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Di Gi Charat | |
デ・ジ・キャラット (De Ji Kyaratto) | |
---|---|
Genre | Comedy, science fiction[1] |
Manga | |
Gema Gema | |
Written by | Koge-Donbo |
Published by | Broccoli Books |
Magazine | From GAMERS |
Demographic | Shōnen |
Original run | August 1998 – February 1999 |
Audio drama | |
Dejiko's Room | |
Studio | Broccoli |
Station | Radio Osaka |
Original run | October 1999 – September 2001 |
Anime television series | |
Directed by | Hiroaki Sakurai |
Produced by | Tetsuo Gensho Yoshiyuki Ochiai |
Written by | Hiroaki Sakurai Nobuharu Kamanaka |
Studio | Madhouse |
Licensed by |
|
Original network | TBS |
Original run | November 29, 1999 – December 23, 1999 |
Episodes | 16 |
Anime television series | |
Di Gi Charat - Summer Special 2000 | |
Directed by | Hiroaki Sakurai |
Studio | Madhouse |
Licensed by | |
Original network | TBS |
Original run | August 22, 2000 – August 23, 2000 |
Episodes | 2 |
Anime television series | |
Di Gi Charat - Christmas Special | |
Directed by | Hiroaki Sakurai Wataru Takahashi |
Studio | Madhouse |
Licensed by | |
Original network | TBS |
Original run | December 16, 2000 |
Episodes | 1 |
Manga | |
Dejiko's Champion Cup | |
Written by | Koge-Donbo |
Published by | Akita Shoten |
Magazine | Weekly Shōnen Champion |
Demographic | Shōnen |
Original run | April 2001 – August 1, 2002 |
Volumes | 1 |
Anime television series | |
Di Gi Charat - Ohanami Special | |
Directed by | Hiroaki Sakurai |
Written by | Toru Takahashi |
Studio | Madhouse |
Licensed by | |
Original network | TBS |
Original run | April 6, 2001 |
Episodes | 4 |
Anime television series | |
Di Gi Charat - Natsuyasumi Special | |
Directed by | Hiroaki Sakurai Toru Takahashi |
Studio | Madhouse |
Licensed by | |
Original network | TBS |
Original run | August 2, 2001 – August 3, 2001 |
Episodes | 4 |
Anime television series | |
Di Gi Charat - Tsuyu Special | |
Directed by | Hiroaki Sakurai |
Written by | Toru Takahashi |
Studio | Madhouse |
Licensed by | |
Original network | TBS |
Original run | August 25, 2001 |
Episodes | 2 |
Audio drama | |
Dejiko's Room 2 | |
Studio | Broccoli |
Station | Radio Osaka, Nippon Cultural Broadcasting, SBC, MRO, Tokai Radio, RKB |
Original run | October 2001 – March 2002 |
Anime film | |
Di Gi Charat - A Trip to the Planet | |
Directed by | Hiroaki Sakurai |
Produced by | Takeshi Yasuda |
Written by | Hiroaki Sakurai Mamiko Ikeda |
Studio | Madhouse |
Released | December 22, 2001 |
Runtime | 25 minutes |
Audio drama | |
Dejiko-san | |
Studio | Broccoli |
Station | Radio Osaka, HBC, TBC, Nippon Cultural Broadcasting, SBC, MRO, Tokai Radio, RNB, RKB, Radio Okinawa |
Original run | April 5, 2002 – March 28, 2003 |
Original video animation | |
Di Gi Charat Theater - Leave it to Piyoko-pyo! | |
Directed by | Hiroaki Sakurai |
Produced by | Masao Morosawa Tetsuro Satomi Youko Nakano |
Written by | Mamiko Ikeda |
Studio | Madhouse |
Licensed by | |
Released | March 2003 – May 2003 |
Episodes | 8 |
Audio drama | |
It's G.A.-nyo | |
Studio | Broccoli |
Station | Radio Osaka, HBC, Nippon Cultural Broadcasting, SBC, Tokai Radio, RKB |
Original run | April 5, 2003 – September 6, 2003 |
Audio drama | |
Nyo Nyo Radio | |
Studio | Broccoli |
Station | Radio Osaka, Nippon Cultural Broadcasting, Tokai Radio |
Original run | October 3, 2003 – March 26, 2004 |
Audio drama | |
Nyo Nyo Radio | |
Studio | Broccoli |
Station | Radio Osaka, Nippon Cultural Broadcasting, Tokai Radio |
Original run | April 2, 2004 – September 24, 2004 |
Manga | |
Winter Garden | |
Written by | Koge-Donbo |
Published by | SB Creative |
Magazine | Comi Digi + |
Demographic | Seinen |
Original run | December 21, 2006 – February 21, 2007 |
Volumes | 2 |
Anime television series | |
Winter Garden | |
Directed by | Hiroaki Sakurai |
Produced by | Shinichi Nakamura Takashi Takano |
Written by | Hiroaki Sakurai |
Studio | J.C.Staff |
Licensed by | |
Original network | TBS, BS-i |
Original run | December 23, 2006 – December 24, 2006 |
Episodes | 2 |
Anime television series | |
Reiwa no Di Gi Charat | |
