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Yu Yu Hakusho: The Movie and Yu Yu Hakusho the Movie: Poltergeist Report

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There are two feature films based on the manga and anime series Yu Yu Hakusho by Yoshihiro Togashi. The films were produced by Studio Pierrot and released in Japan theatrically, the first Yu Yu Hakusho: The Movie in 1993 and the second Yu Yu Hakusho the Movie: Poltergeist Report in 1994. Before Funimation Entertainment acquired the rights to the anime in 2001, the films were dubbed and released in North America by two other companies.[1] The first by Anime Works and the second by US Manga Corps, both released in 1998. However, the first film and the OVAs (Eizou Hakusho I and II) have since been acquired by Funimation and they produced a new English dub of the film using their original cast from the anime.[2] These were released together as Yu Yu Hakusho: The Movie & Eizou Hakusho on December 13, 2011.[3]

Yu Yu Hakusho: The Movie

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Yu Yu Hakusho: The Movie
Japanese logo for the television program and movie.
Japanese name
Kanji幽☆遊☆白書
Transcriptions
Revised HepburnYū Yū Hakusho
Directed byNoriyuki Abe
Written byYukiyoshi Ohashi
Produced byKen Hagino
StarringNozomu Sasaki
Megumi Ogata
Nobuyuki Hiyama
Sanae Miyuki
Shigeru Chiba
Music byYusuke Honma
Production
company
Distributed byToei
Release date
  • July 10, 1993 (1993-07-10)
Running time
30 minutes
CountryJapan
LanguageJapanese

Yu Yu Hakusho: The Movie, also known as The Golden Seal, is a 30-minute film that was released theatrically in Japan on July 10, 1993 at the seasonal Toei Anime Fair.[4][5] The movie was directed by Noriyuki Abe. The movie was English dubbed by Anime Works and Animaze and released on VHS on June 9, 1998 and on a single DVD with Ninku: The Movie on January 30, 2001.[6][7] Funimation Entertainment later released the film to DVD, along with the Eizou Hakusho OVAs, on December 13, 2011 as Yu Yu Hakusho: The Movie & Eizou Hakusho, featuring a new English dub with their original voice cast from the anime.[2]

Like the television series, it features the songs "Smile Bomb" and "Sayonara Bye Bye" by Matsuko Mawatari (Sarah White and Stephanie Nadolny in the FUNimation English version) for its opening and closing credits respectively.

Plot

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While vacationing, Koenma is kidnapped by a pair of demons known as Koashura and Garuga, who demand the possession of Lord Enma's coveted "Golden Seal". Botan finds Yusuke Urameshi and Kazuma Kuwabara on their summer vacation as well, and asks for their assistance in Koenma's rescue.

Voice cast

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Character Actor[8]
Japanese English
Media Blasters, 1998 Funimation, 2011
Yusuke Urameshi Nozomu Sasaki Jonathan Fahn (as Jonathan Charles) Justin Cook
Kazuma Kuwabara Shigeru Chiba Lex Lang Christopher Sabat
Kurama Megumi Ogata David Hayter (as Sean Barker) John Burgmeier
Hiei Nobuyuki Hiyama Kirk Thornton (as Sparky Thornton) Chuck Huber
Botan Sanae Miyuki Lia Sargent Cynthia Cranz
Koenma Mayumi Tanaka Brianne Siddall (as Jetta E. Bumpy) Sean Teague
Garuga/Yasha Takeshi Aono Kevin Seymour (as Dougary Grant) Christopher Ayres
Koashura Rica Matsumoto Julie Maddalena (as Julie Kliewer) Greg Ayres
George Saotome Tomomichi Nishimura Robert Martin Klein (as Bob Marx) Kent Williams
Winged Demon Mitsuaki Madono Doug Stone J. Michael Tatum
Tree Demon Masami Suzuki Milton James (as Richard Barnes) Jeff Johnson
Kotennyo Yuri Shiratori Wendee Lee Kate Bristol

