Rating summary
| Movie |  | 5.0 |
| Video |  | 4.0 |
| Audio | | 4.0 |
| Extras | | 4.0 |
| Overall |  | 4.5 |
Yu Yu Hakusho: The Complete First Season Blu-ray Movie Review
A beloved anime classic receives a gorgeous steelbook treatment
Reviewed by Neil Lumbard April 3, 2020
A spectacular anime in every sense of the word, Yu Yu Hakusho is one of the best Shonen action series ever made. The story centers upon the troubled teenager Yusuke Urameshi. After seeing a young kid crossing the street unattended, Yusuke risks his life to push the child out out of way of the incoming traffic and dies a tragic death. Entering the Spirit World, Yusuke finds himself tossed into a spirit detective role alongside a group of heroes who fight the worst demons the world has ever seen. Featuring breathtaking animation, outstanding music, exceptional character designs, and remarkable characters, Yu Yu Hakusho is an essential 90's gem that has stood the test of time as a defining classic of the genre.
"Spirit Gun!"
For more information on Yu Yu Hakusho please refer to the original Season 1 Blu-ray.com review by my colleague Jeffrey Kauffman.
Yu Yu Hakusho: The Complete First Season Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality
The release includes the same picture-quality found on the original Blu-ray release reviewed by my colleague Jeffrey Kauffman. For more information on the picture-quality please refer to the Blu-ray.com review.
Yu Yu Hakusho: The Complete First Season Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality
The release includes the same audio-quality found on the original Blu-ray release reviewed by my colleague Jeffrey Kauffman. For more information on the audio-quality please refer to the Blu-ray.com review.
Yu Yu Hakusho: The Complete First Season Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras
The release includes the same selection of supplemental features included on the previous Season 1 Blu-ray release reviewed by my colleague Jeffrey Kauffman. For more information on these extras please refer to the Blu-ray.com review.
NEW to the special edition:
The release is packaged with gorgeous Steelbook packaging. The artwork for the release was illustrated by Yu Yu Hakusho animator Masaaki Kannan. The artwork features the hero of the fan-favorite story, Yusuke Urameshi, in an iconic pose. The set has a beautiful finish to it and the feel the of the steel is impressive in hand.
The design features a memorable group illustration on the back of the steelbook. The inner packaging uses a well-designed flip-tray for easy access to the discs (and is superior to the disc-stacking or overlay methods). Inside of the set fans will find two art-cards featuring special Yu Yu Hakusho illustrations (as pictured in the review).
The release includes a new bonus disc featuring never-before-seen content as detailed below:
Yu Yu Hakusho: Looking Back at a Legacy (HD, 17:39) is a nostalgic interview featuring Funimation English-dub voice actors Justin Cook (Yusuke Urameshi), John Burgmeier (Kurama), Christopher Sabat (Kuwabara), and Cynthia Cranz (Botan). The group have an excellent time together waxing nostalgia about the success of the beloved anime series and the importance of its lasting legacy to anime enthusiasts. Memories are rekindled and shared with unbridled enthusiasm.
Discussing their involvement in the show, each of the voice-actors delves into favorite moments during the history of the series. The group has so much energy that the extra is enormously fun to watch. It is obvious that this group still has a lot of love for the ongoing legacy of Yu Yu Hakusho: just like the die-hard fans. A must-see extras for fans of the Yu Yu Hakusho English dub.
Yu Yu Hakusho: The Complete First Season Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation
Yu Yu Hakusho remains one of my favorite anime series to this day. Growing up, the series was a total blast to watch on the Cartoon Network Toonami anime block and the action-packed adventure of each episode always had me glued to my television set. The series is even more fun to revisit on Blu-ray and the first season remains one of the best that the saga has to offer. With fantastic characters and nonstop action, Yu Yu Hakusho is an anime essential. The special edition steelbook re-release contains gorgeous packaging, art cards, and a brand new bonus disc with a must-see featurette for fans of the English dub version. A must-own for collectors.
