GeGeGe no Kitarō (song)

GeGeGe no Kitarō (ゲゲゲの鬼太郎) is the theme song used in all anime adaptations of GeGeGe no Kitarō, as well as the numerous video game and live action adaptations. It was originally performed by Kazuo Kumakura and was written by series creator Shigeru Mizuki.
For some releases, it has been title GeGeGe no Kitarō Theme Song (ゲゲゲの鬼太郎テーマソング).
==About==
The song was not originally recorded for the anime, but rather as a promotional single for Shonen Magazine, which the Kitarō manga was serialized in at the time. It was released on October 10, 1967 with a B-side of "Harris no Kaze" by Nobuyo Ōyama (most famous as the original voice of Doraemon). For this original release, the song was title "Hakaba Kitarō", as the manga was still named at that point. The title was changed to "GeGeGe no Kitarō" when it was decided to use it for the anime theme song, as that was the name the anime would go by and that the manga would change to.
The song is quite well known in Japan and is considered one of the most iconic anime themes. Starting with the third anime, each series had a new cover version of the song. Most TV versions of the song feature the first and third verse, although the first fifth anime opening only featured the first verse. The second fifth anime opening would alternate between all three verses each week.
==Characters in Order of Appearance==
<tabber>
|-|1968=
#Bake-Garasu
#Kitarō
#Medama-Oyaji
#Nezumi-Otoko
#Ōguchi-Onna
#Kiba-Gurui
#Kamaitachi
|-|1971=
#Kitarō
#Medama-Oyaji
#Kappa
#Nezumi-Otoko
#Neko-Musume
#Yobuko
#Mummy
#Yama-Oni
#Hitodama
#Ittan-Momen
#Kasa-Bake
#Nurikabe
#Chōchin-Obake
#Bake-Garasu
|-|1985=
#Kitarō
#Ittan-Momen
#Kijimuna
#Nezumi-Otoko
#Konaki-Jijii
#Sunakake-Babaa
#Nurikabe
#Medama-Oyaji
#Bake-Garasu
#Yumeko Tendō
#Neko-Musume
#Rokuro-Kubi
#Abura-Sumashi
#Azuki-Hakari
#Kamaitachi
#Chōchin-Obake
#Yōkai Train
|-|1996=
|-|2007=
First (Ep. 1~51)
Second (Ep. 52~100)
|-|2018=
|-|Other=
;PS2 Game
#Bake-Garasu
#Kitarō
#Medama-Oyaji
#Nezumi-Otoko
#Gyūki
#???
#Nuke-Kubi
#Shisa
#Kawauso
#Nurarihyon
#Nupperabō
#Sunakake-Babaa
#Neko-Musume
#Konaki-Jijii
#Kemedama
#Kijimuna
#Bake-Zōri
#Sazae-Oni
</tabber>
==Versions==
===First & Second Anime===
*Performed by Kazuo Kumakura
:The original arrangement was whimsically creepy. A tone lower than most versions. Was also used for the 1985 TV movie and most video games.
===Third Anime===
*Performed by Ikuzō Yoshi
:A more uptempo 80s pop cover. This is the only version of the song that features dialogue during the instrumental break.
===Fourth Anime===
*Performed by Yūkadan
:Arranged similar to the original version of the song but with a blues feel to it. In April of 1997, Japan's anime industry began to move from cel animation to digital, but the accompanying animation for the song wasn't updated.
===Fifth Anime===
====First (Ep. 1~51)====
*Performed by Shigeru Izumiya
:A jazz-fusion arrangement. The TV version of the theme song removed Izumiya's shout during the intro.
====Second (Ep. 52~100)====
*Performed by The 50 Kaitenz
:The intro starts similar to the blues version of the song, but the overall make up of the song is a rock arrangement. This was the first time in the series' history that an adaptation used two different versions of the song.
===Sixth Anime===
*Performed by Kiyoshi Hikawa
:An enka style cover of the song. Unlike the previous series, which only played one verse of the song for the TV version, this one goes back to using the first and third verse.
