Principal Hige is a supporting character in Gan Gan Ganko-chan, the anime adaptation of the long-running NHK children's puppet series Zawa Zawa Mori no Ganko-chan. His name is a direct description of his appearance and position: Hige means mustache, and kōchō means principal, so the character is defined at a glance by his title and his prominent facial hair. He serves as the head of the school in the Rustling Forest, the community where the series takes place.

The world of Gan Gan Ganko-chan is set in a distant future in which human beings have disappeared and intelligent animals, including dinosaurs, have built their own society. Principal Hige holds the main position of authority within this society's school, the place where the young characters receive their education. In that capacity, he is the adult figure who presides over school life, overseeing the routines, gatherings, and general order of the school. Because the series has its roots in moral-education programming for young children, his role is that of a steady guiding presence rather than a source of conflict.

Little is developed about his personal background. He has no notable family story or individual motivation beyond his duties, and his personality is conveyed mainly through his role rather than through extended scenes. He belongs to a small group of adult school staff that includes other teachers, and his interactions are chiefly with the schoolchildren who are the focus of the series. The character is one of the few in the franchise with a hint of unusual longevity: in a time-travel story told in the broader Ganko-chan series, set long before the main timeline, Principal Hige is already present. He has no special abilities; his authority, his mustache, and his consistent presence as principal are what define him. He does not undergo a development arc, remaining a stable figure of order throughout the series.