TV-Series
Description
Poyo is the central character of the anime Poyopoyo. He is a male cat with a perfectly round, orange body who lives with the Satou family on their farm in the Japanese countryside. Before being adopted, he lived as a stray in a rough part of the city where drinkers fed him, so his early history is mostly unknown, though he is believed to have spent time around the local bar district. He was found by Moe Satou, a young woman who, while drunk one night, mistook him for a pillow and fell asleep on top of him. When she woke up the next morning, she decided to take him home, and he has lived with the family ever since. His name comes from his round shape, and he has a distinctive, soft-sounding vocalization that sounds more like "hiea" than a typical cat's meow.
Despite looking like a soft, round cushion, Poyo is not an ordinary cat. His body is almost entirely muscle, and he is extremely agile and athletic, able to move quickly, catch insects and mice, and hold his own against stray cats and aggressive crows. He is sometimes mistaken for a stuffed toy or a fat cat by people who see him for the first time, but his physical abilities are far beyond what his appearance suggests. He is also a very clean and well-mannered house cat, generally refraining from scratching furniture, with the notable exception of Hide's bookshelf.
In terms of personality, Poyo is calm, serious, kind, and protective. He has a strong sense of justice and is quick to chase away animals that bully others and to help those who are weak or in trouble. He does not behave much like a typical cat, and he seems to understand the people around him, which points to a high level of intelligence. He is respected and admired by both animals and humans, and he is seen as a big-brother or boss figure among the neighborhood cats. Despite his composed demeanor, he has clear fears and dislikes, including lightning, going to the vet, getting wet, hot weather, and frogs. He also has a mischievous side and enjoys playing pranks, especially on Hide, with whom he frequently bickers and gets into playful fights.
Poyo's motivations are simple and centered on his daily life: he loves food and sleeping, enjoys being spoiled, and feels a strong urge to protect the weak and care for the people and animals he is close to. He is loyal to his family and often acts as a gentle peacemaker in the household, even as he stirs up trouble in small ways. His role in the story is that of the main character, with the anime structured as a series of short, everyday observations of his life with the Satou family and their neighbors. Through his presence, he influences the people around him and becomes a connecting figure in the community.
His most important relationship is with Moe, who dotes on him and loves him deeply. Poyo enjoys being spoiled by her, though he becomes annoyed when she compares other round objects to him or pays more attention to them. His relationship with Hide is more complicated. Hide is Moe's younger brother, a high school student, and at first he does not get along with Poyo. Over time, however, he grows somewhat attached to the cat, even though he tries to hide it. Poyo treats Hide almost like a minion, teases him, scratches his belongings, and sleeps on top of him at night, while Hide finds him mysterious and studies his behavior. Despite their constant squabbling, the two develop a brotherly bond. Poyo also has a warm relationship with Shigeru, the father of the family, a strong farmer who dotes on him and spoils him despite his tough outward manner.
Beyond the family, Poyo is close to Kuro, a black cat owned by the elderly neighbor Hana Sugita. Kuro regards Poyo as his mate and often tries to mount him, which has led Sugita to mistakenly believe that Poyo is female. Poyo tolerates this behavior and cares for Kuro, always stepping in to protect him from bullies. He also rescues an elegant cat named Eri-chan after she falls from a tree, and she develops romantic feelings for him, becoming a rival to Kuro. Another neighbor, Yuka Tanaka, is afraid of animals and initially thinks Poyo is a mythical round snake when she sees him in her garden, but he becomes the first animal she grows comfortable with, which helps her overcome her fear. He is generally liked by the humans and animals he meets, and he takes on the role of a dependable guardian figure in the area.
Over the course of the series, Poyo develops from a stray with an unknown past into a beloved and settled member of the Satou household. His bond with Hide deepens gradually, moving from mutual annoyance to a grudging attachment, and he becomes a source of comfort and connection for the whole family. Later material reveals that Poyo once had blood-related siblings who look just like him, though this is part of his backstory rather than the main focus of the anime. His notable abilities include his remarkable speed and agility, his hunting skills, his physical strength despite his round frame, and his keen understanding of human behavior, all of which allow him to act as both a playful companion and a protector of the weak in his community.
Despite looking like a soft, round cushion, Poyo is not an ordinary cat. His body is almost entirely muscle, and he is extremely agile and athletic, able to move quickly, catch insects and mice, and hold his own against stray cats and aggressive crows. He is sometimes mistaken for a stuffed toy or a fat cat by people who see him for the first time, but his physical abilities are far beyond what his appearance suggests. He is also a very clean and well-mannered house cat, generally refraining from scratching furniture, with the notable exception of Hide's bookshelf.
In terms of personality, Poyo is calm, serious, kind, and protective. He has a strong sense of justice and is quick to chase away animals that bully others and to help those who are weak or in trouble. He does not behave much like a typical cat, and he seems to understand the people around him, which points to a high level of intelligence. He is respected and admired by both animals and humans, and he is seen as a big-brother or boss figure among the neighborhood cats. Despite his composed demeanor, he has clear fears and dislikes, including lightning, going to the vet, getting wet, hot weather, and frogs. He also has a mischievous side and enjoys playing pranks, especially on Hide, with whom he frequently bickers and gets into playful fights.
Poyo's motivations are simple and centered on his daily life: he loves food and sleeping, enjoys being spoiled, and feels a strong urge to protect the weak and care for the people and animals he is close to. He is loyal to his family and often acts as a gentle peacemaker in the household, even as he stirs up trouble in small ways. His role in the story is that of the main character, with the anime structured as a series of short, everyday observations of his life with the Satou family and their neighbors. Through his presence, he influences the people around him and becomes a connecting figure in the community.
His most important relationship is with Moe, who dotes on him and loves him deeply. Poyo enjoys being spoiled by her, though he becomes annoyed when she compares other round objects to him or pays more attention to them. His relationship with Hide is more complicated. Hide is Moe's younger brother, a high school student, and at first he does not get along with Poyo. Over time, however, he grows somewhat attached to the cat, even though he tries to hide it. Poyo treats Hide almost like a minion, teases him, scratches his belongings, and sleeps on top of him at night, while Hide finds him mysterious and studies his behavior. Despite their constant squabbling, the two develop a brotherly bond. Poyo also has a warm relationship with Shigeru, the father of the family, a strong farmer who dotes on him and spoils him despite his tough outward manner.
Beyond the family, Poyo is close to Kuro, a black cat owned by the elderly neighbor Hana Sugita. Kuro regards Poyo as his mate and often tries to mount him, which has led Sugita to mistakenly believe that Poyo is female. Poyo tolerates this behavior and cares for Kuro, always stepping in to protect him from bullies. He also rescues an elegant cat named Eri-chan after she falls from a tree, and she develops romantic feelings for him, becoming a rival to Kuro. Another neighbor, Yuka Tanaka, is afraid of animals and initially thinks Poyo is a mythical round snake when she sees him in her garden, but he becomes the first animal she grows comfortable with, which helps her overcome her fear. He is generally liked by the humans and animals he meets, and he takes on the role of a dependable guardian figure in the area.
Over the course of the series, Poyo develops from a stray with an unknown past into a beloved and settled member of the Satou household. His bond with Hide deepens gradually, moving from mutual annoyance to a grudging attachment, and he becomes a source of comfort and connection for the whole family. Later material reveals that Poyo once had blood-related siblings who look just like him, though this is part of his backstory rather than the main focus of the anime. His notable abilities include his remarkable speed and agility, his hunting skills, his physical strength despite his round frame, and his keen understanding of human behavior, all of which allow him to act as both a playful companion and a protector of the weak in his community.