YuYu Hakusho Manga: 057 The Fearsome Hell of Blazing Heat!!

Ouch. This title stings me right in my climate anxiety. This summer has already been oppressively hot, and it's only just the beginning of August. Europe has been experiencing UNPRECIDENTED heat waves, and wildfires have been popping up in places where they've never been experienced before. Where I live in the Pacific Northwest, my boss went to his regular military reserves drill in Spokane, Washington, only to be asked to help fight fires there when they started practically overnight around the city, and he doesn't know when he's going to be able to come back. The world is fucking BURNING, and all the people in charge only care about spectacle and profit. 

At least I can feel good about the fact that this comic seems to accurately portray that attitude. 

As Kurama exits the platform, Hiei informs him that the familiars took off once their master expired, his eyes closed and his fingers touched to the band around his forehead. Clearly he's been using his special talent to keep an EYE on Roto's underlings stalking Kurama's mom. Kurama mumbles about Hiei having noticed, and Hiei that the idiot had NO idea who he was dealing with. The glazing is pretty blatant here. 

Koto shouts for the next contestants, and Kurama and Kuwabara look around in alarm. It appears the other team's already offered up their next member, Zeru, who the crowd seems to be convinced will trash whoever's next. Koto impatiently demands that Team Urameshi send up their next contender. Kurama says he thought Zeru was the team captain, and Kuwabara suggests this means that he other two team members are tougher than him. I don't know, Kuwabara, does the fact that you went first suggest you're the weakest in your group? 

... Let's not answer that one, shall we? 

Smirking, Hiei denies Kuwabara's conclusions, affirming that Zeru is definitely the powerhouse of his team. It's his guess that the members of the opposite team just drew lots for fight order, like most other groups. Hiei pulls off his cowl/scarf thing and volunteers to take Zeru, to get back at him for making fools of them yesterday. 

I'm sure there's never been anything in the history of ever that has ever fallen short of that kind of assessment. 

As he approaches Zeru, he voices his observation that Zeru uses flames, bragging about how he checked the cup that had been sliced in half by what seemed to be some sort of blade, but the edges appeared melted. He accuses Zeru of lacking refinement, but Zeru doesn't think that matters at all, since he doesn't take criticism from "belly-crawling evil-eyed rodents". Points for creativity, I suppose. 

The moment Koto declares the match begun, she cringes against the sudden fiery aura that flares out from Zeru. He says that Hiei is basically ALREADY cinders, and Kuwabara shields himself from the flaming aura with a raised arm, in awe over its killer energy. Zeru rotates his hands, asking if his opponent is impressed, because he should be. He's sure that a mouse like Hiei could never in his whole life summon so much aura. Hiei himself actually looks rather UNIMPRESSED, demanding that this be the end of talk, and for Zeru to just MOVE already. 

Be careful what you wish for.

Hiei's eyes are wide, his jaw slack, and his smirk is GONE. The hit launches him backward, and while he's in the air, Zeru punches the air between them, his fist flaming. Hiei's silhouette is surrounded in flames and burns as he flops on the ground. Kurama is in speechless horror, but Kuwabara manages to voice his shock at how QUICK this match has been. Even the demonic audience is blown away by the record time in which Hiei seems to have been laid out. 

I say "seems" because, while Zeru turns his back on Hiei and scoffs that this was hardly worth getting out of bed for, he's struck dumb by the voice floating over his shoulder from the place the burning figure had landed. That figure is standing again, admitting that Zeru is good, and it's a shame he has to kill him.

Is that worth a "rejoicing" really? 

Kurama recognizes the name of this attack, saying that it's FORBIDDEN in the human world, only meant for the demon plane. There are an awful lot of RULES for demons, I'm noticing. A little odd for creatures of malevolence and violence. 

With a little manic grin, Hiei says that he hasn't fully tamed this move, but he's confident that he will in short order. Heh, did he just make a short joke? Anyway, he's holding his clawed fingers aloft, which are surrounded in dark fire, and Zeru notes this through his massive gape, asking just HOW they've been summoned from the demon plane. 

Gotta get in that practice! You know, to gain more control. 

As Hiei steps forward his shirt continues to burn away, but his trousers must be made of tougher stuff, because they're perfectly intact. He tells Zeru that this is TRUE pyromancy, actual evil that Zeru's "match-play" lacks. Fighting fire with fire never seemed like such a sure thing. He says that while Zeru laughed at his Evil Eye, but he's going to regret it. Looks like he's already starting to do so, wearing a horrified expression and stuttering that somehow, Hiei CAN'T do this. Why not? There's really no answer. Koto is running, shouting into her microphone that it's getting so over-the-top in the ring that even she's been forced to take cover. 

Hiei declares that this is it. 

There's a great WHOOSH as Koto crouches by the side of the raised platform, rushing over her head. A quiet follows, and she remains in her position for a moment before peeking over the lip of the platform to check on the damage. The area in front of Hiei's outstretched arm is completely clear, no Zeru to be seen at all. Kurama looks much more serious when he states to a grimacing Kuwabara that it was over in a flash. Yusuke remains slumbering peacefully. 

Koto turns, presumably to ascertain Zeru's whereabouts to start the count, and is alarmed by what she sees on the wall below the stadium seating. 

Well, it WAS a fast match. Just not AS fast as everyone thought at first. 

Zeru's remaining team members are gulping from the sidelines, mumbling about how NOT GOOD this is. Hiei has his hand raised again while he tells Koto that he incinerated Zeru's human world aspect and to start the count. Oh, so he's not actually dead? Might come back? I'm neutral on this news. Koto stutters that she's inclined to just skip that part, letting out a relieved breath. I mean, even if he DOES come back, he's not going to make it within the limits of a ten-count. No way no how. Koto declares Hiei the winner. 

Kuwabara shakes his raised fist at the opposite team, pointing out that they're behind two-to-one even after he himself got swindled in the first match. SURE, buddy, whatever makes you feel better about your loss. Though Kuwabara goes back to his grimace when he realizes this isn't a big comfort to him knowing now what Hiei is capable of if he decided to turn on his own team now. He even gulps a bit when Hiei walks past him with his fists shoved in his pockets. Hiei turns to him to offer his assurances that he sticks with a side once he's picked one, and the move he just used needs way more work anyway. I'm sure his wide eyes and small smile are MEANT to be reassuring, but he still looks pretty unhinged, especially when that last part of his statement could be taken as an admission that the reason he's not going HAM on the whole stadium right now is because he doesn't think it would be as spectacular as he wants, lol.

Across the way, the two remaining teammates of Zeru are sweating bullets, stuttering over how he was zapped just like that. These large, grown-ass "men" (or rather, demons) are shaking like leaves while their CHILD team member just sit's on the ground resting. He seems alarmed by their cowardice as they moan that they came to the event to kill for fun, and they're not having ANY of that fun they wanted at all. They declare that this is it, they're OUT. 

A flitting sound effect and a blurred panel is all that's left for them.

I don't think this is quite the out they had in mind. 

Hiei looks around from his distance to see the two decapitated bodies spurt blood, and a pair of feet darting toward the ground near them. 

Who... who the FUCK???

