Movie
Description
Gajira Norimaki, most often called by the nickname Gatchan, is a character who becomes a beloved member of the Norimaki household in Penguin Village. Gatchan hatches from a mysterious egg that the inventor Senbei Norimaki brings back to the present day after a trip to the prehistoric era using his time machine. Arale Norimaki, eager for the egg to contain a monster, gives the newborn creature its name. The name Gajira itself is a playful combination of the famous kaiju names Gamera and Gojira (Godzilla), reflecting Arale's interest in monsters. It is later revealed that Gatchan is not an ordinary creature but an angel, originally sent to Earth by the god of the galaxy with a specific purpose.
In terms of appearance, Gatchan is a small, cherubic being who resembles a chubby baby. Standing only 61 centimeters tall and weighing 17 kilograms, Gatchan has a small body with two wings sprouting from the back and two antennae on the head. The character is asexual and lacks any defined gender. Gatchan's thick, curly hair is depicted as either blonde in the original manga's color pages or green in the anime adaptation, and typical clothing includes a bodysuit with a bib and small boots.
The personality of Gatchan is innocent, playful, and deeply affectionate, particularly towards Arale. The character speaks in a unique, unintelligible language composed of sounds like pupipopipi, which has been humorously dubbed Gatchanism. Despite its nonsensical nature, Arale seems to understand this language perfectly, and the two share a special bond, often playing together and getting into mischief. One of Gatchan's most defining traits is an enormous appetite. The character will eat almost anything, showing a particular fondness for consuming metal objects. The only known exception to this diet is rubber, which Gatchan refuses to eat.
Gatchan's role in the story is primarily as a member of the Norimaki family and a constant companion to Arale. The character spends most days following Arale around Penguin Village, participating in her games and adventures, and causing chaos with its voracious hunger. Despite the lack of a complex ongoing plot in Dr. Slump, Gatchan serves as a source of comedic situations and a visual gag, often seen dozing on Senbei's head or consuming parts of the scenery. Beyond this simple family life, however, lies a larger, almost forgotten purpose. As an angel sent by the galactic god, Gatchan's original mission was to stunt the technological and civilizational development of humanity. By consuming metal and possessing the ability to create copies of itself, the angel was meant to keep primitive societies from advancing. However, because Senbei found and removed the egg from the past, this mission failed. The galactic god, upon reviewing Earth, was moved by the happy life Gatchan found in Penguin Village and decided to spare humanity from destruction.
Key relationships define Gatchan's existence. The bond with Arale is the most significant, as she is the one who named and understands the creature, and Gatchan is the character who seems to grasp Arale's own unique perspective better than anyone else. Senbei Norimaki, as the one who brought the egg home, is a parental figure, though Gatchan's interactions with him are often more passive, using him as a perch. Later in the series, Midori Norimaki becomes the adoptive mother when she marries Senbei. A major development in Gatchan's story occurs when the character forms a cocoon and, after fifteen days, emerges not as one but as two identical beings, creating Gatchan Number 1 and Gatchan Number 2. This ability to replicate into twins is a direct link to the character's original function as an angel, designed to multiply and consume resources.
As for notable abilities, Gatchan possesses several superhuman traits. Flight is possible through the use of its small wings. The antennae on its head can be used to fire powerful energy rays, a skill often used defensively or in playful combat. The most prominent ability, however, is its digestive system, which allows it to consume and destroy virtually any material, from everyday objects to entire spaceships, as demonstrated when Gatchan devoured the vessel of the alien Nikochan.
In terms of appearance, Gatchan is a small, cherubic being who resembles a chubby baby. Standing only 61 centimeters tall and weighing 17 kilograms, Gatchan has a small body with two wings sprouting from the back and two antennae on the head. The character is asexual and lacks any defined gender. Gatchan's thick, curly hair is depicted as either blonde in the original manga's color pages or green in the anime adaptation, and typical clothing includes a bodysuit with a bib and small boots.
The personality of Gatchan is innocent, playful, and deeply affectionate, particularly towards Arale. The character speaks in a unique, unintelligible language composed of sounds like pupipopipi, which has been humorously dubbed Gatchanism. Despite its nonsensical nature, Arale seems to understand this language perfectly, and the two share a special bond, often playing together and getting into mischief. One of Gatchan's most defining traits is an enormous appetite. The character will eat almost anything, showing a particular fondness for consuming metal objects. The only known exception to this diet is rubber, which Gatchan refuses to eat.
Gatchan's role in the story is primarily as a member of the Norimaki family and a constant companion to Arale. The character spends most days following Arale around Penguin Village, participating in her games and adventures, and causing chaos with its voracious hunger. Despite the lack of a complex ongoing plot in Dr. Slump, Gatchan serves as a source of comedic situations and a visual gag, often seen dozing on Senbei's head or consuming parts of the scenery. Beyond this simple family life, however, lies a larger, almost forgotten purpose. As an angel sent by the galactic god, Gatchan's original mission was to stunt the technological and civilizational development of humanity. By consuming metal and possessing the ability to create copies of itself, the angel was meant to keep primitive societies from advancing. However, because Senbei found and removed the egg from the past, this mission failed. The galactic god, upon reviewing Earth, was moved by the happy life Gatchan found in Penguin Village and decided to spare humanity from destruction.
Key relationships define Gatchan's existence. The bond with Arale is the most significant, as she is the one who named and understands the creature, and Gatchan is the character who seems to grasp Arale's own unique perspective better than anyone else. Senbei Norimaki, as the one who brought the egg home, is a parental figure, though Gatchan's interactions with him are often more passive, using him as a perch. Later in the series, Midori Norimaki becomes the adoptive mother when she marries Senbei. A major development in Gatchan's story occurs when the character forms a cocoon and, after fifteen days, emerges not as one but as two identical beings, creating Gatchan Number 1 and Gatchan Number 2. This ability to replicate into twins is a direct link to the character's original function as an angel, designed to multiply and consume resources.
As for notable abilities, Gatchan possesses several superhuman traits. Flight is possible through the use of its small wings. The antennae on its head can be used to fire powerful energy rays, a skill often used defensively or in playful combat. The most prominent ability, however, is its digestive system, which allows it to consume and destroy virtually any material, from everyday objects to entire spaceships, as demonstrated when Gatchan devoured the vessel of the alien Nikochan.