History Anime / DiGiCharat

Do not confuse with ''Franchise/{{Digimon}}''.

''Di Gi Charat'' is generally silly fun, with characters who subvert the traditional {{kawaiiko}} (all of the main characters can be selfish, petty, or outright cruel at times), and lots of {{otaku}} in-jokes.

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!!The main characters, common to almost all the incarnations of the franchise, are:

* ''Dejiko'', aka Di Gi Charat, aka Chocola: The titular protagonist, princess of planet Di Gi Charat and an aspiring idol. However, she is less than princess-like. She can shoot EyeBeams, and she will use them any time, on ''any'' being who annoys her. She has a VerbalTic and ends everything she says with "-nyo".
* ''Puchiko'', aka Petit Charat, aka Capucchino: Supposed {{sidekick}} of Dejiko and inhabitant of her planet. Her EyeBeams ability is weaker than Dejiko's, but she compensates with extra cuteness and a sharp tongue. Often HypercompetentSidekick to Dejiko. As Dejiko, she also has a VerbalTic -- she ends her sentences with "-nyu". She is a subversion of the quiet and shy moe girl, in that she is ''so'' quiet that she is often completely withdrawn from everything around her, and when she does speak, she tends to be quite rude.
* ''Gema'': A big floating yellow ball with a simple, tiny, upside-down face. He is a long-suffering NonHumanSidekick and failed [[{{Mentors}} mentor]], usually the victim of Dejiko's eye beam. He ends all his sentences with "-gema".
* ''"Rabi~en~Rose"'': Her real name is actually Hikaru Usada. She sometimes acts as TheRival to Dejiko, and ''other'' times she is a WorthyOpponent. Usada is a [[{{Muggles}} young human]] teenager, also an aspiring idol, with a bunny-like [[CosplayOtakuGirl cosplay]] and a sob-story backstory that changes depending on the franchise's incarnation. She is a parody of the typical "rival" character in anime, in that she's more sympathetic than Dejiko and often shows superior skill, yet she still loses most of the time because she's not the main character.

!!The universe of ''Di Gi Charat'' has been presented in the following incarnations:

* [[Anime/DiGiCharat1999 The original TV series]] (1999) that was aired on TBS[[note]]Tokyo Broadcasting System[[/note]]' program block, ''Wonderful''. The star vehicle that is basically a GagSeries that often pokes a healthy fun to its otaku-advertising roots, but is [[MindScrew mind blowing]] on its own merit. It features Dejiko as a penniless retail worker at an Akihabara's Gamers store, where all manner of ridiculous things occur.
* [[Anime/DiGiCharatSpecials The seasonal Specials]] and TheMovie (2000-2001) introduces [[TheRival the real rival]] of Dejiko, Pyocola Analogue III (a.k.a. Piyoko), and her "bodyguards"[=/=]"minions", the Black Gema Gema Gang. Set in the same universe as the original anime, it expands the characters' surrounding backgrounds.
* ''Anime/PanyoPanyoDiGiCharat'' (2002), which sort-of serves as a {{prequel}} of the original anime, it also sets foot in an AlternateContinuity. Focusing mostly in Dejiko, Puchiko, and Gema, the story takes place in the Planet Di Gi Charat. It introduces new characters such as Rinna and Mee-K. It also abandons the subversive {{otaku}} humor and changes it for cutesiness.
* ''Anime/DiGiCharatNyo'' (2003), the ContinuityReboot of the franchise, and ReTool of the first series without the references to its original commercial roots. It also adds the information already given in ''Panyo Panyo'' to expand the cast's backstories and their respective development in that universe.
* ''Anime/DiGiCharatTheaterLeaveItToPiyokoPyo'' (2003), an OVA series SpinOff which was released through Nico Nico Douga, featuring Piyoko with the Black Gema Gema Gang as the protagonists. It narrates Piyoko's attempts to kidnap Dejiko.
* ''Anime/DiGiCharatWinterGarden'' (2006), a couple of SpinOff SliceOfLife TV specials that are set in an AlternateContinuity, starring Dejiko and Puchiko (as normal human teenagers) living a typical romance scenario where Dejiko gets a crush on a boy. This was the latest installment of the franchise in animated form until....
[[/index]]
* ''Reiwa no Di Gi Charat'' (2022), the latest ''Di Gi Charat'' anime produced by Creator/LidenFilms with Hiroaki Sakurai returning as director as well as the original cast reprising their roles.
* ''Di Gi Charat Fantasy'', a visual novel originally released for the UsefulNotes/SegaDreamcast, in which the player is a boy who gets a crush on Dejiko, and they get sucked into a [[AnotherDimension dimensional vortex]] to a fantasy world. But as soon as the MC wakes up, he finds an amnesiac Dejiko with a personality swap.
* Many, ''many'' manga series. Some of these are original stories based on the characters, adaptations of any of the animated incarnations, or comic anthologies written by various artists. One example are the recopilations of the original ''From GAMERS'' magazine's "Gema-Gema" comic strips.

