Kara Dennison
September 22, 2024 
My Deer Friend Nokotan has never not been weird, but it brought out all the stops for its final episode this week. And by “all the stops,” we mean guest stars—real-world guest stars! As part of its plot (so to speak), the episode introduced deer-themed mascots from across Japan. And as weird as they are, they’re all very real!
You don’t need to know a thing about these guest stars to navigate the episode. Frankly, we barely know what’s going on from week to week, anyway. But for the curious, we’ve got a run-down of the mascots who appeared in the show’s hard-hitting finale!
Kyun-chan
The first deer mascot to enter the world of My Deer Friend Nokotan isn’t actually a deer! Kyun-chan is a pika—an adorable mountain-dwelling rodent. You may have seen these sweethearts in Instagram reels, either squeaking adorably or showing how they stay warm by fluffing up.
Kyun-chan is Hokkaido’s tourism mascot. But, due to being shy, this spokesrodent tends to wear a deer hood. You can also catch Kyun-chan sporting hoods resembling other animals, including bears and sheep.
Chikamaru-kun
What exactly Nokotan of My Deer Friend Nokotan is is a constant point of contention. Is she human, or is she deer? Friendly mascot Chikamaru-kun, however, doubles down: he’s a deer in a deer costume! Specifically, he’s a cartoonish mascot who dresses as a more “realistic” deer.
Chikamaru-kun is the mascot of the island city of Ojika Town. This little town prides itself on maintaining its historical culture and traditions, with a heavy focus on fishing and agriculture.
Sento-kun
One of Japan’s most famous (or perhaps infamous) mascot characters, Sento-kun has a major presence in the final episode of My Deer Friend Nokotan. He debuted in 2010 to commemorate the 1300th anniversary of Nara Heijō-kyō, the ancient capital of Japan. Sporting deer antlers due to Nara’s view of deer as protectors of the city, Sento-kun is something of a “guardian spirit.”
That said, he’s drawn his far share of controversy over the years. His design, not dissimilar from a Buddha, has been called blasphemous by some. Others simply find his face a bit creepy. Even so, he’s a mainstay of Nara. And, just as in the anime, you can catch him dancing to his own theme song at live events. He’s even done the anime’s famous opening dance!
Relive the opening of My Deer Friend Nokotan and other catchy summer anime themes!
