Netflix's Yu Yu Hakusho is the rare tonal mash-up that works
Yu Yu Hakusho, from its earliest incarnation as a manga series in the pages of Weekly Shonen Jump, has always been a genre-high-wire act. That's no surprise, as the talented author, Yoshihiro Togashi, specializes in mixed tones and subject matter in his work; Level E is sci-fi and comedy, while Hunter x Hunter is a sprawling epic full of martial arts adventure, family trauma, and complicated fantasy. But Yu Yu Hakusho, which starts as a supernatural comedy with juvenile jokes and turns into a bare-knuckle action series full of grim horror, is the most prominent example of Togashi's categorical collages. And its latest adaptation, a five-episode live-action Netflix series, is no different.
However, despite the odds, Netflix's Yu Yu Hakusho usually manages to weave around different atmospheres. After the success of A piece, another cross-genre manga adaptation that mixed heart-on-your-sleeve emotions with bizarre pirate journeys, this probably doesn't seem like much of a surprise. But Yu Yu Hakusho can be even more challenging when you consider how much needs to be covered in the meager number of episodes. Fortunately, in this respect it remains the landing.
The abbreviated plot tries to hit all the major beats – it revolves around Yusuke Urameshi (Takumi Kitamura), a high school delinquent that few people seem to care about, including Yusuke himself. Yusuke is hit by a truck while trying to save a young boy, and instead of dying, the Spirit World gives him the opportunity to investigate grisly crimes as a Spirit Detective. Though initially hesitant, Yusuke eventually decides to take on the role and – overshadowed by his adorable, giggling guide Botan – delves into a conspiracy involving corrupt businessmen, monstrously powerful figures and the Demon World.
It's an awful lot to fit into five episodes, and the most volatile parts of the series involve a more perfunctory approach to what was given more detail in the feature-length manga and anime. Those hoping to get an explanation of the whats and whys of the human, spirit, and demon worlds will have to settle for hints of brief exposition. The mythology is presented here as little more than table scraps. Holding it all together, however, is Yusuke, a character who is at the heart of the series as he personally embodies all the genre jumping that entails. Yu Yu Hakusho has to offer. Where the series goes tonally, Yusuke is emotionally.
Image: Netflix
Although it deviates from the broad silliness found in the manga, Netflix's Yu Yu Hakusho plays on Yusuke's sense of isolation. It is clear that he is a depressed young man, one who seems unable to express himself in any other way than by fighting. Conversations with everyone from his best friend Keiko to his mother prove difficult for him, and he often resorts to insults or simply avoids them. The only time he really seems to come alive is in the heat of battle with alien forces – which thankfully gives him plenty of opportunities to act.
This back and forth between the silent, aimless Yusuke and the explosive fantasy action scenes (the action choreography in the series is quite good, especially in the first episode's truly exciting, blood-soaked climax) could imply some kind of whiplash effect . on the public. But like Togashi's manga, the show does a good job of conveying how aimless Yusuke feels his existence and how fighting is both a satisfying and twisted extension of that.
This makes us wonder what would be simpler in many other series, as if Yusuke is trapped in his own escalating power fantasy. Is fighting the only thing he's good at? All he wants to do? All he can and will ever be able to do? Sure, those conflicts are exciting to watch, but they also manage to correlate with Yusuke's existential tragedy. Yu Yu Hakusho is one of the few series of its kind that really gives you a feeling bad for how freaking cool the fights are.
The exploration between personal mood and shocking physical outlet is also explored with Kuwabara (Shuhei Uesugi), Yusuke's former 'rival' and perhaps the most beloved character in the entire franchise. On the outside, Kuwabara is all bravado and a slap on the back. But inside, his masculine confusion dominates him. He wants to be a “man,” whatever that term means in a world where you fight mutating creatures to save Earth from another dimension.
Image: Netflix
Image: Netflix
Image: Netflix
Kuwabara also finds escape from the battles he gets involved in, but discovers that his need for conflict puts his friends in danger. So how can he protect them? Getting stronger? But that would mean fighting more and putting even more people at risk. Again, Yu Yu Hakusho has to balance fighting as triumph and fighting as doom, and while Netflix's adaptation rushes through some of the emotional meat and world-building puzzle pieces, it does more than enough work to get to the bottom of the thematic conundrum.
There are plenty of fighting series where a character “goes too far” or has to think about why he's fighting in the first place. Few do it as consistently as Yu Yu HakushoBut he moves from a spirited battle between super warriors to the psychological consequences of pursuing such battles. A late-stage battle even ends with a villain begging to be killed, not because he's in so much pain, but because his losses make him feel useless. Yu Yu Hakusho excels at this because, as we realize, all the characters have to deal with it. It's not something used for any particular bit of drama, but rather a fighter's shared misery at the heart of each tonal shift.
Yu Yu HakushoThe length of the story does a disservice to a number of crucial moments: the younger Toguro, the enemy who serves as both the final boss and the disturbing specter of a life dedicated to fighting, is specifically underplayed. That said, the Netflix adaptation manages to effectively capture the wild swings and the characters that represent them that have endeared the franchise to fans over the past 33 years. Like Netflix's A piece, it will hopefully serve as a gateway to a broader story for newcomers and an invitation to check out the more complicated manga and anime. There's a lot to like about Yusuke Urameshi, whether he's brooding or fighting, for however long we get a chance to interact with him.
Yu Yu Hakusho is now streaming on Netflix.