Episode 9

## Episode 9 Screenshots

**The Search Begins** (幻海の継承者トーナメント開始, *Genkai no Keishōsha Tournament Kaishi*?, lit. **The Successor to Genkai! The Tournament Begins**) is the ninth episode of the Yu Yu Hakusho anime and the Spirit Detective Saga.

## Summary

Yusuke’s three-day weekend is cut short when Botan delivers his next big case. Genkai, an aging psychic, will hold a contest to find a worthy apprentice to her powerful technique: the Spirit Wave. But an evil demon, Rando, plans to steal the technique and use it for mass destruction! Yusuke must go undercover and infiltrate Genkai’s compound!

## Plot Details

Botan gives Yusuke his next mission, an infiltration assignment where Yusuke must become the successor of a powerful psychic named Genkai. Her abilities are top class and she's looking for an apprentice for the first time in many years. Her powers cannot be allowed to fall into the wrong hands and that's why Koenma needs to make sure that Yusuke is the one who becomes her apprentice.

A criminal known as Rando the Human Hunter has stolen the power of ninety-nine Psychics already and the higher-ups in Spirit World believe he will certainly try to take Genkai's abilities as well. Annoyed, Yusuke wants to relax on his three day weekend but Botan makes him with a ticket for a big fight show in Tokyo.

Yusuke agrees and travels into the forest until he reaches an ominous temple. Hundreds of martial artists gather to potentially become one of Genkai's students, including Kuwabara. Kuwabara notices Yusuke and reveals his spiritual awareness has increased drastically as of late and he wants Genkai's help to tame it.

Genkai appears and Yusuke is surprised to see that she is a little old woman. She instructs everyone to draw lots and has them all open them at the same time. If the paper is red, participants are allowed to continue. However, if the paper is white, they must leave. Only Genaki knows that the paper turns red automatically if the contender has enough Spirit Energy.

Two large men from the Kyushu Mountain People are irritated by what appears to be a random selection. They threaten Genkai and even attack her but are easily repelled away with her psychic abilities. Both Yusuke and Kuwabara are impressed by her abilities. The rest of the red cards follower Genkai to the next stage while Yusuke tries to find Rando using his Demon Compass. The compass suddenly overloads and breaks due to Rando's incredible Spiritual Energy. Even so, this at least confirms that Rando is somewhere present.

Genkai's next test involves all the competitors playing arcade games that test their spiritual output. Yusuke and Kuwabara both score high on a few games, garnering Genkai's attention, but they aren't the only potential students present. Following this competition, Genkai selects the final 20 competitors which include Yusuke and Kuwabara.

The next trial tasks the twenty participants to make it to the giant tree of the Dark Forest. The forest is an ancient place filled with dangerous demons, scaring away a few competitors. Yusuke and Kuwabara remained determined to outdo one another, unbothered by the dangers. While many people go their separate ways, Yusuke heads for the destination through a straight line until he's confronted by dozens of bats.

Kuwabara is the first to make it to Genkai while Yusuke struggles against a man-sized bat-like demon. He wastes half an hour watching it's movements until he can finally outmaneuver and defeat his enemy. The two hours pass and Genkai claims that only seven people have passed. Kuwabara claims that one more man should be on his way since Yusuke is still missing. Genkai says she doesn't make exceptions but Yusuke arrives a few seconds later.

Yusuke admits going straight through the forest was a mistake. Surprised, Genkai replies that there is no way Yusuke could've survived a lethal encounter with the Man-Bat Baldok. Yusuke reveals that he took care of Baldok since his speed doesn't compare to Hiei's. Kuwabara reveals that Yusuke went over the time limit but Genkai decides to make an exception just this once.

Meanwhile, Koenma watches from his office and says that Yusuke has no time to celebrate. Among the eight finalists, the killer apparition Rando must be present.

## Credits

* Cast
* Staff