Reception

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According to Martin Ouelette of Protoculture Addicts, the movie did little to satisfy fans of the YuYu Hakusho series during its original release due to its short running time.[9] Reviewing the Funimation release, Carl Kimlinger of Anime News Network gave the subtitled version a "B+", the English dub a straight "B", and called the story disposable stating the film is more focused on "having fun with its theatrical budget".[10]

Yu Yu Hakusho the Movie: Poltergeist Report

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Yu Yu Hakusho the Movie: Poltergeist Report
Cover for the film
Japanese name
Kanji幽☆遊☆白書 冥界死闘篇 炎の絆
Transcriptions
Revised HepburnYū Yū Hakusho: Meikai Shitō Hen – Honō no Kizuna
Directed byMasakatsu Iijima
Written byHiroshi Hashimoto
Sukehiro Tomita
Yukiyoshi Ohashi
Produced byHaruo Sai
Ken Hagino
Naoji Hōnokidani
StarringNozomu Sasaki
Megumi Ogata
Nobuyuki Hiyama
Sanae Miyuki
Shigeru Chiba
Music byYusuke Honma
Production
companies
Distributed byToho
Release date
  • April 9, 1994 (1994-04-09)
Running time
95 minutes
CountryJapan
LanguageJapanese
Box office¥3.3 million[11]

Yu Yu Hakusho the Movie: Poltergeist Report, known in Japan as Yū Yū Hakusho: Meikai Shitō Hen - Honō no Kizuna (幽★遊★白書: 冥界死闘篇・炎の絆, lit. Yū Yū Hakusho: Chapter of Underworld's Carnage - Bonds of Fire), is the second of the films based on the series. The 95 minutes long film was released in theaters in Japan on April 9, 1994.[5][12] The film was later dubbed into English by Central Park Media and Skypilot Entertainment and was released on VHS on March 3, 1998, and DVD on October 8, 2002.[13][14] A DVD reprint was later issued by Central Park Media on January 31, 2006.[15] The film was later released on Blu-ray as a part of the Yu Yu Hakusho: 25th Anniversary Box collection on July 27, 2018.[16][17]

The film features the ending theme "Sayonara wa Iwanai" composed by JILL and sung by Personz.

Plot

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The story begins in the Spirit World, where the River Styx is overflowing, due to a tsunami. As this is no ordinary storm, Koenma gives a mysterious item to Botan, and tells her to give it to Yusuke Urameshi, but Botan gets hurt badly and hides it instead. The storm was apparently caused by the forces of the Netherworld, which was banished into cold space ages ago by Lord Enma. To restore balance in the now flooded Spirit World and with Hinegashi's guidance, Yusuke and the others must track down five spots on Earth that contain a large amount of spiritual energy. However, their mission is thwarted when the ruler of the Netherworld, Yakumo and his three demon gods decide to use the same energy to restore their place on Earth. The race begins to save the Spirit World, and now the Human World as well.

Voice cast

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Character Actor[18]
Japanese English
Yusuke Urameshi Nozomu Sasaki Rik Nagel
Kazuma Kuwabara Shigeru Chiba (dub: Kazuma Kuwahara) Cliff Lazenby
Botan Sanae Miyuki Kathleen McInerney
Koenma Mayumi Tanaka Eric Stuart
Kurama Megumi Ogata Chris Orbach (as Hideo Seaver)
Hiei Nobuyuki Hiyama James Stanley
Keiko Yukimura Yuri Amano Shannon Conley
Genkai Hisako Kyoda Caryl Marder
Yakumo Hirotaka Suzuoki Bruce Winant
Hinageshi Chisa Yokoyama Elisa Wain
Raiko Nobuaki Fukuda Peter Patrikios
Kuronue Hochu Otsuka Eric Stuart
Majari Yuji Mitsuya Jack Taylor
Yukina Yuri Shiratori Veronica Taylor
George Saotome Tomomichi Nishimura
Yoko Kurama Shigeru Nakahara Chris Orbach