This seemingly random stranger slurs his way through a statement that a little danger is a lot more fun, and the cowardice of his victims ruined is buzz. Rinku identifies this guy as "Chu" with some excitement. He must not have been particularly attached to those other two guys. Chu goes over to Koto and informs her, as if she couldn't have seen the reality herself, that the team has two deaths "by accident", asking her what the rules say about that. Koto isn't about to CHALLENGE this blatant lie, and sweats bullets as she rattles off the rules about each team getting a single alternate in case of deaths, and the circumstances don't matter. She stutters a little as she informs him that they'll have to go on with whoever is left, no forfeits allowed. 

He stomps past her, grossing her out with his overpowering BO, mumbling that it's fine, as well as how interesting it is that the last two being his opponents now. Kuwabara says that he's getting a bad feeling from the guy, presumably too far away for it to just be the shit smell. Apparently, though his aura isn't much, but there's something about him that just doesn't sit right with Kuwabara. 

Kuwabara looks around in shock and alarm at a grunt, seeing Yusuke sit up groggily. AT LAST. Yusuke digs a pinky finger in his ear and asks who's been boozing it up, because there's a stench on the air that would wake the dead and kill them all over again. And no doubt he would know, in multiple different ways. Kurama is placid while he notes internally that Yusuke has noticed the odd aura. 

Chu hiccups that Yusuke has FINALLY woken up. Up in the stands, Keiko and Botan stare wide-eyed at the scene below, the former muttering over how it's about to start. Atsuko yells at her son to kill the guy. Because of COURSE she does. Hiei thinks Chu may actually be the worst of the opposing team, noting that he sensed no bloodlust at all, even when Chu killed his teammates. 

Chu cuts off Koto as she calls for the sub-captains to come forward, shouting to get the ball rolling, because he wants to beat these guys quick so that he can get down to some serious drinking. That's definitely what you need dude. MORE drinking. 

Radical rest AND promoting exercise? Since when did HE become a healthy king? 

So, what did I think of this chapter overall? I had to go back and make absolute sure that Chu wasn't among his teammates when they were all introduced, because his design certainly stands out, and I really would have been disappointed in myself if I hadn't spotted him before. I'm supposing, as an alternate, it wasn't necessary for him to be with the rest of the team at the introduction. After all, he might not have needed to be there at ALL if they were all as good as they pretended. I find it hard to believe that he would have stumbled onto the scene just now to hear his cowardly teammates try to make a break for it, given that it's implied he's been in his cups this whole time. I assume he had to have been informed of or saw that Roto had been killed and ambled his way down to take his place, only now actually arriving.

Because Hiei really cleaned up Zeru EXTREMELY quick. Kind of shocking, given how much Zeru's aura and power were hyped from the moment our protagonists met him. I actually appreciate how fast his defeat was, though, because it just further emphasizes a theme that has been developing for a while now: appearances aren't always reflective of reality. Someone's skills can be rather minimal, even if they put up an impressive front. I'm guessing Chu is going to be demonstrating the opposite truth as well, that someone can SEEM rather unimpressive while having much more ability than is first visible.

What I'm not appreciating is this Black Dragon Hell Fire attack for Hiei that YT seemed to pull out of his ass. This was never mentioned before, not so much as hinted at, let alone the apparent forbidden quality of it. Introducing a supposedly forbidden technique on the spot, having characters gush about how no one is ALLOWED or hasn't been ABLE to use it outside of a certain realm, is not really impressing upon me how badass the technique is. It's impressing upon me how the writer hadn't bothered to come up with a plausible established defeat for the opponent, or introduce a new method at least a LITTLE ahead of time in a setup. 

Again, I'll chalk it up to the on-the-fly nature of serializations, but it's still a little irksome to me. It would have been MUCH cooler with a setup.

YuYu Hakusho Manga: 056 Blood-Stained Flowers!!

The established pattern of using two exclamation points at the end of every title can be a bit discordant at times. I feel like the imagery this title is evoking is more somber than the punctuation would suggest, unless it's coming as a horrible surprise, and even then I'm not certain this would be the best presentation. Of course, I'm not a comic artist myself, so who knows what decision I would make if I were drawing/writing something to do with blood-stained flowers, and to be fair, I'm thinking of a bouquet splattered with viscera and someone stumbling upon it when they come over for a visit. This is most certainly NOT the context, so we'll see what it really is and if my irritation with the exclamation points is at all warranted. 

Maybe a bloody bouquet is just something winners get as part of their prize in this tournament. XD

Kurama, looking so much more invested in this than Hiei, puts forth his own awed commentary that both opponents took clean hits, and this match could end in a draw. But Koto only get to the count of two when her attention is drawn to the edge of the ring, where a set of fingers grip from below the edge. It's Rinku who pulls himself up, grunting, and leaps back onto the platform. His shirt has a rip in it where Kuwabara pierced it with his Aura Sword, but there's no visible wound there in the flesh beneath. It would probably be distasteful to show the child bleeding out. 

The crowd cheers that Rinku is back up, and declares that the Jolly Devil Six will be winning this one. Rinku puts his hands over his smarting belly, complaining that he had a LOT more trouble with this battle than he had anticipated, and he has to focus his aura now on patching himself up. 

Kuwabara stumbles to his feet, still off the platform, but he's still causing Rinku some anxiety with his tenacity. Rinku can't help but yelp about Kuwabara being back on his feet, asking what the hell this guy is MADE OF. Throwing out a hand toward Kuwabara, Rinku grunts in effort again, and Kuwabara is confused at first. 

Well, that's that.

But Kuwabara is having trouble accepting it. He asks who cares, roaring that he can still fight and straining against his yo-yo bonds. Rinku recoils, shivering as he thinks that he BELIEVES Kuwabara, because he's never seen anyone so stubborn in his life. Meanwhile, Kurama is praising Rinku for being so masterful as to be able to control his yo-yos even when he's not connected to them. Hiei scoffs that they lost by the rules, seemingly only really concerned with the outcome. 

The scoreboard announces both in print and by speaker that the first round goes to Team Jolly Devil Six. Finally free of the yo-yos Kuwabara points to Rinku and vows that they'll finish this later, though Rinku grumbles that it's not likely. 

Kurama volunteers to go next, and his opponent, a guy with short hair standing at a spiked angle and black scleras, says straight up that he's not an honest fighter like Rinku. He prefers the EASY WAY. 

Kuwabara's act must be easy AND difficult to follow at the same time. 

Hiei calls out to Kurama, and when he looks back, tells him not to pull any punches out there because the opposite team have got to start thinking twice when fighting them in the future. Kurama assures him that he knows. Kuwabara appears to be standing tall and perfectly well again when he says to his remaining teammates that there's something he's been wondering about; where Kurama keeps his Rose Whip. Hiei says that it's contained in a simple little rosebud, and smirks as he exposits that ANY plant is a weapon in Kurama's hands, a simple weed on the street liable to turn into a razor sharp blade stronger than steel. When are they going to make out?

The match between Kurama and his black-eyed opponent Roto is begun, and Roto IMMEDIATELY starts in with some trash-talk. He sneers about hearing that Kurama lives with a human, and says that's hard for him to figure, asking if it's some sort of "family" thing with a chuckle. Not sure what he's getting at there, and perhaps Kurama isn't either, because he just... doesn't say anything, looking off to the side. Probably a smart move. 

