Episode 21

## Episode 21 Screenshots

**Yusuke's Sacrifice** (幽助·命を賭けた反撃, *Yūsuke Inochi o Kaketa Hangeki*?, lit. **Yusuke's Life or Death Counterattack**) is the twenty-first episode of the Yu Yu Hakusho anime and the Spirit Detective Saga.

## Summary

Botan is unconscious. Kayko is surrounded. Kuwabara, Hiei, and Kurama slash their way through infinite swarms of Cultivated Humans. In Maze Castle’s highest tower, Suzaku forces the exhausted Yusuke to his knees. Clearly, there is only one way for the war against the Saint Beasts to end. Yusuke must surrender his life!

## Plot Details

Reaching the climax of their epic battle, Suzaku's seven bodies face-off with Yusuke's reawakened power. Murugu tells Suzaku to finish off the human quickly but he's unable to form his attack. Yusuke capitalizes by blasting all seven Suzaku with his Shotgun technique. He exhausts himself after using the move and collapses before turning to Suzaku's screen.

Keiko and Botan continue to run from the infected until Botan is caught off guard and knocked down. She's surrounded by the infected people and Yusuke can see this on the screen. He begins to crawl toward the Makai Whistle but Murugu grabs knocks it away. Yusuke threatens to fry the bird with his Spirit Gun but Murugu believes he's out of energy. The Spirit Detective claims he has enough energy to kill a bird but not a Saint Beast. Murugu is frightened and while watching from Spirit World, Ogre believes Yusuke as well. However, Koenma reveals that Yusuke has used up all his energy and this is all a bluff.

Hiei, Kurama, and Kuwabara continue fighting their way up the tower despite the endless swarms of Cultivated Humans. Meanwhile, Yusuke gets Murugu away from the Makai Whistle but Suzaku reappears in time to stop the Spirit Detective. Suzaku admits that Yusuke's Shotgun was impressive but claims not killing him will prove fatal. Yusuke believes that Suzaku is as drained as he is, but Suzaku heals himself by draining the Spirit Energy of his other six selves. The Leader of the Beasts recreates his other six selves using Seven Prism's Restoration, rendering all the damage Yusuke did pointless.

Koenma watches in horror as Ogre adds he is sure that the human raced is doom. Suzaku admits that his problem has been underestimating Yusuke by treating him as a normal human. To correct this, Suzaku's seven bodies prepare their Prism Storm of Torment technique to annihilate Yusuke in one blow. Kuwabara, Hiei, and Kurama notice the largest thunderclap yet and the stairs around them crumble. Suzaku claims that Yusuke and his friends' lives are coming to an end at the same time. However, Suzaku's arrows all miss Yusuke and he realizes that his guiding tentacle was damaged earlier in their fight. This means Suzaku has halfway missed the majority of their battle.

On the crumbling stairs of the watchtower, Kurama and Hiei work together to escape the platform. Elsewhere in the living world, just as Keiko is about to be struck down, Yusuke's energy protects her using the connection between them. At the same time, Yusuke draws out his own life energy from his body to unleash one last attack. He counters Suzaku's Prism Storm of Torment and their attacks collide just as Kuwabara and the others enter the room. The collision explodes, destroying the Makai Whistle and killing Murugu. It also appears to have defeat Suzaku, all at the cost of Yusuke's life.

The Watchtower is destroyed and Suzaku admits that Yusuke's feelings served as his power and he won because he's human. Yusuke appears to have sacrificed his life and Kuwabara decides to help save his rival using his own life energy. Hiei claims he doesn't see the reason for either of their sacrifice but Kurama assures him that humans have their reasons.

Three days later, Yusuke awakens and Kuwabara brings him up to speed. He and Kurama joke with Yusuke that Keiko may not have been okay, but she and Botan arrive to surprise Yusuke. Afterward, Yusuke apologizes to Keiko for not telling her the truth. Botan has informed Keiko on everything that's happened and so she tries to get Yusuke to promise to keep her in the loop from now on.

## Credits

* Cast
* Staff