PICHI
Pichi Pichi Pitch (ぴちぴちピッチ, Pichi Pichi Pitchi) is a Japanese manga series created and illustrated by Pink Hanamori and written by Michiko Yokote. It was serialized in the monthly shōjo manga magazine Nakayoshi from August 2002 to the March 2005. Thirty-two chapters and two side stories are compiled into seven volumes by Kodansha. The story follows Lucia Nanami, a mermaid princess who must save the oceans by transforming into an idol singer and defeating her foes with her singing voice.
A 91-episode anime adaptation titled Mermaid Melody Pichi Pichi Pitch (マーメイドメロディーぴちぴちピッチ, Māmeido Merodī Pichi Pichi Pitchi) was broadcast on TV Aichi and other TX Network-affiliated networks for two seasons. The first season was broadcast from April 5, 2003, to March 7, 2004, for 52 episodes, while the second, titled Mermaid Melody Pichi Pichi Pitch Pure, was broadcast from April 3, 2004, to December 25, 2004, for 39 episodes. The anime adaptation also included a toy line from Takara and three video game adaptations for the Game Boy Advance.
While the artwork received praise, both the manga and anime adaptation received mixed reviews over the storytelling; however, the anime adaptation received a cult following overseas and saw high viewership ratings among its target demographic. In addition to broadcasts in European and Asian countries, a full English-language dub was produced by ADV Films for North America from 2004 to 2005, but it remains unreleased, as the show was never picked up by television networks.
From 2019 onwards, Mermaid Melody Pichi Pichi Pitch became associated with nostalgia for the Heisei era (1989–2019) and received multiple merchandise collaborations for its 20th anniversary. Renewed public interest led to Hanamori following up with a sequel, Mermaid Melody Pichi Pichi Pitch: Aqua (ぴちぴちピッチ aqua), in 2021.
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