Yu Yu Hakusho is a supernatural martial arts anime that many fans grew up watching, with an impressive footprint on the shonen fandom. It’s a classic for a reason, hitting its peak in popularity during the ‘90s. While we all love to recall the amazing fights that occurred over the course of Yu Yu Hakushonone of that would have been possible without the compelling characters that added emotional weight to the story. Everyone from the main cast to supporting characters, allies, and enemies added to this tale, and we wouldn’t have it any other way. However, there’s no denying the clear power scale of the series, with certain characters coming out on top of the rankings.
This beloved manga and anime was created by Yoshiro Togashi, and it’s safe to say that Yu Yu Hakusho’s success helped jumpstart that career! Togashi would go on to create Hunter x Hunter later, an endeavor that remains ongoing with his adoring fans celebrating every new installment. As for the story, we all remember how that goes: Yusuke Urameshi was a teen who went from delinquent to hero in the blink of an eye; all it cost him was his life. However, his story didn’t stop there, as the powers that be revived him and allowed him to become an Underworld Detective. Chaos, battles, and unforgettable adventures followed.
10) Kazuma Kuwabara
Kazuma Kuwabara is a lovable protagonist of the series, and while he’s not necessarily known for his intelligence, he is known for his heart. Kuwabara is a proud ally of Yusuke. He’s also the younger brother of Shizuru Kuwabara and hopelessly in love with Yukina (a fact that causes a few problems here and there).
In the beginning, Kuwabara does a pretty decent job of tricking us into seeing him as nothing more than a brick of muscle. However, his character grows by leaps and bounds, and he quickly proves himself to be one of the more empathetic members of the team.
Kuwabara has superhuman strength and endurance, and his fighting skills are top-notch. His specialties include his Spirit Sword, Trial Sword, and Dimension Sword. At the end of the day, he’s always going to be a hero we root for.
9) Younger Toguro
Younger Toguro, or simply Toguro to many fans, is one of the most powerful big bads of Yu Yu Hakusho. As such, he’s built up to be a being capable of great (or horrific) feats. Toguro is a part-leader of the Apparition Gang and Team Toguro, and while he seems relaxed and chill most of the time, he can be quite threatening in battle.
That threat got to shine through during the Dark Tournament Saga, especially when he went up against Yusuke. During that fight, he infamously pushed Yusuke to the limit, literally crushing the hero until he stepped up his game, exceeding what had previously seemed possible for his character.
Despite his appearances, Younger Toguro is a B-Class demon. That’s probably shocking to some, as he does a solid job of presenting himself as much higher in rank. It’s all about style, baby.
8) Shinobu Sensui
Shinobu Sensui, aka the Black Angel, is another antagonist of Team Yusuke. However, his backstory is a bit different, since he was once a Spirit Detective, long ago. In other words, his betrayal left an opening for Yusuke, so fans have to be grateful for that, in a way.
Since Shinobu has been around for a bit, he’s had time to improve his skills, not to mention his durability. He’s withstood the full fury of Hiei’s Dragon, and that alone speaks volumes. Sure, he did it by surrounding himself in Sacred Energy, but that actually makes the feat more impressive rather than less.
While Shinobu is human, his energy is remarkably high. This means that, in all likelihood, had he been a demon, he would have been an S-Class one. Alongside his Sacred Energy Armor, Shinobu is known for his Twisted Twister and Energy Gun.
7) Kurama
Shuichi Minamino, aka Kurama the Yoko or simply Kurama, is one of the most iconic characters of the series. He’s a brilliant character known for his vibrant hair and his connection to plants, such as the infamous Rose Whip. When in his Yoko form, Kurama has access to S-Class levels of demon energy, so he’s not a character one wants to mess with.
Truthfully, you probably don’t want to mess with most of Kurama’s plant-themed techniques. Even the Rose Whip would be less than pleasant to face off against, and that’s just the beginning. There’s also the Ojigi Plant (which squeezes people to death), the Death Tree (a carnivorous tree), the Bloodsucking Plant (it is exactly what it sounds like), and more.
