It's not at the level of 'One Piece', it's not the best live-action anime adaptation – or should we say manga? -, but 'Yu Yu Hakusho' defends itself with flying colors by handling a handful of charismatic characters, in addition to offering some of the most original and fun fights of the moment. Netflix is getting it right, not everything is going to be a slap on the wrist, in its commitment to oriental audiovisual material. With South Korea and Japan at the helm, their proposals are rarely boring, including some titles that surrender without limits to fantasy. Series like the one in question, which has the incentive of lasting just five episodes, closing the story, presenting the characters and their conflicts well, to the point of becoming attached to them – even with the villains -, without the need for a extreme footage stretched like bubblegum, confirm the need for a great change in the action and science fiction genre in the West.
If we compare the fight scenes of this entertaining live action with the hustle and bustle moments of 'Rebel Moon', to give an example even in time, the mega-production signed by Zack Snyder falls short of the mud. Asians know how to turn the clunkers of comics into something imposing physically, with an impeccable rhythm. They play with an advantage that grows as Marvel worries about its casting problems due to the inappropriate behavior of some of its stars.
The fever for otaku culture does not stop. A few weeks ago, Manga Barcelona was held, an event focused on manga, anime, music and oriental gastronomy that brought together nearly 200,000 people over a long weekend. The new generations identify with eccentric and inclusive, grotesque and surreal characters, with an undeniable charisma that advocates difference. They dress up as their favorite roles and pay homage to a trend that I can boast of spreading a good virtue in these times: they foster community spirit. This ideal of collectivity can be seen in the essence of 'Yu Yu Hakusho' and many similar titles: the friendship that grows between the protagonists is the basis of the story. Unity is strength when there is a common enemy. In the face of adversity, you have to lend your shoulder. Each one, with their peculiarities, adding traumas and powers to face any threat, be it existential or against evil. It is not strange that those who start out as rivals end up strengthening ties, like in the best westerns.
Spiritual energy
'Yu Yu Hakusho' shines in combat and plays its cards well. There are monsters and strange creatures, between the Human World and the Demon World. An insolent and scoundrel young man, who does not marry anyone, dies in an accident saving a small child who was almost run over by a huge runaway van. Although a priori he does not see it clearly, he returns from the Beyond to help his people and clear the Earth of diabolical beings that sneak through some cracks between dimensions. To fulfill his arduous mission, he must train and let the Spiritual Energy that he houses inside him flow. Along the way, he encounters yokais – spirits, demons – good, bad and not so bad, because even the most twisted ghost has a reason for being. Anyone can change thanks to the feeling of loyalty and unexpected alliances arise.
The first season of 'Yu Yu Hakusho', originally by Yoshihiro Togashi ('Hunter The original series had 112 episodes, broadcast in the 90s, and approximately half have been taken into account here. The live action has a broader audience in mind, although it loses itself slightly in its final section with some excessively metaphysical passages. The visual effects work and manage to translate the supernatural abilities of the different roles into flesh and blood, well reflected physically.
The series has comfortably crept into the top positions of the most watched on Netflix, although it is not known, as of today, if it will have a continuation. The plot, of course, remains closed, a decision that we will see more and more in the serialized format to dribble with the cancellations and that the viewer is left with the uncomfortable feeling of devouring a story, chapter by chapter, season by season, that perhaps never end
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