Yu Yu Hakusho, also known as The Poltergeist Report, is the story of Urameshi Yuusuke. When the show opens up, Yuusuke has suddenly died and is trying to remember how. It's not a normal way to begin a story, with the main character's death, of course, the show DOES progress after this, or why would I have a huge page on it? ^.~ Yuusuke's death surprised the Powers that Be, no one expected Yuusuke to jump in front of a moving car to save a child. He is obviously a bold, brazen and thoroughly obnoxious punk who gets in fights, skips school and swears like a sailor. Of course, it was a shock when he risked his life for a child, and a stranger.
Botan is the bearer of bad news, or in this case, good news. She cheerfully explains to Yuusuke that he shouldn't have died and that the son of Enma, lord of the dead, wishes to see him. After bringing Yuusuke to KoEnma, the young lord explains that Yuusuke gets a chance to try and come back to life. Yuusuke must decide whether he want's to take the trial of Resurrection or just be judged and get on with dying. After much consideration, (and some trips Botan takes him on) it is decided he will be resurrected and become a Reikai Tantei (Spirit World Detective). This is, of course, the beginning of a long and complex story in which Yuusuke and his friends save the human world (and on occasion, all three worlds) from numerous threats posed to it.
The nice thing about Yu Yu Hakusho, is that, the audience can become attached to the characters, as they develop themselves throughout the anime. Unlike most American cartoons and some Japanese animations, the characters grow up with the audience. It addresses situations that a normal person can go through, but it addresses them in an out-of-the-ordinary way. Is an enemy ever really an enemy? What are human emotions really about? What is important to you?