is a yonkoma

Yonkoma

thumb|right|150px|Traditional Yonkoma layout, a comic-strip format, generally consists of gag comic strips within four panels of equal size ordered from top to bottom...

 manga

Manga

Manga is the Japanese word for "comics" and consists of comics and print cartoons . In the West, the term "manga" has been appropriated to refer specifically to comics created in Japan, or by Japanese authors, in the Japanese language and conforming to the style developed in Japan in the late 19th...

 series by Takako Aonuma

Takako Aonuma

is a Japanese manga artist who writes primarily yonkoma manga.-Works:*Ann 2-sai, Omutsu ha Zushi Taisakisen*Persia ga Suki!*Mama Loves the Poyopoyo-Saurus*Odoron Angel*Takako Aonuma no Madame Hanako*Tanpopo-chan...

 which ran in the Japan

Japan

Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...

ese child-raising magazine Petit Enfant. The manga was adapted to a 52-episode anime

Anime

is the Japanese abbreviated pronunciation of "animation". The definition sometimes changes depending on the context. In English-speaking countries, the term most commonly refers to Japanese animated cartoons....

 TV series which ran on the MBS

Mainichi Broadcasting System

is a broadcasting station in Osaka, Japan, affiliated with Japan Radio Network , National Radio Network , Japan News Network and TBS Network, serving in the Kansai region. MBS is also one of the major stockholders of Tokyo Broadcasting System Holdings, Inc...

 and TBS

Tokyo Broadcasting System

, TBS Holdings, Inc. or TBSHD, is a stockholding company in Tokyo, Japan. It is a parent company of a television network named and radio network named ....

 networks (except for TV Yamaguchi) from September 2, 1995 through August 31, 1996. It was rebroadcast from 2001 to 2002 on Tokyo Metropolitan Television

Tokyo Metropolitan Television

thumb|Tokyo Metropolitan Television old headquarters : Telecom Center Building is the only commercial television station in Tokyo, Japan that exclusively serves the city. It competes with Nippon Television, TV Asahi, Tokyo Broadcasting System, TV Tokyo, and Fuji Television, all of which are...

. The series is sometimes called Mama Poyo.

The series follows the "adventures" of a young mother and father as they deal with the joys and challenges of raising small children. The "poyopoyo" in the title is an onomatopoeia for the young children "toddling" around (or walking unsteadily).

Manga, first release

• Volume 1: ISBN 4-574-00058-9
• Volume 2: ISBN 4-574-00063-5
• Volume 3: ISBN 4-574-00072-4
• Volume 4: ISBN 4-574-00082-1

Manga, second release

• Volume 1: ISBN 4-344-00422-1
• Volume 2: ISBN 4-344-00443-4
• Volume 3: ISBN 4-344-00461-2
• Volume 4: ISBN 4-344-00479-5

Toilet training book

This book was written by Eiichi Hoashi, a well-known child psychologist in Japan. Aonuma wrote the accompanying manga used to illustrate the various ideas and techniques presented in the book.

• The Battle to Get Two-year-old Ann Out of Diapers: Mama Poyo Special: Going to Undies in Four Steps, ISBN 4-574-00078-3

Anime picture books

• Volume 1: ISBN 4-574-80037-2
• Volume 2: ISBN 4-574-80038-0
• Volume 3: ISBN 4-574-80039-9
• Volume 4: ISBN 4-574-80040-2
• Volume 5: ISBN
• Volume 6: ISBN
• Volume 7: ISBN
• Volume 8: ISBN
• Volume 9: ISBN 4-574-80045-3
• Volume 10: ISBN 4-574-80046-1
• Volume 11: ISBN 4-574-80078-X
• Volume 12: ISBN 4-574-80079-8

Cast

In the manga, the names of the characters are the real names of the Aonuma family, but in the anime, they were given new names. Following are names used in the anime:

• Hyōga Poyota: Yuri Shiratori
  Yuri Shiratori
  is a female seiyū and J-pop singer from Kanagawa Prefecture who has released various solo CD albums. She is employed by 81 Produce.-Profile:*Born on August 20, 1968 in Kanagawa Prefecture*Nickname: Shiratari-san...
  
   (5 years old, boy, in oldest class in pre-school)
• Jura Poyota: Satomi Kōrogi (3 years old, girl, in youngest class in pre-school)
• Miki Poyota: Rica Matsumoto
  Rica Matsumoto
  is a Japanese voice actress and J-pop singer who was born in Yokohama, Japan. Her name is also sometimes romanized as Rika Matsumoto. She was one of the original members of the popular vocal group JAM Project. After the way of the stage, she embarked on voice acting and a singing career...
  
