Chiikawa (2022) Series Review

 

Chiikawa | 2022 | 24 episodes
Genre: Animal Adventure/Anime/Seinen/Animation/Comedy/Family/Fantasy/Short | Country: Japan
IMDB: 7.8/10
My Rate: 10/10

The adventures and daily life of a cute character named Chiikawa along with his friends are presented full of interesting things, from funny, happy, touching, and also sad stories.

Warning:

Mild violence, alcohol.

 

Synopsis:

Chiikawa is a cute white character living in a town. He has two close friends, Hachiware and Usagi. Chiikawa has difficulty communicating, but his friends still understand what he conveys. Their interaction is sincere and interesting.

Chiikawa lives his daily life with various interesting and surprising activities and events. Many other characters also appear in their lives. Below is a list of characters who often appear in this series:

 

Chiikawa

Chiikawa has a shy and sensitive personality. He often cries over small things. Nevertheless, he is very kind and caring to his friends. Also, although a little timid, he strives hard to overcome his fears, especially when it comes to helping his friends. Chiikawa always shows a personality that does not give up easily.

Chiikawa looks like a small white animal with round ears and tail. His appearance slightly resembles a bear but has facial features like a cat. Items he often uses are a pink bear bag and a pink Sasumata. Chiikawa does not talk much but only says simple words, often just one syllable.

 

Hachiware

Hachiware has the smartest personality. Compared to other characters who do not talk much, Hachiware uses more vocabulary and can be understood. He often acts as a communication bridge and also translates the intentions of his friends. He also has a good, positive, and brave personality and becomes an encourager for his friends.

Hachiware is a character shaped like a cat with blue and white colors. However, the character creator says that Hachiware is not a cat because he eats onions and chocolate, whereas cats do not eat those foods. Hachiware often eats ramen and uses a blue Sasumata for hunting.

 

Usagi

Usagi has a cheerful and brave character. He seems fearless and sometimes mischievous in his behavior. He also appears to have abundant energy. However, Usagi is a very kind character, especially to his friends. He is not afraid to fight monsters to save his friends.

Usagi looks like a yellow rabbit with long ears and a cute tail. His weapon is a long stick that shoots fireworks from both ends. Usagi often shouts to show his spirit and mood.

 

Yoroi-San

Yoroi-San has a unique character. He wears gray armor that makes him look like a robot. Yoroi-San’s role is to assign jobs to the characters (Labor Yoroi-San). However, some also sell unique items (Pochete Yoroi-San), including Chiikawa’s bear bag and pajamas.

Yoroi-San appears serious and strict. But sometimes, we can see his soft side, especially when dealing with the Chiikawa group. Pochete Yoroi-San has a special bond with Chiikawa because they share the same bear bag.

 

Momonga

Momonga is hyperactive and an attention seeker. He always does strange things to attract attention around him, like trying to look cute, making others angry, and more. He also often requests odd things like wanting to be scolded for no reason, being wrapped up, and others. This randomness makes the character interesting.

Momonga is a white flying squirrel with a blue tail. His tail looks fluffy and soft. His face is very cute with big eyes.

 

Kuri-Manju

Kuri-Manju is closely associated with food and drink. Most scenes show him eating or drinking. He always shows a satisfied expression when eating or drinking, making the food and drinks look very delicious.

Kuri-Manju has a unique shape because he is a combination of a honey badger and chestnut bread. Some people may find it hard to identify this animal type. This character also doesn’t talk much.

 

Rakko

Rakko is the most skilled hunter in the area. The first meeting between Rakko and Chiikawa happened when Chiikawa was in danger. Rakko saved Chiikawa from an attack by his prey. Rakko also treated Chiikawa and Hachiware to a meal because he earns more than they do. Rakko is determined to become the strongest.

Rakko looks like a sea otter with an X mark on his head. His body is yellow and appears to have thick, soft fur. He often wears a cloak and carries a sword. His face radiates a strong, fierce, yet also cute aura. Rakko is the only character who owns a vehicle, which is a car.

 

There are many other characters that appear in the series, such as Furuhoya, Shisa, and several other unique characters.

 

Review:

"It's funny. We were just saying 'Bye-Bye'."

 

Chiikawa has a simple and easy-to-understand storyline. This series can be enjoyed by a wide range of ages. It contains stories with light topics, making it pleasant to watch during leisure time. Each episode has a different story. However, sometimes there are stories with the same topic divided into several parts.

The background story development is done quite well, with conflicts and resolutions presented interestingly. So, although the story is simple, it is not made carelessly.

The visuals are very good with well-blended color composition. The animation movement is also very smooth. Viewers can see details quite well. Added with suitable music and sound effects, even though not many dialogues are used.

This series has unique characters inspired by animal shapes. Although sometimes it’s a bit confusing to identify the animal species used as inspiration. Viewers are also not given clarity about the names of the characters. However, this is one of the attractions for the viewers.

Although this series is actually suitable for all ages, it might be a little difficult for some children to understand. Because sometimes the story themes are a bit heavy, like during license exams, working, etc. However, with parental guidance, it can become good knowledge and teaching for children. It shows characters who try to earn money with simple jobs when they want to buy something. For example, Hachiware works hard to buy a camera.

The favorite episode is when Hachiware and Chiikawa see the results of their license exam announcement. At that time, Hachiware passed, but Chiikawa did not. Hachiware was happy but also felt sad upon learning that Chiikawa failed, which made him feel conflicted. However, Hachiware chose to protect Chiikawa’s feelings.

 

Recommendation:

Must Watch

 

(alunauwie)