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{{Infobox animanga/Header
{{Infobox animanga/Header
| image          = GeGeGe no Kitarō manga 1985 edition.png
| image          = GeGeGe no Kitarō manga 1985 edition.png
| caption        = First {{Transl|ja|[[tankōbon]]}} volume cover (1985 edition)
| caption        = First {{Transliteration|ja|[[tankōbon]]}} volume cover (1985 edition)
| ja_kanji        = ゲゲゲの鬼太郎
| ja_kanji        = ゲゲゲの鬼太郎
| ja_romaji      =  
| ja_romaji      =  
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|JP=Kodansha Bilingual Comic
|JP=Kodansha Bilingual Comic
}}
}}
| demographic    = {{Transl|ja|[[Shōnen manga|Shōnen]]}}
| demographic    = {{Transliteration|ja|[[Shōnen manga|Shōnen]]}}
| imprint        = Shōnen Magazine Comics
| imprint        = Shōnen Magazine Comics
| magazine        = [[Weekly Shōnen Magazine]]
| magazine        = [[Weekly Shōnen Magazine]]
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| type            = tv series
| type            = tv series
| title          = {{noitalic|3rd series}}
| title          = {{noitalic|3rd series}}
| director        = {{ubl|Osamu Kasai (#1–108)|Hiroki Shibata (#109–115)<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.toei-anim.co.jp/shop/dvd_kitaro80s/staff.html|script-title=ja:ゲゲゲの鬼太郎|publisher=Toei Animation|language=ja|access-date=January 19, 2018|archive-date=April 14, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170414022551/http://www.toei-anim.co.jp/shop/dvd_kitaro80s/staff.html|url-status=live}}</ref>}}
| director        = {{ubl|Osamu Kasai (1–108)|Hiroki Shibata (109–115)<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.toei-anim.co.jp/shop/dvd_kitaro80s/staff.html|script-title=ja:ゲゲゲの鬼太郎|publisher=Toei Animation|language=ja|access-date=January 19, 2018|archive-date=April 14, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170414022551/http://www.toei-anim.co.jp/shop/dvd_kitaro80s/staff.html|url-status=live}}</ref>}}
| writer          = [[Junki Takegami]]
| writer          = [[Junki Takegami]]
| music          = [[Masahiro Kawasaki]]
| music          = [[Masahiro Kawasaki]]
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| title          = {{noitalic|5th series}}
| title          = {{noitalic|5th series}}
| director        = Yukio Kaizawa<ref>{{cite web|url=http://lineup.toei-anim.co.jp/ja/tv/kitaro/staff/|title=Ge-Ge-Ge No Kitaro 5|publisher=Toei Animation|language=ja|access-date=January 19, 2018|archive-date=January 19, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180119235148/http://lineup.toei-anim.co.jp/ja/tv/kitaro/staff/|url-status=live}}</ref>
| director        = Yukio Kaizawa<ref>{{cite web|url=http://lineup.toei-anim.co.jp/ja/tv/kitaro/staff/|title=Ge-Ge-Ge No Kitaro 5|publisher=Toei Animation|language=ja|access-date=January 19, 2018|archive-date=January 19, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180119235148/http://lineup.toei-anim.co.jp/ja/tv/kitaro/staff/|url-status=live}}</ref>
| writer          = {{ubl|[[Keiichi Hasegawa]] (#1–26)|[[Riku Sanjo]] (#27–100)}}
| writer          = {{ubl|[[Keiichi Hasegawa]] (1–26)|[[Riku Sanjo]] (27–100)}}
| music          = Katsumi Horii
| music          = Katsumi Horii
| studio          = Toei Animation
| studio          = Toei Animation
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}}
}}
{{Collapsed infobox section end}}
{{Collapsed infobox section end}}
{{Infobox animanga/Footer}}
{{Infobox animanga/Footer|portal=yes}}
{{nihongo|'''''GeGeGe no Kitarō'''''|ゲゲゲの鬼太郎}}, originally known as {{Nihongo3|"Kitarō of the Graveyard"|墓場鬼太郎|'''Hakaba Kitarō'''}}, is a Japanese [[manga]] series created in 1960 by [[Shigeru Mizuki]]. It is best known for its popularization of the [[folklore]] creatures known as {{Transl|ja|[[yōkai]]}}, a class of spirit-monster which all of the main characters belong to. This story was an early 20th-century Japanese folk tale performed on {{Transl|ja|[[kamishibai]]}}. It has been adapted for the screen several times, as [[anime]], [[live action]], and [[video game]]s. The word {{Nihongo|''GeGeGe''|ゲゲゲ}} in the title is similar to [[Japanese sound symbolism]] for a cackling noise but refers to Mizuki's childhood nickname,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.kinokuniya.co.jp/c/20110320000620.html|title=Kinokuniya Web Store|access-date=July 21, 2022|archive-date=July 21, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220721040457/https://www.kinokuniya.co.jp/c/20110320000620.html|url-status=live }}</ref> a mispronounciation of his given name.
{{nihongo|'''''GeGeGe no Kitarō'''''|ゲゲゲの鬼太郎}}, originally known as {{Nihongo3|"Kitarō of the Graveyard"|墓場鬼太郎|'''Hakaba Kitarō'''}}, is a Japanese [[manga]] series created in 1960 by [[Shigeru Mizuki]]. It is best known for its popularization of the [[folklore]] creatures known as {{Transliteration|ja|[[yōkai]]}}, a class of spirit-monster which all of the main characters belong to. This story was an early 20th-century Japanese folk tale performed on {{Transliteration|ja|[[kamishibai]]}}. It has been adapted for the screen several times, as [[anime]], [[live action]], and [[video game]]s. The word {{Nihongo|''GeGeGe''|ゲゲゲ}} in the title is similar to [[Japanese sound symbolism]] for a cackling noise but refers to Mizuki's childhood nickname,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.kinokuniya.co.jp/c/20110320000620.html|title=Kinokuniya Web Store|access-date=July 21, 2022|archive-date=July 21, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220721040457/https://www.kinokuniya.co.jp/c/20110320000620.html|url-status=live }}</ref> a mispronounciation of his given name.


Selections of the manga and the theatrical [[live-action]] films have been published in English, simply titled '''''Kitaro'''''. The 2018 anime series is streamed with English subtitles as '''''GeGeGe no Kitaro'''''. The publisher of the North American English manga is [[Drawn & Quarterly]].
Selections of the manga and the theatrical [[live-action]] films have been published in English, simply titled '''''Kitaro'''''. The 2018 anime series is streamed with English subtitles as '''''GeGeGe no Kitaro'''''. The publisher of the North American English manga is [[Drawn & Quarterly]].
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''GeGeGe no Kitarō'' focuses on the young Kitarō—the last survivor of the Ghost Tribe—and his adventures with other ghouls and strange creatures of Japanese mythology. Along with: the remains of his father, Medama-Oyaji (a mummified Ghost tribesman reincarnated to inhabit his old eyeball); Nezumi-Otoko (the rat-man); Neko-Musume (the cat-girl) and a host of other folkloric creatures, Kitarō strives to unite the worlds of humans and Yōkai.
''GeGeGe no Kitarō'' focuses on the young Kitarō—the last survivor of the Ghost Tribe—and his adventures with other ghouls and strange creatures of Japanese mythology. Along with: the remains of his father, Medama-Oyaji (a mummified Ghost tribesman reincarnated to inhabit his old eyeball); Nezumi-Otoko (the rat-man); Neko-Musume (the cat-girl) and a host of other folkloric creatures, Kitarō strives to unite the worlds of humans and Yōkai.


