OVA
Description
Bad Badtz-Maru is a male anthropomorphic penguin created by Sanrio designer Hisato Inoue in 1993, debuting in Strawberry News magazine that May. Born on April 1st (April Fools' Day) in Oahu, Hawaii, his name combines Japanese wordplay: "Badtz" (batsu) for "X" (wrong) and "Maru" for "O" (correct), reflecting his contradictory nature—mischievous yet well-meaning. This duality appears in the recurring "XO" motif linked to him and his companions.
Physically, he sports black or dark blue feathers with spiky hair, often pulling one eye down while sticking out his tongue. Despite a perpetual first-grade appearance, he dreams of becoming "the boss of everything." His rebellious, sarcastic personality leans toward selfishness, and he often picks the "wrong" side for fun. He collects villainous movie star photos and favors expensive Ginza sushi. Beneath his grumpy exterior, he consistently shows kindness and corrects his mistakes.
He lives in Gorgeoustown with his mother (a strong pink penguin wearing glasses and an apron), father (a blue penguin gang leader who prefers pachinko), younger sister Tsunko (a pink penguin born April 2nd in a nurse outfit who practices ballet), and the prank-loving, body-switching Badtz Twins. His pet alligator Pochi enjoys grilled fish and walks.
His XO Clan friends include Hana-Maru, a white seal skilled in ball acrobatics and gardening, and Pandaba, a rap-loving giant panda who ends sentences with "daba" and excels at speed-eating. Wider friendships encompass Kahme (a poetic blue turtle), Iruka (a white dolphin aspiring to be mayor), Sameo (a manga-obsessed blue shark), Goro (a flirtatious white bird), and Anko (a mysterious black angler fish). Kuromi harbors a crush on him. He is vocalist in Sanrio's boy band Hapidanbui with Tuxedo Sam, Keroppi, Pochacco, Hangyodon, and Pekkle, promoting the message "It’s okay! You’re still you, I’m sure it will work."
Sanrio media consistently portrays him as a troublemaker whose schemes cause comedic mishaps, ultimately revealing his good heart—echoing his name's "wrong-correct" meaning. In *Hello Kitty and Friends Supercute Adventures*, he runs the XO Arcade, is an avid gamer, and shows a friendlier side while retaining mischief; his bond with Keroppi and crush on Kuromi are emphasized. Merchandise depicts him as an astronaut, motorcyclist, DJ, basketball player, and boxer. He served as the 2006 FIBA World Championship mascot in Japan, with event-exclusive merchandise.
Trivia notes: He shares an April 1st birthday and traits like spiky hair and skateboarding skills with Bart Simpson from *The Simpsons*. Design duties shifted from creator Hisato Inoue to Kaori Harada around 1995 after Inoue left Sanrio. In Sanrio's popularity polls, he ranked 1st in 1996, 2nd in 1995, 3rd in 1994 and 1997, 10th in 2023, and 11th in 2025. He maintains particular popularity in the United States.
Physically, he sports black or dark blue feathers with spiky hair, often pulling one eye down while sticking out his tongue. Despite a perpetual first-grade appearance, he dreams of becoming "the boss of everything." His rebellious, sarcastic personality leans toward selfishness, and he often picks the "wrong" side for fun. He collects villainous movie star photos and favors expensive Ginza sushi. Beneath his grumpy exterior, he consistently shows kindness and corrects his mistakes.
He lives in Gorgeoustown with his mother (a strong pink penguin wearing glasses and an apron), father (a blue penguin gang leader who prefers pachinko), younger sister Tsunko (a pink penguin born April 2nd in a nurse outfit who practices ballet), and the prank-loving, body-switching Badtz Twins. His pet alligator Pochi enjoys grilled fish and walks.
His XO Clan friends include Hana-Maru, a white seal skilled in ball acrobatics and gardening, and Pandaba, a rap-loving giant panda who ends sentences with "daba" and excels at speed-eating. Wider friendships encompass Kahme (a poetic blue turtle), Iruka (a white dolphin aspiring to be mayor), Sameo (a manga-obsessed blue shark), Goro (a flirtatious white bird), and Anko (a mysterious black angler fish). Kuromi harbors a crush on him. He is vocalist in Sanrio's boy band Hapidanbui with Tuxedo Sam, Keroppi, Pochacco, Hangyodon, and Pekkle, promoting the message "It’s okay! You’re still you, I’m sure it will work."
Sanrio media consistently portrays him as a troublemaker whose schemes cause comedic mishaps, ultimately revealing his good heart—echoing his name's "wrong-correct" meaning. In *Hello Kitty and Friends Supercute Adventures*, he runs the XO Arcade, is an avid gamer, and shows a friendlier side while retaining mischief; his bond with Keroppi and crush on Kuromi are emphasized. Merchandise depicts him as an astronaut, motorcyclist, DJ, basketball player, and boxer. He served as the 2006 FIBA World Championship mascot in Japan, with event-exclusive merchandise.
Trivia notes: He shares an April 1st birthday and traits like spiky hair and skateboarding skills with Bart Simpson from *The Simpsons*. Design duties shifted from creator Hisato Inoue to Kaori Harada around 1995 after Inoue left Sanrio. In Sanrio's popularity polls, he ranked 1st in 1996, 2nd in 1995, 3rd in 1994 and 1997, 10th in 2023, and 11th in 2025. He maintains particular popularity in the United States.