Episode 67

Return to Living World
Kanji	新たなるプロローグ
Rōmaji	Aratanaru Purorōgu (A New Prologue)
Japan Air Date	February 5, 1994
English Air Date	July 31, 2004
Episode	67
Manga	Chapters 113-114 (first page only)
Saga	Chapter Black Saga
Opening Song	Smile Bomb
Ending Song	Doing Unbalanced Kiss
Previous Episode	←Toguro's Wish
Next Episode	Setting the Trap→

Return to Living World is the first episode of season 3 of YuYu Hakusho. It aired on February 5, 1994 in Japan and July 31, 2004 in the United States.

Short Summary

After he returns to his hometown from the Dark Tournament in Hanging Neck Island, Yusuke Urameshi runs afoul of three high school boys, Asato Kido, Mitsunari Yanagisawa and Yu Kaitou. Using his psychic abilities, Kito paralyzes Yusuke by stepping on his shadow, and they kidnap him in the process. Kido, Yanagisawa, and Kaito leave a message for Kazuma Kuwabara and Botan, who decide to rescue Yusuke.

Detailed Summary

A month has passed since the Dark Tournament competition was held. Now, Yusuke and Kuwabara go to third grade of middle school. In Spirit World, Koenma receives a report about strange activities happening in the Human World. Both Kurama and Hiei find out about Demon World Insects trying to inhabit the city once again. They both are suspicious about this.

We can see the normal daily lives in both Meiou Academy and Sarayashiki Junior High. At the end of the school day, Yusuke Urameshi runs afoul of three boys from another school, named Kido, Kaito, and Yanagisawa. They all go to the empty field behind Sarayashiki school. With the use of his psychic abilities, Kido manages to paralyze the formidable street fighter Yusuke by stepping on his shadow, and then, the mysterious three-man group kidnap him in the process.

Worried, Pu warns Botan and Kuwabara about this. They both go immediately to that empty fiend and they see that the three-man group leave a message for both Kuwabara and Botan, who decide to rescue Yusuke.

Characters in Order of Appearance

Elder Toguro (cameo) Shinobu Sensui (cameo) Koenma Jorge Saotome Botan Ayame Rena (debut) Yusuke Urameshi Kazuma Kuwabara Keiko Yukimura Pu Street gang delinquents

Kido (debut) Yanagisawa (debut) Hiei Kaito (debut) Kurama Meiou Academy teacher (cameo) Meiou Academy girl students (cameo) Okubo Kirishima Sawamura Principal Takanaka

Relevant Techniques

• Regeneration (Elder Toguro)
• Flight (Botan, Pu)
• Master Swordsman (Hiei)
• Shadow Paralysis (Kido)
• Connection to Yusuke (Pu)

Anime Notes

• This episode marks the beginning of the Chapter Black Saga.
• The opening changes its visuals to better reflect the Chapter Black Saga, including new characters such as the trio of Kido, Kaito, and Yanagisawa, and the Sensui Seven. Also, Atsuko Urameshi is removed and replaced with Shizuru Kuwabara in the final shot, the former having not appeared in the anime since "The Dark Tournament Begins". The original English releases kept the first visuals from Episodes 1 to 66 and didn't switch over until "Spirit Detective Showdown", though the Blu-ray release did eventually reinstate it in the earlier episodes of the Chapter Black Saga.
• This marks the first appearance of Shinobu Sensui, though he is not identified by name. This cameo was exclusive to the anime; Sensui did not appear in the manga until after Genkai revealed her ruse with the Mushiyori psychics.
• In this episode, it is confirmed that Yusuke, Kuwabara and Keiko are in their third year of middle school; the equivalent of 9th Grade in North America.
• Some of the events of the Dark Tournament Saga that were included in Episode 66 were actually mentioned only in Chapter 113 of the manga.
• In the original Japanese, Eiji Sekiguchi takes over as Sawamura from Toshiyuki Morikawa starting with this episode.

Trivia

• Yusuke did a pose to Kuwabara which is similar to Thousand Years of Death from Naruto, which is called Kanchou (カンチョー, Kanchō^?), a common prank performed by clasping the hands together in the shape of an imaginary gun and attempting to poke an unsuspecting victim's backside. It is a common prank among children in East Asian countries such as Japan.

Gallery

• Main article: Gallery