Chiikawa characters: who’s who (names, birthdays, story arcs)
Checked against the official anime and movie character pages on Oct 8, 2026.
A quick guide to the characters of Chiikawa, Nagano’s manga (and its anime), from the main trio to the town’s shopkeepers and the faces you meet in the long story arcs. Short descriptions follow the official anime character page; arc counts come from the 20 story arcs collected on Chiifan, an unofficial fan site. No spoilers for endings.
- Creator
- Nagano
- Main trio
- Chiikawa, Hachiware, Usagi
- Official birthdays
- Chiikawa: May 1, Hachiware: May 1, Usagi: January 22
- Characters listed
- 21
The main trio: Chiikawa, Hachiware and Usagi
The story centers on Chiikawa and two friends, Hachiware and Usagi. They make a living from jobs such as weeding and tobatsu (hunting dangerous creatures), and most of the long story arcs follow the three of them.
- Chiikawa is a kind little crybaby; Hachiware is cheerful and upbeat; Usagi is known for loud shouts like “Ura!” and “Yaha!”
- On Chiifan, Chiikawa appears in 19, Hachiware in 19 and Usagi in 17 of the 20 collected story arcs.
- What kind of animal Chiikawa is has never been spelled out, and Chiikawa’s gender and age have not been revealed either.
Chiikawa and friends
The characters at the heart of the story. Each name links to Chiifan’s full character article (in Japanese).
- Chiikawa (ちいかわ)
- The main character. A bit of a crybaby but kind, and makes a living from weeding and tobatsu (monster-hunting jobs). Official birthday: May 1. Appears in 19 of the 20 story arcs collected on Chiifan.
- Hachiware (ハチワレ)
- Chiikawa’s friend. Cheerful and upbeat, and lives in a cave. Official birthday: May 1. Appears in 19 of the 20 story arcs collected on Chiifan.
- Usagi (うさぎ)
- Chiikawa’s friend, known for loudly shouting things like “Ura!” and “Yaha!”. Official birthday: January 22. Appears in 17 of the 20 story arcs collected on Chiifan.
- Momonga (モモンガ)
- Always working hard at looking cute, and always asking others for things. Appears in 2 of the 20 story arcs collected on Chiifan.
- Kurimanju (くりまんじゅう)
- Cute-looking, but a gourmet who enjoys good food and drink, and takes care of others. Appears in 4 of the 20 story arcs collected on Chiifan.
- Rakko (ラッコ)
- A very strong tobatsu (monster-hunting) expert whom Chiikawa and friends look up to. Appears in 3 of the 20 story arcs collected on Chiifan.
Shopkeepers and the Yoroi-san (armored people)
“Yoroi-san” (armor person) is not one character’s name; it’s what the fully armored people in Chiikawa’s world are called. How many there are has not been revealed; the three on the official anime page are known by what they do.
- Shisa (シーサー)
- Works as the assistant at the ramen shop “Ro” and calls the owner, Ramen Yoroi-san, “Master.” Appears in 2 of the 20 story arcs collected on Chiifan.
- Furuhonya (古本屋)
- Runs the used-book shop (furuhonya means “used-book shop”). The crab headband was a gift from Momonga; fans also call this character “Kani-chan” (kani means crab). Appears in 2 of the 20 story arcs collected on Chiifan.
- Pochette Yoroi-san (ポシェットの鎧さん)
- Loves cute things, and makes and sells handmade pochettes (little bags) and pajamas. Appears in 2 of the 20 story arcs collected on Chiifan.
- Labor Yoroi-san (労働の鎧さん)
- Runs the desk where Chiikawa and friends take on jobs. Good friends with Pochette Yoroi-san.
- Ramen Yoroi-san (ラーメンの鎧さん)
- Owner of the ramen shop “Ro,” which has its own unusual menu and way of ordering. Appears in 1 of the 20 story arcs collected on Chiifan.
- Pajama Parties (パジャマパーティーズ)
- A group of four who sing and dance in pajamas handmade by Pochette Yoroi-san. Who is inside the pajamas has not been revealed. Appears in 1 of the 20 story arcs collected on Chiifan.
