Geek Review: Yu Yu Hakusho (Netflix)

It’s never easy to straddle between two worlds, and especially so for live-action adaptations of popular manga and anime. Satisfying longtime fans while getting newcomers up to speed is a delicate balancing act that few can do well, let alone master. With One Piece, Netflix has proven it possible to break the curse of live-action anime adaptations, raising the bar for future projects to come. 

Yu Yu Hakusho, as the next in line, trails after the success of the Straw Hat Pirates, and seeks to revisit a beloved legacy. Like Eiichiro Oda’s work, this classic series is a hit hailing from the 1990s, with Yoshihiro Togashi – whom modern audiences may recognise as the creator of Hunter x Hunter – leaving his mark behind through well-developed characters, exciting action sequences, and a nuanced exploration of themes such as life, death, and what makes a human. 

Sadly, the five-episode and done series doesn’t have the bandwidth to do justice to a 175-chapter manga, and not all of its charm has bled successfully into the live-action stage. The mini-series spectacle is a masterclass in action choreography and special effects, marrying exhilarating, high-octane fight and chase sequences with stunning CGI visuals but unfortunately, it comes at the expense of pacing, lore building, and characterisation, diluting a promising, enthralling prospect into a fraction of its potential. 

Following in the footsteps of its progenitor, Netflix’s semi-faithful retelling revolves around Yusuke Urameshi (Takumi Kitamura, Tokyo Revengers), a delinquent junior high school student who dies after saving a child from being hit by an out-of-control driver. Caught at the crossroads of heaven and hell, he’s offered the chance to return to the land of the living as a Spirit Detective, tasked with investigating various supernatural activities within the human realm. 

This series of events is the earliest indicator of a rushed, mishandled tempo, with the anime dedicating four episodes to his resurrection. Here, everything unfolds within the first 30 minutes at breakneck speed – and it’s an issue that persists throughout the rest of the episodes, be it breaking into new narrative ground, or covering familiar story beats. 

As with most adaptations, Yu Yu Hakusho toes the line between being faithful to the source material, and incorporating fresh elements. Instead of a 14-year-old, Yusuke is now slightly older at 17, and there are a couple of these smaller differences in the show. The problem arises when it dives into major deviations, which range from a bare-thread exposition of the lore, to a lack of nuanced tonal shifts.

The latter proves to be divisive – while some may appreciate the darker overtones, it’s a pity the Netflix adaptation doesn’t reflect Togashi’s mastery of weaving humour with emotional highs in the manga. When they do pop up, the moments of levity also don’t pack enough oomph to deliver maximum impact. 

Perhaps the abridged plot attempts would have worked if the characters were better defined. Yusuke, as the protagonist, naturally gets his time to shine, but the same can’t be said for the rest of the supporting cast. As the runtime necessitates narrative shortcuts, each character’s development has been glossed over, resulting in superficial and flat portrayals.

Yusuke’s self-proclaimed arch-rival Kazuma Kurabawa (Shuhei Uesugi, Shin Kamen Rider), for instance, hides a bleeding heart under his brash, hot-headed demeanor, which is only briefly shown in this adaptation. In the anime, his diamond-in-the-rough personality is accentuated through an entire episode, where he constantly gets roughed up to help a person in need – bringing a more layered touch to an otherwise typical punk depiction. 

Major antagonist Younger Toguro (Go Ayano, Lupin III) also suffers from this lack of finesse, and he comes across as forgettable, with Yu Yu Hakusho barely scratching the surface of his troubled and complicated psyche. More notably, the show’s quick pace carves out little time to flesh out the dynamics between Yusuke and his comrades, including best friend and love interest Keiko Yukimura (Sei Shiraishi), making it difficult to endear viewers to them.

The side characters, alongside two of the main quartet – Kurama (Jun Shison, High&Low The Worst) and Hiei (Kanata Hongo, Attack on Titan) – bear the brunt of weak writing at times, too. That isn’t to say the acting fell short of expectations, though as Kitamura and Uesugi are standouts for the most part, breathing life into their respective characters with ease and conviction. 

At its best, Yu Yu Hakusho is a bright, blazing pillar of hope. The greatly condensed lore may not be the best explanation of Togashi’s rich world, but the show’s delightfully explosive action is a good entry point for newcomers and casual viewers. Fast and ferocious, the fight choreography is a beautiful dance of bare-knuckle thrills, acrobatic maneuvers, and the occasional blood-soaked climax. There’s plenty to enjoy when the action picks up, from every swift slash of Hiei’s sword to the heart-stopping close shaves. 

The visual feast is further shaped by stellar special effects, brought to life by Scanline VFX. A frequent collaborator on Hollywood productions, the studio does a brilliant job of blending fantastical and paranormal elements with realism, such that grotesque creatures with spilled-over innards never once look like they won’t fit in the world. 

For all of its flaws, the live-action series isn’t necessarily a wasted effort. Yu Yu Hakusho, despite its status as a genre high-wire act, didn’t quite reach the heights of Togashi’s other contemporary Hunter x Hunter, so bumping it back into relevancy is a welcome move. But something’s got to go, and director Sho Tsukikawa and writer Tatsuro Mishima have traded story direction for an action-heavy emphasis that reduces a massive saga into a mere five-episode series. It’s a creative decision that won’t sit well with some, though one thing’s for certain – both longtime fans and newcomers can expect a satisfying adrenaline rush whenever combat unfolds on the small screen. 

Yu Yu Hakusho is currently streaming on Netflix.