For a single panel, we go to the stands, where Shizuru drawls that the long-haired kid isn't a human, and Keiko seems amazed that she can tell. Wait, hasn't she MET Kurama before? At LEAST when he was in the midst of training Kuwabara for a couple of months? I have a hard time believing that this is an assessment she's made just in the past SECOND. 

Anyway, Roto leans down, bracing one hand on the ground while he curls the other out behind him, the middle finger of which stretches and morphs into a long scythe-like extension. He asks if Kurama would be real sad if the human he lived with died, but Kurama just mutters that Roto is a weasel with a sickle. 

Roto swings and swings that blade-like finger, Kurama continuing to dodge and leap out of its way. Hiei says this is all a waste of time because Kurama is WAY ahead, and tells Kuwabara that luck was just against him. Well that's... uncharacteristically nice of him, lol. Kuwabara thrusts his thumb in his own direction and asserts that he would have taken his opponent out best out of three. Sure you would have, buddy. Sure. 

Kurama zips behind Roto and murmurs to him that he's adequate, but not much better than that, and he'll end this whole thing quickly. Roto's bewildered expression flips back to a smirk when he tells "Suichi Minamino" that his mother's life is in his enemy's hands. Kurama freezes in his chopping motion at the back of Roto's neck in alarm, then leaps backward once more as Roto swings the finger-scythe back toward him. He hasn't escaped - he looks up again with a thin gash dripping blood down his cheek. Hiei looks up at this with mild surprise, but Kuwabara clenches his teeth in his tension, asking through them why Kurama has slowed down. 

Oh wow, no easier strategy than extortion. 

Roto suggests that Kurama wouldn't like this development, given he's such a devoted "son" and all. He really did his research, huh? Kurama drops his defensive stance and just STANDS there silently, looking a bit put out. Roto chuckles, retracting that massive scythe-like claw, because he thinks he sees what that silence means. He darts over to Kurama and punches him square in the face, voicing his interpretation as Kurama the HUMAN LOVER picking up what he's putting down. 

While Kurama's face remains snapped to the side by the hit, he flicks something at Roto's face, that seems to bounce off quite harmlessly. He looks over at where it's landed on the grid drawn on the platform, identifying it as a pebble, the most modest show of defiance from Kurama. Roto raises the fist holding his precious extortion button to make it as visible as possible, and declares that Kurama won't show even a pebble's worth of defiance anymore. He demands that Kurama clasp his hands behind his back and act as his punching bag. 

Dude wants to push the button so bad that he's hallucinating defiant behavior. Even Kuwabara recognizes that Kurama is leaving himself wide open and wonders with horror just WHAT it is he's doing. The crowd erupts in cheers for Roto's supposed hypnotizing of Kurama, and calls for him to torture and tear up the compliant opponent. 

Roto's smirk is a sharp, jagged gash in his own face. He chuckles that Kurama WON'T fight, because he's such a good little mama's boy. He gets right up in Kurama's turned-away face to suggest he COULD sever his arm with his Rose Whip, but the fingers on that arm might twitch just enough to get the job done on dear mommy. He outright laughs, hitting Kurama in the gut.

Kurama lets out a muffled grunt, but that's all. It's enough for Roto to declare he likes, though, and Roto continues hitting Kurama, this time across the face, saying beating on a guy who can't fight back is what he really calls fun. Can't relate, but I'm someone who likes a bit of a constructive challenge in my leisure activities. 

Roto suddenly pauses, frowning, calling Kurama scum. That was a real heel-face turn, huh? He re-extends the finger-scythe to poke at Kurama's cheek and complains about not liking the LOOK in his eye. He demands that Kurama look SCARED, but I don't know how THAT'S going to be any more satisfying. 

Great, now he just looks like another popular anime character. Good job, dipshit. 

Roto finishes the slash so hard that Kurama's face is whipped to the side again, demanding that Kurama stop LOOKING at him like that. Like what? Like he's been scrolling through Netflix for 20 minutes without finding a single thing to watch? Though Roto's smirk is back, he says he's in a real bad mood now, and is putting the responsibility of doing something about that on Kurama. He's just being a stereotypical abusive boyfriend at this point. How lame. 

Lifting his foot demonstratively, Roto commands Kurama to bow down and lick his shoe. He offers to cut Kurama's head clean off once it's clean, and then maybe he WON'T press that button. It's a wonder to me that Kurama's eyes don't roll straight out of his head when Roto asks jokingly if he can refuse, and then answers himself in the negative, because Kurama's precious mommy's life is on the line. 

But the answer that comes from Kurama is the opposite - he absolutely DOES refuse. After a pause, Roto asks for him to repeat that, and as he dusts off his jacket casually, Kurama says that's enough, and gives Roto permission to go ahead and push the button. Sounds to me like Kurama has some INSURANCE now that he didn't before, but Roto interprets this differently. He giggles madly that if he heard Kurama correctly, his hypocritical ass told him to press the button, and that makes him not any different than any of the OTHER low-down bloodthirsty demons in this stadium, if being asked to lick a boot is all it takes for him to go demonic again. Kurama just coldly repeats his dare to push the button. 

So Roto agrees to push the button, given that they're all death-hungry demons here anyway. 

Your lips are still eternally flapping though. SADLY. 

While Kurama snatches the button out of Roto's immobile hand, he prepares to repeat what he, apparently has said so often before: if something seems like an EASY course of action, it's usually the most DANGEROUS. I don't remember him saying this at ALL before this moment, but it IS real rich coming from the guy whose introduction was his quest to trade his life for his mother's health in the simplest little bargain with a hand-mirror ever. 

Kurama explains that he countered the coercion that Roto had tried on him by planting a DEADLY VETCH seed on him. I don't know what that is, but it sounds pretty bad when Kurama further exposits that its roots have spread through Roto's body and immobilized him. Roto strains to look down at his chest, where a red bump has raised on the left side of it, just beneath the lapel of his jacket. He recalls the pebble bouncing off his face and realizes it was a distraction from Kurama planting the seed. Always keep them watching your left hand while your right does the real work, as they say. 

That isn't even the whole deal. Kurama says that he can say a certain word that will make the plant grow at an EXPLOSIVE rate, no doubt much like how cyclospora is currently affecting a chunk of American colons right now. Kurama says he LIKES facing low-lives like Roto, because then he gets to be as brutal as he wants. And apparently he wants to be REALLY BRUTAL. Roto cries for him NOT to sink to his level, that he LIKES nice guys, and he was just a kid. Already referring to himself in the past tense? That's fucking BLEAK. 

Kurama just says "DIE" in response.

Cliche as it is, remind me not to get on this guy's bad side. 

So, what did I think of this chapter overall? Before I get to the proper analysis, I have to say I was a little preoccupied by the resemblance between Kurama here and another very popular manga/anime character. I won't be actually STATING that name here, partly because I'm sure everyone reading this knows which character and story I'm talking about given the aforementioned popularity, but also because I refuse to support even in the smallest way the artist behind that character, even by having the name of the work here on my blog where it can be scraped by Google and other search engines. The reasons for this should be clear, but if anyone happening upon this somehow hasn't heard of the controversy behind this person, I would just steel yourself if you're liable to try and look it up. It's not pretty. 

ANYWHO, my curiosity about this resemblance I consider to be suspiciously close was piqued, and I decided to look up known influences between the two serializations. So, having done that, allow me to correct my previous statement that Kurama now resembles that character; this depiction of Kurama with the X-shaped scar on his cheek actually PREDATES that character by about two years. The artist actually stated his character was modeled after Kurama. My bad, lol. 

