Netflix has had a spotty track record with live-action anime adaptations. Remember Death Note, Fullmetal Alchemist and Cowboy Bebop? However, that recently changed with their One Piece series, which has been a resounding success so far. Will that streak continue with Netflix’s adaptation of Yu Yu Hakusho? Or has the curse returned? Read on to find out.

Spirit Detective

Yu Yu Hakusho may be arguably less well-known compared to the likes of other shonen anime such as One Piece or Dragon Ball, but it’s no less iconic and legendary. The Yu Yu Hakusho manga/anime also features arguably what is one of the best tournament arcs in the genre. With their live-action adaptation, Netflix has decided to condense several sagas and arcs into one season of only five episodes; that’s 66 episodes of the anime in five live-action episodes. While I can’t spoil the specifics, they have taken a lot of liberties with the source material.

The result is decent at best; it’s not a bad adaptation but someone familiar with the source material will find the Netflix adaptation to feel really rushed and unfaithful in comparison. This series will likely turn out to be controversial amongst fans for that reason and more. It’s ironic because some of the lines and dialogue have actually been taken verbatim from the source material. A lot of the major plot points are accurate to the source material but a lot of the details have been changed or altered.

Purists will probably find the deviations and changes to be annoying and frustrating. It feels like Netflix’s Yu Yu Hakusho feels like it wants to get to the best parts of the manga/anime without earning them first by putting in the necessary time and development. The Yu Yu Hakusho anime, especially, is still well-regarded to this day due to its deliberate pacing and the absence of filler (which other shonen anime had tons of). Unfortunately, the Netflix adaptation crams too much into its first season of only five episodes when it should have taken things slower. It also gets rid of a lot of the 90s aesthetics that the Studio Pierrot anime was famous for; since the Netflix adaptation is going for a more modern and contemporary vibe.

However, several small details do improve on the source material. For instance, the Netflix adaptation has made protagonist Yusuke Urameshi 17 years old, which is more realistic and makes more sense than in the manga/anime (where he was a mere 14 years old). While the arcs feel rushed and some arcs are skipped over entirely, the writers for the Netflix adaptation do make certain characters feel more naturally connected than they were in the manga/anime. One thing that the Netflix adaptation does nail is the characterization and portrayal of the characters, with their personalities almost exactly the same as in the anime.

The actors are well-cast, especially Takumi Kitamura as Yusuke Urameshi and Shuhei Uesugi as Kazuma Kuwabara. The difference between Yu Yu Hakusho and other shonen is that these protagonists are delinquents and not the usual innocent happy-go-lucky heroes like Dragon Ball’s Goku or One Piece’s Monkey D. Luffy. To that end, they played their roles as well as can be, and that goes to the actors playing the other two protagonists; Jun Shison as Kurama and Kanata Hongo as Hiei, as well as the Toguro brothers themselves.

In addition, Netflix’s Yu Yu Hakusho does have high production value as a series. While it’s clear that the budget was nowhere near as high as their One Piece adaptation, it doesn’t look cheap at all, including the CGI and special effects. The fight scenes are fun and kinetic, but it seems like they can’t really capture the full force of the fight scenes from the anime, which is a near-impossible task that most adaptations still can’t achieve. It’s clear that they tried their best, and at least the signature moves/attacks of the protagonists are fully realized and as close as they can be translated into live-action.

Rei Gan!

Netflix’s Yu Yu Hakusho might not be the adaptation that fans of the manga/anime asked for, but it’s nowhere near as bad as Cowboy Bebop. It just feels bizarre how rushed everything is. If you’re not a fan of the manga/anime, Netflix’s Yu Yu Hakusho isn’t terrible, but it probably won’t lead to people actually seeking out the original manga/anime like their One Piece adaptation did. It’s a shame because what’s already here isn’t bad at all if Netflix took it slower and went with a more faithful adaptation.

P.S. There’s a post-credits scene at the end of the fifth episode, so hopefully a potential second season could improve on this one and given more breathing room (AKA more episodes in a single season).

FINAL SCORE: 60/100

We received early screeners of Yu Yu Hakusho courtesy of Netflix Malaysia. Yu Yu Hakusho is slated to premiere on Netflix on 14 December 2023.