Yu Yu Hakusho: The Movie


Yu Yu Hakusho: The Movie, also known as The Golden Seal, is a 1993 Japanese anime film based on the YuYu Hakusho manga series created by Yoshihiro Togashi. The 30-minute film was directed by Noriyuki Abe and produced by Studio Pierrot. It was released theatrically in Japan on July 10, 1993 at the seasonal Toei Anime Fair. The movie was dubbed into English by Anime Works and Animaze and released on VHS on June 9, 1998 and on a single DVD with Ninku: The Movie on January 30, 2001. Funimation Entertainment later released the film to DVD, along with the Eizou Hakusho OVAs, on December 13, 2011 as Yu Yu Hakusho: The Movie & Eizou Hakusho, featuring a new English dub with their original voice cast from the anime television series.
A Filipino dub titled Ghost Fighter: The Next Mission released by Regal Entertainment in the Philippines.
Like the television series, it features the songs "Smile Bomb" and "Sayonara Bye Bye" by Matsuko Mawatari for its opening and closing credits respectively.

Plot

While vacationing, Koenma is kidnapped by a pair of demons known as Koashura and Garuga, who demand the possession of Lord Enma's coveted "Golden Seal". Botan finds Yusuke Urameshi and Kazuma Kuwabara on their summer vacation as well, and asks for their assistance in Koenma's rescue.

Release

AnimeWorks released an English dubbed version of the half-hour film on VHS in both English-dubbed and subtitled formats on May 5, 1998, and on DVD on January 30, 2001.

Reception

According to Martin Ouelette of Protoculture Addicts, the movie did little to satisfy fans of the YuYu Hakusho series during its original release due to its short running time. Reviewing the Funimation release, Carl Kimlinger of Anime News Network gave the subtitled version a "B+", the English dub a straight "B", and called the story disposable stating the film is more focused on "having fun with its theatrical budget".