Toei Animation Co., Ltd’s hit animation properties, GeGeGe no KITARO and Hakaba Kitaro have been selected to screen at this year’s Locarno International Film Festival, as part of the show’s grand dedication to the highly acclaimed, cult anime figure – Kitaro.

GeGeGe no Kitaro is scheduled to screen on August 16 at 11AM and Hakaba Kitaro will be showN on August 16 at 2PM.

These two TV series are based on the popular Japanese comics by Shigeru Mizuki.
He created Kitaro, which became a beloved national icon, and GeGeGe no Kitaro has been televised as an animation series for kids five times thus far. Hakaba Kitaro, the humanistic horror animation, is its origin. The production refocuses on the philosophy of Shigeru Mizuki, who has deeply contemplated on the happiness of life and depicts human nature in a sarcastic sense. This is for high target.

GeGeGe no KITARO follows the adventures of Kitaro, a monster (“Yokai”) with a strong sense of justice. He and his friends work together to fight the evil monsters threatening the people in the town. This exciting new series is currently airing on Fuji TV. This Gegege no Kitaro is the 5th season of the same title. Since the 1stseason was broadcasted in 1968, the new series are continually produced; the 2nd season in 1971, the 3rd season in 1985 and the 4th season in 1996. This is a big and long series that has been loved in Japan.

Hakaba Kitaro – It is the 1950s. The war has ended and the economy is growing at an accelerating pace. While the rich become richer, a tremendous number of people are still at the bottom of the social pyramid and have to work their fingers to the bone to survive. On the other hand, the Ghost Tribe and spirit-monsters live in their own world. They have existed way longer than humans but are forced to move deeper into the backwoods as urbanization progresses. In such a society, Kitaro was born in a graveyard as the last of the ghost tribe. His eerie appearance has made him known as “Hakaba (Graveyard) Kitaro”. With his father called Medama Oyaji (Eyeball Father), Kitaro observes insatiable human greed from the standpoints of the spirit world and the human world. What is hell? What is life? “Original” Kitaro humorously satirizes pathetic human ego and expresses the real joy of being alive and the meaning of true human happiness.

The 61st annual Locarno International Film Festival will take place August 6-16, 2008 in Locarno, Switzerland. Throughout its sixty year history, the film festival has brought together the public, professionals and young creative talent from around the globe to celebrate the world of auteur, cotemporary cinema.