History HoYay / YuYuHakusho

** Yomi acts like a lowkey crazy ex. Kurama tried to have him killed, but Yomi takes the lesson that Kurama is basically the smartest person in the world for doing that. "Youko Kurama tried to have me killed one time. It was awesome." He ends up stalking him until he knows exactly where his mom is at the moment they're speaking. Then, when Yusuke, Kurama's new favorite person, shows up and Kurama throws in with him, Yomi ''has a baby''.

* Not to mention Yusuke is neck-deep in FoeYay with all of his male enemies at times.

* How about Kurama being FoeYay with Karasu? Major one there.
** Even Togashi shipped Karasu and Kurama in his doujinshi Yoshirin de Pon!

* HoYay is Togashi's forte. It's very difficult to look at ANY two males' interactions in ''Manga/YuYuHakusho'' OR ''Manga/HunterXHunter'' without seeing something there. Yusuke x Kuwabara? Kurama x Hiei? Itsuki x Sensui? Yep. Killua and Gon? Leorio x Kurapika? Even Hisoka x Gon, it's there kids! Tons of FoeYay in both with the protagonists and some antagonists? HELLS YEAH.

* Hiei and Kuwabara together also could be called FoeYay and even borderline WellExcuseMePrincess with each other. Kuwabara grabs Hiei by the collar a few times and Hiei seems almost completely unfazed by this. Although, in a fight Hiei would easily win so this is most likely the real reason he doesn't care when Kuwabara grabs him.

* The most understated pairing in YYH is Kazuma Kuwabara and Yusuke Urameshi. From the premonition of a kiss, to one or the other going full-blown hysterical whenever the other is hurt--except in the instances when they are hurting one another. They are the quintessential guys who hate each other becoming best friends. The focus is definitely on Yusuke's emotional outbursts increasing his reiki and it's usually Kuwabara who is the one who has to get injured in a big way for him to peak. It's justified in-universe as Yusuke being very protective of Kuwabara.

** Also, whenever Hiei passes out and needs to be carried who is seen carrying him? Kuwabara. This is both true in the movie and the series.

*** Considering the [[WhatTheHellHero "birthday present"]] Hiei gives Mukuro in the manga and the fact that he remains with her, the above is just speculation.
** Wait, when did they confirm the two knowing each other in the Makai? The Maya side-story confirmed that Kurama at least knew Hiei's reputation, but it was made pretty clear that they didn't actually know each other. Plus half the story is about Kurama not being able to admit he loves this girl for whatever reason.
*** Well it's not really confirmed that he loved her. The reason he could obviously never be with her (and honestly why would he want to) is because he hadn't planned on staying a human at all. He still really doesn't. When it comes down to it, he's a demon and that's all there is to it. Also I think they've both heard of each other but I don't think they had a past together specifically. I'll take the liberty of removing whoever put that.
----> '''Kurama:''' (response to Maya's love declaration) "I'm sorry." (thinking) ''It's too dangerous to tell you... how I really feel.''

* HoYay is Togashi's forte. It's very difficult to look at ANY two males' interactions in ''Manga/YuYuHakusho'' OR ''Manga/HunterXHunter'' without seeing something there. Yusuke x Kuwabara? Kurama x Hiei? Itsuki x Sensui? Yep. Killua and Gon? Leorio x Kurapika? Even Hisoka x Gon, it's there kids! Tons of FoeYay in both with the protagonists and some villains? HELLS YEAH.
** Either Togashi is really oblivious when it comes to making friendship seem like friendship, the couples are real, or they're just a huge shiptease.
*** He's a LGBT supporter so...yeah.
*** If [[Creator/NaokoTakeuchi his wife]] is any indication (what with two particularly memorable gay characters existing in the original Manga/SailorMoon manga) he probably isn't opposed to HoYay.
*** Well, [[OfficialCouple Itsuki/Sensui]] [[YaoiGuys isn't exactly]] HoYay...

