Toei Animation announced that the upcoming anime film Kitarou Tanjou: Gegege no Nazo (Kitaro’s Birth: Gegege’s Mystery), based on the comedy and supernatural manga GeGeGe no Kitaro, will be screened in Japan on November 17, 2023. The film is part of the 100th-anniversary celebration of the birth of its creator Shigeru Mizuki.
The film’s story is still a mystery, but the teaser visual created by character designer Touko Yatabe gives hints about what to expect. The visual features a number of Jizo statues covered in blood, with Kitaro’s father standing among them. Mizuki, the other main character in the film, is also shown holding a Type 38 rifle, a weapon used by the Japanese military during World War I. Meanwhile, Kitarou is shown wearing his traditional yellow and black coat and wooden sandals, looking alarmed with his eyes wide open.
The teaser visual raises questions about the film’s plot but hopefully will shed new light on Kitarou’s father, who has been a beloved character in both the series and manga.
The cast of the film includes Miyuki Sawashiro as Kitarou, Masako Nozawa as Kitarou’s father, and Toshio Furukawa as Nezumi Otoko. The film is directed by Gō Koga, with a screenplay by Hiroyuki Yoshino and character design by Touko Yatabe. The film is produced by Toei Animation and distributed by Toei.
▍About Gegege no Kitarou
Gegege no Kitarou is a long-running Japanese manga series created by Shigeru Mizuki. The series was first published in 1959 and has since been adapted into several anime series, films, and video games.
The story revolves around Kitarou, a young yōkai, who fights to protect the peace between humans and yokai in a world where the two are often at odds. Along with his yōkai allies, Kitaro battles other malicious beings who seek to cause chaos in the world.
The manga has been adapted into anime multiple times, starting with the original series in 1968. The most recent adaptation, titled Gegege no Kitarou (2018), began airing in April 2018 and concluded in March 2020, with a total of 97 episodes.
Shigeru Mizuki, born March 8, 1922, creator of the series, was a renowned manga artist and historian, known for his contributions to the development of the horror genre in manga. He drew on his own experiences growing up in a rural village and his deep interest in yōkai and other supernatural beings in his work. Mizuki passed away in 2015, leaving behind a legacy as one of the most influential manga artists in Japan.
▍Kitarou Tanjou: Gegege no Nazo Anime Film Staff & Production
Original Work: GeGeGe no Kitarou by Shigeru Mizuki (Serialized in Weekly Shonen Magazine)
Director: Gō Koga
Screenplay: Hiroyuki Yoshino
Character Design: Touko Yatabe
Animation Production: Toei Animation
Distribution: Toei
▍Kitarou Tanjou: Gegege no Nazo Anime Film Cast
■ Kitarou – CV: Miyuki Sawashiro
■ Kitarou’s father – CV: Masako Nozawa
■ Nezumi Otoko – CV: Toshio Furukawa