Name: Spooky Kitaro: Ghost Nighter
Director: Junichi Sato
Genre: Animation, Comedy, Family, Fantasy, Horror
Released: 1997-03-08
Duration: 30 min
Rating: 6.5
Cast: Yoko Matsuoka, Chinami Nishimura, Naoki Tatsuta, Isamu Tanonaka, Keiko Yamamoto

Yokai vs. humans in a rigged baseball game — who needs steroids when you've got cursed bats?

Watch(JP)

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Overview

Animation Comedy Family Fantasy Horror

A film adaptation of the 'Spooky Kitaro' story of the same name: a baseball-themed story where Kitaro and his yokai friends play against a human baseball team. The plot revolves around the human team cheating their way to victory by using cursed bats to win games, and Kitaro steps in to restore fairness.

JP Japanese

anime based on manga supernatural youkai baseball

Best for:Family·Rewatch·Background

Director

Junichi Sato

ReleasedMar 8, 1997

Runtime30m

StatusReleased

Vibe

Pacefast

Intensitymedium

Tonelight

Feellight

Top Cast

Yoko Matsuoka

Kitaro (voice)

Chinami Nishimura

Neko Musume (voice)

Naoki Tatsuta

Ittan Momen (voice)

Isamu Tanonaka

Medama-oyaji (voice)

Keiko Yamamoto

Sunakake Babaa (voice)

Shigeru Chiba

Nezumi Otoko (voice)

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Deep Dive

Trivia, insights & behind the scenes

Cultural

GeGeGe no Kitaro is a cornerstone of Japanese folklore media; Shigeru Mizuki's manga invented how most Japanese people picture yokai today. This short film is part of that massive legacy.

Trivia

Director Junichi Sato later directed Sailor Moon and Princess Tutu — yes, the same person who gave you magical girl transformations also gave you a yokai baseball game.