Yu Yu Hakushois Netflix’s most underrated live-action anime adaptation, and it shows what theNarutomovie should look like. Hollywood doesn’t always get live-action anime right, and that includes Netflix. The streaming giant has released a couple of live-action movies and shows based on hugely popular anime series that failed to live up to their source material. However, there have also been some greatNetflix live-action anime adaptations, including but not limited toOne Pieceseason 1.
One Piecewas one of Netflix’s biggest shows of 2023, and with a second season on the way, Eiichiro Oda’s global hit will continue to find new audiences that may have never gotten into the anime or the manga. As someone whose favorite anime isNaruto, I hope that theupcomingNarutolive-action moviecan be as well-made and successful asOne Piece. That said, theNarutofilm should also learn a few lessons from Netflix’sYu Yu Hakusho, a show that was not as big asOne Pieceseason 1 but that also got a lot of things right.
Yu Yu Hakusho Live-Action Perfectly Captured The Spirit Of The Anime
Netflix’s Yu Yu Hakusho Felt Like A 1990s Anime
Yu Yu Hakushois considered one of the greatest action anime of all time for a reason. It is one of those series that effortlessly captures a moment in time and invites viewers on a journey where they quickly become attached to the characters. This is why I was worried going into Netflix’s live-action remake ofYu Yu Hakusho– it would be all but impossible for a new show to replicate the magic of the anime. Fortunately,Netflix’sYu Yu Hakushofelt surprisingly similar to the classic anime despite all the major changes.
While I didn’t like that Netflix’sYu Yu Hakushomerged the Spirit Detective saga and the Dark Tournament into just one story that only lasted five episodes, I did appreciate how close to the anime the live-action show felt.Yu Yu Hakushohas a very distinct aesthetic and has inspired countless other animeover the years, meaning it wouldn’t be easy to replicate that in live-action. Still, between the casting choices and the performances,2023’sYu Yu Hakushoturned out very nostalgic and reminded me of when I would watch the anime on TV.
The Naruto Movie Can Learn A Few Things From Netflix’s Yu Yu Hakusho
The Costumes And The Fights Were On-Point In Yu Yu Hakusho
Naruto, like most anime of its era, borrows a lot fromYu Yu Hakusho. This is especially true for the fights, which is something that the Netflix series nailed despite not having a blockbuster movie budget. While theNarutouniverse is very fantastical and includes all kinds of gods and monsters, the early part of the series is relatively grounded and focuses a lot on strategy and hand-to-hand combat. Therefore,I would love to seeNarutohaving intense, well-choreographed fights like the ones in Netflix’sYu Yu Hakusho.
A theatricalNarutomovie will have to be more ambitious than a five-episode TV show…
2023’sYu Yu Hakushowas also not afraid of embracing the quirks of the source material. Some of the most iconic scenes from the anime were recreated for live-action, and whileKoenma didn’t look like a baby,the Netflix show wasn’t trying to distance itself too much from the tone of the anime.This is something that Lionsgate’sNarutomovie and all other live-action adaptations should definitely learn from.
Narutowill have to nail its casting choices considering how iconic the characters are, which is also something that Netflix’sYu Yu Hakushogot right. All of the actors captured the spirit of their characters, not to mention how the costumes could not have been more anime accurate. A theatricalNarutomovie will have to be more ambitious than a five-episode TV show, but the charm that came with the simplicity of Netflix’sYu Yu Hakushois actually something that would fit the story of Naruto Uzumaki on the big screen.