* The Big Bad of the story arc Shinobu Sensui is seen taking the Game Master, Amanuma, to dinner, coming to his house and the next scene is him with black angel wings wrapped around Amanuma who is nuzzling his head into his arms. It's heavily implied that Sensui had spent the night.
** Amanuma is twelve. At best. This is less Ho''Yay'' and more Ho''Brain Bleach''.

* Yusuke and Hiei deserve a space here, too. Yusuke likes Hiei for no apparent reason, and Hiei is utterly flabbergasted by it. Hiei tries to stealth mentor Yusuke and only gets involved in the fight against Sensui to save his life. And there's that long, sweaty, shirtless bitchfight they have out of pique. Yusuke, for his part, sees ''right through'' Hiei's tough guy act.

*** If [[NaokoTakeuchi his wife]] is any indication (what with two particularly memorable gay characters existing in the original Manga/SailorMoon manga) he probably isn't opposed to HoYay.

*** Considering the [[WhatTheHellHero "birthday present"]] Hiei gives Mukuro in the manga and the fact that he remains with her the above is just speculation.

* Kurama and Kuwabara moments are more subdued but it's apparent that they care about each other. The story places a lot of focus on the two as a mentor-student relationship, with Kurama showing a level of kindness and patience that Kuwabara doesn't receive from the others -- namely that Kurama actually listens to Kuwabara's concerns and questions and gives the most honest, frank advice he can so Kuwabara understands. Though Kurama doesn't go easy on Kuwabara, possessing enough pragmatism to push Kuwabara to his limits so he's prepared. Kuwabara for his part shows immense gratitude to Kurama for all the effort the fox demon puts into his training.

*** Kurama's familiarity around Kuwabara also leads outside observers to assume he's Kuwabara's girlfriend. The final chapters of the manga and the Anime's final episode have students from Kuwabara's college say hello to Kuwabara, and when they turn to Kurama their first thought is if Kuwabara is dating "her". Kuwabara defends Kurama's masculinity (by saying he has delicate features), with Kurama just going into stone cold silence mode for the duration of the conversation. Manga Kurama goes into tranquil fury mode, with Kuwabara getting freaked out that Kurama will attack them. When they walk off Kurama reads their minds, and the college students still aren't convinced Kurama's a guy (can't catch a break). Anime Kurama laughs it off nonchalantly, once he's recovered from the awkwardness of the situation. While it is a jab at Kurama's appearance, the fact that their first impression was that the two of them were a couple shows how friendly the two are to each other. Also, looking to Japanese folklore, kitsune were largely considered above gender and regardless of the biological sex they chose maintained an appearance that could look like either a man or a woman. Many tales had foxes nonchalantly assume the form of a female simply to please a man they were fond of, regardless of whether the kitsune in question had once been a male fox.

*** Kurama's familiarity around Kuwabara also leads outside observers to assume he's Kuwabara's girlfriend. The final chapters of the manga and the Anime's final episode have students from Kuwabara's college say hello to Kuwabara, and when they turn to Kurama their first thought is if Kuwabara is dating "her". Kuwabara defends Kurama's masculinity (by [[NotHelpingYourCase saying he has delicate features]]), with Kurama just going into stone cold silence mode for the duration of the conversation. Manga Kurama goes into tranquil fury mode, with Kuwabara getting freaked out that Kurama will attack them. When they walk off Kurama reads their minds, and the college students still aren't convinced Kurama's a guy (can't catch a break). Anime Kurama laughs it off nonchalantly, once he's recovered from the awkwardness of the situation. While it is a jab at Kurama's appearance, the fact that their first impression was that the two of them were a couple shows how friendly the two are to each other. Also, looking to Japanese folklore, kitsune were largely considered above gender and regardless of the biological sex they chose maintained an appearance that could look like either a man or a woman. Many tales had foxes nonchalantly assume the form of a female simply to please a man they were fond of, regardless of whether the kitsune in question had once been a male fox.

