Embedded Files
Moon Retzer | Arts & Entertainment | February
Chiikawa (pronounced Chee-kah-wah) which literally translates to “something small and cute” is a Japanese manga series written by Nagano. The series was originally posted to X (formally known as Twitter) in January of 2020, and later developed into a manga adaptation in February of 2021. Soon after, a TV series was released on April 4, 2022, each episode being about one to two minutes long.
This series follows the daily adventures of the protagonist named Chiikawa. With his two best friends, Hachiware and Usagi, Chiikawa faces challenges, losses, wins, many monsters, and of course, several chapters of just enjoying yummy food with their friends.
This series has garnered many fans, including myself, over the past few months due to these cute, cuddly characters being incredibly relatable! On top of that, many people appreciate that the series isn’t incredibly stressful with major battles and character deaths left and right. As mentioned prior, many chapters have no considerable plot, it’s just the characters eating a yummy meal together.
As someone who is constantly on the go, Chiikawa has helped me keep my sanity intact for longer than normal. There are some chapters that remind me to slow down, to take a moment, and take a breath. Even though Chiikawa is generally meant for younger audiences, there are still some benefits to reading it.
On top of that, come on, look at them.
All photos sourced from X
They’re so adorable, I cannot handle it.
Though most of this world is fantasy with monsters and spells alike, this manga still has very real scenarios. Sometimes the characters, despite their best efforts, fail miserably, which is incredibly out of the ordinary for normal children’s media. For lack of better terminology, this manga is so real in its display of character emotions. Not just the sad emotions, but the facial expressions in general tell a lot about what the character is thinking. For example:
A photo of the main character, Chiikawa, struggling to contain their tears.
Photo souced from Book 1
Emotions like dealing with failure, and how to help someone deal with failure was an important topic discussed in the second book. Again, these stories are really short, being set up like your typical manga is, but despite this childish appearance, it’s still managing to tackle important points of discussion.
It doesn’t hurt to indulge in child-like media. I’ve never fully understood why if something is considered childish it’s “bad”. Cartoons were a big part of my upbringing and watching something that reminds me of being young puts me at ease. Chiikawa, in my opinion, is the physical representation of all of us, wanting to indulge in our child-like wonder once more. This belief is reinforced by the beginning chapters of the series.
There is no official English translation for the Chiikawa Manga but there are plenty of resources online for use! On top of that, the Chiikawa TV show is available to watch on Youtube, each episode being 1 to 2 minutes long. The series is still actively releasing new content. Their biggest new release is a Chiikawa park available in Ikebukuro, Tokyo, Japan.
Promotional image used to advertise Chiikawa Park!
Photo sourced from https://chiikawapark-tokyo.jp/en/
Below, I review and tell you a bit about each main character in the series. Please enjoy!
Chiikawa
Chiikawa
Chiikawa (Chee-ee-kow-wah) is a little white creature. I say “creature” because it’s never been outright confirmed by Nangano what exactly Chiikawa is. Many have theorized that they are a little bear, mouse, or a hamster. Whatever they are, this cute little guy is the main character in the manga. Chiikawa hardly speaks, when they do, it’s a single, one-syllable word. They’re playful, shy, hardworking, and a big crybaby. Whenever a monster comes around, they cry and run away if they can, but will stand to fight if there are no other options; they still cry though. Overall, they're a pathetic creature and I love them dearly.
Hachiware
Hachiware
Hachiware (Hach-ee-wah-ray) is one of Chiikawa’s best friends. They are a white cat with blue ears and tail. This energetic little dude is the incredibly brave friend that Chiikawa needs. They fight most of the monsters for Chiikawa and are incredibly playful. Hachiware does most of the talking for Chiikawa since they don’t talk much. If anything, these two characters are the starting of the iconic trio.
Usagi
Usagi
Usagi (Oo-sah-gee) is the second of Chiikawa’s best friends and boy are they something. Usagi is a yellow rabbit and this thing runs in circles. Every time he is around, there is food involved. They are a big foodie, swimming in miso soup, finding rice cookers in the forest to eat from, etc. you get the idea. This isn’t very obvious in the manga, but in the TV adaptation, Usagi is regularly screaming while running in circles. They are an incredibly rambunctious fiend. Due to this, Usagi usually is running into the face of danger without realizing it. Most of the time, either Chiikawa or Hachiware or both have to save him from monsters and hypnotic spells.
Chiikawa, Hachiware, and Usagi are the trio that is mainly featured on merchandise. If the story isn’t focused on Chiikawa, it features one of these two or any of the following characters as its lead.
