Puniru Is a Cute Slime

Puniru Is a Cute Slime (Japanese: ぷにるはかわいいスライム, Hepburn: Puniru wa Kawaii Suraimu) is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Maeda-kun. Preceded by a one-shot published in Shogakukan's children's manga magazine Bessatsu CoroCoro Comic in February 2019, the manga started its serialization in Weekly CoroCoro Comic online service in March 2022. Shogakukan has collected its chapters in six tankōbon volumes as of October 2024. The series focuses on the titular character Puniru, a slime girl created by a boy named Kotaro Kawaii during his childhood and wants him to notice her for her cuteness despite him being in love with his junior high school senior. An anime television series adaptation produced by Toho Animation Studio premiered in October 2024.

Puniru Is a Cute Slime
First tankōbon volume cover
ぷにるはかわいいスライム
(Puniru wa Kawaii Suraimu)
GenreRomantic comedy[1]
Manga
Cute Puniru Slime
Written byMaeda-kun
Published byShogakukan
MagazineBessatsu CoroCoro Comic
DemographicChildren
PublishedFebruary 28, 2019
Manga
Written byMaeda-kun
Published byShogakukan
MagazineWeekly CoroCoro Comic
DemographicChildren
Original runMarch 15, 2022 – present
Volumes6
Anime television series
Directed byYūshi Ibe
Produced by
  • Mirei Tsumura
  • Yuzuru Saitou
  • Reiko Sasaki
  • Yuukou Itou
Written byMichiko Yokote
Music byIzumi Mori
StudioToho Animation Studio
Licensed byCrunchyroll
Original networkTXN (TV Tokyo)
Original run October 6, 2024 – present
Episodes7

Plot

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A young boy named Kotaro Kawaii made a slime as part of a science experiment which came to life. The slime named Puniru resembled a penguin, and her creator thought that was cute despite him not wanting to admit it. About 7 years has passed as Kotaro is now in his second year of junior high and is having a hard time admitting his feelings for his senior, Mami Kirara. In that time, Puniru gained a new ability to morph herself into a human girl to have her creator notice her cuteness again.

Characters

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Puniru (ぷにる)
Voiced by: Yū Sasahara[2]
Kotaro Kawaii (河合井 コタロー, Kawaii Kotarō)
Voiced by: Shūichirō Umeda[2]
Mami Kirara (雲母 麻美, Kirara Mami)
Voiced by: Risa Shimizu[3]
Yūsuke Nanpa (南波 遊助, Nanpa Yūsuke)
Voiced by: Junya Enoki[3]
Alice Okanega (御金賀 アリス, Okanega Arisu)
Voiced by: Yumiri Hanamori[3]
Hiroshi Mado (真戸 博士, Mado Hiroshi)
Voiced by: Kazuya Nakai[4]

Media

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Manga

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Written and illustrated by Maeda-kun, a first one-shot, titled "Cute Puniru Slime" (かわいいぷにるはスライム, Kawaī Puniru wa Suraimu), was published in Shogakukan's children's manga Bessatsu CoroCoro Comic on February 28, 2019.[5] Puniru Is a Cute Slime started its serialization in Weekly CoroCoro Comic online service on March 15, 2022.[6][7] Shogakukan has collected its chapters into individual tankōbon volumes. The first volume was released on July 28, 2022.[8] As of October 2024, six volumes have been released.[9]

Volumes

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No. Japanese release date Japanese ISBN
1 July 28, 2022[10]978-4-09-143537-8
978-4-09-943115-0 (SE)
2 November 28, 2022[11]978-4-09-143553-8
978-4-09-943121-1 (SE)
3 February 28, 2023[12]978-4-09-143578-1
978-4-09-943126-6 (SE)
4 August 9, 2023[13]978-4-09-143610-8
978-4-09-943131-0 (SE)
5 January 26, 2024[14]978-4-09-143670-2
978-4-09-943145-7 (SE)
6 September 27, 2024[9]978-4-09-149785-7
978-4-09-943168-6 (SE)

