Chiikawa

, also known as , is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Nagano. It follows the daily adventures of the titular protagonist, along with a series of animal-inspired characters.

The series has been serialized online via X (formerly Twitter) since January 2020 and has been collected in seven volumes by Kodansha, as of November 2024. An anime television series adaptation was produced by Doga Kobo and premiered in April 2022. The first season aired in Japan from April 2022 to March 2025, with the second season scheduled to premiere in July of that year. By November 2024, ''Chiikawa'' had sold over 3.6 million copies, including digital versions in circulation.

Synopsis

Set in a civilized world with grasslands and forests, the series follows the daily adventures of the titular protagonist, Chiikawa, and his friends. They also work at jobs, including weeding and hunting, which are given by a race referred to as Yoroi-san, who is involved in the characters' lives.

Production

In May 2017, Nagano posted a sketch of the titular protagonist, Chiikawa, on Twitter. Chiikawa, Hachiware, and Usagi were originally named Nitori, Ikeya, and Blunt Instrument, respectively. The reason that Nagano chose Twitter was because of its immediacy and accessibility. By November 2020, Kodansha collected the comics into physical volumes, the first of which was published in February 2021.

A separate account was created in January 2020 and the manga began serialization. A book version was published by Kodansha on February 12, 2021. Prior to that, a one-shot story was published in the 11th issue of ''Morning'' was released on February 10.'

Characters

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:Chiikawa is the titular protagonist of the manga and the anime series. Early on, Chiikawa was named as Nitori. Chiikawa is depicted as timid and tearful, afraid of monsters, and living in a house won in the Muchauma Yogurt lottery. Chiikawa, unlike the other characters, cannot speak in a way that is intelligible to the audience, only saying things such as "yada" and "iya," both of which are child-like ways of saying "no" in Japanese. It expresses itself primarily through sounds, but it is understandable to the rest of the cast.
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:Hachiware, originally named Ikeya, is a friend of both Chiikawa and Usagi and lives in a cave. Hachiware's name and design are based on those of a bicolor cat, though it is not one. Hachiware is depicted as chatty, curious and optimistic, as well as being kind-hearted and willing to help its friends, especially Chiikawa.
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:Usagi, originally named Blunt Instrument, is a friend of both Chiikawa and Hachiware. Depicted as high-spirited, Usagi occasionally acts as a troublemaker, though it supports its friends when they are in trouble. Similar to Chiikawa, Usagi is unintelligible to the audience, but is understandable to the other characters. Usagi's name and design is based on those of a rabbit, though it "may or may not" be one. Usagi is mainly known for being eccentric and a foodie.
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:Momonga is a naughty and playful critter resembling a flying squirrel. It is always focused on acting cute and is always begging for attention. Even during dangerous situations, it would ask for food and rest. In pursuit of its aim, Momonga often "acts cute". While it lacks knowledge in social cues, it makes an active effort to imitate other characters' cute actions, notably Chiikawa. In particular, it often imitates Chiikawa's yawning and crying. It was possesed by a monster, which we can see at a page with the monster saying "GIVE IT BACK" repeatedly, likely representing a body swap.
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:A brave sea otter-like critter that excels in battle, and is top of the subjugation ranking. It looks very serious, but it actually loves desserts. Rakko also has a car and is able to drive.
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:Kuri-manjū's character design is based on a honey-badger and Kuri Manju, a Japanese confectionery bun made with chestnut fillings. It is always seen drinking alcohol and eating various foods, usually emitting a loud, exaggerated breath after taking a sip from its beverage.
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:A hard-working employee at Rou Ramen Restaurant. It is the apprentice of Ramen no Yoroi-san. Its character design is based on the Ryukyuan cultural artifact of same name.

:A kind, peaceful bookseller. It is a pink critter that resembles a crab with two false claws sticking out of its head. Although initially a faceless mob character, its design was revealed after Momonga placed a crab headband onto it. Its name is officially Furuhonya (古本屋), but author Nagano subtitles Kani (かに) under it. It has not appeared in the anime yet.
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:One of the humanoid species that wears silver armor and carries a pink pouch that he crafted himself. He is often making costumes for the main trio. He is good friends with Rōdō no Yoroi-San and Ramen no Yoroi-san, with the three of them often hanging out together.
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:A humanoid individual wearing grey armor that manages the job booth where the critters sign up for the day's tasks.
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:A humanoid individual wearing yellow armor that works at Rou Ramen. Shisa apprentices under them as part of the Super Part-timer Program.

Media

Manga

Anime

An anime adaptation by Doga Kobo was announced on October 28, 2021. Directed by Takenori Mihara and Juria Matsumura (beginning with episode 121), with Yuma Yamaguchi and Shugo Tokumaru composing the music, the series premiered on April 4, 2022, on Fuji TV's ''Mezamashi TV'' morning news and entertainment program. Early on, the production team decided that Chiikawa and Hachiware would be voiced by child actors, with Nagano taking part in the casting process. Sentai Filmworks licenses the series outside of Asia. In 2022, 120 English subtitled episodes were released on Hidive, although more episodes have been released outside of the service since then. On March 21, 2025, it was announced the anime would be on a hiatus for three months.

Cultural impact and reception

The manga series has over 2.7 million copies in circulation. The series has been nominated for the 48th Kodansha Manga Award in 2024 in the General category. The series won the 53rd Japan Cartoonists Association Award in the Manga Division.

''Chiikawa'' merchandise experienced a surge in popularity in China and Hong Kong in early 2024. It also experienced a surge in popularity in western countries, starting in 2025, after clips of the anime were spread across social media sites, specially TikTok.

Collaborations and merchandises

''Chiikawa'' has given rise to a variety of merchandise. On the official online store, there is a variety of products designed based on the anime characters, including plush toys, stickers, clothing, and more. Co-branding between Chiikawa and other comics or companies are also well received. The official Chiikawa website has collaborated with Sanrio, Hankyu, and Converse, among others. A wide range of themed products are also offered, including Magic Girl series, sushi series, and Lailai Chinese restaurants series.

Chiikawa collaborated with Ariana Grande on the music video for “Santa Tell Me”. Popular characters from “Chiikawa” were dressed as Santa Claus and the music video was animated. Since the video's release on December 6, 2023, it was viewed approximately 1.38 million times in a single day, further increasing the popularity of Chiikawa. In September 2024, ''Chiikawa'' stickers was released in Japanese Happy Meals. ''Chiikawa'', among other Japanese brands, partnered with Major League Baseball for the 2025 Tokyo Series.

References

External links

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Chiikawa
Anime series based on manga
Comics about anthropomorphic mammals
Doga Kobo
Fuji Television original programming
Japanese webcomics
Kodansha manga
Seinen manga
Sentai Filmworks
Slice of life anime and manga
Webcomics in print