What is Chiikawa?
" Chiikawa (ちいかわ), also known as Nanka Chiisakute Kawaii Yatsu (なんか小さくてかわいいやつ, "Something Small and Cute"), is a Japanese manga series by Nagano. It has been serialized online via Twitter since January 2020 and has been collected in five tankōbon volumes by Kodansha. An anime television series adaptation by Doga Kobo premiered in April 2022." - Wikipedia
I find it a bit hard to describe Chiikawa to others... it's a fun watch/read with unexpected depth! It may seem like cute fun nonsense to outsiders, but experiencing Chiikawa is like watching your favorite childhood toy get run over by a car but you can pick it back up and give it a good wash and it's fine... The cast of Chiikawa go through many trials and tribulations, but at the end of the day they're always together! It's really enjoyable for all ages as well!
My Discovery of Chiikawa!
My descent into Chiikawaism was swift and all-consuming.. I was insanely bored on a 12 hour flight to Japan in 2022, when I decided to go through my camera roll and realized I had some previously saved videos of random mascot meet and greets, which contained videos of Chiikawa and Hachiware! It didn't take me long before I started binging episodes wherever I could find them!
I even got to catch a few on live television during my stay in Japan. I won (or rather..got someone to win for me) a crane game prize plushie of a Sanrio collab Chiikawa, and my heart was very quickly won over by his* adorable face!
* Chiikawa and most other characters are largely gender-ambiguous.. u are free to make ur own assumptions!
‘‘Let's take a picture together!’’
I take my kawas pretty much anywhere..
So we go on lots of adventures!
‘‘Let's meet Chiikawa and Friends!’’
Chiikawa
Chiikawa is the main character.. duh! They are quite shy and easily scared, but they have a brave heart and love their friends!
Hachiware
Hachiware is Chiikawas best friend. He is talkative and friendly. He is a hardworker as well as having a love for photography!
His name is derived from 八割れ, a word to describe a specific fur pattern in cats!
Usagi
Usagi is the mischievous third of the main trio. They are often seen doing their own thing, yelling, and being up to no good! They are a strong fighter, and seem to possess other-wordly abilities..!
Momonga
Momonga easily rivals Usagi in terms of mischievousness, they are always pest-ering someone to pay attention to their cute looks!
Rakko
Rakko is a fierce otter warrior widely known for his skills! He may seem serious at first, but he has a rather adorable side which can be shown in his love of sweets!
Kurimanjuu
Kurimanjuu is based off a honey-badger and 栗饅頭, a Japanese sweet. He is like an old man, always seen drinking alcohol and has a deep voice. Despite this, he is friendly and enjoys eating together.
Shisa
Shisa is named after a シーサー, a lion-dog from Okinawan mythology! They study hard to be a chef and obtain a liquor license. They can be seen working at the Ramen shop in town.
Yoroi-san
Yoroi-san is the general name for the humanoid species in Chiikawa. 鎧(yoroi) is a type of armor in Japanese. They are not advised to befriend Chiikawans, but a notable few have become friends!
There are plenty more unlisted characters in Chiikawa, I suggest you take a look yourself and enjoy the world of Chiikawa!
‘‘Chiikawa and I’’
I totally didn't expect Chiikawa to take over my life.... I laugh at myself when I say "this is my favorite thing ever" because I say it a ton! But yes... I think Chiikawa is most definitely my favorite character in all of media, ever! I thought they would just a silly 'mascot'-type, void of personality basically.. but that is the exact opposite!! Chiikawa struggles quite a lot actually, but keeps their chin up even if they need a little encouragement. I resonate with Chiikawa very deeply for their fears and struggles!!
When I first watched Chiikawa I instantly recognized my friends in the characters 
I was viewing as well! I have a close friend group who I can usually see somewhat regularly, and I am really happy for that! But I also live in a world where me and my friends are starting to grow up and take on real-world responsibilities as adults, which often drives us apart in distance... When I watch Chiikawa, it helps me mend the sad feelings of being away from my friends!
Chiikawa has a perfect blend of cute, weird, and touching. I seriously can't stress how much I love all of the characters so much! I know my tone is a bit over the top for such a silly piece of media at its core, but I just love it so much!!!!! I won't deny how many times an episode has made me cry, smile, and laugh!! I will forever love Chiikawa!!
I hope Chiikawa can continue to grow its popularity outside of Japan. It has gotten a lot popular as of recently, as I am starting to see profile pictures, art, and other fans out in the wild! Please continue to support Chiikawa!!
Collection!!
Chiikawa and Hachiware are amongst my favorites of all the characters, with Usagi not far behind! I've also grown more interested in characters like Kurimanjuu and Shisa as of recently! I have a varied collection.. but Chiikawa definitely takes the #1 prize!!!!!!
