LogFAQs > #980033084

Also, I don't get what your objection to white paper is since that's what it is.

I know it's the literal translation. My point is that it doesn't actually make sense to say "white paper" in English, because it doesn't have the same connotation as it does in Japanese. It contextually means report, file, record, log, document, etc so it's better to just use that to get the message and nuance across. And even the article you posted says this

Strictly speaking, they are collectively known as "white documents."

It's like how the Chinese term Qi ( Ki in Japanese) literally means "air" but it's come to refer to the vital force or energy in our bodies. If you just went with the literal translation of air, most people wouldn't understand

ssjevot posted...

But I posted the Japanese Wikipedia excerpt explaining what it means and a brief summary in English...

[13]

Translation: At the time of the serialization meeting, the title "Introduction to Yurei (tentative)" was submitted. Later, when the serialization was decided, the title was officially considered. However, the title conflicted with "Chin Yuuki" by ManGataro, which began serialization at the same time, and he had to rethink the title. The first word that came to mind after "Yu-Yu" was "Hakusho," so the title was changed to "Yu-Yu Hakusho. It could have been "Yu Yu Den" or "Yu Yu Monogatari"[13].

Yurei (ghost) was originally going to be in the title, but that doesn't necessarily mean the Yu is short for ghosts. The connotation is there but without the rei, it simply means "dark", "gloomy", "underworld", "netherworld", "hidden", etc. It refers to things that associated with ghosts, but it doesn't specifically mean ghosts. For all we know, Togashi could have changed his mind and decided to make the title about the paranormal in general.