Netflix's Live-Action Yu Yu Hakusho: Bringing the Iconic Anime to Life

Yu Yu Hakusho: A Legacy Reborn

The cast of Yu Yu Hakusho brings Yusuke and his friends to live-action in Netflix’s latest anime adaptation. One of the best and most influential anime of its generation, Yu Yu Hakusho was based on a manga by Yoshihiro Togashi. While Yu Yu Hakusho’s fights are a highlight of the series, the characters are what made the manga and the anime so special.

Yusuke Urameshi in the Yu Yu Hakusho anime

The list of Netflix live-action anime adaptations continues to grow following the release of One Piece season 1, with the Japanese Yu Yu Hakusho series covering a significant portion of the anime in five episodes. Similar to the source material, Netflix’s Yu Yu Hakusho focuses on Yusuke Urameshi but features an extensive cast of characters. Yusuke’s journey sees him making new friends and foes as the trouble-making kid becomes a Spirit Detective.

Takumi Kitamura as Yusuke Urameshi in live-action Yu Yu Hakusho

Takumi Kitamura as Yusuke Urameshi

Takumi Kitamura as Yusuke Urameshi in Netflix's Yu Yu Hakusho

The Characters and Their Portrayals

In the anime, Yusuke Urameshi is a 14-year-old high school kid who dies after jumping in front of a car to save a child. Yusuke immediately becomes a spirit and is allowed to see how his friends and family react to his death. Yusuke is guided by a mysterious being named Botan, one of many grim reapers from the Spirit World. Botan reveals to Yusuke that his death was not expected, as no one in the Spirit World believed someone as careless and rude as him would sacrifice himself to save another person. Yusuke is then offered the opportunity to be resurrected.

Yusuke in the Yu Yu Hakusho anime

In exchange for his return, Yusuke has to work as a Spirit Detective for Koenma, investigating and fighting Youkais that are appearing in the human world. In Netflix’s Yu Yu Hakusho, Yusuke is 17 years old. The character is played in live-action by Takumi Kitamura, who starred in movies such as Tokyo Revengers 2: Blood Halloween Parts 1 & 2 and shows such as Don’t Call It Mystery. Takumi Kitamura also has a music career as part of the group Dish. Yusuke was originally voiced by Nozomu Sasaki in the original anime and by Justin Cook in the American dub.

Takumi Kitamura as Yusuke in live-action Yu Yu Hakusho

Shuhei Uesugi as Kazuma Kuwabara

Shuhei Uesugi as Kazuma Kuwabara and the anime character

Kanata Hongō as Hiei

Hiei in the live-action Yu Yu Hakusho and the anime

Jun Shison as Kurama

Kurama in the live-action Yu Yu Hakusho and the anime

Kotone Furukawa as Botan

Botan in the live-action Yu Yu Hakusho and the anime

Keita Machida as Koenma

Koenma in the live-action Yu Yu Hakusho and the anime

The Supporting Cast and Their Impact

Sei Shiraishi as Keiko

Sei Shiraishi as Keiko in Yu Yu Hakusho

Meiko Kaji as Genkai

Meiko Kaji as Genkai in Netflix's Yu Yu Hakusho

Go Ayano as Younger Toguro

Live-action Toguro in Yu Yu Hakusho

Ai Mikami as Yukina

Ai Mikami as Yukina in Yu Yu Hakusho