Directed by | Hiroaki Sakurai |
Studio | Liden Films |
Original network | Tokyo MX, BS NTV |
Original run | October 7, 2022 – January 3, 2023 |
Episodes | 16 |
Related works | |
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Di Gi Charat (デ・ジ・キャラット, De Ji Kyaratto) is a Japanese manga and anime series created by Koge-Donbo. The series follows a catgirl named Di Gi Charat "Dejiko" who was adopted as the mascot of Broccoli's retail chain store, Gamers. The original anime series and its original video animations (OVAs) are set in a Gamers store. There are twenty Gamers stores across Japan.
Several specials, OVAs, and movies have been adapted as prequels, sequels and alternate stories; trading cards and video games are among the many forms of merchandise released for the series.[2] The original series, movie, and Leave It to Piyoko! were licensed in North America by Synch-Point. The manga series is licensed by several companies. The original series, 4 specials and the Winter Garden special are now licensed by Sentai Filmworks.[3]
The characters of Di Gi Charat and her sidekick Gema first appeared in July 1998 in From Gamers, a promotional magazine for the Akihabara store, Gamers. In August of that year, the two appeared in Gema Gema (げまげま, Gema Gema), a four-panel comic-strip in From Gamers drawn by dōjin artist Koge-Donbo. Dejiko was later adopted as the mascot of Gamers.
Broccoli Books in the US published the Di Gi Charat Theater series, which contain a number of Di Gi Charat manga by Koge Donbo and several dōjin artists. The comic strip Gema Gema, which still runs in From Gamers, is republished in these volumes. Broccoli Books have stated that all the manga will be translated and released.[4] However, due to Broccoli closing their offices in the US in 2008, Dejiko's Adventure and Leave It to Piyoko! were left unfinished.
Current Di Gi Charat manga released in North America:
Comic Di Gi, a bimonthly magazine that is issued by Broccoli, included a Di Gi Charat comic called GemaGema Theater by Koge-Donbo.
No. | Japanese release date | Japanese ISBN |
---|---|---|
1 | August 25, 2000[5] | 978-4840213967 |
2 | October 15, 2000[6] | 978-4840216883 |
3 | November 24, 2000[7] | 978-4840217040 |
4 | March 2003[8] | 978-4840222402 |
5 | June 2003[9] | 978-4840224154 |
6 | October 2003[10] | 978-4840224741 |
No. | Title | Japanese release date | Japanese ISBN |
---|---|---|---|
1 | Digiko's Champion Cup Theater Dejiko no Chanpion Kappu Gekijō (でじこのチャンピオンカップ劇場) | September 26, 2002[11] | 978-4253201254 |
1* | Digiko's Champion Cup Theater - Limited Edition Dejiko no Chanpion Kappu Gekijō - Genteiban (でじこのチャンピオンカップ劇場 限定版) | 2002[12] | 978-4938867850 |
An animated Dejiko and her sidekick Gema first appeared on in a television advertisement for Gamers, set to the store's theme song, Welcome! by Hiroko Kato. The first anime premiered on the Tokyo Broadcasting System on November 29, 1999. Set in a Gamers store in Akihabara, the original series was sixteen episodes long with each episode running for three minutes. Light-hearted and relatively cheaply animated, the series follows the story of Di Gi Charat (Dejiko), her new sidekick Petit Charat (Puchiko) and Gema, who arrive in Akihabara, Tokyo. Dejiko dreams of becoming an idol, only to realize that they have no money and nowhere to stay. The manager of a Gamers store takes pity on them, and the series follows their exploits as they work in the shop. The series introduces Dejiko's rival, Rabi-en-Rose, and minor characters Abarenbou, Takeshi, Yoshimi, Takurou and Takurou. All other citizens of Akihabara, including the manager, are drawn as anthropomorphic thumbs, the reason being that Akihabara is one of the largest shopping areas of Earth for video games, among other things, and thumbs are most commonly used by people to press buttons while playing video games. The creative team was given free rein over the content of Di Gi Charat,[13] and it is outrageous at times.[clarification needed] The anime is directed by Hiroaki Sakurai, animated by Madhouse and produced by Broccoli.
