Mr. Osomatsu

Lore & Background

The series depicts the Matsuno brothers—Osomatsu, Karamatsu, Choromatsu, Ichimatsu, Jyushimatsu, and Todomatsu—as lazy NEETs living with their parents, each with a distinct personality. Osomatsu is a self-centered gambler; Karamatsu is a conceited wannabe cool guy; Choromatsu is the responsible otaku; Ichimatsu is a cat-loving loner; Jyushimatsu is an energetic baseball fan; and Todomatsu is a manipulative social butterfly. The supporting cast includes Totoko, a fish-themed idol; Iyami, a homeless con artist; Chibita, an oden stand owner; and the brothers' long-suffering parents, Matsuzo and Matsuyo.

Reader's Guide

Mr. Osomatsu revitalized the Osomatsu-kun franchise for a modern adult audience, blending nostalgia with contemporary humor. Its first season was a simulcast hit on Crunchyroll, marking the franchise's first official English release. The series spawned multiple seasons, a manga adaptation, three theatrical films, and a spin-off short series titled Matsu Inu. The show's popularity led to licensing by Viz Media in the Americas for the first two seasons. Its significance lies in successfully updating a classic property while maintaining the original's spirit, appealing to both longtime fans and new viewers.

Did You Know?

• The series was produced to celebrate Fujio Akatsuka's eightieth birthday.
• The first episode was removed from streaming sites on November 12, 2015, and replaced with an original episode.
• A spin-off short anime series titled Matsu Inu features the sextuplets as dogs.
• The fourth season's final episode was delayed and premiered in June 2026.

Origins & Premise

Born from a milestone celebration of mangaka Fujio Akatsuka's eightieth birthday, Mr. Osomatsu reimagines the sextuplet Matsuno brothers from his 1962 series Osomatsu-kun as twenty-something adults. Produced by Studio Pierrot, the anime shifts the tone from childhood mischief to a decidedly more adult, ribald comedy. The six identical brothers—Osomatsu, Karamatsu, Choromatsu, Ichimatsu, Jyushimatsu, and Todomatsu—have all settled into lives as lazy NEETs, still living with their malaise-ridden parents Matsuzo and Matsuyo. Rather than the uniform naivety of their younger selves, each brother has developed a sharply defined personality: Osomatsu's gambling obsession, Karamatsu's inflated self-image, Choromatsu's feigned responsibility, Ichimatsu's sharp-tongued ennui, Jyushimatsu's airheaded baseball enthusiasm, and Todomatsu's manipulative cuteness. The series simply follows these brothers through their everyday, and occasionally fabricated, routines in a contemporary Japanese town.

The Sextuplets

Each of the six Matsuno brothers is distinguished by a trademark color, a unique physical quirk, and a well-defined comedic archetype. Osomatsu, the eldest and self-proclaimed leader, is a self-centered pachinko and horse-betting addict voiced by Takahiro Sakurai. Karamatsu, voiced by Yuichi Nakamura, believes himself far cooler than reality warrants, addresses his fangirls as 'Karamatsu Girls,' and is recognizable by his thick eyebrows. Choromatsu, voiced by Hiroshi Kamiya, plays the responsible straight man while secretly indulging his otaku side, marked by an angular mouth, smaller pupils, and the complete absence of a cowlick. Ichimatsu, voiced by Jun Fukuyama, is the group's sharp-tongued loner, a cat-loving figure of unbridled ennui with tired eyes and a hunched posture. Jyushimatsu, voiced by Daisuke Ono, is an energetic yet airheaded baseball fan whose wide-open mouth and single cowlick—versus his siblings' two—make him the most enigmatic of the six. Todomatsu, voiced by Miyu Irino, is the most outgoing, wielding his youngest-brother cuteness and catlike features as social tools.

Production & Release History

Mr. Osomatsu launched with its first season in October 2015, running through March 2016, followed by a special episode in December 2016. A second season followed from October 2017 to March 2018, and a third from October 2020 to March 2021. The fourth season aired from July to October 2025, though its final episode experienced an extended delay and did not premiere until June 2026. Beyond television, the franchise expanded into three theatrical films, released in March 2019, July 2022, and July 2023. A manga adaptation by Masako Shitaro ran in Shueisha's You magazine from January 2016 to October 2018 before transferring to the Cookie magazine, where it continued until November 2020. In October 2023, a spin-off short series titled Matsu Inu reimagined the sextuplets as dogs, airing through December of that year. For international audiences, Viz Media licensed the first two seasons for distribution across the Americas.

Supporting Cast & World

Beyond the brothers, the series builds a colorful orbit of supporting characters who anchor the comedic world. Totoko, voiced by Aya Endo, serves as the self-styled heroine, desperately pursuing a fish-themed idol career while revealing a vicious streak when her image is threatened. Iyami, voiced by Kenichi Suzumura, is a gaudy con artist and former childhood enemy who has fallen into homelessness, now living under a bridge. Chibita, voiced by Sachi Kokuryu, escaped his childhood poverty to run an oden stand the brothers frequent, acting as their voice of reason. The parents, Matsuzo and Matsuyo, remain malaise-ridden yet continue supporting their adult children. Hatabo, a multibillionaire with a flag in his head who rides a tricycle, and Dekapan, a genial scientist in striped boxers conducting town experiments, add absurd layers. Dayon serves as Dekapan's big-mouthed lab assistant. Nyaa Hashimoto, a cat-themed idol and Choromatsu's obsession, becomes a single mother in the third season. Two AI robots, Salmon and Pickled Plum, were introduced early in season three to assist the brothers.