Now that we've gotten past THAT, Kurama is showing a MUCH scarier side to him than he has before this point. He's been mild-mannered, demure, and occasionally on the cheeky side, but he's always struck me as containing whole OCEANS of patience and empathy. Case in point, he trained Kuwabara, and that COULDN'T have been an easy task for someone who was any less than perfectly zen most of the time. 

But here he is downright MENACING, and while that quiet, patient quality to him carries him through the abuse intended to humiliate him throughout the match, he is only TOO eager to dispatch Roto when it's possible to do so. I'm surprised he even bothered to explain himself beforehand, though I suppose if he didn't, the audience wouldn't have much of a clue as to what happened there. Of course, he DID allow Roto some final groveling, which does speak to the pleasure he implied when he said he gets to be as brutal as he wants. Clearly Roto made an emotional impact on Kurama with his abuse, even if Kurama was VERY good at refusing to show it. Dude wanted Roto to SUFFER. 

Really puts into perspective Hiei's little gloat at the beginning about how Kurama can turn any plant into a deadly weapon into sharper perspective. Because anyone dumb enough to piss him off wouldn't even see that shit coming. Spooky. 

YuYu Hakusho Manga: 055 The Secret of Devil Yo-Yos!!

Wait, have I been thrust back into the Yu-Gi-Oh manga? Granted, yo-yos aren't exactly a GAME with RULES, but they feel like something that a chapter of Yu-Gi-Oh might be written around. A big collecting entertainment fad in the '90s that recalls my childhood nostalgia and simultaneously leaves the comic in which it's featured SEVERELY dated? Meets all the requirements. I feel like the only thing that HASN'T come up in these stories is Pogs.

But let's face it, Pogs were acknowledged as lame even at the time. 

I wouldn't say pretending to suck hardcore is a "psychological" tactic. 

Grinning, Kuwabara admits he was outwitted, but the kick didn't kill him, so he reckons the kid isn't SO tough. Rinku just smiles back silently before sticking his hand into the drawstring pouch slung across his chest, saying he understands now why Kuwabara and the rest of the team were invited as guests to the tournament. Since Kuwabara withstood his direct attack, he promises to use more underhanded demonic tricks, holding up a small star-stamped disk he appears to have picked from the pouch. 

Is there any other kind? 

Kuwabara manifests an Aura Sword in both fists, crossing the blades and calling "batter up" as only a staunch baseball fan can. 

Rinku springs into the air, arms crossed until he flings one of them out with a cry of "shot", the yo-yos on all his fingers released. As they fly toward him, Kuwabara says splitting the toys apart should be a cinch, but then he appears to see something else that changes his attitude entirely. 

The most impressive part is how they don't look to be getting all tangled up. I can't play with ONE yo-yo without it tangling up with itself eventually. let alone one on each finger. Koto is also impressed, calling this a stylish move, describing it as a real good fake-out on Kuwabara's butt. Seems like most of this kid's moves require a bit of a fake-out.

Rinku walks the dog with a handful of yo-yos at once, casually asking what he considers his moronic opponent if he really thought he was just going to play around. I mean, you ARE a kid and your weapons ARE playthings... But the yo-yos spinning from his fingers tear up the ring floor as he explains that he sends his aura directly into the toys from his fingers and this allows him to control them all individually. To demonstrate, he throws his arms out and the yo-yos wriggle around on their strings, calling up the image of a coiled snake in the background again. 

Kuwabara recoils and has lost some of his cockiness in the face of this threat display. Rinku mocks that Kuwabara's dull old Aura Swords won't even be able to cut the string, and then extends his yo-yos' walk toward Kuwabara rapidly, who notices how they're digging up the very ground beneath them as they go. He's lucky they didn't do that to his flesh while making contact with him earlier, I reckon. 

Kuwabara's dodge buys him mere seconds before that swing around they do in the panel above comes back on him and whack him straight in the back and stomach at the same time, and it looks like they knock the wind out of him. From his spectator position at the edge of the ring, Zeru muses about how Rinku's powers work best through weapons, his yo-yos making up for his small size. Kurama is alarmed at how the toys go wherever Rinku wills, Hiei just kind of side-eyeing the action beside him. 

To Kuwabara's disbelief, the yo-yos start wrapping their strings around his wrists and ankles, and he is lifted off the ground at these points, angled to face his new puppet master. Koto announces just how she sees it, just before Rinku declares an "Around the World" trick. Kuwabara BARELY has a moment to express his alarm. 

Oof. If he wasn't so used to taking a beating from Yusuke to begin with, this MIGHT actually be fatal to him.

A many-eyed demon in the stands calls for blood, and another with NO eyes demands that Kuwabara be whipped around again. How does he know that's what's happening? Does he feel the vibrations/wind currents or something? Regardless of how this guy is perceiving the battle, he gets his wish, and Kuwabara is smacked into the floor of the ring again. On the sidelines, Hiei tells Kurama that he can't really say much for his coaching abilities, considering how his student is being laid the FUCK out right now. After an awkward pause, Kurama haltingly responds that he admits they haven't really seen much yet. Whatever THAT'S supposed to mean. 

Kuwabara is still getting dragged around, and STILL has the energy and vitality to complain while it's happening. He lifts his head from the ground, head, nose, and mouth bleeding, to threaten death upon the kid doing this to him. Rinku's smugness is dampened a bit when he acknowledges that Kuwabara is an awfully tough one to finish off, and this is just the first day of fighting. He muses that it's time to wrap this up. 

The ladies have only JUST entered the stadium at this point, Botan complaining that the tournament has already started, and Atsuko noting that the crowd is going wild. She wonders aloud who's winning when Botan points with distress at the ring below, drawing the rest of their attentions to Kuwabara floating at his child opponent's will in the air, like a kite tethered to many strings at the limbs. 

I'm sure the view is breathtaking. Kuwabara is speechless, but that appears to be out of tension rather than awe. 

Atsuko shades her eyes with a hand as they follow Kuwabara's progress upward, expressing some clueless alarm over the fact that if he falls now, he'll surely die, and that's too brutal. Koenma looks exasperated while he informs her that this is KINDA the point. Keiko's eyes are drawn DOWNWARD though, to where she spies Yusuke slumped unconscious against the edge of the ring, and she calls out his name. She starts shouting at him that his friend is in danger, criticizing his napping at this moment, and calling him a heartless creep, despite a call from the surrounding crowd to shut her trap. 

Oh look, it's the gatekeepers that EVERY event of a certain size seems to have, lol. 

Atsuko is not the least bit intimidated, no doubt due to her background relationship with shady organizations, and yells in the face of the guy on the right that her Yusuke is competing in this thing, so she's staying right here. His tongue wiggles out of his wide open mouth as he claims that her "hot and bothered" attitude is a point in favor of eating her (or, because we've tangled up our sexual euphemisms with food and eating, maybe doing OTHER things to her), but before he can make good on the threat a smoldering cigarette is put out on that protruding tongue. He turns and flees, crying about how much it hurts, as Shizuru placidly stares in the opposite direction. Botan comments on her novel method of exorcism, though it's not clear if she approves of it or not. 

