is a Japanese
magical comedy
Comedy is a genre of fiction that consists of discourses or works intended to be humorous or amusing by inducing laughter, especially in theatre, film, stand-up comedy, television, radio, books, or any other entertainment medium. The term o ...
anime
is Traditional animation, hand-drawn and computer animation, computer-generated animation originating from Japan. Outside of Japan and in English, ''anime'' refers specifically to animation produced in Japan. However, in Japan and in Japane ...
series created by
Shōji Kawamori
is a Japanese anime creator and producer, screenwriter, visual artist, and mecha designer. He is best known for creating the ''Macross'' mecha anime franchise and the ''Diaclone'' toyline, which were in turn the basis for the ''Robotech'' and ...
; it is Kawamori's first ''
shōjo'' title.
The series premiered in Japan on
TV Tokyo
JOTX-DTV (channel 7), branded as and known colloquially as , is a television station headquartered in the Sumitomo Fudosan Roppongi Grand Tower in Roppongi, Minato, Tokyo, Japan, owned and operated by the subsidiary of listed certified b ...
on October 5, 2009. A manga spinoff is serialized in
Shueisha
(lit. "Gathering of Intellect Publishing Co., Ltd.") is a Japanese company headquartered in Chiyoda, Tokyo, Japan. The company was established in 1925 as the entertainment-related publishing division of Japanese publisher Shogakukan. The foll ...
's ''shōjo'' magazine ''
Ribon
is a monthly Japanese manga magazine published by Shueisha on the third of each month. First issued in August 1955, its rivals are ''Nakayoshi'' and '' Ciao''. Its target audience is girls roughly 8–14 years old.
It is one of the best-s ...
''.
Plot
Riko and Rimu Mikogami are twin sisters who live in Kamihama, a Japanese city abundant with natural wonders. On an otherwise peaceful day, while searching for a run-away cat, the two come across a mysterious Kirumin compact in an attic. With the Kirumin, these character-costume-wearing girls can transform into real animals. Their older sister Nagisa Mikogami soon joins them. Now the three have cute, funny and sometimes dangerous adventures while solving a lot of mysteries they encounter.
Kawamori's theme for the anime is: "What if you can really transform into an animal?"
Characters
Main Characters
* Riko Mikogami (Voiced by
Aoi Yūki
, better known by her stage name , is a Japanese actress, voice actress and singer represented by Aoni Production. She voiced Komachi Hikigaya in '' My Youth Romantic Comedy Is Wrong, As I Expected'', Rita Rossweisse in ''Honkai Impact 3rd'', Tany ...
) is one of the two twins of the Mikogami family. She has red/orange hair, pink eyes, and loves cats. Her main Kirumin transformation is a cat, and the color she is associated with is pink. Riko is in elementary school. She is very close with Rimu and Ken Inomata. Riko is learning how to communicate with animals like her mother. She is very lively, often expending a lot of energy only to become quite tired a short time afterward. She is often shown arguing with Ken because the two are so alike, but she really does care about him. A running joke in the series is how terrible Riko is at drawing. She is very adventurous and never gives up, refusing to leave anyone who needs her help. She can be a bit egotistical, proclaiming herself leader of the Detective Club and occasionally referring to herself as "The Great Detective Catherine." Riko is one-quarter Animalian. This is revealed at the end of the series when she and Rimu turn into bats without Kirumin. As a cat, Riko can jump very high and has catlike agility and speed.
* Rimu Mikogami (Voiced by
Satomi Satō
is a Japanese voice actress and singer.
Biography
Satō is affiliated with Aoni Production's Junior Talent. She attended Tokyo Announce Gakuin Performing Arts College. She is known as , as means "sugar" in Japanese. She announced her marriage ...
