The appeal and evaluation of HigePiyo: A unique worldview and character depth

Beard Piyo - Beard Piyo -

■ Public Media

TV anime series

■ Original Media

comics

■ Broadcast period

April 3, 2009 - February 19, 2010
NHK Educational Television April 3, 2009 to February 19, 2010 (Episodes 1 to 39) Every Friday 18:20 to 18:54

*Broadcast on NHK Educational Television's "Tensai Terebikun MAX Bit World" (8 minutes)

■Broadcasting station

・Broadcast/NHK Educational TV

■Frequencies

8 mins

■ Number of Episodes

Episode 39

■Original Story

Original story by Risa Ito, ^{serialized in Shueisha's "Chorus"}

■ Director

・Director: Atsushi Takeyama

■ Production

・Animation Production: KINEMA CITRUS
Produced by: "Higepiyo" Production Committee ^{, Aniplex, NHK Enterprises, Shueisha, HEEWON ENTERTAINMENT, Kinema Citrus}

■Works

©Risa Ito/Shueisha, "HigePiyo" Production Committee

■Explanation

A bearded chick being sold at a festival stall.

"You have a beard, so from today you're Bearded Piyo!"

He has a manly spirit, he's not just a cute chick.
An ultra chick that goes beyond common sense!
Risa Ito's new-generation animal four-panel comic is finally being made into an anime!!

■Cast

・Higepiyo/Paku?mi・Hiroshi/Kobayashi Yuu・Dad/Miyashita Eiji・Mama/Arai Satomi・Kumano/Kumai Motoko・Kato/Sugita Tomokazu・Emi-chan/Sakino Airi・Haruko Sensei/Saito Chiwa

■ Main staff

・Original work: Risa Ito (serialized in Shueisha's "Chorus")
Producers: Atsushi Oshida, Takamitsu Inoue, Satoshi Adachi, Hiroyuki Okino, Kim Young-Ae, Munenobu Ogasawara, Series Composition: Natsuko Takahashi, Character Design: Hiroko Oguri, Art Director: Mika Nakashima, Color Design: Atsuko Ito, Sound Director: Kazuya Tanaka, Music: Toshiro Masuda, Sound Effects: Azuki Daizu, Director: Atsushi Takeyama, Title Lettering: Masaki Tachibana, Sound Recordist: Misao Shiihara, Sound Recordist Assistant: Mai Sunaniwa, Sound Production: Rakuonsha, Sound Production Manager: Yoshimi Sugiyama, Editors: Hiroshi Okuda, Tsuyoshi Sadamatsu, Masato Yoshitake, Online Editing: Q-Tech, Publicity: Kazuko Yamamoto, Cooperation: Shueisha Chorus Editorial Department, Masaaki Fujikawa, Ungai Hara, Animation Producer: Takayasu Shimizu, Production Desk: Taichi Hashimoto, Atsushi Tomita, Setting Production: Yugo Hashiba, Animation Production: KINEMA CITRUS
Produced by: "Higepiyo" Production Committee (Aniplex, NHK Enterprises, Shueisha, HEEWON ENTERTAINMENT, Kinema Citrus)

■ Main Characters

・Higepiyo An unusual chick with a beard. One day, he was seen being sold at a night market and was bought by the Haneda family. There are many mysteries surrounding him, such as where he was born and why he has a beard.
Hiroshi is a lively boy in the third grade of elementary school. He has a kind personality, but is a bit timid. At school, Kumano-kun has his eye on him, and he admires Higepiyo's strength in standing up to him.
・Papa Hiroshi's father supports the Haneda family. He is usually busy with work and doesn't have much time to play with Hiroshi. However, since Higepiyo came, he is happy that Hiroshi has become more energetic than before.
・Mama Hiroshi's mom. Hiroshi is an only child and is a little happy that he has a new family member called Higepiyo. Higepiyo helps his mom with the housework during the day.
・A classmate of Kumano Hiroshi. He has two henchmen who constantly pick on Hiroshi. He has a strong admiration for Higepiyo, who is with Hiroshi. In fact, his family is wealthy.
・Kato Higepiyo is a chick seller at a night market. He looks like a handsome guy, but what is his true identity?
Emi-chan is Hiroshi's classmate. She falls in love at first sight with Higepiyo, who has a beard, and thinks he's cute for some reason. She is good friends with Rio-chan and Yui-chan.
- Teacher Haruko Hiroshi's class teacher. He is usually kind and gentle, but sometimes he gets angry. He doesn't mind the talking chick in the classroom.

