Minami-ke (みなみけ?, lit. The Minami Family) is a Japanese
manga series by
Koharu Sakuraba,
[1] who also authored
Kyō no Go no Ni. It was first serialized in the weekly Japanese
manga magazine Young Magazine in 2004. The
slice of life comedy focuses on the everyday life of three sisters: Haruka, Kana, and Chiaki Minami. An anime series produced by
Daume aired in 2007. Asread produced a second season in 2008 titled
Minami-ke: Okawari, a third season in 2009 titled
Minami-ke: Okaeri, and an
original video animation (OVA) episode in 2009 titled
Minami-ke: Betsubara. In 2012,
Feel produced another OVA titled
Minami-ke: Omatase, followed by a fourth anime series in 2013 titled
Characters
Minami family
- Haruka Minami (南 春香 Minami Haruka?)
- Voiced by: Rina Satō
- Haruka is the oldest sister and in her second year of high school.
She has been taking care of her younger sisters for many years, which
led to some misunderstandings with her classmates. Haruka is the most
reliable of the three sisters, but is infinitely lazy when she is by
herself. She was called Banchō (gang leader) during her junior-high
days, though it is revealed soon after that it was simply a title. She
is the only person whom Chiaki views as a role model and greatly
respects. This can be seen in her tendency to address Haruka as
"nee-sama" instead of the more usual and casual "nee-san"; and the only
person Chiaki uses polite Japanese with (even though it is not customary
for siblings to use polite Japanese towards each other). "Haruka"
contains the kanji for "spring".
- Kana Minami (南 夏奈 Minami Kana?)
- Voiced by: Marina Inoue
- Kana is the middle sister in her second year of junior-high school.
Kana is an impulsive and lively girl who never thinks before acting. She
is a horrible cook, a chronic oversleeper, and is obsessed with Chiaki
treating her as an adorable older sister rather than as a foil. She
often acts or talks impolitely without thinking, much to the annoyance
of Chiaki. She has been misled by Chiaki into thinking that Fujioka has a
grudge against her rather than a crush. She generally does not get good
grades in school, though she thinks that if she puts on Keiko's glasses
she will act and speak intelligently. She frequently invents random new
holidays and also recruits Chiaki's classmates into joining her silly
escapades. "Kana" contains the kanji for "summer".
- Chiaki Minami (南 千秋 Minami Chiaki?)
- Voiced by: Minori Chihara
- Chiaki is the youngest sister in elementary school. She is in class 5-2 (a reference to Kyo no Gononi).
Her high intelligence often makes her over-analyze simple situations;
her speech patterns are those of an adult male and her wit is caustic.
She tends to ignore idiotic behavior displayed by Kana and Makoto. She
respects and adores Haruka, while often resorting to beating Kana for
her idiocy. Although being the youngest, she is the meanest out of the
three; most of the time, she is quiet during group activities, and
almost always uses the word "bakayarō" (meaning 'dumbass' or simply 'you
fool' in Japanese), which is a more forceful form for "idiot" in
Japanese ("baka" being the less forceful term). Chiaki seems to know
that Fujioka is genuinely in love with Kana. After talking with Haruka,
Chiaki has come to associate Fujioka as a father figure and will often
place herself on his lap when she seeks fatherly affection or to
complete the family experience. "Chiaki" contains the kanji for "autumn".
Other Minami family
- Tōma Minami (南 冬馬 Minami Tōma?)
- Voiced by: Nana Mizuki
- Tōma is a tomboy girl in class 5-1 who, despite having the same
surname, is not related to the Minami sisters. However, Chiaki adopted
her as a little brother because of the same surname. She has three older
brothers that know nothing about her. Her tomboy action can be said to
be an influence by her brothers. The way she acts, looks and dresses
causes Fujioka to actually believe that she is a boy. "Tōma" contains
the kanji for "winter"; Chiaki declares that Tōma is the younger because "winter follows autumn".
- Haruo Minami (南 ハルオ Minami Haruo?)
