Maedakun
Description
Maedakun is the Japanese manga artist and creator of the romantic comedy series Puniru is a Kawaii Slime. The creator's name is often presented as Maeda-kun in official credits for the manga and its anime adaptation. Maedakun first introduced the concept with a one-shot chapter titled Cute Puniru Slime, which was published in Shogakukan's Bessatsu CoroCoro Comic magazine on February 28, 2019. Following the positive reception of this initial story, the series began full serialization as a web manga in Shogakukan's Weekly CoroCoro Comic online service on March 15, 2022. The manga is still ongoing, and Shogakukan has compiled the chapters into multiple tankobon volumes. The series has also been licensed for English publication by Seven Seas Entertainment.
The story of Puniru is a Kawaii Slime represents a notable departure for CoroCoro Comic, a publication historically focused on manga for young boys centered on toys, games, and action-driven narratives. Maedakun's series is recognized as the first romantic comedy to be serialized in the magazine's history. The plot follows Kotaro Kawaii, a junior high school student who, as a child, created a slime as a science experiment. Seven years later, that slime, named Puniru, gains the ability to transform into a human girl. The comedy centers on Puniru's relentless and chaotic efforts to make Kotaro acknowledge her cuteness, while Kotaro simultaneously navigates his own feelings for an upperclassman.
The series achieved significant popularity and commercial success soon after its debut. Within the first few months of serialization, the manga amassed millions of views on Shogakukan's online platform. The first compiled book volume had a first print run of one hundred thousand copies, a strong figure for a new title in the children's manga demographic. The series has also garnered critical recognition, placing fourth in the web manga category of the Next Manga Awards in 2022. In 2025, Puniru is a Kawaii Slime won the seventieth Shogakukan Manga Award in the children's category.
The success of the manga led to a television anime adaptation. The anime is produced by Toho Animation Studio, directed by Yushi Ibe, with scripts written by Michiko Yokote. The first season of twelve episodes aired on TV Tokyo from October to December 2024. Following the conclusion of the first season, a second season was announced and subsequently aired from July to September 2025. The anime has been streamed internationally by platforms such as Crunchyroll and Netflix.
Maedakun's artistic identity is closely tied to a specific aesthetic of cuteness blended with surreal humor and energetic character dynamics. The work often explores themes of self-acceptance and the embrace of things considered childish or embarrassing, as Kotaro struggles with his own affection for cute things. The character of Puniru, a shape-shifting slime without a fixed gender, provides a vehicle for a wide range of visual gags and physical comedy that has become the series' trademark. By successfully introducing a romantic comedy into the traditionally action-oriented CoroCoro Comic, Maedakun broadened the magazine's audience and demonstrated the viability of genre-blending works within children's manga. The series stands as a significant contemporary example of how digital-first publishing and viral online success can drive the creation of major multimedia franchises.
The story of Puniru is a Kawaii Slime represents a notable departure for CoroCoro Comic, a publication historically focused on manga for young boys centered on toys, games, and action-driven narratives. Maedakun's series is recognized as the first romantic comedy to be serialized in the magazine's history. The plot follows Kotaro Kawaii, a junior high school student who, as a child, created a slime as a science experiment. Seven years later, that slime, named Puniru, gains the ability to transform into a human girl. The comedy centers on Puniru's relentless and chaotic efforts to make Kotaro acknowledge her cuteness, while Kotaro simultaneously navigates his own feelings for an upperclassman.
The series achieved significant popularity and commercial success soon after its debut. Within the first few months of serialization, the manga amassed millions of views on Shogakukan's online platform. The first compiled book volume had a first print run of one hundred thousand copies, a strong figure for a new title in the children's manga demographic. The series has also garnered critical recognition, placing fourth in the web manga category of the Next Manga Awards in 2022. In 2025, Puniru is a Kawaii Slime won the seventieth Shogakukan Manga Award in the children's category.
The success of the manga led to a television anime adaptation. The anime is produced by Toho Animation Studio, directed by Yushi Ibe, with scripts written by Michiko Yokote. The first season of twelve episodes aired on TV Tokyo from October to December 2024. Following the conclusion of the first season, a second season was announced and subsequently aired from July to September 2025. The anime has been streamed internationally by platforms such as Crunchyroll and Netflix.
Maedakun's artistic identity is closely tied to a specific aesthetic of cuteness blended with surreal humor and energetic character dynamics. The work often explores themes of self-acceptance and the embrace of things considered childish or embarrassing, as Kotaro struggles with his own affection for cute things. The character of Puniru, a shape-shifting slime without a fixed gender, provides a vehicle for a wide range of visual gags and physical comedy that has become the series' trademark. By successfully introducing a romantic comedy into the traditionally action-oriented CoroCoro Comic, Maedakun broadened the magazine's audience and demonstrated the viability of genre-blending works within children's manga. The series stands as a significant contemporary example of how digital-first publishing and viral online success can drive the creation of major multimedia franchises.
Works
- Topics: Anime overview
- Topics: Anime overview