KODOCHA

is a manga series by mangaka Miho Obana, helped periodically by her sister, Kaori Obana. The series is commonly known under the name '''Kodocha'''. The literal English translation of the title is '''Child's Toy'''. The manga won the 1998 Kodansha Manga Award for shōjo.^[4] The series was adapted as an OVA and later as an anime television series.
Kodocha was published in the United States in English by Tokyopop as '''Kodocha: Sana's Stage''', although as of 2006, it is out of print.^[5] The anime was licensed for North American distribution by FUNimation and currently airs as part of the FUNimation programming block on CoLours TV, as well as the FUNimation Channel.

Contents

Characters

Manga

Volumes

Anime

English episodes aired so far

Season 1

Season 2

North American release

Theme songs

Trivia

References

External links

Characters

Main articles: List of Kodocha characters

Manga

Volumes

;Volume 1 - Welcome to the Jungle Gym
:'''Cover Art' - Streetwise'': Akito, Gomi, Sana and Yasuda
:Hayama, a tough kid, is terrorizing Sana's class. When Sana finds out that he has been blackmailing the teachers, she sets out for revenge. Tsuyoshi tells Sana that Hayama's weakness is heights, but just as he is about to confess his love for Sana, the girls have to rush off to save Mami, who Hayama is trying to drown. Sana confronts Hayama, and he pins her up against the wall, telling her not to interfere anymore. After numerous failed attempts, Sana decides that she should try to blackmail Hayama with a photograph (the same way he is doing with the teachers). She enlists Tsuyoshi's help, and stalks Hayama to his home where she finds out more than she wanted to know. Hayama's abusive sister throws him out of the house, and father blanks him. Regardless, Sana gets Tsuyoshi to pull down Hayama's trousers, at which point she takes the photo. After Hayama stops being a jerk, Sana discovers from Tsuyoshi that Hayama's mother died giving birth to him, which is why his family hates him. Coincidently, Sana is doing a movie with a similar plot (where she plays a little girl, whose mother got terminally ill after giving birth to her, and Asako plays an older sister who is abusive). After watching the movie, Hayama's family see how wrong they were, that Hayama's mother gave all of her love, even her life, so that Hayama could live. They start treating him better, and thank Sana helping them.
:'''Mini Story' - The Hayamoth'': Hayama plays a trick on the forest god, who punishes him by turning into a moth. Hayama turns Sana's mom, Misako, into a moth, too. As a result, Sana and Tsuyoshi go to find the Hayama Moth and are tricked several times. Meanwhile, when Sana and Tsuyoshi are shooting the Hayamoth,(which is no use because the Hayamoth and his clones are immortal) Misako takes a bath and is cured.
;Volume 2 - Love is in the Air
:'''Cover Art' - Pretty Young Girl'': Sana
:In this book, Sana gets invited to have an interview with Asako Kurumi. When the interview begins Asako starts to ask questions about Sana's manager. Sana tells Asako about Rei's past and Asako realizes that Rei is the man whom she dumped in college after making a decision of whether she wants to become an actress or stay with Rei. When the interview is over then Sana goes to the car to see Rei. She finds out that he is not there and goes looking for him. Meanwhile, Rei is getting a soda from a vending machine and Asako spots him as she is getting in the car. She calls out his name and chases after him because he is running away from her. She finally corners him in a dark alley and ask him if the rumors are true. When he is about to answer, Sana pops up out of nowhere and starts shouting at Asako for talking to her "gigolo". As Sana is talking, a crowd of fans starts to show up. Rei rushes Sana home and tells her that she's his #1 person in her life to make her stop worrying. When he goes to help make the tea, Sana starts dancing and jumping. All of a sudden, she bumps into the bookcase in Rei's room. A box falls from the book shelf and opens. Sana is surprised to find pictures of Asako Kurumi in the box. She has a harder time believing that she's the #1 person in Rei's life right now.
:'''Mini Story' - Childs Toy extra'': Each character presents the weather and finds an individual ways of completely messing it up.
;Volume 3 - My Daughter and I
