The Birth of Kitaro Rerun Tonight

The animated film “Kitaro: The Birth of Gegege no Nazo” will be broadcast for the first time on terrestrial television on July 12th at 9:30 pm on Fuji TV’s “Saturday Premium” (uncut / broadcast time may be delayed if the “East Asian E-1 Football Championship Men’s Japan vs China” is extended).

The film is an animated film released in November 2023. It has received high praise both at home and abroad, including winning the Excellence in Animation Award at the 47th Japan Academy Awards and being nominated for the Contrechamps category at the Annecy International Animated Film Festival. In 2024, a “real version” was released, which was brushed up with 327 retakes, and both versions were a huge hit, grossing 3.22 billion yen.

To commemorate the film’s first terrestrial broadcast, we are republishing an article that was published at the time of its release. We will introduce the appeal of this film and the minimum background knowledge you need to enjoy it even more, while reporting on the early stages of its release, when it was becoming an unprecedented hit. If you are watching the TV broadcast for the first time, please read this article.

The animated film “Kitaro: The Birth of Gegege no Nazo” is attracting attention for its unusual box office success. As of December 8, 2011, the film is in its fourth week of release and continues to record an ever-increasing box office income.

The box office income for the three days from November 24 to 26, the second weekend of its release, was 106% of the first week (November 17 to 19), and for the third weekend from December 1 to 3, it was 112% of the second week. As of December 3, it recorded a box office income of 800 million yen and a cumulative total of over 570,000 people, making it a huge hit. Since December 1, the number of theaters showing the film has been increased by 23, and the record continues to grow.

The reason for the ever-increasing box office income is thought to be that the film’s fun has been spreading by word of mouth, and that an increasing number of enthusiastic fans are coming back to watch it again and again. On social media, watching the film has been described as “entering the village,” in reference to Nagura Village, the main setting of the film, and there has been a lot of fan art posted of Kitaro’s father (formerly known as Medama Oyaji) and Mizuki, who play a part as a partner in the film.

For those who have heard reviews and are wondering whether to go see it, we will provide a “guide to the village” that will explain the appeal of “Kitaro Birth: The Mystery of GeGeGe” without giving away any spoilers, as well as some background information you should know to enjoy the film even more.

■A “Kitaro” aimed squarely at adults: depicting “Episode Zero” in PG12

“Kitaro’s Birth: The Mystery of Gegege” is a 104-minute feature film based on the TV anime “Gegege no Kitaro (6th season)” broadcast from 2018 to 2020, depicting the origin story of the series, about the past of Kitaro’s father, Medama Oyaji, and the birth of Kitaro.

It’s no problem if you haven’t seen “Gegege no Kitaro (6th season)”. Kitaro is the last surviving member of the ghost tribe, and fights for the coexistence of humans and monsters with his black and yellow “spirit hair chanchanko” and “remote control geta” as weapons. It’s enough to know the three people who support him: his father, Medama Oyaji, and the cat monster Nekomusume.

Many people have come into contact with “Gegege no Kitaro”, which has been adapted into TV anime six times and a live-action movie, as well as the original manga by Shigeru Mizuki. Many people will remember the theme song of the anime version, written by Mizuki, which begins with “Geh, Geh, Gegege no Ge.” To give you a feel for the atmosphere of the sixth season of the TV anime, we will introduce the official opening video (theme song sung by Kiyoshi Hikawa).

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Opening theme song “GeGeGe no Kitaro” (sung by Hikawa Kiyoshi)

“Kitaro Birth: The Mystery of GeGeGe” was created with adults in mind from the planning stage. It is clearly differentiated from the TV anime version for children, and is rated PG12 (parental or guardian advice and guidance is required for viewers under 12 years of age). It is full of shocking depictions and messy human drama that could only be depicted by being aimed at adults, and there is so much information and highlights that it is difficult to grasp everything in just one viewing, so it is a work that even those who do not usually watch anime should definitely watch.

■A gruesome murder case that takes place in a closed village… Recommended for horror and mystery movie fans

(C) “Kitaro’s Birth: The Mystery of Gegege” Film Production Committee

Mizuki, who works at a blood bank, and Kitaro’s father, a young man before he became “Medama no Oyaji”, visit Nakukura Village for their own reasons. Nakukura Village is home to the head family of the Ryuga clan, a powerful clan that controls Japan’s political and financial circles. It is an exclusive village that hates outsiders, and while the two are shunned as uninvited guests, a series of murders occur in the Ryuga family home. The village becomes isolated from the outside world.

(C) “Kitaro’s Birth: The Mystery of Gegege” Film Production Committee

The tragedy that unfolds in a closed family and community is reminiscent of “The Inugami Family” by Kon Ichikawa, based on a novel by Seishi Yokomizo, “Midsommar” by Ari Aster, and “The Village” by M. Night Shyamalan, and has a strong horror and mystery flavor, so it is especially recommended for those who like such works.

As the gruesome incidents occur, the two main characters of the film, Mizuki and Kitaro’s father, who can be said to be the double protagonists of the film, are unable to trust each other and are at odds with each other, but they end up working together, which is also a big appeal as a buddy story, and seems to be one of the reasons for the increase in female fans.

■The work commemorating the 100th anniversary of Mizuki Shigeru’s birth also depicts the horror and scars of the post-war period

“Kitaro: The Birth of Gegege no Nazo” was produced as part of the project to celebrate the 100th anniversary of Mizuki Shigeru’s birth, along with “Akuma-kun”, which is being exclusively distributed on Netflix. The episode in which Kitaro is born is also depicted in Mizuki’s manga, and was depicted in the first episode of the TV anime “Kitaro of the Graveyard.” If possible, we recommend that you read this episode before watching the movie.

The film depicts an original story that connects to the story of Kitaro’s birth as depicted by Mizuki, but it also incorporates elements from Mizuki’s works other than “GeGeGe no Kitaro.” One of these is the manga that deals with war, as exemplified by “All hands, commit suicide!” The latest trailer released after the film’s release hints at the presence of such elements.

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Movie “Kitaro’s Birth: The Mystery of Gegege” Trailer [Kitaro’s Fathers: Bonds]

Mizuki, who lost his left arm in the war, left behind many war manga that strongly reflect his own war experiences. The setting of “Kitaro’s Birth: The Mystery of Gegege” is 1956, about 10 years after the end of the war, during the period of high economic growth, when the scars of the war were still very visible. The blood bank where Mizuki, a character in the work, works was not a free blood donation like today, but an actual blood bank existed and “blood was sold” at the time.

As the horror-themed story progresses, the horror of war and the drama of people who are tormented by the memories of war unfold. That is probably why this film is truly “for adults”. Although it is rated PG12, I think it would be good for children to watch this kind of film together with adults.

You may have read this far and felt that there was no detailed introduction to the work. This film is heavy with horror and mystery elements, so I have deliberately not touched on the contents of the story, as I believe it would be more enjoyable to watch it without any prior knowledge. I strongly recommend that you “enter” the village of Nakukura without knowing anything, just like Mizuki in the work.

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A Bone-Chilling Mystery Rooted in Japan’s Wartime Past Returns to TV

“The Birth of Kitaro: The Mystery of GeGeGe” is far more than just an anime about yokai. It’s a dark, atmospheric horror mystery that skillfully weaves in the grim shadows of Japan’s wartime experience—a signature of Shigeru Mizuki’s storytelling. While rooted in folklore, the story explores deeper human fears, guilt, and historical trauma, making it a unique gem in modern anime. The rerun is a golden opportunity for viewers who missed it in theaters to witness a work that dares to reflect on both the supernatural and the scars of real human history.