Netflix Could Have Solved Its Biggest Yu Yu Hakusho Problem With A Live-Action Movie Trilogy

Summary

• Yu Yu Hakusho’s live-action TV adaptation suffers from pacing problems when compared to the anime.
• The show fails to properly engage those familiar with the source material, as it skips important details from the anime and rushes through key arcs.
• A movie trilogy would have been a better choice for adapting Yu Yu Hakusho, allowing for better character development and a more faithful adaptation of the source material.

Netflix’s Yu Yu Hakusho‘s pacing problems prove the five-episode format was not the best way to adapt the manga. Based on the 90s manga series of the same name by Yoshihiro Togashi, Yu Yu Hakusho centers around high school delinquent Yusuke Urameshi’s role as a spirit detective in the afterlife after discovering he died saving a little boy’s life. Known for its strong themes of change and forgiveness, Yu Yu Hakusho‘s live-action TV adaptation should have been as successful as Netflix’s One Piece. However, the poor pacing of the adaptation’s plot results in a show that feels hollow and rushed.

In the case of One Piece, its positive reception stems from the fact the creators took their time developing the source material’s many complex characters, bizarre locations, and dramatic story arcs, thus resulting in high anticipation of One Piece season 2. Yu Yu Hakusho, on the other hand, curiously attempts to cover the source material’s many-layered characters and events that span nearly four years in a paltry five episodes, resulting in an underwhelming viewing experience. Although live-action TV anime adaptations are faring much better now than ever before, Yu Yu Hakusho‘s TV failure suggests it should have been a movie trilogy instead.

Netflix’s Live-Action Yu Yu Hakusho Skipped Many Key Storylines

Yu Yu Hakusho’s pacing greatly diminished the impact of its storytelling

While Yu Yu Hakusho perfectly casts its central characters and features some visually stunning fight scenes and action sequences, it fails at properly pacing its story in favor of rushing to the source material’s biggest moments. Audiences familiar with any anime adaptation’s source material always look forward to seeing the series’ best moments recreated in a live-action context, but the filmmakers still need to maintain the emotional weight, drama, and suspense that make the moments big in the first place. Yu Yu Hakusho skips important details from the anime that make it difficult for viewers new and old to properly engage with the material.

Moreover, when Yu Yu Hakusho covers important arcs like the Spirit Detective arc and the Dark Tournament arc, it’s done in such an expedient manner that it feels like a flash in the pan. In the source material, Yusuke evolves from a selfish delinquent to a hero responsible for saving the world from impending demonic threats. Such a drastic shift in character for the protagonist and tone for the show would need to take time to flesh out to make it feel more impactful. Since the show fails at covering these key events throughout its five-episode duration, it reinforces a movie trilogy would have been a better decision than having Yu Yu Hakusho‘s finale rush through so many arcs.

The Yu Yu Hakusho Adaptation Would Have Worked Better As A Movie Trilogy

The Rurouni Kenshin live-action movies are proof movie adaptations can work

Yu Yu Hakusho following a movie trilogy’s structure would’ve worked better for the live-action adaptation because it can take its time fleshing the world and characters out in ways shorter-form TV shows cannot. In the live-action adaptation, important characters drop in and out on the fly, fights that take multiple episodes in the anime ended in minutes, and Yu Yu Hakusho‘s five-episode structure results in most of the dialogue being expository. The more condensed storytelling seen in movies works better since it forces filmmakers to not only strategically choose what to adapt, but also compels them to adapt it more faithfully to the source material.

The first movie in a live-action Yu Yu Hakusho trilogy could’ve focused primarily on developing the world and characters via the Spirit Detective arc while also setting up the impending danger the heroes will eventually face. The second movie could show the individual characters overcoming internal and external conflicts via the tutelage of Genkai, and the third movie could conclude things with the Dark Tournament arc. The Rurouni Kenshin movies followed a similar formula and have enjoyed growing success through the years as a result. Whether Yu Yu Hakusho season 2 will happen remains to be seen, although season 1’s finale felt very self-contained.

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  Yu Yu Hakusho (2023)

  Release Date:

  2023-12-14

  Cast:

  Takumi Kitamura, Shuhei Uesugi, Jun Shison, Kanata Hongô

  Genres:

  Action, Adventure, Comedy

  Seasons:

  1

  Writers:

  Tatsuro Mishima, Yoshihiro Togashi

  Streaming Service(s):

  Netflix

  Franchise(s):

  Yu Yu Hakusho

  Directors:

  Shô Tsukikawa