:'''Cover Art' - Going to the Ball / Pretty Princess Pink'': Sana
:Tsuyoshi and Aono's parents get a divorce, but Aya manages to capture Tsuyoshi's heart by getting him a present to help him get through the difficult time. Sana's class goes on a trip which includes an overnight stay, where Sana and Akito share a moment together. Naozumi, another famous child actor arrives, doing adverts with Sana. Hayama starts Karate lessons to help him out. Misako, Sana's mother, publishes a book called 'My Daughter and I' which reveals that Sana is adopted. The press is all over her to find out more, and Hayama helps Sana to get out of the public eye.
:'''Mini Story' - Cool Girl Karen vs Spicy Girl Sana'': Sana challenges people on the street to take the Child's Toy challenge: to eat a particularly disgusting food! Karen is chosen from the audience, and is immediately sick- at which point she sticks food down Sana's throat, and she is sick also. The show got the best ratings out of any Child's Toy episode ever. Karen is a crossover from a different comic book.
;Volume 4 - New Beginnings
:'''Cover Art' - Dolled up'': Sana (Doll), Hayama (Soldier), a giant teddy bear (Rei).
:Sana has been attacked by the press about the book that her mother wrote, finds out that her real mother is still living in Japan, and wants to meet her. Hayama and Tsuyoshi provide support for Sana when she meets her real sister and mother at an amusement park. Naozumi, the famous child actor who works with Sana, reveals that he too is adopted and that Sana and he were raised in the same orphanage for a month. Sana hosts a half-birthday at her house, so that Hayama can celebrate his birthday for once.^[6] Hayama and Sana share their first consensual kiss. Sana and her friends begin seventh grade at a new school, where Sana makes a new best friend named Fuka. While introducing Fuka to Hayama, Fuka goes berserk and slaps Hayama, then reveals a secret about him.
:'''Mini Story' - Oponchi Sisters'': Miho Obana gives time to thank her hard working sister.
;Volume 5 - Tabloid Romance
:'''Cover Art' - School Uniform Sana'': Sana
:Fuka explains to her friends at lunch about how she went to kindergarten with Hayama and Tsuyoshi and Hayama stole her first kiss, which broke up the relationship between Fuka and Takaishi. Sana and Fuka join the gymnastics club, then their class goes on a field trip to the zoo, where Hayama shows Sana a beautiful scenery, and Tsuyoshi and Sana talk about how Sana has no confidence or time for her love life, and she will not believe Hayama loves her unless he says so himself. Also, Hayama catches some popularity from other girls. The next day, Sana has a press conference with the rest of the cast for "Mansion of Water". Ishida asks out Sana, but Sana lies and says its true she's going out with Naozumi like the tabloids say, to get Ishida to go away. Right before Sana leaves on the bus to location to shoot the movie, Hayama sees her off, shows her his brand new brown belt he just achieved in karate, and is about to confess, but says he will talk to her when she gets back in a few months. Hayama begins longing for Sana, while she begins shooting in the mountains. When Fuka finds out Takaishi and her old friends from Osaka are coming to Tokyo to visit, she asks Hayama to pretend to be her boyfriend to show off in front of Takaishi, which makes their ties with each other more friendly. Sana is enjoying her work on location but at the end of the book, gets attacked by Naozumi's jealous fans.
;Volume 6 - Fiery Feelings
:'''Cover Art' - Never Give Up'': Sana
:Sana ends up with a broken leg from Naozumi's jealous girl fans, which makes filming harder for her. Naozumi is extremely upset about this, but Sana tells him she's mad also, but not to worry about it and keep filming. Hayama finds out Sana and Naozumi are dating from a magazine and from Ishida. Fuka asks Hayama to be her boyfriend. Sana gets the director's cell phone and is able to make a call. She calls Hayama right away and finds out that he and Fuka are dating. Sana becomes extremely shocked and goes into a state of sadness. Sana talks with Asako and realizes that she really does love Hayama. Naozumi confesses to Sana that night. Rei tells Mama to come over right away. When Mama comes she helps Sana to handle the fact that Hayama and Fuka are dating. They are finally filming the scene when Sana comes out of a real burning house. Before she is able to fully exit the house, she falls due to her leg and cannot get up. Soon, she exits the house before it burns down and finishes the scene.