) is the other twin sister of the Mikogami family. She has indigo hair and blue eyes, which are usually hidden behind large glasses. Rimu is in elementary school. Her main Kirumin transformation is a rabbit, and the color she is associated with is green. Tamao is shown to have a crush on her, though he never lets her know. Rimu is on her school's newspaper and loves journalism, carrying around an apple-shaped camera and a notepad all the time. Rimu is also learning how to communicate with animals. Rimu is one-quarter Animalian. This is revealed at the end of the series when she and Riko turn into bats without Kirumin. As a rabbit, Rimu has especially good hearing and becomes quite fast in Costume Mode.
* Nagisa Mikogami (Voiced by
Chika Anzai
is a Japanese voice actress from Fukui Prefecture.[Chika Anzai's official blog](_blank)
(Ameblo). Accessed: Apr ...
) is Riko and Rimu's older sister. She has brown hair, purple eyes, and really likes dogs. Her main Kirumin transformation is a dog, and the color she is associated with is blue. Nagisa is in middle school. Her best friend is Kasumi, and she is in love with Pars. Nagisa is the older-sister-figure of the group, and always watches out for the younger ones. Nagisa is the responsible one in the group, always making sure to listen to what her mother tells them. Nagisa is also learning how to communicate with animals. She seems to be a little more informed than her sisters and given more responsibilities, such as knowing where the Kirumin were hidden after their mother confiscated them and figuring out that Doctor the turtle was actually their grandfather long before the others. Like her sisters, Nagisa is one-quarter Animalian, though her Animalian transformation is never shown. As a dog, Nagisa has really a good sense of smell and can track missing animals and people.
* Ken Inomata (Voiced by
Mutsumi Tamura
is a Japanese voice actress affiliated with I'm Enterprise.
Biography
She made her debut role for '' ef: a tale of memories'' and had a leading role for the anime series '' Battle Spirits: Shounen Toppa Bashin''. In August 2015, Tamura under ...
) is friends with Riko and Rimu. His father owns Inomata Butchers and is known for his croquettes. He has brown hair and green eyes. His main Kirumin transformation is a rat. Ken is in Riko and Rimu's elementary school class. Ken becomes involved with the Kirumins after accidentally finding one of the last two compacts in the Mikogami's attic. There is a period of time when he is frustrated with being a rat, as rats are small and "unimpressive." After this, he cannot transform at all because of his loss of emotional connection with the animal. He can transform again after he accepts rats back into his heart. Ken is, like Riko, a little egotistical. He often proclaims himself leader and sometimes refers to himself as "The Great Kenlock Holmes" (a reference to
Sherlock Holmes
Sherlock Holmes () is a fictional detective created by British author Arthur Conan Doyle. Referring to himself as a " consulting detective" in the stories, Holmes is known for his proficiency with observation, deduction, forensic science and ...
). Because both he and Riko like to be in charge, they get into arguments often, but they are also really close. He never hesitates to help when he can, and exclaims "One shot with guts!" before doing anything exciting. Ken's singing is quite atrocious, a trait which attracts Kanon Hatori (who thinks he's a bat Animalian like herself) to him. As a rat, both Ken's full transformation and Costume Mode are quite small, allowing him to fit into places the rest of them might not be able to.
* Tamao Kijima (Voiced by Kumiko Ikebe) is best friends with Ken Inomata and the son of Mayor Kijima, the mayor of Kamihama city. His main Kirumin transformation is a bird. He is the tech-savvy brainiac of the group, supplying animal identifications, communicators, and miscellaneous information and deductions. He has green hair and his eyes are never seen, instead always blocked by enormous glasses. Kanon refers to him as "stupid onion-head." Tamao is in love with Rimu, and whenever she makes him happy or nervous, one or both of his glasses crack (depending on the extent of the emotion). His Kirumin transformation is related to various birds, although he has trouble with it in the beginning. For a while, he was the only member of the Detective Club who couldn't transform until episode 25. When Ken refers to himself as "The Great Kenlock Holmes," Tamao is called "Tamason," a reference to
Dr. Watson
John H. Watson, known as Dr. Watson, is a fictional character in the Sherlock Holmes stories by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. Along with Sherlock Holmes, Dr. Watson first appeared in the novel ''A Study in Scarlet'' (1887). The last work by Doyle f ...
