Shimajiro Hesoka

**Shimajiro Hesoka** (しまじろう ヘソカ, *Shimajirō Hesoka*) is the third series of the *Shima Shima Tora no Shimajiro* anime series.

The series is directed by Masahiro Nakata, produced by Benesse Corporation, TV Setouchi, and Dentsu, and animated by Pierrot Plus. The series aired on TV Tokyo from April 5, 2010 through March 26, 2012, replacing Hakken Taiken Daisuki! Shimajiro in it's initial timeslot, and was replaced by Shimajiro no Wao! in the following week.

## Characters

Note: ***Italics*** indicates that the character debuts in this series.

### Main Characters

* **Shimajiro Shimano** (しまの しまじろう, *Shimano Shimajirō*): Shimajiro is a tiger, and is one of the main characters and is the protagonist. He is a bright little boy who loves to play soccer and dreams to become a soccer player. He is very supportive to his friends, but can sometimes be a bit stubborn. He can act mischievous and selfish, but always learns lessons on his life.
* **Mimirin Midorihara** (みどりはら みみりん, *Midorihara Mimirin*): Mimirin is a rabbit, and is one of the main characters. She usually has an overbite and her tail appears out of her skirt. She can be nice, but spoiled, selfish, and clumsy, and has a habit of crying easily. She dreams that she wants to become a princess. Her family owns a flower shop.
* **Torippii Sorano** (そらの とりっぴい, *Sorano Torippii*): Torippii is a parrot, and is one of the main characters. He is an aspiring singer, but is somehow tone-death. He also has the ability to fly to survey things for his friends, and can even talk to non-anthropomorphic birds.
* **Ramurin Makiba** (まきば らむりん, *Makiba Ramurin*): Ramurin is a sheep, and is the one of the main characters. She is a tomboy who loves painting, and to play sports; judo and sumo. She has a higher mental age than any other characters, and behaves like a big sister.

### Main Characters' Families

* **Shimataro Shimano** (しまの しまたろう, *Shimano Shimatarō*): Shimataro is a tiger, and is Shimajiro's father. Hde is a mailman and has a sticky build. He does DIY carpentry, but have many other things that he can't do, such as cooking.
* **Sakura Shimano** (しまの さくら, *Shimano Sakura*): Sakura is a tiger, and is Shimajiro's mother. She is kind, but stricts about discipline, and even Shimajiro and the other characters can't even raise their heads.
* ***Sumire Shimano*** (しまの すみれ, *Shimano Sumire*): Sumire is a tiger, and is Shimajiro's grandmother.
* ***Shimakichi Shimano*** (しまの しまきち, *Shimano Shimakichi*): Shimakichi is a tiger, and is Shimajiro's grandfather.
* **Hana Shimano** (しまの はな, *Shimano Hana*): Hana-chan is a tiger, and is Shimajiro's younger sister. She loves to play with her older brother, including frog toys. She sometimes fight and get curious with him in some days.
* **Sota Midorihara** (みどりはら そうた. *Midorihara Sōta*): Sota is a rabbit, and is Mimirin's father. He runs a flower shop with his wife and daughter. He was originally a firefighter, and dreamed for a long time to become a florist. He is even worried about Mimirin oftenly.
* **Renge Midorihara** (みどりはら れんげ, *Midorihara Renge*): Renge is a rabbit, and is Mimirin's mother. She helps out her husband in the flower shop.
* **Torigoro Sorano** (そらの とりごろう, *Sorano Torigorō*): Torigoro is a parrot, and is Torippii's father. He is an electrician with a fairly high level of skill. He is a stylish Edokko and is also great at enkaning.
* **Kanae Sorano** (そらの かなえ, *Sorano Kanae*): Kanae is a parrot, and is Torippii's mother. She is a housewife and serves as the president of the neighborhood association.
* **Michiyo Sorano** (そらの みちよ, *Sorano Michiyo*): Michiyo is a parrot, and is Torippii's grandmother. She loves to play on her electric guitar, and is a lively old lady who formed a band with her old friends. She is so energetic that she hits a home run when she plays baseball.
* **Toto Sorano/Riri Sorano/Pipi Sorano** (そらの とと/そらの りり/そらの ぴぴ, *Sorano Toto/Sorano Riri/Sorano Pipi*): Toto, Riri, and Pipi are parrots, and are Torippii's younger triplets. Toto and Pipi are Torippii's brothers and Riri is Torippii's sister.
* **Massei Makiba** (まきば まっせい, *Makiba Massei*): Massei is a sheep, and is Ramurin's father. He has a wide range of paintings and sculptures. He also got an atelier and is often at home more than his wife.
* **Yumeko Makiba** (まきば ゆめこ, *Makiba Yumeko*): Yumeko is a sheep, and is Ramurin's mother. She is a pianist.

