The Birth of Kitaro: The Mystery of GeGeGeGe will be screened again at theaters nationwide on October 4 (Friday)! The trailer for "The Story of Fear as Originally Envisioned by the Production Team" is now available!

Gegege no Kitaro" is a national animation that has been loved for 55 years and has become a part of the culture. In 2023, to commemorate the 100th anniversary of Shigeru Mizuki's birth, "The Birth of Kitaro: The Mystery of GeGeGeGe," a film depicting the story of Kitaro's father and his friends, was born and became a big hit.

The film was directed by Gou Koga, who also directed "Gegege no Kitaro the Movie: Japan Explodes! directed by Go Koga, who also directed "Gegege no Kitaro the Movie: Japan Explodes!"; screenplay by Hiroyuki Yoshino, known for his work on the TV animation "Macross F"; and character design by Toruko Yatabe, assistant director of "Shin Evangelion the Movie.

The cast includes Toshihiko Seki, who once played the role of Oyaji the Elder in "Demon Slayer" and made all of Japan tremble, Hidenobu Kiuchi, who played Yushi Oshidari in the "Prince of Tennis" series, Miyuki Sawashiro, who played Kitaro in the TV anime "Gegege no Kitaro" (6th season), and Miyuki Yoshino, who played Oyaji the Elder in the "Gegege no Kitaro" series. and Masanori Nozawa who played Oyaji Me-tama, Toshio Furukawa as Nezumi, and Atsumi Tanazaki, Yumiko Kobayashi, Tetsu Shiratori, Nobuo Tobita, Kazuya Nakai, Yoko Sawaumi, Kazuhiro Yamaji, Yuko Minaguchi, Rie Kugimiya, Akira Ishida, Umeika Shoji, and Masaya Matsukaze as the voice casts of the "Gegege Kitaro" series. The film is scheduled to be released in November 2023.

When the film was released in November 2023, the encounter between Mizuki and Kitaro's father, who used to be the father of Kitaro, the sadness of their fate, and the power of the battle scenes attracted a great deal of attention, resulting in box-office revenues of 2.79 billion yen and a total attendance of 1.95 million people. In 2024, the film won the 47th Japan Academy Awards for Best Animated Feature Film, and its momentum was not limited to Japan, as it was also screened in Korea, Taiwan, and other countries.

The story of Kitaro's fathers has spread around the world, and now it will be screened again in theaters nationwide on October 4 (Fri.) as "The Birth of Kitaro: The Mystery of Gegege's True Life Version," with 327 cuts retaken and the sound re-dubbed to match. (Distributor: Toei / R15+)

The "Shinsei Version" is a retake of 327 cuts, with the sound re-dubbed to match.
The horror story that the production team originally envisioned is now on the screen!

In addition, a trailer built around the retaken cuts was also released!
The previous film received rave reviews for the overwhelming quality and power of the battle scenes and the adult horror visuals, but this time around, 327 cuts were retaken and the sound was re-dubbed, improving on the quality of the previously released version. Some of the retakes include cuts that revive the horror effects originally envisioned in the storyboards.

In the released footage, after the cut of the silhouette floating in the blood cherry blossoms, the message "Forbidden Abomination Again" appears. Mizuki talks to Kitaro's father through the bars of his prison cell, saying, "Let's uncover the mystery of the Tatsuga clan that is swirling in Wailukuura Village. The trailer depicts the story of these two, the mad bones that attack them, and the horrific fate that the Ryuga clan faces, in an R15+ version with more blood spatter and horror than the one that was released last year.

The poster visual used for last year's release has also been re-released with a new copy and title logo. The poster and flyers will be available at theaters nationwide that will be showing the film from today.

Toshihiko Seki, who played Kitaro's father, commented on the release of the Shinsei version, "The number of new retakes is astonishing. If you say, "This is the horror story that the production team had originally envisioned," I have no choice but to see it. Whether you are a fan of "The Birth of Kitaro" or you haven't seen it yet, please don't miss this opportunity! He commented joyfully.
Hidenobu Kiuchi, who plays Mizuki, commented, "This film was originally made for adults, but I myself am looking forward to seeing how the production team envisioned the story. I am very happy to see that the movie is still loved by everyone, as various events have been held since its release last year. I look forward to seeing you at the theater for the special edition of "The Birth of Kitaro: The Mystery of GeGeGeGe, Shinsei Version"! The comment from the director of the film, "I am very happy to hear that Kitaro is still loved by everyone.
Director Koga also commented, "We are very happy to receive support from so many people for this film, and now we are releasing it in theaters as the "Shinsei version," which is what we originally wanted to make. I promise you that "The Birth of Kitaro: Mystery of Gegege Shinsei Version" is not only related to the rating, but we have put a lot of effort into brushing up the images themselves. We are confident that the new version will be more beautiful than scary, and that the audience will be more deeply intoxicated and moved by the story. He is confident about the film's release.

