Kanokon

Main characters

Kouta Oyamada (小山田 耕太, Oyamada Kōta)

Voiced by: Mamiko Noto^[4] (Japanese); Mona Marshall (English)

Kouta is the protagonist of the story. Since he's been orphaned following the loss of his deceased parents; he used to live with his grandfather before moving from the countryside to the city for his first year of high school, and on his first day of school discovers that Chizuru Minamoto a second-year high school girl is actually a kitsune.^[5][6] To complicate matters, she falls in love with and vigorously pursues him committing "disgraceful acts" with him in public-(sometimes in front of other people). Because of this, Kouta has had the nickname "Great Erotic King" (エロス大王, Erosu DaiŌ, "King of Eros" in the English anime) placed upon him by other students in the school. He is initially reluctant to engage in the "intimate" acts Chizuru desires, but does so later on in the series citing her inspiration. Kouta's true bond with Chizuru is shown when they fuse into a powerful being that gives Kouta black fox ears with tails. According to Chizuru's brother Tayura, this possession can only happen if a human and a yōkai share a deep emotional bond with each other.^[7]

Chizuru Minamoto (源 千鶴, Minamoto Chizuru)

Voiced by: Ayako Kawasumi^[4] (Japanese); Dorothy Elias-Fahn^[8] (English)

Chizuru is second-year female student at Kouta's school. On the outside she appears to be a well endowed teenage girl, but she is in fact a powerful kitsune. When she changes form, her black hair turns blonde, and she gains fox ears and a tail. While it is implied by her brother Tayura that she is 400 years old, it is later revealed that her age may be in the thousands. She has no recollection of her past from before she met her foster mother Tamamo, but over time remembers some things she had forgotten about herself. From the start of the series she has fallen in love with Kouta, and is constantly hanging around him. She very much wants to enter into a "relationship of sin" with him and is very forthright in her almost constant sexual suggestions and actions.

Nozomu Ezomori (犹守 望, Ezomori Nozomu)

Voiced by: Miyū Takeuchi^[4] (Japanese); May Kao (English)

Nozomu is a first-year female transfer student at Kouta's school. She has short light ash blonde hair and is in fact a 200-year-old wolf spirit who lives by herself in an expensive but empty penthouse apartment, where she always sleeps naked on the floor. She has an older brother named Saku who took her in, but after Saku attacks Kouta she decides to go against her brother by following her own path.^[9] Despite her seemingly detached and emotionless manner, she falls in love with Kouta at first sight and is thus Chizuru's rival for Kouta's affections. She frequently insults Chizuru by calling her a "Horny Beast", saying that Chizuru "smells obscene" or that her breasts are flabby.

Supporting characters

Tayura Minamoto (源 たゆら, Minamoto Tayura)

Voiced by: Toshiyuki Toyonaga^[4] (Japanese); Ethan Murray (English)

Tayura is Chizuru's younger brother and Kouta's classmate. Like his sister, he is also a fox spirit but was adopted into her family. He frequently teases Chizuru about her age which results in her getting visibly annoyed. Initially Tayura was jealous of the relationship between his sister and Kouta prompting Chizuru to say that he is suffering from a sister complex. He ends up falling in love with Akane but whenever he tries to get closer to her, he is given the cold shoulder. He has stated that he is okay with her coldness, and the two gradually warm up.

Akane Asahina (朝比奈 あかね, Asahina Akane)

Voiced by: Chiwa Saitō^[4] (Japanese); Camilla Debry (English)

Akane is the bespectacled class representative of Kouta's class. Due to her position as class representative she has a high sense of regulations, and therefore disagrees with how ardently Chizuru pursues Kouta while at school. She is on good terms with Kouta, and worries about his relationship with Chizuru citing her as a bad example.

