Atashin'chi

Overview

The story revolves around the Tachibana family, which consists of the frugal and sometimes unintentionally careless mother, the taciturn father who goes at his own pace, the high school girl Mikan, who is plain, timid and a bit clumsy, and the younger brother Yuzuhiko (nicknamed Yuzupi or Yu-chan), a middle school student who is shy and unfamiliar with things like love, but is sensitive, logical, and has a steady personality. The brother and sister's names are based on the Citrus unshiu (mikan) and yuzu fruits. Many other characters who intersect the Tachibana's lives are depicted interacting with the family as well. When the series first began, the story was centered around the family, with Mikan and her mother at the center (the name, Atashin'chi, is written in such a way that is implied to be from Mikan's or her mother's perspective). However, as the series continued, episodes that weave together the relationships between each family member began to be depicted.

The stage of the story in the anime work is Tanashi, Nishitokyo, and the family lives in a three bedroom apartment on the fifth floor. Starting with Tanashi Station, which is the nearest station, Seibu Shinjuku Line, Seibu Bus, Kanto Bus, Hana Bus, a community bus in Nishi-Tokyo City, etc. are faithfully reproduced in the work (the 1994 time when it was written at the beginning is still Tanashi Station was the old station building).

Characters

The Tachibana family

The family name, in earlier manga printings and in early TV episodes, was spelled using kanji as 立花. However, when the series reached international acclaim, especially in China, the spelling changed to katakana as タチバナ.

Father (父)

voiced by: Kenichi Ogata; Fujiko Takimoto (child, 1st season)

A salaryman who works in Downtown Tokyo. He is the characteristic middle-aged Japanese working man who is a heavy beer drinker, smokes often, and frequents the pachinko parlors and loves baseball. However, he finds the time to be there for his family, and is often helpful on his Sundays off. He drives a blue hatchback coupe, but commutes to work by commuter train.

Mother (母)

voiced by: Kumiko Watanabe

A modern-day Japanese housewife, who arrogantly prides herself on a clean home, a balanced budget, and a frugal yet "tasty" dinner. Although at times she finds nifty tricks to multitask and consolidate household chores (like vacuuming the rug and waxing the wooden floor all at once), she is awfully clumsy and gets herself into sticky situations from losing control. Despite her hard work, she is also known for being somewhat lazy by taking copious afternoon naps, watching TV while eating senbei and skimping out on shopping and cooking on rainy days.

Mikan (立花 みかん, Mikan Tachibana)

voiced by: Fumiko Orikasa

A 17-year-old second-year high school student, and is the intended "main protagonist" of the series. (The "atashi" (me) in the title.) She goes to a public high school, which is a long, stressful commute away. It also doesn't require school uniforms. She is portrayed as an easy-going, relaxed girl who likes to have fun. Often very maiden-like, but other times very tomboyish, she goes through every day with something funny happening. Her western name is Megan Tahoma, Megan Hilda Tahoma.

Supporting characters

People related to Mikan

Shimi-chan (しみちゃん)

voiced by: Kaori Matoi (1st season); Yuko Iida (2nd season)

Mikan's classmate. Her last name is Shimizu (清水, Shimizu), which leads to her common nickname "Shimi-chan". She is Mikan's high school friend who attended a different junior high school, but she is a close friend of Mikan. She is mature, has a good style, and respects Mikan no matter what. She enjoys reading palms, tarot card readings and spirituality. She often goes to different fortune tellers/card readers for fun but also to learn from them. Whenever she gives any advice or her thoughts on any matter to Mikan, she pretends to smoke a nonexistent cigarette, to which Mikan then gives her a nonexistent Ashtray. Shimi-chan prefers the innocent side of Mikan, deeming it as cute and childlike. As of now, Shimi-chan is the only character who knows Mikan has a crush on Iwaki-kun. Originally, Shimi-chan thought Mikan had a crush on Yoshioka, which led to a confrontation that resulted in Mikan telling Shimi-chan her feelings for Iwaki-kun.

