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.
