Justin Cook, the English voice actor of Yu Yu Hakusho’s Yusuke talks about why the anime is such a legendary work even after decades.

SUMMARY

Justin Cook is the English dub voice actor of Yusuke from Yu Yu Haksuho, and he discussed how the anime has left such a legacy behind.
According to the voice actor, the fact that the series is popular despite decades after its release is testament to its glory.
He also stated that series like Dragon Ball and Yu Yu Hakusho have survived because the audience can relate to them and their characters’ growth and journey.

Yoshihiro Togashi’s Yu Yu Hakusho is one of the most influential manga and anime series in existence, and this is no exaggeration. Its aesthetics are memorable to date, and the series has had a huge impact on the supernatural shonen genre. The series begins with the death of its protagonist, who is offered a second chance at life if he passes some trials and tribulations.

Yusuke, the hero, soon becomes a Spirit Detective who protects humans from threats emerging in the supernatural realm. The series is meticulous in creating bigger and bigger hurdles for its protagonist to cross. With 112 episodes under its belt, Yu Yu Hakusho is considered a legendary anime.

Yu Yu Hakusho Voice Actor Explains the Anime’s Legacy

Yu Yu Hakusho | Credits: Studio Pierrot

Justin Cook is a famed voice actor who mostly dubs anime into English. He voices Yusuke in Yu Yu Hakusho and Raditz and Dende in Dragon Ball (among plenty of other famous roles). When Funimation acquired the Eng dub rights to Yu Yu Hakusho, Cook was only 25 and voiced Yusuke, the lead character, at a young age. He not only voiced the main character but also directed the entire dub.

In an interview with Screen Rant, the voice actor explained why Yoshihiro Togashi‘s Yu Yu Hakusho is a legendary work.

Legacy is ultimately, in my opinion just what is left behind. And so that’s the whole series, and it’s incredible. It’s a great story, it’s got great heart. It’s endured over these 20 or so years the dub has been available, and 30 that the series has been out there in the world. That right there is, I guess, the evidence of its legacy.

-Justin Cook

Yu Yu Hakusho has definitely maintained its status as a classic anime over the decades. Even 30 years after the end of its run, it is still a very popular series that introduced many people to anime. The fact that it is still mentioned in anime discussion forums is a testament to its glory.

Yusuke in Yu Yu Hakusho | Credits: Studio Pierrot

Additionally, several popular mangakas have expressed their love for the series. Black Clover‘s Yuki Tabata is foremost among his fanboys. Tabata had confessed his love for the classic series on multiple occasions and was moved when Yoshiro Togashi remembered his illustration of Hiei. Masashi Kishimoto has also admitted that Yu Yu Hakusho‘s Hiei inspired the personality of Sasuke in Naruto.

Justin Cook Exposes the Secret Behind Dragon Ball and Yu Yu Hakusho‘s Longevity

Hiei in Yu Yu Hakusho | Credits: Studio Pierrot

A plethora of anime and manga debut each year, but very few of them survive, and even fewer amongst them become memorable classics. Yet, two of the series that Justin Cook has been involved with, Yu Yu Hakusho and Dragon Ball, have stood the test of time. But why did these manga/anime survive while countless others didn’t?

According to Cook, it’s because all of these surviving series have one thing in common, and it’s the fact that they are relatable. The audience can see themselves in the characters of such anime/manga and watch the protagonists grow up and achieve greater things. It’s almost like going through a journey together with the characters.

It’s not a stagnant storyline. In a series like Dragon Ball, or even with YuYu Hakusho, it’s a progression of these characters growing up, growing wiser, becoming better people, or demons, or aliens, whichever the case.

-Justin Cook

In both Dragon Ball and Yu Yu Hakusho, the story takes twists and turns but the road stays the same. The characters strain to become powerful, a stronger opponent appears, and the protagonist grows even stronger to defeat the villain. The characters don’t just grow physically but also mentally and emotionally. You can see them mature bit by bit through every episode, and maybe that is what impresses the audience.

Yu Yu Hakusho is available to read on Viz Media, and the anime is available to stream on Hulu.