is the title of a fictional Japanese
comedy/romance story created by Hidetaka Kakei centering around four childhood friends and the romantic relationship between two of them.
Tona-Gura! originally began as a
manga series and was released on December 7, 2004. The
anime is based on this manga and was released
July 8, 2006.
Plot
A childhood friend, Yuuji, is coming home after a 10-year absence
and Kazuki is eager to meet him again, hoping that he has become a
handsome, romantic boy. But it seems to her that he has become a
lecherous teenager. In spite of her disappointment, she begins to
realize that despite Yuuji's lewd (
ecchi)
ways, he values their long friendship. Kazuki's kind older sister,
Hatsune, tries to help their relationship along. Meanwhile, Yuuji’s
little sister, Marie, punishes his lustful outbursts by shooting
him with a painful, but non-lethal, automatic air rifle.
Characters
Main
- : She is the first main protagonist
of the story. Basically, she had an unrequited love for Yuuji
Kagura when they were young. She's always dreamed that Yuuji would
one day grow up to be a handsome, suave young man. When she finally
meets him again ten years later she is disappointed to find that's
he has become obnoxiously lewd and perverted, but over time
realizes that even with all these faults she still has the same
feelings for him as she did when she was younger. Kazuki is a
skilled member of her school's swimming club. Her cooking skills
leave much to be desired, however; although she can make her dishes
look very good, she tends to add ingredients that end up turning
innocuous food into culinary disasters capable of dropping the
person eating it where they stand.
- : The second main protagonist of the
story. Yūji was once a sweet innocent little boy who Kazuki Arisaka
was in love with. He was somewhat lecherous when he was little, but
Kazuki doesn't remember. That is until he left for 10 years only to
come back as a naughty girl-chaser. He is constantly finding
himself in situations where Kazuki is half-dressed, constantly has
lewd fantasies, and sometimes ends up touching girls where he
shouldn't be touching them. Despite this, it seems that he does
have a nice, kind side, and actually values Kazuki's friendship;
this being shown when he was helping her pick out a swimsuit, even
though they might have been more revealing with each choice he was
picking them as they were her favorite color. Throughout the story
it is suggested that he is in love with Kazuki (though he might be
unaware of it) as he appears to direct all of his perverted actions
to her. Later in the story he choices to become a professional
Photographer and is working as an intern.
Arisaka Family
- : Kazuki's older sister, who is constantly trying to get Kazuki
and Yūji together and inadvertently (and intentionally) puts them
both into embarrassing and lascivious situations. There are some
indications that she considers the mishaps (and the arguments
following them) funny. Hatsune is good at everything she does, from
cooking to sports, and is extremely well-endowed. She likes to tease her sister by
showing her how infatuated Yuuji is with her breasts. Hatsune frequently engages in cosplay
around the house and can, from time to time, be quite frightening
to the people around her. Unlike her younger sister and Marie,
Hatsune is perfectly unafraid of insects - or anything else.
Although it's implied that Hatsune's true weakness is worrying
about her sister's health. When Kazuki fell ill with a cold,
Hatsune became comically uncoordinated and unskillful every time
she heard Kazuki sneeze. She occasionally (and sarcastically)
appears to have an attraction to her younger sister.
- : Kazuki's and Hatsune's mother.
- : Kazuki's and Hatsune's father, a professor of cultural anthropology.
Kagura Family
- : Yuuji's younger sister. Kazuki described her as being a
crybaby when she was younger. Now that she has grown up she isn't
quite the crybaby she used to be. Now she can be found pelting her
older brother with air guns hidden in her teddy bear Seiyū and her
other puppets when her brother is acting vulgar. Though she shots
him without a moments hesitation, she does greatly care for her
older brother and gets lonely without him (also hinting that she
might even have a brother
complex). Marie is mortally afraid of cats and insects. She is
able to flee bugs yet is nearly paralyzed by the presence of cats,
though they are drawn to her.
- : Marie's and Yūji's father. Told Marie to shoot her brother
with paint balls every time he does something indecent. Apparently
he is a hunter, although this is questionable. It has been stated
in the anime that he is a press
photographer as his day job, with a side job as treasure hunter. Marie and Yuuji note his
treasure hunting job always felt more like his main occupation, as
it caused the family to relocate time and again, whenever
Kagura-san got bored with one site and started looking for the
next.
School
- : Kazuki's friend who apparently likes to spy on people. She
speaks with a Kansai dialect and is
much more receptive to Yuuji's bawdy nature than Kazuki, claiming
'all boys are like that'. She also doesn't object to being the
object of his attention and even goes so far as to give minor
underwear displays. At one point she tells Kazuki if she didn't
want Yūji, she would take him instead. She is just joking but it
causes Kazuki to get depressed, especially seeing how well the two
got along. Chihaya tells Kazuki that she was going to tell her that
she wasn't interested in Yūji but that it would be a lie and
encourages her to make up with Yūji before he was stolen away.
- : Nīna is a blond-haired girl who goes to the same class as
Marie. She has an American mother, a Japanese father, and a great
deal of energy. She's very busty for her young
age and is physically very active and extremely friendly, quickly
attaching herself to Marie to the latter's initial displeasure. In
the manga she has a crush on Yuji (who is torn between her being
underage and her ample bust) and often refers to him as
onii-chan.
- : President of Yūji's class.
- : Vice-president of Yūji's class. She uses any and all excuses
to hit the class president. Even go so low as to hit him between the legs.
Manga
- December 7, 2004 -- ISBN 978-4861760549
- June 7, 2005 -- ISBN 978-4861761591
- January 7, 2006 -- ISBN 978-4861762666
- July 7, 2006 -- ISBN 978-4861763113
- January 7, 2007 -- ISBN 978-4861763649
- September 7, 2007 -- ISBN 978-4861764295
- March 15, 2008 -- ISBN 978-4861764981
Anime
Episodes
Theme songs
- Opening Theme: "DRAMATIC☆GIRLY" by Akemi Kanda, Sayaka Ohara,
Erino Hazuki, Misaki Sekiyama & Ayumi Tsuji
- Ending Theme: "Aitai Kimochi Kara~Placid Time~" by Akemi Kanda
and Sayaka Ohara
External links