Binchotan
Encyclopedia
is a mascot character, created by Japanese manga artist
and produced by game goods company Alchemist
.
The name is a play on words: is a kind of charcoal
, which is mainly used for cooking. However, -tan is a suffix
created by the mispronunciation of -chan. Relating to this dajare
, the main cast is the moe anthropomorphic
representations of different types of charcoal.
An anime
began airing in February 2006 that was produced by Studio Deen
. Animax
, who have also broadcast all episodes within respective networks across Southeast Asia, South Asia, East Asia, translating and dubbing the series into English and other languages. The anime is set in Minabe, Wakayama
, a location that is the largest producer of binchōtan charcoal in Japan.
and BS-i
. MBS
in Kansai broadcast all episodes with ending theme. Incidentally, Wakayama
in Kansai is famous for the production of binchōtan
and Binchō-tan is the mascot
of operated by Minabegawa Forestry Society in Minabe, Wakayama
.
.
Opening theme
Ending theme
and its limited edition were released by Marvelous Interactive on April 26, 2007.
Mangaka
is the Japanese word for a comic artist or cartoonist. Outside of Japan, manga usually refers to a Japanese comic book and mangaka refers to the author of the manga, who is usually Japanese...
and produced by game goods company Alchemist
Alchemist (company)
is a Japanese video game developer. It specializes in the development of visual novel video games ports for use on home video game consoles such as the PlayStation 2 and the defunct Dreamcast.-Dreamcast:*Baldr Force EXE*Chocolat: Maid Cafe Curio...
.
The name is a play on words: is a kind of charcoal
Charcoal
Charcoal is the dark grey residue consisting of carbon, and any remaining ash, obtained by removing water and other volatile constituents from animal and vegetation substances. Charcoal is usually produced by slow pyrolysis, the heating of wood or other substances in the absence of oxygen...
, which is mainly used for cooking. However, -tan is a suffix
Japanese titles
The Japanese language uses a broad array of honorific suffixes for addressing or referring to people, for example -san, as in Daniel-san. These honorifics are gender-neutral , though some are more used for men or women and can be attached to first names as well as...
created by the mispronunciation of -chan. Relating to this dajare
Dajare
is a kind of comic Japanese word play, similar in spirit to pun relying on similarities in the pronunciation of words to create a simple joke.Dajare are popular in advertising...
, the main cast is the moe anthropomorphic
Moé anthropomorphism
is a form of anthropomorphism where moe qualities are given to non-human beings, objects, concepts, or phenomena. In addition to moe features, moe anthropomorphisms are also characterized by their accessories, which serve to emphasize their original forms before anthropomorphosis...
representations of different types of charcoal.
An anime
Anime
is the Japanese abbreviated pronunciation of "animation". The definition sometimes changes depending on the context. In English-speaking countries, the term most commonly refers to Japanese animated cartoons....
began airing in February 2006 that was produced by Studio Deen
Studio DEEN
is a Japanese company that produces anime. Three years after Sunrise was founded in 1972, Studio Deen was established by Sunrise's members in 1975. As a result of this, anime shows such as Cowboy Bebop that were produced by Sunrise may have had assistance from Studio Deen.-Produced anime:* Urusei...
. Animax
Animax
is a Japanese anime satellite television network, dedicated to broadcasting anime programming. A subsidiary of Japanese media conglomerate Sony, it is headquartered in in Minato, Tokyo, Japan, with its co-founders and shareholders including Sony Pictures Entertainment and the noted anime studios...
, who have also broadcast all episodes within respective networks across Southeast Asia, South Asia, East Asia, translating and dubbing the series into English and other languages. The anime is set in Minabe, Wakayama
Minabe, Wakayama
is a small town located in Wakayama in the Kansai region of Japan. Situated on a small bay of the Pacific ocean and surrounded by mountains, it is a quiet and picturesque farming community of about 14,000 people. Its location has been mentioned in ancient texts since the 8th century, but the basic...
, a location that is the largest producer of binchōtan charcoal in Japan.
Characters
- Binchō-tan, the main character in the anime, is a young girl who lives by herself in an old house far from town. As her name suggests, she often wears a piece of charcoal on her head. Each episode depicts a day in the life of Binchō-tan who needs to work in order to buy food and necessities.
- She is assumed to be an orphan because she lives by herself, refuses to answer shopkeepers who ask where her mother is and keeps to her habits of greeting and farewelling herself when traveling. Based on the story she's a hardworking child but willing to do all kinds of jobs given to her, for instance like deodorizing shoes. She is able to change her size, and may have other, unspecified abilities.
- She also treasures clothing made by her grandmother, which becomes a plot point in one episode. Binchō-tan is initially a very lonely person. Her birthday is on May 7.
- Kunugi-tan, who is seen many times in the anime before meeting any of the other characters directly, is a rich girl living in a mansion with many servants. Kunugi-tan is still very lonely despite being surrounded by many older people as well as her school peers.
