The Yu Yu Hakusho live-action series arrives on Netflix, which means fan-favorite characters like Koenma are returning. He is Yusuke and Botan’s employer in the Spirit World, but why is Koenma a baby in Yu Yu Hakusho? Why does Koenma have a pacifier?
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Meet Koenma, the Co-Ruler of the Spirit World in Yu Yu Hakusho
Koenma, also known as King Enma Jr., is the person responsible for appointing not only Yusuke Urameshi but also Shinobu Sensui, the Black Angel, as spirit detectives.
He, along with his father, the Great King Enma, rules the Spirit World, where he is in charge of sending a recently deceased human to either hell or heaven.
At a glance, Koenma looks like any ordinary spoiled brat. He has very stubborn, abusive, and loud behavior, often scolding his subordinates, particularly Jorge Saotome, whenever something goes wrong.
He also loves to throw tantrums one after the other, like a real baby, as if he’s not the ruler of the spirit world.
Funny, Koenma is very scared of his father. The last time Koenma was scolded, the Great King Enma gave him 100 spankings!
This is the reason Koenma is so bossy and hands-on towards the affairs of the Spirit World, in fear that his father will send him somewhere far and dangerous.
In addition to Yusuke, Koenma also orders Botan, who acts like a Grim Reaper to humans.
He usually asks Botan to escort Yusuke whenever he sends him on dangerous missions.
At some point, he has to ask Yusuke to retrieve magical items from Hiei and Kurama, both of which have a strong presence and spiritual energy in the demon world.
Why Is Koenma a Baby, and Why Does He Have a Pacifier in Yu Yu Hakusho?
Among all the characters in Yu Yu Hakusho, Koenma has the cutest character design due to his baby form.
In the first episode of the anime, Yusuke made fun of Koenma because he looked like a baby. He also has a pacifier in his mouth, causing Yusuke to laugh even more.
On the contrary, in the first episode of the Yu Yu Hakusho live action series, Koenma is in his handsome teenage form, but he still has a pacifier in his mouth. Still, this is not enough for Yusuke to take him seriously.
In truth, Koenma can use the power of metamorphosis to change his form from a baby to an adolescent.
Koenma usually switches to his teenage form whenever he’s in the human world or whenever he finds himself in a serious situation to avoid being ridiculed or not being taken seriously.
There’s no clear explanation for why Koenma likes to show up as a baby, but it's possible that Koenma’s teenage form takes up a considerable amount of spiritual energy rather than his infant form.
If this is true, Koenma would rather look like a baby than a teenager since it doesn’t take much of his focus and concentration and doesn’t waste much of his spiritual energy.
In another theory, Koenma being a baby is Studio Pierrot’s way to bring more comedic relief to the shonen anime. After all, we see Yusuke, Kuwabara, and even Botan make fun of baby Koenma a lot of times in the anime.
What is certain is that the pacifier in Koema’s mouth holds a whole lot of his spiritual energy. He relies on it during darker times, and he uses it not only to bring the dead to life but also to immobilize his opponents.
So, How Old Is Koenma in Yu Yu Hakusho?
Don’t be fooled by Koenma’s appearance, for he is older than every single one of us. He is more than 600 years old! Koenma was born on October 20th, but the exact year of his birth is unknown.
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