*** Not helping matters is the fact that Kuwabara comments on Kurama's fox demon form as "foxy." Kuwabara is clearly thinking in literal terms, since Kurama sports a tail and fox ears in his demon form... but foxy is usually a term reserved for beautiful and highly attractive women. Probably should have chosen a better choice of words.

*** During the Dark Tournament arc an injured Kuwabara fights the leader of the Ninja Team with his Life Energy, fully intending to die so his team mates could win the match. Before charging into this course of action he faces his team mates and confesses how he feels about them. Hiei gets a begrudging expression of affection, with Yusuke his thoughts are leaning in the direction that they're best friends but he's too embarrassed to articulate it, but when he faces Kurama he claims that he's never met anyone more caring than the fox demon (which in light of Kurama's self-conscious issues of self worth, and whether he's worthy of the kindness he's been shown is very important for him to hear).

*** Kurama's familiarity around Kuwabara also leads outside observers to assume he's Kuwabara's girlfriend. The final chapters of the manga and the Anime's final episode students from Kuwabara's college on Kurama's feminine appearance and ask Kuwabara if that's his girlfriend. The Manga shows Kurama go into tranquil fury mode, with Kuwabara getting freaked out that Kurama will attack them. When they walk off Kurama reads their minds, and the college students still aren't convinced Kurama's a guy (can't catch a break). Anime Kurama laughs it off nonchalantly. While it is a jab at Kurama's appearance, the fact that their first impression was that the two of them were a couple shows how friendly the two are to each other. Also, looking to Japanese folklore, kitsune were largely considered above gender and regardless of the biological sex they chose maintained an appearance that could look like either a man or a woman. Many tales had foxes nonchalantly assume the form of a female simply to please a man they were fond of, regardless of whether the kitsune in question had once been a male fox. Kuwabara even defends Kurama as just having delicate features, not that it helps much...

*** Kurama's so close to Kuwabara in fact that outside observers mistook him for Kuwabara's girlfriend! In the final chapters of the Manga and the final episode of the Anime some students from Kuwabara's college comment on Kurama's feminine appearance and ask Kuwabara if that's his girlfriend. In the Manga Kurama looks notably irritated, and after they walk off Kurama reads the mind of a pedestrian who ALSO thinks Kurama and Kuwabara look like a lovely couple (poor guy can't get a break). In the Anime he's more nonchalant and laughs it off. While it is a jab at Kurama's appearance, the fact that their first impression was that they were a couple shows how friendly and at ease the two are around each other that they would make that mistake. Also, based on Japanese folklore Kitsune were shape-shifters capable of turning into females and were considered loyal and dependable wives by the men they seduced. Though as Kuwabara said our favorite fox just has delicate features...
*** During the Dark Tournament arc an injured Kuwabara fights the leader of the Ninja Team with his Life Energy, fully intending to die so his team mates could win the match. Before charging into this course of action he faces his team mates and confesses how he feels about them. Hiei gets a begrudging expression of affection, with Yusuke his thoughts are leaning in the direction that they're best friends but he's too embarrassed to articulate it, but when he faces Kurama it comes easily and automatically for him to consider the fox demon a good person and a good friend.

* More acknowledged is Hiei and Kurama. Though both tend to be introverts on the show, Kurama is the only one that Hiei appears to trust completely, even showing up at Kurama's human home more often than not. Also, Kurama mentions whenever they're fighting Sensui that "this might be the first time Hiei has ever been willing to die for anyone other than himself". This is actually untrue because when Kurama was knocked out after his fight with Touya, Hiei almost released the Dragon of the Darkness Flame whenever Kurama was being thrown around while unconscious even though it meant that he would die at the time since he hadn't mastered it yet. Kurama was unconscious so he never knew he was about to do that. One is rarely seen without the other, and there is promotional art for the series where Kurama is hugging Hiei (the fact that he can do this and live says something right there) and one where he has his arm around him in a very possessive manner. Most of the official art shows Hiei and Kurama together.

