Nanako (ナナ子), created by Fujio Akatsuka and Fujio Pro, is a minor character appearing in works including the Osomatsu-kun franchise. She originates from the series You Love Me-kun.
In -kun, she appears at points as a neighborhood child, most notably a girl that Chibita takes interest in.
Overview[]
As part of The Akatsuka Star System, Nanako's extended role is served mainly within You Love Me-kun as the younger sister of the protagonist Santaro; assisting him in his attempts to try to win the heart of a popular girl that he loves.
Having been created at the same time as Jajako and debuting shortly after, she can be easily confused for that character with her identical looks and a similar-sounding name, and may in fact possibly have been intended as an alternate role of the character at the time. Both girls appear in non-speaking cameos in the 1966 Studio Zero anime of Osomatsu-kun, and the multiple points of similarity (or the intent of possibly being the same star) likely lead to them being merged into one "Jajako" for the 1988 Pierrot -kun.
Personality & Characteristics[]
Appearance[]
Nanako has a long black bob cut hairstyle, and can be seen wearing a hair ribbon in the back. She usually wears the same sort of fashion as Jajako; various types of dress or jumper depending on the season, and a pair of sandals.
The only design aspect to distinguish her from Jajako would be her cheek markings. Instead of the "whiskers" on her cheeks indicating a dirty face, she has spiral blush markings.
Personality[]
Nanako is a precocious, strong-minded but fickle child. She closely follows Chibita and enjoys hanging around him, but once she hears of oden, becomes angry and wants nothing to do with him or the food.
After being seen to change her mind about the oden and casually eating some, she seems to think little of her earlier outburst, which leads to Chibita deciding to give up on her (to her confusion).
Relationships[]
Around Chibita, Nanako seemed to have the effect of getting him to be so interested in her that he gave up hanging out with frogs as his friends (to Totoko's surprise). Through the entire story, his childhood crush is seen as strong enough to make him do anything to try to break his love for oden, so that the two of them can continue being friends.
But these feelings are as fleeting as Nanako's own supposed hatred of oden, so their friendship does not continue after he sees that she disregarded his struggle.
In her own series, she is pursued by another young boy, and the two of them play a part in trying to help Santaro divert Chiyoko's attention away from other potential suitors.
History[]
Osomatsu-kun (manga)[]
Nanako was first seen in "Does Chibita No Longer Like Oden?", when she and Chibita were witnessed walking together by Totoko. When Nanako remarked on being hungry, Chibita offered her oden, only for her to scream at him about hating it.
Feeling distraught but still longing for Nanako, Chibita relied on Iyami and the sextuplets to help break his love for the food and evaded various traps and temptations. But after seeing Nanako enjoying oden, Chibita became angry at his wasted efforts, and went back to hanging out with frogs in the pipeyard.
She is later seen among a group of children in "Master Chibita Who Lost Money", wanting some of the rich Chibita's yen and crowding around him to receive them.
Osomatsu-kun (1966 anime)[]
Nanako briefly appears in a playground at the start of "The Smog Family's Rampage", but winds up scared off by Chibita who enters in doing a dance similar to the gangs in the film West Side Story.
The story of her hate for oden is adapted into "Chibita's Oden Neurosis", but she is not used for the plot; Chikako takes her place instead.
Osomatsu-kun (1988 anime)[]
Although Nanako can be seen in artwork for a puzzle produced as part of the merchandising for the anime (with her manga design), she and her chapter are ultimately merged with that of Jajako.
The composite Jajako character debuts in episode 61 ("Which is More Important, Oden or First Love?"). She bears Nanako's cheek swirls and her disgust towards Chibita's favorite food, but is related to Hatabō and lives in a town neighboring the west of Akatsuka.