Recap: Ghost Nighter

Hello again. Seeing as it’s October; I will once again be doing some Halloween-related recaps for this month. To start; after the bad trip that was all that Yo-Kai Watch, I decided to do something I’ve been wanting to do for a long time. Today, we’re going back to the swinging sixties with an anime that my mother watched when she was a little girl living in Japan; and I have rediscovered with the wonders of the internet! Let’s open up the first episode of GeGeGe no Kitaro in another installment of “From Humble Beginnings!”

We open on the theme song; which shows off the eponymous Kitaro and his yokai friends as he conducts a choir of them in a refrain of the “GeGeGe no Ge” part of the title. The spooky imagery and quirky theme song reminds me of the Addams Family theme (another great show that’s both macabre and family-friendly). 

The series is also the brainchild of the late Shigeru Mizuki; who helped repopularize the idea of yokai in fiction. As I’m about to tell you; it’s an ideal blend of both the bizarre and the frightening.

The title card of this first episode; “Ghost Nighter” is laid out on a graveyard and a lone baseball player, showing it indeed aired in Japan on January 3, 1968. Long before my parents met; let alone me being a glimmer in their eyes.

We get our proper opening on the same graveyard; where a young boy trips over a baseball bat lying on the ground.

He picks it up; and discovers writing on it that the can’t make out. There are few who can. My Elvish isn’t what it used to be; but that’s definitely not a Louisville Slugger. 

He swings the bat; and it makes a “woosh” sound that scares him; but he decides to use it anyway when he finds out how far he can hit with it. Imagine that. Took me a while before I could get my batting average up in Wii Baseball.

The next day, the boy; whose name is Donpei by the way, manages to win his baseball team the game thanks to the bat!

t also turns out that the bat is enchanted; since Donpei simply has to think about how to hit the ball and it happens! Boy, I love a hobby where I get to type things like that.

Meanwhile, in the forest; the game ball lands in Kitaro’s hair, and wakes him up! 

One of the opposing team members goes to retrieve it; and is spooked when Kitaro tries to return it!

When his father, an eyeball with a body says children these days need to learn manners; Kitaro replies that even yokai love baseball! Just glad the World Series didn’t delay the new Treehouse of Horror this year as it sometimes does.

Back with Donpei, he starts stroking the bat in a suggestive fashion. Nothing I can write will be more suspect than that sentence.

Kitaro speaks with Donpei’s team, asking them if they picked up the bat somewhere. Donpei coyly replies that he’s had the bat for years. Even with Kitaro’s appearance, he is the only yokai that can pass for human in his group and speak to others; which comes in handy for solving problems, as I’m about to tell you. 

He then introduces himself, and his father concurs that his full name is indeed GeGeGe no Kitaro. Roll credits!

That night, a will-o-wisp called Tsurubebi is looking for the bat; and so is a creature with eyes all over his body called Hyakume Boy. I smell shenanigans! 

It turns out that the missing bat is known as the “100% Home Run Bat.” Boy, the Kansas City Royals could use one of those!

Tsurubebi then points out that “violent Kibagurui will be angry as thunder.” That doesn’t sound good.

Everyone heads underground; and someone named Chibi-san knows exactly what happened because he viewed it on a special TV. Imagine that. I have trouble figuring out my DVR sometimes.

Anyway, Kitaro demands that he handle retrieving the bat; citing that he’s the only one who can pass for human. If any of the other yokai go; they’ll be banished from the surface forever! I just wish that could happen with the ones from Yo-Kai Watch.

After a scuffle with another yokai, Chibi-san gives Kitaro 24 hours to retrieve the bat. After using his vest to stop the fight; he breathes this liquid on it and puts it back on. Boy, I love the craziness of the sixties sometimes!

Back on the surface, because of the enchanted bat; Donpei’s team is getting offers left and right to join the major leagues. Though the offers are tempting; Donpei asks for time to think it over. Yep, better to do that then get found out later. Remember what happened with Barry Bonds and Mark McGuire?