:When they go back to Tokyo, Sana stays at the hospital for a few months to let her leg heal. Then she goes back to school. Things seem to be just as normal until Hayama starts calling Sana "Sana" instead of "Kurata", and that all her friends believed the tabloids about her and Naozumi dating. After that, Naozumi is interviewed on TV and reveals that Sana is in love with the one who saw her off the day they left for location.
:'''Mini Story' - An egg full of thorns'': A story about Akito when he was young.
;Volume 7 - Star Crossed Lovebirds
:'''Cover Art' - Cool guy'': Hayama
:Sana and Hayama reveal their feelings for each other, but Fuka overhears them. Sana says her feelings for Hayama are in the past, so that Fuka is not hurt. Sana takes as many job offers she can because she wants to concentrate on her acting career so that she can keep her mind off of Hayama and Fuka. While Sana is becoming more popular, Hayama is straying back to his old ways and having violent problems with his science teacher, Sengoku-sensei.
:One day after school, Hayama, Fuka, Tsuyoshi, and Aya go to the arcade to hang out. Hayama gets in a fight with two high schoolers, surprising Fuka and earning himself a suspension. Tsuyoshi tells Sana the news, and that night Sana happens to see Hayama jogging. His eyes are dark like in the past, but Sana makes him feel better. Sana returns to school and declares a friendly war with Fuka. Hayama is unintentionally horrible to a boy named Komori at school, who thought that Hayama was his only friend. A woman comes to school claiming that her son Komori is going to commit suicide because of Hayama. Thus, Hayama leaves to find Komori. Before he gets on the train to leave, he tells Sana that he still loves her.
;Volume 8 - From End To Beginning
:'''Cover Art''': Sana and Akito
:Komori has run away from school, and says that he will commit suicide. Hayama goes after him to convince him otherwise. Hayama ends up with a paralyzed hand from when Komori stabbed his arm. Hayama survives his near-death, caused by too much loss of blood. After Hayama regains consciousness and stays at the hospital, Fuka breaks up with him because she realizes that he needs Sana, and Komori's mother gets counseling to help her become a better parent and understand her son. Sana finds out Hayama and Fuka have broken up, but has not gotten together with Hayama yet. Meanwhile, when Hayama gets released from the hospital, he has lots of trouble managing with only his left hand. Sana plans another Christmas Eve party for this year.
:'''Mini Story' - Oponchi Monkeys'': Miho describes a game that some of her friends play in pool, and whoever loses gets punished. One of her friends loses and is punished by wearing a monkey suit the rest if the day.
;Volume 9 - The day Sana lost her Smile (1)
:'''Cover Art''': Sana without a smile
:Hayama and Sana are very close now, and it seems like they will be inseparable. That is, until Hayama's father suddenly tells him that they're moving to America. (Later, the reader finds out that he did this so Hayama could have a special surgery that could return movement to his arm.) Sana goes into a shock, and her face becomes mask-like. Akito is torn between leaving Sana and going with his family.
;Volume 10 - The day Sana lost her Smile (Part 2)
:'''Cover Art' - Group Shot'': Almost all the cast
:Sana continues to have a mask-like face and is hoping that she will be able to become a grown up by trying grown up things... that way she and Akito will not have to be separated. She decides to run away to a theme park and brings Akito with her. They rent a hotel room and eventually Akito breaks down because he cannot handle Sana's illness any longer. He says that he's the one who will be most affected by moving away and he feels he cannot be separated from Sana. Sana's maternal feelings for him resurface and they cry together. The next morning, Sana has finally regained her emotions. Later the next day she watches Akito leave and she yells "I'm going to stay a virgin so you better not cheat on me". Everyone hears this which makes Akito blush, but he responds to her with just a simple "ok". Hayama returns to Japan two years later to enroll in high school there.

