Manga, as an entertainment medium, goes back over 100 years. For many decades, classic titles have come and gone, and later generations of artists draw inspiration from their favorite works to pay homage to successful titles. Many manga artists name particular series that fueled their creativity, and whether or not he's said it himself, Tite Kubo clearly drew inspiration from Yu Yu Hakusho when he penned his own series, Bleach.
Running from 1990 to 1994, Yu Yu Hakusho is a classic Shonen action series starring Yusuke Urameshi, who fights demons and other bad guys to keep his friends and family safe. Meanwhile, Bleach ran from 2001 to 2016, and its leading man is high schooler turned Soul Reaper Ichigo Kurosaki. So, here are ten ways Bleach is like the Yu Yu Hakusho for a new generation of manga fans around the world.
10 The Punk Lead
Both of these series have a tough teenaged boy as the lead character, which standard fare for Shonen series (so readers can see themselves in the hero). But in this case, both series' leads are not idealistic guys like Naruto, Luffy, or Goku.
Instead, both Ichigo and Yusuke are anti-heroes with an attitude. They're not truly jerks, but then again, they're not too quick to make friends, and they'll beat up anyone who crosses them. In Ichigo's first scene, for example, he was tossing around some skater punks who damaged the roadside shrine of a deceased child. He's a rough one, alright.
9 Monster Hunters
Both of these series feature many boss battle-style villains, from Yu Yu Hakusho's Shunsui and lord Yomi to Bleach's Ulquiorra and Sosuke Aizen. But in between these mega-villains are monsters whom the good guys must take down.
Yusuke was a spirit detective, and he sometimes performed cleanup operations to keep the public unaware of demons (other people helped him). Ichigo, early in his own anime, was often asked to take down hollows, or evil spirits, wherever he could find them. Nothing like keeping the streets safe from monsters.
8 Tough Girls Who Keep Them Honest
This is Rukia Kuchiki, the first Soul Reaper whom Ichigo and the viewer alike ever met. She is tiny, but she is tough and smart, and she takes it upon herself to train Ichigo in the ways of the Soul Reapers once Ichigo borrows her powers. Later on, she regains her own powers.
While Yusuke's friend Keiko is not a powerful warrior like this, she can easily handle the punkish Yusuke, and she is a bit of a disciplinarian with him. Yusuke teases her a lot, but he does respect and take her seriously. In fact, he later asked her to marry him!
7 A Rival Turned Friend
True, this happens all the time in Shonen anime and manga franchises past and present. But with all the parallels between Bleach and Yu Yu Hakusho, we may as well bring it up. Especially since both characters for this role are so well loved.
Yu Yu Hakusho brought us Kazuma Kuwabara, a redhead with a spirit sword who went from bitter enemy to good friend. Meanwhile, Bleach resurrects this friendship in Ichigo and Uryu Ishida, who (as a Quincy) is supposed to be Ichigo's enemy. But both boys learn to set aside their differences and fight evil together.
6 Love Confession Scene
This time, we're not just sure that Tite Kubo drew inspiration from Yu Yu Hakusho; we are absolutely positive. What's going on with Orihime? Don't worry, those are tears of happiness. While Ichigo slept, Orihime paid a visit to his room to say goodbye before the arrancars dragged her off to Las Noches.
In a touching scene, Orihime aired out some things she needed to say, ending with a big "I love you." A similar scene played out in Yu Yu Hakusho, and it was just as touching and charming then, too. You go, girls!
5 Supernatural Dad
Not only are the lead characters of both series young men with supernatural powers, but they have fathers of a similar nature. Ichigo's dad is Isshin Kurosaki, who was once a Soul Reaper and the Captain of Squad 10. Now he hides his true nature behind his goofball antics.
Yusuke's father, meanwhile, is the demon overlord Raizen, who does not hide his true nature at all. Yusuke did not meet him until late in the series, though, and they didn't get along very well until Raizen's dying moments.
4 Protect Humanity!
Neither Ichigo nor Yusuke set out to save the world and earn accolades as heroes. At first, neither of them have the slightest inclination for heroics as they would rather live their punkish high school lives, and be left alone.
Before long, though, monsters began to threaten their friends and family, and Ichigo drops everything and dive into the action to protect his friends and hometown. Yusuke, meanwhile, endeavors mightily to prevent flesh-hungry demons from reaching Earth in great numbers to devour humanity. Yusuke is a bulwark that refuses to yield.
3 Ichigo And Yusuke Were Recruited For Action
Not only are Ichigo and Yusuke ordinary high schoolers who get dragged into the thick of supernatural action, but they are both granted official titles by the good guys to give them some legitimacy.
In particular, Ichigo is an official substitute Soul Reaper, and he was even given a badge of office. Yusuke, meanwhile, was reborn as a spirit detective, tasked with carrying out the missions of his otherworldly superiors. If you're going to get a job like this, you may as well have a cool job title, too!
2 Soft Isekai
You wouldn't find a scene like this in your everyday life, would you? Neither would Ichigo, so long as he stayed home in Karakura Town. But of his own free will, he travels to the Soul Society to save Rukia, then Las Noches to rescue Orihime.
Yusuke also dives right into the demon world to settle matters there, and he is allowed to return home whenever he chooses. Overall, these two shows give us a great view of the magical worlds beyond... but the heroes are not trapped there. It's nice to have a ticket home sometimes.
1 Sudden Villains At The End
To be fair, this is more about the narration of each series than the actual content. What are we trying to say here? Well, for most of Bleach, Ichigo and friends are battling the hollows, arrancars, and Sosuke Aizen. The plot revolved entirely around that struggle.
But later, Tite Kubo gave us the Wandenreich, and these Sternritters appeared pretty much out of nowhere. Meanwhile, in Yu Yu Hakusho, the three demon lords popped out of nowhere as well: Mukuro, Yomi, and Raizen. Just when we thought the fighting was over, we get one more arc with super-villains to finish things off! Can our heroes handle these new threats?