This time, I read the original manga of “GeGeGe no Kitaro” for the first time, so I would like to review my impressions. Manga is scarier than anime!
- 【GeGeGe no Kitaro】The original manga is scary, but it’s full of addictive charm and is recommended.
- The atmosphere is eerie, but Kitaro and the yokai are so catchy that it somehow becomes addictive!
- Each episode is self-contained, making it easy to read quickly.
- It’s not just the yokai—the background characters are amazing too!
- Summary
【GeGeGe no Kitaro】The original manga is scary, but it’s full of addictive charm and is recommended.
I read “GeGeGe no Kitaro Definitive Edition Volume 1” which I bought at Kitaro Chaya which I visited the other day. I used to watch the anime GeGeGe when I was a child, but I had never read the original manga until now, so I was belatedly reading it. In conclusion, was the original manga this scary?
- People who like manga featuring cute yokai.
- People who enjoy manga with self-contained episodes that are easy to read.
The atmosphere is eerie, but Kitaro and the yokai are so catchy that it somehow becomes addictive!
| Author | Shigeru Mizuki |
| Publisher | Tozuki Shobo, Sanyo-sha, Sato Pro, Toko-sha, Kodansha, and others |
| Serialized in | Weekly Shonen Magazine, Weekly Shonen Sunday, Comic BomBom, and others |
“GeGeGe no Kitaro” is a Japanese manga series by Shigeru Mizuki, as well as a collective term for its adaptations. It is Mizuki’s representative work that popularized the image of yokai (Japanese supernatural creatures) in society and established “yokai manga” as a distinct genre.
Source: Wikipedia
I think the reason it feels so eerie is the sheer impact (or perhaps the magic?) of the art style. My honest impression is that the atmosphere is completely different from any anime I’ve seen before!!
Of course, my hazy childhood nostalgia might be playing a role, but whether it’s the historical setting within the story or just the overall worldbuilding, there’s something undeniably terrifying about it.
Even the way the grass looks is unsettling, and even the onomatopoeia feels eerie! The characters’ catchy designs help balance it out, but if their visuals had matched the overall level of horror, I don’t think I’d have the courage to read it in the dark.
(Side note: At the Kitaro Chaya café, they were selling onomatopoeia keychains, and I seriously debated buying one. Such a brilliant idea! 😂)
Each episode is self-contained, making it easy to read quickly.
Since the story is generally structured as one-shot episodes, you can breeze through it effortlessly, and it’s also perfect for a quick read during a short break.
It’s not just the yokai—the background characters are amazing too!
Personally, one of my absolute favorites—something that really hits the spot for me—is the bespectacled background characters who always seem to cross paths with Kitaro.
For example, the father of a boy who suddenly falls ill from an unknown cause, or other completely random side characters who have nothing to do with the core story—there’s just an oddly high number of them wearing glasses, and I love it.
I could go on forever about the charm of these template-style bespectacled characters, but let’s just say that if a capsule toy series featuring them ever came out, I’d be spinning that machine nonstop!きです。
Summary
So, that wraps up my review of my first experience diving into the original GeGeGe no Kitaro manga!
To be honest, I haven’t read many manga from this era before, but after finally giving it a proper read, I was really moved. It even sparked a desire to explore more classic works in the future.
I think I’ll be heading back to Kitaro Chaya soon to pick up the next volume!
