TV-Series
Description
On-chan is a Parade Alien from the Parade Planet, introduced in 1997 as the mascot for Hokkaido Television Broadcasting (HTB)'s 30th-anniversary "On Parade!" campaign. Initially planned for only one year, overwhelming popularity secured his position as HTB's permanent official mascot by 1999.
He appears as a crushed yellow sphere, roughly basketball-sized, with simple limbs and a mouth. His distinctive eyes are shaped like letters: the right resembles "o" and the left resembles "n". He sometimes wears a small hat. His design evolved from stiff oval forms to incorporate softer, more expressive lines.
His personality is marked by boundless curiosity, inherent positivity, and a strong desire to discover exciting experiences and make friends. Though occasionally clumsy or facing setbacks, his optimism ensures quick recovery from low moods. He exhibits gluttonous tendencies, especially for cheese and corn, while disliking crows and a specific television comedian known for physical comedy involving him. A signature linguistic quirk involves replacing the Japanese prefix "o-" with "on-", such as saying "On-nichiwa" instead of "Konnichiwa".
On-chan's story expanded through animation. The 1999 mini-anime "On-chan Anime Ippoi" featured him in 20 short spots. His narrative grew with the 2003 feature-length TV anime "On-chan's Dream Power Adventure!" produced for HTB's 35th anniversary. This was followed by the 2008 television series "Yumemiru, Anime on-chan," consisting of 26 five-minute episodes focusing on his daily explorations and positive actions.
His social circle includes recurring characters: OK-chan, a bright, fashionable childhood friend portrayed as his romantic interest; Guchi, a size-shifting pet; and No-chan, a rival embodying On-chan's opposite, stemming from a childhood hide-and-seek misunderstanding. Other acquaintances are the gossipy Me-chan, the food-loving Tenko-chan, the easily startled Tomaru-kun, the inquisitive Nazona Moshi, an inventor known as the Doctor, and the Doctor's assistant.
Beyond media, On-chan maintains a physical presence through statues at HTB headquarters, including one relocated to Sapporo Sosei Square in 2018. His likeness is integrated into HTB's broadcast elements like digital receiver icons and station identification videos featuring his unique speech. A residential development on HTB's former land was named "Peaceful Takadai Park on-chan HILLS," featuring a commemorative stone statue.
He appears as a crushed yellow sphere, roughly basketball-sized, with simple limbs and a mouth. His distinctive eyes are shaped like letters: the right resembles "o" and the left resembles "n". He sometimes wears a small hat. His design evolved from stiff oval forms to incorporate softer, more expressive lines.
His personality is marked by boundless curiosity, inherent positivity, and a strong desire to discover exciting experiences and make friends. Though occasionally clumsy or facing setbacks, his optimism ensures quick recovery from low moods. He exhibits gluttonous tendencies, especially for cheese and corn, while disliking crows and a specific television comedian known for physical comedy involving him. A signature linguistic quirk involves replacing the Japanese prefix "o-" with "on-", such as saying "On-nichiwa" instead of "Konnichiwa".
On-chan's story expanded through animation. The 1999 mini-anime "On-chan Anime Ippoi" featured him in 20 short spots. His narrative grew with the 2003 feature-length TV anime "On-chan's Dream Power Adventure!" produced for HTB's 35th anniversary. This was followed by the 2008 television series "Yumemiru, Anime on-chan," consisting of 26 five-minute episodes focusing on his daily explorations and positive actions.
His social circle includes recurring characters: OK-chan, a bright, fashionable childhood friend portrayed as his romantic interest; Guchi, a size-shifting pet; and No-chan, a rival embodying On-chan's opposite, stemming from a childhood hide-and-seek misunderstanding. Other acquaintances are the gossipy Me-chan, the food-loving Tenko-chan, the easily startled Tomaru-kun, the inquisitive Nazona Moshi, an inventor known as the Doctor, and the Doctor's assistant.
Beyond media, On-chan maintains a physical presence through statues at HTB headquarters, including one relocated to Sapporo Sosei Square in 2018. His likeness is integrated into HTB's broadcast elements like digital receiver icons and station identification videos featuring his unique speech. A residential development on HTB's former land was named "Peaceful Takadai Park on-chan HILLS," featuring a commemorative stone statue.