Momonga
Momonga
Momonga (Moh-mohn-gah) is a white and blue dwarf flying squirrel. Their personality is that of a spoiled child. They are mean, self centered, and have an obsession with appearing as cute as they possibly can. They demand things from others and refuse to share. In my humble opinion, Momonga is the best character. Yes, they are selfish, but something about how unapologetically bratty they are makes me adore them even more. They often get others into trouble, instigating others without a care in the world. Momoga also seems to take joy in destroying things. They constantly worry about appearing as cute as possible and honestly, they don't need to worry. They are the cutest character in Chiikawa (in my opinion).
Rakko
Rakko
Rakko (Rah-koh) is a yellow sea otter, sporting a white scarf and sword. Along with that, their ears, arms, and legs are black. They also have a large scar on their forehead. Rakko is your stereotypical representation of a wise, old swordsman. They’re incredibly good at hunting, mostly monsters as work, along with other high-risk positions. They’re one of the only characters that own a vehicle and frequently give rides to Chiikawa and Hachiware. Both Chiikawa and Hachiware look up to Rakko. This little otter also has a sweet tooth!
Kuri-Manju
Kuri-Manju
Kuri-Manju (Kuh-ree-Mahn-joo) is a honey badger whose color palette is inspired by a chestnut bun. His character often acts like a middle-aged man eating snacks and drinking alcohol. Kuri-Manju is famous for his drinking habits, often releasing a long, loud sigh after each drink. He often appears blue in some panels of the manga, this is supposed to signify that he is hungover. Chiikawa runs into him frequently while working and tries to replicate the loud sighs Kuri-Manju does; however when they try this, they choke and break out into a coughing fit. Kuri Manju's character struck me as a surprise. An alcoholic in a supposed children's media seem to be a risky move, but they make it work.
Shisa
Shisa
Shisa (She-sah) is a yellow lion-esque character who is the definition of hard work. They work at a ramen shop as an assistant. They also tend to give Okinawa (where they're from) delicacies to Chiikawa and their friends. It is also known that they are seeking to get their alcohol license and often enlist in the help of Kuri-Manju. Not too much is known about Shisa as they've only appeared in the manga a handfull of times.
Furuhonya
Furuhonya
Furuhonya (Foo-roo-hohn-yah) is a pink creature. We don’t exactly know what animal they are. What we do know is that the little headband they wear was a gift from Momonga, who is their best friend. This headband seems to resemble crab claws, which has triggered some people to call them “Kani” which translates to crab in Japanese. They are a kindhearted bookworm who owns a shop selling second-hand books.
Anoko, a chimera monster, that used to be like everyone else.
Monsters
Monsters
There are many monsters within the universe of Chiikawa. Many of these monsters possess strange abilities. Some of these abilities include hallucinations, transformations, flying, manipulation, and the list goes on. They can trigger their victims to see things that aren't there, transform into smaller versions of themselves, fly away, and force them to do things they wouldn’t normally do. On top of that, they can be insanely large, with big claws and large teeth, baring intimidation to anyone they cross paths with. They can resemble other people if needed to lure in victims.
Dekatsuyo, a chimera monster that appears frequently.
Pouchette No Youri-san
Ramen No Youri-san
The Knights
The Knights
The Knights are what protect the people. The knights aren't animals like all the other characters, they vaguely resemble humans. Their job is to protect others, sell things, and give out jobs in the morning to the animals of the town. Basically, they run society. As mentioned prior, they are the ones that keep the animals of the town safe from the monsters.
Pouchette No Youri-san is usually running a stand, selling various items to the citizens. Purses, pajamas, and other clothing are just some of the items this characters creates and sells. He often runs into Chiikawa and Hachiware, even sporting a matching pouch bag with Chiikawa!
Roudou No Youri-san is one of those knights that's just trying his best. He often falls into the clutches of Momonga and their antics. Even if he is working, he tries to entertain Momonga's tantrums.
Ramen No Youri-san's occupation is basically in his name. He runs the Ramen stand of the town! Here, Ramen No Youri-san works with Shisa to make yummy ramen for the hungry citizens!
Though there are several hundred different knights within the series, these three are the most popular, and the only ones that are named.
Roudou No Youri-san
Thank you for reading! If you are interested in reading Chiikawa, please search on Google, there are plenty of resources.
All photos not sited were sourced from Chiikawa Official
About The Writer: Moon Retzer, Editor-in-Chief
Moon Retzer is the Editor-in-Chief of the 2025-2026 Courier Staff. They have been writing for The Courier for 3 years. Moon loves to write, writing short stories in their free time. In addition, they love reading all kinds of the books and stories online. Moon's favorite articles to write are Opinion and Feature pieces.
Moon Retzer is the Editor-in-Chief of the 2025-2026 Courier Staff. They have been writing for The Courier for 3 years. Moon loves to write, writing short stories in their free time. In addition, they love reading all kinds of the books and stories online. Moon's favorite articles to write are Opinion and Feature pieces.
Page updated
Report abuse