Ganmo

**Ganmo** (ガンモ) is a character created by Fujio Akatsuka. He originates from Akko-chan's Got a Secret!, but may exist in an extended capacity as part of Akatsuka's Star System.

## Overview

Ganmo's design existed prior to *Akko*, as a child known as **Sansuke** in O-chan's Eleven Friends, as well as one named **Choromatsu** in Jinx-kun. It is uncertain if all three would be the same star or intended as separate boys, as Chibita also appeared with the very same hairstyle in some of his -kun appearances later in the same span (late 1962).

By the time of Ganmo's introduction as a character, it can be seen that the "Chibita with hair" design had become a distinctive entity of his own and was then repeated for Otasuke, with there being question as to if he and Ganmo would be the same or separate (though the book "There's No Wonderful Business Like That of a Gag!" does treat them as separate stars).

Ultimately, Ganmo serves his purpose as part of the series' supporting cast, although his appearances in the original manga run are sporadic.

## Physical Appearance

Ganmo is a small young boy, though somewhat taller than his friend Kankichi. He can usually be seen dressed in a yukata and overcoat that conceals his arms to give the impression of bent "wings", as well as wearing sandals. He has a distinctive bowl-cut hairstyle that may either be depicted differing shades of brown or gray through colored art, if not blond.

## Personality

In his first appearance, Ganmo is a more lax, serious and mature child who has the impression of being a little older than Kankichi or at least acting as such. However, through his following appearances and subsequent runs, he comes to have somewhat of a naughtier, mischievous attitude and brattier personality.

He likes to drink coffee, as well as fancy himself a rakugo performer. He also has ways of making money by having constructed a "secret base" that others can hide out in, as long as they pay him for it to be rented out. This secret base can come in handy for Kankichi and his other friends.

## Relationships with Other Characters

### Kankichi

Ganmo is Kankichi's best friend who he relies upon in some confusing situations, such as when he believed he saw a demon (Akko-chan in one of her many disguises) or when they found an abandoned baby.

### Chikako

Chikako can be seen to be another close friend of Ganmo, and interacts with both him and Kankichi in the baby story as well as some other later adventures. This is to the point where later anime adaptations clarify her to be the exact same age as the two boys.

### Akko

Ganmo first notably encounters Akko when he winds up breaking her mirror while roughhousing around at Moko's house, leaving her temporarily stuck in the state of being Moko's mother. Later on, after Akko receives a new mirror from the Man from the Mirror Country, she winds up coming to Ganmo's rescue when he falls through thin ice.

## Appearances in other works

*See also: Akatsuka's Star System*

* *Osomatsu-kun*
* *Extraordinary Ataro*

## Appearances in Animation

### Furious Ataro (1969)

Ganmo makes two appearances in the show, adapting from his guest roles in the manga where he is a bratty, wicked boy that attempts to drive Ataro and Dekoppachi apart out of jealousy. He also tries to steal Dekoppachi's popularity with girls away, but doesn't succeed.

As in his manga usage, he has a younger henchman that may be a brother or friend that refers to him as "Aniki".

### The Secrets of Akko-chan (1998)

Ganmo continues to be his rakugo-loving self, but an aspiration of wanting to be an astronaut is added to his characterization. His extended family is also shown through the show, with all of them happening to bear the exact same "cheek beard" type of face.

## Portrayals

### Voice Acting

* 1969 series- Junko Hori, Mariko Takigawa
* Ataro (1969)- Sachiko Chijimatsu
* 1988 series- Noriko Tsukase, Yuko Mita (after Tsukase's death)
* 1998 series- Junko Takeuchi

## Trivia

* The "Ganmo" name had been used by Akatsuka several times prior to this boy's debut, especially where it concerned young men that would be involved with their families' tofu shops, explaining the punny inspiration for his name (deriving from *ganmodoki*). A "Ganmo (Gan-san) of the Tofu Shop" had been introduced at the start of Nama-chan, there was another such one name-dropped in Ohana-chan, and Osomatsu-kun even had its own one-time equivalent.
* There are points of contact between the *Akko-chan* series and Otasuke-kun with certain star usage, but it remains up in the air as to what Akatsuka's intent would have been when it comes to Ganmo and Otasuke (who is a generally taller equivalent). Chikako exists as a prominent guest in both series, and Tamao is once shown alongside Ganmo when Kankichi invites friends over to play. Ganmo's mother also resembles Otasuke's mother in her later series cameo, indicating possible re-use of both mother and son as stars. However, Ganmo notably predated Otasuke by two months so it could be said that Otasuke is more of the copy. It is possible that the two may be like Akko and Totoko in apparently being intended to be identical but separate, but as Ganmo and Otasuke have never really been seen occupying the same space in manga, it would still lead to such debate. It is to also be noted that one appearance of Otasuke in Leave it to Chota has him depicted in Ganmo's usual type of traditional outfit, showing that the two could only be told apart by their clothing.
	+ The above points could have also lead to questioning in regards to whether or not Chibita and Ganmo were one and the same, but the two were quickly clarified as being separate entities and Ganmo was even redesigned later through the 1960s to have a slightly pointier mouth and stand out better next to Chibita (as well as being shown to be taller). It can be noted in amusement though, that characters like Otasuke that fall under the "bowlcut Chibita" type of model can be shown to have the same kind of clefted head when their hair is shaved off.

## External Links

* Ganmo profile at Koredeiinoda (Japanese)