Streaming giants are constantly searching for the next big hit, but Netflix seems to have pulled off something rather extraordinary (again) with its live-action adaptation of Yu Yu Hakusho, showing that the anime-to-live-action curse has well and truly been lifted.
Based on Yoshihiro Togashi’s popular manga, the series has not just hooked audiences this holiday season but has rocketed to the top of Netflix’s Top 10 chart in its debut week, amassing over 32 million hours viewed. Certified fresh on Rotten Tomatoes with a 71% rating by critics, the 84% audience score also proves that Netflix seems to be doing something right.
The Yu Yu Hakusho manga, a staple of 1990s pop culture, has been praised by fans of Japanese comics for its dark and realistic take on the fantasy genre. Furthermore, the anime adaptation became a major hit in the same period due to its faithful adaptation of source material (in fact, many people consider the English Dub version to be the best way to watch the anime).
Everyone was wary of a live-action take. Fans rightly wondered if the unique charm of the anime could be replicated in a medium that has a history of being largely unsuccessful. However, under the direction of Sho Tsukikawa, the series has managed to strike a delicate balance between honoring the original source and presenting a new world for first-time viewers.
Like Netflix’s One Piece live-action series, Yu Yu Hakusho captures the essence of the anime series while injecting modern sensibilities and production values. The casting choices in particular have been praised for making a very spirited attempt to bring to life the adventures of Yusuke Urameshi and his friends (take a bow, Takumi Kitamura).
There’s a point to be made about the evolution of entertainment in the anime scene. The successful revival of classic anime in new formats like Yu Yu Hakusho and One Piece reflects the progress in how modern audiences consume entertainment. At the risk of sounding clichéd, this proves that good stories have a timeless quality and can be retold in many different forms depending on the target audience.
While it’s virtually impossible to replicate every element of an original art form, an adaptation created on the idea of preserving the essence of the original will certainly have a higher chance of success. This might explain why, despite its condensed nature, Netflix’s Yu Yu Hakusho has managed to attain such huge viewership numbers.
