Hamtaro

Hamtaro
	Cover of the first book featuring the titular protagonist, Hamtaro
とっとこハム太郎; (Tottoko Hamutarō)
Manga
Written by	Ritsuko Kawai
Published by	Shogakukan
Magazine	Shogakukan Learning Magazine
Original run	1997 – 2000
Volumes	3
Directed by	Tomomi Mochizuki
Further information
Original video animation
Directed by	Tomomi Mochizuki
Produced by	Kazuhiko Kurokawa; Tadahito Matsumoto;
Written by	Tomomi Mochizuki
Music by	Motoyoshi Iwasaki
Studio	TMS-Kyokuichi
Released	15 September 1999
Anime television series
Directed by	Osamu Nabeshima
Written by	Shinzo Fujita; Yoshiyuki Suga; Miho Maruo; Atsuhiro Tomioka; Fumihiko Shimo; Koji Miura; Toshiyasu Nagata; Michiru Shimada;
Music by	Motoyoshi Iwasaki (JP); Tom Keenlyside; John Mitchell; David Iris (U.S.);
Studio	TMS Entertainment
Licensed by	CA: Alliance Atlantis; NA: Viz Media;
Original network	TXN (TV Tokyo)
English network	AU: Network Ten, Cartoon Network; CA: YTV; HK: TVB; NZ: TV3; PH: GMA Network, TV5; UK: Fox Kids; US: Cartoon Network (Toonami);
Original run	7 July 2000 – 31 March 2006
Episodes	296 (Japanese); 105 (English);
Original video animation
Directed by	Osamu Nabeshima (1, 4); Kazuhiro Ochi (2, 3);
Written by	Michiru Shimada (1); Tomoko Konparu (2); Kouji Miura (3, 4);
Music by	Motoyoshi Iwasaki
Studio	TMS Entertainment
Released	6 August 2001 – 6 August 2004
Episodes	4
Anime film series
Directed by	Osamu Dezaki
Produced by	Masato Matsumoto; Yuoh Sekita;
Written by	Osamu Dezaki (1); Michiru Shimada (1, 2); Tomoko Konparu (3, 4);
Music by	Motoyoshi Iwasaki
Studio	TMS Entertainment
Released	15 December 2001 – 23 December 2004
Runtime	50 minutes each
Films	4
Anime television series
Trotting Hamtaro Hai!
Directed by	Osamu Nabeshima
Written by	Yoshiyuki Suga
Music by	Motoyoshi Iwasaki
Studio	TMS Entertainment
Original network	TXN (TV Tokyo)
Original run	5 April 2006 – 26 March 2008
Episodes	77
Anime television series
Trotting Hamtaro Dechu!
Directed by	Osamu Nabeshima
Studio	TMS Entertainment
Original network	TXN (TV Tokyo)
Original run	2 April 2011 – 30 March 2013
Episodes	103

Hamtaro, known in Japan as Trotting Hamtaro (とっとこハム太郎, Tottoko Hamutarō), is a Japanese children's manga and storybook series created and illustrated by Ritsuko Kawai about a hamster named Hamtaro. The manga was first published in Shogakukan's Shōgaku Ninensei (Second Grade) magazine in April 1997; more Hamtaro stories would later be added into the other grade-level magazines, as well as in Ciao. The series focuses on a hamster named Hamtaro, who has a variety of adventures with other hamsters known as the "Ham-Hams" ("Hamuchans" in the Japanese version). Viz Media published the manga adaptations and storybooks in English.

Multiple anime adaptations were produced by TMS Entertainment and aired on TV Tokyo. The first series was dubbed in English by The Ocean Group.