Anime Spotlight: Sgt. Frog
By Jada B.
Sgt. Frog, also known as Keroro Gunso and Sergeant Keroro, is an anime adapted from the original manga created by Mine Yoshizaki. Released in the US on September 22, 2009 and in Japan on April 3, 2004, it features many characters and many voice actors. The anime aired for 7 seasons and had 358 episodes. Its theme song is Kero! To March and has a spin-off called Chibi Keroro: Kerobouru no Himitsu!?
The fun begins when 5 frogs from Planet Keron, Keroro, Tamama, Giroro, Khululu (a.k.a Kururu or Kululu), and Dororo (or Zeroro), invade the planet Pekopon (which is basically Earth). The five oddities are part of the A.R.M.P.I.T Platoon, or the Advance Recon Mission Preparatory Invasion Terror Platoon. Keroro, who is the head of A.R.M.P.I.T, is supposed to invade Pekopon with his platoon and conquer it. However, he is more interested in Gundam models and taking the day off. The anime follows the A.R.M.P.I.T Platoon’s eccentric adventures with their new Pekoponian friends.
There are many characters in the anime (way too many for me to mention), each special in their own way. Fuyuki Hinata is a Pekoponian and Keroro’s closest friend. Natsumi (also Pekoponian) is Fuyuki’s sister who just happens to despise Keroro with a passion. Aki is Natsumi’s and Fuyuki’s mother who will put up with Keroro…as long as he makes her money (and yes, she’s Pekoponian too). Momoka Nishizawa is Tamama’s caretaker, Fuyuki’s good friend, and a little bipolar. She has a huge crush on Fuyuki which he is completely unaware of. Mutsumi Saburo is Kululu’s caretaker and is also apparently Natsumi’s “secret” crush. The Narrator is..well..the narrator. He frequently breaks the fourth wall by communicating with both the characters and audience. Angol Mois is a very “weird” character who will not stop calling Keroro “Uncle.” Koyuki Azumaya is a kunoichi (female ninja) and Dororo’s partner. Shin Keroro is a character who only appears in the manga, He is an almost exact copy of Keroro.
The voice-actors are as follows:
Main Characters:
- Kerero – Todd Haberkorn (EN), Kumiko Watanabe (JAP), 7 others
- Tamama – Brina Palencia (EN), Etsuko Kozakura (JAP), Giorgio Bonino (ITA)
- Giroro – Christopher Sabat (EN), Joji Nakata (JAP), Diego Sabre (ITA), Scoot Evans (EN)
- Kululu (Kururu) – Chuck Huber (EN), Todd Haberkorn (EN), Takehito Koyasu (JAP), Daniele Demma (ITA)
- Dororo – J Michael Tatum (EN), Takeshi Kusao (JAP), 3 others
- Fuyuki Hinata – Leah Clark (EN), Tomoko Kawakami (JAP), Hoko Kuwashima (JAP), Candice Moore (EN)
- Natsumi Hinata – Cherami Leigh (EN), Chiwa Saito (JAP), 2 others
Semi-Main Characters:
- Aki Hinata – Jamie Marchi (EN), Akiko Hiramatsu, 2 others
- Momoka Nishizawa – Monica Rial (EN), Haruna Ikezawa (JAP), 2 others
- Shin Keroro (who only features in the manga)
- Koyuki Azumaya – Luci Christian (EN), Ryo Hirohashi (JAP), 3 others
- Angol Mois – Carrie Savage (EN), Mamiko Noto
- The Narrator – R Bruce Elliot (EN), Keiji Fujiwara (JAP)
- Mutsumi Saburo – Joel McDonald (EN), Akira Ishida
