Chibimaruko Chan

Chibi Maruko-chan is a popular Japanese manga series by Momoko Sakura. This Manga series became so popular that an anime TV series started in 1990. Chibi maruko-chan is actually the author’s nickname. Momoko Sakura created this anime series based on her own childhood and her family. Chibi Maruko-Chan is a 9 years old girl from a typical Japanese family around that time. Each character has a unique personality, which makes it even more interesting to read the Manga series or to watch the show. I’ve read the whole series of Chibimaruko-chan, and just like Doraemon, I remember looking forward to this show which was aired on every Sunday. I highly recommend that you watch this Anime series if you are interested in learning Japanese language and culture. We have so much to learn from watching movies and Anime. Chibi literally means “shorty” in English, whereas Maru means “round” or “rounded”. The main character, Momoko Sakura (the author), was short and small, so people called her “Chibi Maruko”. She lives with her parents and grandparents, and her older sister, whom she doesn’t always get a long with. It is not so common for grandparents to live with their grandchildren nowadays, but at that time (in late 60s and 70s), it was not rare. The family is relatively rare, but they have a good sense of humor and positive attitudes toward life. Her grandfather is really funny, and he is always making silly comments and creating poems in his head. Chibi Maruko-chan’s classmates also have very unique characteristics, and they are extremely funny. This Anime became such a hit, and the author has been publishing her own travel diaries and essays based on the Anime.

Wikipedia offers the detailed information on this popular Manga series. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chibi_Maruko-chan