List of YuYu Hakusho films

There are two feature films based on the manga and anime series YuYu 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: Chapter of Underworld's Carnage - Bonds of Fire 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. 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. These were released together as Yu Yu Hakusho: The Movie & Eizou Hakusho on December 13, 2011.

Yu Yu Hakusho: The Movie

Yu Yu Hakusho: The Movie
Cover of the North American DVD release by Anime Works.
Kanji	幽☆遊☆白書
Rōmaji	Yū Yū Hakusho
Directed by	Noriyuki Abe
Produced by	Ken Hagino
Written by	Yukiyoshi Ohashi (script)
Starring	Nozomu Sasaki Megumi Ogata Nobuyuki Hiyama Sanae Miyuki Shigeru Chiba
Music by	Yusuke Honma
Distributed by	Studio Pierrot Anime Works Funimation Entertainment
Release date(s)	July 10, 1993 June 9, 1998
Running time	30 minutes
Country	Japan
Language	Japanese

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. 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. 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.

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

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.

Reception

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.

Yu Yu Hakusho the Movie: Poltergeist Report

Yu Yu Hakusho the Movie: Poltergeist Report
Cover of the North American DVD release by US Manga Corps.
Kanji	幽☆遊☆白書 冥界死闘篇 炎の絆
Rōmaji	Yū Yū Hakusho: Meikai Shitō Hen – Honō no Kizuna
Directed by	Masakatsu Iijima
Produced by	Haruo Sai Ken Hagino Naoharu Honokidani
Written by	Hiroshi Hashimoto Sukehiro Tomita Yukiyoshi Ohashi (screenplay)
Starring	Nozomu Sasaki Megumi Ogata Nobuyuki Hiyama Sanae Miyuki Shigeru Chiba
Music by	Yusuke Honma
Studio	Studio Pierrot
Distributed by	Movic Central Park Media
Release date(s)	April 9, 1994 March 3, 1998
Running time	95 minutes
Country	Japan
Language	Japanese

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. The film was later dubbed into English by US Manga Corps and released on VHS on March 3, 1998 and DVD on October 8, 2002. A DVD reprint was later issued by Central Park Media on January 31, 2006.

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

Plot

The story begins in the Spirit World, where the River Styx is overflowing, due to a tsunami. But as Koenma looks out his window he can tell this is no ordinary storm. The floodwaters continue to rise, and just before they become too much for Koenma he gives a mysterious item to Botan, and tells her to give it to Yusuke Urameshi. But Botan gets hurt badly and barely makes it to Yusuke. Botan is too weak to give Yusuke the item. Throughout most of the movie she’s unconscious and is unable to do anything, while a great evil is surfacing. The storm was apparently caused by the forces of the Netherworld, which was banished into cold space ages ago. All this happens pretty quickly, and so does the fighting. We get to see Yusuke and the others do their signature attacks, against some of their toughest opponents yet. To restore balance in the now flooded Spirit world, Yusuke and the others must track down five spots on Earth that contain a large amount of spiritual energy. But their simple plans get turned upside down when the ruler of the Netherworld, Yakumo, and his three henchmen decide to use the same energy for evil. So, the race begins to save the Spirit World, and now the Human World as well.

Reception

Allen Divers of the Anime News Network gave the subbed version a "B" and the dubbed version a "C," with the main negative comment concerning the use of a different English voice cast from the TV series. The VHS version was the 31st-best selling video during its release week in North America. It fell to number 37 the following week and rose to number 34 the third week.

External links

• Yu Yu Hakusho: The Movie at the Internet Movie Database
• Yu Yu Hakusho, The Movie: Poltergeist Report at the Internet Movie Database