We’ve gotten our first look at Yusuke.
Netflix has found the star of its upcoming live-action adaptation of classic manga Yu Yu Hakusho. IGN can exclusively reveal that the main character, Yusuke Urameshi, will be played by Tokyo Revengers’ Takumi Kitamura.
Netflix announced the adaptation last year, which will present a new version of the 1990 manga in which a teenage boy, Yusuke, dies and begins a new afterlife as an underworld detective. Kitamura (Let Me Eat Your Pancreas, Tokyo Revengers) will play Yusuke, and you can see a first look at him in costume below:
Takumi Kitamura as Yusuku in Netflix’s Yu Yu Hakusho. (Image credit: Netflix)
“The original work is a universal and unique masterpiece and a reason why Japan is so proud of its strong manga and anime culture. I am happy to share the masterpiece of Yu Yu Hakusho with the world and I hope we can create something people everywhere will enjoy,” Kitamura tells IGN.
Kitamura is the only member of the cast announced so far. Netflix’s synopsis of the manga and show follows:
“The manga revolves around Yusuke Urameshi, a junior high school student who spends his days getting into fights and dies in an accident while trying to protect a young child. As he grapples with the fact that he is looking down on his dead body, a woman named Botan, who calls herself a guide to the spirit world, relays to him the shocking truth: no one expected a delinquent like Yusuke to die performing an act of goodness, and there was no place for him in either heaven or hell. Thus, Yusuke is given a chance to be revived, and after passing his trial, he becomes an Underworld Detective. From there, Yusuke becomes entwined in a mystery that envelopes the human, demon and spirit worlds. The spectacular adventure of Yusuke will now become a live action series on Netflix.”
Netflix appears to be diligent about calling this a manga adaptation, although Yu Yu Hakusho has also been adapted as an anime in the past. It was a beloved version of the story, and we’ve previously called it one of the best anime series of all time.
“When I first heard about Yu Yu Hakusho receiving a live-action adaptation, I honestly wondered if it would even be possible—but after being presented with the producer’s vision and possibilities with Netflix, my expectations grew and I found myself burning with passion to make this project come to life. More than anything, I think the appeal of Yu Yu Hakusho comes from its characters, which is why I wanted to highlight the appealing relationships and battles in Yu Yu Hakusho,” director Sho Tsukikawa tells IGN.
Tsukikawa says that the show will include “plenty of action scenes.”
“The visual effects we use are quite advanced, as we utilize cutting-edge technology, aimed for the best quality we can achieve. Lastly, from the very beginning, we were strongly aware of creating a series for a global audience. Just like when I first heard about this adaptation, there may be people out there who feel it’s an impossible undertaking, but no matter how many ways I express how I feel, I believe the work will speak for itself and prove it’s possible. I will continue to pour my heart and soul into the project to deliver the best entertainment from Japan to the world,” he says.
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Netflix’s Yu Yu Hakusho will be released in December 2023. It will be directed by Tsukikawa, written by Tatsuro Mishima and produced by Akira Morii.
Joe Skrebels is the Executive Editor of News at IGN.
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