TV-Series
Description
Mamekichi Maizuka is a sixteen-year-old mamedanuki yokai and a student in Class 2-3 at Hyakki Academy. He was born on November 8th and stands at 135 centimeters tall, with spiky black hair and large blue eyes. He is most often depicted in a short, rounded style that makes him appear much smaller than his classmates. In his natural tanuki form, he resembles a small raccoon dog with brown fur and black markings around his eyes and tail. He comes from Shikoku and is the eldest child in a large family. His father is openly affectionate toward him, which often embarrasses Mamekichi.
Mamekichi is cheerful, bold, and outgoing, with a strong mischievous streak. He is quick to make friends and declares others his friends almost immediately upon meeting them. He values friendship highly and is fiercely protective of those close to him, especially his best friend Sano Mikoto. Despite his small size and cute appearance, he has a sharp tongue and can be foul-mouthed, a trait that teacher Hatanaka has noted bluntly. He is also materialistic, often asking for souvenirs when someone returns from a trip. He can be dramatic when caught lying, reacting with playful theatrics rather than remorse. On the other hand, he is resourceful and quick-thinking, able to fabricate excuses or transform into useful forms on the spot. Although he generally acts friendly, he can become aggressive when frustrated, threatening classmates or chasing away people he perceives as a threat to his friends. The spin-off manga reveals a darker side, such as secretly taking photos of Hatanaka.
His primary motivation is to become Japan's most beloved mascot character. He also looks up to Hatanaka as a fellow animal yokai who struggled with poor grades, and this admiration partly inspires his own academic efforts. He wants to be liked and often seeks attention, acting especially cute around people likely to coo at him.
In the story, Mamekichi serves as a lively and comedic presence in Class 2-3, often acting as an informal narrator of events. He plays a key role in helping the human teacher Haruaki Abe adjust to the chaos of the school. From the moment Haruaki arrives, Mamekichi is excited about having a human teacher, and he later helps Haruaki out of his teaching slump during his first lesson. He is also a main character in the spin-off manga that focuses on his own first year at the academy.
Mamekichi's closest relationship is with Sano Mikoto, his roommate and best friend. They met before their first year, likely because Sano's fondness for small animals drew him to Mamekichi's friendly nature. They share a small dorm room, where Mamekichi wakes up at 7 a.m. and prepares breakfast for both of them because Sano is hard to wake. Mamekichi also helps dye Sano's hair blonde. They are extremely protective of each other, hugging tightly when reunited after danger and fighting anyone who tries to separate them. When another yokai, Bonmaru, kidnapped Mamekichi, he lied that Bonmaru planned to cook him, causing Sano to swear revenge.
Another important relationship is with Tamao Akisame. They met on their first day at the academy when they collided, and Mamekichi immediately declared Tamao his friend, though Tamao protested. Despite the rocky start, they quickly bonded and often sunbathe together in yokai form on the rooftop, along with Hatanaka. Mamekichi and Tamao refer to themselves as adorable and charming animal yokai. He also has a bond with teacher Hatanaka, whom he met as a child during a school festival. Hatanaka helped him and Tamao find their class, and that experience inspired Mamekichi's later admiration for him. In the present, they are frequently grouped together as the intellectual trio, despite all three being poor students.
Over the course of the series, Mamekichi's development is shown through his deepening friendships and his growing support for Haruaki. He learns to balance his mischievous nature with genuine care for his teacher and classmates. His backstory as a child who became separated at a festival and was helped by Hatanaka adds depth to his current behavior, showing that he values guidance and kindness even when he acts out.
Mamekichi's most notable ability is shapeshifting. By placing a grocery bag over his head, he can transform into any form, including a motorcyclist with a motorcycle, a cheetah, a blob of goo, a plane, or an exaggeratedly muscular human. According to Haruaki's yokai dictionary, the traditional method for a mamedanuki to shapeshift involves stretching its scrotum over its head, but Mamekichi vehemently denies this, claiming the dictionary is outdated. When his spiritual energy is drained by talismans or Haruaki's anti-yokai abilities, he reverts to a small tanuki dog form. He also has a habit of playing dead or fainting when surprised, eats large amounts in autumn to prepare for a three-day winter hibernation, and is either afraid of cockroaches or simply unwilling to deal with them. He dislikes kitsune (fox yokai) and once declared that his first crush was his own reflection.
