Takumi Kitamura has been cast as Yusuke Urameshi, the protagonist of the upcoming live-action adaptation of Yu Yu Hakusho. Kitamura previously portrayed protagonist Takemichi Hanagaki in the live-action movie of Tokyo Revengers, which was the highest grossing Japanese film in 2021. There has been no information as of yet in regards to the other members of the main four. [Thanks, ANN!]
Comic Natalie has provided a cast interview with Kitamura in regards to his casting as Yusuke in Yu Yu Hakusho. He states that he thought it was a joke and laughed when he found out he got the role. He also notes that Yu Yu Hakusho is a historical work that serves as the root of Japanese pop culture. In regards to the character, Kitamura hints that this adaptation of Yusuke may be darker than the original depiction in the manga.
Netflix first announced the series at the end of December 2020. This came after several other live-action adaptations of classic Japanese anime series, such as Death Note and Cowboy Bebop. Kazutaka Sakamoto (who is also a Netflix content acquisition director) is the show’s executive producer. Akira Morii of Wild 7 is producing Yu Yu Hakusho as a member of Robot Communications.
Yoshihiro Togashi, who later wrote Hunter x Hunter, worked on Yu Yu Hakusho from 1990 to 1994. The anime series ran from 1992 to 1995. It follows the story of juvenile delinquent Yusuke Urameshi, who dies after he “uncharacteristically” dies after pushing a child out of oncoming traffic. He makes a deal with the Spirit World and comes back to life on the condition that he works for them as a “spirit detective.”
The Netflix adaptation of Yu Yu Hakusho will air worldwide in December 2023.