Keiko screams down at Yusuke to wake up, and Atsuko, with her foot up on the back of Koenma's seat in front of her, yells at Kuwabara to stay up in the air and float like a butterfly. Koenma sweatdrops in annoyance, muttering that he's not with them. It's absolutely beautiful that these women are the loudest, most intense people in a stadium full of DEMONS. They are SQUAD GOALS. 

Koto is still commenting on the match, by the way, stating that Kuwabara is flying high, but it's a long way down. Kuwabara himself is yelling to be let down, the spectators in the stands calling for him to be dropped and gloating that he's dead now, and Rinku says to himself that this extreme height SHOULD do it. He declares that Kuwabara is going to go splat like an egg, and with a whir retracts his yo-yo strings from Kuwabara's limbs. 

Kuwabara screams as he goes down, Koto barking into the microphone that this is the end for him. But Kuwabara refuses that fate, commanding his Aura Sword to grow long out of his palm, pointing it directly at the ground. Rinku looks surprised at what comes next. 

He's battling with PHYSCIS today. 

Rinku is smiling again, though. He says it's a nice move, and Kuwabara is clever in a pinch, but his trajectory is sending him straight at the yo-yo slinging youth. Rinku is already throwing those toys right in his face again, per his stated intentions. Kuwabara reminds him that he has a SECOND sword, which at first Rinku isn't moved by, because a straight sword is easy to dodge. 

He is, once again, surprised. 

Why not? It's kinda like what YOU'RE doing. In fact, a smug Kuwabara claims as much, saying his sword is tracking Rinku much like Rinku is tracking Kuwabara with his yo-yos. It's apparently a technique Kurama taught him. So THAT'S what Kurama meant about not having seen much yet. 

Zeru calls with the first sign of emotion (concern) that he's ever shown to Rinku, telling him to jump back. Not that this advice would mean much when Kuwabara's sword can just grow to meet him. Rinku recognizes that as he watches the tip of the Aura Sword approach his chest. Kuwabara doesn't even seem to NOTICE the yo-yos closing in on his face, focused on stretching his aura that final amount and mentally encourage the runt he's targeting to ponder it in Hell. 

Cue the explosion of simultaneous blows - Rinku speared through the chest by the Aura Sword, and Kuwabara pummeled in the already hamburger face by a volley of supercharged yo-yos. Rinku utters an "uh-oh". Kuwabara stutters that he got the brat. Keiko holds her hands to her mouth in shock while Shizuru comments in deadpan how nice that final move was. Zeru is back to looking completely placid. Koto is in sweatdropping in shock. 

They really did do the funniest thing they absolutely could have in this situation!

So, what did I think of this chapter overall? Despite the SLIGHT feeling that this ending is anticlimactic, I have to admit it is somewhat fitting. Matching Kuwabara with a literal child and having them literally knock each other out in a draw makes a statement about Kuwabara's level of maturity in relation to his own teammates. It acknowledges that while he's resourceful and clever sometimes, he's more of a "big kid" than any of the rest of them, and he's still got a ways to go when it comes to taking this tournament seriously. I'm reminded of how Kuwabara has a code of fairness in fights, and he's liable to be VERY disappointed by the way this EXTREMELY unfair event is going to unfold. It's being presented and run by humans that amassed unthinkable amounts of wealth by trickery and exploitation, so his more childish conception of justice is going to be challenged at every turn. For now though, it's just kind of funny how he's pitted against a little kid as a peer. 

I really love how the ladies handled their demonic harassers, because every single woman on the planet has had this experience. Some jerk tries to intimidate you out of participating whatever social or hobby event he's at because deep down, he's got this fear of his interests being FEMINIZED by your very presence. In this instance, their objection is stated to be against "human" participation, but the two big, beefy male aggressors hovering over four diminutive women is STARK. Whether YT intended this or not, it IS pretty cathartic as a woman to see other women succeeding in getting literally demonic men to fuck off and let them have their fun. 

It's also pretty stark seeing Koenma sinking in his seat and disowning the enthusiasm of the women around him. He thinks they're embarrassing, because it's beneath him to scream and shout at a sporting event. He's probably going to be cringing a lot as this event crawls forward, lol. 

YuYu Hakusho Manga: 054 The Vanguard Battle Begins!!

Please forgive me if my writing is at all... confused right now. We got our cat Pooka spayed and her recovery has been a whole battle of its own. Upon coming home from the animal hospital, she immediately started trying to run and jump on everything, and she stayed awake for the first two days straight wired on her adrenaline and confusion and fear. Her strict regimen of meds to keep her calm doesn't always work and she's writhed her way out of two different recovery cones AND a body suit, so our sleep has been rather patchy for the last few days in our efforts to keep one eye open and on her at all times. What's more? Our other cat Grimalkin rejected her when she came home, hissing and swatting at her, because all the smells of the anesthesia, her new medical outfit, and her own terror masked her scent enough to make her somewhat unrecognizable. It's day five and we're FINALLY making progress on that last issue, Grimalkin no longer hissing at Pooka and cuddling with her a little. A relief, to be sure, because it was a complication we were unprepared for. 

The good news through all this is Pooka's incision wound is healing well and fast, so I'm hoping we can get her out of her hated cone and suit soon. Fingers crossed!

Bet SHE'S never had to wear a cone. 

Whatever medical indignities she has or has not endured, she declares the Dark Tournament open, though I still don't know WHO she is that empowers her to do so. We're shown a snapshot of a couple of men sitting in the VIP seats, another hefty cigar-sucker like Tarukane (except with some hair) and a slim lined middle-aged sort, both wearing suits. The former chuckles to his companion that this is the best part of selling one's soul to the dark side; the regular goody-two-shoes of world will NEVER know the thrill of being able to see Hell unleashed. Don't I WISH. 

The cheapo public seats are filled with demons calling for hitting, kicking, pokes in the eye, which is... pretty tame coming from literal malevolent spirits. Did they actually come here for a screening of some Three Stooges films? Anyway, they complain that they didn't do any of that preschool violence for weeks so they could come here, because bad deeds are restricted for prospective audience attendees to the event. 

Wait, so let me get this straight: if one wants to go to a bloodsport tournament between demon combatants that promises to end in death for a lot of them, the demons who want to come and watch have to be good little hellspawn and on their best behavior leading up to it? Like they're performing goodness for Santa Claus? 

It's kind of a wonder that ANY of those seats are filled, lol. 

Looks like demons have housing issues too.

Back in the VIP seats, we're shown a man with deep lines around his mouth right down to his large chin called Sukezo Gondowara, labeled the sponsor of the aforementioned Jolly Devil Six. A thoroughly unimpressed-looking Sakyo sits next to him, yet he asks him anyway what he thinks, calling his team "the dregs of the red light district" but with the potential to be legends. He in fact believes that the Jolly Devil Six are the REAL challenge to Toguro's team, since it's his opinion that Yusuke's team will be dispatched in short order. 

Said team emerges to jeers from the crowd, who perceive the guest team has arrived, and in the process note that Yusuke is still unconscious, one of his arms slung over Kuwabara's shoulder who drags him out upright. They mistake this for a dead faint, call Hiei and Kurama human-loving bastards/traitors, and yell that there's no WAY any of them are coming out of this alive. At least, the stated HOPE is that the the "legitimate" teams chew them up and spit them out. 

