Chibi Kero's Keroball, the secret revealed! Rating and Recommendation

Chibi Kero: The Secret of the Keroball!? - A Deep Dive into this Charming Short Animation

■ Public Media

theater

■ Original Media

comics

■ Release date

March 17, 2007 - January 1, 0000

■Distribution company

Kadokawa Herald Films

■Frequencies

17 min

■ Number of Episodes

Episode 1

■Original Story

Yoshizaki Kannon

■ Director

Nobuhiro Kondo

■ Production

・Production: Sunrise

■Works

©2007 Yoshizaki Mine/Kadokawa Shoten, Kadokawa Pictures, Sunrise, TV Tokyo, NAS

■ Story

Keroro's secret base is in a vacant lot. When Giroro is tinkering with his brother's Keroball that he secretly brought home, the Keroball is activated! Keroro, Giroro, Pururu, and Zeroro are sucked into the Keroball. Inside the Keroball, they have various adventures and must search for a way to escape. The inside of the Keroball is like another world, where they meet new friends and enemies and work together to overcome difficulties. Will Keroro and his friends be able to unravel the secret of the Keroball and escape safely?

■Explanation

"Chibi Kero: The Secret of the Keroball!?" is a short animated film produced as a spin-off of the Keroro Gunso series. This work depicts an episode from Keroro's childhood in full CG, and is a work that combines visual freshness with a fascinating story. The story will be enjoyed by children and adults alike as Keroro and the other four struggle to survive after being sucked into the Keroball. The theme song "Tomodachi no Uta" by the popular comedy duo Harisenbon has also become a hot topic, further enhancing the appeal of the work.

■ Main staff

・Original story: Yoshizaki Mine ・Director, script, storyboard, direction: Kondo Nobuhiro ・General director: Sato Junichi ・Character design: Oizaki Fumitoshi ・Mecha design: Imaishi Susumu ・Production: Sunrise

■ Related works

"Chibi Kero: The Secret of the Keroball!?" is positioned as part of the Keroro Gunso series and is related to the following works:

• Sergeant Keroro TV series
• Keroro Gunso the Movie
• Keroro Gunso the Movie 2: Princess of the Deep Sea!
• Keroro Gunso the Super Movie 3: Keroro vs. Keroro: The Great Battle in the Sky!
• Musha Kero debuts! Sengoku Ransei Great Battle!!
• Keroro Gunso the Super Movie: Invasion of the Dragon Warriors!
• Kero0 Let's go! Everyone gather!!
• Keroro Gunso the Super Movie: Birth! Ultimate Keroro: Miracle Space-Time Island!!
• Super Projection Edition Keroro Gunso: Reclaim the Starry Sky! A Great Solar System Chase!!
• Keroro

■ Theme songs and music

・TM1
・Friend's Song・Lyrics: Bearded President and Noguchi・Music: Tsutaya Koichi・Arrangement: Akiyama Seiji・Choreography: Minami Ryuusei・Song: Harisenbon

■Detailed story and character analysis

The story of "Chibi Kero: The Secret of the Keroball!?" begins with Keroro and his friends being sucked into the Keroball. The Keroball is a mysterious sphere that Keroro's brother owned, and inside it lies an unknown world. Keroro, Giroro, Pururu, and Zeroro face various challenges inside the Keroball, but they work together to find a way to escape.

Keroro is a character who displays leadership skills, but also lightens up those around him with his playful behavior at times. This work depicts Keroro as a child, emphasizing his innocence and curiosity. Giroro shows his strictness as a soldier, as well as his value of friendship. Pururu supports the team with her calm judgment and knowledge, while Zeroro contributes to problem-solving with his unique perspective.

The new characters they meet inside the Keroball also play important roles. For example, the "Guardian of the Keroball," who manages the Keroball, tests Keroro and his friends, but ultimately recognizes their growth and allows them to escape. Through their interactions with these characters, Keroro and his friends learn the importance of friendship and cooperation.

■Production background and technical features

"Chibi Kero: The Secret of the Keroball!?" is a full CG animation produced by Sunrise. CG animation allows for visual expression different from traditional 2D animation, and this work makes the most of it. The other world inside the Keroball is depicted with the realistic texture and movement that only CG can provide, creating a visual impact.

Director Kondo Nobuhiro was also in charge of the script, storyboards, and direction, and his vision is reflected throughout the film. Kondo chose a new way of expression, full CG, to provide new surprises for fans of the Keroro Gunso series. Character designer Ozaki Fumitoshi has created designs suited to CG animation while retaining the cuteness of Keroro and friends. Meanwhile, mecha designer Imaishi Susumu has realistically depicted the various mechanics that appear inside the Keroball.

■Music and theme songs

The music of "Chibi Kero Keroball no Himitsu!?" is an important element in enhancing the atmosphere of the work. The theme song "Tomodachi no Uta" is sung by Harisenbon, and its lyrics on the theme of friendship match the theme of the work. The lyrics were written by Hige Shachou and Noguchi, the music was composed by Tsutaya Koichi, the arrangement was by Akiyama Seiji, and the choreography was by Minami Sasuga. The theme song plays a role in further enhancing the touching scenes of the work.

The background music was also chosen to match the atmosphere of the work, and it has the effect of livening up the adventures and challenges inside the Keroball. Music director Yoshiyuki Tsutaya has used his experience in the music for the Keroro Gunso series to provide music that draws the viewer in even in this short film.

■ Viewer reactions and ratings

"Chibi Kero: The Secret of the Kero Ball!?" has been highly praised by fans of the Keroro Gunso series. It has been praised for its attempt at a new form of expression, full CG, and for its story that depicts the adventures of Keroro and his friends as children. The theme song by Harisenbon has also become a hot topic and is widely shared among viewers.

Viewers' reactions include, "Keroro and friends' friendship was touching," "The full CG images were beautiful," and "The theme song by Harisenbon was memorable." On the other hand, there were also opinions such as, "It was a short story, so I felt it was lacking," and "I wanted to know more about the secret of the Keroball," sparking various discussions among viewers.

■ Recommendations and related information

"Chibi Kero: The Secret of the Keroball!?" is recommended not only for fans of the Keroro Gunso series, but also for those who are interested in CG animation and those who want to enjoy a work with the theme of friendship. In particular, it is a work that provides children with an opportunity to learn the importance of friendship through the adventures of Keroro and his friends.

For related information, it is a good idea to check out other works in the Keroro Gunso series. In particular, the TV series and other theatrical versions are full of episodes depicting the growth and adventures of Keroro and his friends, and will help you understand the background of "Chibi Kero: The Secret of the Keroball!?" more deeply. In addition, official merchandise and event information for the Keroro Gunso series is also something fans should not miss.

Conclusion

"Chibi Kero: The Secret of the Keroball!?" is a short animated film that condenses the charm of the Keroro Gunso series, featuring visual beauty that utilizes a new expression method called full CG, and a touching story on the theme of friendship. Through the adventures of Keroro and his friends, viewers will be able to learn the importance of friendship and cooperation. This work is not only for fans of the Keroro Gunso series, but can be enjoyed by a wide range of viewers.