is a
shōjo manga
is an editorial category of Manga, Japanese comics targeting an audience of adolescent girls and young adult women. It is, along with Shōnen manga, manga (targeting adolescent boys), Seinen manga, manga (targeting young adult and adult men ...
series by
Tetsuya Chiba. It was serialized in ''
Shōjo Friend'', published by
Kodansha
is a Japanese privately held publishing company headquartered in Bunkyō, Tokyo. Kodansha publishes manga magazines which include ''Nakayoshi'', ''Morning (magazine), Morning'', ''Afternoon (magazine), Afternoon'', ''Evening (magazine), Eveni ...
, from April to September 1968.
Plot
A cute young girl, Akane formerly lived in the countryside with her grandfather, but decides to return home to Tokyo and go to a prestigious school. However, coming from the country has its downfalls and Akane soon realizes that she doesn't fit in with the snobby rich kids at school. Nonetheless, she finds a friend in a delinquent kid named Hidemaro. He is consistently the victim of bullying and Akane begins to stand up for him. At school, the pair find a dog which they ironically name Chibi
despite its great stature. Akane, Hidemaro, and Chibi begin their zany, comedic misadventures.
TV show
It was adapted into a monochrome 1968
Toei anime series with the same name directed by Fusahito Nagaki, Yasuo Yamaguchi, Yugo Serikawa and Takeshi Tamiya, which was originally broadcast on
Fuji TV
JOCX-DTV (channel 8), branded as or , is a Japanese television station that serves the Kantō region as the flagship (broadcasting), flagship station of the Fuji News Network (FNN) and the Fuji Network System (FNS). The station is owned-and- ...
.
According to
Jonathan Clements and
Helen McCarthy's ''
The Anime Encyclopedia'', it was "deliberately designed to evoke a distant, carefree time of rural childhood for city kids deprived of the opportunity, placing it in the same spirit as ''
My Neighbor Totoro''."
It has been debated that the anime is a more simplified version of the more in-depth themes of the manga.
Opening Theme:
"Akane-chan Song" by Minori Matsushima
Ending Theme:
"Hidebaro Song" by Kazue Takahashi
Characters
* Akane Kamijo (Voiced by:
Minori Matsushima
was a Japanese actress, voice actress and narrator that worked for Aoni Production. She was most known for the roles of Candice White Adley (''Candy Candy''), Hiyoko Isu ('' The Song of Tentomushi''), Alexandria Meat (''Kinnikuman''), Sayaka ...
)
* Hidemaro Kitajoji (Voiced by:
Kazue Takahashi)
* Sakura Kamijo (Voiced by:
Kazuko Sugiyama
, known by her stage name , is a Japanese actress and Voice acting in Japan, voice actress who was born in Nagoya and works for Aoni Production.
In February 2010, she received a "Merit Award" from the 4th Seiyu Awards.
Filmography
Anime
*Hanak ...
)
* Mrs. Kamijo (Voiced by:
Haruko Yajima)
* Mr. Kamijo (Voiced by:
Toshiya Ogata)
References
External links
*
1968 manga
1968 anime television series debuts
Japanese children's animated comedy television series
Fuji Television original programming
Kodansha manga
Shōjo manga
Toei Animation television
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