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Chiikawa (Japanese: ちいかわ), short for Nanka Chiisakute Kawaii Yatsu (なんか小さくてかわいいやつ; lit.'Something kind of small and cute'), is a Japanese webmanga series written and illustrated by Nagano. It follows the daily adventures of the titular protagonist, along with a series of animal-inspired characters. It has been serialized online via X (formerly Twitter) since January 2020, and has been collected in eight tankōbon volumes by Kodansha, as of November 2025. By November 2024, Chiikawa had sold over 3.6million copies, including digital versions in circulation.[4]
An anime television series adaptation was produced by Doga Kobo and premiered in April 2022. The first season was broadcast in Japan from April 2022 to March 2025, with the second season premiering in July of that year.[5][6] A film adaptation of the Siren Arc produced by Cypic, titled Chiikawa the Movie: The Secret of the Mermaid Island, was released on July 24, 2026.
Chiikawa is set in a civilized world inhabited by small animal-like creatures known as chiikawas, armor-wearing figures known as Yoroi-san (armor people), and various monsters and other creatures. The story follows the daily adventures of the titular protagonist, Chiikawa, and their friends, as they enjoy delicious food, pursue hobbies, and find joy in everyday life, while navigating constant dangers of their world. To earn money, some of them take on jobs assigned by the Yoroi-san, including weeding and hunting, which can be fatal.[7]
The character of Chiikawa originated from a May 2017 tweet expressing Nagano's wish to escape modern life and become a simple creature that cries over its troubles, runs away from them, sleeps, and dances.[8][9] Chiikawa, Hachiware, and Usagi were originally named Nitori, Ikeya, and Donki, respectively.[10] 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.[11][12]
A separate account was created in January 2020 and the manga began serialization. A book version was published by Kodansha on February 12, 2021.[13] Prior to that, a one-shot story was published in the eleventh issue of Morning was released on February 10.[14]
Chiikawa is the titular protagonist of the franchise.[16] Chiikawa is small-sized, has rounded ears and a teardrop-shaped tail, resembling a mouse or a hamster.[17] Early on, Chiikawa was named as Nitori.[10] Cowardly, timid, and having a tendency to cry, they live in a house won in the Muchauma Yogurt lottery. Unlike some other characters, Chiikawa cannot for the most part speak in a way that is intelligible to the audience – mostly saying things such as "yada" and "iya" – both of which are childish ways of saying "no" in Japanese. They express themself primarily through sounds and facial expressions, but it is understandable to the rest of the cast.[18]
Chiikawa passed the fifth-grade grass cutting exam after three attempts, which stands in stark contrast to another main character, Hachiware, who passed it on the first try.
Hachiware (ハチワレ; lit.'Eight-split or Broken-helmet')
Voiced by: Makoto Tanaka[ja][15]Collaborative food products featuring Chiikawa characters. Hachiware's name originates from the blue marking on its head, which resembles the kanji for 'eight' (八), hence 'eight-split' (八割れ)
Hachiware, originally named Ikeya,[10] 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 they are not one.[13] Hachiware is depicted as chatty, curious and optimistic, as well as being kind-hearted and willing to help their friends, especially Chiikawa.[18] Hachiware is also an avid photographer, and they like the Charumera brand of instant ramen.
See the Japanese article for cats with this fur pattern, or hachiware (はちわれ)
Usagi, originally named Donki,[10] is a friend of both Chiikawa and Hachiware. Depicted as high-spirited, they occasionally act as a troublemaker, but support their friends when they are in trouble. Similar to Chiikawa, Usagi is unintelligible to the audience, making noises such as "una" and "yaha", but can be understood to the other characters. Usagi's name and design is based on those of a rabbit, though they "may or may not" be one. Usagi is mainly known for being eccentric and a foodie.
Momonga is a naughty and playful flying squirrel. They are always focused on acting cute, begging for attention, and often throws tantrums, contrasting with others. Even during dangerous situations, they would ask for food and rest. In pursuit of their aim, Momonga often "acts cute". While they lack knowledge in social cues, they make an active effort to imitate other characters' cute actions, notably Chiikawa. In particular, they often imitate Chiikawa's yawning and crying. While mostly depicted as doing things on their own, in later chapters they start to hang out with Furuhonya, albeit mostly for personal benefit. It is heavily implied that Dekatsuyo swapped bodies with Momonga with the help of a witch. [20]
Kuri-manjū's character design is based on a honey badger and Kuri Manju(ja:栗饅頭), 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.[21][bettersourceneeded] Incidentally, in the region where they live, drinking alcohol is permitted only if one carries a license that can be obtained only by passing a difficult examination.
Rakko is a sea otter that excels in battle, and is top of the subjugation ranking. It looks very serious, but it has a soft spot for desserts. Rakko also has a car and is able to drive.[22]
Shisa is a hard-working employee at the Ramen Restaurant "Rou"(郎). It is the apprentice of Ramen no Yoroi-san. To work at this shop, it must hold the "Super Part-Timer" certification—a qualification that is difficult to obtain. It is asking Kuri-Manjū to teach it so that it can obtain a drinking license. Its character design is based on the Ryukyuan cultural artifact of the same name. So sometimes, it uses the Miyakoan language and references local topics from Okinawa Prefecture.