* PandaingToTheAudience:
** Piyoko has a bit of a panda obsession.
** Deji Devil’s dragon form resembles a giant pink-and-white panda.

* {{Bishounen}}:
** While the franchise doesn't have many beautiful men, Koge-Donbo* has designed some that could be considered as this, such as Ky, Coo, and Rik.
** Original anime wise, there's also Murataku, a.k.a "Mr. Longhair", which design contrasts with the rest of the male cast -- Mr. Manager as part of the FacelessMasses, Bukimi as the streotypical-looking otaku, and Minataku (who still looks as a kid). His ''Nyo!'' {{expy}}, Yasushi, counts as a pretty guy, as well.

[[/index]]
* [[Anime/DiGiCharatSpecials The seasonal Specials]] and TheMovie (2000-2001) introduces [[TheRival the real rival]] of Dejiko, Pyocola Analogue III (a.k.a. Piyoko), and her "bodyguards"[=/=]"minions", the Black Gema Gema Gang. Set in the same universe as the original anime, it expands the characters' surrounding backgrounds. [[index]]

* The seasonal Specials and TheMovie (2000-2001) introduces [[TheRival the real rival]] of Dejiko, Pyocola Analogue III (a.k.a. Piyoko), and her "bodyguards"[=/=]"minions", the Black Gema Gema Gang. Set in the same universe as the original anime, it expands the characters' surrounding backgrounds. [[index]]

* ChristmasSpecial: The appropriately titled ''Di Gi Charat Christmas Special''.

* SpellMyNameWithAnS: Creator/SentaiFilmworks' release of the specials has some examples of this:
** Piyoko's full name is spelled "Pyocolat Analog III" instead the official "Pyocola Analogue III"
** Rik, Coo & Ky's names are spelled "Riku, Kuu and Kai" rather than their official spellings, in addition to this Ky's last name is spelled "Schwarzer" instead of "Schweitzer" like it is officially
** Rodoyan's name is rendered as "Rod Young".
* TakeThat: The Natsuyasumi Special had an extended take that at the OccidentalOtaku's stereotype, portraying Rodoyan as a most annoying type of fan for Dejiko and the rest of the cast.

* WeWantOurJerkBack: Downplayed example in the fourth episode of the Flower Viewing special. Dejiko gets an illness that causes her to become much nicer, and Rabi~en~Rose is the only one who wants her to return to normal as she feels that things are now boring.

* DubNameChange: Creator/VizMedia's translation of ''Di Gi Charat Official Anthology'' refers to the Black Gema Gema Gang as the "Dark Gema Gema Gang" instead, this is the only case of this as every other translation of the franchise maintains the original name.

* SpellMyNameWithAnS: In Creator/SentaiFilmworks' release of the specials has some examples of this:

* SpellMyNameWithAnS: In Creator/SentaiFilmworks' release of the specials, Piyoko's full name is spelled "Pyocolat Analog III" instead the official "Pyocola Analogue III", as well as Coo & Ky's names are spelled "Kuu and Kai" rather than their official spellings, and Rodoyan's name is rendered as "Rod Young".

* VerbalTic: ''So many.'' Dejiko uses "Nyo", Puchiko uses "Nyu", Piyoko uses "Pyo", Gema uses, well, "Gema", "Geba", Rinna uses "Myu", Mee-K uses "Mya", and Deji Devil uses "Devi". They’re even kept in the English dubs.

* IdolSinger: Dejiko and Rabi~En~Rose are aspiring to be famous idols in Akihabara, but with little success. In ''Nyo!'', though, Hikaru has a cousin who is ''actually'' a well-recognized idol named Akari.

