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Jewelpet (TV series)

From Alfawiki
Adapted from the English Wikipedia article Jewelpet (TV series), available under CC BY-SA 4.0Updated 11 August 2025
Jewelpet
Company typeFranchise
IndustryAnime, Manga, Toys
Founded2009
FounderSanrio and Sega Sammy Holdings
ProductsAnime series, theatrical movie, shōjo manga adaptations, light novel, stage performances, toys
ParentSanrio, Sega Sammy Holdings

{{Infobox animanga/Video | type = tv series | title = Jewelpet Sunshine | director = Takayuki Inagaki | producer = Hideyuki Kachi
Ryosuke Ono | writer = Yūko Kakihara | music = Shirō Hamaguchi | studio = Studio Comet | network = TXN (TV Tokyo) | network_en = | first = 9 April 2011 | last = 31 March 2012 | episodes = 52 |}

Jewelpet, a Japanese fantasy anime series, debuted in 2009 and was produced by Studio Comet. The show is adapted from the Jewelpet franchise, a collaboration between Sanrio and Sega Sammy Holdings. The screenplay was crafted by Atsushi Maekawa, with Nanako Sasaki directing, Kazuya Watanabe producing, and character designs by Tomoko Miyakawa. It aired on TV Osaka and TV Tokyo from April 2009 until March 2010, succeeding Onegai My Melody Kirara★ in the lineup.

This production marked Studio Comet’s second adaptation of a Sanrio intellectual property. The series distinguishes itself within the magical girl genre through its focus on themes such as magic, witches, and alchemy. The original installment led to six subsequent seasons, a theatrical movie, three officially licensed shōjo manga adaptations, an authorized light novel, and several stage performances. During its broadcast history, the series transitioned from TV Osaka to TV Tokyo. Each season introduces unique characters and narratives, reflecting a deliberate strategy to diversify the franchise.

European distribution rights for the initial two seasons are held by Crunchyroll SAS (formerly Viz Media Europe). Unlike many other Sanrio properties, Jewelpet has not been officially launched in the United States market.

Overview

The franchise’s anime began in 2009 with a storyline centered on Rinko Kougyoku as the protagonist. Following its conclusion in 2010, six additional seasons were produced, each featuring new human leads alongside Ruby, the main Jewelpet character. While each season presents distinct plots, some contain references to earlier storylines.

Setting

The narrative primarily unfolds between two realms: Jewel Land and Earth. Jewel Land serves as the residence for magicians and Jewelpets who attend Magic Academy to study magic and alchemy. Each installment portrays a different interpretation of Jewel Land, resulting in separate canonical continuities.

Earth represents the human world where only a select few individuals are aware of Jewel Land’s existence. In some later seasons, Earth's significance diminishes but remains acknowledged within certain episodes.

Plot

Jewelpet

Jewelpets in Jewel Land were transformed into Jewel Charms for rest purposes, with the exception of Ruby, a white rabbit Jewelpet. Due to a delivery error, these charms scatter across Takaragaseki City on Earth. Ruby is dispatched to retrieve them and collaborates with student Rinko Kougyoku and her friends to recover all Jewelpets before an antagonistic Jewelpet named Diana can do so.

Jewelpet Twinkle☆

Ruby’s magic is occasionally unreliable, prompting her to be sent to the Human World in search of a compatible partner. She encounters Akari Sakura who becomes her partner after receiving a Jewel Charm. Together they endeavor to gather twelve Jewel Stones to compete in the Jewel Star Grand Prix, where victors are granted three wishes.

Jewelpet Sunshine

Set at Sunshine Academy within Jewel Land where humans and Jewelpets study jointly. Ruby and her classmates—known as the "Class of Lost Causes"—strive towards graduation despite numerous obstacles and comedic mishaps. Ruby also navigates her romantic interests while managing a challenging roommate.

Jewelpet Kira☆Deco!

After a meteorite crashes and shatters the Mirror Ball into Deco Stones scattered across Jewel Land, Ruby—who owns the Kira Kira Shop—teams up with friends and the KiraDeco 5 group to collect these stones and thwart Eternal Darkness from engulfing the human world.

Jewelpet Happiness

Ruby inherits responsibility for the Magical Jewel Box and must build friendships, gather Magic Jewels, attend Jewel Academy, and run the struggling Jewelpet Café. With assistance from three middle school students—Chiari Tsukikage, Nene Konoe, and Ruruka Hanayama—they collaborate to revive the café and safeguard the Magical Jewel Box.

The Fuss at the Jewel Festival

As Ruby prepares for the annual Jewel Festival, a newcomer named Lolip arrives. Despite lacking magical abilities, Lolip befriends Ruby and endeavors to find her place while assisting with festival preparations amid various challenges.


Development and production

Jewelpet

The anime received approval in 2008 and was unveiled at the 2009 Tokyo Toy Forum to align with the franchise's debut. Sanrio enlisted Studio Comet to develop an anime adaptation of the Jewelpet toy collection as Onegai My Melody Kirara★ was nearing its conclusion. Early concepts concentrated exclusively on Jewel Charms and Jewel Land, featuring characters portrayed as witches on a quest to find Jewelpets and battle Dark Magic, echoing themes from Onegai My Melody. Ruby’s character was altered from being courteous to somewhat absent-minded to better capture her jewel-inspired nature, a modification extended to other characters as well.

