sized friend addresses the girls, encouraging them to take off while they handle this, and Pigtails is only too eager to take this advice with a hurried thanks. She urges Keiko to come along, though Keiko is protesting that the punks haven't apologized yet. Natsuko insists that she doesn't need an apology, and tries to shove Keiko away from the scene.

Meanwhile, the three minus Kuwabara advance, the mid-sized one calling the punks scum from Kasane Junior High, because I'd shorten that nightmare of a tongue-twister school name too. Okubo suggests that they deserve some payback for the hell Kuwabara got last week. As they seize collars and prepare to do some damage on the protesting punks, a figure walks up behind them and utters a simple "hey". The three of them turn to see someone who is clearly an intimidating figure before THEY'RE the ones laid out on the pavement, groaning and defeated. The girls, still in the visual vicinity, are in tense alarm at the very quick end of the confrontation.

A guy with a VERY square head that is very large in proportion to his body, and a haircut much like Kuwabara's, says he's been wondering what was keeping his goons, asking if the three that just showed up were picking on them. Of course, the punks identify this guy as their appointment, Dai. He gets a little bio, in which it is specified that 15" of his 5' 5" is his face, which I appreciate, because I wasn't sure if it was just me or what. He dislikes waiting, likes lecturing people, his hobby is karaoke, and has the added detail of "type of girl" he likes, which is apparently Yuki Kudo from the movie "Snow Falling on Cedars". 

This is... totally pertinent information. For sure. 

Anyway, now he's kicking around Kuwabara's friends some more, complaining that he doesn't like to wait and implying that waiting might shave whole YEARS off his life. Bit dramatic, isn't he? Keiko, against the protests of her friends, strides forward while Dai is kicking and kicking, demanding to know what they're going to do about it. Yelling at him to stop that, but Dai is not paying any attention whatsoever, calling the boys he's abusing little powderpuffs. So Keiko repeats herself, with a little physical attention-grabber. 

Knocking the SHIT out of motherfuckers should have been listed as one of Keiko's hobbies, huh?

So, what did I think of this chapter overall? The scene is pretty cluttered with characters at the end there, especially when most of them don't have known names. It is one of the unfortunate side-effects of these kinds of comics that a good majority of the characters end up with nothing but commentary to do on the sidelines after a certain point, but I didn't expect it to happen so SOON in this one. And because I'm familiar with this flaw, the scene is coming across as less tense and more awkward. There's a significant chance that the next chapter is going to be very tiresome to recap, lol!

But other than that, this re-entry into corporeal form for Yusuke does make a certain amount of sense. The idea that the body wouldn't be able to carry on without a soul occupying it has some merit, because you can sort of imagine, in a cosmology like this, that a spiritual atrophy would develop without that connection being re-established. Plus, it doesn't hurt to avoid ACTUAL atrophy, which Yusuke absolutely would suffer laying in a coma for months on end. 

This inevitability is also part of the reason Yusuke's encounter with the punks is a little unbelievable to me. I'm no doctor, so I don't know how soon full atrophy would set in, but I'm not exactly sold that Yusuke would be able to choke a guy after a month of inactivity. At the very least he should be a bit stiff and physically awkward. 

Still, it's an interesting way to set up this strange debacle. Yusuke, in an indirect way, is the cause of this confrontation Keiko and the others are facing. If he hadn't taken that punk by the throat, he wouldn't have been in such a bad mood as to start shit with Keiko's friends. That makes him somewhat responsible for the impending dilemma where he'll either have to jump in and save them all (greater risking communication with Keiko in the process), or having to keep back and let someone like Kuwabara handle it. The consequences of his actions in the risk of going out and having fun are literally CREATING the very situation that he was warned about. 

This isn't tempting fate so much as sculpting it out of the finest of bad decisions.