Ponkickies Characters

This list is for characters who appear in the Japanese children's television show Ponkickies on Fuji Television, listed in chronological order.

Gachapin and Mukku
Gachapin is a green, buck-toothed dinosaur. Mukku is a red Yeti.

In Thomas and the U.K. Trip, Gachapin and Mukku visit the United Kingdom. During their visit, they come to the Island of Sodor to meet Thomas, Sir Topham Hatt and the other engines. During the second half of the special, they visit real life railways and learn how steam locomotives work.

Appearances
They have also appeared on the opening of Thomas the Tank Engine & Friends on many shows and VHS.
 * 1992 - Thomas and the U.K. Trip
 * 2005 - Musical: Thomas the Tank Engine & Friends special

Trivia

 * The closest-ancestor of Gachapin is the Dravidosaurus, a prehistoric reptile, which went extinct around 140 Million years ago.
 * The balls present on Gachapin's left and right wrists are energy balls that give him courage and power, when taking on challenges and adventures.
 * Mukku's propeller functions as a cooling system, as she is vulnerable to heat.

Voice Actors

 * Kuniko Amamiya
 * Juuji Matsuda

P-Chan
P-Chan is an extraterrestrial humanoid, originating from P-Island in the Alphabet Star.

In Hello Thomas and James, P-Chan visits the Watercress Line in England where he meets Thomas, James, Sir Topham Hatt, Diesel and Bulgy and spends a Day Out with Thomas.

Appearances

 * 1996 - Hello Thomas and James
 * 2005 - Musical: Thomas the Tank Engine & Friends special

Trivia

 * Although it can be presumed he is male, his gender is never confirmed.
 * He can only speak words beginning with the letter P.
 * He is unique, in the fact that he is the only character of extraterrestrial origin in the entire franchise.

Voice Actor

 * Yasushi Ueno

Connie
Connie is a young girl.

In A Wonderful American Journey with Thomas and Connie, Connie travels to America where she meets Thomas, visits the Strasburg Railroad in Pennsylvania, the Georgetown Loop Railroad and the Durango & Silverton Railroad in Colorado before returning home to Japan.

Appearances

 * 2000 - A Wonderful American Journey with Thomas and Connie

Trivia

 * She is bilingual, speaking both Japanese and English, as her father is Japanese and her mother is American.
 * She has two pet frogs named Newton and Francis.

Voice Actor

 * Chris Tomoko

External Link

 * Connie Character Profiles

Inocchi
Yoshiniko Inohara, best known as "Inocchi" , is a Japanese actor, musician, newscaster and television presenter. He is a member of V6, a six-member Japanese boy band formed in 1995 by Johnny & Associates.

From 7th April 2001 to 25th March 2006, he was in charge of MC for Ponkickies for five years.

Inocchi made an appearance with Gachapin, Mukku, P-Chan and Battom, along with the Japanese Thomas & Friends narrator Leo Morimoto, in one of the Ponkickies crossover to promote the Musical: Thomas the Tank Engine & Friends in Japan. Both Inocchi and Morimoto hosted a Thomas Quiz game with Battom taking part in it.

Appearances
Before and after the episode of Thomas & Friends was broadcast, Inocchi or Minicchi introduced plot and life lessons of an episode at a Wooden Railway table, Thomas Land and other places.
 * 2005 - Musical: Thomas the Tank Engine & Friends special

Trivia

 * Since 2004, puppet version of Inocchi called "Minicchi" has also appeared in Ponkickies.
 * He and Brother Tom (Battom) have done a number of duet songs together throughout Ponkickies.

Battom
Battom  is a bat.

Battom made an appearance with Gachapin, Mukku, P-Chan and Inocchi, along with the Japanese Thomas & Friends narrator Leo Morimoto, in one of the Ponkickies crossover to promote the Musical: Thomas the Tank Engine & Friends in Japan. He also took part in a Thomas Quiz game hosted by both Inocchi and Morimoto.

Appearances
When "Minicchi" introduced plot of an episode of Thomas & Friends, "Kobattom" appeared in to play a trick on him.
 * 2005 - Musical: Thomas the Tank Engine & Friends special

Actor

 * Brother Tom

Trivia

 * He speaks both Japanese and English.
 * Since 2004, puppet version of Battom called "Kobattom" has also appeared in Ponkickies.
 * Brother Tom and Inocch have done a number of duet songs together throughout Ponkickies.

Sister Rabbits
Sister Rabbits  is an all Japanese girls pop group made up of seven members.

The group made an appearance with P-Chan, Gachapin and Mukku in one of the Ponkickies crossover to promote the Thomas & Friends - The All Aboard Live Tour show in Japan.

Appearances

 * 2005 - Musical: Thomas the Tank Engine & Friends special

Members

 * Yuri Ōtani as Yuri - Pink
 * Moeko Itagaki as Moeko - Black/White
 * Maika Imada as Maika - Black/Pink
 * Yume Matsui as Yume - Grey
 * Ayaka Hashimoto as Ayaka - Grey/White
 * Miki Hirose as Miki - Grey/Yellow
 * Shunri Ishida as Shunri - Yellow/Brown