. Tamao is a little geeky and awkward, causing Kanon to dislike him initially. She eventually accepts him as one of her friends, though.
Mikogami Family
*Haruka Mikogami (Voiced by
Michiko Neya
is a Japanese voice actress. Prior to 1998, she was affiliated with Arts VisionAffiliation with Arts Vision in the 1990s:* 1998 profile: * Roster as of January 1998: * Roster as of May 1998: and is currently freelancing. Some of her major roles ...
) is Riko's, Rimu's and Nagisa's mother.
*Tamotsu Mikogami (Voiced by
Hideyuki Tanaka
is a Japanese actor, voice actor and narrator from Tokyo who is attached to Aoni Production. He is a graduate of the Toho Gakuen School of Music. He is most known for his roles in ''One Piece'' (as Donquixote Doflamingo), '' Dokaben'' (as Tarou Y ...
) is Riko's, Rimu's and Nagisa's father.
*Yuuki Mikogami (Voiced by
Bin Shimada
Bin Shimada ( ja, 島田 敏, Shimada Bin; born November 20, 1954) is a Japanese actor, voice actor and narratorDoi, Hitoshi.Shimada Bin. ''Seiyuu Database''. July 17, 2010Archivedby WebCite July 20, 2010. affiliated with the talent management fir ...
) is Riko's, Rimu's and Nagisa's grandfather who has been trapped in his
Turtle
Turtles are an order of reptiles known as Testudines, characterized by a special shell developed mainly from their ribs. Modern turtles are divided into two major groups, the Pleurodira (side necked turtles) and Cryptodira (hidden necked tu ...
form with an alias name, Doctor.
Animalians
Animalians are the race with the form and power of both humans and animals. They are the king of all organisms, and exist at the end of the correct evolutionary path. They can turn normal humans into Animalians by bitting them.
*Misa Hatori (Voiced by
Misa Watanabe
is a Japanese voice actress and narrator from Tokyo, Japan. She is well known for voicing Nefertari Vivi in ''One Piece''.
Filmography
Television Animation
;1990s
*''Magical Princess Minky Momo'' (1991) – Mother
*'' Baby and Me'' (1996) – Y ...
) is Kanon's mother and a
Black panther
A black panther is the melanistic colour variant of the leopard (''Panthera pardus'') and the jaguar (''Panthera onca''). Black panthers of both species have excess black pigments, but their typical rosettes are also present. They have been d ...
Animalian.
*Kanon Hatori (Voiced by
Sakura Tange
is a Japanese voice actress, singer and writer who was born in Ichinomiya, Aichi. She is best known for providing the voice of Sakura Kinomoto in the anime series ''Cardcaptor Sakura'' and before that, she voiced some of SNK's characters, such ...
) is Misa's daughter and a
Bat
Bats are mammals of the order Chiroptera.''cheir'', "hand" and πτερόν''pteron'', "wing". With their forelimbs adapted as wings, they are the only mammals capable of true and sustained flight. Bats are more agile in flight than most bi ...
Animalian.
*Pars Ryūdō (Voiced by
Kenji Nojima
is a Japanese voice actor and singer affiliated with the voice talent agency Aoni Production. His first major role in voice-over was Spark in the '' Record of Lodoss War: Chronicles of the Heroic Knight'' series. He voiced Hikaru Ichijyo in a numb ...
) is a
Wolf
The wolf (''Canis lupus''; : wolves), also known as the gray wolf or grey wolf, is a large canine native to Eurasia and North America. More than thirty subspecies of ''Canis lupus'' have been recognized, and gray wolves, as popularly u ...
Animalian who Nagisa has a crush on.
Animalian Fang Gumi
Servants of Misa Hatori
*Shishiyama Shishinoshin (Voiced by Shusaku Shirakawa) is a
Lion
The lion (''Panthera leo'') is a large Felidae, cat of the genus ''Panthera'' native to Africa and India. It has a muscular, broad-chested body; short, rounded head; round ears; and a hairy tuft at the end of its tail. It is sexually dimorphi ...