Kuwabara sweats and clenches his jaw, sarcastically calling the crowd a friendly bunch and supposing its members have to let loose on SOMEONE. Kurama question their use of the word "traitors", saying he'd be offended if they weren't such low lives. Clearly he's offended either way. 

The unnamed announcer lady calls the two teams to the center of the arena, and they comply. 

Uhhhh... I get that he didn't want to look like a toddler at this event, but this... This just makes him look like he's high on E at a rave. 

The ticket scalper balks, recognizing Koenma despite him being "all growed up" so to speak. The little goblin-like creature scratches the back of his head in nervousness, asking Koenma if he's here to watch the bloodbath. Koenma tells him an acquaintance of his is competing as a guest, which is a bit of a COLD way to refer to Yusuke. I mean, sure, they're not FRIENDS, but surely he's more than an acquaintance! I guess "child soldier" was a little on the nose. 

With an irritated expression, Koenma chatters to this random scalper about how he had THOUGHT about ending this whole bloody spectacle entirely, but he asserts that this event vents demon stress which reduces predations in the human world. What kind of terrible "The Purge" logic is this shit?? 

Absolutely fucking wild. 

The goblin scalper calls Koenma wise, calling this place a dark sanctuary where battle is the only language understood, the law is decided by the victor, and even the noble Koenma has no rank over any other spectator, unable to object if he saw his own parents murdered. Sounds like the "poetry" of half my mediocre middle school classmates. No WONDER he's scalping tickets for some extra cash. 

Koenma swings around to leave, muttering a thanks for the laughably edgy little screed. Nearby, Botan calls to him, accompanied by Keiko, Atsuko (as I was informed in the comments of the last chapter review, thankfully!), and Shizuka. She tells him that Yusuke's team is in the arena, and the goblin scalper is taken aback by what he assumes to be Koenma's substantial harem, calling him quite the ladies' man. Yeah, the pacifier brings all the girls to the yard - triggers that maternal training, I guess. Koenma corrects him with the simple statement that they're the friends and family of the guest combatant he mentioned earlier, adding that he HAD to bring them along due to Botan's loose lipped habits. She makes the excuse through nervous laughter that she was just trying to be nice. Still, the goblin remains kind of impressed in a shocked sort of way that THREE human women had the guts to come here. 

Yusuke snores on a glaring Kuwabara's shoulder as the three members at the forefront of the opposing team glares right back, though the little one notes that Yusuke is still asleep. The announcer informs the audience with her microphone that the team captains will decide the mode of battle and what constitutes a win. Apparently, if they're unable to agree, it falls to the house rules that stipulate one-on-one matches where the team with the most victories takes the win. 

The fair-haired guy, Zeru, stares unrelentingly at Yusuke's team while Kuwabara frets that their captain is still snoozing on his shoulder. Kurama tells him that it's HIS office then, to which he responds with bashful nervousness. He laughs that he's flattered, since it means that he's Yusuke's second, and verbally throws caution to the wind before squaring his shoulders and resolving seriously to show their opponents leadership, Hiei looking annoyed at his back. Meanwhile, Yusuke has DISAPPEARED. I assume in his eagerness that Kuwabara literally shrugged him off, and he's lying crumpled on the floor right now. 

Kuwabara walks right up to Zeru, hands in his pockets. Aural tension crackles between them. Zeru downplays the importance of his opinion (somehow the captain doesn't think it MATTERS what he says), but says he likes the one-on-one battles, given that it prolongs the fun. Kuwabara agrees wholeheartedly, asserting that this is a real man's way to fight. Fantastic, they agree. As Kurama hands Yusuke back over to Kuwabra, because I suppose HE just took Yusuke for the moment it took to agree, Kuwabara is stoked at how cool the non-existent negotiations were. 

Zeru's attention is on the sleeping Yusuke, his gaze flashing after a moment. 

The fuck? Is he starting the first match already?

Kuwabara complains that Zeru's aura is hot as an oven, and characterizes this swell of power as an attempted provocation of Yusuke. The masked member silently notes that this guy is out to kill, and Kurama wonders at the fact that he hangs out in the human word despite his icy eyes and fiery aura. The implication being that these attributes would be better utilized in the demon world, Kurama questions what demonkind has come to. 

I mean, YOU'RE hanging out in human world, dude...

Kuwabara hollers straight in Yusuke's face, yelling at him to rise and shine, but it's hopeless. The kid snoozes on. Observing that Yusuke still hasn't stirred, he wonders whether he's ill or just stupid. A little of column A, a little of column B. 

The announcer calls for the first contenders to get on the field. Little Rinku saunters forward with his hands clasped behind his head, the very PICTURE of relaxation as he bids his teammates later. With the crowd roaring and Kurama and Hiei looking on silently, Kuwabara grins and volunteers to take this one. The audience screams about Kuwabara being up, yelling for him to be killed. Rinku frowns in disappointment, mentally grousing about always getting the doofuses, and how the teasing he did yesterday didn't seem to scare his opponent like he'd intended. I'm sorry, kid, you're just not that intimidating. 

Anything goes in one-on-one battles, per the announcer, who also adds that a count of ten will determine out-of-bounds and knock-outs. Rinku smiles innocently, hands now behind his back as he expresses that he's as prepared as he's going to be, no anxiety to be found on his face. When the announcer begins the match, Kuwabara confidently invites the shrimp to bring it with a beckoning motion, and Rinku complies. 

You'd think the twerp were in a gymnastics competition. 

The announcer, who at LAST introduces herself as Koto, is impressed by Rinku's supreme agility, admitting she can BARELY follow him. At some point Rinku assumes that he's darted around enough so that Kuwabara can't see him properly, but when he comes close to Kuwabara, he sees the older boy pulling back his fist in preparation. 

He lost his hat and everything!

Up in the VIP seats, the team sponsor recoils, his expression a little like Rinku's above. The cheap seats murmur in disbelief at the hit to Rinku. Kuwabara pulls back for yet another punch, telling Rinku in no uncertain terms that the gloves are off. Rinku attempts to scramble away, but Kuwabara literally delivers a kick straight to his rump as he's turned away. Kuwabara is smugly holding up a fist again when Rinku turns back and rushes him in his indignation, delivering an uppercut to the tyke's chin and sending him flying. 

The crowd is now roaring with insults for Rinku, claiming they've never seen anything more pathetic, asking who sent the little runt into the ring anyway. From the sidelines, Kurama says evenly that Kuwabara can be surprising, and his love of fighting was apparent in the times he's spared with the tough. Hiei seems overall unimpressed, and asks Kurama what's with all the samurai posturing Kuwabara is doing, since he SHOULD have finished this with his aura sword by now. Uh, dude, weren't you listening? He LOVES fighting. Are you in the habit of rushing shit you love? 

Although, it does feel pretty scummy watching a huge teenager beating the shit out of a tiny baby child like this...

Rinku clutches his stomach and makes a noise like he's fighting back vomit. Kurama looks pleased, convinced Kuwabara has got the kid and this is it. As Rinku falls backward and Kuwabara dashes at him, Kuwabara says he's not into torture, so he's going to make this quick, promising Rinku he's going down for the count. 

But Rinku smirks slyly and flits away before Kuwabara can land a new punch. Kuwabara looks dumbfounded, and even more shocked when Rinku reappears behind him with the stated hope that Kuwabara enjoyed his moment. Kuwabara just begins to turn when... 

