Gegege no Kitaro

This version is bad watch the original "Hakaba Kitaro" it's gold.

One of the more unique anime you can find in general, as it is one that is rebooted every 9-10 years or so. The story has gone through many changes over the course of the past 60 or so years since the first anime and I have to say, they really made this an ode to the original manga author Shigeru Mizuki. Besides the fact that they've masterfully retold several stories that have been re-adapted over the years, they've also touched upon topics that were uniquely personal to Mizuki (may he rest in peace), such as war and its horrible effects on society, the evils and manipulations of fascism (yes, surprisingly enough there is commentary on that too without direct mentions) and more. Of course, the most important part of this series is the social commentary on modern day society. Sure, there are some moments your roll your eyes at how corny the message was delivered in the end, but only a few episodes end up being weak at that, as otherwise the rest end up being surprisingly realistic and often very dark, talking about topics mentioned above, as well as work abuse, toxic interpersonal relationships, abuse and exploitation of immigrants and more. At the same time, it also manages to show what they believe to be the right way, promoting the idea of peace and co-existence, the idea that perhaps humans can finally accept others without judging them. I highly recommend this anime and I believe that it is truly worth your time...maybe except that one santa clause episodes, that one stinks, don't watch it.

I was really surprised to hear that a brand-new "Gegege no Kitaro" anime series was made. I did take a peek at episodes on my tablet. But when I got my new Roku TV, the experience was way better. It's wonderful to see Mana Inuyama, a new human friend who was most likely influenced by Yumeko Tendo from the anime series from the 1980s. Of course, in that series, I adore Kitaro and Yumeko. I'm beginning to ship Mana with Neko-Musume after watching a few episodes of this series. On the subject of favorites, so far, my favorite characters (good guy and bad guy) are: Nezumi-Otoko, Neko-Musume, Mana, Hanako of the Toilet, Zunbera, Agnes the young witch, and Hakusanbo and Yayoi. But wait a minute! Aren't yokai and humans forbidden to see each other?

Additionally, I thought it was fantastic that Masako Nozawa, Kitaro's original voice actor, was able to portray Kitaro's father, Medama Oyaji, following the death of Isamu Tanonaka. Speaking of Oyaji, it's amazing to see his appearance before resurrecting as one of his eyes. Overall, this is another must-see anime series. I now love the 1968, 1985, and 2018 "Kitaro" anime series. And again, I really wish that the company "Discotek" would license all of the TV series (including this one) and movies for North American DVD.