Cover From left: Chiikawa, Usagi, and Hachiware (Photo: DDT Store via AllRightsReserved; Nagano)
From left: Chiikawa, Usagi, and Hachiware (Photo: DDT Store via AllRightsReserved; Nagano)
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The adorable, animal-shaped characters from the popular manga and upcoming movie ‘Chiikawa the Movie: The Secret of Mermaid Island’ offer insights into overcoming anxiety and being competent at work
Believe it or not, the quaint world of Chiikawa is a capitalist society. According to the popular Japanese web manga’s official website, “Everyone in Chiikawa’s world works for a living”—a detail easy to miss in a “cosy yet fantastical” world where house-sized puddings can appear from nowhere and star-shaped creatures can grant wishes. One of the key storylines across the series is that Chiikawa, the anxious, hamster-like protagonist, repeatedly fails to pass a competitive exam so that they can make money by pulling out weeds around town. (Yes, in this world, characters need to earn a licence to garden.)
Strip away the whimsy, and the world of Chiikawa is effectively a gig economy underpinned by a system of exams, jobs, wages and trade—and within it, the importance of resilience and communication. Here are three life lessons we’ve spotted from Chiikawa, based on the trio of main characters—Chiikawa, Hachiware and Usagi—where, just like in everyday life, our titular character and their friends “work hard and sometimes struggle, but together they pull each other through and have fun”.
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Chiikawa
As the series’ emotional centre, Chiikawa is shown to be sensitive, anxious, and prone to crying. Despite this, they demonstrate a remarkable ability to persevere without complaint through countless trials. From repeatedly failing their weed-pulling exams to being betrayed by a cute-looking beetle creature, Chiikawa bounces back after their mistakes and learns to compartmentalise their emotions—notably, they wipe away their tears to rescue their friends from life-threatening situations, like when Hachiware and Usagi transform into monsters after being shot with a cursed camera. Chiikawa’s resilience in both their weed-pulling studies and monster-hunting is eventually rewarded—in 2025, after nearly five years of efforts, Chiikawa passed their level 5 weeding exam.
The lesson: failing a task multiple times says nothing about whether you’re capable of it. It only says you haven’t accomplished it yet.
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Hachiware
Hachiware functions as the de facto spokesperson for Chiikawa and Usagi, who are both non-verbal (and in Usagi’s case, also also extremely loud). The character’s intelligence, however, comes with a key limitation: Hachiware is capable of articulating problems they encounter, but has a tendency to hesitate or overthink their decisions, like when they grow despondent trapped at the bottom of a crevasse. Still, Hachiware is notably the most mature of the three; in the show’s Pajama Party arc, they take responsibility for their mistakes on stage and resolve to work harder.
The lesson: being the one who explains things for the group carries a duty of care. Say the hard thing on someone else’s behalf if they can’t, and own your own mistakes out loud rather than letting them go unspoken.
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Usagi
Usagi’s outward chaos disguises that he is one of the most qualified characters. Despite their hyperactivity and inability to speak in coherent sentences, Usagi has obtained a level 3 weeding licence—a much more advanced qualification than Chiikawa or Hachiware—and is capable of demonstrating impressive fighting skills in moments of crisis. In the show’s memorable Pajama Party arc, Usagi is the first to notice that the three members of the Pajama Party are in danger and runs to save them. Admirably, Usagi carries themselves with confidence, no matter how other characters judge them.
The lesson: The person with the most relevant qualification in the room might not necessarily prove it with their words. Aim to be the most skilled, even if you don’t ever shout about it.
Cat Wang is an editor at Tatler Asia based in Hong Kong, where she covers business, wealth, innovation, and impact. Previously, she was a Forbes Asia reporter and assistant editor of the Forbes Asia 100 to Watch list, spotlighting startups and small companies on the rise across the Asia-Pacific. She began her career as a trainee reporter at the South China Morning Post, Hong Kong’s newspaper of record. Born in New York City, she graduated from the University of California, Los Angeles, with a B.A. in political science.
