Shonen anime has an incredibly long history, but there are many classics that even casual anime fans can point to as staples of the genre. There are a lot of obvious names that come to mind like Bleach, Naruto, and One Piece. These anime can trace their storied lineage back to the most famous anime of all time like Dragon Ball and Rurouni Kenshin and wear their pedigrees with a level of pride, but one of the most influential shonen anime is often looked over when talking about the history of the genre.

Yu Yu Hakusho is not a niche anime by any means, but the reasons for its staying power are often overlooked when talking about the titans of shonen anime. It can be easy to forget how unique Yu Yu Hakusho was at the time it was released and how far-reaching its influence truly was. There are many...