Many storylines involve Kitarō facing off with myriad monsters from other countries, such as the Chinese vampire Yasha, the Transylvanian Dracula IV, and other such non-Japanese creations. In addition to this, Kitarō also locks horns with various malevolent {{Transl|ja|yōkai}} who threaten the balance between the Japanese creatures and humans.{{sfn|Papp|2009|p=225}}
Many storylines involve Kitarō facing off with myriad monsters from other countries, such as the Chinese vampire Yasha, the Transylvanian Dracula IV, and other such non-Japanese creations. In addition to this, Kitarō also locks horns with various malevolent {{Transliteration|ja|yōkai}} who threaten the balance between the Japanese creatures and humans.{{sfn|Papp|2009|p=225}}


Some storylines make overt reference to traditional Japanese tales, most notably the folk tale of [[Momotarō]], in which the young hero defends a Japanese territory from demons with the help of the native animals. The Kitarō series {{Nihongo|"The Great ''Yōkai'' War"|妖怪大戦争|Yōkai Daisensō}} draws a great deal of influence from this story, with Kitarō and his {{Transl|ja|yōkai}} friends driving a group of Western ghouls away from an island.{{sfn|Mizuki|1995}}{{sfn|Papp|2009|p=227}}
Some storylines make overt reference to traditional Japanese tales, most notably the folk tale of [[Momotarō]], in which the young hero defends a Japanese territory from demons with the help of the native animals. The Kitarō series {{Nihongo|"The Great ''Yōkai'' War"|妖怪大戦争|Yōkai Daisensō}} draws a great deal of influence from this story, with Kitarō and his {{Transliteration|ja|yōkai}} friends driving a group of Western ghouls away from an island.{{sfn|Mizuki|1995}}{{sfn|Papp|2009|p=227}}


While the character of Kitarō in ''GeGeGe no Kitarō'' is a friendly boy who genuinely wants the best outcome for humans and {{Transl|ja|yōkai}} alike, his earlier incarnation in ''Hakaba Kitarō'' portrays him as a much more darkly mischievous character. His apparent lack of empathy for humans combined with his general greed and desire for material wealth drives him to act in an unbecoming manner towards the human characters—often deceptively leading them into nightmarish situations or even to hell itself.{{sfn|Mizuki|2006a}}
While the character of Kitarō in ''GeGeGe no Kitarō'' is a friendly boy who genuinely wants the best outcome for humans and {{Transliteration|ja|yōkai}} alike, his earlier incarnation in ''Hakaba Kitarō'' portrays him as a much more darkly mischievous character. His apparent lack of empathy for humans combined with his general greed and desire for material wealth drives him to act in an unbecoming manner towards the human characters—often deceptively leading them into nightmarish situations or even to hell itself.{{sfn|Mizuki|2006a}}