Anime

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An anime television series adaptation was announced on December 13, 2023.[15][16] It is produced by Toho Animation Studio and directed by Yūshi Ibe, with scripts written by Michiko Yokote, Aya Tanaka providing the character designs and Izumi Mori composing the music.[17][18] It premiered on TV Tokyo on October 6, 2024.[2][3] Yū Sasahara performed both the series' opening and ending themes: "Gyumu!" (ぎゅむ!) and "Show" (, Shō, lit. "chant"), the latter being a cover of Ado's song of the same name.[19]

Crunchyroll licensed the series in North America, Europe, Australia and New Zealand as Puniru is a Kawaii Slime.[20] Medialink licensed the series in Asia-Pacific (except Australia and New Zealand) for streaming on Ani-One Asia's YouTube channel.[21]

Episodes

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No.TitleDirected byWritten byChief animation directed byOriginal air date
1"I HATE YOU and I LOVE YOU"Yūshi IbeMichiko YokoteAya Tanaka & Jōji MatsuokaOctober 6, 2024 (2024-10-06)
2"Neither Friend nor Slime"
Transliteration: "Tomodachide Mo Naku Suraimude Mo Naku" (Japanese: 友達でもなくスライムでもなく)
Tetsuya MiyanishiMiharu HiramiJōji MatsuokaOctober 13, 2024 (2024-10-13)
3"Cute Puniru Slime"
Transliteration: "Kawaī Puniru wa Suraimu" (Japanese: かわいいぷにるはスライム)
Directed by : Minami Honma
Storyboarded by : Shinichi Watanabe
Michiko YokoteAya TanakaOctober 20, 2024 (2024-10-20)
4"Alice in Kyuthi Land"
Transliteration: "Ikoku kyutirando no Arisu" (Japanese: い国キュティランドのアリス)
Mayo NozakiMichiko YokoteJōji MatsuokaOctober 27, 2024 (2024-10-27)
5"A Grand Reinforcement"
Transliteration: "GO! GO! Karei ni ōendesu!" (Japanese: GO!GO!華麗に応援です!)
Directed by : Ryota Karasawa
Storyboarded by : Yūshi Ibe
Miharu HiramiJōji MatsuokaNovember 3, 2024 (2024-11-03)
6 (Japanese: ルンルーンだらけのGPグランプリぷにるもあるよ!)Directed by : Mitsuyo Yokono
Storyboarded by : Shinichi Watanabe
Michiko YokoteAya TanakaNovember 10, 2024 (2024-11-10)
7"Sweet Bitter Summer"ChinaRintarou IkedaAya TanakaNovember 17, 2024 (2024-11-17)

Reception

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The manga placed fourth in Next Manga Awards's Web category in 2022.[22]

The manga was viewed more than 600,000 times on its online website by March 2022;[23] it rose to more than 3.5 million views by May of that same year,[24] and 7 million by July of that same year.[8] The first tankōbon volume had a first-print run of 100,000 copies.[8]