Characters from the long story arcs
These characters are not on the anime’s main character page; you meet them in the long arcs. Many of their secrets are still unrevealed, so we only describe what has been shown and leave the rest open.
- Siren (セイレーン)
- Good at singing, and appears with the mermaids in the Siren Arc (Island Arc). Why the Siren sings has not been explained. Appears in 1 of the 20 story arcs collected on Chiifan.
- Shimajiro (島二郎)
- Owner of the eatery “Shimajiro” deep in the island’s forest in the Siren Arc. Whether it has any link to the ramen shop “Ro” has not been revealed. Appears in 1 of the 20 story arcs collected on Chiifan.
- Mermaids (人魚)
- Appear together with the Siren in the Siren Arc (Island Arc). Appears in 1 of the 20 story arcs collected on Chiifan.
- Ode (オデ)
- A big, gentle one-eyed giant in the Ode Arc. Where he came from has not been revealed. Appears in 1 of the 20 story arcs collected on Chiifan.
- Goblins (ゴブリン)
- Small green creatures in the Ode Arc. Who they are and where they live have not been revealed. Appears in 1 of the 20 story arcs collected on Chiifan.
- Chiikabu (小さなカブトムシ)
- A tiny beetle friend Chiikawa meets in a cave in the “Little Friend” Arc. “Chiikabu” is a fan nickname. Appears in 1 of the 20 story arcs collected on Chiifan.
- Yamanba (山姥)
- A white-haired old woman who helps the trio out of a trap in the forest. Who she really is has not been revealed. Appears in 1 of the 20 story arcs collected on Chiifan.
- Anoko (あのこ)
- “Anoko” means “that child.” A mysterious figure at the center of the “Anoko” Arc. Who Anoko is has not been explained. Appears in 2 of the 20 story arcs collected on Chiifan.
- Dekatsuyo (でかつよ)
- A nickname (roughly “big and strong”) for a creature much larger than Chiikawa and friends; the word also appears in anime episode titles. What it is has not been explained. Appears in 1 of the 20 story arcs collected on Chiifan.
Official names vs. fan nicknames
This page uses the names on the official anime site, romanized from Japanese (Usagi simply means “rabbit”). A few names are fan nicknames rather than official ones.
- “Kani-chan” (for Furuhonya) and “Chiikabu” are nicknames used by fans. “Dekatsuyo” is a nickname too, and it also appears in anime episode titles.
- English and Korean releases may use different spellings; if you can’t find someone, search with the Japanese name in parentheses.
Where to read their stories
Nagano posts Chiikawa as a manga on X (@ngnchiikawa). Chiifan’s manga guide shows the long arcs in order using Nagano’s posts, so you can follow each character’s story from the start.
Where to find character goods
Shops in Japan such as Chiikawa Land sell Chiikawa character goods. See our store guide for locations, and the Chiikawa Park guide for park-only items.
Frequently asked questions
Who are the main Chiikawa characters?
Chiikawa, Hachiware and Usagi are the main trio. Momonga, Kurimanju and Rakko are other characters listed alongside them on the official anime character page.
When are the Chiikawa characters’ birthdays?
Officially announced birthdays: Chiikawa: May 1, Hachiware: May 1, Usagi: January 22. Birthdays for Momonga, Kurimanju, Rakko, Shisa and the others have not been announced (as of Oct 8, 2026).
What animal is Chiikawa?
It has never been spelled out. “Chiikawa” is short for “nanka chiisakute kawaii yatsu” (“something small and cute”), which is both the series title and the main character’s name.
Is Usagi a rabbit?
The character’s official name is “Usagi,” the Japanese word for rabbit, and the official page introduces Usagi as Chiikawa’s friend. We don’t go beyond what has been stated.
Who is Rakko in Chiikawa?
Rakko (“sea otter”) is a very strong tobatsu expert whom Chiikawa and friends admire. The official movie site calls Rakko the No. 1 ranker in the tobatsu rankings.
Who are Anoko and Dekatsuyo?
That has not been explained in the story. Chiifan’s Japanese articles separate what has been shown from fan theories, without spoiling the endings.
Sources
Pages marked (Japanese) are only available in Japanese.