==Characters==
==Characters==
[[File:Gegege.jpg|thumb|200px|left|Kitarō and his {{Transl|ja|yōkai}} friends]]
[[File:Gegege.jpg|thumb|200px|left|Kitarō and his {{Transliteration|ja|yōkai}} friends]]
; {{nihongo|{{ill|Kitarō(Manga character)|jp|鬼太郎|lt=Kitarō}}|鬼太郎}}
; {{nihongo|{{ill|Kitarō(Manga character)|jp|鬼太郎|lt=Kitarō}}|鬼太郎}}
: {{Voiced by|[[Masako Nozawa]] (1968–1971 series, ''Hakaba Kitarō''), [[Keiko Toda]] (1985 series),<ref name="3rdSeriesCast"/> [[Yōko Matsuoka]] (1996 series), [[Minami Takayama]] (2007 series), [[Eiji Wentz]] (2008 film), [[Miyuki Sawashiro]] (2018 series),<ref name="ANN-2018-01-18">{{cite web|last=Ressler|first=Karen|title=New Gegege no Kitarō Anime Announced for Dragon Ball Super's Timeslot (Update)|url=https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2018-01-18/new-gegege-no-kitaro-anime-announced-for-dragon-ball-super-timeslot/.126626|website=[[Anime News Network]]|access-date=April 13, 2023|date=January 18, 2023|archive-date=August 26, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210826131301/https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2018-01-18/new-gegege-no-kitaro-anime-announced-for-dragon-ball-super-timeslot/.126626|url-status=live}}</ref> [[Rica Matsumoto]] (2003 video games)}}
: {{Voiced by|[[Masako Nozawa]] (1968–1971 series, ''Hakaba Kitarō''), [[Keiko Toda]] (1985 series),<ref name="3rdSeriesCast"/> [[Yōko Matsuoka]] (1996 series), [[Minami Takayama]] (2007 series), [[Eiji Wentz]] (2008 film), [[Miyuki Sawashiro]] (2018 series),<ref name="ANN-2018-01-18">{{cite web|last=Ressler|first=Karen|title=New Gegege no Kitarō Anime Announced for Dragon Ball Super's Timeslot (Update)|url=https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2018-01-18/new-gegege-no-kitaro-anime-announced-for-dragon-ball-super-timeslot/.126626|website=[[Anime News Network]]|access-date=April 13, 2023|date=January 18, 2023|archive-date=August 26, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210826131301/https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2018-01-18/new-gegege-no-kitaro-anime-announced-for-dragon-ball-super-timeslot/.126626|url-status=live}}</ref> [[Rica Matsumoto]] (2003 video games)}}
: Kitarō is a {{Transl|ja|[[yōkai]]}} boy born in a cemetery and, aside from his mostly decayed father, the last living member of the {{nihongo|Ghost Tribe|幽霊族|Yūreizoku}}. His name, rendered with the character for {{Nihongo||鬼|[[oni]]}} (a kind of ogre-like {{Transl|ja|yōkai}}) can be translated as "Demon Boy"—a name which references both his human and {{Transl|ja|yōkai}} heritage.{{sfn|Foster|2009|p=166}} He is missing his left eye, but his hair usually covers the empty socket. He fights for peace between humans and {{Transl|ja|yōkai}}, which generally involves protecting the former from the wiles of the latter. When questioned in the 2007 movie, Kitarō responds that he is three hundred and fifty years old. In the 1985 series, he is half-human on his mother's side. As a member of the Ghost Tribe, Kitarō has an assortment of powers and weapons.
: Kitarō is a {{Transliteration|ja|[[yōkai]]}} boy born in a cemetery and, aside from his mostly decayed father, the last living member of the {{nihongo|Ghost Tribe|幽霊族|Yūreizoku}}. His name, rendered with the character for {{Nihongo||鬼|[[oni]]}} (a kind of ogre-like {{Transliteration|ja|yōkai}}) can be translated as "Demon Boy"—a name which references both his human and {{Transliteration|ja|yōkai}} heritage.{{sfn|Foster|2009|p=166}} He is missing his left eye, but his hair usually covers the empty socket. He fights for peace between humans and {{Transliteration|ja|yōkai}}, which generally involves protecting the former from the wiles of the latter. When questioned in the 2007 movie, Kitarō responds that he is three hundred and fifty years old. In the 1985 series, he is half-human on his mother's side. As a member of the Ghost Tribe, Kitarō has an assortment of powers and weapons.
: While his powers are featured prominently in the ''GeGeGe no Kitarō'' series, ''Hakaba Kitarō'' plays down Kitarō's supernatural abilities. Beyond having the power to travel through hell unharmed with the help of his Chanchanko, as well as the ability to regenerate from almost any injury (as evidenced when his body is recoverable after being dissolved by Johnny in the Fog{{sfn|Mizuki|2006b|p=204–273}}), his powers are more of deception than of fighting prowess: something much more in line with traditional {{Transl|ja|yōkai}} characters.
: While his powers are featured prominently in the ''GeGeGe no Kitarō'' series, ''Hakaba Kitarō'' plays down Kitarō's supernatural abilities. Beyond having the power to travel through hell unharmed with the help of his Chanchanko, as well as the ability to regenerate from almost any injury (as evidenced when his body is recoverable after being dissolved by Johnny in the Fog{{sfn|Mizuki|2006b|p=204–273}}), his powers are more of deception than of fighting prowess: something much more in line with traditional {{Transliteration|ja|yōkai}} characters.
; {{nihongo|{{ill|Medama-oyaji|jp|目玉おやじ}}|目玉のおやじ, or 目玉親父||literally "Eyeball Father"}}
; {{nihongo|{{ill|Medama-oyaji|jp|目玉おやじ}}|目玉のおやじ, or 目玉親父||literally "Eyeball Father"}}
: {{Voiced by|[[Isamu Tanonaka]] (1968, 1971, 1985, 1996, 2007 series, ''Hakaba Kitaro''), [[Masako Nozawa]] (2018 series),<ref name="ANN-2018-01-18"/> [[Kazuo Kumakura]] (2003 video games)}}
: {{Voiced by|[[Isamu Tanonaka]] (1968, 1971, 1985, 1996, 2007 series, ''Hakaba Kitaro''), [[Masako Nozawa]] (2018 series),<ref name="ANN-2018-01-18"/> [[Kazuo Kumakura]] (2003 video games)}}
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; {{nihongo|{{ill|Nezumi Otoko|jp|ねずみ男}}|ねずみ男||"Rat Man"}}
; {{nihongo|{{ill|Nezumi Otoko|jp|ねずみ男}}|ねずみ男||"Rat Man"}}
: {{Voiced by|[[Chikao Ohtsuka]] (1968–1971 series, ''Hakaba Kitaro''), [[Kei Tomiyama]] (1985 series),<ref name="3rdSeriesCast"/> [[Shigeru Chiba]] (1996 series), [[Wataru Takagi]] (2007 series), [[Toshio Furukawa]] (2018 series),<ref name="ANN-2018-01-18"/> [[Nachi Nozawa]] (2003 video games)}}
: {{Voiced by|[[Chikao Ohtsuka]] (1968–1971 series, ''Hakaba Kitaro''), [[Kei Tomiyama]] (1985 series),<ref name="3rdSeriesCast"/> [[Shigeru Chiba]] (1996 series), [[Wataru Takagi]] (2007 series), [[Toshio Furukawa]] (2018 series),<ref name="ANN-2018-01-18"/> [[Nachi Nozawa]] (2003 video games)}}
: Nezumi Otoko is a rodent-like {{Transl|ja|yōkai}}–human half-breed. He has been alive for three hundred and sixty years, and in that time has almost never taken a bath, rendering him filthy, foul-smelling, and covered in welts and sores. While he is usually Kitarō's friend, Nezumi Otoko will waste no time cooking up vile schemes or betraying his companions if he thinks there's money to be had or a powerful enemy to side with. He claims to be a college graduate of the {{nihongo|University of the Bizarre|怪奇大学|Kaiki Daigaku}}. He can immobilize even the strongest {{Transl|ja|yōkai}} that accost him with a pungent flatulence attack. And, akin to cats and mice, he and Nekomusume cannot stand being around each other.
: Nezumi Otoko is a rodent-like {{Transliteration|ja|yōkai}}–human half-breed. He has been alive for three hundred and sixty years, and in that time has almost never taken a bath, rendering him filthy, foul-smelling, and covered in welts and sores. While he is usually Kitarō's friend, Nezumi Otoko will waste no time cooking up vile schemes or betraying his companions if he thinks there's money to be had or a powerful enemy to side with. He claims to be a college graduate of the {{nihongo|University of the Bizarre|怪奇大学|Kaiki Daigaku}}. He can immobilize even the strongest {{Transliteration|ja|yōkai}} that accost him with a pungent flatulence attack. And, akin to cats and mice, he and Nekomusume cannot stand being around each other.
: Nezumi Otoko first appears in the story "The Lodging House" (rental manga version) as Dracula IV's minion.
: Nezumi Otoko first appears in the story "The Lodging House" (rental manga version) as Dracula IV's minion.
: In the 2002 Kodansha International Bilingual Comics edition and in Crunchyroll's subtitled version of the 2018 anime, he is referred to as "Ratman".
: In the 2002 Kodansha International Bilingual Comics edition and in Crunchyroll's subtitled version of the 2018 anime, he is referred to as "Ratman".
; {{nihongo|{{ill|Neko Musume|jp|猫娘_(ゲゲゲの鬼太郎)}}|猫娘 or ねこ娘||"Cat Girl"}}
; {{nihongo|{{ill|Neko Musume|jp|猫娘_(ゲゲゲの鬼太郎)}}|猫娘 or ねこ娘||"Cat Girl"}}
: {{Voiced by|[[Nana Yamaguchi]] (1968 series), Yōko Ogushi (1971 series), [[Yūko Mita]] (1985 series),<ref name="3rdSeriesCast"/> [[Chinami Nishimura]] (1996 series), [[Hiromi Konno]] (2007 series), [[Umeka Shōji]] (2018 series),<ref name="ANN-2018-01-18"/> [[Yūko Miyamura]] (2003 video games)}}
: {{Voiced by|[[Nana Yamaguchi]] (1968 series), Yōko Ogushi (1971 series), [[Yūko Mita]] (1985 series),<ref name="3rdSeriesCast"/> [[Chinami Nishimura]] (1996 series), [[Hiromi Konno]] (2007 series), [[Umeka Shōji]] (2018 series),<ref name="ANN-2018-01-18"/> [[Yūko Miyamura]] (2003 video games)}}
: A normally quiet half-human {{Transl|ja|yōkai}} girl, who shapeshifts into a frightening catlike monster with fangs and feline eyes when she is angry or hungry for fish. Predictably, she does not get along well with Nezumi-Otoko. She seems to harbor a slight crush on Kitarō, who sees her only as a friend. In recent iterations (possibly due to the recent anime phenomenon of [[fanservice]]), she is very fond of human fashion and is seen in different outfits and uniforms. She bears some resemblance to the {{Transl|ja|[[bakeneko]]}} of [[Japanese folklore]].
: A normally quiet half-human {{Transliteration|ja|yōkai}} girl, who shapeshifts into a frightening catlike monster with fangs and feline eyes when she is angry or hungry for fish. Predictably, she does not get along well with Nezumi-Otoko. She seems to harbor a slight crush on Kitarō, who sees her only as a friend. In recent iterations (possibly due to the recent anime phenomenon of [[fanservice]]), she is very fond of human fashion and is seen in different outfits and uniforms. She bears some resemblance to the {{Transliteration|ja|[[bakeneko]]}} of [[Japanese folklore]].
: Neko Musume first appears in the story "Neko-Musume and Nezumi-Otoko" (''[[Weekly Shōnen Magazine]]'' version); however, another cat-girl named simply "{{nihongo|Neko|猫}}" appears in the earlier stories "The Vampire Tree and the Neko-Musume" and "A Walk to Hell" (rental version).
: Neko Musume first appears in the story "Neko-Musume and Nezumi-Otoko" (''[[Weekly Shōnen Magazine]]'' version); however, another cat-girl named simply "{{nihongo|Neko|猫}}" appears in the earlier stories "The Vampire Tree and the Neko-Musume" and "A Walk to Hell" (rental version).
: In the 2002 Kodansha International Bilingual Comics edition and in Crunchyroll's subtitled version of the 2018 anime, she is referred to as "Catchick".
: In the 2002 Kodansha International Bilingual Comics edition and in Crunchyroll's subtitled version of the 2018 anime, she is referred to as "Catchick".
; {{nihongo|{{ill|Sunakake Babaa|ja|砂かけ婆 (ゲゲゲの鬼太郎)}}|砂かけ婆|"Sand-throwing hag"}}
; {{nihongo|{{ill|Sunakake Babaa|ja|砂かけ婆 (ゲゲゲの鬼太郎)}}|砂かけ婆|"Sand-throwing hag"}}
: {{Voiced by|Yōko Ogushi (1968 series), [[Keiko Yamamoto]] (1971 series, 1996–2007 series), [[Hiroko Emori]] (1985 series),<ref name="3rdSeriesCast">{{cite web|script-title=ja:キャラクター/キャスト - ゲゲゲの鬼太郎(第3期)|url=https://lineup.toei-anim.co.jp/ja/tv/kitaro_3rd/character/|publisher=[[Toei Animation]]|access-date=August 10, 2023|language=ja|archive-date=April 9, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230409082605/https://lineup.toei-anim.co.jp/ja/tv/kitaro_3rd/character/|url-status=live}}</ref> [[Mayumi Tanaka]] (2018 series),<ref name="ANN-2018-01-18"/> [[Junko Hori]] (2003 video games)}} (Japanese)
: {{Voiced by|Yōko Ogushi (1968 series), [[Keiko Yamamoto]] (1971 series, 1996–2007 series), [[Hiroko Emori]] (1985 series),<ref name="3rdSeriesCast">{{cite web|script-title=ja:キャラクター/キャスト - ゲゲゲの鬼太郎(第3期)|url=https://lineup.toei-anim.co.jp/ja/tv/kitaro_3rd/character/|publisher=[[Toei Animation]]|access-date=August 10, 2023|language=ja|archive-date=April 9, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230409082605/https://lineup.toei-anim.co.jp/ja/tv/kitaro_3rd/character/|url-status=live}}</ref> [[Mayumi Tanaka]] (2018 series),<ref name="ANN-2018-01-18"/> [[Junko Hori]] (2003 video games)}} (Japanese)
: Sunakake Babaa is an old human-like {{Transl|ja|yōkai}} woman who carries sand which she throws into the eyes of enemies to blind them. She serves as an advisor to Kitarō and his companions, and manages a {{Transl|ja|yōkai}} apartment building. The original ''sunakake-baba'' is an invisible sand-throwing spirit from the folklore of [[Nara Prefecture]].
: Sunakake Babaa is an old human-like {{Transliteration|ja|yōkai}} woman who carries sand which she throws into the eyes of enemies to blind them. She serves as an advisor to Kitarō and his companions, and manages a {{Transliteration|ja|yōkai}} apartment building. The original ''sunakake-baba'' is an invisible sand-throwing spirit from the folklore of [[Nara Prefecture]].
: Sunakake babaa first appears in a cameo as one of many {{Transl|ja|yōkai}} attending a {{Transl|ja|sukiyaki}} party in the story "A Walk to Hell" (rental version) before making a more prominent appearance in "The Great ''Yōkai'' War" (''Shōnen Magazine'' version).
: Sunakake babaa first appears in a cameo as one of many {{Transliteration|ja|yōkai}} attending a {{Transliteration|ja|sukiyaki}} party in the story "A Walk to Hell" (rental version) before making a more prominent appearance in "The Great ''Yōkai'' War" (''Shōnen Magazine'' version).
:In the 2002 Kodansha International Bilingual Comics edition and in Crunchyroll's subtitled version of the 2018 anime, she is referred to as the "Sand Witch".
:In the 2002 Kodansha International Bilingual Comics edition and in Crunchyroll's subtitled version of the 2018 anime, she is referred to as the "Sand Witch".
; {{nihongo|[[Konaki-jiji]]|子泣き爺||"Child-crying Old Man"}}
; {{nihongo|[[Konaki-jiji]]|子泣き爺||"Child-crying Old Man"}}
: {{Voiced by|[[Ichirō Nagai]] (1968 series, 1985 series),<ref name="3rdSeriesCast"/> [[Kōji Yada]] (1971 series), [[Kōzō Shioya]] (1996 series), [[Naoki Tatsuta]] (2007 series), [[Bin Shimada]] (2018 series),<ref name="ANN-2018-01-18"/> [[Takanobu Hozumi]] (2003 video games)}} (Japanese)
: {{Voiced by|[[Ichirō Nagai]] (1968 series, 1985 series),<ref name="3rdSeriesCast"/> [[Kōji Yada]] (1971 series), [[Kōzō Shioya]] (1996 series), [[Naoki Tatsuta]] (2007 series), [[Bin Shimada]] (2018 series),<ref name="ANN-2018-01-18"/> [[Takanobu Hozumi]] (2003 video games)}} (Japanese)
: Konaki Jijii is a comic, absent-minded old human-like{{Transl|ja|yōkai}} man who attacks enemies by clinging to them and turning himself to stone, increasing his weight and mass immensely and pinning them down. He and Sunakake Babaa often work as a team. The original ''konaki jijii'' is a ghost which is said to appear in the woods of [[Tokushima Prefecture]] in the form of a crying infant. When it is picked up by some hapless traveller, it increases its weight until it crushes him.
: Konaki Jijii is a comic, absent-minded old human-like{{Transliteration|ja|yōkai}} man who attacks enemies by clinging to them and turning himself to stone, increasing his weight and mass immensely and pinning them down. He and Sunakake Babaa often work as a team. The original ''konaki jijii'' is a ghost which is said to appear in the woods of [[Tokushima Prefecture]] in the form of a crying infant. When it is picked up by some hapless traveller, it increases its weight until it crushes him.
: Konaki Jijii first appears in a cameo as one of many {{Transl|ja|yōkai}} attending a {{Transl|ja|sukiyaki}} party in the story "A Walk to Hell" (rental version) before making a more prominent appearance in "The Great Yōkai War" (''Shōnen Magazine'' version).
: Konaki Jijii first appears in a cameo as one of many {{Transliteration|ja|yōkai}} attending a {{Transliteration|ja|sukiyaki}} party in the story "A Walk to Hell" (rental version) before making a more prominent appearance in "The Great Yōkai War" (''Shōnen Magazine'' version).
:In the 2002 Kodansha International Bilingual Comics edition and in Crunchyroll's subtitled version of the 2018 anime, he is referred to as "Old Man Crybaby".
:In the 2002 Kodansha International Bilingual Comics edition and in Crunchyroll's subtitled version of the 2018 anime, he is referred to as "Old Man Crybaby".
; {{nihongo|Ittan Momen|一反木綿||"Roll of Cotton"}}
; {{nihongo|Ittan Momen|一反木綿||"Roll of Cotton"}}
: {{Voiced by|[[Kōsei Tomita]] (1968 series), [[Keaton Yamada]] (1971 series), [[Jōji Yanami]] (1985 series, 2007 series), [[Naoki Tatsuta]] (1996 series), [[Kappei Yamaguchi]] (2018 series),<ref name="ANN-2018-01-18"/> [[Kenichi Ogata (voice actor)|Kenichi Ogata]] (2003 video games)}}
: {{Voiced by|[[Kōsei Tomita]] (1968 series), [[Keaton Yamada]] (1971 series), [[Jōji Yanami]] (1985 series, 2007 series), [[Naoki Tatsuta]] (1996 series), [[Kappei Yamaguchi]] (2018 series),<ref name="ANN-2018-01-18"/> [[Kenichi Ogata (voice actor)|Kenichi Ogata]] (2003 video games)}}
: Ittan Momen is a flying {{Transl|ja|yōkai}} resembling a strip of white cloth. Kitarō and friends often ride on him when traveling. The original {{Transl|ja|[[ittan-momen]]}} is a spirit from [[Kagoshima Prefecture]] myth which wraps itself around the faces of humans in an attempt to smother them.
: Ittan Momen is a flying {{Transliteration|ja|yōkai}} resembling a strip of white cloth. Kitarō and friends often ride on him when traveling. The original {{Transliteration|ja|[[ittan-momen]]}} is a spirit from [[Kagoshima Prefecture]] myth which wraps itself around the faces of humans in an attempt to smother them.
: Ittan Momen first appears in the story "The Great ''Yōkai'' War" (''Shōnen Magazine'' version).
: Ittan Momen first appears in the story "The Great ''Yōkai'' War" (''Shōnen Magazine'' version).
: In the 2002 Kodansha International Bilingual Comics edition and in Crunchyroll's subtitled version of the 2018 anime, he is referred to as "Rollo Cloth".
: In the 2002 Kodansha International Bilingual Comics edition and in Crunchyroll's subtitled version of the 2018 anime, he is referred to as "Rollo Cloth".
; {{nihongo|Nurikabe|ぬりかべ||"Plastered Wall"}}
; {{nihongo|Nurikabe|ぬりかべ||"Plastered Wall"}}
: {{Voiced by|[[Yonehiko Kitagawa]], [[Kenji Utsumi]] (1968 series), [[Kōsei Tomita]] (1968 series, 2003 video games), [[Keaton Yamada]] (1971 series), [[Yusaku Yara]] (1985 series), [[Naoki Tatsuta]] (1996–2007 series), [[Bin Shimada]] (2018 series)<ref name="ANN-2018-01-18"/>}}
: {{Voiced by|[[Yonehiko Kitagawa]], [[Kenji Utsumi]] (1968 series), [[Kōsei Tomita]] (1968 series, 2003 video games), [[Keaton Yamada]] (1971 series), [[Yusaku Yara]] (1985 series), [[Naoki Tatsuta]] (1996–2007 series), [[Bin Shimada]] (2018 series)<ref name="ANN-2018-01-18"/>}}
: Nurikabe is a large, sleepy-eyed, wall-shaped {{Transl|ja|yōkai}}, who uses his massive size to protect Kitarō and his friends. The original [[Nurikabe (folklore)|''nurikabe'']] is a spirit which blocks the passage of people walking at night.
: Nurikabe is a large, sleepy-eyed, wall-shaped {{Transliteration|ja|yōkai}}, who uses his massive size to protect Kitarō and his friends. The original [[Nurikabe (folklore)|''nurikabe'']] is a spirit which blocks the passage of people walking at night.
: Nurikabe first appears in a cameo as one of many {{Transl|ja|yōkai}} attending a {{Transl|ja|sukiyaki}} party in the story "A Walk to Hell" (rental version) before making a more prominent appearance in "The Great ''Yōkai'' War" (''Shōnen Magazine'' version).
: Nurikabe first appears in a cameo as one of many {{Transliteration|ja|yōkai}} attending a {{Transliteration|ja|sukiyaki}} party in the story "A Walk to Hell" (rental version) before making a more prominent appearance in "The Great ''Yōkai'' War" (''Shōnen Magazine'' version).
: In the 2002 Kodansha International Bilingual Comics edition and in Crunchyroll's subtitled version of the 2018 anime, he is referred to as "Wally Wall".
: In the 2002 Kodansha International Bilingual Comics edition and in Crunchyroll's subtitled version of the 2018 anime, he is referred to as "Wally Wall".
; {{nihongo|[[Nurarihyon]]|ぬらりひょん}}
; {{nihongo|[[Nurarihyon]]|ぬらりひょん}}
Line 221: Line 221:
; {{nihongo|Back Beard|バックベアード|Bakku Beādo}}
; {{nihongo|Back Beard|バックベアード|Bakku Beādo}}
: {{Voiced by|Kōsei Tomita (1968 series), [[Hidekatsu Shibata]] (1985 series, 2007 series), [[Masaharu Satō]] (1996 series), [[Hideyuki Tanaka]] (2018 series),<ref>{{cite web|last=Pineda|first=Rafael|title=GeGeGe no Kitaro Anime Reveals Cast for 'Western Yōkai' Arc|url=https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2018-09-06/gegege-no-kitaro-anime-reveals-cast-for-western-yokai-arc/.136411|website=[[Anime News Network]]|access-date=April 13, 2023|date=September 6, 2018|archive-date=April 13, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230413190450/https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2018-09-06/gegege-no-kitaro-anime-reveals-cast-for-western-yokai-arc/.136411|url-status=live}}</ref> [[Kiyoshi Kobayashi]] (2003 video games)}}
: {{Voiced by|Kōsei Tomita (1968 series), [[Hidekatsu Shibata]] (1985 series, 2007 series), [[Masaharu Satō]] (1996 series), [[Hideyuki Tanaka]] (2018 series),<ref>{{cite web|last=Pineda|first=Rafael|title=GeGeGe no Kitaro Anime Reveals Cast for 'Western Yōkai' Arc|url=https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2018-09-06/gegege-no-kitaro-anime-reveals-cast-for-western-yokai-arc/.136411|website=[[Anime News Network]]|access-date=April 13, 2023|date=September 6, 2018|archive-date=April 13, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230413190450/https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2018-09-06/gegege-no-kitaro-anime-reveals-cast-for-western-yokai-arc/.136411|url-status=live}}</ref> [[Kiyoshi Kobayashi]] (2003 video games)}}
: Back Beard is the boss of the Western {{Transl|ja|yōkai}} and Kitarō's second greatest foe after Nurarihyon. He is loosely based on the [[bugbear]]. He is a giant, round shadow with a single large eye in the center and several tentacles extending from his body. He appeared most prominently in the story "The Great ''Yōkai'' War", where he rallied all the Western {{Transl|ja|yōkai}} into a war against the Japanese {{Transl|ja|yōkai}}. He used his hypnotic powers to make Nezumi Otoko betray Kitarō and later hypnotized Kitarō himself. He has since appeared semi-regularly throughout the franchise.
: Back Beard is the boss of the Western {{Transliteration|ja|yōkai}} and Kitarō's second greatest foe after Nurarihyon. He is loosely based on the [[bugbear]]. He is a giant, round shadow with a single large eye in the center and several tentacles extending from his body. He appeared most prominently in the story "The Great ''Yōkai'' War", where he rallied all the Western {{Transliteration|ja|yōkai}} into a war against the Japanese {{Transliteration|ja|yōkai}}. He used his hypnotic powers to make Nezumi Otoko betray Kitarō and later hypnotized Kitarō himself. He has since appeared semi-regularly throughout the franchise.