   (Mom, housewife and picture book author)
• Gendai Poyota: Yūichi Nagashima
  Yuichi Nagashima
  is a Japanese voice actor and actor from Kōnosu, Saitama. His former stage name was . He is a graduate of the Nishogakusha University Department of Literature and received training at Bungakuza's research establishment and the Seinenza Theater Company before attaching himself to Production Baobab...
  
   (Dad, salaryman
  Salaryman
  refers to someone whose income is salary based; particularly those working for corporations. Its frequent use by Japanese corporations, and its prevalence in Japanese manga and anime has gradually led to its acceptance in English-speaking countries as a noun for a Japanese white-collar...
  
  , called "Darling" by Miki)

Other characters:

• Emi Kunitachi: Kumiko Nishihara
  Kumiko Nishihara
  is a Japanese voice actress who was born in Chigasaki, Kanagawa and works for Aoni Production.-Notable anime roles:*Ayane's High Kick *Cool Devices *Digimon Frontier *Dragon Ball Z...
  
  
• Reira Kunitachi: Hinako Kanamaru
• Yū Kunitachi: Fujiko Takimoto
  Fujiko Takimoto
  is a Japanese voice actress born in Osaka, Japan who is famous for her part in voicing child Link from The Legend of Zelda series. She is currently affiliated with Arts Vision.-Anime:*Captain Tsubasa *Mahoujin Guru Guru...
  
  
• Employee B: Wakana Yamazaki
  Wakana Yamazaki
  is a Japanese voice actress who works for Aoni Production.-Television animation:* Air Gear * All Purpose Cultural Cat Girl Nuku Nuku * Bobobo-bo Bo-bobo * Captain Tsubasa * Dai no Daibouken...
  
  

Staff

• Original creator: Takako Aonuma
  Takako Aonuma
  is a Japanese manga artist who writes primarily yonkoma manga.-Works:*Ann 2-sai, Omutsu ha Zushi Taisakisen*Persia ga Suki!*Mama Loves the Poyopoyo-Saurus*Odoron Angel*Takako Aonuma no Madame Hanako*Tanpopo-chan...
  
  
• Director: Takayoshi Suzuki
• Script: Mamiko Ikeda
  Mamiko Ikeda
  is a female Japanese script writer for anime. She has worked on such series as Victorian Romance Emma, Daa! Daa! Daa! and numerous others.-Head Script Writer:*Kyouran Kazoku Nikki*Di Gi Charat Nyo!*Grrl Power*Himawari!...
  
  , Minori Ikeno, Tomoko Ishizuka
• Producers: Hiroshi Nishikiori, Fūta Morita, Jōhei Matsuura, Shinya Hanai, Masahiro Hosoda, others
• Character designs: Tatsuo Miura
• Animation director: Tatsuo Miura, Hiroshi Oikawa, Shinichirō Kajiura, Hirokazu Ishino, others
• Background artist: Gōichi Kudō
• Art director: Satoshi Suzuki
• Music: Kazunori Maruyama
• Sound effects: Mitsuru Kageyama (Fizz Sound Creation
  Fizz Sound Creation
  is a sound effects company working in the television, movie, radio, video, CD, cassette and game animation industry in Japan.-Company history:The company was founded in 1971 by as...
  
  )
• Audio production: San'onkyō
• Production: MBS
  Mainichi Broadcasting System
  is a broadcasting station in Osaka, Japan, affiliated with Japan Radio Network , National Radio Network , Japan News Network and TBS Network, serving in the Kansai region. MBS is also one of the major stockholders of Tokyo Broadcasting System Holdings, Inc...
  
  , Nippon Animation
  Nippon Animation
  is a Japanese animation studio. The company is headquartered in Tokyo, with chief offices in the Ginza district of Chūō and production facilities in Tama City....
  
  
• Writing: Takako Aonuma, MBS, Nippon Animation

Ending

(acoustic version)

Vocals: Masatoshi Ono

Masatoshi Ono

is a Japanese rock singer-songwriter. Ono got his start in the 1980s when he was the vocalist for the heavy metal band FORT BRAGG. In 1992, he released his first solo single, entitled "Pure ni Nare", under the label Sony Records. But it wasn't until his third single, "You're the Only...", that Ono...

Lyrics: Masatoshi Ono

Composer: Tsukasa

Arrangement: Yoshio Tsuru

Vocals: Rica Matsumoto

Lyrics: Rui Serizawa

Composer: Kazuyoshi Shina

Arrangement: Tatsuya Nishiwaki

External links

Official Mama Poyo page