TV-Series
Description
Chiyotarou is a young boy who appears in the fourth season of the Golden Kamuy anime, residing in the Lake Akan area of Hokkaido. He is the son of a local coal mining company owner. Physically, Chiyotarou is a chubby child with a distinctive dark bowl haircut, thick eyebrows, and rosy cheeks. His winter clothing consists of a coat over Japanese-style garments, complemented by gloves and a scarf for warmth.
Chiyotarou is a skilled and enthusiastic ice skater, having been inspired after witnessing foreigners skating in Hakodate before his family moved. On the frozen lake, he uses a unique type of skate called gerori, which are traditional Japanese geta sandals with blades attached to the bottom. His skating is noted to be quite elegant, as he incorporates dance-like movements on the ice.
In terms of personality, Chiyotarou displays a mixture of childish vanity and a surprisingly strong-willed nature. He can be self-absorbed, initially ignoring an adult's question to instead seek praise for his skating. However, he is also cooperative when the situation demands it and shows a great deal of resourcefulness. He deeply resents being bullied by older children in his town, who once tied him to a tree and forced him to eat marimo, a type of algae. Despite his tough talk, he has a gentle moral core; when his actions inadvertently lead to his bullies being hurt, he is genuinely horrified and distressed.
Chiyotarou's primary role in the story occurs when he encounters the escaped convict Ushiyama. Suffering from the effects of a datura poison, the large man is wandering in a stupor and cannot speak clearly. Finding himself tied to a tree by his bullies, Chiyotarou calls for help and manages to gain Ushiyama's assistance by offering him dried peaches, a snack the man is inexplicably fond of. Mistaking Ushiyama's garbled utterances for the name Obencho, Chiyotarou adopts him as his henchman and happily takes on the role of his caretaker. He feeds him peaches, finds him a hollow tree to sleep in, and even teaches him how to ice skate.
Their bond, which resembles that of a boy and his oversized, dangerous pet, is put to the test when the bullies return and throw a marimo at Ushiyama. In his drugged and confused state, Ushiyama reacts violently, causing harm to the children. Though he cares for his companion, Chiyotarou witnesses this outburst and concludes that Ushiyama is a dangerous weapon that could threaten his town. Demonstrating a heavy sense of responsibility, he makes the difficult decision to eliminate him. Using his knowledge of the local geography, Chiyotarou lures Ushiyama across the ice using a dried peach as bait, tricking him into falling through a hole in the frozen lake created by a hot spring. He skates away in tears, believing he has caused the death of his friend.
The experience has a profound effect on Chiyotarou, leading to his development. In the aftermath, he returns to town and confronts the bullies with a glare so powerful that they run away in fear, indicating he refuses to be a victim any longer. Unbeknownst to him, the cold water of the hot spring revives Ushiyama, nullifying the poison and restoring his memory, allowing him to surface later. While Chiyotarou carries the guilt of his decision, his key ability is not physical combat but his cleverness and emotional manipulation, specifically his talent for using dried peaches to control the otherwise uncontrollable Ushiyama. His role in the plot is a poignant, self-contained arc about a boy who makes a mature and painful choice to protect his community, even at the cost of a cherished friendship.
Chiyotarou is a skilled and enthusiastic ice skater, having been inspired after witnessing foreigners skating in Hakodate before his family moved. On the frozen lake, he uses a unique type of skate called gerori, which are traditional Japanese geta sandals with blades attached to the bottom. His skating is noted to be quite elegant, as he incorporates dance-like movements on the ice.
In terms of personality, Chiyotarou displays a mixture of childish vanity and a surprisingly strong-willed nature. He can be self-absorbed, initially ignoring an adult's question to instead seek praise for his skating. However, he is also cooperative when the situation demands it and shows a great deal of resourcefulness. He deeply resents being bullied by older children in his town, who once tied him to a tree and forced him to eat marimo, a type of algae. Despite his tough talk, he has a gentle moral core; when his actions inadvertently lead to his bullies being hurt, he is genuinely horrified and distressed.
Chiyotarou's primary role in the story occurs when he encounters the escaped convict Ushiyama. Suffering from the effects of a datura poison, the large man is wandering in a stupor and cannot speak clearly. Finding himself tied to a tree by his bullies, Chiyotarou calls for help and manages to gain Ushiyama's assistance by offering him dried peaches, a snack the man is inexplicably fond of. Mistaking Ushiyama's garbled utterances for the name Obencho, Chiyotarou adopts him as his henchman and happily takes on the role of his caretaker. He feeds him peaches, finds him a hollow tree to sleep in, and even teaches him how to ice skate.
Their bond, which resembles that of a boy and his oversized, dangerous pet, is put to the test when the bullies return and throw a marimo at Ushiyama. In his drugged and confused state, Ushiyama reacts violently, causing harm to the children. Though he cares for his companion, Chiyotarou witnesses this outburst and concludes that Ushiyama is a dangerous weapon that could threaten his town. Demonstrating a heavy sense of responsibility, he makes the difficult decision to eliminate him. Using his knowledge of the local geography, Chiyotarou lures Ushiyama across the ice using a dried peach as bait, tricking him into falling through a hole in the frozen lake created by a hot spring. He skates away in tears, believing he has caused the death of his friend.
The experience has a profound effect on Chiyotarou, leading to his development. In the aftermath, he returns to town and confronts the bullies with a glare so powerful that they run away in fear, indicating he refuses to be a victim any longer. Unbeknownst to him, the cold water of the hot spring revives Ushiyama, nullifying the poison and restoring his memory, allowing him to surface later. While Chiyotarou carries the guilt of his decision, his key ability is not physical combat but his cleverness and emotional manipulation, specifically his talent for using dried peaches to control the otherwise uncontrollable Ushiyama. His role in the plot is a poignant, self-contained arc about a boy who makes a mature and painful choice to protect his community, even at the cost of a cherished friendship.