Akitaro Daichi returns with another gag manga adaptation. Which if you’ve followed his career is enough of a reason to celebrate, as he’s got a better understanding than most on how to transfer them to screen. Namely, don’t lose the gags.
Even better though, is he’s brought with him Rie Ooshima. She worked with him on the Kuruneko adaptation. And very few other people. This interview with Daichi discusses how they approached that series. In particular he mentions not using storyboards (instead just using the strips) and pre-scoring both it and Gag Manga Biyori.
On Poyopoyo, Ooshima is working as Animation Director, and it’s certainly a fuller world than Kuruneko’s. The look is more in the spirit of Daichi’s work on Legendz and Grrl Power. And while the spherical cat is consistent with the manga’s design, the human characters have been given some spit and polish to make them more charming.
Noted animal voice actress Ikue Ohtani (Merle, Pikachu, Tony Tony Chopper) voices Poyo, the cat. And vocal legend Akira Kamiya plays the father of the family who adopt the cat. And apparently the grandmother too!
While Poyopoyo isn’t Kuruneko, I’ve been waiting so long for a Daichi gag show to get picked up by someone I’m unduly excited to see it on Crunchyroll. And who knows, maybe it will foster some interest in the superior Kuruneko and Gag Manga Biyori? (SPOILER: It won’t).