Deko Boko Friends

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TV anime
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Studio	Shogakukan
Network	NHK
Original run	September 2005 –
No. of episodes

Deko Boko Friends (でこぼこフレンズ, deko boko furenzu^?), literally "Uneven Friends", is a collection of 30-second Japanese shorts created by a pair of advertising creators, Momoko Maruyama and Ryotaro Kuwamoto to promote acceptance of people of different personalities and appearances. The shorts are focused on 12 different creatures, meant to show certain personalities, likes, dislikes, and quirks.

Deko Boko Friends originated on NHK's oldest running children's programming show, Okaasan to Issho in 2003, superseding previous short cartoon series, Yancharu Moncha.

Deko Boko Friends is distributed in English by VIZ Media and shown in English on Nickelodeon's children's programming block, Nick Jr. and Noggin in the United States. Deko Boko Friends is shown on Treehouse TV in Canada.

[edit] Characters in Deko Boko Friends

Acorn Tots (どんぐりん Dongurin from 団栗 donguri meaning acorn. Adding an 'n' makes makes the name not only cute sounding, but more personal.)

The Acorn Tots are five small acorn-children who hold an one large acorn in both hands. They are best friend and rivals. Each tries to be better than all the rest.

Belly Boing (くいしんボン Kuishinbon from 食いしん坊 kuishinbou meaning glutton.)

Belly Boing is constantly thinking of food. He likes eating sweets, and he can create a drum sound by pounding on his large stomach.

Big Oggo & Mu Mu (オオガーラとムクムク Ōgāra to Mukumuku literally Ōgāra and Mukumuku from 大柄 ōgara meaning large build and 尨犬 mukuinu meaning shaggy dog)

Despite his image as a lumbering giant, Big Oggo is very sweet and loveable with an affinity to anything cute.

Mu Mu is his friend, a pink toy poodle who curiously moo's instead of barking.

Disabear (あなくま Anakuma from 穴 ana meaning hole and 熊 kuma meaning bear)

Disabear uses plates he tosses on the ground to make holes. He whistles while he walks and uses an accent.

Grandma Fuji (ふじおばば Fuji Obaba from 富士 fuji meaning Mount Fuji and お祖母さん obāsan meaning grandmother)

Grandma Fuji is the epitome of Japanese tradition. She enjoys singing enka, writing haiku, calligraphy, and hosting tea ceremonies.

Kaki Kaki (サボサボ Sabosabo from サボテン saboten meaning cactus)

Kaki Kaki is a cactus like boy. He is extremely nervous and timid, his spines fall off whenever he is surprised or scared.

Ken Bahn (ケン・バーン Ken Bān from 鍵盤 kenban meaning keyboard)

Ken has a keyboard for teeth and he plays them whenever he is in a good mood. He likes to wobble and lean as he walks.

Klinki Klunki (カランコロン Karankoron from カランコロン karan koron meaning an onomatopoeia for the reverberating sounds of tinkling bells or a glass tapped by ice)

Klinki is very laid back and hates when juice falls out of his glass, because his face shrinks. He likes to see eveyone as laid back as he is.

Melodina (メロディーヌ Merodīnu from メロディー merodī meaning melody)

Melodina is very musical. She even makes her speech resemble a melody. She likes to skip and when she does she makes sounds like a toy piano.

Nut'n Nose (はなはなマロン Hanahana Maron from 鼻 hana meaning nose and マロン maron meaning chestnut)

Nut'n Nose resembles a chestnut. Quite possibly from his love of Mont Blanc, an Italian dessert cake made with the nut. His nose can be inflated like a balloon, and when he tries hard to do something, his tail swings.

The Prince Egg (たまごおうじ Tamago Ōji literally Egg Prince from 卵 (also 玉子) tamago meaning egg and 王子 ōji meaning prince)

The Prince Egg is a prince of an unknown kingdom. His egg hat boils and cracks when he gets angry. When the pieces fall to the floor, he picks them all up, using tiny brisk steps.