- Unable to adventure outside her home and school due to her father's strict instructions carried out by her butler, Kunugi-tan often stares into the distance blankly, as if yearning for a bit of freedom. Kunugi-tan takes a great deal of interest in Bincho-tan and attempts to become better acquainted with her. She is terrified of bugs--although she is sometimes depicted with a stag beetleStag beetleStag beetles are a group of about 1,200 species of beetle in the family Lucanidae, presently classified in four subfamilies Some species grow up to over 12 cm , but most are about 5 cm .-Overview:...
stuck to her dress.
- Kunugi-tan wears two pieces of what appears to be charcoal in her hair. Her name comes from the charcoal made from the sawtooth oakSawtooth OakQuercus acutissima, the Sawtooth Oak, is an oak originally native to eastern Asia, in China, Korea and Japan. It is now also present in North America. It is closely related to the Turkey Oak, classified with it in Quercus sect...
tree. Her birthday is on April 1.
- Chiku-tan is an enthusiastic person who enjoys inventing things and helping others. Her hair is held with a piece of bamboo charcoal and the end moves when she has ideas, usually during problems. The viewer sees that like Binchō-tan, Chiku-tan also lives far from town in an old house but lives with others, her younger sister, Chiku-rin and her grandfather. She is afraid of ghosts.
- Chiku-tan often takes on jobs like Binchō-tan and after meeting, they quickly became friends. Chiku and Binchō also begin raising a dog together. She is named after takesumi; bamboo charcoalBamboo charcoalBamboo charcoal is made up of pieces of bamboo, which are taken from plants five years or older and burned inside an oven at temperatures over 1000° C. It not only provides a new way to utilize bamboo, but also benefits environmental protection by reducing pollutant residue...
, as chikurin means 'bamboo grove'. Her birthday is on August 24.
- Chiku-tan's younger sister. Chiku-rin often mimics Chiku-tan, but is unable to talk fluently due to her age. Her birthday is on August 6.
- Aroe is a young girl whose hair is made of AloeAloeAloe , also Aloë, is a genus containing about 500 species of flowering succulent plants. The most common and well known of these is Aloe vera, or "true aloe"....
, which does not benefit her as she often requires water. Aroe does not often make direct contact with the other characters in the anime and her appearances are often a side story--although she encounters them at the festival, and at the final scene of the final episode.
- Aroe's aloe-made hair bursts many of her vinyl wading pools due to its sharpness. Aroe is often seen throughout the series in a dizzy state, sometimes due to needing water and on other occasions due to misfortune. Her birthday is on June 15.
- It is explained during the story that Ren-tan is a mikoMikois a Japanese term that anciently meant a "female shaman, spirit medium" who conveyed oracles from kami , and currently means a "shrine maiden; virgin consecrated to a deity" who serves at Shinto shrines.-Word:...
and as such enjoys playing a mokugyoMokugyoA wooden fish , , , , sometimes known as a Chinese block, is a wooden percussion instrument similar to the Western wood block . The wooden fish is used by monks and laity in the Mahayana Buddhist tradition...
and communicating with spirits. When Ren-tan summons spirits, they often approach Chiku-tan, much to her dismay. She lives at a Buddhist temple with her grandparents and enjoys eating dangoDangois a Japanese dumpling made from mochiko , related to mochi. It is often served with green tea.Dango are eaten year-round, but the different varieties are traditionally eaten in given seasons...
. She has amazing luck and always wins raffles. On occasion she also wears a pair of glasses Chiku-tan gave to her after helping her with a raffle. Ren-tan means a charcoal briquetteBriquetteA briquette is a block of flammable matter used as fuel to start and maintain a fire. Common types of briquettes are charcoal briquettes and biomass briquettes.-Constituents of charcoal briquettes:...
, the use of which in several famous suicide pacts implies a connection with the netherworld. Her birthday is on February 10.
- Kunugi-tan's elder maternal cousin. Her birthday is on March 30.
- Kunugi-tan's household butler.
- Kunugi-tan's father. He has acrophobiaAcrophobiaAcrophobia is an extreme or irrational fear of heights. It belongs to a category of specific phobias, called space and motion discomfort that share both similar etiology and options for treatment.Most people experience a degree of natural fear when exposed to heights, especially if there is little...
.
- Binchō-tan's favorite character in a television show she watches. He appears on merchandise in one of the town's shops.
- Aroe's mother.
- Aroe's father.
- A Japanese breed of dog called KishuKishuThe , sometimes called Kishu Ken or Kishu Inu, is a Japanese breed of dog, developed there for thousands of years. It is descended from ancient medium-sized breeds and named after the Kishu region, now Wakayama Prefecture. This breed is similar to the Akita Inu and the Shiba Inu but predates both...
. He was adopted by Bincho-tan after he followed her to her house in the woods, after she gave him some food from a shop in the town. He was apparently a stray, as he had no collar when Bincho met him. He was given a collar made with one of the large nuts seen in the series. He was also given a kennel, made with one of Chiku-tan's inventions after it broke and failed to serve its intended purpose. After giving him a collar, Bincho decided to name him Saji, which, according to her means 'trifle'. Bincho explains to Kunugi, who was present with her at the time, that she chose 'Saji' because the dog had apparently been abandoned, as though it was just "a trifle".
