One thing I'm curious about is Kidoshu and their Kido. Did it start as something from just the Kitaro franchise? or was there something it was based on (aside from Onmyoji) and thus other anime series also use this (One example I remember right now is Bleach)
Hi! Oh gosh we are getting into deepest lore territory here.
I'll just preface this by saying I'm not an historian or anything, so I will take huge shortcuts to keep this concise and relevant to our main topic, that is to say, Genazo nerdery (and well, Gegege nerdery at large). I encourage you to look up the notions I mention in this post to take a deeper, more informed look into the subject!
So! In Gegege no Kitaro, we have Kidoshu, or practicioners of 鬼道, kido.
鬼 is read ki, the same ki as in Kitaro actually ; and in Japanese it refers to oni, the famous ogre-like yokai that you've probably seen portrayed in various anime and manga before.
But in kido specifically, it refers to the Chinese meaning of 鬼, the spirit of the dead, or just "ghost", like in the ghost Chinese constellation for example. It doesn't necessarily have the evil connotation of the Japanese oni.
道 do is "way", "path". the same "do" as in judo, for example.
So together it makes something like, "the way of departed spirits", or "the way of ghosts."
It's important to have the Chinese meaning in mind because kido existed before oni and before Japan was named Japan, as such, the first historical sources mentioning it are in Chinese.
Kido is associated with Queen Himiko, about whom historians argue many aspects of her historicity, so I won't dare giving you an history lesson myself haha...
In the late Yayoi period (~second/third century), Queen Himiko of the Yamatai (a country within Wa, what covers Japan nowadays, and whose location is still debated) took control of Wa using shamanistic magic called guidao according to the Book of Wei (Chinese source regarding Himiko), and rendered as kido in Japanese sources.
The nature of kido itself is mysterious and still debated, it being interpreted as an early form of daoism or shinto. Because Himiko is believed to have gained legitimacy and power in politics through shamanism, kido is also interpreted as a political system which deviates from Confucianism (and thus, vilified into sorcery)
The figure of Queen Himiko herself appears quite a lot in fiction - the Dawn chapter of Tezuka's Phoenix (which is a favourite of mine! I recommend it!) comes to mind first. But she also shows up in the video game Okami, and while not portraying the historical figure herself, the Danganronpa franchise also has a witch-themed character named Himiko! (... etc, etc.)
So yeah, in fiction, the figure of Himiko is often used to portray witches, and even evil queens using bewitching sex-appeal and sorcery to gain power.
As such, in popular imagination, kido is associated with the primitive sorcery of a female ruler. (because of course, if a woman gets in a position of power it's because she's a witch and she subjuguated her subjects, clearly...)
Which brings us back to Gegege no Kitaro : while the Kidoshu are all defeated with the exception of Rei Isurugi in the 2018 series, previous incarnations featured the Kidoshu led by a female leader, most probably as a nod to Himiko. Be it the manga or its anime adaptation in the 80s, they perform their magic while wearing a Hannya mask, similar to Osada in Gegege no Nazo.
So in line with its mysterious history, Kido in Gegege is an ancient magic, named this way for its extra ancient and occult connotations, making it feel more special and unique than the onmyodo typically depicted in popular culture. And if kidoshu aren't special and cool enough, Genazo introduces the extra occult, extra profane, extra forbidden ura-kido.... (undersurface / hidden side / back side of kido)
ゲゲゲの鬼太郎 GeGeGe No Kitaro - 西洋妖怪から東京を守れ (Protect Tokyo from Western Yōkai) by Shigeru Mizuki and Shohei Otomo @ Mizuki Productions ; pages from たのしい幼稚園 Tanoshī Yōchien, December 1968
Is Sayo-chan a child? She looks like a kid barely in her teens.
Hi! Her age is never stated, but she does mention she hasn't came of age yet, meaning she is under 20 at the time of the movie. From the way other characters address her and how she looks compared to baby Tokiya in the family picture, she does look like a teen in present time.
While no character's age was confirmed, I've seen fun theories regarding Otome, Hinoe and Toshiko's age based on the kanji in their name. Because all threes have a kanji refering to Heavenly Stems (from the Chinese calendar sexagenary counting system), it can be speculated that they were named after the year of their birth. Going back from 1956, this would mean:
Otome (乙米) -> 1925 Wood Ox year (乙丑)
...making her 31 by 1956.
Hinoe (丙江) -> 1926 Fire Tiger year (丙寅)
...making her 30 by 1956.
Toshiko (庚子) -> 1930 Metal Ox year (庚午)
...making her 26 by 1956.
This question has been floating around in my brain but do you think gegero’s opinion of humans has changed by the end of the movie or just in general?? I thought it would be nice if mizuki was like a starting point but personally I need to know other people’s opinions,,,
Hi! Yes, I think you're right that Gegero's opinion of humans change throughout the movie. As for the starting point I believe it's a bit more complicated...
The movie is mostly from Mizuki's point of view, so his character development is the most noticeable, but Gegero also grows as a character during the course of the movie.
