Kyorochan facts for kids

Kyorochan (pronounced "Kyo-ro-chan") is a fun, fictional bird character. He is the official mascot for a Japanese chocolate called ChocoBall, made by the Morinaga company. Kyorochan first appeared way back in 1967 in an anime TV show called Space Boy Soran. He took over from an earlier squirrel mascot named Chappy.

Kyorochan became super popular starting in 1987. This was thanks to many TV commercials and catchy songs sung by famous artists. By 1991, his name was even printed on the ChocoBall candy boxes! That same year, toys and other items featuring Kyorochan sold so well that their sales were even higher than the chocolate itself.

Kyorochan's Anime Adventures

Kyorochan even got his own anime TV series, also called Kyorochan. It was made by companies like TV Tokyo and Group TAC. The show follows Kyorochan's exciting adventures on Angel Island. This big village is home to many different kinds of birds.

The Kyorochan anime was released in a few countries outside Japan. You might have seen it in Hungary, Romania, Taiwan, the Czech Republic, or South Korea. In India, the TV channel Pogo started showing Kyorochan in 2010.

An English version of the show was also made, but it's quite rare to find. Only one voice actor, Richie Campos, is known from this English version.

Meet the Characters

Here are some of the main characters you'll meet in the Kyorochan anime:

• Kyoro-chan (voiced by Miyako Ito) - He's the main character! Kyoro-chan is a cute parrot with an orange beak, a red head, and brown and yellow patterns on his body. He hatched from an egg found by Dr. Matsugale. His name comes from a Japanese sound that means "to look around restlessly."
• Dr. Matsugale (voiced by Rokuro Naya) - He's a scientist and Kyoro-chan's "adoptive dad." He found Kyoro-chan's egg and traveled the world with him. You often see him at the end of episodes reading letters from Kyoro-chan.
• Pachikuri (voiced by Takako Honda) - Pachikuri is Kyoro-chan's first friend on Angel Island. He's a dark blue and white penguin who often wears a green cape. Pachikuri is good at martial arts and is always ready for a challenge! His name means "blinking with surprise."
• Mikken (voiced by Kurumi Mamiya) - A yellow chicken and another of Kyoro-chan's friends. Mikken usually looks a bit grumpy, even when he's not. He wears a broken eggshell as trousers. His name refers to the area between one's eyebrows, hinting at his big forehead.
• Kurin (voiced by Takako Uemura) - Kurin is a sweet pink duck and one of Kyoro-chan's friends. She helps run the bakery shop on Angel Island with her older sister. Her name means "chestnut," referring to the shape of her head.
• Masukara (voiced by Hinako Kanamaru) - A pretty yellow duck and Kurin's older sister. She takes care of Kurin and works with her at the bakery. Her name sounds like the word "mascara."
• Girori - A blackbird who is often mean to Kyoro-chan and his friends. His parents are very rich, so he can be a bit stuck-up. He has a secret crush on Masukara.
• Konto and Takuto - These two birds are Girori's helpers. Konto is a short green bird, and Takuto is a pink duck who wears a mask. They aren't very smart.
• Don Girori (voiced by Hideyuki Umezu) - Girori's dad. He's a millionaire who is in charge of Angel Island's money matters. He also runs the toy company where Mikken's dad works.
• Inspector Guriguri (voiced by Junpei Morita) - A condor who works as Angel Island's private detective. He wears a trench coat and swirly glasses. His name "guriguri" means "googly eyes."
• Phantom Thief Girosshu (voiced by Junpei Morita) - This is a mysterious thief who is actually Inspector Guriguri's secret identity! Even though he's a thief, he's kind and sometimes helps people.
• Shibashiba - A large, hairy black monster bird that most birds on Angel Island are scared of. It can change its shape and even turn others into Shibashiba. The only thing it can say is "shibashiba," which is where its name comes from.
• Pafu (Puff) - A fluffy, cloud-like creature that Kyoro-chan keeps as a pet in the second season of the show. It makes a whistle-like sound that sounds like "pafu."

Kyorochan's Legacy

Kyorochan is more than just a chocolate mascot or an anime star!

The Kyorosk Shop

In 2003, a special shop called the "Kyorosk" was built inside the JR East train station in Tamachi, Tokyo. This store sells many Morinaga products, with a special focus on Kyorochan items. It was created as a partnership between Morinaga and the train company because Morinaga's main office is close to that station.

Video Games

Kyorochan has also starred in a few video games! These games are not based on the anime series.

• KyoroChan Land - This game was released for the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) and Game Boy.
• Pocket KyoroChan - A Game Boy game, which also had a sequel.
• KyoroChan's Purikura Daisakusen - A PlayStation game that was a sequel to the Game Boy game.