Netflix's 5-Part Martial Arts Show Has Some Of The Best Fights In Live-Action Anime History
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Published Oct 25, 2026, 11:48 PM EDT
Dhruv is a Lead Writer in Screen Rant's New TV division. He has been consistently contributing to the website for over two years and has written thousands of articles covering streaming trends, movie/TV analysis, and pop culture breakdowns.
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Time and again, streaming services like Netflix have learned the hard way that getting live-action anime right is not an easy feat. The biggest challenge that most anime adaptations face is that they struggle to find the right balance between being too gimmicky and having some semblance of realism. Defying the norm, however, one action anime on Netflix delivers incredibly unforgettable action sequences.
Based on a manga series of the same name by Yoshihiro Togashi, Netflix's Yu Yu Hakusho is forced to condense its source material's narrative into a 5-episode storyline. Owing to this, it ends up glossing over many key developments from the original manga. Despite this, it perfectly captures the original manga and anime's essence with its portrayal of everything from supernatural monsters to fight scenes.
Speaking of fight scenes, Yu Yu Hakusho's biggest strength is its action. The live-action anime on Netflix has moments where its visual effects seem a little too campy. However, it brilliantly makes up for this with its fight choreography.
What Makes Yu Yu Hakusho's Action Scenes So Compelling?
One of the most viral fight scenes from Netflix's Yu Yu Hakusho features a showdown between the main character, Yusuke, and a giant red demon, Gouki. This fight has garnered so much attention because Gouki almost looks like the MCU's Hulk in size and stature. In terms of CGI, Gouki's visual representation in the sequence is not as detailed and realistic as the MCU's Hulk.
Yet, his fight with Yusuke in the live-action anime almost seems reminiscent of some of the best showdowns from the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The action scene works so well because, despite its fantastical elements, it grounds itself in street brawl mechanics.
Yusuke uses his fists and quick reflexes to overpower the giant and also cleverly manipulates his surroundings to gain an edge in the fight. To completely immerse viewers in the fight, Yu Yu Hakusho ensures that they feel the impact of every nasty blow thrown by Yusuke and the demon.
Yu Yu Hakusho's five-episode runtime is packed with several other compelling action scenes where it finds clever ways to ground itself in realism. At the same time, though, it also honors its source material by giving each character a distinct visual identity during combat.
While Yusuke sticks to dirty street fighting and chaotic brawling style, Hiei blitzes in and out at incomprehensible speed. Similarly, Kurama is portrayed to have a more fluid and elegant style of fighting. Because each fighting style has a distinct appeal in the series, every action scene feels novel and equally enthralling.
Netflix's Yu Yu Hakusho Is The Perfect Precedent For Future Live-Action Shōnen Adaptations
Fight scenes in anime are unique and significantly different from the ones featured in live-action. Owing to this, when an anime is translated to the live-action medium, its action scenes often lose their original appeal. Netflix's Yu Yu Hakusho, however, ensures that it retains everything from the rapid zooms to the slow motion cuts that its original anime features.
It also avoids relying heavily on CGI. While its supernatural representation of yokai and spirit guns is obviously created through visual effects, it heavily emphasizes choreography during action scenes over glossy spectacle. Netflix's One Piece, too, does the same, explaining why it has managed to succeed.
Many live-action adaptations also forget how fight scenes are crucial narrative devices in anime. They focus too much on spectacle while dismissing the narrative significance of each showdown. Netflix's Yu Yu Hakusho highlights the importance of mid-fight storytelling by emphasizing Yusuke's desperation when he faces overpowered characters like Toguro.
©Netflix / Courtesy Everett Collection
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