===Live action films===
Both versions of the song used similar arrangements to the original song.
;First Film
*Performed by Teppei Koike
:Koike is the singing partner of the film's star Eiji Wentz in the duo WaT.
;Second Film
*Performed by Froebel Boy's Chorus
==Lyrics==
<tabber>
|-|Japanese=
ゲッゲッ ゲゲゲのゲー
朝は寝床で グーグーグー
たのしいな たのしいな
おばけにゃ学校もしけんもなんにもない
ゲッゲッ ゲゲゲのゲー
みんなで歌おう ゲゲゲのゲー
ゲッゲッ ゲゲゲのゲー
昼はのんびり お散歩だ
たのしいな たのしいな
おばけにゃ会社も仕事も なんにもない
ゲッゲッ ゲゲゲのゲー
みんなで歌おう ゲゲゲのゲー
ゲッゲッ ゲゲゲのゲー
夜は墓場で 運動会(うんどうかい)
たのしいな たのしいな
お化けは死なない 病気もなんにもない
ゲッゲッ ゲゲゲのゲー
みんなで歌おう ゲゲゲのゲー
みんなで歌おう ゲゲゲのゲー
|-|Romaji=
Ge, Ge, GeGeGe no Ge...
Asa wa nedoko de,
Guu guu guu.
Tanoshii na,
Tanoshii na,
Obake nya gakkou mo
Shiken mo nanni mo nai!
Ge, Ge, GeGeGe no Ge...
Minna de utaou: GeGeGe no Ge...
Ge, Ge, GeGeGe no Ge...
Hiru wa nonbiri osanpo da.
Tanoshii na,
Tanoshii na,
Obake nya kaisha mo
Shigoto mo nanni mo nai!
Ge, Ge, GeGeGe no Ge...
Minna de utaou: GeGeGe no Ge...
Ge, Ge, GeGeGe no Ge...
Yoru wa hakaba de undoukai
Tanoshii na,
Tanoshii na,
Obake wa shinanai
Byouki mo nanni mo nai!
Ge, Ge, GeGeGe no Ge...
Minna de utaou: GeGeGe no Ge...
Minna de utaou: GeGeGe no Ge...
|-|English=
Ge, Ge, GeGeGe no Ge...
Slumbering in bed in the morning
Zzz-zzz-zzz
It's so fun,
It's so fun,
Ghosts don't have school
or tests or anything!
Ge, Ge, GeGeGe no Ge...
Let's all sing together: GeGeGe no Ge...
Ge, Ge, GeGeGe no Ge...
Leisurely strolls in the afternoon
It's so fun,
It's so fun,
Ghosts don't have companies
or work or anything!
Ge, Ge, GeGeGe no Ge...
Let's all sing together: GeGeGe no Ge...
Ge, Ge, GeGeGe no Ge...
Sports festivals in the graveyard at night
It's so fun,
It's so fun,
Ghosts never die
or get sick or anything!
Ge, Ge, GeGeGe no Ge...
Let's all sing together: GeGeGe no Ge...
Let's all sing together: GeGeGe no Ge...
</tabber>
==Videos (TV version)==
<tabber>
|-|1968=
|-|1971=
|-|1985=
|-|1996=
|-|2007=
|-|2018=
</tabber>
==Videos (Full version)==
熊倉一雄「ゲゲゲの鬼太郎」
GeGeGe no Kitaro 80's OP (Full)
GeGeGe no Kitaro 90's OP Full
GeGeGe no Kitaro 2007 OP Full
Gegege no kitarou (full Version)
==Others==
ゲゲゲの鬼太郎|By By Coba
東京ゲゲゲイ「ゲゲゲイの鬼太郎」 - Tokyo Gegegay Music Video|By Tokyo Gegegay
==Gallery==
See GeGeGe no Kitarō (song)/Gallery.
==External Links==
*GeGeGe no Kitarō (song) on Japanese Wikipedia
==References==
==Navigation==
Category:Songs
Category:Opening Songs