Anime

The anime version consists of 102 TV episodes, which aired in Japan weekly from April 5 1996 to March 27 1998. The first 51 episodes deal with the elementary school story arc and the remaining 51 episodes deal with the middle school story arc. A single-episode OVA was also released, with significantly different character designs. It has now debuted on American TV in a syndicated FUNimation Channel programming block airing on CoLours TV and Los Angeles KSCI-DT channel 18.3.

English episodes aired so far

Season 1

No.	Episode Title (from the FUNimation dub)	Plot Summary	U.S. Airdate
001	'I'm an Elementary School Student with an Agent'	Sana Kurata is a 6th grader at Jinbo School, and the star of a variety show. Her class is a mess because of a troublemaker named Akito Hayama. Out of frustration, Sana complains about Akito on her TV show.	June 19, 2006
002	'The Whole Classroom is a Monkey Mountain'	Sana continues to confront Akito, and the girls in the class join her. Akito's reaction surprises and angers Sana even more.	June 20, 2006
003	'Operation Eyeball, Toothball'	Sana learns about Akito's weakness, a fear of heights, and tries to exploit it, but fails to think it through. She challenges Akito to a contest, and ends up losing herself. But Rei gives her an even better idea: to take an embarrassing picture of Akito as blackmail.	June 21, 2006
004	'Lone Wolf, Awooo!'	Akito has stopped acting up because of the picture, and another boy vies for the "boss monkey" title. They start to brawl, but Sana threatens to release the picture of Akito if he fights back because Sana insists violence is not the answer. In the end, she changes her mind, just a little bit, and allows one punch from Akito, who knocks out the other boy.	June 22, 2006
005	'Where are You Going, Mr. Dark and Gloomy?'	Sana gets a glimpse of a family very different from her own, Akito's family.	June 23, 2006
006	'Crazy Stew Family Crisis'	Sana is determined to make an impression with her next job on a TV drama.	June 26, 2006
007	'Asako Kurumi ... Rival In Love!'	Whenever Sana meets her drama co-star Asako, her manager Rei always disappears.	June 27, 2006
008	'A Fruit Juice Soaked First Kiss'	Sana learns that Rei has a past; during a class field trip, lemon juice is spilled.	June 28, 2006
009	'Double Double Sana's Love Trouble'	Sana copes with her surprising first kiss; Asako visits Rei, and Misako summons Akito.	June 29, 2006
010	'Love Flew Out the Window Like a Chicken!'	Sana meets Aono, Tsuyoshi's younger sister. She decides to give Aono a pleasant surprise, to Akito's objections.	June 30, 2006
011	'Mr. Hayama, You're a Real Dad'	Sana becomes a little more grown-up about Asako and Rei. The Hayama family has a family emergency. Sana gives Akito a Burutcha buzzer.	July 3, 2006
012	'This Time, Sana is the Lone Wolf'	After working too hard because her manager, Rei signed her up for many commercials, Sana forgets a promise she made with her friends. Her friends get very mad, and create an outcast of her. Akito and Tsuyoshi stand up for her though, and in the end, Sana is forgiven by her friends.	July 4, 2006
013	'My Name's Going to Change'	Tsuyoshi misses school one day, and Akito and Sana get together to help their friend. Tsuoyishi's parents have divorced, and Tsuyoshi's mother needed help moving.	July 5, 2006
