Mangaka Yoshihiro Togashi has got fans really excited because, after a long hiatus, he is finally writing new chapters of the Hunter x Hunter manga beyond the last published chapter 400. Due to his chronic back pain problem, Togashi has to take long hiatuses at times and that is why only 400 chapters of the Hunter x Hunter manga have been published even though it began in 1998.
However, before the insane popularity of the Hunter x Hunter manga and anime, Yoshihiro Togashi got his first break with Yu Yu Hakusho which was published from 1990-1994. Despite having a much shorter run and a simpler plot than Hunter x Hunter, Yu Yu Hakusho is very similar to Togashi’s current manga, especially in terms of characters. The fact that the main casts of both mangas fall into groups of four is one example of this. But here’s how Yu Yu Hakusho compares to Hunter x Hunter.
Hunter x Hunter and Yu Yu Hakusho have unique stories but the characters are similar
A major difference between Yu Yu Hakusho and Hunter x Hunter is their setting and plot. The story of Yu Yu Hakusho revolves around a delinquent boy named Yusuke Urameshi, who dies while trying to save a child from oncoming traffic. Once Yusuke is given the afterlife, he is given the chance to become a spirit detective and solve supernatural crimes. Yusuke’s team of allies includes his old rival Kazuma Kuwabara, a fox demon and human hybrid named Kurama, and a temperamental fire demon named Hiei.
On the other hand, Hunter x Hunter is set in a fantasy world where the protagonist, a 12-year-old orphan boy named Gon Freecss, learns that his father Ging is an elite hunter (explorer/archaeologist/bounty hunter). Hoping to meet his father, Gon decides to become a hunter. During the Hunter Entrance Exam, he meets Leorio Paradinight, who is studying to become a doctor, Kurapika, who is hunting down the gang that killed his family, and Killua Zoldyck, the child of elite assassins who is looking for a normal childhood. The four-man teams of both manga are very similar in nature.
Yusuke Urameshi and Gon Freecss
The protagonists of the two manga are perhaps the most different characters from each other. Although their characters have some similarities in the way they wear green robes, they are very different in temperament. While Gon is naive and brave, Yusuke is often eccentric and moody. Although they are both immature, in Yusuke this manifests as rudeness while for Gon it is his friendliness. However, both manifest their powers through their hands.
Kazuma Kuwabara and Leorio Paradinight
Both Kuwabara and Leorio are the tallest members of their group and are comic relief as well. Kuwabara is portrayed as kind of a nerd and has a short temper compared to Yusuke. He often doesn’t think before he speaks or acts and becomes the comic relief. Leorio, on the other hand, is the oldest of his group and is also quite intelligent. Most of his comedic moments come from trying and failing to act like the leader of the group. He is also not as adventurous as the other members of his group. Although different in terms of their intelligence and temperament, both Kuwabara and Leorio are also quite similar in terms of their role in the story.
kurama and kurapika
Both Kurama and Kurapika have very soft facial expressions that often seem feminine, even though they are both men. However, that’s not where their similarities end. Both Kurapika and Kurama are the sharpest and most witty members of their group. They also both fight with long-range weapons such as whips. In Kurama’s case it’s a rose whip, while in Kurapika’s case, they’re chains. Despite the differences in their backstories, both characters are quite similar in nature.
Hiei x Killua Zoldyck
Both Hiei and Killua are the most violent members of their respective groups. Hiei used to be Yusuke’s enemy, but teamed up with him after he was defeated. Killua, on the other hand, meets Gon during the Hunter Entrance Exam. Although Hiei has black hair and Killua has white hair, their spiky hair is quite similar. Killua has lightning powers that are similar to Hiei’s fire powers. Their personalities are also quite similar throughout the series.
At the end of the day, Togashi’s two mangas have different storylines and both are interesting in their own right. But it’s great to see how the creator was able to use the baseline for the main characters from his first manga and use it in his latest without any redundancy. If you’re a fan of Hunter x Hunter and looking forward to the new chapters, you can also try the Yu Yu Hakusho manga or anime.
