You probably think you’ve seen it all. You watched Yusuke Urameshi go from a teenage delinquent to a Spirit Detective, survived the Dark Tournament, and saw the credits roll on the Three Kings saga. But for a lot of people outside of Japan, the journey didn't actually end with the TV broadcast. There's this weird, scattered collection of Yu Yu Hakusho OVAs (Original Video Animations) that fills in the gaps, offers some bizarre experimental shifts, and—in the case of the 2018 release—finally gives us the closure we deserved decades ago.
It's honestly a bit of a mess to track down.
The history of these specials is a mix of 90s experimentalism and modern fan service. Some are just glorified music videos. Others are gritty, high-stakes side stories. If you’re just searching for "more episodes," you're going to stumble into a rabbit hole of varying animation styles and confusing canon.
Eizou Hakusho and the Weird Era of 90s Fan Discs
Back in the mid-90s, when Yu Yu Hakusho was at its peak, Studio Pierrot released a series of tapes called Eizou Hakusho. These weren't episodes in the traditional sense. They were more like "fan discs."
If you go looking for these today, you’ll find two volumes of the first series and two of the second. Most of it is... well, it’s a product of its time. You get these "character poems" where the voice actors recite soulful monologues over montages. It’s very 1994. There are music videos for songs like "Wild Wind" and "All Right," which are great if you love the J-Rock aesthetic of the era.
But buried in there are the "Nightmare Hakusho" segments. These are short, comedic bits that feel like the animators just wanted to blow off steam. One of them involves the cast having a literal nightmare about Koenma's pacifier. It's ridiculous. It doesn't add to the lore, but it captures that specific brand of humor Yoshihiro Togashi—the original creator—is known for.
Then you have the more substantial bits. The second series of Eizou Hakusho actually features some short, original animated scenes that take place after the Dark Tournament and during the Chapter Black arc. These aren't full battles. They are quiet moments. They show the characters just existing between the world-ending threats. For a series that moves as fast as this one does, these small character beats are actually pretty precious.
The Two Shots and All or Nothing Revival
Fast forward to 2018. The series turns 25. Everyone thinks Yu Yu Hakusho is a relic of the past, a "classic" that people remember fondly but don't expect anything new from. Then, Pierrot drops a bombshell: a brand-new OVA bundled with the Blu-ray box set.
This is the big one. This is what most people mean when they talk about Yu Yu Hakusho OVAs in a modern context.
The 2018 release contains two distinct stories: "Two Shots" and "All or Nothing."
Two Shots: The Hiei and Kurama Origin
"Two Shots" is based on a side-story manga chapter that Togashi wrote way back in the day. It’s the origin story of how Hiei and Kurama met before they ever ran into Yusuke. It’s moody. It’s dark. It feels much more like a supernatural detective story than the battle-shonen the series eventually became.
Seeing Hiei in his old design—with the 90s-style hair but rendered with 2018 production values—is a trip. The story follows them as they track down a demon named Yatsuzate who is targeting students at Kurama’s school. It’s the first time we see their dynamic. Kurama is calculating; Hiei is a loose cannon. They don't even like each other. It provides so much context for their brotherhood later in the series.
All or Nothing: The True Ending?
"All or Nothing" is a different beast entirely. It adapts one of the final chapters of the manga that the original 90s anime skipped.
Here's the thing: the original anime ending was a bit "happily ever after." The manga ending was much weirder and more political. "All or Nothing" brings back that grit. The plot involves a terrorist group taking over Spirit World. They seize the "Interdimensional Laser"—yeah, that’s a thing—and threaten to wipe out the human race unless all demons are purged.
It forces Yusuke, Kuwabara, Hiei, and Kurama into a room where they have to make an impossible choice. There are four buttons. One stops the laser. One fires it. Two do nothing. They have to guess.
It’s tense. It’s philosophical. It shows how much Yusuke has grown from the kid who just wanted to punch things into a man who understands the weight of a life. It also features a brief appearance from Genkai that will absolutely wreck you if you're an emotional fan.
Why the Animation Styles Jump All Over the Place
If you watch these back-to-back, your brain might hurt.
The 90s OVAs look like the TV show but slightly "richer." They used more cells and better ink. But the 2018 OVAs? They look like Modern Anime. The colors are vibrant, almost neon. The lines are sharp. Some fans hate it because it loses that grainy, cel-shaded look of the 90s. Others love it because, honestly, seeing a Dragon of the Darkness Flame rendered with modern particle effects is objectively cool.