==Media==
==Media==
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===Kamishibai===
===Kamishibai===
[[File:Kitaro_cover.JPG|thumb|The front cover of the 2013 translated compilation published by [[Drawn & Quarterly]].]]
[[File:Kitaro_cover.JPG|thumb|The front cover of the 2013 translated compilation published by [[Drawn & Quarterly]].]]
The Kitarō story began life as a {{Transl|ja|[[kamishibai]]}} in 1933, written by {{Nihongo|Masami Itō|伊藤正美}} and illustrated by {{Nihongo|Keiyō Tatsumi|辰巳恵洋}}. Itō's version was called '''{{Nihongo3|"Kitarō of the Graveyard"|{{ruby|墓場奇太郎|ハカバキタロー}}|Hakaba Kitarō}}'''; the title is generally written in [[katakana]] to distinguish it from Mizuki's version of the tale.
The Kitarō story began life as a {{Transliteration|ja|[[kamishibai]]}} in 1933, written by {{Nihongo|Masami Itō|伊藤正美}} and illustrated by {{Nihongo|Keiyō Tatsumi|辰巳恵洋}}. Itō's version was called '''{{Nihongo3|"Kitarō of the Graveyard"|{{ruby|墓場奇太郎|ハカバキタロー}}|Hakaba Kitarō}}'''; the title is generally written in [[katakana]] to distinguish it from Mizuki's version of the tale.