As 2008 was the 10th anniversary of the series Di Gi Charat, Broccoli Inc. decided to recast the actresses of the main characters of Di Gi Charat. The new actress for Dejiko, Puchiko, and Usada were Satomi Akesaka, Nao Minakami, and Rieka Yazawa respectively.
However, as of the 15th anniversary in 2013, Broccoli Inc. has since reverted to using their original voice actresses and retconned the 10th Anniversary in a comic.[14]
For the series' 24th anniversary, a new mini anime series titled Reiwa no Di Gi Charat has been announced. Hiroaki Sakurai is directing the new series at Liden Films, with Atsuko Watanabe providing the character designs.[15] It aired from October 7, 2022, to January 3, 2023, on Tokyo MX and BS NTV.[16] The theme song is "Aimaisa, Kōfukuron" by Masami Okui.[17]
Despite the series' low budget and its status as an advertisement for a games store, sequels for Di Gi Charat, several feature-length Di Gi Charat special episodes and OVAs, followed. Each special was around twenty minutes long. The specials introduce the Black Gema Gema Gang (Black Gema Gema Dan) and Dejiko's rival, Pyocola Analogue III (Piyoko).
Di Gi Charat - A Trip to the Planet (デ・ジ・キャラット 星の旅, Di Gi Charat - Hoshi no Tabi) is a movie that premiered on December 22, 2001 in Japan. The twenty-minute animation follows the adventures of Dejiko, Piyoko and Gema as they use the spaceship seen in the first episode to travel back to Dejiko's home planet, Planet Di Gi Charat. It was licensed by Synch-Point and announced at Anime Boston 2003 along with Leave It to Piyoko!.[19]
Synch-Point planned to include a 13-minute bonus episode called "Kuchi kara Bazooka" ("Rocket From the Mouth Special" or "Upchuck Bazooka") that was also included in the Japanese release, but it was never released.[20]
A prequel of sorts with its own alternate continuity, Panyo Panyo aired from January 5, 2002 until September 29, 2002. The characters are drawn to look much younger. Princess Dejiko and Puchiko wish to escape castle life to help people of Planet Di Gi Charat achieve happiness. Pyocola Analogue III and hologram Digi Devil try to stop her. In this series Dejiko, Puchiko and Gema meet friends Meek and Rinna.
Panyo Panyo was arranged into five-minute mini episodes in order to make it feel like classic four panel manga. Panyo Panyo did not have the wide open endings which the original series had.
Di Gi Charat Theater - Leave it to Piyoko-pyo! (デ・ジ・キャラット劇場 ぴよこにおまかせぴょ!, De Ji Kyaratto Gekijō - Piyoko ni Omakase-pyo!) is an eight episode OVA that was released in 2003. The OVA is the only show in the series where Dejiko is not the main character. Instead it focuses on Piyoko, Rik, Ky, Coo, and the rest of the Black Gema Gema Gang as they leave Planet Analogue and make their way to Earth to kidnap Dejiko.