Yoshioka (吉岡)

voiced by: Yūsuke Numata

Mikan's classmate from the same junior high school (Minami Junior High School). He has a slightly awkward and romantic personality. He and Mikan have been friends since junior high school, but have no romantic feelings for one another. Iwaki-kun and Yoshioka get along well together and talk about their similar interests. Sometimes Yoshioka likes to tease Mikan by making fun of her as a joke. In Shin Atashin'chi it was revealed that Yoshioka has a phobia of fish, more specifically a phobia of fishes' faces. Yoshioka finds it pleasing to correct Mikan's statements and finds the fact that Mikan doesn't know many trivial or philosophical facts unpleasing. So much so, that he just barges into Mikan's conversations just so that he can correct her and show his intelligence, which leads to Mikan being annoyed.

Yukarin (ゆかりん)

voiced by: Haruna Ikezawa

Mikan's classmate whose real name is Yuka (from anime 1st season). She is usually quiet, but when she smiles and she hugs her belly without worrying about others. She has white skin and is envied by Mikan due to her maiden-like personality. She, Mikan, and Shimi-chan are often seen together in a trio.

People related to Mother

Mizushima (水島)

voiced by: Rikako Aikawa

Mother's friend. She is Jun's mother, one of Mikan's elementary school classmate . She is 45 years old. She is active and has many hobbies. She is the type to "think up and act immediately". She often enjoys shopping with other members, and invites her to Ginza, mountain climbing, and pottery. She is especially close to her mother, who goes to swimming school together. She is good at making things by hand, she makes kamaboko and datemaki.

Toyama (戸山)

voiced by: Sakiko Tamagawa

Mother's friend. A relatively elegant impression among the three. She wears square glasses with rounded edges, which she rarely removes, with the exception of episode 18 of season 2 of the anime. Her undressed figure looks just like her daughter. Her favorite phrase is "Oh, it's nice (あら、いいじゃなーい, Ara, Iijana~i)". Although she doesn't seem to match with Mother and Mizushima, she actually gets along with her because she's a big-hearted and friendly person (her way of thinking is similar).

Misumi (三角)

voiced by: Nana Yamaguchi

Mother's friend. She has the most common sense among the four, and is often taken aback by Mother's irrelevant remarks. On the other hand, when she travels to Kyoto, she dresses up as a maiko (apprentice geisha), tries to eat while standing near the station, and is influenced by her friends to reach the same level. She appears the least of the four.

Machiko Ōwada (Ms. Hohoemi) (大和田マチコ（ホホエミさん）, Oowada Machiko (Hohoemi-san))

voiced by: Naoko Watanabe

Miss Mizushima's friends. She is 40 years old. "Hohoemi-san" is a nickname given by Mother who can't remember her name (she once called her "Hohoemi-san"). Mizushima doesn't call her "Hohoemi-san" in the original, but she usually calls her "Machiko-san" in the anime, but there was a time when she called her "Hohoemi-san" only once in the first season of the anime.

People related to Yuzuhiko

Fujino (藤野)

voiced by: Kappei Yamaguchi

Yuzuhiko's classmate and best friend. Initially envious of Yuzuhiko, who has her older sister, he is deeply in love with Mikan (even though he has only seen her face for a moment), but later portrays him as having a crush on Sudo. He talks a lot, and his thoughts come out easily.

Nasuo Arai (新井ナスオ(那須野), Arai Nasuo)

voiced by: Kōki Miyata→Mitsuki Saiga→Mizuki Otsuka

Yuzuhiko's classmate. He often joins Yuzuhiko and Fujino. A fan of Marumi Maruno, just like Yuzuhiko. He is insensitive. He is good at mimicry. Yuzuhiko thinks Nasuo is troublesome because he interprets other people's stories in his own way and spreads them as rumors. He also knows the fact that Fujino has a crush on Sudo.

