TV-Series
Description
Private Second Class Tamama is a central character in the anime Keroro (2014), serving as the assault soldier of the Keroro Platoon. He is the newest and youngest member of the unit, still in an early stage of growth and retaining a tadpole-like tail, which visually marks him as the platoon's most junior soldier. His name comes from the Japanese word for tadpole, otamajakushi. In the anime, his body is navy blue and his face is mostly white, and he wears a yellow cap with a beginner driver emblem, with a reversed version of the same mark on his belly. He styles himself a cute and lovely idol, though he is a male character.
In terms of background, Tamama comes from Planet Keron and was a standout at the youth training academy, where younger cadets such as Taruru looked up to him as a hero and mentor. After arriving on Earth as part of the advance invasion force, he was told to remain aboard the spacecraft, but loneliness led him to sneak out. While wandering, he found a giant cake at the Nishizawa estate, entered the grounds, and was attacked by an alien space dog that had damaged his unit's ship. He was rescued by the human girl Momoka Nishizawa, and from that meeting onward he became her partner and came to live at the Nishizawa Mansion. He later reunited with Sergeant Keroro by chance at Momoka's school. His childhood includes a painful memory of being left alone at kindergarten when nobody came to pick him up, which contributed to a strong tendency toward homesickness; he has been shown to become deeply lonely and even to develop a condition called Keron-sick syndrome when longing for his home planet.
His personality is defined by a striking contrast. Tamama is usually gentle, cheerful, polite, and outwardly sweet, but he is best known for severe mood swings that border on a split personality. When angered or struck by jealousy, he suddenly turns into a vengeful, raving maniac, and this shift is often accompanied by a sound like a balloon popping. He is highly prone to fits of jealousy, especially toward anyone who gets close to Keroro. Despite his explosive temper, he is introspective, and after losing control he often returns to his senses, reflects on what he did, and accepts responsibility for his actions. He also has a childlike, innocent, and sentimental side, taking joy in simple pleasures and showing strong emotional reactions in both happy and sad moments. At the same time, he is surprisingly observant, frequently noticing details about the platoon's dynamics that others miss, and he has a mischievous, occasionally conniving streak, sometimes exaggerating or inventing stories to impress others, a habit he himself recognizes.
Tamama's main motivation is his devotion to Keroro. He is an extremely faithful subordinate who admires the sergeant deeply and wants to be useful to him, and his feelings are strong enough to resemble a romantic crush. He dreams of a close and even loving relationship with Keroro, and this desire fuels his jealousy toward anyone who might take Keroro's attention away from him. His wish to help and protect Keroro also drives him to train constantly, and he maintains his own private training room where he works hard to become a stronger fighter. His jealousy is not only an emotion but a source of power, feeding his combat abilities and sustaining his physical condition through regular releases of energy.
Within the story, Tamama acts as the platoon's assault specialist and its most junior soldier. He takes part in the unit's invasion schemes and battles, often working alongside Keroro as an attendant, bodyguard, and occasional advisor. He frequently pairs with Keroro on missions, offers suggestions, and stands by his captain in combat. At the Nishizawa estate, he also serves as the link between the alien platoon and Momoka's household, giving the story a bridge between the two worlds. He provides comedy through his wild mood changes but is also treated as a genuinely dangerous fighter when provoked.
His relationship with Keroro is the emotional core of his character. Tamama idolizes Keroro, constantly praises him, and longs for a special bond with him, while Keroro cares for him affectionately as a good subordinate; Tamama is often disappointed that Keroro does not return his deeper feelings. His partnership with Momoka Nishizawa is also significant. Momoka saved him when they first met, and the two live together and share a companionship built on mutual support. Both are noted for having similar dual-personality traits, and they cooperate on each other's schemes, with Momoka even showing maternal warmth toward him during his lonely moments. Toward Angol Mois, Tamama shows open hostility, calling her "that woman" because he sees her as a rival for Keroro's affection, though Mois remains unaware of his resentment. He also maintains warm ties with younger Keronian soldiers who admired him during his academy days, and he shows genuine kindness toward his comrades and the humans around him, such as helping wounded allies and protecting those who are close to the platoon.
In terms of development, Tamama gradually shows signs of maturity as the story progresses. He remains emotionally volatile, but he becomes more capable of recognizing his mistakes, and his caring and protective qualities become more visible. He has also been depicted in a rebellious phase, during which his attitude and language worsened, but he continues to show growth overall. Background stories centered on his earlier years reveal the origin of his jealousy-driven power, showing how annoyance and anger could be unconsciously channeled into his signature beam attack even in childhood. He also learns that suppressing jealousy energy for too long causes his body to swell dangerously, so releasing that energy is necessary for his well-being. These elements tie his emotional nature directly to his identity as a fighter.
His notable abilities center on physical combat. Tamama is among the strongest members of the platoon, and his body has been trained so thoroughly that he is described as being a weapon in himself. His best-known technique is the Tamama Impact, a powerful beam fired from his mouth when he is enraged or jealous, often delivered with tiny, crazed eyes. Jealousy generates the energy for this and similar attacks, and he has the widest variety of physical special moves in the platoon. Outside of combat, he has a strong love of sweets and junk food such as cake, cola, and potato chips, and in the anime a medical checkup reveals that he has high blood sugar because of this habit. His least favorite sound is nails scraping against a chalkboard, a small detail that reflects his sensitive and easily disturbed nature.
