1665 episodes of a lazy schoolgirl and her grandpa being iconic—are you brave enough?
25 minSeason 2 • Episode 1523
LatestMeet Maruko, a sweet schoolgirl with a hefty dose of curiosity (and occasional laziness!). She sails through life in a cozy town alongside her loving parents, grandparents, and sister. Maruko has a band of loyal friends, including her closest pal, Tama-chan, but her playful and doting grandpa is at the heart of it all. Life is never dull in this charming series.
Writing
Maruko's inner monologue: relatable disaster icon before it was trendy
Acting
TARAKO's voice performance defined an entire generation's childhood
Production
Simple animation that lets storytelling and heart do ALL the heavy lifting
TARAKO
Momoko 'Maruko' Sakura (voice)
Yusaku Yara
Hiroshi Sakura (voice)
Teiyu Ichiryusai
Sumire Sakura (voice)
Yuko Mizutani
Sakiko Sakura (voice)
Yuko Sasaki
Kotake Sakura (voice)
Takeshi Aono
Tomozo Sakura (voice)
Naoko Watanabe
Tamae Honami (voice)
Masami Kikuchi
Kazuhiko Hanawa (voice)
Nobuo Tobita
Sueo Maruo / Ichiro (voice)
Keiko Yamamoto
Shota Yamada (voice)
Megumi Urawa
Hiromi Maeda (voice)
Ai Orikasa
Maruo's Mother (voice)
Miki Narahashi
Hanako Migiwa (voice)
Chafurin
Kimio Nagasawa (voice)
Keaton Yamada
Narration (voice)
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Chibi Maruko-chan is basically Japan's answer to Peanuts—it's been running since 1990 and the creator Momoko Sakura based it on her actual childhood in Shizuoka.
TARAKO voiced Maruko for over 30 years until her death in 2024; the series paused to recast, which broke an entire nation's heart.
JP