Mamekichi is cheerful, bold, and outgoing, with a strong mischievous streak. He is quick to make friends and declares others his friends almost immediately upon meeting them. He values friendship highly and is fiercely protective of those close to him, especially his best friend Sano Mikoto. Despite his small size and cute appearance, he has a sharp tongue and can be foul-mouthed, a trait that teacher Hatanaka has noted bluntly. He is also materialistic, often asking for souvenirs when someone returns from a trip. He can be dramatic when caught lying, reacting with playful theatrics rather than remorse. On the other hand, he is resourceful and quick-thinking, able to fabricate excuses or transform into useful forms on the spot. Although he generally acts friendly, he can become aggressive when frustrated, threatening classmates or chasing away people he perceives as a threat to his friends. The spin-off manga reveals a darker side, such as secretly taking photos of Hatanaka.
His primary motivation is to become Japan's most beloved mascot character. He also looks up to Hatanaka as a fellow animal yokai who struggled with poor grades, and this admiration partly inspires his own academic efforts. He wants to be liked and often seeks attention, acting especially cute around people likely to coo at him.
In the story, Mamekichi serves as a lively and comedic presence in Class 2-3, often acting as an informal narrator of events. He plays a key role in helping the human teacher Haruaki Abe adjust to the chaos of the school. From the moment Haruaki arrives, Mamekichi is excited about having a human teacher, and he later helps Haruaki out of his teaching slump during his first lesson. He is also a main character in the spin-off manga that focuses on his own first year at the academy.
Mamekichi's closest relationship is with Sano Mikoto, his roommate and best friend. They met before their first year, likely because Sano's fondness for small animals drew him to Mamekichi's friendly nature. They share a small dorm room, where Mamekichi wakes up at 7 a.m. and prepares breakfast for both of them because Sano is hard to wake. Mamekichi also helps dye Sano's hair blonde. They are extremely protective of each other, hugging tightly when reunited after danger and fighting anyone who tries to separate them. When another yokai, Bonmaru, kidnapped Mamekichi, he lied that Bonmaru planned to cook him, causing Sano to swear revenge.
Another important relationship is with Tamao Akisame. They met on their first day at the academy when they collided, and Mamekichi immediately declared Tamao his friend, though Tamao protested. Despite the rocky start, they quickly bonded and often sunbathe together in yokai form on the rooftop, along with Hatanaka. Mamekichi and Tamao refer to themselves as adorable and charming animal yokai. He also has a bond with teacher Hatanaka, whom he met as a child during a school festival. Hatanaka helped him and Tamao find their class, and that experience inspired Mamekichi's later admiration for him. In the present, they are frequently grouped together as the intellectual trio, despite all three being poor students.
Over the course of the series, Mamekichi's development is shown through his deepening friendships and his growing support for Haruaki. He learns to balance his mischievous nature with genuine care for his teacher and classmates. His backstory as a child who became separated at a festival and was helped by Hatanaka adds depth to his current behavior, showing that he values guidance and kindness even when he acts out.
Mamekichi's most notable ability is shapeshifting. By placing a grocery bag over his head, he can transform into any form, including a motorcyclist with a motorcycle, a cheetah, a blob of goo, a plane, or an exaggeratedly muscular human. According to Haruaki's yokai dictionary, the traditional method for a mamedanuki to shapeshift involves stretching its scrotum over its head, but Mamekichi vehemently denies this, claiming the dictionary is outdated. When his spiritual energy is drained by talismans or Haruaki's anti-yokai abilities, he reverts to a small tanuki dog form. He also has a habit of playing dead or fainting when surprised, eats large amounts in autumn to prepare for a three-day winter hibernation, and is either afraid of cockroaches or simply unwilling to deal with them. He dislikes kitsune (fox yokai) and once declared that his first crush was his own reflection.