At Anime Boston 2003, Synch-Point announced they have acquired North American distribution rights to the OVA.[19] It was released on two DVDs on November 15, 2005 and March 7, 2006. Miyuki Sawashiro, the voice actor of Puchiko, also dubbed Puchiko in English for the first six episodes. It marked the first time a Japanese voice actor repeated their role in English for an English anime dub.[21]
An alternate story to the original series, Nyo!, aired from April 6, 2003 until March 28, 2004. There were two stories for each of the fifty-two twenty-minute episodes.
Winter Garden (ウィンターガーデン, Uintā Gāden) is a two part spin-off series. Dejiko is around 20 years old and Puchiko is now around 15. Until recently, this was also the last animated project to feature the original voices of the characters. The story starts on Christmas with Dejiko working at a cake shop. She meets a young man named Senba Takuro while going home on Christmas night. Dejiko accidentally drops her cake, but Takuro exchanges his for hers, and love starts after several unplanned meetings with each other.
A promotional video premiered at Anime Expo 2006 during the Di Gi Charat panel sponsored by TBS, PONYCANYON and Broccoli. The series first aired on TBS on December 23, 2006 and December 24, 2006 and later on BS-i.[22]
Name | Type | Relation | Length | Year |
Di Gi Charat | TV | Original | 16 x 4 mins | 1999 |
Summer 2000 | Special | Side Story | 4 x 11 mins | 2000 |
Christmas | Special | Side Story | 1 x 23 mins | 2000 |
Ohanami | Special | Side Story | 4 x 10 mins | 2001 |
Natsuyasumi | Special | Side Story | 4 x 11 mins | 2001 |
Tsuyu | Special | Side Story | 2 x 13 mins | 2001 |
Hoshi no Tabi | Movie | Side Story | 1 x 21 mins | 2001 |
Kuchi Kara Bazooka | Special | Side Story | 1 x 13 mins | 2001 |
Panyo Panyo Di Gi Charat | TV | Prequel | 48 x 8 mins | 2002 |
Piyoko ni Omakase pyo! | OVA | Side Story | 8 x 15 mins | 2003 |
Di Gi Charat Nyo | TV | Alternative Version | 104 x 12 mins | 2003 |
Winter Garden | Special | Alternative Version | 2 x 23 mins | 2006 |
Most of the characters of Di Gi Charat originally debuted in the yonkoma Gema Gema, and later appeared in the anime series. Across all of the Di Gi Charat series, each catgirl ends their sentence with a cat sounding suffix, such as Dejiko's Nyo. The four DVDs of the series Panyo Panyo Di Gi Charat are named after each of the four catgirl's onomatopoeia. Piyoko talks in a similar manner.
Di Gi Charat (デ・ジ・キャラット, De Ji Kyaratto) / Dejiko (でじこ, Dejiko)
Petit Charat (プチ・キャラット, Puchi Kyaratto) / Puchiko (ぷちこ, Puchiko)
Hikaru Usada (うさだ ヒカル, Usada Hikaru) / Rabi~en~Rose (ラ・ビ・アン・ローズ, Rabi~an~Rōzu)
Pyocola Analogue III (ピョコラ=アナローグIII世, Pyokora Anarōgu San-sei) / Piyoko (ぴよこ, Piyoko)
Takeshi - Voiced by: Ryo Naito (Japanese); Taliesin Jaffe (English) and Yoshimi - Voiced by: Morihisa Mori (Japanese); Liam O'Brien (English)
A boy who comes into the store to buy trading cards and falls in love with Rabi-en-Rose, in the Reiwa anime, is confirmed that he and Rabi-in-Rose study in the same school. Enjoys melonpan. Not related to Kimura, though they share the same first name.
A rich and long-haired man infatuated with Puchiko's cuteness and have a problem with the suffix that some characters use at the end. Not related to Minagawa.
A rowdy creature seemingly made of water. His appearances in the series are always incredibly random and crazy.
An excitable American fan of Di Gi Charat.
A thoughtful finger-person who runs Gamers and sends Dejiko on errands.
