I’ve definitely been having fun looking at Anthem so far, and I hope you’ve enjoyed learning about them! However, I’m putting on the breaks for a bit to catch my breath, and I think an anime review is in order. I took a look at Season 2 of Yu Yu Hakusho earlier this year (In February to be specific), so I figured that it was time to give Season 3 a look at. Will it be just as action packed as before? Will it have just as good a cast as before? Will the story be just as good as before? Well, let’s find out!
Story/Setup
Taken from the box:
“From cutting classes to brawling in the streets, Yusuke Urameshi is not your typical role model. In fact, this kid's nothing more than a fourteen-year-old delinquent with a talent for trouble. But in a single selfless act Yusuke dies while saving another. For such noble sacrifice he is given a second chance at life, but it's to be a life far different than the one left behind. Now a Spirit Detective, the young man must track down demons and humans alike who desire to rule over the three realms of reality. The Dark Tournament has come down to a final grudge match and Yusuke's full wrath is unleashed as a friend's blood stains the arena floor. But there will be no time for rest or recovery as kidnapping follows victory and further intrigue threatens the boundary between worlds. A tunnel is being carved, one which completed will lay waste to the World of the Living. There are seven who seek an age of destruction and chaos, and hero must battle fallen hero. ”
I’m just going to cut to the chase: I am not a fan of Season 3's story. At the very beginning, it feels like it’s going to go along with the tone & feel of Season 1 & 2, and at certain points afterwards it does come across like that. However, this 3rd outing goes in an exceptionally grey direction, and not the kind of grey I like! This is the kind of grey that’s dark, bleak, cynical, and offers such little hope that there really isn’t any to begin with. On top of that, it does the whole “Mankind is bad so they must be eradicated” deal that I find to be so cliched & insulting to my intelligence. These things aren’t bad per se if they’re written well, but I sat there constantly screaming into a pillow as the main bad guy went on & on. I think another reason that I couldn’t stand this was that we got a sliver of this from one of the main villains in Season 1, but at least in that circumstance it was only in a scene or two. On top of that, this bleak-brand of greyness also pours over onto the new characters, but I’ll get to that in a little bit. This is all so frustrating, because when something happens that I like, I like it! I’ve never encountered a story in all my years of running this blog that leaves me so conflicted & infuriated.....and I’m not sure I ever will again.
Animation
(See review of season 1 for details)
Voice Acting
Like Season 1 & 2, the voice acting in Season 3 hasn’t changed all that much in terms of quality. The host of new characters certainly adds variety to the voice cast, but the rule of the last 2 seasons still applies: characters don’t sound good at first, but get better over time.
Characters
Like I said above, the story made my blood boil, but the characters......sweet Jesus the characters! Not with the main cast, mind you. The cast we’ve known since season 1 are still fantastic, and they grow & evolve in some incredible ways. There are also a tiny few new characters that are introduced that are certainly likable, and all but one managed to stay until the end (Spoiler: one of these characters were killed semi-off screen). However.........HOWEVER!.......the rest of the cast that is introduced makes my blood boil. Like I said when I talked about the story, everything is exceptionally dark, bleak, grey, and cynical, and the other characters introduced can’t avoid this. I will give the main bad guy credit in one regard: he knew exactly what he was doing. He knew what his plan was, and he knew exactly how to target his minions & convert them to his side. But, like I said earlier, things are so cynical that said minions ultimately don’t matter in the end, as they were really just meant to make Yusuke & the gang squirm. To see if they were “Willing to go all the way” in their mission to stop him. I hate characters like this if they’re written poorly, and in my personal belief I think they are here.
Availability & Pricing
As with Seasons 1 & 2, you can find Season 3 in a bunch of stores & websites. Best Buy, FYE, and Amazon all have it for roughly the same price ($19.99 to $27.99), but like I said when I reviewed season 2 (Which you can read here), I got my copy at Katsucon 2020 along with 2 & 4.
Overall Impression & Rating
Yu Yu Hakusho: Season 3 is absolutely frustrating for me. When I hate it, it hate it! The story and some of the characters get way too grey & cynical, and not even the kind where I think it’s clever & doesn’t think the viewer is an idiot. The fact that said greyness & cynicism comprises a majority of this season adds to my frustration. Yet, when I love this season....I love it! The fight scenes are damn good, and a small few of the new characters that are added I kinda like. On top of that, when things feel like the first two seasons I seem to be more entertained & it keeps my attention. I don’t know....Season 3 has me conflicted. It’s not the worst I’ve watched from this series, but the things that bug me prevent me from liking it as much as Season 1 & 2.
Yu Yu Hakusho: Season 3 gets a 5 out of 10 at it’s worst, but an 8 out of 10 at it’s best.
And that’s my review for Season 3 of Yu Yu Hakusho. I don’t know when I’ll get to Season 4, as I want to take a break from this series on account of my feelings towards what was going on here. However, we got a bit more to see during the Summer in Japan, so stay tuned!
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