Gegege no Kitarou (2007)

This anime adaptation specifically was my very first gateway drug towards the medium and like everyone else with my kind of childhood, they probably would've stumbled upon this show as a rerun in an anime cable channel. I am one of those people and looking back, I really enjoyed watching this show, so much so that I made sure I got to watch new episodes everyday by timing it with its air time.

Now for the review. Compared to other reboots or adaptations of this series (which I was just aware of a decade after watching this), I am very confident to say that this rendition ... is probably the best one out of all the newer and older ones there. The series despite being about scary yokai, the production was able to maintain its goofiness and weirdness while keeping its suspense or vibe of the main plot with its refreshing rendition and effortful production (mind you this aired in 2007). I'm writing this with the assumption (based on first impressions) that the older adaptations lack refinement, while the newer one (2018) lacked effort which makes this adaptation the best one to date.

Like any other long running anime series (ex. Yokai Watch, Beyblade, Pokemon, Cardfight Vanguard, Sgt. Keroro), the show isn't meant to be enjoyed through bingewatching since it works best when playing it on TV while you multitask or take a break at a specific timeframe. The appeal of this adaptation specifically mainly comes from the nostalgia of those who have loved this franchise specifically, and of course the cable watchers who have found this hidden gem out of nowhere.

There is not much to review about the contents. Like the other adaptations, the cool thing about this series is both kids and adults would be able to enjoy the educational content that lies behind it with its way of balancing comedic entertainment and suspenseful plot progress, while introducing yokai with its influence to Japanese culture at the time. And with the touch of late 2000's production, we get the most accurate and refreshing interpretation of the originals.

Despite the glaze, I cannot say I have watched every episode of this show (missed airing episodes) nor do I remember every yokai, plot, or arc this show has introduced. But what I can say is that this anime has done what it was supposed to do, and it's to captivate its viewers to watch a very old classic about yokai, their lore, and their exaggerated impact on everyday life.