As soon as anime fans see a character fitting the ‘foe-turned-friend’ archetype paired up with edginess, they are instantly reminded of Vegeta from the Dragon Ball series. Most fans believed Hiei from Yu Yu Hakusho to be inspired by Vegeta as well, as both of them had similar character arcs and the comparison is understandable.
However, contrary to popular belief, Hiei wasn’t inspired by Vegeta but a completely different character. Interestingly, it was Yoshihiro Togashi himself who debunked this misconception and also shared the actual inspiration behind Hiei was a character called Skunky from Patalliro!.
Yoshihiro Togashi Shared the Inspiration Behind Hiei
Published for the first time in 1978, Patalliro! is a comedy manga by Mineo Maya, that is still ongoing even after decades. Skunky is a supporting character in the manga and the inspiration behind Hiei from Yu Yu Hakusho. Yoshihiro Togashi shared this revelation (via translations on Tumblr) in his doujinshi ‘Yoshirin de Pon!’. He debunked the popular belief that Hiei was based on Vegeta.
As one of the central characters in Yu Yu Hakusho, Hiei enjoys great popularity among fans. The comparisons between him and Vegeta are understandable as they share many similarities. Some even believe that Hiei is ‘Vegeta done right’.
They both started off as evil characters who later became life-long allies of the protagonists of their respective series. For Hiei, it was Yusuke and for Vegeta, it was Goku. While Vegeta’s character changed significantly from the beginning, Hiei’s key essence was present up until the end.
Unlike Vegeta, who was turned into somewhat of a good guy, Hiei was ruthless and downright evil against his opponents, but he was committed to his friends. He grew softer beyond the tough exterior, but never let go of his ideals. Whether he’s a better version of Vegeta or not, he’s a well-written character who has inspired many other shonen characters like Sasuke from Naruto.
Characters Written By Togashi Are in a League of Their Own
Aside from Hiei, the other three central characters in Yu Yu Hakusho prove Togashi’s exceptional characterization skills. No matter which archetypes a character falls under, the mangaka does a brilliant job of fleshing them out. He maintains a balance between coolness and realism with all his characters. Yusuke, Kuwabara, Kurama, and Hiei are all compelling characters with distinct qualities.
Kurama was cruel and intuitive, nobody could beat him at strategizing as per the situation he found himself in. If an opponent angered Kurama, they were already done for as he was known for his merciless tendencies. Hiei, on the other hand, had strong ideals and he stood by them at all costs. Yusuke was the protagonist and won hearts with his charm and confidence.
Compared to the other three, Kuwabara is painfully underrated. He was fairly normal than them but kept up with them and justified his presence among the central four. Their individual traits aside, these characters also complemented each other quite well. Togashi created a powerful cast of characters who were interesting to follow, and he started with the inspiration behind them and turned them into something of his own.
Yu Yu Hakusho is available to stream on Netflix.
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