- Binchou-tan's mysterious benefactor. Sends her presents on her birthday and on New Years Eve. His name comes from the oak tree which binchouzumi coal is made.
Manga
- Binchō-tan Vol.1 ISBN 4861272319 (Limited edition:ISBN 4861272238) - February 26, 2006
- Binchō-tan Vol.2 ISBN 4861273730 (Limited edition:ISBN 4861273293) - March 30, 2007
Anime
Nine episodes out of twelve episodes were aired without ending theme on TBSTokyo Broadcasting System
, TBS Holdings, Inc. or TBSHD, is a stockholding company in Tokyo, Japan. It is a parent company of a television network named and radio network named ....
and BS-i
BS-i
is a satellite broadcasting station headquartered in Asakaka Gochome, Minato, Tokyo, Japan. Its channel name is BS-TBS . It is a member television station of Japan News Network.-Channels:*Television: BS-TBS is assigned BS161ch - 163ch....
. MBS
Mainichi Broadcasting System
is a broadcasting station in Osaka, Japan, affiliated with Japan Radio Network , National Radio Network , Japan News Network and TBS Network, serving in the Kansai region. MBS is also one of the major stockholders of Tokyo Broadcasting System Holdings, Inc...
in Kansai broadcast all episodes with ending theme. Incidentally, Wakayama
Wakayama Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located on the Kii Peninsula in the Kansai region on Honshū island. The capital is the city of Wakayama.- History :Present-day Wakayama is mostly the western part of the province of Kii.- 1953 Wakayama Prefecture flood disaster :...
in Kansai is famous for the production of binchōtan
Binchotan
is a mascot character, created by Japanese manga artist and produced by game goods company Alchemist.The name is a play on words: is a kind of charcoal, which is mainly used for cooking. However, -tan is a suffix created by the mispronunciation of -chan...
and Binchō-tan is the mascot
Mascot
The term mascot – defined as a term for any person, animal, or object thought to bring luck – colloquially includes anything used to represent a group with a common public identity, such as a school, professional sports team, society, military unit, or brand name...
of operated by Minabegawa Forestry Society in Minabe, Wakayama
Minabe, Wakayama
is a small town located in Wakayama in the Kansai region of Japan. Situated on a small bay of the Pacific ocean and surrounded by mountains, it is a quiet and picturesque farming community of about 14,000 people. Its location has been mentioned in ancient texts since the 8th century, but the basic...
.
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Music
The soundtrack of this animation includes the instrument Ondes MartenotOndes Martenot
The ondes Martenot , also known as the ondium Martenot, Martenot and ondes musicales, is an early electronic musical instrument invented in 1928 by Maurice Martenot. The original design was similar in sound to the theremin...
.
Opening theme
- "Iroha" (いろは) : Eps. 01 - 12
- Lyrics and composition by: rino
- Arrangement by: Kaoru OkuboKaoru Okubois a male Japanese music arranger who is mostly known for his musical contributions to anime.-Music arranged:*Asatte no Houkou*Bincho-tan*Cosmic Baton Girl Comet-san*D.C.S.S...
- Performed by: CooRieCooRieCooRie is a self-produced Japanese music unit by singer-songwriter Rino that performs songs for anime and games. CooRie used to be a two-persons unit when it debuted in 2003, with Rino doing the lyrics and vocals and doing the music compositions and arrangements...
Ending theme
- "Bincho Ondo" (びんちょう音頭) : Eps. 01 - 12
- Lyrics by: Takahito Ekusa
- Composition by: Seiya Imakawa(LOOPCUBE)
- Arrangement by: Yūjirō Okazaki
- Performed by: Mai KadowakiMai Kadowakiis a Japanese voice actress. Her old name , had a different writing from the current one.She is popular as a radio actress who wears glasses. She is also known for portraying meganekko characters on a regular basis. Her nickname is 舞太. It originated from a mail address registration, where she...
DVD Releases
- Bincho-tan Vol.1 - May 26, 2006
- Bincho-tan Vol.2 - June 23, 2006
- Bincho-tan Vol.3 - July 28, 2006
Audio CDs
- February 8, 2006 - February 24, 2006- Soundtrack - March 24, 2006
- Characters' CD
- Bincho-tan Character CD Vol.1 - November 25, 2005
- Bincho-tan Character CD Vol.2 - December 22, 2005
- Drama CD
- Bincho-tan Drama CD Vol.1 - January 25, 2006
- Bincho-tan Drama CD Vol.2 - February 24, 2006
- Bincho-tan Drama CD Vol.3 - March 24, 2006
Video game
The for PlayStation 2PlayStation 2
The PlayStation 2 is a sixth-generation video game console manufactured by Sony as part of the PlayStation series. Its development was announced in March 1999 and it was first released on March 4, 2000, in Japan...
and its limited edition were released by Marvelous Interactive on April 26, 2007.