*** Even though Hiei does remain with Mukuro, he's seen visiting Kurama. He also gets mad when Kurama refers to him and Mukuro as lovers

*** When Kuwabara thought he was gonna die at the Demon Tournament he gives a confession to his friends about how he feels about all of them. Yusuke and Hiei get begrudging expressions of affection, but for Kurama it comes easily and automatically for him to say he thinks of Kurama as a good person and a good friend.

* Koenma and Sensui. Koenma was willing to trap them together for all eternity, and Sensui's boyfriend, Itsuki, is quite hostile to him when Sensui dies. It's clear that Koenma cared about Shinobu a lot and had a hard time coming to grips with him being the enemy.

*** Yusuke is also extremely protective of Kuwabara and shows a lot of worry whenever he's hurt/about to die. During the fight with Byakko Yusuke repeatedly demands that he be allowed to step in so Kuwabara doesn't die. He gets very upset when Kuwabara lets himself get hurt in order to save Yen, Kai, and Ryo from Dr. Ichigaki's brainwashing and contemplates killing them rather than letting Kuwabara get hurt over what looks like a lost cause. When up against the Ninja team Yusuke would rather risk getting into a war with the entire Dark Tournmanet, then letting the injured Kuwabara fight on their behalf (the Tournament had disqualified Yusuke over a bogus technicality). And then most notably Yusuke has an utter freak out when Toguro suggests that he's going to kill Kuwabara in order to awaken his true potential, and gets the shit beat out of him trying to defend Kuwabara. When Kuwabara apparently dies by Kuwabara's hand the shock is too great to bear and all of his latent power comes flooding out, with him declaring to Toguro that as much as he hates him he will never forgive himself for letting Kuwabara die (fortunately Toguro was just faking it).

*** Kuwabara is no slacker in the intense emotions department either. During Yusuke's funeral Kuwabara has a melt down, declaring that Yusuke's presence gave him meaning and purpose -- unsure of what he's supposed to do without him there. And when Yusuke was prepared to give his life so Kuwabara, Hiei, and Kurama would unlock their latent powers against Sensui, he likewise has a major freak out. Kuwabara declares that Yusuke all along has been his best friend, and that he's defined such a large part of his existence on Yusuke that he can't imagine his life without him -- echoing the earlier funeral. He begs Yusuke to please find another way, tears streaming down his face as he realizes what's about to happen. The idea of just letting Yusuke die is so infuriating to him that he unlocks the Dimension Cutting Sword at that moment and destroys Itsuki's dimension beast. Sadly for him he didn't unlock the power in time and Sensui still kills Yusuke, and the breakdown he suffers afterward is heartbreaking. Hie, himself, and Kurama all charge ahead in pursuit of Sensui, with Kuwabara thinking to himself that he's willing to die in order to avenge Yusuke. Fortunately Yusuke does get better, with Sensui even noting that Yusuke's friends are more empowered by his return than by his death.

** {{Lampshaded}} in the anime, when Kuwabara's friend muse they were husband and wife in a past life, and we're subjected to imagine bubbles of Yusuke and Kuwabara alternating between both roles. When Kuwabara is seen as the wife he's shown as a house wife, while Yusuke is shown as a mother of a child pushing the baby in a stroller with Kuwabara by her side. All of this is played out while Yusuke and Kuwabara fighting in the classroom like an old married couple.

*** Kuwabara is no slacker in the intense emotions department either. During Yusuke's funeral Kuwabara has a melt down, declaring that Yusuke's presence gave him meaning and purpose -- unsure of what he's supposed to do without him there. And when Yusuke was prepared to give him life so Kuwabara, Hiei, and Kurama would unlock their latent powers against Sensui, he likewise has a major freak out. Kuwabara declares that Yusuke all along has been his best friend, and that he's defined such a large part of his existence on Yusuke that he can't imagine his life without him -- echoing the earlier funeral. The idea of just letting Yusuke die is so infuriating to him that he unlocks the Dimension Cutting Sword at that moment and destroys Itsuki's dimension beast.