014	'The Promised Summer, Part 1'	Everyone is excited about a class camping trip. While Sana looks cheerful as usual, Akito notices that she is worried. Sana is worried about the promise she made with her mother, which if fulfilled, might ruin the happy life they had. Andoh-sensei discovers the joys of limbo dancing.	July 25, 2006
015	'The Promised Summer, Part 2'	Sana returns from the class trip, and learns that her next job will be a commercial with popular actor Naozumi Kamura.	July 26, 2006
016	'Two Pounding Hearts'	Sana performs in a play and invites her classmates, teachers, and Naozumi. Akito makes a big decision about his life.	July 27, 2006
017	'Mother's Book of Surprises'	Misako's essay, "My Daughter and I" is released. The book reveals that Sana was found abandoned. Both Akito and Naozumi vie to help Sana through the pressures of intense media attention.	July 28, 2006
018	'Two Hungry People Playing Hide and Seek'	Akito brings Sana to his place to help her escape from the press. Sana and Akito have trouble sleeping. Akito learns Sana's secret. Naozumi makes a surprising grand gesture, releasing to the puclic that he too is an abandoned child.	July 31, 2006
019	'Daughter Cries, Mother Cries'	Sana meets her biological mother and her half-sister. Sana has fun with her little sister at the amusement park, but when her biological mother asks her to come live with her, Sana turns her down, and tells her she will never see her again. Afterward, Misako, Sana's adapted mother, and Sana have a heart-to-heart talk.	August 1, 2006
020	'Sana's Super Happy Quiz Show'	A recap of the story so far.	August 2, 2006
021	'Look Out! It's a Pint-Sized Akito!'	Sana visits Kamura Academy with Naozumi.	October 9, 2006
022	'Karate Heart, Quitting Blues'	Akito begins studying karate, but isn't happy with his first lessons. Sana considers dropping out of show business.	August 3, 2006
023	'Sunny, With Occasional Disappearing'	Sana helps find Mariko.	August 18, 2006
024	'Math Mess'	Principal Narunaru goes on a business trip, and Andoh-sensei takes this opportunity to threaten Class 3 of not advancing to junior high school! Sana freaks out over her math skills, and Akito becomes "Hard-Boiled Hayama" once again.	August 21, 2006
025	'A Bandage for a Broken Heart'	Due to an event that had happened when Akito was still causing trouble, Mami is scared of Akito, and Sana of course tries to fix this.	August 22, 2006
026	'Every Chicken Has Its Day'	Sana's gift to Aono, a little baby chick, has grown into Piyoko.	August 23, 2006
027	'Pity Me and Cough Up Some Dough'	Misako's ex-husband Ryosuke asks Sana for a favor. Akito and Tsuyoshi become worried about her.	February 2, 2007
028	'The Romantic Love Song of Mr. Hayama'	Sana and Tsuyoshi visit Akito's mother's grave with the Hayama family.	February 5, 2007
029	'Here She Comes, Mama's Mama'	Misako's mother Shizuka visits Misako and Sana in Tokyo. Grandma Shizuka brings with her quite a few other visitors. When Misako refuses to cooperate with Shizuka's schemes, she turns her attention to Sana.	February 6, 2007
030	'Rei & the Jolly Green-Eyed Monster'	Asako stars in a romantic drama with popular performer Takuya Kimochi, and rumors begin.	February 7, 2007
031	'A Snake Came Slithering in Muddy Shoes'	A tabloid photographer named Kurosaki is determined to get a scoop on Sana.	February 8, 2007
032	'Daddy, You're Busted!'	Tsuyoshi's father is thrown in jail, and Tsuyoshi and his sister are picked on. When it's time for Tsuyoshi's father to get out of jail, he wants to go see him when he gets out.	February 9, 2007
