Chiikawa, the beloved creation of illustrator and manga artist NAGANO, first emerged in 2020 and quickly swept across the globe. After its TV anime debut, its unique style captivated audiences, making it a truly beloved phenomenon.
The official team announced today (March 21) that to prepare for a brand-new anime series, Chiikawa will pause its regular broadcast for approximately three months starting April 2025. Instead, it will air a special "best-of" rerun, revisiting fan-favorite episodes.
The Chiikawa anime, which first aired in April 2022, has now completed three years, accompanying countless viewers during their morning hours. To gear up for the new series production, the official team decided to run a special broadcast for about three months starting in April, showcasing classic episodes that received enthusiastic fan feedback. For those watching on YouTube, the official one-week limited VODs will continue as usual, with new episodes expected to return in July.
In other news, the daily "Chiikawa Fortune-telling" segment in Japan will introduce 5 brand-new fortune-telling animations, increasing the total from 10 to 15, making the content even more engaging. It will also feature new characters and upgraded content, offering everyone a fresh and exciting fortune-telling experience!
However, this three-month break has many fans worried about whether Hachiware's voice actor, Makoto Tanaka, will be replaced. Tanaka, who was 11 when the show started, is now 14, and his voice has noticeably changed due to puberty. Fans are fervently hoping for no changes, eager to keep hearing Tanaka's voice as Hachiware.
This rerun special and fortune-telling upgrade offer a fantastic opportunity for both long-time fans and newcomers to rediscover the world of Chiikawa! Let's all look forward to the arrival of the new anime series in July!