A cat who is Puchiko's sidekick. It can walk sideways and has five kittens; Sa, Shi, Su, Se, and So. During the time between Di Gi Charat and Reiwa no Di Gi Charat, it takes the place of Puchiko in the store when she and Dejiko are in the Di Gi Charat Planet.
A small green creature likened to a kappa, is Rabi-en-Rose's sidekick. During the time between DiGi Charat and Reiwa no Di Gi Charat, it takes the place of Rabi-en-Rose in the store, meanwhile she is very busy with the exams and homework.
Henna Ikimono (変な生き物, Henna Ikimono, lit. "Strange Creature") A mysterious, tiny, yellow bear. Its face always appears to be angry, crying, depressed and laughing at the same time. It always remains in its box and is always seen as being completely still. On one side of the box, "Please give me a home" is written in Japanese. It can eat things bigger than itself. In Party Night, he ate the Earth.
Broccodes
She is the goddess of Broccoli's company. She appears for first time in Reiwa no Di Gi Charat, replacing Dejiko when she and Puchiko are in the Di Gi Charat Planet during the time between Di Gi Charat and Reiwa no Di Gi Charat. The only two that knows about the change are Dejiko and Gamers's Manager.
Bushimo-no-Mikoto
She is the goddess of Bushiroad's company, she had as aspect of a devil samurai, is kouhai of Broccodes and is a fan of the original anime. She appears for first time in Reiwa no Di Gi Charat
A great number of Di Gi Charat albums have been released, including soundtracks to the anime as well as collections of original songs sung by the main characters. These albums include drama CDs which expand the Di Gi Charat story.
A game titled Di Gi Charat Fantasy was released for the Dreamcast. It's a visual novel style game, in which the player takes on the role of a boy with a crush on Dejiko who, along with Dejiko, Puchiko, and Rabi-en-Rose, gets sucked through a dimensional vortex into a fantasy world. The player finds himself alone with Dejiko in a forest, and she's lost her memory. In this game, players are given a very different view of Dejiko, as the amnesia makes her innocent and shy.
This game later was ported to PlayStation 2 and was renamed Di Gi Charat Fantasy Excellent. Since the PS2 version uses DVD-ROM media, it features improved FMV cutscenes and additional VA. The PS2 port came with a Standard release and a "Premium Box" release that contained one extra disc.
Di Gi Charat: Digi-communication I & II
Digi-communication (でじこミュニケーション, Dejikomyunikēshon) is a game series for the Game Boy Advance. On October 25, 2002, the first game was released by Broccoli, the sequel a year later. The games are based on money management. Choosing one of the three main characters of the anime, the player takes the role as the manager of the store with the objective of running the store on the little money available. The game takes aspects of the anime into its gameplay including character art and an instrumental music score of popular songs from the anime composed by Manabu Namiki for the games.
Glove on Fight
Dejiko appeared as a selectable character in the 2D fighting game Glove on Fight for the PC. The game contains several popular mascot characters such as Ecoco and characters from well known visual novels and anime such as To Heart and Tsukihime. This was a fanmade (or doujinshi) game by the circle French-Bread.
Dejiko no Maibura
Dreamcast game.
Dejiko no Mahjong Party
Game Boy Color game.
Di Gi Charat Puzzle
Game for iOS.
Zac Bertschy of Anime News Network gave a review of the limited edition Di Gi Charat volume 1 release with saying “Even if you're turned off by the cute little characters, give Di Gi Charat: The Original Series a spin. Even the crankiest and most jaded of anime fans will appreciate the wildly original and very funny humor. It's never weird simply for the sake of being weird; everything that happens in the show is in the name of comedy, and the series religiously follows its own twisted logic." Tho would give a comment on the dub being very poor.[25] Later Carl Kimlinger from Anime News Network gave Di Gi Charat Nyo's first DVD a review in which he describes Dejiko having a "mercenary personality and butt-scratching manners" with a "frilly-cute exterior".[26] In Panyo Panyo Di Gi Charat, Carlo Santos from Anime News Network describes Dejiko having a temper that "adds some spice to her goody-goody nature".[27] In contrast, in the alternate story Winter Garden where she is now twenty, Chris Beveridge from the Fandom Post describes Dejiko as a "normal young woman".[28]