Frog is the only character who has seen Kedamono’s face, which he describes as looking like his mother. His eyes are never revealed, though they seem to resemble lemon slices at certain angles.
Character Description Kedamono
Kedamono is a purple-furred, anthropomorphic wolf who works alongside Popee and Papi in their circus. He is one of the kindest characters in the series, often expressing concern whenever someone gets injured or something is destroyed. However, he has been known to lose his temper if he is offered a chicken leg and is not given it right away, even going so far as to attack people for this reason.
He is a great fan of the television show “UFO Girls” and can be seen laughing on multiple occasions. He also displays excellent pantomime skills, willing physical objects like stairs simply by thinking about them. He is also skilled at magic, able to heal himself of various injuries simply by wishing.
Despite his best intentions, he is still a victim of Popee’s homicidal tendencies and is generally at the wrong end of his egotistical behavior. He has been known to cry several times, possibly due to the constant abuse he receives at Popee’s hands. He is also a bit of a sucker, easily taken advantage of by people who try to take advantage of him.
He does have his moments of glory, though. In episode 28, he is able to suck out the poison from Alien’s scorpion sting, using his magical powers. In addition, he is well-versed in swordplay and can cut anything with his mind, as shown in the episode 29 Dark Side, where he slits a watermelon with a single blow.
The game is designed to be played by three to five players, with each taking on the role of a kedamono. The player chooses from a list of kedamono, including fierce and vicious animals such as bears or wolves, as well as more sly monsters such as a sly spider or shark. A player’s kedamono can also be customized by the addition of weapons, abilities, or phobias. Once a character has chosen their kedamono, they then play through the story as it unfolds. The outcome is a unique, personalized story that allows each player to experience the show from the perspective of their favorite character.
Background Information Kedamono
Kedamono is an anxious purple wolf that works as Popee’s assistant in the Wolf Zirkus circus and often finds himself as the victim of his shenanigans. He’s a very kind character, though he can sometimes be a pushover. He has a prideful collection of masks that display varying emotions and he is very particular about them, frequently tending to them and ensuring they stay clean. He’s also a fan of fried chicken and will willingly put anyone in harm’s way for some of it.
He’s a very skilled performer and uses the alias “Noh Mask Master”. He can manipulate others by wearing different masks and making them assume his personality. He has a tendency to be sarcastic and is very good at pranking, often using his own body as an extension of his mind. He’s a very creative and expressive performer, and can even move physical objects with his mind.
Despite his deep anxiety, he is one of the most loyal characters in the show. He sticks by Popee because he recognizes that the man is lonely and needs someone to stick by him. He also enjoys Popee’s shallowness; although it bothers him, he feels that Popee does not look beneath the surface and thus is safe to be around.
Some fans have speculated that Kedamono is bisexual due to his preference for fried chicken and his use of the alias “Noh Mask Master”. However, Ryuji Masuda has clarified that this is not true. His preferred gender is asexual and he’s just comfortable with the alias.
Kedamono is a very loving father and is particularly concerned for the well-being of his child, Kedamono Jr. He is very protective of his child and will do anything for him. It is also hinted at in the anime that Kedamono Jr has a unique ability to see into people’s hearts, and can see their true emotions through their eyes. He can hear a person’s fear or joy from a distance, and has an uncanny talent for predicting the future. This is how he is able to prank people for money without hurting them.
Anime Episodes Kedamono
The show was made on a relatively small budget, using 3D CGI animation to keep costs low. Each episode only took ten days to animate, a speedy turnaround for a TV show at the time. The story was set in a circus in the middle of a desert, where the characters often find themselves in violent and surreal situations. The main character is Popee, a clown who seems to be the circus owner, and his long-suffering sidekick, Kedamono, a wolf.
The episodes usually start with the two rehearsing for their performances, but eventually they find themselves in some sort of bizarre situation. They are often unable to get out of these situations, and the end result is that they almost always hurt themselves or destroy something.
Throughout the episodes, it can be seen that Kedamono is rather sympathetic to Popee, though he does have his moments of egotism. Whenever there is food involved, Kedamono seems to have a tendency to forget his morals and gobble whatever is placed in front of him. Especially when it’s chicken, which is something that he loves.
Other times, he is quite indifferent to his surroundings, and is willing to put himself or others into dangerous situations for the sake of food. It’s also been noted that he has a bit of a temper, as shown when he destroyed Alien’s fried chicken in episode 12, Escape Show.
There is a bit of black comedy in the series as well. Many of the scenes that involve the animals are extremely grotesque, and the animation is generally poorly done. Often, a scene will re-use the same animation from another episode, such as when Popee knocks Papi out of his head in episode 32, In The Mind, or when he accidentally enters an alternate universe through a mirror in episode 38, Vs God.
Despite the black comedy and the general level of gore and violence present in the show, it has earned a cult following among fans over the years. This is probably due to the fact that it was one of the first shows to use this style, and it was also quite popular in the early 2000s as kids were consuming all sorts of media that could be considered “trauma anime”. It’s also interesting to note that despite its bleak setting and dark humor, it actually has a fairly positive message at its core.
Other Characters Kedamono
The most prominent character in the show is a young wolf named Kedamono. He lives with Popee in a circus tent and acts as his assistant, performing tricks and getting excited when he sees fried chicken. He seems to be the victim of most of Popee’s tantrums, but he doesn’t seem to mind, as long as it’s not for too long.
Popee is a self-centered, jealous, and sometimes insane circus performer who hates to lose. He has a short temper and often gets angry when others are better at things than he is. Despite his mean behavior, he does not hate Kedamono; in fact, he feels less alone when near him. Kedamono is a kind-hearted boy who doesn’t like to be treated unfairly.
He wears a mask to hide his true form as a wolf, and he is afraid of being exposed. He tries to be like Popee, but he’s also his own unique personality. Kedamono admires Popee’s ability to be himself, even if it sometimes pisses him off.
In episode 33, Kedamono and Popee discover an alternate universe through a mirror. They watch as the other kedamono juggles clubs and looks at him with a cocky smile. Popee then offers to juggle with knives, which Kedamono refuses to do. Kedamono then tries to juggle with the club, but he drops one of the knives and is hit in the foot. Popee yells at him and he runs away.
Wrapping It Up
Later, the other kedamono (referred to by fans as Eepop or Mirror Kedamono) starts running around as Popee throws bombs at him angrily. He runs until he trips over one of the bombs and explodes. This shows that he is not as brave as he claims to be.
There are several other characters who appear on the show, including Gaur, a minotaur superbeast who guards Yggdrasil, the World Tree. He is sworn to protect it from those who would steal its fruit, but he himself partook of the fruits and became a superbeast. His attacks include the “Stampede Fist,” in which forced rocky upcroppings appear whenever he punches the ground.