Ren Nanao (七々尾 蓮, Nanao Ren) and Ai Nanao (七々尾 藍, Nanao Ai)

(Ren) Voiced by: Mai Kadowaki^[4]

(Ai) Voiced by: Tamaki Nakanishi^[4]

Ren and Ai are twin sisters who are first-year students at Kouta's school. The girls are nearly identical except for their slightly different hair styles. They are spirit hunters who live at a poor temple and are frequently seen doing things that homeless people would do; they make stew out of trash and roadside weeds or eat discarded bread crusts. They use chains when attacking and are also seen in the anime ineffectively using explosives.

Omi Kiriyama (桐山 臣, Kiriyama Omi)

Voiced by: Takashi Kondō^[4] (Japanese); Bryce Papenbrook (English)

Omi is a second year student at Kouta's school who is in fact a sickle weasel with the power to control the wind. Omi was once the bitter enemy of the Minamoto siblings. He hates the friendship between Kouta and his friends and does not speak much. In the anime, he hurts Kouta, who took a blow meant for Chizuru. Since he is not permitted to harm humans, this act has serious consequences for him. He likes Mio.

Mio Osakabe (長ヶ部 澪, Osakabe Mio)

Voiced by: Yui Itsuki (drama CD), Miyu Matsuki^[4] (Japanese); Elivia Gaitan (English)

Mio is a second year student with a shy nature who hangs around with Omi. Due to her short stature, she is often mistaken for a grade school student and has even received multiple confessions from grade school students. She is in fact a half frog spirit and can heal quickly. While she did not have a name originally, Omi named her from a combination of his own given name and his home town's name. She likes Omi but becomes incredibly embarrassed when anyone refers to her relationship with him.

Ryuusei Kumada (熊田 流星, Kumada Ryūsei)

Voiced by: Kenji Nomura (drama CD), Kenta Miyake^[4] (Japanese); Andres Alexis (English)

Ryusei is a third-year student who has a distinct cross-wound over his left eye and was the leader of the school delinquents before Omi took over. He is a bear spirit. In the fourth volume, he graduates from high school, but soon changes his name to Suisei Kumada (熊田 彗星, Kumada Suisei) and restarts high school as a first-year student.

Yuuki Sasamori (佐々森 ユウキ, Sasamori Yūki)

Voiced by: Saori Seto^[4] (Japanese); Lara Cody (English)

Yuuki's is best friends with Kiriko, and the two are classmates of Kouta whom she refers to as the "Letch King". Unlike her friend she is shown to have a more wild side. She is also friends with Akane whom she teases for having a dirty mind. Yuuki is on the student body often reflecting their stance on things.^[10]

Kiriko Takana (高菜 キリコ, Takana Kiriko)

Voiced by: Ui Miyazaki (drama CD)

Kiriko is best friends with Yuuki whom she refers to as "Yooks". Kiriko comes from a well off family, and has expensive gadgets which she uses a lot. She dislikes Kouta for being too perverted, and thinks all men in general are "beasts".^[10] Kiriko gets top marks in school even though she does not study.

Kudzu Leaf

Iku Sahara (砂原 幾, Sahara Iku)

Voiced by: Noriko Shitaya^[4] (Japanese); Karen Strassman (English)

Iku is a social studies teacher and is Kouta's homeroom teacher. She is possessed by a powerful yōkai named Okata (御方) who is head of the Sahara family, and leader of Kudzu Leaf. Okata is in charge of the school Kouta attends, and oversees the spirits at school. Okata's powers in both the manga and anime adaptations is shown to be the manipulation of sand. She is shown to be able to conceal people by using it as well as the ability to set up magical barriers. In the anime adaptation, it is shown that she can also put the students to sleep in the school when dangerous situations come along. The true form Okata who possesses Iku is that of an old woman who has survived for thousands of years.

Minori Mitama (三珠 美乃里, Mitama Minori)

Voiced by: Kumiko Nishihara

Minori is the main antagonist of the story and refers to herself as Kouta's younger sister. Her servant is a yōkai named Nue (鵺). As her name indicated, she is a nue, but also has a pair of raven wings for flight.

Saku Ezomori (犹守 朔, Ezomori Saku)

Voiced by: Yūto Kazama^[4] (Japanese); Grant George (English)

Saku is Nozomu's older brother. Like his sister, he is a wolf spirit. He usually drives a motorcycle around town and he is in love with Chizuru.