* NewJobAsThePlotDemamds: Abarenbou often works whatever job the plot demands him to be working, however he is just as likely to be acting as drifter.

* ParentalAbandonment: In the first series, Rabi's parents leave her for America, so she can have a "difficult, penniless childhood until you [Rabi] make your debut as a great idol." They also give her a pair of dice which she'll need to help her become an idol. How exactly, is anybody's guess.

* ''Di Gi Charat Theater - Leave it to Piyoko-pyo!'' (2003), an OVA series SpinOff which was released through Nico Nico Douga, featuring Piyoko with the Black Gema Gema Gang as the protagonists. It narrates Piyoko's attempts to kidnap Dejiko. [[index]]
* ''Anime/DiGiCharatWinterGarden'' (2006), a couple of SpinOff SliceOfLife TV specials that are set in an AlternateContinuity, starring Dejiko and Puchiko (as normal human teenagers) living a typical romance scenario where Dejiko gets a crush on a boy. This was the latest installment of the franchise in animated form until....
[[/index]]

* ''Di Gi Charat - Winter Garden'' (2006), a couple of SpinOff SliceOfLife TV specials that are set in an AlternateContinuity, starring Dejiko and Puchiko (as normal human teenagers) living a typical romance scenario where Dejiko gets a crush on a boy. This was the latest installment of the franchise in animated form until....

* The original TV series (1999) that was aired on TBS[[note]]Tokyo Broadcasting System[[/note]]' program block, ''Wonderful''. The star vehicle that is basically a GagSeries that often pokes a healthy fun to its otaku-advertising roots, but is [[MindScrew mind blowing]] on its own merit. It features Dejiko as a penniless retail worker at an Akihabara's Gamers store, where all manner of ridiculous things occur.

* AdaptationalNiceGuy: ''Panyo Panyo'' and ''Winter Garden'' especially feature much nicer versions of Dejiko and Puchiko.
* AdaptedOut: Gema, the Black Gema Gema gang, and characters related to Gamers, such as Mr. Manager, are nowhere to be seen in ''Winter Garden''.
* AdaptationalSeriousness: ''Winter Garden'' is much more down to earth, with many of the fantastical elements being AdaptedOut.

* BreakingTheFourthWall:
** One episode of the original series has Gema grow huge after drinking a bunch of water, only to shrink back to his regular size after going to the bathroom. Rabi~en~Rose then tells the kids in the audience to not think about how or where Gema went to the bathroom.
** The third episode of ''Reiwa'' has Broccodess take offense to being called a new character by the Black Gema Gema gang with Dejiko bringing up how she’d been around since the 15th anniversary of the series.

* BuyOrGetLost: In episode 3, "A Scary Store?", three people exit the store loudly proclaiming they didn't buy anything. Dejiko blows them up with her eye beams.
* BystanderSyndrome: One episode has Dejiko and Puchiko running away from a giant Gema. Once Puchiko realizes that Gema is only after Dejiko, she quickly ditches her.

* ChristmasEpisode: Episode 16 of the original series took place during Christmas.
* ChristmasSpecial:
** The appropriately titled ''Di Gi Charat Christmas Special''.
** Downplayed with ''Winter Garden'' as its first half mainly takes place during Christmas.

* CripplingOverspecialization: Takuro Minagawa, a friend of Rabi~en~Rose, is only able to deal with exorcisms related to shijimi clams. Thus he is of no use when Puchiko gets possessed by a snail.
* CutShort: The Bandai Entertainment dub of ''Nyo!'' ended after 72 of the 104 episodes had been dubbed.
** Two of the manga series, ''Dejiko's Adventure'' and ''Leave It To Piyoko!'' were also cut short in America after only one volume of each had been released. The remaining two volumes of the former and one of the latter were announced for 2005, but were on hold for three years until Broccoli USA ceased operations.
* DemotedToExtra: Rabi~en~Rose only makes a short appearance in the last episode of ''Panyo Panyo'' and a few brief cameos in ''Winter Garden''.
* EasyImpersonation: In one episode of the original anime, Dejiko is accused of various misdeeds by the other characters. Sure, Dejiko is mean spirited at times, so that's one of the reasons of why no one believes her to be innocent. When attempting to bribe them with candy, it also happens to draw out the attention of her imitator, which is a blob with a similar cat hat as hers.

