Gegege no Kitaro gets a sequel

You know how the system works. Success is like the instructions on a shampoo bottle. Lather. Rinse. Repeat. The film industry in Japan turns just like any other. You get a successful film and you fast track a sequel to capitalize on the success. And so the story goes for Gegege no Kitaro.

Last year's hit movie "Gegege no Kitaro" is getting a sequel, it was learned on Sunday. Eiji Wentz will reprise the starring role of Kitaro, joined by several other returning cast members, such as Yo Oizumi, Rena Tanaka, Kanpei Hazama, and Shigeru Muroi. However, actress Mao Inoue will not be back.

The film is based on a popular manga by Shigeru Mizuki that deals with mythological creatures known as yokai.

More so than the first film, the sequel is said to focus on forbidden love between humans and yokai. Masato Hagiwara plays a man who falls in love with a nure-onna (Shinobu Terajima). Other characters include Kitaro's enemy Nurarihyon (Ken Ogata), Jakotsu Baba (Shiro Sano), and Ido Sennin (Takashi Sasano).

Katsuhide Motoki will once again direct. Filming started last month, with a theatrical release scheduled for this summer.

Eiji Wentz
Yo Oizumi
Rena Tanaka
Shigeru Muroi
Masato Hagiwara
Shinobu Terajima
Ken Ogata
Shiro Sano
Takashi Sasano