Character Design Families

In the works of Fujio Akatsuka, there may be a number of characters that share similar traits without necessarily being the same star playing a role each time, and it may not necessarily mean there is a familial relation in-series.

However, some of these characters can still be grouped off into their own design "families", which can also branch out into different variations. Some characters, if not wholly original, may also combine elements from a few different common types.

## Ribbon-wearing Heroine

**Original Character**: Matsuge

**Series**: Matsuge-chan

A fifth-grade girl visible by her short hairstyle and oversized ribbon worn on her head. Although Akatsuka did not use her past 1961, her basic template was inspirational for his other heroines of this early shojo and gag period.

Midori from Beyond the Storm is a possible earlier example, initially being depicted with a bow but soon losing it and being more memorable for not having any hair accessories.

### Similar Types (1959-1962)

* **Yoshiko** (1-Day Mama)
* **Sachiko, "Happy-chan"** (Happy-chan): A third grade equivalent to Matsuge. Instead of having a younger brother, she has a much older one. She has a friend similar to Matsuge's friend as well, when it comes to appearances.
* **Ohana** (Ohana-chan): A much younger heroine with the same basic style and ribbon. She has no brothers, but has a friend Chikako who has glasses like Yo-chan and Yoshiko.

## Braided Best Friend

**Original Character**: Kayoko/"Yo-chan"

**Series**: Matsuge-chan

A tomboyish young girl with braids and glasses. Later types of girls with braids may lack the glasses, but still be the tomboy-type to the more feminine lead girl.

### Similar Types (1960-1962)

* **Yoshiko** (Happy-chan): Sachiko/Happy's best friend. Dresses in a more traditionally feminine way compared to Yo-chan, but otherwise looks very familiar.

* **Moko** (Akko-chan's Got a Secret!): A rougher, argumentative nature than Akko, plus the braids.
* **Kayoko** (O-chan's Eleven Friends): The best friend and rival of Tomoko.

## Kantaro/Chibita

*See also Lookalikes of Chibita*

**Original Character**: Kantaro

**Series**: Nama-chan

This "family" of characters all spawn from the one above, although many may be more commonly associated with Chibita, who spawned from and displaced Kantaro in recognition.

These children tend to have the same face in common, with three "cheek beard" markings on each cheek, an upturned pointed nose, a long mouth, and entirely round eyes. They may or may not be as short as the character they are inspired from, though some may be taller than him.

### Subspecies of Kantaro (1961-1962)

* "Dama-chan" (Damaso-kun/Dama-chan): A taller, Kantaro-faced boy with black hair
* **Kanta** (Woodpecker Kanta): A modification of Dama-chan, but with a pointy nose and "cheek beard" lines
* The first design of Chibita (Osomatsu-kun): Basically Kantaro, but missing his hair in the first cameo

### Subspecies with Bowlcut Hair (1962-1963, 1980)

* **Choromatsu** (Jinx-kun): Has the face of Kanta, but now has a bowlcut
* **Sansuke** (O-chan's Eleven Friends): The "Choromatsu" design in a kimono and coat. Is repeated for Ganmo.
* Chibita in roles as a banana-seller's son, Takeaki Takeyama, and Mr. Wakasugi (Osomatsu-kun): In the first case, his head is shaved mid-story, giving him the "bald with a single hair" look.
* **Ganmo** (Akko-chan's Got a Secret!): A better-known re-use of the Sansuke design.
* **Otasuke** (Otasuke-kun, Leave it to Chota): Identical to the above boy but wearing a school uniform.
* **Chibidon** (Chibidon): A short bowlcut-haired boy in a business suit, visible nostrils unlike all the above.

After 1963, both Kantaro and Chibita bear the same memorable design with the "cheek beard" and pointed nose.

### Other Subspecies

* Protagonist (Yo-Yo Kapo-kun): Kantaro/Chibita, but slightly taller with black bowlcut hair and an angular cowlick.
* **Pit/"Chibira"** (Good Morning with Mi-tan): Before being transformed into a cat, he is basically Kantaro/Chibita with curly hair.