033	'Love Tastes Like Curry'	The boys and girls of Class 3 battle it out over after-school cleaning chores. Mitsuya-sensei takes the girls' side, and Tanaka-sensei takes the boys' side. Aya and Tsuyoshi can't bear being apart during the fighting.	February 12, 2007
034	'Three, Two, One: Sing!'	Sana joins two other child performers, Mayu and Tomomi, to perform in a group called "Shorokutai". Sana also throws Zenjiro a birthday party at her house.	February 13, 2007
035	'There's a Reason for the Gift'	Tsuyoshi receives an anonymous gift.	February 14, 2007
036	'Take Me To Kusatsu!'	Winter vacation brings a trip to the Kurata Hot Springs Inn in Kusatsu. The Hayama family are surprise guests.
037	'Karate and Trumpet Compete for a Kiss'	Akito stresses about trying to buy a gift for Sana, and Sana stresses about a job. Rei's distracted while looking forward to his Christmas Eve date with Asako, and Naozumi challenges Akito.	n/a
038	'The Special Christmas Kiss'	Sana invites her classmates to a party at her house to celebrate Christmas Eve, and her half-birthday with Akito.	n/a
039	'100 Haya-Moths/Ooga Booga Boo'	Short extra stories. Haya-moth turns everyone into moths. Remix of the first couple episodes in prehistoric times.	n/a
040	'Suddenly One Day, I'm Homeless Sana!'	The Kurata household copes with a setback. While Sana and Misako remain optimistic, Rei faces greater obstacles as Sana's manager.	n/a
041	'He Got Me Blacklisted!'	Sana cannot find work. But it seems to be bigger than everyone expects.	n/a
042	'The Deadline's Here!'	Onda had asked Sana to write a book. Sana then puts off the book until there's only about a week left. And Sana then frantically tries to finish the book before the deadline.	n/a
043	'Age Difference, Shmage Difference!'	Reporters believe Sana and Takeshi to be father and daughter, but Sana says that it's not true and then declares to have a totally different relationship with Takeshi.	n/a
044	'Gomi, Gomi, Where are you Going'	Gomi's parents pressure him to apply to an advanced middle school. Word gets out and other students tease Gomi, and Gomi blames Akito for telling them.	n/a
045	'Bittersweet Valentine's Day'	Takeshi misses work, leading everyone to believe he drops out. Sana then searchs for him.	n/a
046	'Am I Wrong'	Sana's book hit store shelves but Mami wasn't mentioned anywhere in the book.	n/a
047	'Under the Same Roof with You'	The apartment that Sana stayed in gets torn down, and for another week the Kurata Family is homeless. Misako takes a trip to study for her new book, and Rei plans to stay at a hotel with Sana, but Sana makes other plans.	n/a
048	'Father, You Were My Father'	Misako learns something about Takeshi. Later Sana and Takeshi go to shoot a scene in their drama, and then something happens to Takeshi during the shooting.	n/a
049	'The Final Scene'	Takeshi recovers and he and Sana go to shoot the final scene of the drama	n/a
050	'Through the Tears, Spring Comes'	Depressed by the death of Takeshi, Sana is in denial and runs off to the mountains where she and Takeshi once went to. Rei and Sana's friends search for Sana.	n/a
051	'Goodbye Yesterday, Hello Tomorrow'	A flashback episode where several of Sana's friends gather to discuss the relationship of Sana and Akito. They all wear masks to conceal their identities.	n/a

