Mother

There is possibly no greater bond than that of a mother with her child, and in Yu Yu Hakusho we see one of the greatest examples of this in all anime. An example that anyone can identify with if they have a mother whom they love with all their heart...

Shiori Minamino would never realize when she became the mother of the beautiful boy she named Shuiichi, with his crimson hair and green eyes, he was in reality the infamous Youko Kurama. When the hunter who shot him mortally wounded him, Kurama escaped to Ningenkai and sought to have himself reborn by planting his soul into a fertile womb and merge with the fetus inside -- the lucky woman being Shiori. Originally, Kurama's plan was to wait out for ten years in his human disguise until his reiki was fully restored and then leave the woman who gave birth to him to go back to his old life -- never to return again. He wasn't however, expecting the incident that would have him come to love her.

When he was around nine years old, he tried climbing up on the shelves in the kitchen and ended up breaking a stack of dishes. He lost his balance on the stool he was on and would have fallen down on the sharp glass if not for his mother. Without a thought of her own safety, Shiori threw herself to catch him before he could be hurt and instead ended up injuring herself as the shards became embedded in her arms. The scars will be there forever as a reminder of her sacrifice. Kurama could not fathom why she did what she did. He grew up in a world where one only looked out for themselves. The image of her smiling face haunted him and the fact that she cared if -he- was all right, while she sat there clutching her arms, made Kurama feel something he never had before. Love.

It was because of his love for Shiori that he ended up meeting Yuusuke Urameshi. For a few years, Shiori suffered from an illness that eventually became fatal and she only had so long to live. Kurama was distraught by this, not wanting the woman who cared for him to die. So when Hiei came upon him seeking his aid in stealing the sacred Reikai artifacts, and though he was now reformed, Kurama did not hesitate. He knew of the powers of the Mirror of Utter Dark and he stole it without remorse. It is said that when the light of the full moon reflects in the mirror, it shall grant the user one wish in return for a very high price. And Kurama was very willing to risk his life if to only save her and see that she would be happy. And I'm glad to say it ended with happiness for Yuusuke showed Kurama a great understanding and what he does is a touching moment in the series.

Though she is a very minor character in the series, she has the greatest role. Shiori Minamino in short, was Kurama's savior.

I shed my only tear for you...