According to Itō, her Kitarō was based on local legends describing the same or similar stories.<ref>{{cite web|last=Takoshima|first=Sunao|script-title=ja:もう一人の鬼太郎とその原像 ──伊藤正美作「墓場奇太郎」をめぐって──|url=http://kiyou.lib.agu.ac.jp/pdf/kiyou_02F/02__34F/02__34_41%28192%29.pdf|publisher=Aichi Gakuin University Library and Information Center|access-date=September 20, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210801103105/http://kiyou.lib.agu.ac.jp/pdf/kiyou_02F/02__34F/02__34_41(192).pdf|archive-date=August 1, 2021|language=ja}}</ref> It is also said to be a loose reinterpretation of the similar Japanese folktale called the {{Nihongo||子育て幽霊|{{ill|Kosodate Yūrei|ja|子育て幽霊}}}} or {{Nihongo||飴買い幽霊|Amekai [[Yūrei]]|"The Candy-Buying Ghost"}}, which were inspired by Chinese folklore from 12th to 13th centuries.<ref>{{cite book|author=Katō, Tōru|script-title=ja: 怪力乱神|trans-title=Supernatural Things|date=August 2007|publisher=[[Chuokoron-Shinsha]]|isbn=978-4-12-003857-0|pages=228–231|language=ja}}</ref>
According to Itō, her Kitarō was based on local legends describing the same or similar stories.<ref>{{cite web|last=Takoshima|first=Sunao|script-title=ja:もう一人の鬼太郎とその原像 ──伊藤正美作「墓場奇太郎」をめぐって──|url=http://kiyou.lib.agu.ac.jp/pdf/kiyou_02F/02__34F/02__34_41%28192%29.pdf|publisher=Aichi Gakuin University Library and Information Center|access-date=September 20, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210801103105/http://kiyou.lib.agu.ac.jp/pdf/kiyou_02F/02__34F/02__34_41(192).pdf|archive-date=August 1, 2021|language=ja}}</ref> It is also said to be a loose reinterpretation of the similar Japanese folktale called the {{Nihongo||子育て幽霊|{{ill|Kosodate Yūrei|ja|子育て幽霊}}}} or {{Nihongo||飴買い幽霊|Amekai [[Yūrei]]|"The Candy-Buying Ghost"}}, which were inspired by Chinese folklore from 12th to 13th centuries.<ref>{{cite book|author=Katō, Tōru|script-title=ja: 怪力乱神|trans-title=Supernatural Things|date=August 2007|publisher=[[Chuokoron-Shinsha]]|isbn=978-4-12-003857-0|pages=228–231|language=ja}}</ref>
Line 338: Line 338:


===Live-action films===
===Live-action films===
Two live-action films have been released. The first one, ''Kitaro'' (released in Japan as {{Nihongo||ゲゲゲの鬼太郎|GeGeGe no Kitarō}}), was released on April 28, 2007. It stars [[Eiji Wentz]] as Kitarō and [[Yo Oizumi]] as Nezumi Otoko.<ref>{{cite web|script-title=ja:ゲゲゲの鬼太郎|url=http://db.eiren.org/contents/01050586201.html|website=Eiren Database|publisher=Motion Picture Producers Association of Japan, Inc.|access-date=September 20, 2023|language=ja|archive-date=November 28, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221128150205/http://db.eiren.org/contents/01050586201.html|url-status=live}}</ref> The film follows Kitarō as he tries to save a young high school girl, Mika Miura, while also trying to stop the powerful "spectre stone" from falling into the wrong hands. The live-action film makes extensive use of practical costumes and [[CGI animated|CG]] characters to depict the cast of {{Transl|ja|yōkai}}.
Two live-action films have been released. The first one, ''Kitaro'' (released in Japan as {{Nihongo||ゲゲゲの鬼太郎|GeGeGe no Kitarō}}), was released on April 28, 2007. It stars [[Eiji Wentz]] as Kitarō and [[Yo Oizumi]] as Nezumi Otoko.<ref>{{cite web|script-title=ja:ゲゲゲの鬼太郎|url=http://db.eiren.org/contents/01050586201.html|website=Eiren Database|publisher=Motion Picture Producers Association of Japan, Inc.|access-date=September 20, 2023|language=ja|archive-date=November 28, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221128150205/http://db.eiren.org/contents/01050586201.html|url-status=live}}</ref> The film follows Kitarō as he tries to save a young high school girl, Mika Miura, while also trying to stop the powerful "spectre stone" from falling into the wrong hands. The live-action film makes extensive use of practical costumes and [[CGI animated|CG]] characters to depict the cast of {{Transliteration|ja|yōkai}}.


The second film, {{Nihongo|''Kitaro and the Millennium Curse''|ゲゲゲの鬼太郎 千年呪い唄|GeGeGe no Kitarō Sennen Noroi Uta}}, was released on July 12, 2008. Wentz reprised his role as Kitarō.<ref>{{cite web|last=Loo|first=Egan|title=2nd Live-Action Gegege no Kitaro Film's Trailer Posted|url=https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2008-06-20/2nd-live-action-gegege-no-kitaro-film-trailer-posted|website=[[Anime News Network]]|access-date=September 20, 2023|date=June 20, 2008|archive-date=December 8, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221208221347/https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2008-06-20/2nd-live-action-gegege-no-kitaro-film-trailer-posted|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|script-title=ja:ゲゲゲの鬼太郎 千年呪い唄|url=http://db.eiren.org/contents/01050651001.html|website=Eiren Database|publisher=Motion Picture Producers Association of Japan, Inc.|access-date=September 20, 2023|language=ja|archive-date=November 25, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201125104421/http://db.eiren.org/contents/01050651001.html|url-status=live}}</ref> It follows Kitarō and his friends as they try to solve a 1000-year-old curse that threatens the life of his human companion Kaede Hiramoto.
The second film, {{Nihongo|''Kitaro and the Millennium Curse''|ゲゲゲの鬼太郎 千年呪い唄|GeGeGe no Kitarō Sennen Noroi Uta}}, was released on July 12, 2008. Wentz reprised his role as Kitarō.<ref>{{cite web|last=Loo|first=Egan|title=2nd Live-Action Gegege no Kitaro Film's Trailer Posted|url=https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2008-06-20/2nd-live-action-gegege-no-kitaro-film-trailer-posted|website=[[Anime News Network]]|access-date=September 20, 2023|date=June 20, 2008|archive-date=December 8, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221208221347/https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2008-06-20/2nd-live-action-gegege-no-kitaro-film-trailer-posted|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|script-title=ja:ゲゲゲの鬼太郎 千年呪い唄|url=http://db.eiren.org/contents/01050651001.html|website=Eiren Database|publisher=Motion Picture Producers Association of Japan, Inc.|access-date=September 20, 2023|language=ja|archive-date=November 25, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201125104421/http://db.eiren.org/contents/01050651001.html|url-status=live}}</ref> It follows Kitarō and his friends as they try to solve a 1000-year-old curse that threatens the life of his human companion Kaede Hiramoto.
Line 359: Line 359:


==See also==
==See also==
* ''[[Yokai Monsters]]'': [[Shigeru Mizuki]] and his friends (most notably [[Hiroshi Aramata]] and [[Natsuhiko Kyogoku]]) were involved in productions, and resulted in minor [[Crossover (fiction)|crossovers]] between ''GeGeGe no Kitarō'' and ''[[Teito Monogatari]]'', and [[Daiei Film]] franchises including ''[[Gamera]]'' and ''[[Daimajin]]''.<ref>{{cite book|last=Matsunomoto|first=Kazuhiro|title=The Gamera Chronicles|year=1996|publisher=[[Takeshobo]]|pages=104–1605|isbn=9784812401668}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|script-title=ja:甦れ!妖怪映画大集合!!|year=2005|publisher=[[Takeshobo]]|pages=97, 116–119|isbn=9784812422656}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|last=Minemori|first=Hirokazu|title=[[The Great Yokai War: Guardians]] – Side Story: Heian Hyakkitan|year=2021|publisher=[[Kadokawa Shoten]]|pages=265–271|isbn=9784049139068}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|author=Kyogoku, Natsuhiko|author-link=Natsuhiko Kyogoku|title=Uso Makoto Yōkai Hyaku Monogatari|year=2018|publisher=[[Kadokawa Shoten]]|pages=373–375, 392|isbn=9784041074343}}</ref>
* ''[[Yokai Monsters]]'': [[Shigeru Mizuki]] and his friends (most notably [[Hiroshi Aramata]] and [[Natsuhiko Kyogoku]]) were involved in productions, and resulted in minor [[Crossover (fiction)|crossovers]] between ''GeGeGe no Kitarō'' and ''[[Teito Monogatari]]'', and [[Daiei Film]] franchises including ''[[Gamera]]'' and ''[[Daimajin]]''.<ref>{{cite book|last=Matsunomoto|first=Kazuhiro|title=The Gamera Chronicles|year=1996|publisher=[[Takeshobo]]|pages=104–1605|isbn=9784812401668}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|script-title=ja:甦れ!妖怪映画大集合!!|year=2005|publisher=[[Takeshobo]]|pages=97, 116–119|isbn=9784812422656}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|last1=Minemori|first1=Hirokazu|last2=Watanabe|first2=Yusuke|author2-link=:ja:渡辺雄介|title=[[The Great Yokai War: Guardians]] – Side Story: Heian Hyakkitan|year=2021|publisher=[[Kadokawa Shoten]]|pages=265–271|isbn=9784049139068}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|author=Kyogoku, Natsuhiko|author-link=Natsuhiko Kyogoku|title=Uso Makoto Yōkai Hyaku Monogatari|year=2018|publisher=[[Kadokawa Shoten]]|pages=373–375, 392|isbn=9784041074343}}</ref> Characters from ''GeGeGe no Kitarō'', ''Gamera'', and ''Daimajin'' have also served as [[mascot]]s of [[Chōfu]].<ref>{{cite news|author=Deyaburō|script-title=ja:「調布駅」は、特撮ファンにとってガチの「聖地」だった。『ゲゲゲ』と商業施設にあふれた住みよい街 [3]|url=https://news.allabout.co.jp/articles/o/87243/?page=3|publisher={{ill|All About News|ja|All About}}|access-date=December 9, 2024|language=ja|date=December 6, 2024}}</ref>


==References==
==References==

Latest revision as of 20:16, 15 December 2024

Template:Short description Template:Use mdy dates Template:Expand Japanese Template:Infobox animanga/Header Template:Infobox animanga/Print Template:Collapsed infobox section begin Template:Infobox animanga/Video Template:Infobox animanga/Video Template:Infobox animanga/Video Template:Infobox animanga/Video Template:Infobox animanga/Video Template:Infobox animanga/Video Template:Infobox animanga/Video Template:Infobox animanga/Video Template:Infobox animanga/Video Template:Infobox animanga/Video Template:Infobox animanga/Other Template:Collapsed infobox section end Template:Infobox animanga/Footer Template:Nihongo, originally known as Template:Nihongo3, is a Japanese manga series created in 1960 by Shigeru Mizuki. It is best known for its popularization of the folklore creatures known as Template:Transliteration, a class of spirit-monster which all of the main characters belong to. This story was an early 20th-century Japanese folk tale performed on Template:Transliteration. It has been adapted for the screen several times, as anime, live action, and video games. The word Template:Nihongo in the title is similar to Japanese sound symbolism for a cackling noise but refers to Mizuki's childhood nickname,[1] a mispronounciation of his given name.