References

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  1. ^ 「ぷにるはかわいいスライム」カラーマンガがコロコロに、ぷにるのシールも付属. Comic Natalie (in Japanese). Natasha, Inc. July 15, 2022. Archived from the original on October 19, 2022. Retrieved December 13, 2023.
  2. ^ a b c Chapman, Paul (July 11, 2024). "Puniru wa Kawaii Slime TV Anime Premieres in October 2024". Crunchyroll. Retrieved July 11, 2024.
  3. ^ a b c d Hodgkins, Crystalyn (August 31, 2024). "Puniru wa Kawaii Slime Anime's 2nd Promo Video Reveals More Cast, October 6 Debut". Anime News Network. Retrieved August 31, 2024.
  4. ^ Hodgkins, Crystalyn (October 10, 2024). "Puniru is a Kawaii Slime Anime Casts Kazuya Nakai". Anime News Network. Retrieved October 10, 2024.
  5. ^ 別冊コロコロコミック 2019年04月号. Book Shop Shogakukan (in Japanese). Shogakukan. Archived from the original on December 13, 2023. Retrieved December 13, 2023.
  6. ^ Mateo, Alex (March 14, 2022). "Shogakukan Reveals 'Weekly Coro Coro Comics' Title, Lineup for New Website". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on March 1, 2023. Retrieved December 13, 2023.
  7. ^ 週刊コロコロコミック創刊!子供も大人も楽しめる新作&名作を続々配信. Comic Natalie (in Japanese). Natasha, Inc. March 15, 2022. Archived from the original on June 2, 2023. Retrieved December 13, 2023.
  8. ^ a b c 「ぷにるはかわいいスライム」1巻発売、特装版はカバーがキラキラでアクスタ付き. Comic Natalie (in Japanese). Natasha, Inc. July 28, 2022. Archived from the original on June 15, 2023. Retrieved December 13, 2023.
  9. ^ a b 【9月27日付】本日発売の単行本リスト. Comic Natalie (in Japanese). Natasha, Inc. September 27, 2024. Retrieved October 10, 2024.
  10. ^ 【7月28日付】本日発売の単行本リスト. Comic Natalie (in Japanese). Natasha, Inc. July 28, 2022. Archived from the original on July 18, 2023. Retrieved December 13, 2023.
  11. ^ 「ぷにるはかわいいスライム」2巻特装版に描き下ろしポスター3枚、カバーは箔押し. Comic Natalie (in Japanese). Natasha, Inc. November 29, 2022. Archived from the original on December 5, 2022. Retrieved December 13, 2023.
  12. ^ 「ぷにるはかわいいスライム」3巻にアクスタ第2弾、メタバースで遊べるミニゲームも. Comic Natalie (in Japanese). Natasha, Inc. February 28, 2023. Archived from the original on March 7, 2023. Retrieved December 13, 2023.
  13. ^ 【8月9日付】本日発売の単行本リスト. Comic Natalie (in Japanese). Natasha, Inc. August 9, 2023. Archived from the original on August 11, 2023. Retrieved December 13, 2023.
  14. ^ 【1月26日付】本日発売の単行本リスト. Comic Natalie (in Japanese). Natasha, Inc. January 26, 2024. Retrieved January 30, 2024.
  15. ^ 「ぷにるはかわいいスライム」TVアニメ化!かわいいぼくが動いちゃいま~す. Comic Natalie (in Japanese). Natasha, Inc. December 13, 2023. Archived from the original on December 13, 2023. Retrieved December 13, 2023.
  16. ^ Cayanan, Joanna (December 13, 2023). "Maedakun's Puniru wa Kawaii Slime Web Manga Gets TV Anime Adaptation". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on December 13, 2023. Retrieved December 13, 2023.
  17. ^ ぷにるはかわいいスライム:“スライムの日”にビジュアル公開 柔らかくキラキラ テレビアニメはTOHO animation STUDIO制作. Mantan Web (in Japanese). March 16, 2024. Retrieved March 16, 2024.
  18. ^ Hodgkins, Crystalyn (March 16, 2024). "Puniru wa Kawaii Slime TV Anime Reveals Visual, Main Staff". Anime News Network. Retrieved March 16, 2024.
  19. ^ ぷにるはかわいいスライム:テレビアニメEDはAdo「唱」カバー ぷにるが歌う!. Mantan Web (in Japanese). October 7, 2024. Retrieved October 7, 2024.
  20. ^ Mateo, Alex (October 2, 2024). "Crunchyroll to Stream Blue Miburo, Kinokoinu Mushroom Pup, A Terrified Teacher at Ghoul School!, More Anime". Anime News Network. Retrieved October 2, 2024.
  21. ^ Pineda, Rafael Antonio (October 3, 2024). "Ani-One Asia Licenses BLUE LOCK vs. U-20 JAPAN, A Terrified Teacher at Ghoul School!, Ron Kamonohashi's Forbidden Deductions, More Anime". Anime News Network. Retrieved October 10, 2024.
  22. ^ 「スーパーの裏でヤニ吸うふたり」が次にくるマンガ大賞のWebマンガ部門1位を獲得. Comic Natalie (in Japanese). Natasha, Inc. August 31, 2022. Archived from the original on May 23, 2023. Retrieved December 13, 2023.
  23. ^ Iida, Ichishi (May 10, 2022). 「秒で60万人が読んだ」コロコロ初のラブコメ『ぷにる』爆誕の背景. Gendai Media (in Japanese). Kodansha. Retrieved December 13, 2023.
  24. ^ 「ぷにるはかわいいスライム」第1巻、7月発売!「週刊コロコロコミック」で350万PV達成の話題作. AnimeAnime.jp (in Japanese). May 20, 2022. Archived from the original on May 18, 2023. Retrieved December 13, 2023.
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