- Voiced by: Shinji Kawada
- He is the eldest son of the other Minami family. It is unclear
whether or not he is still in high school. Though calm and composed in
his demeanor, it seems as though he is in a state of denial concerning
the adverse effects the brothers' lifestyle is having on their younger
sister. "Haru" in his name probably refers to "spring." Despite being
the eldest, Haruo's physical strength is underwhelming, compared to
Natsuki, being sent meters away by a mere pat to the shoulder.
- Natsuki Minami (南 ナツキ Minami Natsuki?)
- Voiced by: Hiroyuki Yoshino
- Second son of the other Minami family, and is in first year of high
school. He used to be a delinquent, but had calmed down after Hosaka
recruited him to the volleyball club. He got beaten up by Haruka the
first time they met due to a misunderstanding, with him touching her
chest (in the manga, he accidentally hugs her instead). Despite this, he
harbors no ill feelings towards her and instead shows signs of
embarrassment and indirect affection towards her, this is made evident
when the eldest Minami brother talks about having a girlfriend and
Natsuki immediately pictures a provocatively dressed Haruka in his mind
and suffers a nose-bleed. "Natsu" in his name probably refers to
"summer."
- Akira Minami (南 アキラ Minami Akira?)
- Voiced by: Tatsuya Hayama
- Third son of the other Minami family, and is in first year of junior
high school. Maybe because of the gap in their age, he is treated as a
child in the other Minami household and is often told not to interrupt
when the other two elder brothers are talking. He likes long-haired
girls, especially Riko, who is in the same class as Kana. Fujioka
dislikes him because he assumes that he is close to Kana. He crossdresses as Aki-chan when he is around Fujioka inside the Minami household. "Aki" in his name probably refers to "autumn."
High school students
- Maki (マキ?)
- Voiced by: Reiko Takagi
- Haruka's classmate and a bit of an airhead. A member of the
volleyball club. She tries to protect Haruka from Hosaka, a running gag,
which always end with her remarking Hosaka as disgusting (気持ち悪い kimochiwarui?).
- Atsuko (アツコ?)
- Voiced by: Ryoko Ono
- Haruka's classmate. A member of the volleyball club. A very quiet girl, quite similar in character to Keiko.
- Hosaka (保坂?)
- Voiced by: Daisuke Ono
- A third year, and captain of the volleyball club. He admires Haruka
and would like Haruka to become the volleyball club's manager. He has
tendency to act cool, stripping and fantasizing in front of people, to
the point of being considered a narcissist, causing those who know him
to label him as a weirdo, especially Maki and her signature phrase of
labeling him as "disgusting". He is also skilled at cooking and is a
perfectionist at it.
- Hayami (速水?)
- Voiced by: Saeko Chiba
- Third year. A member of the volleyball club (often acting like the
leader of their team) as well as an associate of Hosaka. She is cunning
and mischievous and is often thinking of rather devious plans (usually
involving Haruka and Hosaka). She has a distinctive smiling expression
and loves alcohol which she calls high-grade "juice". Kana is the only
one smart enough not to drink the "juice", while still managing to get
everyone else drunk.
- Hitomi (ヒトミ?)
- Voiced by: Ayaka Saito
- She is a first-year student in the same class as Natsuki. She has an
interest in him and believes she can read him by looking at his eyes.
When Natsuki forgot his lunch, she offered him some of hers, then lent
him money to buy a yakisoba-pan,
and when he forgot his umbrella, she offered a pink one decorated with
bunnies to him to use. However, she also mistakenly interprets Natsuki's
love-struck look at Haruka to be directed at herself and believes
Natsuki has feelings for her.
Junior-high school students
- Fujioka (藤岡?)
- Voiced by: Tetsuya Kakihara
- Kana's classmate. He plays soccer and is a popular classmate of
Kana. He is in love with Kana. But Chiaki reads his love letters as
letters of challenge, which Kana believes nicknaming him Banchō (番長?),
meaning a leader of juvenile delinquents, as a result. Although it was
only a nickname given to him by Kana during that time, he officially
took the title when Yū didn't want it. She deliberately loses a
rock-paper-scissor game with Fujioka in order to get rid of it, making
Fujioka the fourth generation Banchō. He is a bit naive and very
innocent towards girls. His affection towards Kana will often make him
do regrettable things but because of them he has had the opportunity to
become closer with the family and visits them often. Chiaki has come to
associate him as a father figure and will often place herself on his lap
when she seeks fatherly affection or to complete the family experience.