The production process involved a partnership between Sega and Sanrio, bringing in fresh voice talent such as former Morning Musume member Kamei Eri and AKINA. The show targeted a youthful audience similar to that of Onegai My Melody, with promotional trailers broadcast during Onegai My Melody Kirara★ prior to its official launch on 5 April 2009. The series wrapped up on 28 March 2010.

While ratings in the Kanto region were moderate and competed with Dragon Ball Kai and One Piece, robust merchandise sales encouraged Sanrio to promote Jewelpet internationally, aiming for sales of 5 billion yen. Ultimately, the franchise achieved 6 billion yen in revenue thanks to the anime’s success, significantly enhancing its market influence.

Jewelpet Twinkle

Development commenced in late 2009 amidst the airing of the initial series. Building on moderate achievements, Sanrio tasked Studio Comet with producing a second installment featuring a new narrative direction. The broadcast shifted from Sundays on TV Osaka to Saturdays on TV Tokyo. Innovations included portraying Jewel Charms as magical artifacts and setting the story within a Magic Academy where Jewelpets train as magicians, merging real-world school elements with a more serious plot.

The protagonist’s hometown drew inspiration from Hayama, Kanagawa, with production staff visiting locales like Morito Beach for accurate depiction. Returning crew members included Michiru Shimada, Yukiko Ibe, Takashi Yamamoto, Takashi Yamada, and Yuki Entatsu. Airing from 3 April 2010 through 2 April 2011, the series garnered strong ratings and sales among its intended audience.

Jewelpet Sunshine

Production started in late 2010 with a focus on an older viewer base. The school concept transitioned from a magical academy to a modern-day environment featuring distinct perspectives of Jewel Land and Earth. Directed by Takuyaki Inagaki (known for Muv-Luv Alternative: Total Eclipse) and scripted by Yuko Kakihara (Persona 4: The Animation), each episode contained two stories inspired by slice-of-life comedy styles similar to Gin Tama.

Sunshine highlighted gag-driven narratives parodying Japanese comedy from the 1980s alongside pop culture references spanning the ’80s and ’90s across television, anime, manga, and music. The show aired between 9 April 2011 and 31 March 2012 and received two accolades at the 2011 Japanese Otaku Awards for its distinctive storytelling approach.

Jewelpet Kira Deco!

Production began in late 2011 with a return to a fully episodic structure while retaining comedic elements introduced in Sunshine. Composer Shirō Hamaguchi departed to work on One Piece Film: Z; Cher Watanabe assumed musical responsibilities under Universal Music Japan. Key personnel from Onegai My Melody rejoined the project, including Kazuyuki Fudeyasu as scriptwriter.

The storyline focused on Deco—a design style based on rhinestones—and merged magical themes from Twinkle with Sunshine’s humor. The narrative follows five characters searching for Deco Stones within Jewel Land alongside the Legendary Jewelpet. Episodes featured main plots accompanied by short segments.

Child actress Mana Ashida performed both the opening and ending theme songs. This series was broadcast from 7 April 2012 until 30 March 2013.

Jewelpet Happiness

First announced through Shogakukan’s Pucchigumi magazine, the fifth installment introduced Rossa—the franchise’s 40th Jewelpet—associated with Sega Toys’ Jewel Music Pod. Director Hiroaki Sakurai (Cromartie High School) joined the team along with sound director Shuhei Abe.

Voice cast included Megumi Han, Ikumi Hayama, Mai Aizawa, Ayaka Saito (returning as Ruby for the sixth time), and Ai Kayano. At a press event held at Sanrio Puroland on 2 April 2013, Saito described her character Chiari as "a goofy yet energetic girl." The Japanese idol group Fairies performed the opening theme released in early summer 2013; member Ito Momoka expressed enthusiasm about performing at Sanrio Puroland.

The series premiered on 6 April 2013 and ended on 29 March 2014.

Anime

The inaugural anime installment was broadcast on TV Osaka and TV Tokyo from 5 April 2009 through 26 March 2010, taking over the timeslot from Onegai My Melody Kirara★. It is accessible via the Japanese streaming platform U-NEXT and, in celebration of the franchise’s 10th anniversary, began streaming on Sanrio’s official YouTube channel starting 13 June 2019.

Legacy

Building on the initial series’ popularity, multiple sequels were developed, each introducing fresh main characters and new locales within Jewel Land. The second series, , aired on TV Tokyo from 3 April 2010 until 2 April 2011, encompassing 52 episodes. This installment was directed by Takashi Yamamoto with production by Hideyuki Kachi, and featured character designs by Yukiko Ibe. An OVA episode titled accompanied its Blu-ray box set release in July 2013.

The third series, , was broadcast between 9 April 2011 and 31 March 2012. Takayuki Inagaki served as director and Yuko Kakihara as scriptwriter, while Mariko Fujita handled character design.

