I heard from a Japanese friend of mine that Gegege no Kitaro is one of the most beloved Japanese "Yokai" demon stories, and that nearly everyone in Japan knows it. He recommended reading the manga. I did not do that but watched the live action film instead. Not knowing anything about Kitaro I thought this was a delightful story, containing all elements a good story needs to have, without being overly dramatic. The story is full of Japanese folklore, which I found funny and strange and sometimes familiar. It has a good message, lots of action, some emotional and some funny moments. It is a very Japanese story. The acting was good. I thought it very brave from some of the actors to be made up looking incredibly ugly. The music goes well with the film, and enhances the less dramatic and more funny aspect. Overall I may not watch the film again, but I will definitely watch the sequel, where the main actors reprise their roles.