A conversation was held between Yeon Sang-ho, director of the Netflix series "Parasyte -The Grey-" currently streaming exclusively on Netflix, and Tsukikawa Sho, director of "Yu Yu Hakusho" also streaming on the platform. Directors from South Korea and Japan, known for their work on popular manga adaptations into live-action series, shared a meaningful exchange that has been released. They connected over the challenges of creating high-quality VFX action scenes and expressed mutual respect in a video that has resonated with many.

Yeon Sang-ho, known for "Train to Busan" and the Netflix series "Hellbound," directs "Parasyte -The Grey-," based on Hitoshi Iwaaki’s manga "Parasyte" (Kodansha). The series features the solitary woman Jeong Su-in as the main character, depicting her bizarre coexistence with the parasite "Migi."

Tsukikawa Sho, who directed "I Want to Eat Your Pancreas" and wrote "If the World Ends Tonight," has adapted Yoshihiro Togashi's manga "Yu Yu Hakusho" (Shueisha) into a live-action drama, featuring actors such as Takumi Kitamura, Jun Shison, Kanata Hongou, Shuhei Uesugi, and Gou Ayano.

The video begins with Tsukikawa, a fan of Yeon's since "Train to Busan," greeting him in Korean, expressing his pleasure at meeting him. Yeon reciprocated the respect by sharing his anticipation for "Yu Yu Hakusho," having been a fan of the manga and watching the entire series upon its release.

Yeon, a fan of Japanese manga including "Parasyte" which he considers a personal bible, and Tsukikawa discussed the adaptation process. "Parasyte -The Grey-" garnered interest due to its unique method of production using rotoscoping, basing the animation on live-action footage. Animation production was a collaboration between Shin-Ei Animation, known for delicate performances in works like "Totto-chan" and "Doraemon," and the cutting-edge French studio MIYU Production, making it their first long-form Japanese-French co-production.

"Directors' Fortnight" at the Cannes Film Festival, known for emphasizing auteurship, selected the series, marking it as a significant entry. Past notable directors in this section include Sofia Coppola, Spike Lee, Aki Kaurismäki, and from Japan, Nagisa Oshima, Takeshi Kitano, and Miwa Nishikawa.

Yeon shared the genesis of "Parasyte -The Grey-" and how the original creator Iwaaki approved of his vision after being a fan of "Train to Busan." The adaptation respects the original themes while exploring new coexistence scenarios between Jeong Su-in and Migi, which differ from those in the manga.

Both directors discussed the challenges of creating complex VFX scenes and action sequences. Tsukikawa pursued a dynamic portrayal of intersecting characters across the human, spirit, and demon worlds, pushing the boundaries of visual storytelling in live-action adaptations of manga.

Yeon praised the action and excitement reminiscent of the manga experience in "Yu Yu Hakusho," while Tsukikawa reflected on the importance of entertaining the audience, ultimately focusing on delivering exhilarating battle scenes that align with his childhood memories of the series.