That night, Kitaro takes the bat from Donpei’s room; then asks him to wake up. … No comment there.

Kitaro and his father point out the bat has the words “Yokai Team” written on it; and Donpei should not have taken it. Now you’ve done it, Donpei!

This is of course shocks Donpei; but he doesn’t want to give up the bat because of the good luck it’s brought him and his team!

So, Kitaro proposes a match; where the winner will keep the bat! Of course! A relaxed attitude towards the matter! The NY Mets are my favorite squadron!

However, if Donpei loses, not only will the bat be returned to the yokai; but their lives shall be forfeit! You see, Hino? THIS is how you integrate yokai mythology into your work. 

While this prospect frightens Donpei, he agrees anyway! You see Keita? THIS is how you react when a yokai wants to make a pact with you.

So, they agree to have the game in the graveyard at 3AM tomorrow night.

Everyone meets as promised, and Donpei’s team leads as a result of the ro-sham-bo. Imagine that. Wouldn’t be the first time something’s been decided that way, and it won’t be the last.

After the first two batters strike out; Donpei’s team discovers that they’re using an enchanted ball to avoid hitting the bat!

After a brief time out; Donpei’s team agrees to stop using the bat, and Kitaro agrees to stop using the Yokai ball. 

The Yokai team then goes to bat, and Akanbei gets a hit in with just a bunt! They’re not the ’27 Yankees; but let’s whip them into shape.

Even this old lady manages to get a run in; and she uses a cane for corn’s sake!

Kibagurui then encourages the old lady, whose name is Nouwake by the way to do her best.

Nouwake goes up to bat; and despite breaking her cane; she gets in another hit! Even though the animation may not seem like much now; it was revolutionary for the time. I’ve been wanting to do something like this for a long time, and this was a good opportunity to do so.

The next batter, Choukouzetsu even bats with his tongue! As you can tell; hilarity is ensuing in this baseball game. 

Choukouzetsu even scores a home run!

Yet, as the game goes on; the humans are just getting slaughtered by the Yokai team! Jeez; and I thought Tampa Bay was slumming it!

So, Kitaro and his father formulate a plan to stall the game so he can save the children! You see, Jibanyan and Whisper? THIS is how you help out your friends. Have I made it clear I’m not a big fan of Yo-Kai Watch? Or are you going to act indignant that I have the audacity to have an opinion on my own? 

Now, it’s the bottom of the ninth; bases loaded, 2 outs; you know the drill. Kibagurui even tells Kitaro they’re counting on him. He’s no Roger Clemens, but he’ll do fine.

Yet, despite being advised to strikeout, Kitaro instead bats a home run! I love this kid. He can bat like Griffey in his prime and run the bases in geta; when I’m inconsistent at Wii Baseball and even Crocs are only used when I have to take the dogs out or get the mail and I don’t feel like putting on my runners. 

Kibagurui catches wind of this; and confronts Kitaro. 

Where's the money, Lebowski? Bunny says you're good for it!

He even has a backup ball; but where was he keeping it? I don’t see any pockets on that shirt; so I think I’ll spare you any other unpleasant possibilities.

So, Donpei not only hits one last home run; but the sun rises and the other Yokai are driven away! So that’s what his plan was all along!

We close on the usual ending of this story, where the bat is returned to Hyakume Boy and Kitaro tells Donpei he had the skills he need all along; as well as a song about the noise Kitaro’s geta make. Now THIS is how you do a family-friendly anime about the paranormal! 

“Ghost Nighter” is an old but fun take on Japanese mythology; and I’m glad it’s one of the first anime from the 1960s that I’ve covered on this blog. I will do more from this time period in 2017; but for now, I’m glad I finally have this done after all these delays. My communications midterm is Monday; but after that, I should probably be able to do the other work I had planned for this month. I want to be finished by Halloween night, so I can have the slate clean for some material related to Pokémon Sun and Moon in November as well as some stuff for Christmas. See you, space cowboy!