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.

Takumi Kitamura (Let Me Eat Your Pancreas, Tokyo Revengers) play the lead role as the brash spirit detective himself, Yusuke Uremeshi. Joining Kitamura is Jun Shison (Battle of Supreme High, Bubble) as Kurama, Yusuke’s junior high rival and best friend, and Kanata Hongo (Kingdom, Attack on Titan) as the edgy demon Hiei.

The series became a gateway into anime for many fans after it started airing in the early 2000s on Cartoon Network.

Director Sho Tsukikawa said of the series, “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.” 

Yu Yu Hakusho will be premiering worldwide and only on Netflix in December 2023