Hoshi no Ko Poron
A short-lived anime that became an internet meme.
Hoshi no Ko Poron (星の子ポロン, "Star Child Poron") is a Japanese science fiction comedy anime from Jiho Eigasha. The series ran 260 episodes from April 1, 1974, to March 31, 1975, with each episode running about five minutes and split into two shorts of at least two minutes each.
The story follows Poron, a bald extraterrestrial boy with an antenna on his head. He can fly and uses the light from the stars on his headband to float objects, change matter, and solve problems. After arriving on Earth, Poron mistakenly befriends animals instead of humans. These mischievous animal kids cause trouble through their naughty antics, and Poron—though exasperated—secretly uses his mysterious powers to save them or punish them. His punishments are often severe and ruthless, and he uses them to teach the animals right from wrong. He loves bananas. In some episodes, he does not intervene but appears only to offer a moral. Poron is voiced by Masako Nozawa, who also voices the animal kids and the narrator. The narrator explains the plot and occasionally lectures the animal folks.
The writing was handled by Tetsuyoshi Ōnuki. Tōki Kuwashima designed the characters, Takao Suzuki served as key animator, and animation was done by Sumio Iwasaki, Tetsuyoshi Chyōshi, Fumio Sakai, and Atsuko Nakajima. Masayuki Hattori handled camera work. Animation production was by Nihon Doga, and the series was produced by Jiho Eigasha.
The show has gained cult status as an internet meme, thanks to its nonexistent plots, crude character art, and heavy reliance on limited animation, which have inspired numerous video remixes and MADs.
- air_dates
- April 1, 1974 – March 31, 1975
Lore & Background
The titular character, Poron, is an extraterrestrial boy with an antenna growing out of his bald head, voiced by Masako Nozawa. He comes from outer space to Earth, where he ignores humans and instead befriends several animals. The mischievous animal folks cause trouble through naughty antics, and Poron, though exasperated, secretly unleashes his mysterious power to save and punish them. He can fly and, by emitting light from the stars on his headband, floats objects and changes matters to settle problems. He watches over the animal kids, rushing to scenes of unruly behavior or trouble, and punishes them severely, often ruthlessly, while teaching them what they shouldn't do. He loves bananas, and in some episodes he does not intervene but appears to utter a few words on the moral of the episode.
Reader's Guide
Hoshi no Ko Poron is significant as a product of the early 1970s Japanese anime industry, produced by Jiho Eigasha with a very short runtime per episode. Its 260 episodes aired over less than a year, reflecting a rapid production schedule. The series features limited animation and poorly drawn characters, which later contributed to its cult status as a popular internet meme. The show's reliance on non-existent plots and heavy use of limited animation led to dozens of video remixes and MADs (music and dance videos) online. The voice acting by Masako Nozawa, who voiced Poron, the animal folks, and the narrator, is a notable aspect. The staff included writers Tetsuyoshi Ônuki and Setsuko Murayama, character designer Tōki Kuwashima, and key animator Takao Suzuki. The series is often referenced alongside similar works like Gan to Gon and Chargeman Ken! in discussions of obscure or meme-worthy anime.
Did You Know?
- The series has 260 episodes, each around five minutes long, containing two shorts of at least two minutes.
- Poron is an extraterrestrial boy with an antenna on his bald head who can fly and emit light from his headband to move objects.
- All main characters—Poron, the animal folks, and the narrator—were voiced by Masako Nozawa.
- The series became a popular internet meme due to non-existent plots, poorly drawn characters, and heavy reliance on limited animation.
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