5. Gegege no Kitaro (1968)

The spark that ignited the yokai anime boom

Gegege no Kitaro,” written by Shigeru Mizuki and first broadcast in 1968, is a monumental work that sparked the yokai boom in Japan. The story of Kitaro, a boy who is a descendant of a ghost tribe born from a graveyard, fighting various yokai together with his father, Father Medama, and Nezumi Otoko, aiming for the coexistence of humans and yokai, stimulated children's curiosity to see scary things and attracted a large following.

Long-standing popularity and diverse media development

“GeGeGe no Kitaro” has been remade many times since then to suit the times, and continues to be loved by a wide range of generations to this day. The fact that “Gegege no Kitaro” has been developed into a wide variety of media, including movies, novels, dramas, games, and musicals, as well as an animated cartoon, is another indication of its great appeal.

The story questions the nature of human beings through the existence of yokai

The appeal of “Gegege no Kitaro” goes beyond simply depicting battles with yokai. By depicting human ego, foolishness, and kindness through yokai, Shigeru Mizuki has asked children fundamental questions about what it means to be human and how we should live. His message has not faded over time and continues to provide important suggestions for us today.