Among the myriad of shonen heroes introduced throughout the years, Yu Yu Hakusho's Yusuke Urameshi stands out as an exemplary protagonist -- and considering how great and robust the rest of the series' cast is, his ability to stand out among even them is no small feat. Here is what makes Yusuke such a great shonen protagonist, and such a great character in general.
Yusuke Is a Troubled Teen-Turned Spirit Detective
Growing up in a broken home led Yusuke to the streets. At the start of the series, he is renowned among classmates, teachers and thugs alike for his fighting prowess and nasty attitude. Yusuke smokes, drinks, fights and even wears the wrong colored uniform to class. (Gasp!) Yusuke is certainly a man of humble origin but that's one of his most endearing qualities: when you push all of the Dark Tournament and Spirit Detective work to the side, Yusuke is just a confused teenager.
When something isn't fair, Yusuke throws a tantrum and expresses his disdain, and when it comes to women, namely his love interest Keiko Yukimura, Yusuke is just as mixed-up as any teenage boy would typically be. When we first meet him, Yusuke doesn't want to become a hero akin to My Hero Academia's Midoriya or to be acknowledged by his peers like Naruto -- he is a lost 14-year-old stumbling through life -- and the story is all the better for it.
Due to his upbringing and inherent nature, Yusuke's personal growth and maturity as a human being are stunted in the human world, as none of his qualities are valued. This is why him being a Spirit Detective is genius. In the human world, Yusuke is isolated and ostracized due to his attitude and fighting prowess, but his selfless sacrifice at the start of the series is more than enough evidence that Yusuke is a good dude at heart. The position of Spirit Detective gives Yusuke an outlet to properly utilize his skillset and do good.
As the series goes on, the role comes to prove that Yusuke's personality didn't have to change -- his environment did -- and validates the notion that he is, in fact, capable of great things. Yusuke's journey from troubled teen to Spirit Detective extraordinaire is captivating not just because of its unlikelihood, but also because of how authentic and true to himself Yusuke is from start to finish.
Yusuke Fights to Find Purpose
Yusuke's evolution via conflict is masterfully executed by creator Yoshihiro Togashi, as his experience in combat is not characterized by his power-ups and victories, but by what he learns about himself in these moments. Yusuke's triumphs over Toguro and Sensui are not just contests of good against evil, but fights to find purpose.
In both of these conflicts, Yusuke brings peace to his opponents in death. Both of these men had lost their purpose in life: Toguro sacrificed everything to achieve absolute power, becoming isolated and lonely, while Sensui was left traumatized after his demon-killing spree. They were simply looking for someone to kill them.
This exposure to Sensui and Toguro's fighting motivations left Yusuke to ponder his own. During his fight with Yomi, Yusuke expresses that as a child he fought because he felt and angry and neglected and then, later, to save the world while working as a Spirit Detective. He continues this train of thought and wonders whether or not at this point in his life, he is simply looking for someone to defeat him.
However, Yusuke is different from Toguro and Sensui, who fought for the sake of being strong and left a trail of destruction in their wake. Yusuke is a good person, unwilling to compromise his friends and convictions for the sake of victory. Yusuke realizes that his preservation of these values and relationships are what gives him purpose outside of fighting, whether that purpose is starting a family with Keiko or simply enjoying the company of his friends in a world that he himself has changed for the better. No longer neglected, angry or alone by series' end, Yusuke earns the right to simply enjoy life.
Yusuke's search for purpose is something we can all relate to, and it is this level of authenticity and relatability in his character arc and journey that make him such an excellent shonen protagonist.
