The Birth of Kitaro: The Mystery of GeGeGe (鬼太郎誕生 ゲゲゲの謎)

I've finally found him!

The urban legend, Yokai Boy GeGeGe no Kitaro.

The secret of his birth!

Huh?

Please turn back.

What?

I can't guarantee your safety beyond this point.

H-Hey, Kitaro.

I have something I need to ask you.

I warned you.

Nagura...?

A persistent journalist, isn't he?

Mother...

Well?

There's hardly anything...

I see... It has been 70 years. So the time has finally come.

That man may also be here today.

My magazine is going out of print after this issue.

If I could just get this article for the last one!

A ghost town? This deep in the mountains?

T-This is getting interesting!

Kitaro?

Kitaro?!

Ouch...

Help me!

Hello?

What's this?

What is this place?

Ah, ouch, ouch...

Help me...

T-The master of the house!

1956 (SHOWA 31), TOKYO

What! Not old man Tokisada Ryuga?!

It hasn't leaked to anyone else yet, has it?

Alright, got it.

I'll be right back.

The Ryuga family...

Whoever becomes the family head will hold tremendous power.

The battle for succession will be fierce.

We should build a relationship with the new family head.

Who will it be, I wonder?

Ideally, Ryuga Pharmaceuticals' Katsunori, but he married into the family.

It'll be Katsunori.

Mizuki! Don't just waltz in!

The true heir Tokimaro has health problems and hasn't been seen in public for years.

Katsunori was well-trusted by Tokisada and I heard he was promised the position.

That's right, you're in charge of the Ryuga Pharmaceuticals account.

President Katsunori always treats me well.

Let me go. I'll make sure President Katsunori becomes family head.

But you don't even know where the Ryuga household...

Nagura Village.

Katsunori let it slip when we were drinking together.

H-Have you been there before?

No, I haven't.

If I leave now on the overnight, I can be there by noon tomorrow.

Please let me go.

Why not? I entrust the fate of our company to you.

Thank you very much.

Speaking of Ryuga, they have you-know-what.

Of course, I will look into it.

Alright, go.

President! That village is...

Let's pray for a safe return this time.

The President and Section Chief think I'm nothing more than a disposable pawn.

Ryuga Pharma got big during the Sino and Russo-Japanese wars,

and gained even greater success during the Pacific War.

Old man Tokisada was the key player in all that. A self-made man.

His driving force? "You-know-what."

The Ryuga family is full of mysteries.

But that's why, if I can work my way into their inner circle,

I will gain an advantage in my company.

I'll become an executive for sure.

Before they can dispose of me, I'll work my way up.

You there. You have one foot in the grave.

Beyond this point, hell is waiting.

I can see it. I can see that which can't be seen.

You're talking nonsense, old man.

Even now, behind you, there are many haunting you.

Ouch!

That's impossible...

You're a curious one.

Going all the way to such a remote mountain village.

Even people around here don't go near that place.

I can't survive if I do what everyone else does.

"Survive"?

I don't want to die.

There are some who shamelessly survived.

What?

The cowards. They were afraid of death!

We announced we'd fight to the last man. We can't have any survivors.

Send them back in!

Just past this tunnel is Nagura Village.

NAGURA TUNNEL

That's...

Do you need help?

Ah, your sandal strap broke.

That's tough. Give it here. I'll fix it.

But...

Here.

Pardon me, but you are...?

I've come from Tokyo.

My company is a business partner of Ryuga Pharmaceuticals.

From Tokyo?

Let's see.

That must be tiring. Rest your hand on my shoulder.

It's okay, you can put your foot here.

Pardon me.

How does it feel?

It seems alright.

Sayo!

Tokiya!

Oh my, you startled me. Is it okay for you to be outside?

You're the outsider, aren't you?

"Outsider"?

Tokiya!

Everyone was talking about it. They said an outsider came to the village.

Hey, where did you come from?

A-Ah. My name is Mizuki. I came from Tokyo.

Tokyo?! Wowee!

Hey, have you seen Kawakami play?

Tokiya, you'll startle our guest.

Anyway, if you get too excited, you're going to get a fever again.

C'mon... I'm fine...

I'm going to be staying here for a while, so let's talk if we have another chance.

I'll tell you about Kawakami's 2000th hit.

- Really? - Uh-huh!

- Miss... Sayo? - Yes?

How can I get to the Ryuga estate?

Go straight along this road.

Ah, thank you.

See ya, kid.

Okay.

You too, Miss Sayo. If we have the chance.

Yes, Mr. Mizuki.

Can I help you with anything?

I-I'm from the Imperial Blood Bank. My name is Mizuki.

I do business with Katsunori Ryuga...

Mizuki...

Oh, it is you, Mizuki!

President!

It's been too long since I saw you last. Please accept my sincere condolences.

I see you rushed over right away.

At any rate, please come in.

Thank you for having me.

It must have been hard to come all this way.

I wanted nothing more than to be here to see the moment you become family head.

You're a bit ahead of yourself.

But I don't hate that briskness of yours.

Hey you, show him to the guest cottage later on.

Y-Yes sir... but tonight is the okomori...

That's why you're showing him to the cottage! Get it ready for him.

"Okomori"...?

It's an old Ryuga tradition.

Everyone shuts themselves away to purify themselves before a funeral.

Since this is a rural village where superstitions still make their presence felt.

I suppose you saw it coming here.

The shrine in the mountains.

Generations of Ryuga family heads have also served as the head priest of that shrine.

Tokisada as well?

He was always there worshiping the god of this land and doing strange rituals.

Honestly, I don't like this village.

- No need to hold back, come in. - Sir.

There's a face I don't recognize.

He is my guest. He's come from Tokyo to be a witness.

I am Mizuki from the Imperial Blood Bank.

The way he barges in without any consideration for us,

that's certainly the sort of thing a business associate of yours would do.

I am fully aware of the disrespect. However, I could not stay away.

I can imagine how such a loss must feel.

You can imagine?

You think you can understand? We are mourning the loss of our Father!

Madam.

President Katsunori's wife. Tokisada's eldest daughter, Otome.

Hey, let's get started already. My legs are starting to go numb!

Hinoe!

The second daughter, Hinoe.

She's changed a lot since that photo.

I heard she eloped when she was young, but was brought back.

I'm sorry we're late.

Mister!

Oh my, you already know him? Well, look at you!

Mother!

Hurry and sit down.

Tokiya's mother, Toshiko, is the third daughter, married to the village chief.

Which means that man must be the village chief, Osada.

Is everyone here now?

Tokimaro.

Tokimaro?

Tokimaro?! He's still alive and well?!

What's this all about? This isn't what I heard, President...

Very well sir, please begin.

Yes. In accordance with the last will and testament of Tokisada Ryuga,

I will now name the new head of the Ryuga family.

"As the current head, Ryuga Tokisada, I deliver the following to my descendants.

Firstly, to follow me as the new Ryuga family head...

I designate my eldest son, Tokimaro.

Next, Tokimaro will adopt Tokiya Osada,

and when Tokiya comes of age, he will succeed Tokimaro."

- Me? - Tokiya!

"Next, Katsunori will remain as the Ryuga Pharmaceuticals president.