* FacelessMasses: The minor characters in the original series are portrayed as literal finger puppets, even when they are in the foreground. This is based on how Koge-Donbo* originally drew other people that weren't Dejiko or Gema in the original "Gema Gema" comic strips.

* HeavyVoice: In the seventh episode, Gema falls in the river and drinks a lot of water, making him grow huge and giving him a deep voice.

* MistakenForRomance: In ''Winter Garden'', Tatsuki and his sister, Aiko, are mistaken for a couple by one of Dejiko's co-workers. This causes problems when said coworker informs Dejiko of this alleged relationship.

* PandaingToTheAudience: Piyoko has a bit of a panda obsession.

* ThrowTheDogABone: ''Winter Garden'' reveals that Rabi~en~Rose grew up to be a successful actress.
* TimeSkip: ''Winter Garden'' ages Dejiko and Puchiko to 20 and 15 respectively.

* WaterIsWomanly: Aqua is a girly mermaid with a blue color scheme.

* ''Di Gi Charat Theater - Leave it to Piyoko-pyo!'' (2003), an OVA series SpinOff which was released through Nico Nico Douga, featuring Piyoko with the Black Gema Gema Gang as the protagonists. It narrates Piyoko's attempts to kidnap Dejiko.

* BellisariosMaxim: Invoked in the original series. In one episode, Gema falls into the river and becomes huge. He later goes to the bathroom and comes back normal-sized. Rabi~en~Rose pops up and tells the viewers not to think about where or how much.

* ''Anime/DiGiCharatNyo'' (2003), the ContinuityReboot of the franchise, and ReTool of the first series without the references to its original commercial roots. It also adds the information already given in ''Panyo Panyo'' to expand the cast's backstories and their respective development in that universe. [[/index]]

* The seasonal Specials and TheMovie (2000-2001) introduces [[TheRival the real rival]] of Dejiko, Pyocola Analogue III (a.k.a. Piyoko), and her "bodyguards"[=/=]"minions", the Black Gema Gema Gang. Set in the same universe as the original anime, it expands the characters' surrounding backgrounds.

* ''Anime/DiGiCharatNyo'' (2003), the ContinuityReboot of the franchise, and ReTool of the first series without the references to its original commercial roots. It also adds the information already given in ''Panyo Panyo'' to expand the cast's backstories and their respective development in that universe.
* ''Di Gi Charat Theater - Leave it to Piyoko-pyo!'' (2003), an OVA series SpinOff which was released through Nico Nico Douga, featuring Piyoko with the Black Gema Gema Gang as the protagonists. It narrates Piyoko's attempts to kidnap Dejiko.

* ''Anime/DiGiCharatNyo!'' (2003), the ContinuityReboot of the franchise, and ReTool of the first series without the references to its original commercial roots. It also adds the information already given in ''Panyo Panyo'' to expand the cast's backstories and their respective development in that universe.

* AdaptationalHeroism: Rabi~en~Rose’s parents are much better to her in ''Nyo'' and are actually around, in fact they’re actually a little overbearing if anything.
* AdaptationalLateAppearance: Mr. Manager, along with Gamers and Akihabara, doesn’t appear until roughly 30 episodes into ''Nyo''.

* {{Expy}}:
** Some of the side characters from ''Nyo!'' are remake "expies" from the original side-characters of the anime, repurposed in similar roles. John and Paul are based on Takeshi and Yoshimi, and the Omocha siblings are inspired by Murataku and Minataku (who shared the same name, but were unrelated).
** Puchiko appears as a downloadable character in ''VideoGame/HyperdimensionNeptuniaVictory'', under the name "Broccoli". The protagonist even refers to her as Puchiko a couple of times.

* {{Ondo}}: ''Nyo'' has such a theme.

** John and Paul from ''Nyo'' are musicians, whose designs and names are inspired by Music/TheBeatles's Music/JohnLennon and Music/PaulMcCartney, respectively.

* WashtubThrow: In ''Nyo'', while at a bathhouse Gema goes to deliver some conditioner to Dejiko. Unfortunately, he forgets that he's a guy and gets a bunch of items thrown at him by the women.