Tamanegi Tama-chan (タマネギたまちゃん), "The Onion Tama-chan", is a childrens' manga by Fujio Pro (Katta Yoshi), with initial drawing cooperation by Hiroki Kimura, serialized in Chagurin magazine from May 2019 to the present.
Overview[]
This version of Tama-chan is a remade version produced for Chagurin (formerly Childrens' Light), an agricultural learning magazine for children in Japan. While it has many redrawn chapters from the original, there are often new twists added, and the series also starts out with an original story as a new framing and introduction to the characters.
The billing at the start of the series gave notice of Hiroki Kimura (of "Congle Good") being involved with the art, with Katta Yoshi only credited as "Fujio Pro". However, this changed after the series stopped remaking stories from the original and moved to entirely new material, with Katta Yoshi receiving the sole credit. The title's notation also changed to be partly in katakana.
Since 2022, the formula of Tama-chan has switched to it being more of a superhero gag tale, with Tama being such a type of character and fighting against enemies like the Watermelon Aliens (formerly from Osomatsu-kun) while gaining other allies in battle.
Characters[]
See also List of characters in Tamanegi Tama-chan for more of the cast between incarnations of the series.
Tama, aka "Ecobaman"[]
In this incarnation of the series, Tama is initially depicted as a lazy, shut-in type of boy who'd rather play video games until he gets the opportunity to save Bokenasu from Tonkari's bullying. His face is also shown to turn into a featureless onion when withdrawing himself from social interaction, but Tomato and Satoimo help peel off the onion skin layers to get him back into socializing.
Tama later gains a younger brother figure when he gives an onion-esque alien the name and disguise of "Chiitama-chan" and introduces him as a sibling to his friends. It is around this point in the series that he gains the ability to become a superhero due to Chiitama-chan lending him power, marking another diversion from the original concepts. When he realizes he needs a secret identity, he takes an eco-bag and puts it over his head, dubbing himself Ecobaman (though his fellow Ecobaman later demote him to "#3").
After the Watermelon Aliens depart Earth, Tama finds that his superpowers have worn off but that other mysterious heroes have appeared to fight the Apiyon Aliens.
Tomato[]
One of Tama's regular friends, a friendly young girl with a face similar to that of Akko-chan and other pretty girl types of characters by Akatsuka. She serves as a puppy love "girlfriend" figure as well, often seen accompanying Tama on his own in some instances.
Tomato is the only one of the three main girls to believe that Tama could be Ecobaman, as the others don't take her seriously. She also winds up in a love triangle involving the new girl Lemon, and both compete for Tama's affections while also taking on the roles of Ecobaman during the Watermelon Alien invasion arc.
Satoimo ("Sato-kun")[]
A silly but easy-going taro-themed boy resembling Ichiro from Otasuke-kun. In this series, he also has a teenage brother who looks very much similar to him.
Bokenasu[]
A kind, but rather dumb young eggplant boy who's vulnerable and picked on, which spurs Tama into action to be the heroic and take-charge boy.
Later in the series, it's shown he belongs to a greengrocer and restaurant business family. While Tama believes him to possibly be the superhero Randoman, it's shown that Bokenasu isn't him but is a hero called Demaeman.
Kyusuke[]
A cucumber-themed boy sometimes seen with the rest of the group, and a rather easy-going and gentle type.
Tonkari[]
A red chili pepper boy who often bullies and causes all sorts of trouble for Tama and friends, but actually would like to be friends with them deep down. Though he may often be an instigator of chaos, he can wind up in trouble or needing to be rescued just as easily, and he can also protect Tama and others from delinquents.
Tama suspects him to be Randoman, but is proven wrong when he sees that the two are separate beings.
Serialization[]
- Chagurin: May 2019 to December 2020 (pilot and chapter remakes), January 2021 to present (soft retooling with all-new stories)
The remakes of chapters source from those used in the Keiyaki Publishing reprint, though they are switched around in order. While you may initially think only the drawing style may be updated, the punchlines and other parts of the plot are entirely changed for new gags. There are also cases where any drawing oversights or early design weirdness would be corrected through these updates.
