Yusuke Lost, Yusuke Found

## Story Arcs and Sagas

**Yusuke Lost, Yusuke Found** (幽助 紛失 幽助 見つけた, *Yusuke Funshitsu Yusuke Mitsuketa*?) is the first story arc of the Yu Yu Hakusho series and the Spirit Detective Saga.

Yusuke Urameshi is a brash teenage boy who regularly cuts class and fights with his rival Kuwabara. One day, he acts out of character and sacrifices his life to save a child from a car accident. As a result of his selfless deed, the Spirit World gives Yusuke another chance to regain his life through an uncanny ordeal.

## Summary

Yusuke Urameshi is a troubled fourteen-year-old boy with a neglectful mother who regularly leaves him to his own devices. Yusuke regularly cuts classes, disappointing his childhood friend Keiko and Principal Takanaka. Instead, he often gets into fights with other thugs including his rival Kuwabara.

One day, Yusuke does something completely out of character and dives in front of a speeding car to save the life of a little boy. His soul is separated from his deceased body and Yusuke is introduced to Botan, the Grim Reaper, so to speak. Botan tells Yusuke that the Spirit World is not ready for his soul to cross over because not even the higher-ups in other world believed Yusuke would die in such a fashion. There's no room for him in the other world and Botan offers him the chance to regain his life.

Yusuke initially refuses because he believes that everyone's lives would be better if he disappeared. However, when Yusuke attends his own wake, he finds many people mourning his death. Those affected include Yusuke's mother, Keiko, the Principal, and even Kuwabara. Seeing the people that genuinely want him around, Yusuke decides to accept Botan's proposal and they travel to Spirit World.

Botan escorts Yusuke to King Enma's Castle, where he meets the Prince of Spirit World, Koenma. Koenma has the appearance of a toddler, which is amusing to Yusuke. Botan tries to calm Yusuke's disrespectful nature, fearing that he'll offend the great Koenma. Yusuke receives the details of his ordeal from Koenma and Botan. He must take a golden egg with him at all times. The egg reacts to the wavelengths from Yusuke's soul and picks up on good and bad-natured actions that Yusuke may take. When the egg eventually hatches, it will either create a beautiful Spirit Beast creates from good energy or a malicious one created from evil.

Yusuke returns to the Living World and decides his first order of business is to prevent his body from being cremated at the funeral. Botan teaches him he can possess people he knows as long as they have heightened Spirit Awareness. Yusuke is able to take over Kuwabara's body for an hour and eventually delivers a message to Keiko to stop his body from being burned. Keiko believes Yusuke despite his appearance as Kuwabara and goes to tell Atsuko the good news. When she arrives to tell Yusuke's mother, Atsuko reveals that Yusuke's body still has a pulse, meaning his soul will return soon.

At the Junior High, the corrupted teachers try to force the other delinquents out now that Yusuke appears to be gone. Kuwabara, Yusuke's number one rival, is the prime target of their culling. Mr. Iwamoto and Mr. Akashi try to force Kuwabara's gang to abide by absurd restrictions including scoring high enough on their upcoming exams or else Okubo's job will be taken away. Fearing that Okubo's family might lose their only source of income. Kuwabara keeps his word to stay out of trouble, taking multiple beating from other gangs that he's not allowed to fight back against in the process. Yusuke helps him pass the exam by visiting his dreams to give Kuwabara study extra study time. Thanks to Yusuke's help and intervention from Mr. Takanaka, Kuwabara is able to keep his promise.

Koenma sends an investigator to check on Yusuke's progress with his ordeal. Sayaka, the investigator, studies Yusuke's relationship with Keiko to determine if he's desired back amongst the living. Due to Atsuko's negligence and a local arsonist, Yusuke's house is set on fire with his body still in it. Keiko rushes in the house to rescue Yusuke but can't escape the flames once inside. Yusuke chooses to sacrifice the Spirit Beast to save Keiko's life at the cost of his own.

Sayaka reports Yusuke's good deed and Koenma rewards him with one last chance to regain his life. He informs Yusuke that someone must fill Yusuke's body with their energy via a kiss before midnight. To meet these conditions, Yusuke visits Keiko in her dreams to relay another message, but that doesn't work this time. Keiko is more focused on her sick mother while Yusuke's body begins to glow with a light that connects it to Spirit World. Before its too late, Botan sends a message through Keiko's mother's body. Keiko rushes in at the last moment and kisses Yusuke's body. She manages to make it just in time and Yusuke's soul is finally returned to his living body.

The next day, Yusuke wants to relax and take it easy, overjoyed just to be alive again. However, he finds Kuwabara in a bind, being manipulated by a mysterious thug with horns growing out his head that only Yusuke can see. These thugs have been spreading their influence since Yusuke died, but he returns to correct this himself. He helps Kuwabara get his pet kitten back and finds out the leader of the gang is actually a small demon controlling a human body. Botan arrives to arrest the treacherous Jyaki and Koenma tells Yusuke he will be a commissioned Spirit Detective from now on. The time for rest and relaxation is over, as the trials ahead will be much more perilous.

## Episodes

North America: February 23, 2002
North America: March 2, 2002
North America: March 9, 2002
North America: March 16, 2002
North America: March 23, 2002

## Settings

* Spirit World
	+ King Enma's Castle