Juny Peperina Invetatutto

Hāi Step Jun Is a shōjo manga written and drawn by Yasuichi Ōshima, published in Japan in Kōdansha's Magazine SPECIAL in 1985. In the same year, a single volume by Yutaka Abe was published in the Nakayoshi Deluxe magazine.

From the manga a 45-episode anime was made, produced by Toei Animation and aired in Japan on TV Asahi between March 1985 and January 1986; in Italy it was broadcast, with the title Juny peperina inventatutto, on Retequattro from March to May 1987.

## Plot

Juny (Jun Nonomiya) is an extremely smart girl, who spends most of her time building new inventions: her two best friends, Floppy (Kichinosuke) and Flappy (Yukinojo), are just two robots created by her. Thanks to her intelligence, Juny manages to be admitted to middle school much earlier than expected, and here she falls in love with a classmate who calls himself Niko (Zero Kano). The boy is fond of motorcycles, and often skips classes: for this reason Niko has been rejected several times; being therefore larger than his companions, he often remains isolated. On the other hand, Juny is too small compared to the others, so she too is isolated. Because of this, and their common passion for mechanics, the two become friends. Indeed, Juny falls in love with Niko in all respects, who, however, cannot reciprocate, as she is still a child. Also Juny can count on the friendship of Ania (Toko) and Clelia (Mako), but she has a rival in love named Kitta (Yoko).

## Characters

Jun Nonomiya (野 々 宮 ジ ュ ン Nonomiya Jun ?, in Italy Juny)

Voiced by: Yuriko Yamamoto (Japanese ed.), Antonella Baldini (Italian ed.)

The protagonist is an extremely intelligent and awake girl and spends her days building new inventions. She goes to middle school despite being smaller than the others, but for this very reason she often remains isolated. He has a crush on Niko with whom a friendship is born in the meantime. She was born on September 15th.

Zero Kano (加納 零 「ゼ ロ」 Kanō Zero "Zero" ?, in Italy Niko)

Voiced by: Keiichi Nanba (Japanese ed.), Oreste Baldini (Italian ed.)

He is a middle school boy who, failing several times, finds himself in class with Juny. Passionate about motorcycles, he often skips lessons and being older than his companions, he often remains isolated. A friendship is born with Juny and seems to reciprocate the feeling of love when the latter falls in love, but the problem of age seems to block it. He was born on December 7th.

Kichinosuke (吉 之 介 Kichinosuke ?, Floppy in Italy)

Voiced by: Noriko Tsukase (Japanese ed.), Luca Ward (Italian ed.)

It is the first robot created by Jun. He is a boy and becomes almost a little brother for Jun to look after.

Yukinojo (雪 之 嬢 Yukinojō ?, in Italy Flappy)

Voiced by: Kumiko Nishihara (Japanese ed.), Isa Di Marzio (Italian ed.)

It is the second robot created by Jun. She is a female and the girl creates her with the aim of winning Niko's heart by giving it to him, since she should help the boy to do anything, but Flappy met the robot Floppy wants to be with him, so Juny will have both with him.

Shikibu Kano (加納 式 部 Kanō Shikibu ?, in Italy Nonna)

Voiced by: Reiko Suzuki and Hiromi Tsuru (as a young man) (Japanese ed.), Francesca Palopoli (Italian ed.)

She is Zero's grandmother and she loves little Jun.

Yoko Mizuno (水 野 洋子 Mizuno Yōko?, In Italy Kitta)

Voiced by: Eiko Masuyama (Japanese ed.), Laura Boccanera (Italian ed.)

She is Jun's love rival. He attended the eighth grade with her and Niko.

Hitoshi Hanyū (羽 生 等 Hanyū Hitoshi?)

Voiced by: Ryōichi Tanaka (Japanese ed.),? (Italian ed.)

He is the leader of the Shark motorcycle gang.

Keiichiro Nonomiya (野 々 宮 啓 一郎 Nonomiya Keiichirō ?, in Italy Gustofino)

Voiced by: Sanji Hase (Japanese ed.), Gastone Pescucci (Italian ed.)

He is Jun's father.

Toshie Nonomiya (野 々 宮 敏 江 Nonomiya Toshie ?, in Italy Placida)

Voiced by: Noriko Uemura (Japanese ed.), Liliana Jovino (Italian ed.)

She is Jun's mother.

Yoshiko Sato "Toko" (佐藤 淑 子 「ト コ」 Satō Yoshiko "Toko"?, In Italy Ania)

Voiced by: Kyōko Tongū (Japanese ed.), Gilberta Crispino (Italian ed.)

She is a friend of Jun and attends eighth grade with her. It is called "Toko".

Masako Tanaka "Mako" (田中 正 子 「マ コ」 Tanaka Masako "Mako" ?, in Italy Clelia)

Voiced by: Naoko Watanabe (Japanese ed.)

She is a friend of Jun and attends eighth grade with her. It is called "Mako".

Prof. Ohata (大 畑 先生 Ōhata-sensei?, In Italy Prof. Scoccia)

Voiced by: Banjō Ginga (Japanese ed.), Mauro Bosco (Italian ed.)

She is Jun's class teacher.

Tamako Takada (高田 た ま こ Takada Tamako?, In Italy Dr. Scuola)

Voiced by: Yumi Nakatani (Japanese ed.), Mariù Safier (Italian ed.)

She is Jun's school nurse.

Ace

Voiced by: Vittorio Guerrieri (Italian ed.)

Erika

Voiced by: Rita Baldini (Italian ed.)

Twins

Voiced by: Corrado Conforti, Fabrizio Mazzotta and Leo Valeriano (Italian ed.)

Father of Ania

Voiced by: Giorgio Lopez (Italian ed.)

Kitta's father

Voiced by: Gabriele Carrara (Italian ed.)

## Anime

The anime, produced by Toei Animation, consists of 45 episodes, which aired on TV Asahi from 10 March 1985 to 12 January 1986. Between 30 May and 27 June 2014 the series was collected in two DVD-BOX with the remastered episodes.