Classic Shonen Jump manga Yu Yu Hakusho is getting the live-action treatment at Netflix. The streaming giant is home to a large catalog of anime, from Naruto to One Punch Man. Netflix has also begun adapting manga/anime for live-action. The first project was 2017's Death Note film directed by Adam Wingard. The company is currently working on adapting Cowboy Bebop, as well as One Piece.
Yu Yu Hakusho was written by Yoshihiro Togashi. Its first chapter debuted in Shonen Jump in 1990. The story beings with a juvenile delinquent named Yusuke. In an act of heroism, he saves a kid from a rushing car. In death, Yusuke is given an opportunity to return to the living if he completes some tests. All that is just the opening arc. Yu Yu Hakusho transitions into a full on battle manga, with the famous Dark Tournament Saga being the biggest. Yu Yu Hakusho concluded in 1994 with 175 chapters published. With its memorable cast, big fights, and artwork, Yu Yu Hakusho is one of the all time Jump classics. An anime adaption began airing in Japan in 1992, covering the major story arcs. In the future, fans will be able experience Yusuke's story in a new format.
Netflix (via Comic Natalie) recently announced a live-action series adaption of Yu Yu Hakusho. Unlike the Death Note film, which was an American production, Yu Yu Hakusho is being produced by Akira Morii at Robot Communications. Robot is the Japanese production studio that worked on the live-action Parasyte and Assassination Classroom movies. According to series executive producer and Netflix contents acquisition director Kazutaka Sakamoto, the Yu Yu Hakusho series has talent not only from Japan, but abroad as well.
The live-action Yu Yu Hakusho series will stream on Netflix worldwide. Sadly, there is no estimated release window yet. This actually isn't the first live-action production based on the manga. Last year, a Yu Yu Hakusho stage play debuted in Japan. It will be interesting to see how successful the live-action show is at adapting the source material. Netflix's Death Note received largely negative reviews, but hopefully Yu Yu Hakusho turns out for the better. The involvement of Robot Communications is definitely a promising development, which ideally will make the show feel authentic to its roots.
Still, many fans are skeptical about a live-action Yu Yu Hakusho series. Yu Yu Hakusho's opening arc certainly lends itself to an engaging adaption with its unique adventures of Yusuke as a spirit. The true test will be the big battles with characters like Hiei, the Toguros and eventually Sensui, assuming the series adapts the different arcs. It'll probably be awhile before a teaser is released, so fans of the Spirit Detective will have to wait for now.
Source: Netflix (via Comic Natalie)