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Template:Nihongo is a Japanese manga series by noho. It originally began serialization online via Twitter in August 2017. It was then serialized via East Press' Mato Grosso website from July 2018 to January 2022 and has been collected in four tankōbon volumes and a side story volume. An anime television series adaptation produced by Liden Films aired from April to June 2024.
Synopsis
Set in a version of Earth where yōkai, humans and gods live together, the story follows the lives of several characters in Fuchigamori, a rural Japanese village. A twenty-year-old cat named Buchio evolves into a Nekomata and sets out to learn more from his yōkai peers about his evolution. Meanwhile, a young human named Mutsumi becomes curious about their neighbor Jiro, a crow Tengu who performs ritual Shinto duties.
Characters
A human third-grader in training to become a miko. She is troubled by the disappearance of her father, causing her to feel lonely and listless. She loves Jiro, but struggles to express her feelings.
A crow tengu who has served as guardian of Fuchigamori for centuries. He protects the town from supernatural threats while also serving as a spiritual advisor to troubled townsfolk. Despite his important role, he has a laid-back personality and casual speaking style. He is apologetic and self-sacrificing, which frustrates Mutsumi. Despite his outwardly cheerful demeanor, he struggles with trauma from the death of Mutsumi's great-grandmother during World War 2.
The Ōishi's family cat, who is reborn as a nekomata at the start of the story. He is shy and emotionally sensitive, often crying and apologizing when faced with difficult situations, and is excessively polite, even to his family. He trains with Yuri to hone his transformation abilities while struggling to determine his life's direction.
An old, one-winged tengu who assists Jiro in his spiritual duties.
A kitsune who serves as Buchio's transformation tutor. She was born into a high-class family, but left after being disgusted by their elitism. She has a reserved personality, and resents Buchio for having a loving family.
A human boy in the fourth grade and Buchio's brother. He is excitable and adventurous, and often gets into trouble.
A human boy in the fifth grade with a crush on Rain. He is friends with Takumi.
A half-kappa girl in the fifth grade. She has a crush on Ryo, but is very shy and has trouble expressing her feelings.
A human man who is drinking buddies with Jiro, Yasu, Yuri, and Benmaru. He is empathetic and supportive of his friends.
A Betobeto-san who is drinking buddies with Jiro, Yasu, Yuri, and Taira. He was once a void of loneliness that preyed on people, but he has since taken on a humanoid form.
A beast youkai who assists Jiro in his spiritual duties.
A demon king who serves as a representative and leader for the youkai of Japan. Though he takes the form of a human man, his true form is a large, hairy beast the size of one and a half Tokyo Domes. He runs an entertainment company in Tokyo and offers Buchio tutelage and life guidance.
A nekomata who works for Sanmoto.
A tsukumogami of Kazuhiko's car, who was awakened after 40 years with the couple. He forms a friendship with Buchio and strives to take care of Kazuhiko.
An old man who lives with Chiaki. His wife's recent death has made him morbid and concerned with how Chiaki will fare after his death.
Media
Manga
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Anime
An anime adaptation was announced on the fourth volume of the manga on April 7, 2022.[3] It was later confirmed to be a television series produced by Liden Films and directed by Aimi Yamauchi, with scripts written by Template:Ill, characters designed by Shigemitsu Abe, and music composed by Avex Music Creative and Blue Bird's Nest.[4][1] The series aired from April 7 to June 30, 2024, on the Animazing!!! programming block on all ANN affiliates, including ABC and TV Asahi.Template:Efn The opening theme song is Template:Nihongo, performed by Pii, while the ending theme song is Template:Nihongo, performed by Aoi Kubo.[2] Crunchyroll licensed the series.[5]