Yu Yu Hakusho Ghostfiles:Beasts of Maze Castle (2002)

Includes episodes 16 – 18 One of Yusuke’s teammates has been badly injured, and Kuwabara insists on fighting the next enemy all by himself. Before the bickering group can disagree, a ferocious roar slices through the castle. Byakko, the second Saint Beast, is waiting! Now Kuwabara must stay true to his word and face the great White Tiger alone. Even if his new-and-improved Spirit Sword is enough to defeat this monster, many more dangers still await the team in Maze Castle!

Pretty Darn Good

Yu Yu Hakusho: Spirit Detective: Vol. 5: The Beasts of Maze Castle contains three action-packed episodes that make it worth four. Not to mention the extras on this DVD, like most Y.Y.H., are surprisingly comprehensive for what seems initially like a Dragonball Z type anime aimed at young teen boys. The extras are worth talking about before we discuss the episodes!

There is a name guide, a kanji translator, and a diary with more cultural notes. Honestly, I am in awe and grateful for these extras that shed such light on an outsider's view of Japanese culture. In no other anime series have I seen such extras that help Westerners who are interested in learning the cultural background of a series.

Episode 16: Byakko, the White Tiger - Yuremeshi, Kuwabara, Kurama, and Hie tackle the second of the four Saint Beasts they need to defeat. Since Kurama is badly wounded from his fight with the first Saint Beast, the brash Kuwabara insists on taking on the big cat all by himself. But will his Reiki Sword be enough to defeat his opponent?

Episode 17: Byakko's Lair - He's back for Round 2 - Byakko and an exhausted Kurama have a final showdown on the cat's turf.

Episode 18: Seiryu, the Blue Dragon - The third Saint Beast is capable of a surprising twist of cruelty, summoning the enigmatic Hie to take him on. April 24, 2005

More reviews at Amazon.com ...