Itoshi no Muco

Lovely Muuuuuuuco! / いとしのムーコ / Lovely Muco! / Itoshi no Muuco

Genres: Comedy, Pets, Slice of Life
Themes: Pets
Studios: DLE
Rating: 6.76 / 10
Rank: #5645
Popularity: #7742
Users Listed: 7,599
Users Scored: 3,121
NSFW: No
Last Updated: 11/12/2021
Aired: October 3, 2015 – March 26, 2016 (Fall)
Type: tv
Source: manga
Age Rating: PG
Episodes: 25
Broadcast: Saturday at 09:14 (JST)

Synopsis:

Nestled in a secluded mountain village, a quiet life unfolds between Komatsu, a glassblower, and his devoted Shiba Inu companion, Muco. The narrative centers on their simple existence, depicting the gentle rhythms of daily routines – leisurely walks through the neighborhood, playful moments by the pond, and shared companionship. The series emphasizes the profound bond between human and animal, showcasing unwavering loyalty and affection in everyday interactions.

Through understated visuals and a peaceful tone, the anime explores themes of connection, contentment, and the beauty found in uncomplicated moments. It offers a contemplative glimpse into a world where small joys are celebrated, and the comfort of friendship provides a steady anchor amidst the quiet landscape. The story is less about grand events and more about observing the subtle nuances of life shared between two souls.

Trailer:

Streaming Platforms:

Crunchyroll

Episodes:

Episode 1: Shiny-Nosed Muco Loves Komatsu-san! (Aired: 10/03/2015)
Episode 2: Let's Go for a Car Ride! Muco Becomes the Wind (Aired: 10/10/2015)
Episode 3: We Have a Customer! Muco's Tummy Growls with Jealousy
Episode 4: Wait!
Episode 5: I Love Walks! Today, We Take A Different Path.
... and 20 more episodes

Characters:

Komatsu, Seiji (Main) - Voice Actors: Hino, Satoshi
Muco (Main) - Voice Actors: Yoshida, Hitomi
Bouda (Supporting) - Voice Actors: Fujiwara, Keiji
Bouda, Rena (Supporting) - Voice Actors: Uesaka, Sumire
Mutou (Supporting) - Voice Actors: Takahashi, Hiroki
Shinohara, Tamaki (Supporting) - Voice Actors: Kobayashi, Yuu
Shinohara (Supporting) - Voice Actors: Nazuka, Kaori
Ushijima, Kouhei (Supporting) - Voice Actors: Majima, Junji

Staff:

Kamata, Hajime (Producer)
Saitou, Masahiro (Producer)
Higa, Romanov (Director)
Shinohara, Parako (Storyboard)
Kameda, Seiji (Theme Song Arrangement)
Team Syachihoko (Theme Song Performance)
Yamashita, Tomohisa (Theme Song Performance)
Yoshida, Hitomi (Theme Song Performance)
her0ism (Theme Song Composition)
Kouno, Jirou (Art Director)
Matsushita, Takuya (Executive Producer)
Mizushina, Takayuki (Original Creator)
Ooyama, Ryou (Executive Producer)
Takase, Yukiko (Chief Producer)
Wagner, Richard (Music)

Reviews:

User BrionacAL (Score: 8/10):
Charming show about a man, his friends and his pet dog Muco. Words cannot describe how this show made me feel. Sure, the animation may be rubbish and it is intended for children but I just can't watch Muco without the dumbest smile on my face. The voice acting is great, Muco is adorable and the soundtrack is suitably upbeat. It helps that every episode is only 12 minutes so it doesn't drag on; not to mention the second ending theme is easily one of the best ending songs from any anime I've seen. The best bit is that when you've finished watching you can go onto theofficial Muco twitter (She's a real dog) for even more good times.nnMuco makes me a happy camper and if you don't feel the same then you probably have a heart of ice.
User Tettsui (Score: 8/10):
Despite the odd art style, this was a very enjoyable anime to watch. This is one of those aniime that are good to watch after a long day when you need something silly and undemanding of your attention and time. All of the characters are likable and each episode is always relatable in some way. Muco is especially adorable and never fails to make you smile with her silly dog antics! If this anime doesn't make you want to hug and spoil your own pet, nothing will! I'd definitely recommend this to anyone looking for something easy going to watch. With each episode only being 12 minuteslong, it's easy to find the time to kick back and watch an episode or two. I don't think anyone would be disappointed after watching this.
User Benarg (Score: 8/10):
At first Itoshi No Muco might strike you as a strange low-grade anime, but given its lighthearted nature, lovable characters and wacky antics, it'll give you a lot of enjoyment. I haven't read the manga so I'm not sure how well it compares to the original source material, but based off the 25 episode series I can safely say that there's a lot of humour and fun to enjoy, even if there is some repetition. The only thing that I found jarring was that sometimes the framerate for 3D shots was sub 23.97fps which gave it an awkward flicker effect. Early reviewers from Japan are saying theDVD doesn't have this issue, so I'll leave that down to encoding (from downloads) and how far away I was when receiving it via satellite (Japan to the UK)nnIt's a shame there's no distributors lined up to take this show to an international audience, but the DVDs are available (Currently about $25 per 2 episodes 28/03/2016)

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Related Anime/Manga:

Itoshi no Muco (manga - Adaptation)
Lovely Movie: Itoshi no Muco (anime - Alternative Version)
Lovely Movie: Itoshi no Muco Season 2 (anime - Alternative Version)
Itoshi no Muco OVA (anime - Other)