Kurama used to be known as a notorious fox demon, but he’s since forged a new path for himself. It makes for a fascinating yet incredibly strong character, and that is part of why fans love him so much.
6) Hiei
Jaganshi Hiei, better known as just Hiei, is another main character of the series, though he starts out as an antagonist. Hiei is easily one of the most powerful members of the team, which is saying something, given the scale we’ve already seen.
Hiei is admittedly a bit aloof and elusive, to put it kindly. He’s not all that into hanging around with people, though it’s pretty clear that once somebody has been accepted into his circle, he’ll go to any length to keep them safe and alive.
One of Hiei’s best-known moves is his Dragon of the Darkness Flame, though it’s far from his only move. Let us not forget Japan (his surgically-implanted third/evil eye), First of the Mortal Flame, and his Black Dragon Wave.
5) Yusuke Urameshi
As the primary protagonist of Yu Yu Hakushofans always knew that Yusuke Urameshi was going to have the most leveling up to do. He’s a human turned Spirit Detective, making him responsible for dealing with supernatural threats all around. The learning curve was steep, but Yusuke was up for the challenge, obviously.
Throughout the course of the series, fans learn that Yusuke is the descendant of Raizen, an incredibly powerful demon (more on that in a moment), so the potential has always been in his blood. When in doubt, Yusuke is famous for falling back on his beloved Spirit Gun, though it’s not his only move. He’s also capable of Demon Gun, Spirit Wave, and Spirit Gun Barrage.
4) Mukuro
Mukuro is one of the Three Kings responsible for ruling over the Demon World, so everyone knew from the start that she was a powerful force to be reckoned with. Ideally, Mukuro tries to conceal her appearance through bandages covered in warding script, leaving only her damaged eye visible to the world.
Here’s the thing about Mukuro: her strength is directly proportional to her temperament, and that makes her an incredibly dangerous character to deal with. Her history has left her predisposed to anger, and that shines through with terrifying levels of spirit pressure. For context, she easily defeated Hiei and his Dragon of the Darkness Flame, later revealing that she was only at half power during the battle.
3) Yomi
Yomi is another member of the Three Kings of the Demon World, which puts him at the top of any power scale. He also happens to be Shura’s father (clone-father). Once upon a time, Yomi was nothing more than Yoko’s minion, but that was before an accident left him helpless and abandoned.
Since then, Yomi has carefully honed and perfected his powers, making him one of the biggest threats around. Notably, Yomi has a calm and stoic personality, which can make him seem even more impressive and powerful. Yomi’s special techniques include Energy Blast Barrage, Tornado Energy Blast, and Demon Absorption Wall.
2) Raizen
Raizen is a powerful demon, one of the Three Kings of Makai. He’s thousands of years old and tough as they come, but there are a few standout features about this character. He looks half-starved, which isn’t entirely wrong. He stopped feeding on humans after falling in love with a human woman.
That detail is important to remember because even in this half-starved state, Raizen had no problem mopping the floor with our hero. It makes one wonder what he looked like in the peak of his power, though perhaps it’s better that this is no longer a concern.
Raizen’s true power levels are always a question in the series, as he’s never pushed to a point where his limits are clearly defined. It’s possible that placing him in the second spot is a mistake, but we won’t ever know for sure.
1) Enki
Fans of Yu Yu Hakusho likely remember how Enki allied with Yusuke’s group, fighting against their enemies during the Demon World Tournament. Notably, he battled it out against Yomi, who says that their power levels are pretty similar. However, Enki isn’t ashamed to admit that it’s been a hot minute since he had to battle.
After winning the Demon World Tournament, Enki becomes the new king of the Demon World. To be clear, he’s the only king. One of his first decrees was that the demons would have to leave the human world alone, in case anybody forgot why he became involved in this fight in the first place. Enki can easily conceal his energy, making it challenging to understand his precise scale.
Yu Yu Hakusho is available to stream on Crunchyroll and Hulu. Alternatively, the live-action version is available on Netflix.
Who was your favorite Yu Yu Hakusho character, and do you feel they deserve a place at the podium as well? Let us know in the comments below!
