Bow Wow Wata
Encyclopedia
is a manga
by Kazumi Umekawa that was initially serialized in Weekly Comic Bunch
from 2001 throughout 2004. After the serialization was pulled from Comic Bunch, it was picked up by Comic Rex
, where it was retitled Gaugau Wāta 2, continuing its publication as a monthly serial until 2009. A short-lived English adaptation was published by Gutsoon! Entertainment
in Raijin Comics
.
Misato Funakoshi
Doctor Yashiro
Wata
Manga
Manga is the Japanese word for "comics" and consists of comics and print cartoons . In the West, the term "manga" has been appropriated to refer specifically to comics created in Japan, or by Japanese authors, in the Japanese language and conforming to the style developed in Japan in the late 19th...
by Kazumi Umekawa that was initially serialized in Weekly Comic Bunch
Weekly Comic Bunch
is a defunct Japanese manga anthology marketed to young adults that was edited by Coamix and published weekly by Shinchosha from 2001 throughout 2010...
from 2001 throughout 2004. After the serialization was pulled from Comic Bunch, it was picked up by Comic Rex
Comic Rex
is a Japanese shōnen manga magazine published by Ichijinsha. The first issue was sold on December 9, 2005, and is sold monthly on the ninth. Manga collected into bound volumes which were serialized in this magazine are published under Ichijinsha's imprint...
, where it was retitled Gaugau Wāta 2, continuing its publication as a monthly serial until 2009. A short-lived English adaptation was published by Gutsoon! Entertainment
Gutsoon! Entertainment
Gutsoon! Entertainment, Inc. is a now defunct publisher of English translated manga. The company, headquartered in Encino, Los Angeles, served as the US subsidiary of Coamix, which was founded by Nobuhiko Horie and manga artist Tsukasa Hojo. The company published the English manga anthology Raijin...
in Raijin Comics
Raijin Comics
Raijin Comics was a manga anthology published in North America by the now-defunct Gutsoon! Entertainment and largely backed by the Sega Corporation at its inception. The collected volumes of Raijin Comics titles were published under the Raijin Graphic Novels imprint.The comics were aimed at an...
.
Characters
Tasuke Yashiro- A second-year high school student who discovers he has the ability to talk to animals. Tasuke's father wants him to take after him, but Tasuke is against this, since being an animal counselor does not pay the bills.
Misato Funakoshi
- The cute older student Tasuke has an apparent crush on. He often refers to her as Misato-senpai, which is a sign of respect for older students in Japan. Being Wata's owner and a third-year transfer at Tasuke's high school, she loves animals and wants to be a veterinarianVeterinarianA veterinary physician, colloquially called a vet, shortened from veterinarian or veterinary surgeon , is a professional who treats disease, disorder and injury in animals....
some day.
Doctor Yashiro
- Tasuke's dad and a vet/animal counselor who can speak to animals. Yashiro's ability to talk to animals comes from the fact that he is KomainuKomainu, often called lion-dogs in English, are statue pairs of lion-like creatures either guarding the entrance or the inner shrine of many Japanese Shinto shrines or kept inside the inner shrine itself, where they are not visible to the public. The first type, born during the Edo period, is called , the...
, the god of dogs. His wife is Oinari, a ShintoShintoor Shintoism, also kami-no-michi, is the indigenous spirituality of Japan and the Japanese people. It is a set of practices, to be carried out diligently, to establish a connection between present day Japan and its ancient past. Shinto practices were first recorded and codified in the written...
goddess, which explains why Tasuke can talk to animals.
Wata
- Misato's pet dog, a biter - except to Misato. A loyal dog, Wata is committed to protecting his master at all times.