It’s not uncommon for popular anime to feature special episodes where the characters are drawn in a chibi format. Chibi is a Japanese slang word to describe something short. For example, we often see short characters called “chibi.” Later, however, it became a whole form of art. In the chibi art form, characters are drawn in an exaggerated way. They get a big head, big eyes and a small body. With this exaggerated method, the characters look cute (yes, even the scary ones). Thanks to the chibi style, many merchandise such as key chains, T-shirts and toys were born. Even the western market began to create characters and toys in the chibi style.
Some episodes have very tense storylines. These tense situations can be forgotten for a while thanks to these special episodes. Sometimes they follow the same plot but with hilarious twists. Below are some of the most popular chibi-style anime that fans have come to love. It is not a ranking, because the ranking depends on the person. But it is guaranteed that you will have a lot of fun with this as long as you know about the original series.
1. Rock Lee and his ninja friends
Rock Lee and his Ninja friends, originally known as Rock Lee no Seishun Full-Power Ninden, is a spin-off series from Naruto Shippuden. It consists of 51 episodes and debuted in February 2012. The story follows the daily life and training of our protagonist Rock Lee. It is the first spin-off series that does not follow the Naruto Shippuden storyline. The story is purely for comedic purposes, and even villains like Orochimaru are presented in a funny way. In addition to Rock Lee, his teacher Might Guy and his teammates Neji and Tenten can be seen in every episode.
You can watch all 51 episodes on Crunchyroll and Hulu.
2. Himouto! Umaru-chan
Himouto! Umaru-chan is a manga series written and illustrated by Sankaku Head. The special thing about Umaru-chan is that the main sequence is presented in a chibi way. Or rather, the main character is. Umaru Doma is a gifted high school girl and is the epitome of elegance. Her classmates admire her beauty and her academic and sports skills. However, Umaru has a secret that only her big brother Taihei knows. She is secretly a big game nerd with a fast food addiction.
As soon as she gets home, she changes into a chibi version, puts on her hamster hoodie and starts playing games. She can always be seen with a bottle of Coke and a packet of crisps next to her. Despite her brother’s concerns, she does not shake off her lifestyle. But the anime is a great comfort watch, and the characters are interesting.
3. Isekai Quartet
Isekai Quartet is the ultimate crossover presented in a chibi format. The series spawns characters from KonoSuba, Re:Zero, Overlord, Saga of Tanya the Evil, Cautious Hero, and The Rising of the Shield Hero. The first season aired between April and June 2019. Season 2 came shortly after and aired from January to March 2020. And now a movie called Isekai Quarter – Another World will be released in 2022. A third season is also in the works.
The story follows characters from various isekai anime who encounter a mysterious button. Pressing it transports them to a whole new world. In that world they are put in a high school and hilarious situations and friendships arise. The series is a nice watch and not connected to any of the main storylines, despite the references.
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4. Attack on Titan: Junior High
You knew this was coming. Attack on Titan is a series that desperately needs a stress-free version. From season one, we saw death and carnage in every episode. Have you become attached to a character? Too bad they don’t make it to the end of the season. But go to Attack on Titan: Junior High, where titans exist, but humans don’t die.
The series depicts all the characters as students and teachers at Attack High School. Eren, Mikasa and Armin, along with the other characters, are all presented hilariously. Yes, even Levi. In fact, Levi is one of the funniest characters, despite never cracking a smile. All the events of season 1 of the anime get a funny twist in a collection of 12 episodes. Plus, the characters who died too early in Season 1 have a bigger role here.
5. Toradora SOS!
Toradora! is one of the best high school romantic comedies out there. Over time, however, the series focuses more on romance than comedy. Not that it was a bad thing, but if you needed something funnier, here’s the alternative. Toradora SOS! is just as good as the original, and the chibi shapes elevate it. The specials run for 5 minutes and consist of 4 episodes. They mainly discuss food in these episodes and are very informative. Plus, Taiga’s reaction to everything she eats will make us laugh out loud.