** Whenever there are group meeting Kurama and Kuwabara are usually already seen hanging out together before any of the others arrive. Of particular note they're the first two people to join up for the trip to Genkai's estate in the finale of the Anime, and they spend the whole day talking about their past adventures in very nostalgic tones. If you need any further proof of how much Kurama values Kuwabara's friendship you'll notice that Kuwabara is the only one of Kurama's 3 closest friends that attended his mother's wedding to his step father (mind you Yusuke and Hiei had important matters to attend to in Demon World, but it's still very telling).

** {{Lampshaded}} in the anime, when Kuwabara's friend muse they were husband and wife in a past life, and we're subjected to imagine bubbles of Yusuke and Kuwabara filling both roles. Amusingly Yusuke is displayed as the mother of a child in one of the bubbles.

***

** {{Lampshaded}} in the anime, when Kuwabara's friend muse they were husband and wife in a past life.

*** Kurama's so close to Kuwabara in fact that outside observers mistook him for Kuwabara's girlfriend! In the final chapters of the Manga and the final episode of the Anime some students from Kuwabara's college comment on Kurama's feminine appearance and ask Kuwabara if that's his girlfriend. In the Manga Kurama looks notably irritated, and after they walk off Kurama reads the mind of a pedestrian who ALSO thinks Kurama and Kuwabara look like a lovely couple (poor guy can't get a break). In the Anime he's more nonchalant and laughs it off. While it is a jab at Kurama's appearance, the fact that their first impression was that they were a couple shows how friendly and at ease the two are around each other that they would make that mistake.

** Whenever there are group meeting Kurama and Kuwabara are usually already seen hanging out together before any of the others arrive. Of particular note they're the first two people to join up for the trip to Genkai's estate in the finale of the Anime, and they spend the whole day talking about their past adventures in very nostalgic tones. If you need any further proof of how much Kurama values Kuwabara's friendship you'll notice that Kuwabara is the only one of Kurama's 3 closest friends that attended his mother's wedding to his step father (mind you Yusuke and Hiei had important matters to attend to in Demon World, but it's still very telling). And in the final chapters of the manga and the final episode of the Anime Kurama is mistaken as Kuwabara's girlfriend by fellow students from Kuwabara's college. Sure it's an obvious joke at Kurama's feminine appearance, but even without that a casual observer would notice how friendly and at ease the two are around each other.

* Kurama and Kuwabara are far more understated than the others but there are plenty of moments that show they care about each other. Kurama shows a level of patience and kindness to Kuwabara that the others do not, but at the same time is pragmatic enough to know when to lay it down hard on Kuwabara so he's prepared for the battles to come. And Kurama in general spends a lot of time concerned that Kuwabara is struggling to keep up with the others, and doing his best to reassure Kuwabara and keep him on track. Kuwabara for his part shows immense gratitude to Kurama for his help, and acknowledges him as the nicest member of their crew.
** Outside of combat Kurama and Kuwabara have a lot of "frat boy" moments where the two of them are already seen together partying/talking when the others arrive, showing that they're very clearly friends in the civilian world. Most telling of all, Kuwabara is the only one among Kurama's 3 closest friends who attended his mother's wedding (admittedly Yusuke and Hiei were busy doing other things at the time, but still). And in the final chapters of the manga and the final episode of the Anime Kurama is mistaken as Kuwabara's girlfriend by fellow students from Kuwabara's college. Sure it's an obvious joke at Kurama's feminine appearance, but even without that a casual observer would notice how friendly and at ease the two are around each other.

** Amanuma is twelve. At best. This is less Ho''Yay'' and more Ho''Brain Bleach''.