## Akko

**Original Character**: Atsuko Kagami, "Akko-chan"

**Series**: Akko-chan's Got a Secret!

The famous heroine of Akatsuka's rare shojo work after his gag career became more of a focus in the early 1960s. She is usually herself when she appears in works and did not have her design recycled for others often, but there are two notable offshoots of her.

### Uncanny Lookalikes:

* **Totoko Yowai** (Osomatsu-kun): Virtually indistinguishable, other than being (usually) a fishmonger's daughter and lacking any mirror.
* **Momoko** (Extraordinary Ataro, 1990 revival): Virtually indistinguishable, imported back to tie-in manga after she was inspired by and created as a substitute for Totoko in the then-current anime series. Her anime design is much shorter and younger-looking; the manga Momoko bears the taller proportions of Akko and Totoko, as well as a rougher Totoko-like personality.

## Ichiro

*See also Lookalikes of Ichiro*

**Original Character**: Ichiro

**Series**: Otasuke-kun

A loose prototype to Ichiro can be seen in early Osomatsu-kun, though his hair is more evidently a bowlcut there. Characters in his design family tend to have the pointed, bird-like mouth in addition to such a distinctive head and hair style.

### Smaller Subspecies:

* **Tensuke** (Circus Jinta): A much smaller Ichiro with a more sharp snubbed nose.
* **Satoimo-kun** (Tamanegi Tama-chan): A small Ichiro with more hairs on his head and a more circular nose.

## Iyami

**Original Character**: Iyami

**Series**: Osomatsu-kun

## Jajako

**Original Character**: Jajako

**Series**: Jajako-chan

A little girl recognizable by her pointy mouth and profile view. She has "cheek beard" markings, but others in her design template may have different sort of facial marks.

### Similar Types:

* **Nanako** (You Love Me-kun): Nearly identical except for having blush swirls on her cheeks. Could even be argued to simply be Jajako with a design modification.
* **Hippie-chan** (Hippie-chan): A face more like Nanako's above, but having light, wispy hair only visible as the lines in monochrome art (no visible hairline or fringe). However, her face is also at times depicted more rounded than the pointy shape Jajako and Nanako have.

## Camera Kid

**Original Character**: Camera Kid (Kishin Shinoyama)

**Series**: The Genius Bakabon

A small man who can easily be mistaken for a boy, seen wearing his camera around his neck. His pitch-black eyes and his constantly-running snotty nose make him stand out, along with his spinning habit of "Kurukuru!". However, when it comes to more frequent Star System appearances, it's can be an offshoots that can get the recognition.

Some could argue that these offshoots are simply him in other roles, but they are classified as separate especially in the case of Ryunoshin who becomes infamously "Camera Kid without his camera" in overall look.

### Subspecies lacking any cameras:

* **Ryunoshin/"Why? Kid"**: Also appearing in Bakabon. Originally, he had an upturned, pointy nose which set him apart from Camera Kid and was a markedly different character. However, all subsequent appearances as a star gave him the identical nose and outfit, and the two seem to be treated interchangeably in the Nyarome learning book series. Sometimes there may be a variation in his design, such as having swirly blush marks on his cheeks or a cowlick sticking out from his fringe.
* **The "Why is that?" Freshman**: Also appearing in Bakabon. He has a flatter-top hair style, his eyes are further apart, and he has a larger nose and bucktooth than Camera Kid. However, certain design similarities plus the role of his constant questioning did lead to him and Ryunoshin being merged into one character for the "Bakabonds" game. The resulting character has Ryunoshin's original face from the manga, but the uniform of this guy.
* **Diamonro** (Noragaki): He is a smaller Camera Kid/Ryunoshin with a curled cowlick, blush swirls, and dressed in a plaid suit jacket and shorts.