Takao Yatsuka (八束 たかお, Yatsuka Takao)

Voiced by: Takashi Matsuyama^[4] (Japanese); Dan Woren (English)

Takao is the gym teacher at Kouta's school who has a scary face. Like Iku, he too oversees the spirits at school. He is very wise and gets along with Yukihana.

Yōkai and gods

Tamamo (玉藻)

Voiced by: Naomi Shindō^[4] (Japanese); Mari Devon (English)

Tamamo is Tamamo-no-Mae, a powerful nine-tailed fox spirit and Chizuru's mother, though they are not blood related. She is the manager of Tama no Yu (玉ノ湯) which is a hot spring hotel deep in the snowy mountains. When business is slow, she manages a beachside restaurant named Tama no Ya (Tama's shop). Yukihana helps her run the hotel, and the shop. She gets along well with Kouta, though she sometimes meddles in his relationship with Chizuru. She fell in love with Yasunari Abe, the hero from the children's book "The Legend of the Nine-tailed Fox". Rather than killing her as the story implies, he takes her for his bride. As such, she encourages Kouta's relationship with her daughter even though he is a human. She also knows about Yamata no Orochi, the dragon that was sleeping inside of Chizuru.

Yukihana (雪花) / Hanadai Yukino (雪野 花代, Yukino Hanadai)

Voiced by: Risa Hayamizu^[4] (Japanese); Tara Platt (English)

Yukihana is a yuki-onna and a ninja who works under Tamamo at the Tama no Yu hot springs resort, and at her beachside restaurant Tama no Ya. She later becomes a teacher for the handicapped at Kouta's school. While working as a teacher, she goes by the alias Hanadai Yukino. If anyone calls her using the name Yukihana, she says that she is not that person. She can manipulate snow and wind to create blizzards. The name Yukihana means "snowflake", Yuki being the Japanese word for snow.

Yamata no Orochi (八岐の大蛇)

In the manga series, Yamata is the eight headed dragon which is sealed inside of Chizuru as she is the reincarnation of Kushinadahime. She acknowledges to Kouta that she had forgotten this part about herself knowing that she was not an average fox yōkai.^[11] Tamamo is able to temporary seal the dragons until Chizuru masters their power which she able to do with Kouta's help.^[12][13]

Kai (海)

Kai is the son of the sea god Toyotama-hiko. He is trying to find a sea god school that a traveler told him about, and he wants to attend it so that he can win his father's love and respect. Kai also rescued a white Hare of Inaba named Shizuka, ever since then she has been devoted to him.

Kodama (木魂)

Kodama is a small forest spirit that lives in an old tree by the old school building.^[14] The old school is built next to the current school Kouta attends so as a result she gets visited by other Yōkai. Kodama is always willing to give advice, and has the ability to tell fortunes.^[15] She also has the ability to possess others.^[16]

Light novels

Kanokon began as a series of light novels written by Katsumi Nishino and illustrated by Koin. The series started under the title Kanojo wa Kon, to Kawaiku Seki o Shite (彼女はこん、とかわいく咳をして) when the first novel was submitted to Media Factory's annual literary contest MF Bunko J Light Novel Rookie of the Year Award held in 2005. The novel placed as a "good piece of work" with two other titles, which was more or less third place.^[17] The first novel was published on October 25, 2005, and the fifteenth volume was published on December 24, 2010 under Media Factory's MF Bunko J label.^[18] The series is currently on an indefinite hiatus, with no word from the authors as to when the series will be resumed. The novels were licensed in North America by Seven Seas Entertainment when they debuted their light novel imprint, but has since been dissolved.^[19]

Manga

A manga adaptation was serialized in Media Factory's seinen manga magazine Monthly Comic Alive between the August 2006 and August 2010 issues.^[35] The manga takes its story from the light novels that preceded it, and is illustrated by Rin Yamaki. Nine tankōbon volumes were released in Japan between January 31, 2007 and August 23, 2010.^[36][37] The manga is licensed in North America by Seven Seas Entertainment, who will release the series in four omnibus volumes.^[1]