Furuhonya is a kind and peaceful used-bookseller. It is a pink critter that wearing the headband which designed to look like a crab with two false claws sticking it is gifted from Momonga. Although initially a faceless mob character, its design was revealed after Momonga placed a crab headband onto it.[4] Its name is officially Furuhonya (古本屋), but author Nagano subtitles Kani (かにlit.'Crab') under it.
Kabutomushi (カブトムシ; lit.'Beetle')
Voiced by: Shiori Mutou (original form) and Kentaro Tone (Mimic form)
Kabutomushi, also known as Chiikabu, is a playful rhinoceros beetle-like creature that becomes Chiikawa's friend. It shows a cute appearance and personality towards the other critters, but in reality, Kabutomushi is a mimic monster who lures the chiikawas to eat them.
Anoko, originally known as Grey no Ko (グレーの子; lit.'The grey kid') is a wild and dangerous chimera that originally had the body of a chiikawa that worked alongside Chiikawa at a lemon-labeling factory. It does not seem to regret swapping bodies, as it is pleased to be significantly stronger than the chiikawas, and no longer needing to be afraid of hunting.
Dekatsuyo is a timid and shy chimera. It does not eat Chiikawa and friends like the other chimeras. The only time it gets aggressive is when it is in the presence of Momonga. Dekatsuyo had its body forcibly swapped with Momonga by an evil witch. It hangs out with Anoko, another chimera who was originally one of the chiikawas.
Pochette no Yoroi-san (ポシェットの鎧さん; lit.'"Body-Armor with Pochette"')
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.
Rōdō no Yoroi-san (労働の鎧さん; lit.'Body-Armor Labor')
A humanoid character wearing yellow armor that works at the Ramen Restaurant "Rou" (it is inspired by Ramen Jiro). Shisa apprentices under them as part of the Super Part-timer Program.
Pajama Parties (パジャマパーティーズ)
Pajama Parties is a music unit that sing and dance whilst wearing different colored pajamas made by Pochette no Yoroi-san. The group consists of Midori, Pinku, Murasaki and Shiro. Their signature song is Pajama Parties no Uta (パジャマパーティーズのうた; lit.'Pajama Parties' song'). Before they can perform in a music festival, Pinku, Murasaki and Shiro were kidnapped by a giant bird.
The creator, leader and songwriter of Pajama Parties, it has cow-like horns and tail and wears green pajamas. After its friends were kidnapped by the giant bird, it asked Chiikawa, Hachiware and Usagi to join Pajama Parties.
The member of Pajama Parties that wears pink pajamas. After being freed from the giant bird, it lost its right ear and has gained a giant cross-shaped scar on its face.
The member of Pajama Parties that wears white pajamas, it has a horn on its head and seemingly does not have any ears. After being freed from the giant bird, it has gained a giant cross-shaped scar on its face.
In October 2021, it was announced that Chiikawa would receive an anime adaptation by Doga Kobo.[3] The production team decided that Chiikawa and Hachiware would be voiced by then-child actors, with Nagano taking part in the casting process.[44][45] It is 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.[46][15]Sentai Filmworks licenses the series outside of Asia.[47] In 2022, 120 English subtitled episodes were released on Hidive,[48][49] however the series left the service in October 2025.[50] In August 2026, 20 English subtitled episodes were made available on the free streaming service Amasian TV.[51] In September 2026, it was announced that English dubbed episodes would be released through the anime's official English YouTube channel, starting on October 1.[52]
In March 2025, it was announced the anime would be on a three-month hiatus before resuming in July.[53] In September 2026, it was announced the anime would go on a three-month hiatus before resuming in January 2027.[54]
An anime film adaptation of the Siren Arc, titled Chiikawa the Movie: The Secret of the Mermaid Island (映画ちいかわ 人魚の島のひみつ, Eiga Chiikawa: Ningyo no Shima no Himitsu) was announced on November 24, 2025.[55] It was produced by Cypic and directed by Kei Oikawa, with Nagano writing the film's script. The film was released on July 24, 2026.[56]
A mobile game titled Chiikawa Pocket was released worldwide in March 2025. It is a casual, idleRPG where players can battle enemies, pull weeds to collect items, cook dishes in Om Nom Fest, a food festival, and decorate their in-game spaces. Players can also unlock outfits and customize characters such as Chiikawa, Hachiware, and Usagi. The game is free to play, with optional in-app purchases, and supports multiple languages. It is available in 43 countries, including the United States, Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan.[57]
Chiikawa has given rise to a variety of merchandise. On the official online store, there are various products designed based on the anime characters, including plush toys, stickers, clothing, and more.[62] Co-branding between Chiikawa and other comics or companies are also well-received. The official Chiikawa website has collaborated with Sanrio, Hankyu, and Converse,[63] among others. A wide range of themed products are also offered, including magical girl series, sushi series, and Lailai Chinese restaurants series.[64] In July 2025, Chiikawa Park opened in Tokyo, Japan.[65]
Chiikawa collaborated with Ariana Grande on the music video for "Santa Tell Me".[66] 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 1.38million times in a single day, further increasing the popularity of Chiikawa. In September 2024, Chiikawa stickers was released in Japanese Happy Meals.[67]Chiikawa, among other Japanese brands, partnered with Major League Baseball for the 2025 Tokyo Series.[68]
↑ナガノ「ちいかわ」が2022年にアニメ化！制作は動画工房が担当. Natalie (in Japanese). Natasha, Inc. October 28, 2021. Archived from the original on October 28, 2021. Retrieved October 28, 2021.