The change in art style reflects the shift in the industry, but also the shift in Togashi's own art. By the end of the manga, his style was much more experimental and scratchy. The new OVAs try to find a middle ground between the "pretty" look of the anime and the "raw" look of the late-stage manga.
Tracking Down the English Dub
For years, the Yu Yu Hakusho OVAs were the "forbidden fruit" for English-speaking fans. Funimation (now Crunchyroll) did an incredible job with the original series dub—it's one of the few shows where the dub is arguably better than the sub—but for a long time, they didn't have the rights to the specials.
The 2018 OVAs eventually got a dub with the original cast returning. Justin Cook (Yusuke), Christopher Sabat (Kuwabara), Chuck Huber (Hiei), and John Burgmeier (Kurama) stepped back into the booth like they never left. Hearing them again after twenty years is pure nostalgia bait, but it works because they actually sound like they care about these characters.
The older Eizou Hakusho stuff? That’s harder. A lot of it remains sub-only or was released in limited runs that are now out of print. You basically have to be a digital pirate or a very dedicated eBay hunter to find the 90s "Picture Dramas."
Is It All Actually Canon?
This is where the fandom gets into fights.
In the world of Yu Yu Hakusho, "canon" is a flexible concept. The 2018 OVAs are 100% canon because they are direct adaptations of Togashi's manga chapters. "Two Shots" and "All or Nothing" happened. They are part of the timeline.
The Eizou Hakusho shorts are "soft canon." They don't contradict anything, but they aren't essential reading (or viewing). They’re more like the deleted scenes on a DVD.
Then you have the movies, The Golden Seal and Poltergeist Report. These are often lumped in with the Yu Yu Hakusho OVAs, but they are technically theatrical features. Poltergeist Report in particular is famous for having a completely different English dub cast where Yusuke is voiced by someone who sounds like a 30-year-old smoker. It’s jarring. Most fans ignore the movies when discussing the "real" story, though the animation in Poltergeist Report is some of the best the franchise ever saw.
The Missing Pieces of the Puzzle
Why does any of this matter? Because Yu Yu Hakusho is one of the few "big" anime that actually has a definitive end. Most long-running shows like One Piece or Dragon Ball just keep going forever. Togashi ended Yu Yu Hakusho because he was burnt out and wanted to do something else (which eventually became Hunter x Hunter).
The OVAs act as the "Encore." They give us the stuff the TV show had to cut for time or because the manga wasn't finished yet.
Specifically, "All or Nothing" fixes the tone of the ending. The TV show ended on a beach with everyone smiling. It was nice, but it felt a little too simple for a show that dealt with cannibalism, child abuse, and the moral ambiguity of "monsters." The OVA brings back the idea that the world is a dangerous, complicated place where there are no easy answers—only buttons you hope are the right ones to push.
How to Watch Them Properly
If you want to experience the full story, you can't just stop at episode 112. You’ve got to go deeper.
- Watch the TV series up to the end of the Dark Tournament.
- Watch "Two Shots" (2018 OVA). Even though it's a prequel, it hits harder once you know who Hiei and Kurama become.
- Finish the TV series (Chapter Black and Three Kings arcs).
- Watch "All or Nothing" (2018 OVA). This is your true finale. It wraps up the political threads of the Spirit World and gives the core four one last mission.
- Dabble in Eizou Hakusho if you just want to see the characters hanging out and being goofy.
There are also "Picture Dramas" that were included in various Japanese releases. These are basically still images with voice-over. They cover things like Kuwabara's graduation and the guys visiting a hot spring. They aren't "essential," but if you're the kind of person who needs to know what brand of shampoo Hiei uses (probably something edgy), they're out there.
The Legacy of the Spirit Detective
Yu Yu Hakusho remains a pillar of the genre because it focuses on the characters first and the powers second. The OVAs prove that. Even when the animation is 25 years apart, the chemistry between the four leads is what carries the story.
We probably won't get any more. Togashi is busy (when his health allows) with Hunter x Hunter, and the 2018 release felt like a very deliberate "thank you" to the fans. It’s a complete package now.
To get the most out of your rewatch, start by seeking out the 2018 25th Anniversary Blu-ray. It's the most accessible way to find the high-quality modern OVAs. If you’re a completionist, look for the Eizou Hakusho collections on secondary markets, but be prepared for a lot of music videos and 90s-style "video diary" content. Finally, make sure to watch the English dub of Two Shots and All or Nothing to hear the original cast give their characters a final, proper send-off. This completes the narrative loop that the original TV run left slightly open.