Animalian and the first leader of the group.
*Kirino Rinji (Voiced by Jun'ichi Miyake) is a
Giraffe
The giraffe is a large African hoofed mammal belonging to the genus ''Giraffa''. It is the tallest living terrestrial animal and the largest ruminant on Earth. Traditionally, giraffes were thought to be one species, ''Giraffa camelopardalis ...
Animalian.
*Chii Hayate (Voiced by
Nobunaga Shimazaki
is a Japanese voice actor affiliated with Aoni Production. He won the Best Rookie Actor Award at the 7th Seiyu Awards and the Best Actors in Supporting Roles at the 15th Seiyu Awards.
Biography
Filmography
Anime
Theatrical animation
Dra ...
) is a
Cheetah
The cheetah (''Acinonyx jubatus'') is a large cat native to Africa and central Iran. It is the fastest land animal, estimated to be capable of running at with the fastest reliably recorded speeds being , and as such has evolved specialized ...
Animalian and the second leader of the group.
*Daizō Sandāsu (Voiced by Tomohisa Hashizume) is an
African elephant Animalian.
*Kabaya Popota (Voiced by Hiroyuki Endo) is a
Hippopotamus
The hippopotamus ( ; : hippopotamuses or hippopotami; ''Hippopotamus amphibius''), also called the hippo, common hippopotamus, or river hippopotamus, is a large semiaquatic mammal native to sub-Saharan Africa. It is one of only two extan ...
Animalian.
*Handa Sheishei (Voiced by
Kenji Akabane
is a Japanese voice actor. His first starring role was as Kouji Kabuto in '' Shin Mazinger Shougeki! Z Hen'' and he also went on to portray the Producer in the anime adaptation of '' The Idolmaster'' video game series. In 2014, he provided the vo ...
) is a
Giant panda
The giant panda (''Ailuropoda melanoleuca''), also known as the panda bear (or simply the panda), is a bear species endemic to China. It is characterised by its bold black-and-white coat and rotund body. The name "giant panda" is sometimes us ...
Animalian.
*Arai Rakutaro (Voiced by Makoto Naruse) is a
Raccoon
The raccoon ( or , ''Procyon lotor''), sometimes called the common raccoon to distinguish it from other species, is a mammal native to North America. It is the largest of the procyonid family, having a body length of , and a body weight of ...
Animalian.
Antagonists
*Kyousuke Futatsugi (Voiced by
Ryōtarō Okiayu
is a Japanese actor and voice actor affiliated with Aoni Production. His major roles include Treize Khushrenada in ''Mobile Suit Gundam Wing'', Hisashi Mitsui in ''Slam Dunk'', Meisuke Nueno in ''Hell Teacher Nūbē'', Kunimitsu Tezuka in ''Th ...
) is a former colleague of Yuuki, Haruka and Tamotsu introduced in episode 25. He is the true main antagonist of the series.
Others
*Kasumi Miyabe (Voiced by
Kanako Miyamoto
is a Japanese actress, voice actress and singer affiliated with Axlone. She is known for voicing Makoto Kenzaki/Cure Sword from '' DokiDoki! PreCure'' and as the singer of several ''Pretty Cure'' songs.
Biography
Kanako Miyamoto was born on Nove ...
) is Nagisa's Kyudo partner and best friend.
*Rumiko Iwashita (Voiced by
Ryō Hirohashi
is a Japanese voice actress affiliated with Aoni Production. She mainly voices young girls and young boys. She is known for voicing Miles "Tails" Prower in the ''Sonic the Hedgehog'' series.
Biography
Hirohashi was born in Niigata Prefecture, he ...
) is Riko's, Rimu's, Ken's, Tamao's, and Kanon's homeroom teacher.
Notes
References
External links
*
*
{{Ribon
2010 manga
2009 Japanese television series debuts
2010 Japanese television series endings
Anime with original screenplays
Comedy anime and manga
Fiction about shapeshifting
Hal Film Maker
Magical girl anime and manga
Satelight
Shōjo manga
Shueisha manga