Oof, that sounds like it hurt. 

Kurama gapes in horror, the crowd drones in shock, and Zeru just... stares, as usual. Rinku once more clasps his hands behind his head and saunters off, a giant smug grin on his face. He's following up on his trailing comment earlier about hoping Kuwabara enjoyed his moment, declaring it now over with a laugh. He also asserts that he could have taken him out from the first moment, but asks where the fun is in that, echoing my point from before. Finally, he discourages the announcer from doing a count at all, because he's pretty certain he broke Kuwabara's neck back there and the teenager is well and truly dead. 

Hiei smiles creepily, thinking the little grease ball Rinku ALSO enjoys a fight it seems. The audience pumps fists and heaps praise upon the little dude who appears to have won. For a brief second, anyway.

Look whose moment is over NOW. 

So, what did I think of this chapter overall? Forget Yusuke, poor Kuwabara has the weight of the WORLD on his shoulders throughout the whole beginning of this thing. He's forced to be interim team leader because Yusuke just CAN'T rise and shine, and that means negotiations that he was not all too prepared for, and then stepped in to take the very first round of the match. Sure, it seems to be going about as well as you might hope, but it all still looks ABSOLUTELY exhausting. Kurama is BARELY picking up any slack by taking Yusuke off Kuwabara's hands for a moment there, and Hiei is FULLY committed to being as hands-off as possible until his round starts. Granted, I expect it from Hiei given his character, but Kurama's refusal to take damn near ANY responsibility this situation is a little disappointing.

The background on this tournament we get through Koenma and the scalper's conversation is pure comedy. The suggestion that demons who value blood and destruction above all else can not only be expected to not partake in those things themselves just so they can vicariously watch others do it, but they actually DO IT? But it makes the reader question how much of this blood and destruction mentality is natural to them and how much is learned. If they can refrain, then it implies that it's not an intrinsic part of how they function. Between the necessity of eating SOULS for some of them and the ability to just NOT hurt humans, what IS the basic nature of these creatures? That might be as impossible a question to answer as what the basic nature of HUMANS is. 

And why shouldn't it be impossible to answer? We're the one's who invented "demons" after all.

YuYu Hakusho Manga: 053 The First Opponents!!

My opponents are far less deadly ones, but in some ways, more frustrating. I've got a couple of creative projects at the moment that have stalled, one of them being a cat toy that I've sewn for my niece. It's mostly complete, all I really have to do is embroider on the nose, but it's proving to be the most challenging part by far. The fabric is a sort of "furry" polyester stuff, and embroidering the eyes over the top of the little hairs sticking out every which way was already quite difficult. The thread I have for the nose is similar ENOUGH in color to be a bit of a challenge to see the thread in the fur, and that makes it VERY challenging to see where the last stitch was placed and where to put the needle next. I keep setting it aside to think on what I'm going to do next, but my husband's trip to visit his sister an her family is a month away, so I'm kind of running out of time now. 

I would NEVER be able to maintain the grueling training regimen over two months straight for a tournament that Yusuke has with how many breaks I have to take, so I suppose I should consider myself lucky. 

I can't IMAGINE who else would have that particular skill! XD

Once again, we see the pirate captain of the boat announce that Urameshi's team is taking the 16th spot in the tournament, and Kuwabara runs to greet the masked member as they step off the platform. He gushes that the attack was ACE and welcomes them to the team, but is eager to ask just exactly who they are. Before he can FINISH the question, however, the masked member points up over Kuwabara's head and he turns to see a whole horde of demons leaping for him from overhead, to his horror. These demons declare that they don't give a shit about the rules, and are motivated to kill the winning team for the fame alone. 

Kuwabara dives out of the way as the masked member leaps upward without a single word or cry. Several demons also raise their weapons in preparation to bring them down on Kurama and Hiei's heads, announcing their plans to slice and dice. The two do not appear at all intimidated by this, Hiei observing that it seems they're up for a match themselves, but saying it's better than just sitting around for the rest of the trip. Kurama agrees, holding up a rose.

Of course, there's a couple of demons advancing on the sleeping Yusuke as well, something that Kurama notices with alarm, but without the flexibility to lend his aid, it seems. The demons creeping up on the sleeping kid chuckle about him being dead to the world, and dead for REAL here in a moment. Kuwabara has noticed too, lamenting that Yusuke is so out of it that Akiko Matsumoto (someone I'm unfamiliar with) could be singing directly in his ear and couldn't wake him. The demons menacing Kuwabara tell him that this is the least of HIS worries.

Kuwabara resorts to something he considers overkill in this moment, manifesting an Aura Sword in both hands, calling this "Double Sword Fencing". He wildly swings these at the attackers, yelling at them to clear off or they're hamburger, but one of Yusuke's assailants is unperturbed, declaring that he's taking Yusuke's head and the fortune he assumes comes with it. Aiming a blow from overhead at the sleeping teen, the demon yells at Yusuke to die, and for a split second, Kuwabara thinks he's too late. 

But the demon's isn't the hit that lands.

Caught him in the WRONG dream. 

Kurama is amazed by how Yusuke appears to train even in his SLEEP now, so the regimen has become instinctive. Damn, and here I was thinking that Yusuke had been woken up and was just slow to realize who his attacker was. Kuwabara notices that Yusuke was referring to an "old biddy" in his tirade, and realizes, perhaps a bit late, he had been training with the shrimp boat sensei Master Genkai this whole time. He looks over at the masked member as he does so, who is fighting off their own attackers, delivering spinning kicks with hands clasped behind their back to every demon that comes near. 

Kuwabara dismisses his notion that the masked member could be HER, assuming that she wouldn't risk her neck. The question isn't whether she WOULD but what incentives could induce her to do so. But Kuwabara is already moved on to wondering who it could be OTHER than her though. 

Alright, if you don't want to take the evidence head-on, suit yourself.

The pirate captain is standing on his platform surveying the giant brawl from above and humming in thought. He mutters that Mr. Sakyo was right, and random thugs just seem to annoy the Urameshi Team. It had been the captain's intention to see their potential, but the members of the team are barely giving 10% effort.

 

That font is but ONE of those horrors, I'm sure. 

Zoom in on that claw of rock that is such a distinct feature of the island, in the crook of which sits a big boxy building. The team of protagonists are dropped off in front of a rotating door, Kuwabara holding upright a still zonked Yusuke, and their car zooms off. Somewhere. As if there could POSSIBLY be anywhere else to go on this rock. Kuwabara looks downright in awe of the ritzy place they've been dumped off at, and is no doubt even more so when a man in a suit stiffly greets them as honored guests and offers to take them to their room. 

They are led through either a lobby or reception area with a milling crowd, all looking on the fancier, dressed-up side. Kuwabara regards all of it very weird, and asks through clenched teeth if this is the Dark Tournament, disbelief and even some disgust framing the question. 

I don't know dude, it would be hard NOT to have a pretty good idea what you were in for, going to an event like this. Especially with all the rich psychos standing around. 