- (May 2019)- New story to start off the run. Tama-chan is introduced to Tomato, Satoimo, Bokenasu (and puppy), and Tonkari.
- (June 2019)- Tama, Tomato, Satoimo, and Bokenasu continue to be menaced by Tonkari and decide to retaliate with their own prank. Remake of the "New Years" chapter.
- (July 2019)- Remake of "Starting Today, We are 1st Graders".
- (August 2019)- Remake of "New Transfer Student Su-chan"
- (September 2019)- Remake of "Fun Camp"
- (October 2019)- Remake of "Drive", including a redesign of the bear to have a chestnut-themed head in order for there to not be normal animals in Tama-chan's world.
- (November 2019)- Remake of "The Persimmon Artist"
- (December 2019)- Remake of "Christmas"
- (January 2020)- Remake of "Snowman"
- (February 2020)- Remake of "Snowball Fight"
- (March 2020)- Remake of "Meanness"
- (April 2020)- Remake of "Korosuke the Bear"
- (May 2020)- Remake of "A Carp Streamer and Chestnuts"
- (June 2020)- Remake of "Natsumikan and Car"
- (July 2020)- Remake of "The Tomorokoshi Boy"
- (August 2020)- Remake of "The Bad Turnips"
- (September 2020)- Remake of "Marathon Competition"
- (October 2020)- Remake of "Lost", with Ringo-chan's role changed to a new character Sakuranbo-chan.
- (November 2020)- Remake of "The Persimmon Thieves"
- (December 2020)- Remake of "Mouse"
- (January 2021)- A new chapter about Tama-chan celebrating the New Year, featuring many cameos from fan characters that were created through the "Tama-chan's Friends" reader submission initiative. The title's notation is changed with this story as well.
- (February 2021)- A new chapter about Tama-chan celebrating Setsubun.
- (March 2021)- A new chapter about the Hinamatsuri.
- (April 2021)- A new chapter involving April Fools' Day, featuring the new character Yamaimo (a potato with Iyami's facial features).
- (May 2021)- A new chapter introducing an alien who comes to be Tama-chan's little brother, "Chiitama-chan". First chapter to show Katta Yoshi's name as the main credited author.
- (June 2021)- Chiitama-chan meets the rest of the cast.
- (July 2021)- A tanabata-themed story.
- (August 2021)- Chiitama-chan uses his powers to cause mischief while bug collecting.
- (September 2021)- A dagashi-themed story.
- (October 2021)- Introduction of the remake version of Kabo-chan.
- (November 2021)
- (December 2021)- Introduction of Chiitama-chan's rival, Chiinoko-chan.
- (January 2022)
- (February 2022)- Introduction of Broccoli oji-san.
- (March 2022)
- (April 2022)
- (May 2022)
- (June 2022)- Tama-chan trains to use his superpowers and takes on the identity of Ecobaman, after getting inspiration from finding an eco-bag to hide his face.
- (July 2022)
- (August 2022)- Introduction of the Watermelon Aliens as a new enemy force, as well as a new heroine named Lemon and her brother figure Nomel.
- (September 2022)
- (October 2022)
- (November 2022)
- (December 2022)
- (January 2023)
- (February 2023)
- (March 2023)- Tama-chan is corrupted to become a kaiju, with Tomato and Lemon having to fight him as Ecobaman.
- (April 2023)- Departure of the Watermelon Aliens and resolution of the first Ecobaman storyline.
- (May 2023)- Arrival of the Apiyon Aliens as the new threat to Earth, and Randoman.
- (June 2023)- The debut of the mysterious hero Demaeman.
- (July 2023)- The continued suspicion over Randoman's identity.
- (August 2023)
- (September 2023)
- (October 2023)
- (November 2023)
- (December 2023)
- (January 2024)
- (February 2024)
- (March 2024)
- (April 2024)
- (May 2024)
- (June 2024)
- (July 2024)
- (August 2024)
- (September 2024)
- (October 2024)
External Links[]
- Tamanegi Tama-chan (Chagurin version) at Koredeiinoda (Japanese)- Publishes a temporary reprint of one Chagurin chapter per month, with the first story available for unlimited viewing.