Anime

A twelve-episode anime adaptation produced by Xebec aired in Japan between April 5 and June 21, 2008 on AT-X. Six DVD volumes were released by Media Factory between June 25 and November 21, 2008,^[38][39] There are also six specials spread out over three DVDs. A box set was later released on January 22, 2010.^[40] The anime is licensed in North America by Media Blasters under the title Kanokon: The Girl Who Cried Fox,^[41] and released the first volume on May 25, 2010.^[42] Media Blasters later announced that they will not release volumes 2 and 3 of the series,^[43] and instead released a box set on March 22, 2011.^[44]

A two-part OVA, entitled Kanokon: Manatsu no Daishanikusai (かのこん ～真夏の大謝肉祭～, lit. Kanokon: The Great Midsummer Carnival), was announced.^[45] The first episode aired on AT-X on October 4, 2009, and the second on October 11, 2009. Both episodes were released on DVD between November 25 and December 22, 2009 by Media Factory.^[46][47] The OVA is licensed in North America by Media Blasters, as with the anime, and released the series on DVD on June 21, 2011.^[48]

The anime's opening theme is "Phosphor" by Ui Miyazaki, while the ending theme is "Koi no Honō" (恋の炎, "Flame of Love") sung by Yui Sakakibara. The opening theme for the OVA is "Sunlight of the Sordino" (木漏れ日のソルディーノ, Komorebi no Sorudino) by Yui Sakakibara, and the ending theme is "Lupinus: Winds of Happiness" (ルピナス～幸せの風～, Rupinasu ~Shiwaze no Kaze~) by Ui Miyazaki.

Visual novel

A visual novel developed for the PlayStation 2 entitled Kanokon Esuii (かのこん えすいー, Kanokon Esuī) was released on July 31, 2008 and developed by 5pb. in limited and regular editions.^[49] The limited edition came bundled with an audio CD containing an image song and an original drama.^[50] The song, "Koi no Miracle Summer Vacation" (恋のミラクル☆サマーバケーション, Koi no Mirakuru☆Samā Bakēshon, lit. "Miracle Summer Vacation of Love"), is sung by Mamiko Noto, Ayako Kawasumi, and Miyū Takeuchi, the voice actresses of Kouta, Chizuru, and Nozomu, respectively. The audio drama is entitled "Natsu no Hi no Hajimari" (夏の日のはじまり, lit. "The Beginning of a Summery Day"). The game is described by the development team as a "noisy romantic-comedy ADV (ドタバタラブコメADV, Dotabata Rabucome ADV).^[51] The game's opening theme is "Happy Succession" sung by Ui Miyazaki, and the single containing the song was released on August 27, 2008.^[52] The ending theme is "Eien no Koi" (永遠の恋, lit. "Eternal Love") by Yui Sakakibara.^[51]

Other

A drama CD based on the series was released on March 28, 2007 by Media Factory. The drama's theme song was "Otoko no Ko Desho" (オトコのコでしょ) by Marina Kuroki. Another drama CD was sold on June 25, 2008.^[52]

An Internet radio show produced by Media Factory called Kanokon Radio: Kouta's and Chizuru's Bouncing Growth Diary (かのこんラジオ 〜耕太とちずるのゆやよん成長日記〜, Kanokon Rajio ~Kōta to Chizuru no Yuya Yon Seichō Nikki~) began airing on March 21, 2007.^[53] One episode is broadcast every other week on Friday. The show is hosted by Mamiko Noto (the voice of Kouta in the anime), and Ayako Kawasumi (the voice of Chizuru in the anime).^[54] There are four corners, or parts, to each episode. The shows starts with a short radio drama, which moves on to general news about the Kanokon anime and series in general. Listeners can send in comments about the show up on the air. The show's opening theme is "Strategy" by Ui Miyazaki, and the ending theme is "Sweet Time" by Yui Sakakibara.