Ge Ge Ge No Kitaro - Characters

Characters

Kitarō (鬼太郎, Kitarō?)

Kitarō is a yōkai boy born in a cemetery and, aside from his mostly decayed father, the last living member of the Ghost Tribe (幽霊族, yūrei zoku?). He is missing his left eye, but his hair usually covers the empty socket. He fights for peace between humans and yōkai, which generally involves protecting the former from the wiles of the latter. When questioned in the 2007 movie, Kitarō responds that he is three hundred and fifty years old.

Kitarō has an assortment of strange weapons at his disposal, including:

• remote-controlled geta sandals
• a detachable hand, also remote-controlled
• a magic chanchanko vest which can protect its wearer from danger; it occasionally seems to act of its own accord, wrapping around enemies or aiding friends, even when Kitarō is not available to command it
• spiny hairs which can be shot like arrows
• another hair which can serve as an antenna for detecting spirit activity
• longer locks of his hair can be used as a spear or sword
• a magical ocarina (usually used for calling Ittan Momen), which contains a baton, a whip and occasionally music which has the power to damage certain ghosts.
• the power of electrocution, usually employed when an enemy has pinned or restrained him and he can no longer kick or use other weapons

Medama-oyaji (目玉のおやじ, or 目玉親父?, Lit. "Eyeball Father")

Medama-oyaji is Kitarō's father. Once a fully formed adult ghost, he perished of a disease, only to be reborn out of his decayed body as an anthropomorphic version of his own eyeball. He looks small and fragile, but has a strong spirit and a great love for his son. He is also extremely knowledgeable about ghosts and monsters. He enjoys staying clean, and is often seen bathing in a small bowl. He has a great love for sake.

In the 2002 Kodansha International Bilingual Comics edition, he is referred to as Daddy Eyeball.

Nezumi Otoko (ねずみ男?, "Rat Man")

Nezumi Otoko is a rodent-like yōkai-human halfbreed. He has been alive for three hundred and sixty years, and in that time has almost never taken a bath, rendering him filthy, foul-smelling, and covered in welts and sores. While he is usually Kitarō's friend, Nezumi Otoko will waste no time cooking up vile schemes or betraying his companions if he thinks there's money to be had or a powerful enemy to side with. He claims to be a college graduate of the University of the Bizarre (怪奇大学, Kaiki Daigaku?). He can immobilize even the strongest yokai that accost him with a pungent flatulence attack. And akin to cats and mice, he and Nekomusume cannot stand being around each other.

Nezumi-Otoko first appears in the story The Lodging House (Rental manga version) as Dracula IV's minion.

In the 2002 Kodansha International Bilingual Comics edition, he is referred to as Ratman.

Neko Musume (猫娘 or ねこ娘?, "Cat Girl")

A normally quiet yōkai girl, who transforms into a frightening cat monster with fangs and feline eyes when she is angry or hungry for fish. Predictably, she does not get along well with Nezumi Otoko. She seems to harbor a slight crush on Kitarō, who sees her only as a friend. In recent iterations (possibly due to the recent anime phenomenon of fanservice), she is very fond of human fashion and is seen in different outfits and uniforms. She bears some resemblance to the bakeneko of Japanese folklore.

Neko-Musume first appears in the story Neko-Musume and Nezumi-Otoko (Weekly Shōnen Magazine version), however another cat-girl named Neko (猫?) appears in the earlier stories The Vampire Tree and the Neko-Musume and A Walk to Hell (Rental version).

In the 2002 Kodansha International Bilingual Comics edition, she is referred to as Catchick.

Sunakake Babaa (砂かけ婆?, "Sand-throwing hag")

Sunakake Babaa is an old yōkai woman who carries sand which she throws into the eyes of enemies to blind them. She serves as an advisor to Kitarō and his companions, and manages a yōkai apartment building. The original sunakake-baba is an invisible sand-throwing spirit from the folklore of Nara Prefecture.

Sunakake-babaa first appears in a cameo as one of many yōkai attending a sukiyaki party in the story A Walk to Hell (Rental version) before making a more prominent appearance in The Great Yōkai War (Shōnen Magazine version).

In the 2002 Kodansha International Bilingual Comics edition, she is referred to as The Sand Witch.

Konaki Jijii (子泣き爺?, "Child-crying Old Man")

Konaki Jijii is a comic, absent-minded old yōkai man who attacks enemies by clinging to them and turning himself to stone, increasing his weight and mass immensely and pinning them down. He and Sunakake Babaa often work as a team. The original konaki jijii is a ghost which is said to appear in the woods of Tokushima Prefecture in the form of a crying infant. When it is picked up by some hapless traveller, it increases its weight until it crushes him.

Konaki-jijii first appears in a cameo as one of many yōkai attending a sukiyaki party in the story A Walk to Hell (Rental version) before making a more prominent appearance in The Great Yōkai War (Shōnen Magazine version).

In the 2002 Kodansha International Bilingual Comics edition, he is referred to as Old Man Crybaby.

Ittan Momen (一反木綿?, "Roll of Cotton")

Ittan Momen is a flying yōkai resembling a strip of white cloth. Kitarō and friends often ride on him when traveling. The original ittan-momen is a spirit from Kagoshima Prefecture myth which wraps itself around the faces of humans in an attempt to smother them.

Ittan Momen first appears in the story The Great Yōkai War (Shōnen Magazine version).

In the 2002 Kodansha International Bilingual Comics edition, he is referred to as Rollo Cloth.

Nurikabe (ぬりかべ?, "Plastered Wall")

Nurikabe is a large, sleepy-eyed wall-shaped yōkai, who uses his massive size to protect Kitarō and his friends. The original Nurikabe is a spirit which blocks the passage of people walking at night.

Nurikabe first appears in a cameo as one of many yōkai attending a sukiyaki party in the story A Walk to Hell (Rental version) before making a more prominent appearance in The Great Yōkai War (Shōnen Magazine version).

Nurarihyon-Kitaro's old rival,he is depicted as an old man who comes at other people's houses and drink their tea.He is also a member of the Gazu Hyaki Yako,Nurarihyon has a member he always use named Shu no Bon.

In the 2002 Kodansha International Bilingual Comics edition, he is referred to as Wally Wall.