In the past he hated humans, and admired his wife's capability to love them despite everything, but he never says she was able to make him love humans himself. Not that he's hateful either ; I don't want to call him prejudiced given his position (humans actively engaging in genocide against his people and all), but he really shows no interest in socializing with humans beyond what is needed to achieve his goals. The exception being of course children, him showing kindness and empathy to Tokiya and Sayo, showing that Gegero wants to stay hopeful for the future and is not closed to the idea of humans growing for the better. IMO it's important to keep in mind because while Mizuki IS an important influence on Gegero, the overall theme of legacy, with children carrying the future and adults having a responsibility towards them is AS important.
In his initial interactions with Mizuki, Gegero tolerates him in order to get what he wants, but isn't particularly friendly to him. (all he feels is "pity" at this point, in his own words)
This scene illustrates it well I think : at this point their relationship is like, business partners working towards a similar goal but there's no particular affection here. Mizuki has eased up a little bit around Gegero but is still pretty much in corporate mode.
It's in the graveyard scene that they open up and manage to see heart to heart for the first time. Mizuki discloses he has only ever known hurt and oppression in his relationships ; and Gegero offers empathy and advice sharing his own experiences and how love saved him, foreshadowing what will happen to Mizuki. (and Kitaro!)
This line contrasts with Mizuki's earlier "oh your wife ran away? sore loser" remark. It's the first time they truly sympathize with each other, as symbolically shown through Mizuki sharing his last cigarette with Gegero, who shows surprise before accepting it. He wondered just before if he will ever have his own fateful encounter, but this scene seals the moment his fate becomes intertwined with Gegero's.
(and as such, Kitaro's...)
And while they had mutual sympathy at this point, trust on Gegero's side came much later, when Mizuki came to save him in the basement.
Anyways, all this to say that while the movie is from Mizuki's point of view, the growth, esteem and affection is not one sided at all. It's because Gegero grew to consider him his equal that he could entrust him with his most important treasures at the end of the movie.
IMO Mizuki and Gegero's relationship is so well written and ties so nicely with the original "birth of Kitaro" story, recontextualizing it while not betraying its key events.
And specifically for Mizuki and Gegero, it's shown through promises made to each other and their respective duty to fulfill them.
Literally every element of the movie culminates to, well, the birth of Kitaro, framed as a miracle due to the love and efforts of his parents (Gegero, his wife, and Mizuki) who made it possible. Gegero's driving force is love, something he inherited from his wife and passes on to Mizuki : in the epilogue, Kitaro's fate is different from his Hakaba counterpart because Mizuki is able to (vaguely) remember Gegero.
I mentioned Kitaro multiple times because while not physically present for most of the movie literally everything Mizuki and Gegero do and experience will be inherited in turn by Kitaro.
Legacy and cycles are core themes of the movie, with Kitaro's family perpetuating a cycle of nurtured love (Gegero's wife > Gegero > Mizuki > Kitaro) which contrasts with the Ryuga's, all doomed by Tokisada's legacy.
Of course Kitaro's decision to help humans is his own, and it being motivated by Mizuki is something specific to 2018 Kitaro ; but Gegero, or, well, Medama Oyaji, has always supported him. His characterization in Genazo was made with the TV anime in mind, with scenes such as Medama showing affection to Mana and such, and gives these context by showing that his support comes from his own experiences with Mizuki, which could only happen in the first place because of his wife ...
That's kind of a disjointed post sorry I'm thought vomiting at this point lol. But yeah. Mizuki changed Gegero's opinion on humans, but Gegero gave Mizuki a chance in the first place and didn't fall into prejudice because of what is wife had taught him in the past...
do you know the significance of the fish in the office at the start of the film? (and possibly why it crossfades into the moon?)
Hello!
This kind of fish is called a Celestial Eye, and its most notable feature is, of course, its huge eyes, which are perpetually looking upwards. Actually, this kind of fish is basically blind, and relies on smell to move around. It also lacks a dorsal fin ; because of the very features it was bred for, it's unable to compete with others fish in a larger tank. In short, it's a species bred by humans only to be kept by themselves in smaller tanks, for decorative purpose.
The name "celestial eye" comes from a story saying these fish were bred in small pots with a tapered end. The fish originally were looking sideways like others telescope fish do, but they gradually started looking upwards in search of light.
When you think about it this way, a helpless being kept prisoner in a tank by a rich human in a position of power foreshadows the condition of the Ghost Tribe kept in a well by the Ryuga pretty well, doesn't it?
They're kept like pets in the well, and when they look upwards they see some light in...
The moon!
The relation between the celestial eye and the Ghost tribe was mentioned by the staff during a talk show, so that I know for sure was their intent!
Now it's just my own thoughts and interpretation, but given how important symbols eyes, and sight, are in this movie, I can see more than just the Ghost Tribe in the celestial eye.
Despite their large eyeballs, they are unable to see, and they are kept prisoners in a weakened state by people in a position of power. To me that also fit humans such as Mizuki, unable to see the supernatural, wounded and kept prisoners by their hierarchy and, at large, the society they live in. Humans and Ghost Tribe folks aren't so different after all...
And finally, throughout the movie a lot of focus is put on Tokisada's large, shiny, round yellow eyes. He's someone who always wanted more and kept looking up, failing to ever look at the family in front of him, and at the common people beneath him. Despite his ambitions, he ends up at the bottom of the well at the end of the movie, where he can only continue to look up at the moon above.
In short: we're all the same! That's quite the foreshadow-y microcosm in the President's fishtank, haha.
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