He is the only person who does not know that Tōma is actually a girl.
- Keiko (ケイコ?)
- Voiced by: Saori Goto
- Kana's friend, an honor student. She is often ignorantly persuaded by Kana and dragged into her silly escapades.
- Riko (リコ?)
- Voiced by: Ao Takahashi
- Kana's classmate. She has a crush on Fujioka and views Kana as a
love rival, but befriends her to get close to Fujioka. Also has the same
random personality as Kana and is a bully to other girls on the show.
- Yū (ユウ?)
- Voiced by: Momoko Ohara
- Third year. She is a senior to Kana. Reluctantly nicknamed third
generation Banchō in school, Yū gladly hands over the title to Fujioka
when she intentionally loses a "Rock-Paper-Scissors" duel to him.
- Hiroko (ヒロコ?)
- Voiced by: Saeko Chiba
- Third year. Yū's best friend and classmate. She has a crush on her.
- Miyuki (ミユキ?)
- Voiced by: Yoshino Nanjō
- Kana's classmate. She has the same height as Chiaki.
Elementary school students
- Makoto (マコト?)
- Voiced by: Rika Morinaga
- Chiaki's classmate. He is nicknamed "Idiotic child" which his
classmates believe is more of an impression of him than a nickname. He
has a crush on Haruka, and goes as far as cross dressing (first forced
upon him by Kana) to avoid detection from Chiaki, who became jealous and
angry with him after he helped Haruka cook dinner, in order to see her
at the Minami residence. When he crossdresses, he is referred to as
"Mako-chan". Only Uchida, Kana, and Tōma knows of his cross-dressing
habit.
- Yoshino (吉野?)
- Voiced by: Aki Toyosaki
- Chiaki's classmate. She seems to be the most responsible and level
headed among the characters her age. Might have found out that Mako-chan
is really Makoto.
- Shūichi (シュウイチ?)
- Voiced by: Momoko Ohara
- Chiaki's classmate. Nicknamed "Plain Yogurt" by Chiaki because he does not have any qualities that stand out.
- Yuka Uchida (内田 ユカ Uchida Yuka?)
- Voiced by: Eri Kitamura
- In class 5-1. Chiaki's friend. She helps Makoto with his
cross-dressing along with Kana. She is not seen as a smart character and
was actually forced by Makoto to join "Team Idiot". Impulsive and a
little lacking in common sense, she is belittled by Chiaki and Keiko
often, and recruited by Kana to join her silly escapades.
- Fuyuki (フユキ?)
- Voiced by: Miho Saiki
- He is an original character in Okawari. He is a transfer
student and a neighbor of the Minami sisters. His inability to refuse
favors or demands plagues his very existence and annoys Chiaki to no
end. Due to this characteristic behavior, he is often asked to do tasks
outside his responsibilities.
Other
- Takeru (タケル?)
- Voiced by: Shintaro Asanuma
- First cousin of the three sisters. He occasionally visits the Minami
sisters to check up on them and give them their monthly allowance. He
often makes blunders and Kana, in contrast to Haruka and Chiaki, feels
he is "pathetic". He later starts to feel some resentment towards
Fujioka because he feels as if he is closer to the three girls than he
should be. He has an on-and-off relationship with a girl called Reiko.
His hair is brown in the first series but changed to green in Okawari; then back to brown in Okaeri.
- Ninomiya/Sensei (二宮/先生?)
- Voiced by: Momoko Ohara (Ninomiya)
- Voiced by: Shintaro Asanuma (Sensei)
- Characters from a drama television show the Minami family watches
during dinner. Ninomiya is a student who falls in love with her unnamed
teacher (Sensei). There is a video game adaption of the drama show,
owned by Keiko.
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