### Challenge Kindergarten

* ***Zota Ikeno*** (いけの ぞうた, *Ikeno Zōta*): Zota is an elephant, and is one of the classmates at Challenge Kindergarten. He is very bratty, ravenous, and gluttonous.
* ***Buta Tonda*** (とんだ ぶうた, *Tonda Būta*): Buta is a pig, and is one of the classmates at Challenge Kindergarten. He always acts with his best friend, Zota.
* ***Kirinta Kusano*** (くさの きりんた, *Kusano Kirinta*): Kirinta is a giraffe, and is one of the classmates at Challenge Kindergarten. He was best friends with Shimajiro before Kindergarten started.
* ***Marurin Sasaki*** (ささき まるりん, *Sasaki Marurin*): Marurin is a panda, and is one of the classmates at Challenge Kindergarten. She is very competitive and active in the world. Her family owns a bread shop.
* ***Kikko Hayashida*** (はやしだ きっこ, *Hayashida Kikko*): Kikko is a fox, and is one of the classmates at Challenge Kindergarten. She sometimes reacts harshly to her words, but is a great friend.
* ***Kanta Kabayama*** (かばやま かんた, *Kabayama Kanta*): Kanta is a hippopotamus, and is one of the classmates at Challenge Kindergarten. He owns a turtle named "Noshinoshi".
* ***Sakurako Koinuma*** (こいぬま さくらこ, *Koinuma Sakurako*): Sakurako is a dog, and is one of the classmates at Challenge Kindergarten. She has a brother who is five years older than her.
* ***Monta Kimura*** (きむら もんた, *Kimura Monta*): Monta is a monkey, and is one of the classmates at Challenge Kindergarten. He reads encyclopedias all the time.
* ***Kento Koshiba*** (こしば けんと, *Koshiba Kento*): Kento is a dog, and is one of the classmates at Challenge Kindergarten.
* ***Ms. Shikako Shikano*** (しかの しかこ先生, *Shikano Shikako-sensei*): Ms. Shikako is a reindeer, and is the teacher at Challenge Kindergarten. She is the main teacher for Shimajiro and his friends' Kindergarten class.

### Supporting Characters

* **Pontaro** (ぽんたろう, *Pontarō*): Pontaro is a raccoon, and is a young tuxedo boy who lives in a mansion with Hitsujii and his grandfather.
* **Hitsujii** (ひつじい, *Hitsujii*): Hitsujii is a sheep, and is the butler of mansion. He is in charge of babysitting Pontaro.
* **Jan & Ken** (ジャン&ケン, *Jan & Ken*): Jan and Ken are pigs, and are the antagonists. They are known to be called "the soccer geniuses". Jan is the older brother, and Ken is the younger brother.
* **Mr. Leonard Gaogao III** (レオナール・ガオガオ 3世, *Reonāru・Gaogao 3-sei*): Mr. Gaogao is a lion, and owns a lab called "Mysterious Hall".
* **Mrs. Tamako** (たまこ先生, *Tamako-sensei*): Mrs. Tamako is a cat, and is an art teacher. She held a class how to make art.
* ***Nono-chan*** (ののちゃん, *Nono-chan*): Nono-chan is a squirrel, and is Shimajiro's cousin. Her family owns a donut shop in the city.

### Minor Characters

* **Ponzaemon** (ぽんざえもん, *Ponzaemon*): Ponzaemon is a raccoon, and is Pontaro's grandfather who owns a mansion.
* **Ratman** (ラットマン, *Rattoman*): Ratman is a mouse, and is a superhero who appears in a TV Show with the same name.
* **Tsumurin & Nororin** (つむりん & のろりん, *Tsumurin & Nororin*): Tsumurin and Nororin are a snail and a turtle, and are the superheros who appear in a TV show. They also appear in Mrs. Tamako's sketchbook, and often pushes their king for his mischiefs.
* **King Armadillo** (アルマジロ大王, *Arumajiro Daiō*): King Armadillo is an armadillo, and is the king of the Armadillo Kingdom.

### The Three Mole Brothers

* **Maruo** (マルオ, *Maruo*): Maruo is a mole, and is the oldest of the mole brothers. His shape is based off of circles.
* **Sankaku** (サンカク, *Sankaku*): Sankaku is a mole, and is middle-aged of the mole brothers. His shape is based off of triangles.
* **Shikaku** (シカク, *Shikaku*): Shikaku is a mole, and is the youngest of the mole brothers. His shape is based off of squares.

## Related Media

* CDs
* DVDs

## Trivia

* Hesoka is the final series to be animated in 2D animation, as the next series, it will be animated in 3D CGI animation.
* Ramurin makes her final appearance in the series until being replaced by Nyakkii.
* Hesoka is the only series to have katakana written in the title.