Last year, "Ge Mystery" caused a frenzied "Ge Mystery" boom. The reimagined Kitaro will return as the "true form" of the story that the production team had originally envisioned, with Kitaro's fathers' passionate feelings for Kitaro touching the audience.

Full text of the comments

Toshihiko Seki (Kitaro's father)

Kitaro: The Birth of Kitaro, A GeGeGe Mystery" will be screened again? What on earth is going on? I was wondering, and to my surprise, I found out that it is going to be screened again under the title of "Shinsei Version".
I had heard that this was a different version with a different rating!　And if they say "the horror story that the production team had originally envisioned," then I had no choice but to see it.
And if they say, "This is the horror story that the producers originally envisioned," then there is no other choice but to see it. In the past, this film has been shown in various collaborations, such as events and product development, and has even broken out of its theatrical framework in different forms.
This time, we are proud to present the film in its entirety to you, the audience, and ask you about its appeal.
Whether you are a fan of "The Birth of Kitaro" or you have not seen it yet, please do not miss this opportunity!

Hidenobu Kiuchi (Mizuki)

At first, I heard from the director that he wanted to make a version of this film that was geared toward adults, but I never thought I would be able to see that version one day, and in a theater!
This film was released as a PG-12 film, and I myself am not looking forward to seeing it, as it will reveal how the production team envisioned the film.
I am very happy to see that the film is still loved by everyone and that various events have been held since its release last year.
I look forward to seeing you at the theater for the special edition of "The Birth of Kitaro: Mystery of GeGeGeGe, Shinsei Version!

Director Go Koga

It was exactly one year ago when we were tackling the new challenge of making Kitaro into a horror movie for adults, and we, the staff, were struggling and struggling to find out how far we could go in terms of expression.
We are very happy to announce that we have received the support of many customers for this film, and we have decided to release it in theaters as the "Shinsei version" as we originally wanted to make it.
Some may be concerned about the R15+ classification, but I promise you that "The Birth of Kitaro: A Gegege Mystery, Shinsei Version" is not only about the rating, but also about brushing up the images themselves. I am rather focusing on brushing up the images themselves. The "Mystery of GeGeGe" is not so much "scary" as it is "beautiful", and we are sure that you will be more deeply intoxicated and moved by the story.
Please come and see it in the theater! Please see it in the theater.

(* Comment in Japanese only)

Film Information
The Birth of Kitaro: The Mystery of GeGeGeGe: Shinsei Version
<Release date
October 4, 2024 (Friday)

<Story
Kitaro and Oyaji Medama step into the abandoned former village of Wailukuura.
Oyaji and Kitaro are recalling the events that took place in this village 70 years ago.
About his encounter with that man and the fate they both faced...
The year is 1956, and the village of Weeping Cura is ruled by the Tatsuga clan, which controls the Japanese political and business worlds behind the scenes.
Mizuki, who works for the Imperial Blood Bank, takes on ambition and a secret mission to mourn the death of Tokisada, the head of the family, while Kitaro's father enters the village to look for his wife.
In the Tatsuga clan, an ugly dispute over Tokisada's successor had begun.
Then, a member of the clan is brutally murdered at the village shrine.
It was the real beginning of a terrible chain of bizarre events.
Kitaro's fathers' encounter, their fate, and what they saw in the midst of overwhelming despair...

＜Original story by
Shigeru Mizuki

<Staff
Director : Go Koga / Screenplay : Hiroyuki Yoshino / Music : Kenji Kawai / Character Design : Toruko Yatabe / Art Director : Mai Ichioka / Color Design : Sayoko Yokoyama / Director of Photography : Tomoyuki Ishiyama / Production Manager : Kou Sawamori Keifumi Horikoshi

Distributor: Toei
Production: Toei Animation

<Cast
Toshihiko Seki, Hidenobu Kiuchi, Atsumi Tanazaki, Yumiko Kobayashi, Tetsu Shiratori, Nobuo Tobita, Kazuya Nakai, Yoko Sawaumi, Kazuhiro Yamaji, Yuko Minaguchi, Rie Kugimiya, Akira Ishida, Toshio Furukawa / Miyuki Sawashiro, Umeika Shoji, Masaya Matsukaze / Masako Nozawa

＜Official website and SNS of the film
The Birth of Kitaro: The Mystery of GeGeGeGe" Official Website: #
Kitaro the Movie "The Birth of Kitaro: Mystery of Gegege" X: @kitaroanime50th

(C) "Kitaro: The Birth of Gegege Mystery" Film Partners