Episode 69

The Power of Taboo
Kanji	禁句のパワー! 蔵馬の頭脳
Rōmaji	Yon Jigen Yashiki ni Hisomu Wana (The Power of Taboo! Kurama's Intellect)
Japan Air Date	February 19, 1994
English Air Date	August 14, 2004
Episode	69
Manga	Chapters 115 (second half)-116
Saga	Chapter Black Saga
Opening Song	Smile Bomb
Ending Song	Doing Unbalanced Kiss
Previous Episode	←Setting the Trap
Next Episode	Genkai's Ruse→

The Power of Taboo is the third episode of season 3 of YuYu Hakusho. It aired on February 19, 1994 in Japan and August 14, 2004 in the United States.

Short Summary

Kuwabara and Botan also turns into stone due to saying hot as well. Kurama discreetly takes the key from Yanagisawa. Kurama challenges Kaito to a game of taboo in which letters of the alphabet become taboo one by one over the course of the game, waging their souls as their bids. Kurama surrounds himself with his manifested plants while Kaito goes to the restroom, emerging when only the last two letters are left. Kurama yells to scare him, but he manages not to cry out. It is until Kurama makes silly faces at Kaito that cause the latter to laugh, thereby breaking the taboo. Kaito loses his own soul, thus freeing the others. Now it's time to continue to the next opponent of the Mystery Trio.

Characters in Order of Appearance

Koenma Jorge Saotome Hiei Botan Kazuma Kuwabara

Kurama Yuu Kaito Asato Kido Yusuke Urameshi Mitsunari Yanagisawa

Relevant Techniques

• Shadow Paralysis (Kido)
• Taboo (Kaito)
• Taboo of Speech (Kaito)
• Soul Stealing (Kaito)
• Accelerated Growth (Kurama)

Anime Notes

• The dub uses the American alphabet, with the math altered to accommodate the change.
• In the original version Kaito's taboo is strictly about "sounds"; in the dub, the taboo is strictly about letter arrangement. Even if "hot" is not spoken as itself, in either version it counts.
  • This creates a plothole in the previous episode when Kuwabara says "shot" and doesn't have his soul taken by Kaito.
• Kaito, in the English dub, asks if Kurama is "ready for conceding" even after the letter "y" is taboo.
• Kurama can quietly and quickly cause an entire room to fill with plants.
• Yanagisawa was likely knocked out right before he could react to the plants growing out of control.

Gallery

• Main article: Gallery