The Birth of Kitarō: The Mystery of GeGeGe

War veteran Mizuki is sent on a mission to a village, searching for a mysterious wonder medicine called «M». A folkloric monster anime, based on a manga series by Shigeru Mizuki.

The village named Nagura is controlled by the powerful Ryuga clan, who also manipulate Japan’s political and business circles in secret. Tokisada Ryuga, the family’s patriarch, recently passed away, and Mizuki barely makes it to the funeral. The bereaved relatives mourn his death, but also fight for the position of the head of the family, and in the midst of this, a family member is brutally murdered. This is the beginning of a chain of gruesome supernatural mysteries that Mizuki must uncover together with Kitarō's father, whom he meets in Nagura.

Although The Birth of Kitarō: The Mystery of GeGeGe builds upon the universe of the manga and anime series GeGeGe no Kitarō, the film is worth seeing for people who aren’t familiar with the series as well. The film is well animated, and in particular, the visually striking fight scenes are worth mentioning as some of the film's highlights.

«Gō’s put together a superstar crew [...] and the result is one of the most engaging and challenging anime features in years.»

– DEK, Kai-Fong –

Photo credit: ©”Kitaro Tanjo Gegege no Nazo” Production Committee

Amalie Tilset

Director

Gō Koga is a Japanese director with years of experience working with anime series. He made his feature debut with the last film in the GeGeGe no Kitarō series, Spooky Kitaro: Japan Explodes!! (2008). He has also directed the anime series Digimon Universe: App Monsters (2016-2017) and the TV special One Piece: Episode of Sabo - Bond of Three Brothers, a Miraculous Reunion and an Inherited Will (2015).  

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