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The hero of our saga is a sixteen-year-old boy named Urameshi Yuusuke, a rough&tough delinquent who spends more school days roaming the streets than in class. One day, he spots a kid playing ball by the street. After a failing attempt at getting him to get away, the same kid bounces his ball right into the street and runs after it. Yuusuke, though brash as he is, had the heart and mind to jump between the kid and an oncoming car and is killed.
This is where things get a bit more confusing. We meet Botan, a cutesy-Sailormoon-ey spirit guide, who comes to take him to the Other Side. She hails from the Reikai (Spirit Realm), under the power of Enma Daioh (kinda like God). She is informed that Yuusuke wasn't meant to die and is now there to resurrect him. Remarkably, we never actually *see* Enma in the series (at least not from the episodes I've seen/know about). His business is usually run by his son, Koenma. He is a thousand years old, but retains the form of a toddler, complete with pacifier. (The pacifier is his store of power). We see a lot of Koenma and Botan in the series.
With the help of his "girlfriend," Yukimura Keiko, and his friend/rival Kuwabara Kazuma, Yuusuke is resurrected back into the Ningenkai (Human Realm). The only catch to Koenma's little favour is that now Yuusuke has to become the little prince's Spiritual Detective, or Reikai Tantei. This means that our hero has to clean up Koenma's little messes, or face the wrath of his father. The job usually includes trashing demons, saving the Three Realms, rescuing his friends (usually Keiko), and risking life and limb on a near-daily basis. Thanks to his resurrection, Yuusuke adopts special tools to help him, and gains a considerable amount of power. (See Techs)
It's through these little escapades, that Yuusuke comes into contact with most of the other chara. His first mission is to return the three artifacts stolen from the Reikai Palace by a trio of thieves. Two out of these three end up on Yuusuke's side (not necessarily by choice, as in Hiei's case) These two are the reincarnated Youko, Kurama, and the Forbidden Child of the Koorime, Hiei. Once Yuusuke gets back the artifacts, Kurama's and Hiei's punishment for stealing the items is to join the Reikai Tantei in his quests. Eventually, they become comrades, and even friends.
He and Yuusuke didn't always get along so well. (They still don't sometimes) In fact, before Yuusuke's death, they used to be rival gang members that fought for the territory of their respective schools, as well as places in the neighborhood. However, you begin to see that a friendship really does exist, and, through all the bickering, he really does care about his friends. He is usually boastful, plowing into a self-righteous speech every time they are about to fight a bad guy. (This usually gets him hit by the other guys...'specially Hiei) But he is a strong fighter with a considerable amount of human spiritual power. He started off in love with Botan, but later fell hard for Hiei's sister, Yukina.
Wow, cute ain't he? This sweetheart may look like the adorable bishounen you'd expect him to be, but he has a dark streak, and an even darker past. In a past life, he was Youko (fox spirit) Kurama, the greatest thief in the Makai (third and last, the Demon Realm). He had barely a heart, a hundred+ lovers, and absolutely no conscience whatsoever. Skilled in the arts of thievery and a master of plants, he could easily deceive his rivals and have anything he wanted. And wanted was he. One day, he was fatally wounded by hunters. Knowing he'd have to face penance for the crimes he committed, his soul fled and embedded itself into the unborn fetus of a human boy. That boy is Minamino Shuuichi.
After his rebirth, he became a changed fox. He had a mother to show him the ways of human love and compassion. (Youko Kurama's mother, Megumi, died shortly after he was born, and his father was completely heartless). He was born with a conscience and someone to teach him how to use it. He became a gentleman, kind-hearted and caring. But Shiori, his mother, got very sick, to the point where she was dying. Consequently, he was approached by Hiei and Gouki, two demons with the idea to take over the realms with the help of the Reikai artifacts. Knowing that one of the trinkets was a mirror that could grant your deepest wish, Kurama agreed to go with them, but for his own intentions. Once he got what he wanted, he left the two demons, going to save his mother. That's when Yuusuke showed up to trash the party. He managed to kill Gouki, and helped Kurama save his mother once he realised that the Youko meant him no ill harm. Kurama then turned himself in to Koenma's service.
Ah, gotta love this homicidal youkai (general term for demon). He's cute, but he has an even darker past than Youko Kurama. Little Hiei was born a Forbidden Child to his race. The Koorime are a race of female ice demons that reside on a floating island above the Makai. Strangely enough, the race is able to reproduce asexually, combining the youki (demon verson of spiritual energy) of the chosen parents. The usual outcome is a pair of twins, always preferred to be female. All males are considered Forbidden, and are thrown off the island only hours after they are born. This was Hiei's case, although not only was he born male, he was the prophesised "ice born fire demon." Yes, our little youkai is a master of the flame. He was given up immediately, with nothing left of his family but his mother's tear gem. (Koorime don't just cry normal tears. When the drop leaves their face, it becomes a priceless, flawless stone, usually used as tokens of love and friendship between each other.)
Lost and alone, Hiei managed to survive by concentrating on finding his twin sister, Yukina. Many times he was used and abused by other demons, due to his height and lack of training. He was later adopted by a ring of thieves (very prominent profession in the Makai, ne?) that gave him the training he needed. From then on, he focused his power to startling ability, with the malice to kill even those three times his size. After awhile, he was considered an outcast among the thieves and sent out on his own again, only to be found by a youkai who gave him a Jagan to find his sister. The Jagan is a third eye set into Hiei's forehead, literally translating to EvilEye. If he's not careful, a much darker, evil side takes over his body, turning him into an ice-hearted demon.
Hiei is apprehended by Yuusuke (almost too late) and turned into Koenma. As punishment for stealing an artifact, he is made to work side-by-side Yuusuke and the others as a Reikai Tantei. He finds his sister, but refuses to tell her who he is, so as not to dishonour her. He *really* dislikes Kuwabara and favours him even less when he falls in love with Yukina.
The show's loveable spirit guide. She's perky, witty, and dedicated. She'll help Yuusuke and Koenma in any way she can, and has risked her life for them many times. Faithful and funny...kinda like Sailormoon...
Our dear prince in distress. He is almost *always* in trouble and counts on Yuusuke and his friends to get his little butt out of it. He is really very sweet, tho sometimes immature and childish (where'd I get my first clue?!).
This demon doesn't show up until the release of the second movie, where it is revealed that he and Youko Kurama used to thieve together. Most know their relationship to be close, some even think it was more than mere friendship...(guilty) He is very handsome and holds dear his best friend Kurama, and a mysterious ruby pendant. His race is that of the Chimera, a winged species of youkai.
Another youkai that only shows up in the second movie, his past is unknown. He worked for Yakumo, the Netherworld god, trying to take over the Ningenkai. He dresses *very* feminine and often looks more like a woman than a guy. It's his voice that really distinguishes him. He is a Mimic, able to copy anyone's skills and fighting techniques just by seeing or experiencing them.