Yuri Ishida (石田ゆり, Ishida Yuri)

voiced by: Etsuko Kozakura

Yuzuhiko's classmate. She is a little conscious of Yuzuhiko. Her words and actions are absurd and difficult for those around her to understand, but Yuzuhiko can generally understand them accurately. She also often ends his words with "~nanoda", and sometimes sings "Papopoppapo" (from the anime).

Sudo (須藤)

voiced by: Kyōko Hikami

Yuzuhiko's classmate. She has a witty personality and is a good understanding of Ishida. She is also good friends with Yuzuhiko and Fujino. Her dislikes are cabbage rolls and Fukujinzuke. Yuzuhiko called her "Sudo-san (rarely Sudo-chan)", Fujino called her "Sudo-chan", and Ishida called her "Sudo".

Kawashima (川島)

voiced by: Wasabi Mizuta

People related to Father

Kawayanagi/Hiroshi (川柳 / ヒロシ)

voiced by: Mantarō Iwao

Father's friend. A man from the same hometown as Father, he is a dandy, slender gentleman compared to Father. He gets along well with father, and goes to an izakaya run by a young couple with him, exchanging glasses and complaining about various things. His hobby is senryu, and he once brought in a haiku book he wrote himself and showed it to Father.

Inoue Couple (井上夫妻, Inoue Fusai)

voiced by: Takashi Taguchi (Master); Ren Kato (young); Orie Kimoto (Mako)

A couple who runs a pub where Father and Hiroshi frequent visited. The husband's name has not been revealed, but he is 46 years old.

In the anime she was given the last name "Inoue". In the first period, she only appeared in her husband (however, she did not speak at that time), but in the second season, Mako also appeared, and the master also began to speak.

Father's Mother (父の母, Chichi no Haha)

She is Mikan Yuzuhiko's paternal grandmother, and she died when Mikan was 3 years old (Yuzuhiko was born a month after her grandmother's death). She was suddenly hospitalized and Father returned to Kyushu, but as a result of her surgery, it turned out that she was already too late. When Father returned to his parents' home in Ōita, he cried alone in front of her portrait (Mother said it was the only tears she had ever seen of him).

Aunt (叔母, Oba)

voiced by: Chizuko Hoshino

Mikan and Yuzuhiko's aunt.

Tanaka (田中)

voiced by: Ken Narita

Media

Manga

Written and illustrated by Eiko Kera, the Atashinchi manga began serialization in the Yomiuri Shimbun in June 1994 and ran until March 2012. The first tankōbon volume was released by Media Factory on April 26, 1995. The manga returned with a new serialization in December 2019.

The manga has been translated and published in Chinese and Korean, and the anime is also broadcast in South Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Malaysia, and India.

Anime

An anime adaptation produced by Shin-Ei Animation aired on All-Nippon News Network from April 19, 2002, to September 19, 2009, for 330 episodes. Akitaro Daichi and Tetsuo Yasumi served as directors, while Motoi Sakuraba composed the music.

The official Atashin'chi YouTube channel began streaming the first two episodes with English subtitles on May 15, 2020. Shin-Ei Animation and AlphaBoat are planning on streaming about 270 episodes in their original order until March 2021. The final episode of the series aired on YouTube on August 3, 2022.

Shin Atashin'chi, a sequel to the original 2002 anime series, aired on Animax from October 6, 2015, to April 5, 2016, for 26 episodes. Shin-Ei Animation returned for the series' production. Ogura Hirofumi served as director, Akifumi Tada composed the music, while the original creator Eiko Kera wrote stories specifically for the series.

Crunchyroll began simulcasting the series outside of Asia on October 6, 2015.

