Seals!
Heads up to The Japan Shop for even begining to explain in english what the hell this is. It’s an adaptation of a 4 panel gag manga about a boy and his seal.
Though the Anime Encyclopedia says a boy and his sea lion.
I have to say I don’t know the difference between these two beasts to judge.
Anyway, away from the biology differences of marine animals, what else is there to say? Well it’s a seinen comic rather than a shonen one. And it’s created by Hiromi Morishita, who last year won the Japan Media Award for Excellence in Manga for her strip Osaka Hamlet.
And by 1992, the first six volumes of the manga had sold 5 million copies! Which makes me think it’s like Yawara, a show that was massive in it’s day, but has slipped down the back of history’s sofa.