Parents' Guide to Yu Yu Hakusho

TV Netflix Action 2023
Yu Yu Hakusho TV show poster: A reflection image; the top is four teen boys back by blue light. The bottom is 3 adult demons back by dark green light.

Common Sense Media Review

By Danae Stahlnecker , based on child development research. How do we rate?

age 14+

Adaptation of '90s action anime has swears, scares, smoking.

Parents Need to Know

Why Age 14+?

Any Positive Content?

Parent and Kid Reviews

What's the Story?

YU YU HAKUSHO follows Yusuke Urameshi's journey from juvenile delinquent to powerful spirit detective tasked with saving the world. After rescuing a young boy from a car accident, Yusuke (Takumi Kitamura) finds himself faced with a choice: stay dead or return to life with a new mission. Yusuke chooses life and is revived with supernatural powers and a duty to stop demons from wreaking havoc in the human world. Will he succeed?

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say : Not yet rated
Kids say : Not yet rated

This battle-heavy live-action adaptation is a lively modernization of a beloved '90s franchise. Yu Yu Hakusho's lengthy fight scenes and shocking supernatural imagery are what hook viewers. Watch it for the fun premise, but don't expect much thematic depth. Fortunately, characters are just interesting enough to add emotional stakes to the knock-out brawls between demons and junior high students.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about violence in media. How do characters throughout the show use violence to achieve their means? How do their approaches to conflict influence how we might handle conflict we experience in our lives?

  • Talk about growing up and responsibility. What does Yusuke do and say that leads to people calling him a delinquent? How does Yusuke start to embrace responsibility and leadership?

  • Why does Kazuma consider Yusuke his greatest rival? What does it mean for Kazuma to be a worthy rival to Yusuke? How does their rivalry help them both grow as people?

TV Details

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Yu Yu Hakusho TV show poster: A reflection image; the top is four teen boys back by blue light. The bottom is 3 adult demons back by dark green light.

What to Watch Next

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