TV-Series
Description
Poco is a small boy with blond hair who is first found sleeping inside a cooking pot in the closed family udon restaurant in Kagawa Prefecture. He appears to be around kindergarten age, but he is actually a tanuki that has been living in the Kagawa region for many years and possesses the rare ability to take human form. Because his transformation is not perfect, his furry ears and tail tend to appear whenever he becomes excited.
In personality, Poco is curious, energetic, and very fond of food. His favorite things include udon, frogs, and fruit, and he is known to eat raw udon in a way that surprises the people around him. He is also drawn to a children's television program featuring the character Gaogao-chan, and he gradually learns to speak human language over the course of the story. His motivations are simple and childlike: he explores the world around him with curiosity, follows his appetite, and seeks closeness with the people who care for him. Having lived a lonely existence before being taken in, he quickly forms a strong attachment to Souta, the man who discovers him.
Poco's role in the story is central. Souta takes him in after realizing he is a shapeshifting tanuki, names him Poco, and introduces him to others as a relative's child. Their daily life together drives the narrative, as caring for Poco leads Souta to reconnect with his hometown, revisit memories of his own childhood, and reflect on his relationship with his late father. Through Poco's presence, Souta gradually moves away from his initial plans to leave and ultimately decides to remain in Kagawa and keep the family business alive.
Among his key relationships, the bond with Souta is the most important. What begins as an obligation grows into a genuine family-like connection, with Poco becoming something like a son to Souta. He also forms friendships with children in the area, including Nozomi, the daughter of Souta's former classmate, and he interacts warmly with the neighbors and other adults in the community. He is especially attached to frogs and enjoys spending time with them.
Over the course of the story, Poco develops noticeably. His speech improves as he learns to communicate in human language, and he becomes more accustomed to everyday human routines and customs. His transformation ability remains tied to his emotions, and he continues to slip back into his tanuki form at unexpected moments, but he grows more comfortable in the life Souta provides. His warm, curious nature and his growing bond with Souta make him the emotional center of the anime, and his presence is what allows Souta to heal old wounds and embrace the past he had left behind.
In personality, Poco is curious, energetic, and very fond of food. His favorite things include udon, frogs, and fruit, and he is known to eat raw udon in a way that surprises the people around him. He is also drawn to a children's television program featuring the character Gaogao-chan, and he gradually learns to speak human language over the course of the story. His motivations are simple and childlike: he explores the world around him with curiosity, follows his appetite, and seeks closeness with the people who care for him. Having lived a lonely existence before being taken in, he quickly forms a strong attachment to Souta, the man who discovers him.
Poco's role in the story is central. Souta takes him in after realizing he is a shapeshifting tanuki, names him Poco, and introduces him to others as a relative's child. Their daily life together drives the narrative, as caring for Poco leads Souta to reconnect with his hometown, revisit memories of his own childhood, and reflect on his relationship with his late father. Through Poco's presence, Souta gradually moves away from his initial plans to leave and ultimately decides to remain in Kagawa and keep the family business alive.
Among his key relationships, the bond with Souta is the most important. What begins as an obligation grows into a genuine family-like connection, with Poco becoming something like a son to Souta. He also forms friendships with children in the area, including Nozomi, the daughter of Souta's former classmate, and he interacts warmly with the neighbors and other adults in the community. He is especially attached to frogs and enjoys spending time with them.
Over the course of the story, Poco develops noticeably. His speech improves as he learns to communicate in human language, and he becomes more accustomed to everyday human routines and customs. His transformation ability remains tied to his emotions, and he continues to slip back into his tanuki form at unexpected moments, but he grows more comfortable in the life Souta provides. His warm, curious nature and his growing bond with Souta make him the emotional center of the anime, and his presence is what allows Souta to heal old wounds and embrace the past he had left behind.