Selections of the manga and the theatrical live-action films have been published in English, simply titled Kitaro. The 2018 anime series is streamed with English subtitles as GeGeGe no Kitaro. The publisher of the North American English manga is Drawn & Quarterly.

Plot

GeGeGe no Kitarō focuses on the young Kitarō—the last survivor of the Ghost Tribe—and his adventures with other ghouls and strange creatures of Japanese mythology. Along with: the remains of his father, Medama-Oyaji (a mummified Ghost tribesman reincarnated to inhabit his old eyeball); Nezumi-Otoko (the rat-man); Neko-Musume (the cat-girl) and a host of other folkloric creatures, Kitarō strives to unite the worlds of humans and Yōkai.

Many storylines involve Kitarō facing off with myriad monsters from other countries, such as the Chinese vampire Yasha, the Transylvanian Dracula IV, and other such non-Japanese creations. In addition to this, Kitarō also locks horns with various malevolent Template:Transliteration who threaten the balance between the Japanese creatures and humans.Script error: No such module "Footnotes".Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".

Some storylines make overt reference to traditional Japanese tales, most notably the folk tale of Momotarō, in which the young hero defends a Japanese territory from demons with the help of the native animals. The Kitarō series Template:Nihongo draws a great deal of influence from this story, with Kitarō and his Template:Transliteration friends driving a group of Western ghouls away from an island.Script error: No such module "Footnotes".Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".Script error: No such module "Footnotes".Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".

While the character of Kitarō in GeGeGe no Kitarō is a friendly boy who genuinely wants the best outcome for humans and Template:Transliteration alike, his earlier incarnation in Hakaba Kitarō portrays him as a much more darkly mischievous character. His apparent lack of empathy for humans combined with his general greed and desire for material wealth drives him to act in an unbecoming manner towards the human characters—often deceptively leading them into nightmarish situations or even to hell itself.Script error: No such module "Footnotes".Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".

Characters

File:Gegege.jpg
Kitarō and his Template:Transliteration friends
Template:Nihongo
Template:Voiced by
Kitarō is a Template:Transliteration boy born in a cemetery and, aside from his mostly decayed father, the last living member of the Template:Nihongo. His name, rendered with the character for Template:Nihongo (a kind of ogre-like Template:Transliteration) can be translated as "Demon Boy"—a name which references both his human and Template:Transliteration heritage.Script error: No such module "Footnotes".Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". He is missing his left eye, but his hair usually covers the empty socket. He fights for peace between humans and Template:Transliteration, which generally involves protecting the former from the wiles of the latter. When questioned in the 2007 movie, Kitarō responds that he is three hundred and fifty years old. In the 1985 series, he is half-human on his mother's side. As a member of the Ghost Tribe, Kitarō has an assortment of powers and weapons.
While his powers are featured prominently in the GeGeGe no Kitarō series, Hakaba Kitarō plays down Kitarō's supernatural abilities. Beyond having the power to travel through hell unharmed with the help of his Chanchanko, as well as the ability to regenerate from almost any injury (as evidenced when his body is recoverable after being dissolved by Johnny in the FogScript error: No such module "Footnotes".Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".), his powers are more of deception than of fighting prowess: something much more in line with traditional Template:Transliteration characters.
Template:Nihongo
Template:Voiced by
Medama-oyaji is Kitarō's father. Once a fully-formed adult ghost, he perished from a disease, only to be reborn out of his decayed body as an anthropomorphic version of his own eyeball. He looks small and fragile, but has a strong spirit and a great love for his son. He is also extremely knowledgeable about ghosts and monsters. He enjoys staying clean, and is often seen bathing in a small bowl. He has a great love for sake.
In the 2002 Kodansha International Bilingual Comics edition and in Crunchyroll's subtitled version of the 2018 anime, he is referred to as "Daddy Eyeball".
Template:Nihongo
Template:Voiced by
Nezumi Otoko is a rodent-like Template:Transliteration–human half-breed. He has been alive for three hundred and sixty years, and in that time has almost never taken a bath, rendering him filthy, foul-smelling, and covered in welts and sores. While he is usually Kitarō's friend, Nezumi Otoko will waste no time cooking up vile schemes or betraying his companions if he thinks there's money to be had or a powerful enemy to side with. He claims to be a college graduate of the Template:Nihongo. He can immobilize even the strongest Template:Transliteration that accost him with a pungent flatulence attack. And, akin to cats and mice, he and Nekomusume cannot stand being around each other.
Nezumi Otoko first appears in the story "The Lodging House" (rental manga version) as Dracula IV's minion.
In the 2002 Kodansha International Bilingual Comics edition and in Crunchyroll's subtitled version of the 2018 anime, he is referred to as "Ratman".
Template:Nihongo
Template:Voiced by
A normally quiet half-human Template:Transliteration girl, who shapeshifts into a frightening catlike monster with fangs and feline eyes when she is angry or hungry for fish. Predictably, she does not get along well with Nezumi-Otoko. She seems to harbor a slight crush on Kitarō, who sees her only as a friend. In recent iterations (possibly due to the recent anime phenomenon of fanservice), she is very fond of human fashion and is seen in different outfits and uniforms. She bears some resemblance to the Template:Transliteration of Japanese folklore.
Neko Musume first appears in the story "Neko-Musume and Nezumi-Otoko" (Weekly Shōnen Magazine version); however, another cat-girl named simply "Template:Nihongo" appears in the earlier stories "The Vampire Tree and the Neko-Musume" and "A Walk to Hell" (rental version).
In the 2002 Kodansha International Bilingual Comics edition and in Crunchyroll's subtitled version of the 2018 anime, she is referred to as "Catchick".
Template:Nihongo
Template:Voiced by (Japanese)
Sunakake Babaa is an old human-like Template:Transliteration woman who carries sand which she throws into the eyes of enemies to blind them. She serves as an advisor to Kitarō and his companions, and manages a Template:Transliteration apartment building. The original sunakake-baba is an invisible sand-throwing spirit from the folklore of Nara Prefecture.
Sunakake babaa first appears in a cameo as one of many Template:Transliteration attending a Template:Transliteration party in the story "A Walk to Hell" (rental version) before making a more prominent appearance in "The Great Yōkai War" (Shōnen Magazine version).
In the 2002 Kodansha International Bilingual Comics edition and in Crunchyroll's subtitled version of the 2018 anime, she is referred to as the "Sand Witch".
Template:Nihongo
Template:Voiced by (Japanese)
Konaki Jijii is a comic, absent-minded old human-likeTemplate:Transliteration man who attacks enemies by clinging to them and turning himself to stone, increasing his weight and mass immensely and pinning them down. He and Sunakake Babaa often work as a team. The original konaki jijii is a ghost which is said to appear in the woods of Tokushima Prefecture in the form of a crying infant. When it is picked up by some hapless traveller, it increases its weight until it crushes him.
Konaki Jijii first appears in a cameo as one of many Template:Transliteration attending a Template:Transliteration party in the story "A Walk to Hell" (rental version) before making a more prominent appearance in "The Great Yōkai War" (Shōnen Magazine version).
In the 2002 Kodansha International Bilingual Comics edition and in Crunchyroll's subtitled version of the 2018 anime, he is referred to as "Old Man Crybaby".
Template:Nihongo
Template:Voiced by
Ittan Momen is a flying Template:Transliteration resembling a strip of white cloth. Kitarō and friends often ride on him when traveling. The original Template:Transliteration is a spirit from Kagoshima Prefecture myth which wraps itself around the faces of humans in an attempt to smother them.
Ittan Momen first appears in the story "The Great Yōkai War" (Shōnen Magazine version).
In the 2002 Kodansha International Bilingual Comics edition and in Crunchyroll's subtitled version of the 2018 anime, he is referred to as "Rollo Cloth".
Template:Nihongo
Template:Voiced by
Nurikabe is a large, sleepy-eyed, wall-shaped Template:Transliteration, who uses his massive size to protect Kitarō and his friends. The original nurikabe is a spirit which blocks the passage of people walking at night.
Nurikabe first appears in a cameo as one of many Template:Transliteration attending a Template:Transliteration party in the story "A Walk to Hell" (rental version) before making a more prominent appearance in "The Great Yōkai War" (Shōnen Magazine version).
In the 2002 Kodansha International Bilingual Comics edition and in Crunchyroll's subtitled version of the 2018 anime, he is referred to as "Wally Wall".
Template:Nihongo
Template:Voiced by
Kitarō's old rival, he is depicted as an old man who comes at other people's houses and drinks their tea. He is also a member of the Gazu Hyakki Yagyō, and Nurarihyon has a member he always uses named Shu no Bon.
Template:Nihongo
Template:Voiced by
Back Beard is the boss of the Western Template:Transliteration and Kitarō's second greatest foe after Nurarihyon. He is loosely based on the bugbear. He is a giant, round shadow with a single large eye in the center and several tentacles extending from his body. He appeared most prominently in the story "The Great Yōkai War", where he rallied all the Western Template:Transliteration into a war against the Japanese Template:Transliteration. He used his hypnotic powers to make Nezumi Otoko betray Kitarō and later hypnotized Kitarō himself. He has since appeared semi-regularly throughout the franchise.

