On-chan

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On-chan is the cheerful yellow mascot of Hokkaido Television Broadcasting (HTB) in Sapporo, Japan. He was created in 1997 and became HTB’s official mascot after a nationwide design competition. On-chan is designed as a friendly “Parade Planet” alien: a round yellow body with small limbs, two big eyes that look like the letters o and n, and sometimes a tiny hat. His name and bright look suggest energy and fun, like “Switch on!” and “On Parade!”

On-chan was created by a design company in Sapporo and chosen from many ideas in a competition. He was first introduced on December 1, 1997, as part of HTB’s 30th-anniversary campaign called “On Parade!” What started as a short promotion quickly grew, thanks to fans who loved him. Merchandise and appearances at events helped On-chan become famous not only in Hokkaido but across Japan.

He has a playful, curious personality. On-chan loves discovering new things and making friends. In Japanese wordplay, he often substitutes the “o” in words with “on,” a pun that makes his character feel friendly and easy to understand. For example, phrases from everyday speech can be turned into on-chan-style versions.

The mascot is about the size of a basketball. He is described as very hungry and a bit clumsy, but his positive attitude always cheers him up. His favorite foods are cheese and corn, while he dislikes crows and a person named Hiroshi Oizumi.

HTB uses On-chan in many ways. He appears in company events and branding, and a large On-chan statue once stood at HTB’s headquarters. The statue has moved over the years, with a newer version placed at HTB’s Sapporo headquarters. In 2022, On-chan celebrated 25 years with new themes and merchandise, including ideas like “On-chan, acti-on!”

On-chan has appeared in several animations. These include a 1999 mini-series, a full-length TV movie in 2003 called On-chan Dream Power Adventure!, and a 26-episode TV anime series titled Yumemiru, Anime on-chan.

There are many related characters in the On-chan world. Besides On-chan, there are OK-chan (On-chan’s cheerful childhood friend and sister-like figure), Guchi (a size-changing pet), No-chan (a rival), Kyatagon (No-chan’s straight-moving pet), and other friends and family members like Me-chan, Tenko-chan, Tomaru-kun, Nazona Moshi, Doctor, Assistant, Ou-chan, An-chan, Oh-chan, and On-Papa / On-Mama (On-chan’s parents). This big cast helps make On-chan a beloved part of HTB’s story.

An official website about On-chan exists in Japanese, alongside HTB’s articles and videos that share more about his world.