Reception

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Reviewing the 2002 DVD release, Allen Divers of Anime News Network gave the subtitled version a "B" and the dubbed version a "C". He noted that the film has all the action, drama and comedy that makes the TV series great, but with higher-quality animation and artwork due to a theatrical budget. Divers stated that the dub was well-done and close to the original Japanese, but said it was disappointing that a different English voice cast from the TV series was used.[19] The VHS version was the 31st-best selling video during its release week in North America.[20] It fell to number 37 the following week and rose to number 34 the third week.[21][22]

References

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  1. ^ "New Anime Series Acquired". Anime News Network. January 11, 2001. Retrieved 2008-11-16.
  2. ^ a b "Yu Yu Hakusho: The Movie & Eizou Hakusho". Anime News Network. Retrieved January 15, 2012.
  3. ^ "Yu Yu Hakusho: Eizou Hakusho OVA". Amazon. Retrieved September 10, 2011.
  4. ^ Camp, Brian; Davis, Julie (2007). Anime Classics Zettai!: 100 Must-See Japanese Animation Masterpieces. Stone Bridge Press. p. 403. ISBN 978-1-933330-22-8.
  5. ^ a b "studioぴえろ 作品年表(劇場作品)" [Studio Pierrot Works Chronology (Theater Works)] (in Japanese). Studio Pierrot. Archived from the original on December 13, 2009. Retrieved January 3, 2010.
  6. ^ "Animexpress: Yû Yû Hakusho". Animerica. 6 (2). Viz Media: 19. February 1998.
  7. ^ "Amazon.com: Ninku/ Yu Yu Hakusho (2002)". Amazon. Retrieved 2008-11-16.
  8. ^ "Yu Yu Hakusho: The Golden Seal". Behind The Voice Actors. Retrieved 2019-09-21.
  9. ^ Ouellette, Martin (April 1998). "Spotlight: Yu Yu Hakusho". Protoculture Addicts. No. 49. Protoculture Inc. p. 34.
  10. ^ Kimlinger, Carl (January 9, 2012). "Yu Yu Hakusho: The Movie & Eizou Hakusho". Anime News Network. Retrieved 2014-04-06.
  11. ^ "1994年日本映画フリーブッキング作品配給収入" [1994 Japanese Film Free Booking Box Office Revenue]. Kinema Junpo. Kinema ShunpoSha. February 20, 1995. p. 155. ISSN 1342-5412. OCLC 3281818.
  12. ^ Galbraith, Stuart (2008). The Toho Studios Story: A History and Complete Filmography. Scarecrow Press. p. 386. ISBN 978-0-8108-6004-9.
  13. ^ "NEW ON VIDEO". Dayton Daily News. Dayton, Ohio. February 26, 1998. p. 20. Retrieved December 30, 2009.
  14. ^ "Yu Yu Hakusho - The Movie - Poltergeist Report (2002)". Amazon. Retrieved November 16, 2008.
  15. ^ ""YU YU HAKUSHO: THE MOVIE – THE POLTERGEIST REPORT" TO BE PRICED AT ONLY $9.95 SRP" (Press release). New York, NY: Central Park Media. November 22, 2005. Archived from the original on 2012-03-16. Retrieved 2010-12-18.
  16. ^ "Yu Yu Hakusho: 25th Anniversary Blu-ray Box Set 1". Blu-Ray.com. Retrieved June 23, 2020.
  17. ^ "Yu Yu Hakusho 25th Anniversary Blu-Ray Box, Spirit Detective Saga, Japanese Edition". Amazon. Retrieved June 23, 2020.
  18. ^ "Yu Yu Hakusho: Poltergeist Report". Behind The Voice Actors. Retrieved 2019-09-21.
  19. ^ Divers, Allen (October 23, 2003). "Yu Yu Hakusho: The Movie DVD - Review - Anime News Network". Anime News Network. Retrieved 2008-11-28.
  20. ^ "Top Video Sales". Billboard. e5 Global Media. March 28, 1998. p. 52.
  21. ^ "Top Video Sales". Billboard. e5 Global Media. April 4, 1998. p. 63.
  22. ^ "Top Video Sales". Billboard. e5 Global Media. April 11, 1998. p. 82.
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