'Kitaro' expected to become highest-grossing 'yokai film'

[Tokyograph News]

The recently released "Gegege no Kitaro" movie is on track to become the highest-grossing film about "yokai," a class of mythological creatures in Japan. The 2005 flick "The Great Yokai War" (directed by Takashi Miike) currently holds the record at 2 billion yen, but "Kitaro" is expected to surpass that mark this week. So far, more than 1.5 million people have watched it in theaters.

Distributor Shochiku is hoping the film eventually reaches 3 billion yen.

The "Gegege no Kitaro" franchise is currently experiencing a widespread boom in popularity. While the movie continues to pull in viewers, the currently running anime series has been achieving excellent ratings. Tourists are also flocking to Tottori to visit Shigeru Mizuki Road, named after the original manga's creator. Compared to the same time last year, visitors have increased by over 160%.

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