Bonobono

Bonobono
Cover of manga volume 29
ぼのぼの
Manga
Written byMikio Igarashi
Published byTakeshobo
Magazine
  • Manga Club (1986–2020)
  • Manga Life (1986–2022)
  • Manga Life Original (2022–present)
DemographicSeinen
Original runMarch 1986 – present
Volumes49
Manga
Bono-chan
Written byMikio Igarashi
Published byTakeshobo
MagazineManga Life
DemographicSeinen
Original runApril 2016 – April 2020
Volumes8
Anime film
Directed byMikio Igarashi
Produced byAtsushi Tashiro
Written byMikio Igarashi
Music byGontiti
StudioGroup TAC
ReleasedNovember 13, 1993
Runtime103 minutes
Anime television series
Directed byHitoshi Nanba
Produced by
  • Keisuke Iwata
  • Katsutoshi Kanesaka
Written byTetsuo Yasumi
Music byKazunori Miyake
StudioGroup TAC
Original networkTXN (TV Tokyo)
Original run April 20, 1995 – March 28, 1996
Episodes48
Video game
Bonogurashi
DeveloperAmuse, Bandai Visual
PublisherAmuse, Bandai Visual
GenreSimulation
Platform3DO
ReleasedApril 21, 1995[1]
Video game
Bonogurashi: Kore de Kanpeki Disu
DeveloperAmuse
PublisherAmuse
GenreAdventure
PlatformSony PlayStation
ReleasedJune 7, 1996[2]
Anime film
Bonobono: Kumomo no Ki no Koto
Directed byKōki Kumagai
Produced byAkihiro Itō
Written by
  • Mikio Igarashi
  • Kōki Kumagai
Music byGontiti
StudioAmuse Pictures
ReleasedAugust 10, 2002
Runtime61 minutes
Anime television series
Directed byHidenori Yamaguchi
Produced by
  • Daisuke Hara
  • Yasunari Maeda
  • Yōko Matsushita
Written byMitsutaka Hirota
Music byTakatsugu Wakabayashi
StudioEiken
Original networkFuji TV
Original run April 2, 2016 – present
Episodes435

Bonobono (ぼのぼの) is a Japanese yonkoma manga series written and illustrated by Mikio Igarashi. From March 1986 to March 1987, the series ran in the Takeshobo manga magazine Tensai Club before the magazine was replaced with Manga Club, where it had been serialized from April 1987 to April 2020. It had also been serialized in Manga Life from April 1986 to July 2022. In July 2022, the series moved to Manga Life Original after Manga Life folded.[3] It has been adapted into an anime television series,[4] as well as two anime films and two video games.[1][2]

While the series is considered a yonkoma manga, most of the "stories" use eight panels. The series follows the main character, a young sea otter after whom the manga is titled, and his daily adventures with his friends from the nearby forest. Bonobono combines gag comic and philosophical questions, bringing up comparisons to other manga such as Azumanga Daioh,[5] and to films such as Forrest Gump.[6]

In 1988, Bonobono won the Kodansha Manga Award in the General category.[7] An anime film was released in theaters on November 13, 1993, and an anime television series was broadcast on TV Tokyo from April 20, 1995 through March 28, 1996. One day after the TV series began, a simulation game was released on the 3DO system.[1] The following June, an adventure game was released on the PlayStation.[2] Several ehon—or "picture books"—have been released since the manga series was first introduced over 30 years ago.

  1. ^ a b c Kindaichi, Wazahiko, ed. (2000-12-01). "3DO". Kōgien (広技苑) (in Japanese) (2000年秋 ed.). Mainichi Communications. pp. 995–996. ISBN 4-8399-0447-2.
  2. ^ a b c Kindaichi, Wazahiko, ed. (2000-12-01). "プレイステーション". Kōgien (広技苑) (in Japanese) (2000年秋 ed.). Mainichi Communications. p. 1278. ISBN 4-8399-0447-2.
  3. ^ @BONOBONO_nokoto (June 10, 2022). "『#ぼのぼの 人生相談』最終回が掲載された、#まんがライフオリジナル 7月号が発売中です！ぜひお楽しみください！詳細はこちら" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  4. ^ ぼのぼの (1995) (in Japanese). AllCinema Online. Retrieved 2007-11-24.
  5. ^ Bryce, Mio. "'School' in Japanese children's lives as depicted in manga" (PDF). p. 13. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2007-09-08. Retrieved 2007-11-23.
  6. ^ Califf, Jennifer. "Bonobono". Anime Web Turnpike. Archived from the original on 2006-01-18. Retrieved 2007-11-23.
  7. ^ Joel Hahn. "Kodansha Manga Awards". Comic Book Awards Almanac. Archived from the original on 2007-08-16. Retrieved 2007-08-21.