Movie

On December 6, 2003, to commemorate the 45th anniversary of TV Asahi, the animated movie "Atashin'chi Movie (Japanese: 映画 あたしンち, Hepburn: Eiga Atashinchi)" which depicts the change of Mother and Mikan, was released. This film distributed by Toei Distribution. The length of this film is 95 minutes.The director is Tetsuo Yasumi.The script is written by Kazuyuki Ryosawa and Natsuko Takahashi. Akiko Yano participated in this movie by sing the theme song. It is also a collaboration between Toei, TV Asahi, and Shin-Ei Animation and commemorates the 45th anniversary of TV Asahi first broadcasting. The initial title was "Atashin'chi New Year's Movie"

The catch copy was "Congratulations 'Mother' silver screen debut ♪ Something will happen to the Tachibana family this winter!" in the early stages and replaced by "Oh my, Mother and Mikan have been replaced! What? What do you want to do?"

Even before the start of Atashin'chi broadcast on TV Asahi, TV Asahi and Toei planned to release this film. Before its release, TV Asahi and Toei said, "We want to make a series that lasts for 10 years and 20 years as a national animation as a work that the whole family can enjoy," and set the target box office revenue of 3 billion yen under "Doraemon movie" Despite an unusual campaign in which 10 of the main character's visited places where there were requests for business trips such as personal events all over the country, the box office revenue was 900 million yen, falling short of the target, and it was not made into a series.

It was screened in Taiwan from February 9, 2007, and in Hong Kong from January 17, 2008, recording the highest ticket sales in the second week of its release.

In the second movie, a 3D movie " Atashin'chi 3D Movie (Japanese: 劇場版3D あたしンち 情熱のちょ〜超能力♪ 母大暴走!, Hepburn: Gekijouban 3D Movie Atashin'chi : Jounetsu no Chou Chounouryoku Haha Dai Bousou)" was released on November 13, 2010. This film distributed by Toei Distribution. The length of this film is 43 minutes. Shin-ei Animation's first 3D movie. The director is Wataru Takahashi, who is making his feature film directorial debut. Screenplay by Hiroshi Ohnogi. Yoko Yazawa is in charge of the theme song. In addition, Tetsuo Yasumi, who was in charge of directing the previous work and the TV series, will be in charge of supervision.

Opening and ending themes

Openings

「さらば」/"Saraba" by Kinmokusei (Episodes 1–142)

「あたしンちの唄」/"Atashin'chi no Uta" by Kyōko Koizumi (Episodes 143–297)

「プロリンサイズ♪」/"Purorin Size" by Morisanchuu (Episodes 298–330)

「Let's Go! あたしンち」/"Let's Go! Atashin'chi" by The Tachibanas (Kumiko Watanabe, Fumiko Orikasa, Daisuke Sakaguchi, Kenichi Ogata) (Shin Atashin'chi)

Endings

「来て来てあたしンち」/"Kite Kite Atashin'chi" by Aya Hirayama, adapted from Sir Edward Elgar's Pomp and Circumstance Marches (Episodes 1–161, 328)

「Let's Go! あたしンち」/"Let's Go! Atashin'chi" by The Tachibanas (Kumiko Watanabe, Fumiko Orikasa, Daisuke Sakaguchi, Kenichi Ogata) (Episodes 162–232, 329)

「ほっとっとっとな まいにち」/"Hottottotto na Mainichi" by Kigurumichiko (Episodes 233–304)

「プロリンサイズ♪」/"Purorin Size" by Morisanchuu (Episodes 305–327)

「さらば」/"Saraba" by Kinmokusei (Episode 330)

[ろっか・ばい・まい・べいびい] /"Rock-a-Bye My Baby" by Haruomi Hosono (Shin Atashin'chi)

「あたしンち」/"Atashin'chi" by Akiko Yano (Atashin'chi Movie)

"SUGAR!SUGAR!!SUGAR!!!" by Yoko Yazawa (Atashin'chi 3D Movie)

Inserts

Karaoke tengoku (カラオケ天国) by Mikan (Fumiko Orikasa)

Jounetsu no akai bara (情熱の赤いバラ) by Mother (Kumiko Watanabe)