Season 2

No.	Episode Title (from the Anime News Network Translations)	U.S. Airdate
052	'I Met My Best Friend in the Bathroom'	n/a
053	'The Kiss That Ruined My Life-plan'	n/a
054	'Sana Who Cannot Love Completely'	n/a
055	'The Actress Goes to the Mountains to Shoot a Movie'	n/a
056	'Really, Really, Seriously Really'	n/a
057	'Pretend Boyfriend for Sushi'	n/a
058	'Romance in the Mountains'	n/a
059	'Getting Past an Injury'	n/a
060	'Becoming Aware of Love After Being Jilted'	n/a
061	'I Won't Cry After Being Jilted'	n/a
062	'The Summers Constant Flames'	na
063	'Don't believe in Rumors'	n/a
064	'The Truth is There'	n/a
065	'And Then the Pair Say Goodbye'	n/a
066	'Run Away, Run Away, Over The Ocean'	n/a
067	'Suspense in New York'	n/a
068	'Riddles of Passing into Society'	n/a
069	'You Also Have Emerald Eyes'	n/a
070	'Dangerous feelings at Lunchtime'	n/a
071	'The Unexpected Type of Mother'	n/a
072	'My Exposed Secret'	n/a
073	'Stupid American Parent and Child'	n/a
074	'Mother's Gleeful and Practical Joke'	n/a
075	'Were in Manhattan is my daughter'	n/a
076	' Should We Go Home? Or Not?'	n/a
077	'Papa, You're Bad'	n/a
078	'The First and Last Mother/Son Battle'	n/a
079	'The Father Who is Unable to be a Father'	n/a
080	'One More Song 3-2-1'	n/a
081	'Hello, Goodbye My Love'	n/a
082	'We Got Along Great Afterwards'	n/a
083	'Perhaps They are the Best Couple'	n/a
084	'The Manager Trouble'	n/a
085	'The Line That Couldn't be Spoken'	n/a
086	'Everything is Clear When You Can't See'	n/a
087	'Fight for it or End it? Which way Should We Go'	n/a
088	'So this Kind of Day Has Come'	n/a
089	'Hallelujah on Christmas Eve? My Heart...'	n/a
090	'Hayama's Mother is Mecha-Hayama'	n/a
091	'Visit from a Fan at the Beginning of the New Year'	n/a
092	'Not at All a Simple Math Video'	n/a
093	'The Same Name Appears'	n/a
094	'Child's Toy Starts in the Spring'	n/a
095	'Back Together'	n/a
096	'Adult Love can Wait'	n/a
097	'The Lending-Money-Happily Scheme'	n/a
098	'Love Design by My Sister'	n/a
099	'Come Check Out the Good Karate Club'	n/a
100	'Disappearance of the Blackboard Erasers'	n/a
101	'The Trio Disappeared Together'	n/a
102	'Child's Toy Continues Through Thick & Thin'	n/a

FUNimation decided not to pick up the second season on Kodocha due to low ratings.

North American release

The first DVD was released in the U.S. on 2005-08-02, containing the first four episodes of the series. While no actual footage was removed from the series, the first two episodes of the dub has removed references to Rei being Sana's "pimp". (The Japanese word used, ''himoo'', can mean either "pimp" or the less problematic term "gigolo".) The first opening song, "7 O'Clock News", could not be used for contractual reasons concerning the Japanese boy band Tokio and "Ultra Relax" (the theme to the second story arc) was used instead. All references to Tokio in the Japanese version of episode 001 have been removed from the subtitles and are replaced with (XXXXX) where Tokio would be mentioned and the audio is silent as well. The name Tokio still appears in the end credits.^[7]

Theme songs

★ Openings
# "7 O'Clock News" by TOKIO (Eps. 1-44)
# "Ultra Relax" by Tomoe Shinohara (Eps. 45-102)

★ Endings
# "Panic" by Still Small Voice (Eps. 1-39)
# "DAIJO-BU" by Tomoko Hikita (Eps. 40-74)
# "Pinch ~Love Me Deeper~" by Rina Chinen (Eps. 75-102)

Trivia

★ Among the omake epilogue of the television series, the following alternate universe scenarios play out:
# Akito fails his black belt test twice
# Asako marries Mikio Ono, the moody director of ''Water Palace''
# A very angry Shizu gets her vengeance on Fuka for stealing Takaishi
# The son of a yakuza boss demands Sana that she marries him, and when she refused, the gang beat up her and Akito. Misako and Shizuka Kurata brought together the entire Kurata clan and teams up with another clan to get back at the yakuza.
# Naozumi discovers that his family, the Hamiltons, have gone broke.

★ In episode 23 while Sana, Rei, and Misako are watching ''Child's Toy'', a commercial airs with what appears to be a Nintendo 64 controller and a blonde-haired princess.

★ Miho Obana later wrote a one-volume manga series based of Sana and Naozumi's movie, ''Mansion of Water''.

References

1. , retrieved on 2007-07-25
2. , retrieved on 2007-07-25
3. , retrieved on 2007-07-25
4. Kodansha Manga Award
5. Tokyopop Out of Print
6. A half-birthday party is a party between two people's birthdays, in this case the date in between Sana and Hayama's birthday. They could not celebrate Hayama's birthday as it is also the day that his mother died.
7. Kodocha Editing Report

External links

;Official sites

★ Kodocha.tv, FUNimation's official English anime website
;Other sources

★

★