On the 49th day since the death of his beloved dog, Hanako, storybook writer Hotaru Yūyami spots a pink mushroom growing in his yard. Not thinking much of it at first, Hotaru goes about his daily life, including mourning for Hanako and appearing at a book signing with his editor and childhood friend, Komako Amano. But later, that mushroom does something extraordinary: wriggling and popping, it uproots itself, revealing a tumbly body and cute face! This cuddly creature is smart, too—he can understand Hotaru and Komako’s conversations, is curious about his new surroundings, and even tries to comfort Hotaru in unexpected ways. The writer, who decides to take the creature, Kinokoinu, in, seems to have found a new companion.
A comedic slice-of-life featuring a pink mushroom dog? Based on that description, you’d be forgiven if you thought this was a kooky kawaii series. It’s not. Kinokoinu Mushroom Pup is more a gentle meditation on loss, depression, and moving forward. Really—even with a pink mushroom dog. The series is quiet; its main character barely speaks, and when paired with Kinokoinu, whose noises are mostly just quiet, cute utterances, you’re left with very little dialogue in the opening episode. No words are uttered at all during the first two minutes, in fact, and there are multiple transition scenes in which we’re allowed to soak up the scenery in landscapes set against a soft orchestral score. And though I wouldn’t call the series especially subtle, it does attempt to convey the feelings of loss and sadness without being overbearing, conveyed most effectively through Kinokoinu’s thoughtful actions and by Hotaru’s inability to focus on his tasks as he thinks of Hanako, who functioned as a replacement parent these past many years since his actual parents’ deaths. The episode skillfully uses the setting of 49th day—which culturally represents the final day of mourning, when the spirit of the deceased moves forward and the family lets go—and Hanako’s red collar, which is among the several items having belonged to the dog that Hotaru won’t let go of. Future episodes are likely to focus on Hotaru moving forward not just from his dog’s death but longer-lasting issues affecting his life, namely his parents’ passing. While I found the initial episode soporific and not quite engaging enough to push through the drowsy atmosphere, I may stick around and see where it leads—good seinen series are hard to come by, after all, especially those featuring a cute, pink mushroom pup.
Kinokoinu Mushroom Pup can be streamed on Crunchyroll.
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Just like how Kinokoinu popped out of Hotaru’s yard suddenly , this anime series seemed to pop up out of nowhere. I hadn’t heard a peep about it, and then suddenly everyone was watching it! I definitely need to see this one! I’ve been in the mood for a good meditative anime, and this sounds just right.
That’s a good point! 😆 🍄