Youko Kurama Cels

This is the section for the Youko versions of Kurama. The Youko has two voices throughout the series. In the first half, when Kurama needs to go through full transformations with Zense no Mi, the Youko is voiced by Nakahara Shigeru (also Trowa in Gundam Wing). I don't yet have a seiyuu section compiled for Shigeru, hence him not being listed above. Later in the story Kurama goes through instant transformations, but they don't seem as convincingly scary and definitely not as priggish as the real Youko. Because they aren't a back-fired Zense no Mi-induced attempt at de-evolving Kurama, they seem to be more of a current meld of both of his selves and he uses the Ogata Megumi voice during them. He also continues to use attacks like Rose Whip, as opposed to the bigger scarier Makai plants of the bigger scarier Youko. I'll distinguish between the different Youko versions on this page (the different seiyuu, anyway).

Though the Youko is by far the most attractive Kurama, I prefer the human one. This opinion doesn't make much sense, because I love the way the Youko looks, I love his freaky killer Makai plants, I love his lack of human kindness... yet I'm more fond of dopey, wimpier, semi-kind Kurama. *shrug* ;) The Youko can be too much of a pompous buffoon. Whereas humanoid Kurama is prone toward screwing up by being too kind (sometimes), the Youko can screw up just as well by spending too much time strutting over how wondrous he is. Leaves me wishing he would do something to back up his extreme self-esteem. Most of all, I expect aspects of his personality just plain grate me. With my persnickety nature, I can't hear someone say something ala "What shall be the punishment for the sin of angering Youko Kurama?" without immediately thinking I really really want to commit the sin of angering Youko Kurama.

What I would really like to see in the world of all Kurama is a shrewder combination between his various personalities and qualities, though one that looks Youko-ish, which is something he seems to be working toward late in the series. I expound more on that in the Shuuichi-Kurama section, but here I'll say that at the least I wouldn't want to see Hiei get stuck with his closest friend (or whatever those boys really are to each other) permanently turning solid Youko on him. That could lead to him being punished for the sin of accidentally trodding on a youko's tail. ={

Silliness aside... Yes, of course I adore the Youko. I wouldn't bother collecting cels of his frighteningly expensive self if I didn't.

Ah well. This section is for drooling over the Youko's enjoyable looks without the priggish personality getting in the way anyway. ;) *wanders off wondering why some anime prigs make her giggly-happy while others make her persnickety*

Episode #: Super Famicon game commercial Stats: 1 layer, A2 Size: 12" wide x 10" tall Sketches: none Comments: *sigh* I always positively drool over this cel. It's from a game commercial, when Kurama transforms into the Youko. Just a brief moment in commercialdom, but enough of one to make my cel collection much happier. This is so gorgeous! The lines are strong, especially for anything YYH, so any fade out you might note is probably the result of a not entirely perfect scan. I used to be afraid of any possible trouble that admitting to having a Youko commercial cel might cause, hence taking forever to get around to scanning it, but I finally decided to shrug and add it. Hopefully I was being irrationally paranoid as usual. ;)

Episode #: ? Stats: 2 layers, A2/B2 Sketches: one matching (B2), unstuck Comments: Cute Youko closeup. My only ojection with it is that the face layer runs up past the hair layer. I could cut that out of the scan, but I'm being a purist. This should be the full Shigeru-voiced Youko, during one of his two Ankoku Bujutsukai fights. Unless it's from his brief appearance during the Makai Reunification Tournament, when he doesn't speak and is barely around for any time at all. As there are separate face and hair layers to give the bishounen porta-breeze blowing hair effect, I also scanned a bald Youko. It's a wee bit disturbing though. ;) Bald Youko, layer A

Episode #: ? Stats: 2 layers, A5/B5 KEY Sketches: one matching (B5), unstuck Comments: From the same sequence as the above. You get less of the top of his head here, but also less of the eye on the right. I think it's a beauty.

Episode #: 56: Preparing Kurama's Death! The Final Measure Stats: 1 layer, B4 Sketches: one matching, unstuck Background: Unstuck, doesn't match Comments: The rainbow distortion on both sides is from the ends of the cel, I'll need to rescan it eventually. The background for this moment should be the blurry audience in the stands, plus a few purple vines that are hanging down behind the Youko. I'm not entirely certain my phrasing of the first line of this episode title is quite as it should be. If you are more certain, please let me know. In my seeming tradition of acquiring two cels from each Youko scene, I also had another one of these but it now resides in the Saiyanwolf gallery. This particular Youko is the Shigeru one. SPOILER! At this moment the Youko is smirking smugly and turning to walk away when he believes his Makai plants have killed Karasu. This fight occurs during the final round of the Ankoku Bujutsukai. It is the Youko's second re-emergence, and it's during Kurama's first intentional usage of Zense no Mi.

Episode #: 91: Time of Awakening/The Battle Continues Stats: 1 layer, A8 Sketches: none Background: Unstuck, doesn't match Comments: Instantly transformed Megumi-voiced Youko with rose whip. It's a dinky image, but I like the look of him coming at us (or at our side, anyway) with the coiled whip. Kurama, Hiei, and Kuwabara are still trying to tackle Sensui on their own in the Makai. This is from the first round of attacks in the episode, after they spent the previous episode getting kicked around. Kurama had tried his grass sword before, and now switches to the Rose Whip. I won't say why they're so determined to beat Sensui despite being outclassed, since the incident already caused me to write "major spoiler" on enough other pages. I'll just say it's all pretty darned moving.

Episode #: 91: Time of Awakening/The Battle Continues Stats: 1 layer, A18 Sketches: none Background: Unstuck, doesn't match Comments: This is from the same sequence as the above cel. I love the way his hair is so all over the place in this cel.

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