Visual effects can make or break a live-action anime adaptation. But Scanline VFX has blown Yu Yu Hakusho fans away with the effects revealed in the latest trailer. Netflix dropped the new trailer for the upcoming live series adaptation of the upcoming live-action adaptation of the smash-hit manga from Weekly Shonen Jump, which you can view below:
Scanline VFX Creates Impressive Visuals for Live-Action Yu Yu Hakusho Film
Scanline VFX is a global visual effects company that specializes in creating high-end visual effects for feature films, television series, commercials, and other forms of media. The company was founded in 1989 in Munich, Germany, and has since expanded its operations to multiple locations around the world, including Los Angeles, Vancouver, Montreal, London, Stuttgart, and Seoul.
Scanline VFX has gained recognition for its expertise in creating complex and realistic visual effects, particularly in the areas of fluid simulations, fire and smoke effects, and virtual environments. The company has worked on a wide range of blockbuster films and popular television series, collaborating with major studios and production companies in the entertainment industry.
Some notable projects that Scanline VFX has contributed to include movies like 2012, Iron Man 2, Man of Steel, Guardians of the Galaxy, and Justice League. The company is known for its innovative approach to visual effects, utilizing advanced technologies and techniques to bring imaginative and realistic elements to the screen.
RELATED: Netflix’s Yu Yu Hakusho Live-Action Adaptation: A Teaser Trailer and Art Reveal
Scanline VFX has earned several industry awards for its outstanding contributions to visual effects, and its work continues to be highly regarded in the field of CGI and VFX. The company’s diverse team of artists and technicians collaborate to deliver cutting-edge visual effects that enhance the overall cinematic experience for audiences worldwide.
What makes these effects so good?
The answer to this question comes directly from visual effects director Tomofumi Akahane. He stated, “To what extent CGI characters can be shown close-up depends on the distance from the camera, whether there’s dialogue and the facial expression. With Scanline VFX on board, we were able to reach higher than any other Japanese title and achieve a quality where the average viewer won’t be able to tell that CGI is actually CGI.”
This is a bold claim because while CGI has come on leaps and bounds in the last thirty years, a lot of CGI is still very noticeable. So, what did Scanline VFX do to make it blend seamlessly into real life? They took advantage of the latest performance capture technology, using 170 individual cameras to film the actors in 360 degrees. Director Sho Tsukikawa then chose the best angles to make it look like a single camera was used, resulting in realistic character assets being woven perfectly among the real-life details.
Why Good VFX Are So Important for Yu Yu Hakusho
Created by Yoshihiro Togashi, Yu Yu Hakusho originally began as a manga serialized in Weekly Shonen Jump before being adapted into an anime series and now this live-action offering. The story revolves around Yusuke Urameshi, a teenage delinquent who unexpectedly dies while saving a child from an oncoming car.
However, his selfless act catches the afterlife by surprise, and they are faced with a dilemma of what to do with Yusuke. To rectify the situation, he is given a second chance at life but as an Underworld Detective, tasked with investigating supernatural occurrences and maintaining the balance between the human world and the spirit world.
Throughout the series, Yusuke encounters various supernatural beings, demons, and otherworldly challenges. He forms a team of allies, including his former rival Kuwabara, the cunning Hiei, and the cheerful Kurama. Together, they embark on missions and participate in a tournament known as the Dark Tournament, where powerful beings from different realms battle it out.
It’s this otherworldly element that makes the VFX so useful, as visual effects advisor Ryo Sakaguchi explains when talking about the scenes with the Toguro Brothers—the Elder Toguro can distort his body and the Younger Toguro can expand his muscles. Sakaguchi stated, “The body size of the actors and the characters are different, so it was really hard to change the scale. It wasn’t just a matter of changing their height, we needed to ensure that the sight lines of the opponents were accurate.”
Having the actors able to interact with the CGI elements is a crucial part of getting CGI right, as it gives the audience a grounding in reality. Luckily for this production, Ryo Sakaguchi was the first Japanese visual producer to win a Scientific and Technical Award at the Oscars, and he put those award-winning skills to good use.
His team created and printed 3D models of the Toguro Brothers, and attached them to the actors for the shoot so that it was easier and more natural for those acting opposite them. “How do actors imagine an enemy that isn’t actually in front of them?” This was the problem faced by action director Takahito Ouchi. Ouchi said, “No matter how much you tell them that an enemy is there, they need to get fired up enough to make it seem like they are really fighting. And that realism is born from the passion of the actors.”
RELATED: YU YU HAKUSHO – Netflix is Bringing the Legendary Classic to Live-Action December 14
The large-scale live-action series adaptation of Yu Yu Hakusho is arriving on Netflix next week. The all-star cast includes Takumi Kitamura, Jun Shison, Kanata Hongo, Shuhei Uesugi, Sei Shiraishi, Kenichi Takito, Goro Inagaki, and Go Ayano. The show begins streaming exclusively on Netflix starting Dec. 14.
About Yu Yu Hakusho
Release Date: December 14. 2023
Based on the manga: Yoshihiro Togashi “Yu Yu Hakusho” (Shueisha Jump Comics)
Director: Sho Tsukikawa
Screenplay: Tatsuro Mishima
VFX Supervisor: Ryo Sakaguchi (Scanline VFX)
Executive Producer: Kaata Sakamoto (Netflix)
Producer: Akira Morii
In Association with: THE SEVEN
Production: ROBOT
Produced by: Netflix
Cast: Takumi Kitamura, Jun Shison, Kanata Hongo, Shuhei Uesugi
Synopsis: Based on the legendary manga by Yoshihiro Togashi originally serialized in Weekly Shonen Jump for four years from 1990 and published by Shueisha, the story revolves around Yusuke Urameshi, who spends his days getting into fights and dies in an accident while trying to protect a young child.
As he grapples with the fact that he is looking down on his dead body, a woman named Botan who calls herself a guide to the spirit world relays to him the shocking truth: no one expected a delinquent like Yusuke to die performing an act of goodness, and there was no place for him in either heaven or hell. Thus, Yusuke is given a chance to be revived, and after passing his trial, he becomes an Underworld Detective. From there, Yusuke becomes entwined in a mystery that envelopes the human, demon, and spirit worlds.
Are you excited about the Yu Yu Hakusho adaptation? Or do you think this is just an attempt to piggyback off the success of One Piece which dropped in September? Let us know in the comments below or on our social media.
SOURCE: Netflix
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