Was the 30th Anniversary BluRay of Yu Yu Hakusho Falsely Advertised?

Highlights

Yu Yu Hakusho’s 30th Anniversary BluRay set lacked the movie, “Poltergeist Report,” due to legal and licensing issues.
The movie is non-canonical but features crisp animation and a theatrical quality experience not found in the TV series.
Central Park Media, not Funimation, released the movie in America, leading to poor sales and CPM’s bankruptcy in 2009.

As a long-time fan of Yu Yu Hakusho, I was thrilled when Crunchyroll announced the release of a 30th Anniversary Box Set in 2023. The idea of having all the anime series and OVAs in one place was an exciting prospect for me, especially since I had missed out on some previous releases. However, my excitement soon turned to disappointment when I discovered that the set wasn’t as complete as advertised.

Although streaming has taken over as the primary method for consuming entertainment for many people nowadays, it doesn’t mean that traditional physical media has lost its appeal and place in most homes. With its eye-catching packaging, superior sound quality, and the satisfaction of having a tangible item to display, physical media continues to be an alluring alternative, despite being more costly. However, with this growing preference for high-quality products, there’s been an increased demand for these releases to meet fans’ expectations. For instance, Crunchyroll has mostly succeeded in producing impressive physical media editions; however, one particular release fell short by missing a significant feature for a major anniversary title, leaving some fans disappointed.

What is Yu Yu Hakusho?

Was the 30th Anniversary BluRay of Yu Yu Hakusho Falsely Advertised?

Yu Yu Hakusho is a popular manga series created by Yoshihiro Togashi for Shueisha’s Weekly Shonen Jump magazine between December 1990 and July 1994. The collection of these chapters resulted in nineteen tankobon volumes. This manga was then turned into an anime television show, consisting of 112 episodes, which was produced by Studio Pierrot and aired on Fuji TV from October 1992 to January 1995. (This article focuses on the anime adaptation.)

In this captivating tale, we meet Yusuke Urameshi, a mischievous teenager with a knack for trouble. One fateful day, while trying to save a young child from being hit by a car, Yusuke tragically loses his life. To his surprise, he is granted a second chance at life. This time, however, Yusuke is transformed into a “Spirit Detective,” entrusted with the duty of investigating unexplained supernatural phenomena in the human realm. Along the way, Yusuke’s friends Kazuma Kuwabara, Kurama, and Hiei join him, as they unite to fight against demons and other malevolent entities that threaten the peace of their world.

How Popular is the Series?

Yu Yu Hakusho is a highly popular and influential series in the world of manga and anime. It won the Shogakukan Manga Award for shōnen manga in 1993. Furthermore, the manga has sold over 50 million copies in Japan alone (more if you throw in other countries). Ever since premiering on Cartoon Networks Adult Swim block the anime series has been very popular in America, with DVD’s of the series never going out of print due to the consistent demand. It is this success that Crunchyroll decided to celebrate the 30th anniversary with an elaborate BluRay box set.

The 30th Anniversary BluRay Set

In 2022, Crunchyroll revealed plans for a new BluRay collection of “Yu Yu Hakusho” to hit shelves in 2023, marking the franchise’s 30th anniversary. Dubbed the “Yu Yu Hakusho – 30th Anniversary Box Set,” this release was promoted as a comprehensive celebration of the series, including all anime episodes and OVA’s, plus additional special features. For fans who had missed earlier releases, this box set represented an optimal way to enjoy the anime in its entirety. However, it turned out that there was one notable absence, making the collection not as inclusive as Crunchyroll had led fans to assume.

Minor OVAs Missing

Some OVA episodes weren’t released in America initially. Among these were a festival-exclusive special and several short animations, mostly around 6-8 minutes long, produced for VHS promotions of new anime episodes. Since they served promotional purposes, there was no effort to distribute them, and fans didn’t anticipate their inclusion in this BluRay collection. However, one particular animation was intended to be part of it.

The Movie You Won’t Find in this “Complete” Set

Poltergeist Report,” also titled “Yū Yū Hakusho: Meikai Shitō Hen – Honō no Kizuna” in Japan, is an extended animation project based on the popular “Yu Yu Hakusho” series. The movie runs approximately 95 minutes and boasts improved visuals thanks to a larger budget. Although not essential for following the storyline of the show, it offers fans an enhanced viewing experience. Despite its non-canonical status, many fans consider it a must-watch due to its cinematic feel. However, legal complications have kept this movie from being included in anniversary collections on streaming platforms like Crunchyroll.

Approximately a decade prior to Funimation’s involvement with bringing “Yu Yu Hakusho” to America, Central Park Media attempted to introduce the franchise to the US market. Central Park Media secured the rights to distribute “Yu Yu Hakusho the Movie: Poltergeist Report,” and they dubbed the film using a cast distinct from the TV series. Fans of “Yu Yu Hakusho” would find the movie appealing, but viewers who purchased the DVD before the TV show’s popularity in America may have felt confused since they watched the movie outside of its intended context.

Due to subpar sales and unfavorable feedback, CPM didn’t bother adding more copies of “Yu Yu Hakusho the Movie: Poltergeist Report” to their inventory. Fans couldn’t enjoy the film until Funimation took over its distribution. However, since CPM filed for bankruptcy in 2009, it’s presumed that this movie is among their still-licensed titles. Despite the unclear availability of the film, either it was scarcely accessible or too expensive to salvage, resulting in the 30th anniversary BluRay set not being as comprehensive as fans anticipated.

2024-07-20 20:33