Graveyard Kitaro English Sub & Dub

About Graveyard Kitaro

If you are hunting for a new horror series, Graveyard Kitaro (墓場鬼太郎) deserves a look (2008). The setup goes like this. What the story covers: Kitarou is a youkai boy born in a cemetery, and aside from his mostly-decayed father, the last living member of the Ghost tribe. He is missing his left eye, but his hair usually covers the empty socket.

Further in, he fights for peace between humans and youkai, which generally involves protecting the former from the wiles of the latter. This version of the Kitarou story is based on the original Hakaba Kitarou manga, the manga which inspired the popular Gegege no Kitarou series in the late 60's.

As a horror title, atmosphere, sound and restraint do the heavy lifting. Voice work is led by Masako Nozawa as Kitarou and Isamu Tanonaka as Medama Oyaji. This one is best suited to viewers comfortable with dark, unsettling material. The run is 11 episodes in total, so you know what you are signing up for.

Production & Appeal

Production sits with Toei Animation, which means the visual identity of Graveyard Kitaro follows that studio's craft. Within the horror category, atmosphere, sound and restraint do the heavy lifting. Its 6.7/10 score suggests opinions are split, so it suits viewers who already like the genre. On the casting side, Masako Nozawa voicing Kitarou gives the lead role a recognizable voice. Released in 2008, it competed with that season's other new series for attention.