As Kuwabara stomps by, dragging the unconscious Yusuke along, he fails to notice a couple of familiar people in the crowd. Keiko and Botan ALSO overlook Yusuke and Kuwabara, though the former is clearly looking for Yusuke when she demands to know WHERE the boy is from her companion. Sweatdropping, Botan urges Keiko to calm down, but Keiko rounds on her, asking how she can possibly calm down when they almost DIED because of Yusuke. She insists they have to keep track of Yusuke's location, his actions, and the surrounding circumstances so that they can be ready, and it wouldn't be easy to argue otherwise, even if I wanted to. Botan doesn't appear to want to either, as all she's doing is assuring Keiko that she knows, and trying to get her to keep it down. The surly Keiko just expresses her intent to whup Yusuke when she finds him.

Botan acknowledges that Keiko probably had to be plucky and fearless, growing up with Yusuke. The girl reportedly didn't even BLINK when Botan told her about the tournament, and just demanded to be taken there. Shizuka must have made a similar demand, because she's there too, a chandelier being excitedly pointed out to her by... Keiko? I'm unsure who else it's supposed to be, but the hair looks much longer, the blazer either differently colored or gone altogether, and a chandelier seems an ODD thing to focus her attention on at a time like this. Botan looks on this strange behavior from what looks to be an entirely different person with worry. 

Anyway, we jump to a door labeled 404, and the stunning view from the panel of windows looking out at the island behind it, along with a host of beds and other furniture. Though we don't see him, Kuwabara's character voice is clear when he enthuses about how posh this room is and what a great vacation spot the island would make. If, you know, it wasn't exclusive to a bunch of rich thugs and their sick gladiator games. 

Kurama and the masked member perch themselves on opposite ends of an L-shaped modular couch, Hiei restlessly stands off to the side, and Kuwabara sits on the edge of a bed where he's dumped the still conked Yusuke. A man with a room service cart enters and leaves a cup of tea for each of them, even sleeping Yusuke, but Kuwabara views the cups with suspicion, suggesting they might be poisoned. Kurama and Hiei have taken up cups themselves, the former explaining that it's unlikely because of how the tournament organizers want them all to be at their peak potential for a show of maximum combat. Hiei adds that the hosts are particularly interested in seeing them in action before they're torn limb from limb. Kuwabara pops open a sealed canned drink, saying it never hurts to be careful, so he's sticking to his OWN beverages. He's WELL prepared, I see. 

Kurama says this is precisely what's odd, because Yusuke is still asleep, but HIS cup is gone. Kuwabara looks around at Yusuke in question and he snores, STILL completely out of it. 

A slurp sounds from the other side of the room and the CONSCIOUS team members all jump out of their seats and face the direction, alert for a possible emergency. It seems there's still some suspicion in the more relaxed Kurama and Hiei after all. 

Where did this little baby child come from???

Unsurprisingly, I'm not the only one with that question, Kuwabara also demanding to know who he is. He suggests that the kid must have hidden somewhere, and Kurama adds that he came out and took the cup without them noticing. An awkward hypothesis that seems to be born out of paranoia alone. As he squats on one foot while balancing the stolen teacup on the tip of the other, the unknown child assures them that he just came through the door like they did, but he "forgot" to knock. I don't believe THAT for a second.

The kid removes his hat out of cursory respect while he introduces himself as Rinku, from Team Special Ops. Who NAMED your team? General "I Almost Joined, But" Blood Agent? Then he calls his group something even CUTER than that, the "Jolly Devil Six", when he tells them that they'll be the opponents of Team Urameshi in the first round of the tournament tomorrow. Oh give me a BREAK. 

Kuwabara gets stuck on the number in that adorable little moniker, asking if there isn't supposed to be FIVE to a team. Rinku asks if they didn't know they could bring a BACKUP if one of the main team dies in battle, then brags that all six of HIS team are so super tough that they played rock-paper-scissors to decide who was to be on the main team and who was going to be backup. 

Yeah. Lucky THEM. 

Kuwabara grinds his teeth in barely contained anger, internally promising to demonstrate actual funny to this kid who's playing at it in a minute if he doesn't shut his trap. But because he's a child, he can't stop running that motor on his mouth; he says it's just a fact that they'll be eliminated quickly, telling them that the captain of the previous winning team nominated Team Urameshi as guests, but after seeing them himself, Rinku reckons he could take their whole group himself in an elimination match. There's a parenthetical bit here explaining what an elimination match is, one person fighting a team one member at a time until he loses and his next team member takes over or beats the whole group, but I'm not sure if this is Rinku talking or just an aside note. I'll interpret it as a part of his dialog because it's in the speech bubble and seems like the kind of over-explaining a precocious little shit would do. 

Either way, someone else nearer the door tells Rinku that this is QUITE enough of his babbling. Kuwabara and Hiei turn their heads in the opposite direction to find a new intruder into the room, this one a fair-haired man in a black T-shirt with large muscles, feet and arms crossed in a closed off, but relaxed pose. Kuwabara complains about yet ANOTHER lurker, someone he's SURE wasn't there before. Hiei has to admit to himself at least that this new guy slipped by HIM too. Rinku runs to the man, calling him Zeru, and apologizing for getting carried away due to his excitement about all this tournament stuff. 

Zeru turns to leave with his tag-along kiddo and wishes the occupants of the room a good evening, because by this time tomorrow, they'll be like those tea cups. What does he mean by that? Kuwabara and Hiei look back at the coffee table with alarm, on which the remaining cup has been cleaved in two. The question of when that happened hangs in the air, but Yusuke snoozes on, oblivious to all. 

As they continue on their way, presumably back to THEIR room, Zeru ponders aloud whether the sleeping one sensed that they didn't intend to attack or if it was something else. Rinku chirps that it was probably just that he's a loser, but Zeru doesn't seem so sure. 

They may not have been invited to amuse YOU, but ALL of you were invited to amuse SOMEONE. Maybe you should keep that in mind, dude. 

So, what did I think of this chapter overall? Yusuke fighting in his sleep is pretty funny, but I can't help worrying about how effective his rest is going to be if he keeps having to waste all the energy he's regaining from sleep defending himself every five seconds. Doesn't seem sustainable, especially if they can expect to be attacked by random eliminated teams when they hear who the snoozing team lead is. Just add them to the obstacles stacked on the tall tottering Jenga tower that this team is working with. Learning from what looks like a TODDLER that they could have a backup along is like adding insult to injury too, though to be fair, the fifth member seems to have been hard ENOUGH to come by. These boys are COOKED, as the young folk say. 

With such a rocky start to the whole tournament, it's no wonder paranoia is high, and not just the obtrusive kind that Kuwabara expresses. Hiei and Kurama also look quite on edge in this chapter, despite both being willing to drink the tea they were given. Each was surprised by the actions taken by the intruders into their room at different points, completely overlooking them because of the sheer speed with which they were committed. Given how fast these two have been known to attack, especially Hiei, the intruders must be orders of magnitude faster to pull that off right under their noses. OR Kurama and Hiei are just orders of magnitude more distracted/nervous, take your pick. 

And as the cherry on top of the whole situation, Keiko has managed to bully Botan into bringing her and Shizuka to the tournament. Adding them in complicates matters a bit, because we've seen that the demons on the ship were able to sniff out humans, so Keiko might just be putting herself in MORE danger by being there to keep an eye on the situation with Yusuke. 

I hope she at LEAST saves the whupping she owes him until AFTER the tournament. He doesn't need another person beating up on him right now, lol.