In terms of background, Tamama comes from Planet Keron and was a standout at the youth training academy, where younger cadets such as Taruru looked up to him as a hero and mentor. After arriving on Earth as part of the advance invasion force, he was told to remain aboard the spacecraft, but loneliness led him to sneak out. While wandering, he found a giant cake at the Nishizawa estate, entered the grounds, and was attacked by an alien space dog that had damaged his unit's ship. He was rescued by the human girl Momoka Nishizawa, and from that meeting onward he became her partner and came to live at the Nishizawa Mansion. He later reunited with Sergeant Keroro by chance at Momoka's school. His childhood includes a painful memory of being left alone at kindergarten when nobody came to pick him up, which contributed to a strong tendency toward homesickness; he has been shown to become deeply lonely and even to develop a condition called Keron-sick syndrome when longing for his home planet.
His personality is defined by a striking contrast. Tamama is usually gentle, cheerful, polite, and outwardly sweet, but he is best known for severe mood swings that border on a split personality. When angered or struck by jealousy, he suddenly turns into a vengeful, raving maniac, and this shift is often accompanied by a sound like a balloon popping. He is highly prone to fits of jealousy, especially toward anyone who gets close to Keroro. Despite his explosive temper, he is introspective, and after losing control he often returns to his senses, reflects on what he did, and accepts responsibility for his actions. He also has a childlike, innocent, and sentimental side, taking joy in simple pleasures and showing strong emotional reactions in both happy and sad moments. At the same time, he is surprisingly observant, frequently noticing details about the platoon's dynamics that others miss, and he has a mischievous, occasionally conniving streak, sometimes exaggerating or inventing stories to impress others, a habit he himself recognizes.
Tamama's main motivation is his devotion to Keroro. He is an extremely faithful subordinate who admires the sergeant deeply and wants to be useful to him, and his feelings are strong enough to resemble a romantic crush. He dreams of a close and even loving relationship with Keroro, and this desire fuels his jealousy toward anyone who might take Keroro's attention away from him. His wish to help and protect Keroro also drives him to train constantly, and he maintains his own private training room where he works hard to become a stronger fighter. His jealousy is not only an emotion but a source of power, feeding his combat abilities and sustaining his physical condition through regular releases of energy.
Within the story, Tamama acts as the platoon's assault specialist and its most junior soldier. He takes part in the unit's invasion schemes and battles, often working alongside Keroro as an attendant, bodyguard, and occasional advisor. He frequently pairs with Keroro on missions, offers suggestions, and stands by his captain in combat. At the Nishizawa estate, he also serves as the link between the alien platoon and Momoka's household, giving the story a bridge between the two worlds. He provides comedy through his wild mood changes but is also treated as a genuinely dangerous fighter when provoked.
His relationship with Keroro is the emotional core of his character. Tamama idolizes Keroro, constantly praises him, and longs for a special bond with him, while Keroro cares for him affectionately as a good subordinate; Tamama is often disappointed that Keroro does not return his deeper feelings. His partnership with Momoka Nishizawa is also significant. Momoka saved him when they first met, and the two live together and share a companionship built on mutual support. Both are noted for having similar dual-personality traits, and they cooperate on each other's schemes, with Momoka even showing maternal warmth toward him during his lonely moments. Toward Angol Mois, Tamama shows open hostility, calling her "that woman" because he sees her as a rival for Keroro's affection, though Mois remains unaware of his resentment. He also maintains warm ties with younger Keronian soldiers who admired him during his academy days, and he shows genuine kindness toward his comrades and the humans around him, such as helping wounded allies and protecting those who are close to the platoon.
In terms of development, Tamama gradually shows signs of maturity as the story progresses. He remains emotionally volatile, but he becomes more capable of recognizing his mistakes, and his caring and protective qualities become more visible. He has also been depicted in a rebellious phase, during which his attitude and language worsened, but he continues to show growth overall. Background stories centered on his earlier years reveal the origin of his jealousy-driven power, showing how annoyance and anger could be unconsciously channeled into his signature beam attack even in childhood. He also learns that suppressing jealousy energy for too long causes his body to swell dangerously, so releasing that energy is necessary for his well-being. These elements tie his emotional nature directly to his identity as a fighter.
His notable abilities center on physical combat. Tamama is among the strongest members of the platoon, and his body has been trained so thoroughly that he is described as being a weapon in himself. His best-known technique is the Tamama Impact, a powerful beam fired from his mouth when he is enraged or jealous, often delivered with tiny, crazed eyes. Jealousy generates the energy for this and similar attacks, and he has the widest variety of physical special moves in the platoon. Outside of combat, he has a strong love of sweets and junk food such as cake, cola, and potato chips, and in the anime a medical checkup reveals that he has high blood sugar because of this habit. His least favorite sound is nails scraping against a chalkboard, a small detail that reflects his sensitive and easily disturbed nature.