As the highly anticipated debut of the live-action adaptation of “Yu Yu Hakusho” approaches, fans are treated to a preview showcasing groundbreaking visual effects that promise to redefine the standard for live-action anime adaptations.
The five-episode series, set to capture the essence of the original best-selling manga, has taken a leap forward in realism through a collaboration with Scanline VFX, renowned for its contributions to major Hollywood productions.
Visual effects director Tomofumi Akahane emphasized the challenges of presenting CGI characters in close-ups, citing factors like camera distance, dialogue, and facial expressions. Thanks to Scanline VFX, the team achieved a level of quality that blurs the lines between CGI and reality, ensuring a seamless and immersive experience for viewers.
“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,” said visual effects director Tomofumi Akahane. “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.”
Utilizing cutting-edge performance capture technology with 170 cameras filming actors simultaneously in 360 degrees, director Sho Tsukikawa gained the flexibility to choose the optimal angles during post-production. This approach resulted in CG character assets that seamlessly integrated with the live-action elements, staying faithful to the manga’s supernatural elements.
Recreating epic battles between humans and demons presented a unique set of challenges. Notably, scenes featuring the Toguro Brothers, known for their ability to distort bodies and expand muscles, required meticulous attention to detail. Visual effects advisor Ryo Sakaguchi explained the difficulty in changing the scale to match the different body sizes of actors and characters, leading the team to create and print 3D models of the Toguro Brothers.
“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,” visual effects advisor Ryo Sakaguchi said.
To assist actors unfamiliar with CGI, the production team implemented creative solutions, such as having a stunt person wear blue clothes to represent an enemy during fight scenes. The commitment to realism, passion from the actors, and collaboration with Scanline VFX collectively contribute to the promise of a groundbreaking live-action adaptation that pays homage to the beloved manga.
“How do actors imagine an enemy that isn’t actually in front of them?” asked action director Takahito Ouchi. “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.”
‘Yu Yu Hakusho’ Poster
Embark on an epic journey as the fate of the Human World rests in Yusuke’s hands – don’t miss the premiere of ‘Yu Yu Hakusho’ on December 14, exclusively on Netflix.
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