English Dub Review: Yu Yu Hakusho “Two Shots/All Or Nothing”

Overview:

It’s been more than two decades, but Yu Yu Hakusho is back to wrap up its story in style with a two-part OVA special, “Two Shots/All or Nothing,” that shares the wealth among its intrepid defenders of the Spirit World. “Two Shots” shines a light on the sweet and unexpected circumstances behind Kurama and Hiei’s friendship, while “All or Nothing” reunites Yusuke with the rest of his friends as they work together to resolve a hostage crisis that puts Koenma and Botan in danger, but also threatens the safety of both the Spirit and Human Worlds. 

Our Take:

Yu Yu Hakusho is one of the most celebrated shonen series of the 1990s and it’s remained in the conversation with major players like Dragon Ball and One Piece even though it hasn’t received a modern reboot or an endless deluge of video games. A new Yu Yu Hakusho anime would thrive, but audiences were at least thrown a tiny bone in the form of a two-part OVA installment, “Two Shots/All or Nothing,” that both turns the clock backwards and forwards for Yu Yu Hakusho in a way that hopefully leaves audiences with a satisfying feeling of resolution. “Two Shots/All or Nothing” is exactly the epilogue that Yu Yu Hakusho fans have been waiting for and it manages to celebrate the characters, friendship, and heightened action sequences that were always the anime’s forte. 

“Two Shots/All or Nothing” was originally released in 2018 in Japan and an English dub was announced by Funimation as early as 2019. It’s been four years, but an English dub for the Yu Yu Hakusho OVA has finally happened in 2023 to celebrate the series’ 30th anniversary. This new Blu-Ray set collects all of the previous DVD and Blu-Ray special features, but it at last allows “dubs only” fans the same closure that the rest of audiences received four years earlier. Like the original Yu Yu Hakusho anime, this bifurcated OVA doesn’t show any signs of compromise. Justin Cook returns to ADR direct “Two Shots/All or Nothing” and there’s the same intuitive direction and nuanced performances that made the original English dub a success.

It truly feels like the “Two Shots/All or Nothing” production has gone to painstaking lengths to bring back as many of the original voices as possible, even when it comes to actors who have more or less retreated from mainstream productions. A good dub is built upon more than just consistency and passion, but these elements go a long way to push “Two Shots/All or Nothing” to even more satisfying heights. This isn’t some hollow dub job that’s rushed out to coincide with an anniversary release. This is a labor of love that just so happens to be getting a release on an anniversary Blu-Ray.

On top of these satisfying, albeit rushed, stories, “Two Shots/All or Nothing” is also easily the most visually impressive of the Yu Yu Hakusho anime. The quality of the dub hides the fact that 20 years have passed since the last episode, but there’s no mistaking that this OVA was animated decades later. It’s a little surreal to see Yu Yu Hakusho characters in such a modern animation style, but everyone benefits from the visual upgrade and it makes a strong case for a full-on modern reboot of the series. 

Yu Yu Hakusho’s “Two Shots/All or Nothing” OVA clocks in at under a half-hour, but it’s still an appreciated gift to the shonen series’ longtime fans. Two full-length episodes would have likely been more ideal here so that both of these touching and contrasting stories can breathe a little more. That being said, a little restraint goes a long way and the fact that there’s no time wasted in either story and the audience is left wanting more is far better than Yu Yu Hakusho’s swan song wearing out its welcome. The series’ 30th anniversary Blu-Ray box set is an exceptional collection that’s a must-have for the anime’s fans, but even without a slew of special features this dubbed OVA still stands on its own as a worthy epilogue to a beloved series.