#if you read the subtext you can't NOT realize Togashi was giving voice to the voiceless marginalized people of his time

[koalatysleep]

That time Togashi straight out told us the real story in YYH is in the subtext, through - what else - subtext 🤣

This was in the manga chapter immediately after Kuwabara seemingly defeated Toguro in the Yukina rescue mission, after he seemingly falls in love with her at first sight without even knowing her name or who she is. 🤣

In case you're wondering what this seemingly throwaway reminiscence from Togashi is referring to, here's the "translation" of his subtextual meaning: 🤣

Togashi in above notes: "I wasn't the type to blatantly and directly defy school regulations... I'm the type who live to defy the law in indirect and clever ways that eludes the notice of the teachers so I can play right under their noses without getting caught or having my fun (manga, games) taken away from me."

=

What Togashi means: "I'm not the type to blatantly defy the authorities like the censors or the powers that be at Shonen Jump by blatantly writing the real story in the main text, I'm the type who defies the authorities by cleverly hiding the real story in the subtext, which eludes the notice of the authorities so I can have fun right under their noses without losing publication or being forced to stop."

As though to make sure we understand that Yukina is a proxy character for Yusuke where Kuwabara's feelings are concerned, the official Chinese manga even has fourth wall dialogue to tell us through Hiei that Yukina was captured by slavers because she broke the rules to play with animals in the mountains and was easily discovered while playing.

Yup, Togashi told us through this fourth wall dialogue that he'd lose his freedom to play (i.e. tell the real story he wants to tell), just like Yukina lost her freedom, if he makes the Kuwameshi love story too easily detectable, coz that's against the rules. 😭

Also, the fact that Toguro was the one to inflict emotional torture on Yukina by killing her bird friends foreshadows how he's the one to torture Yusuke emotionally by killing Kuwabara in the dark tournament. Yup, the narrative itself uses Yukina as a proxy for Yusuke, just like Kuwabara expresses his feelings for Yusuke through the proxy of Yukina. And oh yeah, birds are a symbol of Kuwameshi romantic love in YYH anime. The depth of subtext is always mind blowing 🤯���

As for what the real story is - well, Togashi & Anime Studio Pierrot told us this countless times throughout canon, through subtext that shows us what the real story is about, while telling us the narrative misdirection (i.e. the cover lie) of what the story seems to be about, fourth wall dialogue that straight out tells us things they want to make sure we don't miss 🤣, sequence of events which reveal cause-&-effect and thus True Character Motivations, mirror & proxy characters, body language cues, even lighting & background music of scenes, choice of clothing & colors for characters, etc.

Ya know, basically all the same techniques that are used in storytelling outside of anime in good live action films & series for adults, which makes YYH a Truly Great Work of Art that bears repeated viewings, because the subtext is so rich & deep, I guarantee it will blow your mind ;P

If you take nothing else from this post & ain't the type to read meta or subtext, just "trust me bro" on this 🤣- YYH is about Life and what makes life worth living, Death and what's worth dying for, all the ways in which we can destroy ourselves and each other, all the ways in which we can save ourselves and each other, the complex nuances and grey areas that people exist in outside of the simple duality of "Good" vs "Bad", Kindness, Mercy, living by your own Moral Code and standing up for it, Friendship, Family both biological and found, Humor, Tragedy, Marginalized & Misunderstood people and how at the end of the day we're more alike than we think, all the bittersweet ways Life can break your heart while filling it to the brim... but most of all, Yu Yu Hakusho is about LOVE.

Tagging @sadique-angel coz you enjoy YYH subtext and the way Togashi did it here with his seemingly throwaway reminiscence is brilliant 🤣❤️👌