It has been announced that singer Ado will perform the opening theme song "Odoru Pompokorin" for the TV anime "Chibi Maruko-chan" (Fuji TV, Sundays at 6 PM), based on the popular manga by Momoko Sakura. "Odoru Pompokorin" was originally performed by the group BB Queens and was the ending theme when the show first aired in 1990. It became a social phenomenon and has since been covered by many artists, including ManaKana & Shigeru Izumiya, Kaela Kimura, E-girls, and Golden Bomber. In April 2019, the song, originally covered by Momoiro Clover Z, became the opening theme, but for the first time in about six years and eight months, the artist has changed, and Ado will now be performing the song. This change will take effect from the December 28th broadcast.
Ado said, "I'm really happy to be able to sing my favorite song, ' Chibi Maruko-chan,' and especially 'Odoru Pompokorin.' I've been watching ' Chibi Maruko-chan' since I was a child, so now that I'm an adult, I'm filled with joy to be able to sing 'Odoru Pompokorin' from ' Chibi Maruko-chan.'"
"When singing 'Odoru Pompokorin,' I thought it would be even more interesting if I could express the lyrics, the work ' Chibi Maruko-chan,' and Sakura Momoko's fun, truly 'pee-hira, pee-hira' feel of Maruko-chan's character through my singing, so I think I've created a 'Dancing Pompokorin' that pays respect to the BB Queens of 'Odoru Pompokorin,' and that some people will find nostalgic when listening to it," she commented.
"I really love Chibi Maruko-chan, and there are so many episodes that I can remember, but I also love the episode where Maruko goes abroad alone and becomes friends with Pusadie, and I also love the episode with Cheechikin, and the episode where they write "otoshidama" as "otomu," and the episode where Hanawa gets his butler to write it as "otoshidama," and I love the whole flow of the story...there are so many, so many episodes that I really love that I could go on and on about them. I am so happy to be able to sing the opening theme song for the anime. I hope that "Odoru Pompokorin" will be nostalgic, fun, and interesting for all fans of Chibi Maruko-chan, Momoko Sakura's fans, and my own fans!"
Producer Yoshinori Takeeda of Fuji TV's Anime Production Department commented, "January 2026 will mark the 36th year since Chibi Maruko-chan was made into an anime. And now, in the final episode to conclude our 35th anniversary, the singing artist for 'Odoru Pompokorin' will be handed over to Ado! We hope you look forward to hearing 'Odoru Pompokorin' with Ado's high expressiveness and powerful singing voice. In addition, the opening video is based on the concept of 'beat' and is designed with Ado's live stage performance in mind. It's a bright, fun and rhythmic opening, so please look forward to it!"
"Chibi Maruko-chan" is a manga set in Shimizu City, Shizuoka Prefecture (now Shimizu Ward, Shizuoka City), depicting the daily life of third-grade elementary school student Maruko, her family, and friends. It began serialization in "Ribon" (Shueisha) in 1986.
