Netflix’s Yu Yu Hakusho live-action series adaptation is slated to premiere on 14 December 2023. Yoshihiro Togashi’s hit manga Yu Yu Hakusho began its run in Weekly Shonen Jump in 1990, thrilling readers with fascinating characters who each fight with a strong conviction.

Head on over here for my review of Netflix’s Yu Yu Hakusho.

The synopsis reads:

Thirty years have passed since this legend began and gained many fans across the globe, and now Yu Yu Hakusho will be reborn as a live-action drama for the first time. Yusuke Urameshi dies in an accident while trying to save a child. Recruited as a Spirit Detective by Koenma, the ruler of the Spirit World, Yusuke engages in battles with demons and endures harsh training with martial arts master Genkai to strengthen his Spirit Energy. Yusuke’s fellow delinquent Kazuma Kuwabara joins him in his trials. Yusuke also meets Kurama, a yokai spirit in human form, and Hiei, a maverick yokai with a demonic third eye.

Together, these four completely incompatible companions clash with powerful enemies to protect what they hold dear. One such powerful enemy is Sakyo, a mysterious man who sponsors battles between demons for the rich to gamble on. Yusuke and his friends must also face the Toguro Brothers, the most powerful demons in Sakyo’s employ. What is the world that the human Sakyo dreams of? Is there any way that Yusuke and his companions can defeat the Toguro Brothers? Find out in this story told across five episodes.

Courtesy of Netflix Malaysia, we were given the opportunity to take part in a roundtable interview with two of the lead actors from Yu Yu Hakusho, Takumi Kitamura (Urameshi Yusuke) and Go Ayano (Younger Toguro).

This interview has been edited for clarity.

What were your reactions after being cast in your respective roles in Netflix’s Yu Yu Hakusho?

Takumi Kitamura: So, let me first explain how I felt, Yu Yu Hakusho is not necessarily my generation and I think if you were to talk directly about my generation, it would be Hunter X Hunter. So, it was one generation previous to mine but of course, I am quite familiar with the fact that this was really well-known and I think when I heard the offer, I just could not believe the fact that I was given an offer but at the same time, the fact that I am playing the protagonist, Urameshi Yusuke, I was just kind of puzzled and I was trying to find out exactly how I would tackle but at the same time, I have worked with the director for many numbers of years and realizing that this is his challenge to the global industry.

So, I read Yu Yu Hakusho once again and then decided myself that I would also like to challenge with the director to the global market in this place that was given to me by Netflix. That’s how I felt.

Go Ayano: First of all, I just could not believe that this was offered to me. When you think about Yu Yu Hakusho, this is the manga that was created more than 30 years ago. I think, finally, the technology of creating such a visual has caught up with the manga, so being able to make it into live-action, I was actually quite excited. At the same time, realizing with the director, with everybody’s passion, we are able to make this happen, but at the same time, even though I was excited, I felt a little bit of fear because this is quite daunting. At the same time, I was aware of the fact Takumi Kitamura was going to play Urameshi Yusuke and also the director being Sh? Tsukikawa, so I think we can clearly support ourselves in trying to challenge this global world and I think we have made the decision to work together to be able to enter the global world with this wonderful manga.

How did you try to stay true to the original characters while also putting your own spin on them?

Takumi Kitamura: Of course, I read the manga when I was younger and read it again when I grew up. I tried to pay huge respect to the original but I think there were elements that I added too. For example, Yusuke, the way he walks and how much of a stride he has, those physical elements I was able to learn from the manga and at the same time, from the anime, a certain level of the voice he speaks. So, physical element can be learnt from manga, as well as the anime could give us some hint as to what kind of voice he talks with. These are some of the elements that I can learn from the original but at the same time, while we were making the live-action version, there were certain elements that can be born from shooting. We have the core cast members and the atmosphere we were able to generate as we are working together on-site. These were the elements that were truly original as we were filming and of course, together with the people shooting on stage. We were able to work together to bring something even better and I think that’s where the miracle happens when we’re making the live-action version.

Go Ayano: We have a lot of the production team working on the feel of the manga, which includes the costumes, hair and makeup. Those are the elements that already recreate the world of Yu Yu Hakusho, so that is really the collaboration effort and of course, these are all coming from the passion of every single member that creates this production. When we get together as actors, each of us has already prepared and under great pressure, each actor gets together to create this. There’s a lot of elements we can extract from the original manga but at the same time, we have the great creator, Togashi-sensei, who created this great IP. So, when we create the live-action version, we get together and collaborate but I think what’s extremely important was the image we had in our minds. Of course, there are technologies such as CG and VFX but at the same time, it was incredibly important for us to be able to make something analog though communication and through just the fact of being there at the shooting place.

To me, the most important element was the way that Takumi looked at me, his eyes. I wanted to make sure it’s all consistent from the first episode to the last one.

How did you achieve the look of the Toguro brothers in live-action?

Go Ayano: First of all, let me just explain that both actors, both myself and Kenichi Takito (who plays Elder Toguro), are about the same height. However, on-screen, it’s very different. For me, there were a lot of references during the shooting. For example, someone would be right by me so we could sort of refer to the size of it. And there was a lot of analog element that I was able to use during the process of shooting for me to make that into what you see, I also had to do a lot of training in several months to not only get the right look, but also get some pain into my body. Through the process of building my body, through the hard work, this was an important element for me to be able to play this character.

Were you fans of the manga or anime before getting your roles in the Netflix live-action series?

Takumi Kitamura: The answer is yes, I have always been a fan, ever since I was a little. I have to let you know that I’m from Tokyo but within Tokyo, there is this place called Nerima Ward where all of us are big fans of anime. I really think it could be the centre of anime culture. So, I love the manga, and amongst all the anime and manga, Yu Yu Hakusho has a big existence throughout the history of manga. So, I have been a fan, and of course, Togashi-sensei is a great manga writer. I think Go-san mentioned earlier that everyone has been feeling an amount of pressure but I must say there’s also an exciting feeling to perform under those great pressure.

Go Ayano: Of course, I’m a big fan and I love the manga. I was exactly in that generation when Yu Yu Hakusho had been very popular so I was quite familiar ever since I was little. I must say that this manga, through the story, that each character showed diversity. They’re not actually one group but they are each different individuals. Each one of them has originality. I think there can be a strong element to teach readers that everybody has the possibility (or potential). As I was growing up in a suburban area, I used to practice the Rei Gan (Spirit Gun) or Spirit Blade and I never imagined that when I grew up, I would be playing Toguro.

What was it like playing a character that is quite younger than yourself?

Takumi Kitamura: First of all, there’s a slight difference between the manga and the live-action version. The original one started from junior high school to high school but the live-action version features a Yusuke that’s already in high school from the start. As an actor, I’m quite used to playing young people such as high schoolers. So, from the background of the character himself, I’m, quite familiar. But it is also true that anywhere from two to two and a half years, throughout the preparation until we are able to shoot, which means there’s about a two years ag difference, so I try my best so that viewers won’t feel those two years gap and I trained a lot to fully play the action scenes. I also ate a lot, like a student would.