The Song of Tentomushi facts for kids
| The Song of Tentomushi | |
Cover art from the first volume of Tentōmushi no Uta, as published by Shogakukan
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Quick facts for kids てんとう虫の歌(Tentōmushi no Uta) |
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| Genre | Slice of life |
| Manga | |
| Written by | Noboru Kawasaki |
| Published by | Shogakukan |
| Demographic | Children |
| Imprint | Tentōmushi Comics |
| Magazine | Shogakukan no Gakushō Zasshi |
| Original run | 1973 – 1975 |
| Volumes | 4 |
| Anime television series | |
| Directed by | Hiroshi Sasagawa |
| Written by | Shigeru Yanagigawa Takao Koyama |
| Music by | Shunsuke Kikuchi |
| Studio | Tatsunoko Productions |
| Network | Fuji TV |
| Original run | 6 October 1974 – 26 September 1976 |
| Episodes | 104 |
The Song of Tentomushi (てんとう虫の歌, Tentōmushi no Uta, lit. "The Ladybug's Song") is a popular manga series created by Noboru Kawasaki. It was published from 1973 to 1975 in magazines for elementary school students. The story was later collected into four special books called tankōbon. This manga was so well-liked that Tatsunoko Productions turned it into an anime TV show. The anime even aired in Italy where it was known as Coccinella. This was the second time one of Kawasaki's works became an animated series by Tatsunoko.
What's the Story About?
The story follows seven young brothers and sisters. They live a happy life, surrounded by their parents' love. For their parents' wedding anniversary, the children give them a special trip as a gift. Sadly, a terrible accident happens during this trip, and their parents are killed.
This is a very shocking and sad time for the children. But they can't stay sad forever. They must learn to live on their own and take care of each other. Their journey begins as they work hard and bravely, helping each other with strong brotherly and sisterly love. Their honest efforts and lively spirits slowly earn them respect and support from people in their community.
Meet the Characters
The Isshuu Family
The Isshuu family name means "one week" in Japanese. This is because there are seven children, and each one represents a different day of the week!
Tsukimi Isshuu (一週 つきみ) Tsukimi is the oldest daughter in the family and represents Monday. She is 11 years old and in the 6th grade. Tsukimi is very good at housework and gets excellent grades in school. However, she finds it a bit hard to take on the role of a mother for her younger siblings. In the Italian version of the show, she is 16 years old.
Kaji Isshuu (一週 かじ) Kaji is the oldest son, but he is younger than Tsukimi. He represents Tuesday. Kaji is 10 years old and in the 5th grade. In the original manga, he dreams of becoming a baseball player. But in the anime, he wants to be a boxer! He often tells his younger siblings off when they don't cooperate. Even though he struggles with school grades, he does a good job acting like a father figure for the family. In the Italian version, he is 15 years old.
Mizuo Isshuu (一週 みずお) Mizuo is the second son in the family and represents Wednesday. He is 9 years old and in the 4th grade. Mizuo is very smart and has been a genius since he started school, always getting amazing grades. He wants to be a scientist when he grows up. He is always doing science experiments, even in his own bedroom! In the Italian version, he is 14 years old.
Mokusuke Isshuu (一週 もくすけ) Mokusuke is the third son and represents Thursday. He is 8 years old and in the 3rd grade. He is a bit heavy, but he has a very loving heart towards his siblings. He wants to be a priest when he grows up and often performs Buddhist prayers. In the Italian version, he is 13 years old.
Kintaro Isshuuu (一週 きんたろ) Kintaro is the fourth son and represents Friday. He is 7 years old and in the 2nd grade. He can sometimes be a bit of a bully at school and even at home (especially to Kaji). However, he is also very kind and often teams up with his younger brother, Tsuchimaru, to get into mischief. He wants to be a farmer when he grows up. In the Italian version, he is 8 years old.
Tsuchimaru Isshuu (一週 つちまる) Tsuchimaru is the fifth son and represents Saturday. He is 6 years old and in the first grade. He is quite smart, even more so than his older brother Kintaro. He is also very kind and friendly. He has a very short haircut, sometimes called a "skin head." When he grows up, he hopes to become a detective. In the Italian version, he is 7 years old.
Hiyoko Isshuu (一週 ひよこ) Hiyoko is the second daughter and the youngest child. She is also a main character in the series and represents Sunday. Hiyoko is 5 years old and too young to go to school. She can be very mischievous and acts older than her age sometimes. But she is a friendly girl who helps shape her family's future thanks to Tentomushi, a ladybug she found. She is seen as the one who started their new way of life. When she grows up, she wants to be a veterinarian because she loves animals. Her age stays the same in the Italian version.