Following this, the fourth series, , aired from 7 April 2012 to 30 March 2013. It was directed by Makoto Moriwaki with Kazuyuki Fudeyasu writing the scripts, and saw the return of Tomoko Miyakawa as character designer.

The fifth installment, , debuted on 6 April 2013 and concluded on 29 March 2014 under the direction of Hiroaki Sakurai.

The sixth series, , was announced through Sanrio’s official Anime Twitter account and aired from 5 April 2014 to 28 March 2015, commemorating the anime’s fifth anniversary.

The seventh and concluding series, , was unveiled at the 2015 Winter Wonder Festival and broadcast from 4 April to 26 December 2015.

Additionally, an original net animation titled was produced by AIC Project and began streaming on Sega Toys’ YouTube channel in February 2016.

A special episode named aired on 11 August 2017 during the second season of Rilu Rilu Fairilu.

Films

A feature-length film entitled Jewelpet the Movie: Sweets Dance Princess, directed by Hiroaki Sakurai and distributed by Toho, premiered in Japanese cinemas on 11 August 2012.

An original video animation called Jewelpet Attack Travel!, produced by Ashi Productions and directed by Hiroshi Negishi, made its debut on Niconico Live on 14 May 2022. Initially slated for theatrical release on 7 February 2020 alongside Kukuriraige: Sanxingdui Fantasy, it faced indefinite postponement due to COVID-19-related production delays. Sanrio later announced its Blu-ray release as part of the Jewelpet Sunshine BD-BOX on 27 July 2022. This short film serves as a crossover between Jewelpet and NG Knight Ramune & 40.

Music

Shirō Hamaguchi composed the music for the first three series; Cher Watanabe took over for the fourth series; and Wataru Maeguchi composed for the fifth series. Music direction duties were managed by Takuya Hiramitsu (series one) and Yoshikazu Iwanami (series two through five).

Series one featured two theme songs: the opening track Really? Seriously! Magical☆Jewel performed by Yui Asaka, and the ending theme The Smile's Loop sung by Mitsuko Horie with lyrics penned by Yuriko Mori. The second series’ themes included an opening song titled Happy☆Twinkle performed by Kayano Masuyama alongside Ayaka Saito and Miyuki Sawashiro, plus an ending theme Scribbling at the Sky delivered by Natsumi Takamori, Ayana Taketatsu, and Azusa Kataoka.

For Jewelpet Sunshine, the opening theme was GO! GO! Sunshine by Mayumi Gojo while the ending theme Nowadays girl was sung by Kayano Masuyama with Misuzu Mochizuki. The Kira Deco series featured both opening Happy Lucky☆Go! and ending Friends Forever and Ever, performed by Mana Ashida with lyrics and composition credited to Natsumi Watanabe and Shingo Asari.

The Happiness series had two official themes: episodes one through thirty-nine used At the End of the Light, while episodes forty through fifty-two featured RUN with U, both performed by the idol group Fairies.

A comprehensive CD compilation containing all official opening and ending themes from all seven Jewelpet series was released by Frontier Works on 22 July 2016.

Novel

A spin-off light novel titled was launched on 11 May 2012 under Kadokawa's Tsubasa Bunko Children's Light Novels imprint. Authored by Hiroko Kanasugi with illustrations by POP, this novel features an original character known as the "Jewelpet" , and centers on her adventures alongside Ruby and other companions as they prepare for the Jewel Festival in Jewel Land.

Video releases

In Japan, Marvelous Inc. distributed seventeen Region 2 DVD volumes for the inaugural series, typically including three episodes per volume, except for the final one which contained four.

During the broadcast of Jewelpet Twinkle, Nippon Columbia released multiple DVD volumes. On 22 July 2011, Frontier Works offered a DVD Box set. Capitalizing on the series' success at Comiket, several "Fan Discs" featuring episodes and exclusive content were issued: the initial release on 9 September 2011; Fan Disc F with a unique anime opening video on 16 January 2012; and a Blu-ray fan disc on 9 September 2012, preceded by a Limited Edition version on 10 August 2012. Additionally, a Blu-ray box set became available on 21 July 2013, which included an Original Video Animation episode, a second official soundtrack, and an official illustration booklet showcasing promotional artwork.

For Jewelpet Sunshine, standard DVD editions were provided by Nippon Columbia, followed by DVD box sets from Victor Entertainment. Four box sets were released between December 2011 and September 2012, each containing four discs covering half of the series. These editions exclude licensed songs due to copyright restrictions.

Official DVD releases for Jewelpet Kira Deco commenced on 22 August 2012 through Universal Music Japan, comprising six rental volumes. Later, Victor Entertainment announced a Blu-ray Selection Box set on 20 September 2013 featuring sixteen carefully chosen episodes.

Regarding Jewelpet Happiness, TC Entertainment—associated with Tokyo Broadcasting System Holdings, Mainichi Broadcasting System, and Chubu-Nippon Broadcasting—issued four official DVD box sets. Each box set contains four discs covering half of the series and was released between October 2013 and June 2014.

See also

Anime

Light novel

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