Chiikawa the hamster, Hachiware the cat, and Usagi the rabbit are the protagonists of the animated series Chiikawa.

A poster for the 2023 mini-drama The Double Life of My Billionaire Husband.

Realism in animation

Recently, Chiikawa, a tiny hamster, has risen to prominence as a beloved anime character among Chinese youth, amassing over 900 million views on Chinese lifestyle platform Xiaohongshu.

Chiikawa, also known as Something Small and Cute, is an animated series based on a manga by Japanese author Mamoru Nagano. The storyline revolves around three adorable protagonists: Chiikawa the hamster, Hachiware the cat, and Usagi the rabbit.

This anime offers a distinctive perspective, blending real-life challenges with charming, simple visuals. These characters strive to earn a living and confront monsters, emphasizing the idea that even in this delightfully animated world, success stems from hard work rather than magic.

Despite lacking the superhuman abilities often depicted in anime, the main characters maintain a hopeful attitude and always support one another, resonating deeply with young audiences.

"It's a story about a world full of harsh realities through the gentlest of imagery — how could it not capture our hearts?" one netizen commented.

Drama sparks debate

A recent post entitled "A couple earns over 400 million monthly from producing mini-dramas" has sparked discussions on Sina Weibo, drawing attention to the economic significance of this emerging entertainment style among Chinese netizens.

Mini-dramas, often shot in portrait mode for better display on a phone screen, compress captivating storylines into bite-sized episodes, using exaggerated performances to maximize excitement. Each episode usually concludes abruptly at a thrilling moment, leaving viewers eager for more. On some mini-platforms, payment is required to access content beyond the first few episodes.

These mini-program platforms have raised concerns, particularly among older viewers who may accidentally incur charges by selecting the "automatically unlock the next episode by default" option, which can be misleading. Worries about inconsistent content quality and unfair pricing have also caught the attention of both the public and the government.

As of December 2023, the State Administration of Press, Publication, Radio, Film and Television of China had implemented additional regulations for online mini-dramas. Since then, video and social media platforms like Douyin, Kuaishou, and WeChat have taken measures to comply with these regulations.