The myth of Pandora’s Box is a well-known story that finds itself in common use as a metaphor to describe actions which result in unforeseen and unfortunate consequences. In the myth, the first woman, Pandora, opens a jar said to contain various evils. Having opened this jar, Pandora unleashes all manner of evil upon the world, but she manages to close the jar before the final evil escaped: hope.

Kakushigoto first introduces us to Hime on her 18th birthday and she is on her way to a small house in Kamakura she refers to as a “Pandora’s Box”, and this metaphor continues throughout Kakushigoto as an important theme for Hime as a character. The “Pandora’s Box” turns out to be the building where her father used to do and keep his mangaka work hidden from Hime’s view.

Towards the end of the second episode, Hime reveals a set of boxes labelled with numbers from 8 to 16. The boxes were left by Hime’s mother and the numbers correspond to ages and the contents of each box are to be revealed only when Hime reaches the relevant age; however, the contents are supposedly things that Hime will need at that particular point in her life. The end of the second episode follows with older Hime finding a similar set of boxes in the “Pandora’s Box”, noting them to be just like the ones from her childhood in Nakameguro. The timeframes being juxtaposed with each other is an interesting plot device that builds a sense of mystery and tension with regards to the circumstances surrounding the current Hime.

Secrecy is the central theme in Kakushigoto and as the central theme, it is evident in many parts of the show overall. The entire premise hinges on Goto Kakushi’s veiling of his occupation from the eyes of his daughter. As a result of keeping a secret of this nature, Goto Kakushi lives what is akin to a double-life, committing everything to ensuring that Hime never finds out what he does for a living. The secrecy element of Kakushigoto is also the aspect upon which the show’s basic humour is based, but the characters and interactions also have a humorous quality to them. A fun thing to think about is the show’s title “Kakushigoto” and how it can be interpreted as “kakushi goto” (as in, a secret) and “kaku shigoto” (as in, the occupation where one draws) and finally, the main character’s name, Goto Kakushi.

Kakushigoto’s greatest gift lies in its texture. The story is humorous enough to be lighthearted, at times cute enough to be heartwarming, and yet it also manages to feel enigmatic and even cold, like one timeline misses the other, like older Hime almost regrets having to find out about her dad’s work. This is where Kakushigoto shines; because it becomes a story that is less about the comedic aspect of a father getting up to all sorts of wacky things because he doesn’t want his daughter finding out what he does, and more about the nature of the relationship this father has with his child, especially as she grows up with one parent mysteriously out of the picture.