Media

File:Kamishibai.png
An illustration from the original Hakaba no Kitarō kamishibai, printed in Kōji Kada's Template:Nihongo3.Script error: No such module "Footnotes".Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". This picture depicts the Kitarō character as significantly more frightening and threatening than Mizuki's version of the character.

Kamishibai

File:Kitaro cover.JPG
The front cover of the 2013 translated compilation published by Drawn & Quarterly.

The Kitarō story began life as a Template:Transliteration in 1933, written by Template:Nihongo and illustrated by Template:Nihongo. Itō's version was called Template:Nihongo3; the title is generally written in katakana to distinguish it from Mizuki's version of the tale.

According to Itō, her Kitarō was based on local legends describing the same or similar stories.[2] It is also said to be a loose reinterpretation of the similar Japanese folktale called the Template:Nihongo or Template:Nihongo, which were inspired by Chinese folklore from 12th to 13th centuries.[3]

In 1954, Mizuki was asked to continue the series by his publisher, Katsumaru Suzuki.Script error: No such module "Footnotes".Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".

Manga

Kitarō of the Graveyard was published as a rental manga in 1960, but it was considered too scary for children. In 1965, renamed to Hakaba no Kitarō, it appeared in Shōnen Magazine (after one of the editors came across the kashibon and offered Mizuki a contract)[4] and ran through 1970. The series was renamed GeGeGe no Kitarō in 1967 and continued in Weekly Shōnen Sunday, Shōnen Action, Shukan Jitsuwa and many other magazines.[5][6][7]

In 2002, GeGeGe no Kitarō was translated by Ralph F. McCarthy and compiled by Natsuhiko Kyogoku for Kodansha Bilingual Comics.Script error: No such module "Footnotes".Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". Three bilingual (Japanese–English) volumes were released in 2002.[8][9][10]

Since 2013, compilation volumes of selected manga chapters from the 1960s have been published by Drawn & Quarterly, with English translations by Zack DavissonScript error: No such module "Footnotes".Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters". and an introduction by Matt Alt in the first compilation volume.Script error: No such module "Footnotes".Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".[11] Drawn & Quarterly later published a large collection of Kitaro manga under the title Kitaro, with Jocelyne Allen as the translator. Zack Davisson wrote the volume's afterword.[12]

Anime

Template:See also Seven anime adaptations were made from Mizuki's manga series. They were broadcast on Fuji Television and animated by Toei Animation.

The opening theme to all six series is "Gegege no Kitarō", written by Mizuki himself. It has been sung by Kazuo Kumakura (1st, 2nd), Ikuzo Yoshi (3rd), Yūkadan (4th), Shigeru Izumiya (5th), the 50 Kaitenz (6th) and Kiyoshi Hikawa (7th). The song was also used in the live-action films starring Eiji Wentz. In the first film, it was performed by Wentz' WaT partner Teppei Koike.

In January 2008, the sixth anime series (also produced by Toei) premiered on Fuji TV during the late night hours in the Noitamina block. This anime uses the original manga title, Template:Nihongo,[13] and unlike the usual anime versions, it is closer to Mizuki's manga and is not part of the existing remake canon. It also features a completely different opening theme song ("Mononoke Dance" by Denki Groove) and ending theme song ("Snow Tears" by Shoko Nakagawa).

A seventh series, announced in early 2018,[14] directed by Kōji Ogawa and written by Hiroshi Ohnogi started airing on Fuji TV on April 1, 2018, to celebrate the anime's 50th anniversary. The series concluded on March 29, 2020, as it entered its final arc, the "Nurarihyon Arc", on October 6, 2019.[15] It streamed on Crunchyroll, making it the first Kitarō anime to be available in North America.[16]

An English dub aired as Spooky Kitaro on Animax Asia. The 2008 anime was released with English subtitles on DVD in Australia.[13]

GeGeGe no Kitarō series

No. Run Episodes Series direction
1 January 3, 1968 – March 30, 1969 65
2 October 7, 1971 – September 28, 1972 45
3 October 12, 1985 – March 21, 1988 115 Osamu Kasai, Hiroki Shibata
4 January 7, 1996 – March 29, 1998 114 Daisuke Nishio
5 April 1, 2007 – March 29, 2009 100 Yukio Kaizawa
6 April 1, 2018 – March 29, 2020 97 Kōji Ogawa
Total 1968 – 2020 536 -

Hakaba Kitarō

No. Run Episodes Series direction
1 January 10 – March 20, 2008 11 Kimitoshi Chioki

Films

1968 series
  • GeGeGe no Kitarō (July 21, 1968) (edited version of episodes 5 and 6)
1971 series
  • GeGeGe no Kitarō: The Divining Eye (July 12, 1980) (edited version of episode 37)
1985 series
  • GeGeGe no Kitarō: The Yokai Army (December 21, 1985)
  • GeGeGe no Kitarō: The Great Yokai War (March 15, 1986)
  • GeGeGe no Kitarō: The Strongest Yokai Army!! Disembark for Japan! (July 12, 1986)
  • GeGeGe no Kitarō: Clash!! The Great Rebellion of the Dimensional Yokai (December 20, 1986)
1996 series
  • GeGeGe no Kitarō: The Great Sea Beast (July 6, 1996)
  • GeGeGe no Kitarō: Obake Nighter (March 8, 1997)
  • GeGeGe no Kitarō: Yokai Express! The Phantom Train (July 12, 1997)
2007 series
  • GeGeGe no Kitarō: Japan Explodes!! (December 20, 2008)
2018 series
Other

Live-action films

Two live-action films have been released. The first one, Kitaro (released in Japan as Template:Nihongo), was released on April 28, 2007. It stars Eiji Wentz as Kitarō and Yo Oizumi as Nezumi Otoko.[18] The film follows Kitarō as he tries to save a young high school girl, Mika Miura, while also trying to stop the powerful "spectre stone" from falling into the wrong hands. The live-action film makes extensive use of practical costumes and CG characters to depict the cast of Template:Transliteration.

The second film, Template:Nihongo, was released on July 12, 2008. Wentz reprised his role as Kitarō.[19][20] It follows Kitarō and his friends as they try to solve a 1000-year-old curse that threatens the life of his human companion Kaede Hiramoto.

Video games

See also

References

Template:Reflist

Further reading

External links

Template:Weekly Shōnen Magazine - 1960–1989 Template:Weekly Shōnen Sunday - 1970–1979 Template:Toei Animation Template:Toei Animation films Template:Toei Animation films 1980s Template:Toei Animation films 1990s Template:Toei Animation films 2000s Template:Toei Animation films 2020s Template:Noitamina Template:Katsuhide Motoki Template:Drawn & Quarterly Template:Portal bar