6. One Piece: Straw Hat Theater
A true chibi-anime classic, Straw Hat Theater of Mugiwara Gekijou, aired alongside episodes 279 to 283 in October 2006. They are based on creator Eiichiro Oda’s side-comics. These five episodes still make a fan laugh.
Episode one is about Chopper Man taking the secret lair of Dr. Usobadada invades. The second discusses what the food was like in the Straw Hats crew before Sanji’s arrival. Episode three asks a hypothetical question: If they were all Obahan (elderly woman), who would be the strongest? All characters are represented with bob haircuts and old lady voices. Spoiler alert, the strongest in this case is Nami or Namijima. Episode 4 showed Luffione, Zorocia and Sanjino as mafia families fighting for control. The last short film showed them all as monsters.
7. Kimi ni Todoke Season 2 Specials
Kimi ni Todoke is a cute and heartwarming rom-com with sweet characters. The anime also presented a surprising amount of chibi characters, which was much appreciated. The chibi version of protagonist Sawako is to die for. After season 2, three special episodes were released and fans loved them just as much.
The specials are cute and funny short episodes presented in a fairytale way. Cinderella and Snow White were the stories. Kazehaya is of course the prince. However, Sawako became the witch, which made it surprisingly funny. Episodes one and two portrayed the cuteness very well, but episode three caused some division. The makers decided to go for a 3D format, and not everyone is a fan of that. But you still enjoy the stories.
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8. Bungo Stray Dogs Wan!
Bungou Stray Dogs was an epic show, and the chibi version is just as epic. titled Bungou Stray Dogs Wan!, the miniseries is much more recent. It follows the original storyline, but with humorous twists. The characters of the Armed Detective Agency and the Mafia are all Chibis. In fact, the manga is longer than most chibi spin-offs, at eight volumes. The anime consists of 12 episodes and depicts the mundane but hilarious lives of the two agencies.
9. Damekko Doubutsu
Damekko Doubutsu, literally translated to “Useless Animals” is a series by Noriko Kuwata. It consists of characters wearing animal rompers and together they live in the “useless” forest. Uruno, the main character, wears a wolf costume but is as shy as a rabbit. Meanwhile, his best friend, Usahara, the rabbit, has the aggression of a wolf. He also smokes all the time. There are a total of 26 episodes, each lasting five minutes. They are hilarious and really enjoy them.
10. Shakugan no Shana S Specials
Shakugan no Shana has a number of special episodes starring chibi-shana. The main story is of a high school boy named Yuji Sakai, caught in an age-old conflict of balance and imbalance. In the process, he befriends a fighter in the balance and names her Shana. Together they fight against the forces of imbalance.
The specials do a great job of parodying the original, and sometimes it’s sorely needed. The anime has some very serious characters, so it’s good to see them in a humorous light. While we’re at it, I’d recommend checking out the other specials as well.
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One Punch Man Manga Read Online
One Punch Man Manga Read Online: One-Punch Man is a Japanese superhero series created by the creator ONE. It is a story about Saitama, a super-hero who is able to take on anyone with just one punch, but is looking for an appropriate opponent after becoming frustrated by the lack of competition due to his incredible ability. ONE developed the original webcomic version at the beginning of 2009.
A digital manga remake began publication on Shueisha's Tonari no Young Jump website in June 2012. The manga's illustration is by Yusuke Murata. Its chapters are regularly collected and released as each tankobon book. At the time of writing, January 2021 23 volumes were published. For North America, Viz Media license the manga remake to be released in English version and has serialized in their Weekly Shonen Jump digital magazine.
A manga-anime adaption of the manga produced by Madhouse it was shown throughout Japan from October until December 2015. The second season, created by J.C.Staff and J.C.Staff, began airing from April until July 2019. This anime show is licensed to North America by Viz Media and premiered on the United States on Adult Swim's Toonami block of programming in July, 2016. The second season debuted in October of 2019.
In June 2012, the original webcomic was able to surpass 7.9 millions hits. By April 2020 the manga's remake had sold more than thirty million copies.