A special new collaboration visual and short teaser trailer have been unveiled for the rebroadcast of select episodes from GeGeGe no Kitaro, featuring Japanese singer-songwriter Ado. The upcoming program, titled GeGeGe no Kitaro: My Favorite GeGeGe Generation, is scheduled to begin airing in Japan on April 6, 2025 on Fuji TV and its affiliates.
The new visual was illustrated by Ado’s image director, ORIHARA. Additionally, the short 30-second trailer features a snippet of Ado’s cover of the anime’s titular main theme, which has been used since the TV anime’s first season broadcast in 1968.
The episodes will be chosen by all voice actresses of Kitaro throughout the years, from series 1-6. The rebroadcast will also include a discussion from each of the voice actresses on their chosen episode, which include:
- • Masako Nozawa (Series 1 and 2)
- • Keiko Toda (Series 3)
- • Yoko Matsuoka (Series 4)
- • Minami Takayama (Series 5)
- • Miyuki Sawashiro (Series 6)
The most recent The Birth of Kitaro: The Mystery of GeGeGe anime film debuted in Japan on November 17, 2023 and grossed a total of 2.79 billion yen (US$19.11 million). It was a nominee for Best Animated Movie at the 47th Japan Academy Award, being rewarded with an Excellence Award.
The film was created as part of the 100th year Birth Anniversary project for Shigeru Mizuki. 2025 will mark 10 years since his passing.
The GeGeGe no Kitaro franchise originated in 1933 as a kamishibai street show. It was then turned into a 1960 rental manga series that was renamed to Hakaba no Kitaro in 1965. The series was again renamed to GeGeGe no Kitaro in 1967 and continued its serialization in several magazines afterwards until its conclusion in 1970. Drawn & Quarterly releases select manga chapters of the manga series in English.
The manga has inspired six different anime series since 1968, with the most recent entry airing in 2018. It has also inspired several live-action films and video games.
Crunchyroll describes the 2018 GeGeGe no Kitaro anime series as:
Nearly twenty years into the 21st century, people have forgotten the existence of Yokai. When a number of unexplainable phenomena plague adults of the human world with confusion and chaos, thirteen-year-old Mana writes a letter to the Yokai Post in search of answers, only to be greeted by Ge Ge Ge no Kitaro…
Source: GeGeGe no Kitaro Official Anime Twitter, Crunchyroll News
