Template:Short description Template:Redirect Template:In-universe Template:Infobox animanga/Header Template:Infobox animanga/Print Template:Infobox animanga/Video Template:Infobox animanga/Print Template:Infobox animanga/Footer Template:Nihongo is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Mika Kawamura. The manga was serialized by Kodansha in Nakayoshi from February 1998 to March 2002, and the chapters were collected into nine tankōbon volumes.[1] It was adapted into a 78-episode anime television series produced by NHK, animated by J.C.Staff, and directed by Hiroaki Sakurai, which was broadcast between March 2000 and February 2002 on NHK's BS2 broadcast satellite network.[2] The series was one of the top-rated anime series during its initial broadcast.[3]
The story follows two junior high school students, Miyu and Kanata, who find and care for an abandoned alien baby without discovering that they are living together without adult supervision. The anime adaptation concluded before the manga was completed, resulting in different endings for each series. Kawamura later wrote a sequel to the manga, Template:Nihongo.
Plot
Miyu Kouzuki is an eighth grade student whose parents left for the United States to work for NASA. They arrange for her to stay with their long-time family friend, Hōshō Saionji, a monk who lives in an old Buddhist temple on a hill overlooking the town of Heiomachi. Hōshō leaves soon after on a year-long pilgrimage to India, leaving Miyu to stay in his house with his son, Kanata.
Suddenly, a UFO lands in the honden of the temple, containing a humanoid alien baby named Ruu and his catlike guardian, Wannyā. The duo cannot return to their home planet because it is too far from Earth; Wannyā asks Kanata and Miyu to allow them to stay in their house, to which they agree. People from Planet Otto look identical to human beings and that Wannyā can also transform into human beings, animals, as well as objects. Ruu begins to think of Miyu and Kanata as his parents.
In Shin Daa! Daa! Daa!, set many years later, Ruu meets a confused earthling girl called Miu that has arrived through a wormhole. Miu desperately wants to go home, and he agrees. Unbeknownst to him, Miu is the daughter of the same people who lovingly cared for him during his stay on Earth, Miyu Kōzuki and Kanata Saionji. They meet Ran, Ruu's best friend, a robot named Ann, and Mininyā, Wannyā's son.
Characters
- Template:Nihongo (Template:Voiced by) is an eighth grade girl who has a crush on Kanata.
- Template:Nihongo (Template:Voiced by) is the male protagonist who is admired for his good-looking appearance and attitude.
- Template:Nihongo (Template:Voiced by) is an alien baby from Planet Otto who can levitate and perform telekinesis on objects. He is taken care by Miyu and Kanata, thinking of the two students as his parents and often helping them. Ruu uses his abilities at inappropriate times, causing great trouble for Miyu and Kanata.
- Template:Nihongo is Kanata and Miyu's 12-year-old daughter who attends Grade 6 of elementary school. She arrives on Planet Otto through a wormhole.
- Template:Nihongo (Template:Voiced by) is a cat-like alien "sitter pet" from Otto entrusted to take care of Ruu.
Supporting characters
- Template:Nihongo (Template:Voiced by) is Miyu and Kanata's wealthy classmate of French descent. Christine is so infatuated with Kanata that she is prone to romantic fantasies about him, and becomes jealous when she sees him with other girls, especially Miyu.
- Template:Nihongo (Template:Voiced by) is Christine's three-year-old cousin who often rides her tricycle. Momoka is in love with Ruu, declaring him as her boyfriend, going as far as to saying that she wants to marry him.
- Template:Nihongo (Template:Voiced by) is one of Miyu and Kanata's classmates.
- Template:Nihongo (Template:Voiced by) is one of Miyu and Kanata's classmates.
- Template:Nihongo (Template:Voiced by) is Kanata's weird friend who often comes up with strange ideas and loves old recordings. Miyu once thought that Santa had fallen in love with a girl, but later finds out that it was the girl's camera he admired. He first met Kanata through a TV show named Cactus Man (named for the main character), which had low ratings and was cancelled early.
- Template:Nihongo (Template:Voiced by) is Kanata's rival.
- Template:Nihongo (Template:Voiced by) is a budding manga artist who spots a tangerine on her head, as do her relatives, including her pet Scottish fold.
- Template:Nihongo ({{Voiced by|Yuko Minaguchi) is Miyu's astronaut mother who is obsessed with anything connected with outer space. She is hired by NASA with her husband Yū at the beginning of the story and must leave for the United States.
- Template:Nihongo (Template:Voiced by) Yū is Miyu's astrophysicist father who helps his wife with her work and is also hired by NASA.
- Template:Nihongo (Template:Voiced by) is Kanata's father who serves as a Buddhist monk, the patriarch of the Saionji household and head priest of its temple. He seems irresponsible, embarking on a pilgrimage to India soon after Miyu arrives at the Saionji household.
- Template:Nihongo (Template:Voiced by was Kanata's late mother who died when he was a child. Hitomi was close Miyu's mother, Miki.
- Template:Nihongo (Template:Voiced by) is Miyu and Kanata's class teacher she possesses numerous talents ranging from cooking to ninja training.
- Template:Nihongo (Template:Voiced by) is an alien who visits Earth and takes a liking to Miyu, often shapeshifting as Kanata to get close to her. His kind can read minds through a touch of the hand.
- Template:Nihongo (Template:Voiced by) is Seiya's caring older sister who works at the Space Police Force cafeteria.
- Template:Nihongo (Template:Voiced by) is Rui's boyfriend who works as detective of Space Police Force.
- Template:Nihongo (Template:Voiced by: The eccentric principal of Miyu and Kanata's school who is obsessed with monkeys, bananas, and jungle-themed video games.
Other characters
- Template:Nihongo (Template:Voiced by) is a rabbit-like alien who became Ruu's pet in Shin Daa! Daa! Daa!.
- Waruwaru Dan is a group of sisters who plan on kidnapping Ruu. It consists of Template:Nihongo, Template:Nihongo, and Template:Nihongo.
Media
Template:Main An anime television series aired between March 28, 2000, and February 26, 2002, on NHK-BS2. It spanned a total of 78 episodes and was directed by Hiroaki Sakurai.