■Subtitle

・1Piyo/It's a chick!? (2009/04/03)
・2Piyo/Cute, right!? (2009/04/10)
・3Piyo/What is a cherry blossom viewing!? (2009/04/17)
・4Piyo/A second helping is a fight!?(2009/04/24)
・5Piyo/Strawberry Feelings!?(2009/05/01)
・6Piyo/It's a Man's Castle!? (2009/05/08)
・7Piyo/It's an onion!? (2009/05/15)
・8Piyo/It's not a pet!? (2009/05/22)
・9Piyo/It's a nice bath!? (2009/05/29)
・10 Piyo/Pick it up!?(2009/06/05)
・11 Piyo/I'm a Samurai!? (2009/06/12)
・12 Piyo/Meat Man!? (2009/06/19)
・13 Piyo/I don't have any weaknesses!?(2009/06/26)
・14 Piyo/It's my birthday!? (2009/07/10)
・15 Piyo/Continuation of my birthday!? (2009/07/17)
・16 Piyo/Let's compete in the pool!? (2009/07/24)
・17 Piyo/It's a test of courage!? (2009/07/31)
・18 Piyo/Beard Piyo vs. Mecha Piyo!? (2009/09/04)
・19 Piyo/The Mystery of Bearded Piyo!? (2009/09/11)
・20 Piyo/Good job!? (2009/09/18)
・21 Piyo/Gal Piyo!? (2009/09/25)
・22 Piyo/Is she still a gal?! (2009/09/25)
・23Piyo/Sports Day!? (2009/10/09)
・24Piyo/Nursing!? (2009/10/16)
・25 Piyo/It's a better bath!? (2009/10/23)
・26Piyo/It's our secret!? (2009/10/30)
・27 Piyo/I can't get out!? (2009/11/06)
・28Piyo/It's a chick cake!? (2009/11/13)
・29 Piyo/I can't sleep!? (2009/11/20)
・30 Piyo/It's a period drama!? (2009/11/27)
・31Piyo/It's Christmas!? (2009/12/04)
・32Piyo/It's a school play!? (2010/01/08)
・33Piyo/I'm pretending to be someone else!?(2010/01/15)
・34 Piyo/It's a croquette shop!? (2010/01/22)
・35 Piyo/I can't sleep again!? (2010/01/22)
・36Piyo/Handmade with love!?(2010/01/29)
・37 Piyo/Mecha Piyo's Counterattack!? (2010/02/05)
・38 Piyo/Conveyor belt sushi!?(2010/02/12)
・39 Piyo/Naming!? (2010/02/19)

■ Related works

・Higepiyo omnibus

HigePiyo - HigePiyo - Reviews and Recommendations

"Higepiyo" is a TV anime series based on a manga by Risa Ito that aired on NHK Educational Television from 2009 to 2010. This is a comedy anime that depicts the daily life of "Higepiyo", a bearded chick sold at a festival stall, and his owners, the Haneda family. Although it was a short series of 39 episodes, each episode lasting only 8 minutes, it provided viewers with laughter and emotion.

Story and Characters

The story of "Higepiyo" begins when Higepiyo is welcomed into the Haneda family. Higepiyo is different from ordinary chicks in that he has a beard. There are many mysteries surrounding the reason for his beard and Higepiyo's past, but this is one of the charms of the story.

The main character, Higepiyo, is manly and brave, and sometimes struggles to protect his family. In particular, he builds a deep bond with a third-grade boy named Hiroshi, and supports his growth. Hiroshi is a kind person, but at school he is bullied by a classmate named Kumano. Higepiyo's actions to protect Hiroshi move viewers.

The Haneda family's father and mother are also important characters. The father is busy with work and has little time to play with Hiroshi, but he is happy that Hiroshi has become healthier since Higepiyo came to live with them. The mother accepts Higepiyo as a new family member and has him help with the housework during the day. The relationships between these characters play an important role in depicting the family ties and friendships.

Animation and Music

The animation for "HigePiyo" was produced by KINEMA CITRUS, a studio that has worked on many popular works in recent years, such as "Made in Abyss" and "The Promised Neverland." In "HigePiyo," the characters' movements and expressions are drawn in great detail, which is particularly effective in the comedy scenes. The color design and art direction are also excellent, making it a visually enjoyable work.

The music was composed by Toshiro Masuda, and its light and cheerful melody enhances the atmosphere of the story. The opening theme, "Higepiyo's Theme," is especially popular as a memorable song for viewers. The sound effects were also done by Azuki Daizu, and Higepiyo's voice and sound effects add realism to the story.

Broadcast and audience reaction

"Higepiyo" was broadcast as part of NHK Educational Television's "Tensai Terebikun MAX Bit World." This program is an educational program for children, and "Higepiyo" was produced as part of it. However, the content is enjoyable not only for children, but also for adults. The response from viewers was very good, and the character Higepiyo was especially loved, giving birth to many fans.

Although "Hige Piyo" is a short series of 39 episodes, each episode has a different theme and story, so viewers will not get bored. For example, episodes set around events such as sports days, Christmas, and birthdays often feature scenes that deepen the bonds between family members and friendships, warming the hearts of viewers.

Related works and recommendations

There is also a compilation of "Hige Piyo". This compilation is a collection of particularly memorable scenes from the 39 episodes, and is recommended for those who are watching "Hige Piyo" for the first time. The original manga is also serialized in Shueisha's "Chorus", and it has a different appeal from the anime.

The reasons why we recommend "HigePiyo" are as follows.

• Family ties and friendship : Through the relationship between HigePiyo and the Haneda family, you can feel the importance of family ties and friendship.
• Humorous and moving : There are many comedic scenes that will keep you laughing, but there are also some touching scenes that will keep the audience engaged.
• Appealing characters : The characters, including HigePiyo, are unique and capture the hearts of viewers.
• Enjoyable in a short amount of time : Each episode is only 8 minutes long, but it is packed with content and can be enjoyed easily even by busy people.

"Higepiyo" is a work that can be enjoyed by both children and adults, making it perfect for watching with the whole family. It is especially recommended for those who want to be moved by Higepiyo's bravery and the warm relationship of the Haneda family. It is also recommended for anime fans, as it features beautiful animation by KINEMA CITRUS and music by Toshiro Masuda.

Lastly, despite its short broadcast period, "Higepiyo" was loved by many viewers and became a memorable work. Please watch it once and experience its charm.