TV-Series
Description
Hamtarō is a male hamster owned by Laura Haruna (Hiroko Haruna in Japanese media). He embodies curiosity, bravery, loyalty, and a strong sense of friendship. He often adventures with the Ham-Hams, operating from their clubhouse established by leader Boss. Hamtarō prioritizes his friends and owner selflessly, though he exhibits jealousy when ignored by Laura. His innocence often leaves him oblivious to romantic advances, particularly from Bijou, though this trait varies across adaptations.
In the 1999 OVA *Tottoko Hamutaro: Anime Dechu!*, Hamtarō belongs to a girl named Natsumi. He explicitly expresses romantic love for her, declaring "I love you, Natsumi-chan" and viewing her human classmate Shinohara as a rival. He wears a red sweater and has a leaner physique. Other Ham-Hams feature altered designs and clothing, with Penelope referred to as male ("Chibimaru-kun"). This version portrays Hamtarō as understanding romantic love.
Manga adaptations present different continuities. In *A Home for Hamtaro* and *Hamtaro Gets Lost*, he belongs to Yukari and exhibits more realistic hamster behaviors like territoriality and temperature sensitivity. In *Jealous Hamtaro*, owned by Amy, he displays romantic jealousy toward her friend Timothy but ultimately prioritizes her happiness. The *Gozaimachu!* manga depicts him living in a pet shop with Ji-chan, aligning closer to his anime personality but without Laura.
Video games introduce additional dimensions. In *Hamtaro: Ham-Hams Unite!*, he serves as the player character gathering the Ham-Ham group. *Hamtaro: Ham-Ham Heartbreak* positions him and Bijou as an implied couple, though he appears confused by this dynamic. Official merchandise occasionally labels Bijou as his girlfriend, conflicting with his typical characterization.
*Tottoko Hamutaro Dechu* (2011–2013) is primarily a rebroadcast of the original 2000–2006 anime with two new CGI-animated episodes ("Searching for Memories!" and "Panda Goes to Meet a Panda") and live-action segments. These additions maintain his established traits from the original series. The rebroadcast features minor presentation changes like new 3D-animated intros and widescreen borders, but Hamtarō's core personality, relationships, and design remain consistent.
Across all media, key relationships define him: his deep bond with owner Laura; his brother-like friendship with Oxnard (his first hamster friend); his respect for Boss; and his obliviousness to Bijou's romantic feelings, reciprocated only platonically. His birthday is consistently noted as August 6th, sharing it with Cappy, though early promotional material listed July 24th.
In the 1999 OVA *Tottoko Hamutaro: Anime Dechu!*, Hamtarō belongs to a girl named Natsumi. He explicitly expresses romantic love for her, declaring "I love you, Natsumi-chan" and viewing her human classmate Shinohara as a rival. He wears a red sweater and has a leaner physique. Other Ham-Hams feature altered designs and clothing, with Penelope referred to as male ("Chibimaru-kun"). This version portrays Hamtarō as understanding romantic love.
Manga adaptations present different continuities. In *A Home for Hamtaro* and *Hamtaro Gets Lost*, he belongs to Yukari and exhibits more realistic hamster behaviors like territoriality and temperature sensitivity. In *Jealous Hamtaro*, owned by Amy, he displays romantic jealousy toward her friend Timothy but ultimately prioritizes her happiness. The *Gozaimachu!* manga depicts him living in a pet shop with Ji-chan, aligning closer to his anime personality but without Laura.
Video games introduce additional dimensions. In *Hamtaro: Ham-Hams Unite!*, he serves as the player character gathering the Ham-Ham group. *Hamtaro: Ham-Ham Heartbreak* positions him and Bijou as an implied couple, though he appears confused by this dynamic. Official merchandise occasionally labels Bijou as his girlfriend, conflicting with his typical characterization.
*Tottoko Hamutaro Dechu* (2011–2013) is primarily a rebroadcast of the original 2000–2006 anime with two new CGI-animated episodes ("Searching for Memories!" and "Panda Goes to Meet a Panda") and live-action segments. These additions maintain his established traits from the original series. The rebroadcast features minor presentation changes like new 3D-animated intros and widescreen borders, but Hamtarō's core personality, relationships, and design remain consistent.
Across all media, key relationships define him: his deep bond with owner Laura; his brother-like friendship with Oxnard (his first hamster friend); his respect for Boss; and his obliviousness to Bijou's romantic feelings, reciprocated only platonically. His birthday is consistently noted as August 6th, sharing it with Cappy, though early promotional material listed July 24th.