Ohayō! Spank (おはよう!スパンク, Ohayō! Supanku, lit. Good morning! Spank) is a Japanese shōjo manga written by Shun’ichi Yukimuro and drawn by Shizue Takanashi. The series has been adapted as an anime television series, broadcast in Japan from 1981 to 1982 for 66 episodes, and a theatrical movie released in 1982. In 1981, it received the Kodansha Manga Award for the shōjo category.

Plot

Spank (voiced by Noriko Tsukase), the main character and regular protagonist, is a dog whose owner went missing on the high seas. While awaiting his return Spank strays at the beach every day. One day he meets Aiko Morimura (voiced by Mari Okamoto), a junior high school student, whose father also went missing on a yacht tour ten years ago. Her mother, a designer of hats, left for Paris, leaving Aiko in the care of her uncle, Mr. Fujinami. Abandoned, Aiko believes that her father is still alive and awaits his return. She’s recently lost her pet dog, Papi, a good-bye present from her mother, in a car accident, leaving her totally devastated. In the course of the anime, Spank begins to lighten up her gloomy mood as he is a clumsy, merry, big-hearted dog. Whereas, Spank finds his love in the pet cat of Aiko’s classmate. However, later, he finds in love with a blue dog named Fan Fan. At the end of the anime, despite Spank ruining everything, all will be forgiven cheerfully and all will really fall in love.

Characters

Regular

• Spank (スパンク, Supanku) A little white dog with black/brown ears.
• Torakichi (トラ吉) A cat that is a rival but occasional friend of Spank.
• Aiko Morimura (森村 愛子, Morumura Aiko) A 14-year-old girl. She is Spank’s reluctant master.

Main

• Shinako Yoshimura (芳村 科子, Yoshimura Shinako) Aiko and Ryo’s friend.
• Ryoichi Shinoda (篠田 亮一, Shinoda Ryōichi) Aiko and Shinako’s friend. He enjoys art like his friend Shinako.
• Seiya Tsukahara (塚原 誠也, Tsukahara Seiya) Baron’s master.
• Serino Mihara (美原 せりの, Mihara Serino) A snobby rich girl. She is the same age as Aiko and her pet is a female cat named Cat.
• Oyama – Torakichi’s master.
• Cat – A female cat that is a snob like her master Serino. Torakichi and Spank have a crush on her.
• Fan Fan – A cute little dog. Spank have a crush on her.
• Baron – A dog friend of Torakichi and Spank.

References

Good Morning! Spank
Promotional image from Ohayō! Spank featuring the main character
おはよう!スパンク (Ohayō! Supanku)
Genre	Comedy
Manga
Written by	Shun’ichi Yukimuro
Illustrated by	Shizue Takanashi
Published by	Kodansha
Magazine	Nakayoshi
Demographic	Shōjo
Original run	February 1979 – March 1982
Volumes	7
Anime television series
Directed by	Shigetsugu Yoshida
Written by	Yutaka Kaneko Yoshimi Shinozaki Masāki Sakurai Chifude Asakura
Music by	Kouji Makaino Tetsuo Ueno
Studio	Tokyo Movie Shinsha
Original network	TV Tokyo
Original run	March 7, 1981 – May 29, 1982
Episodes	66
Anime film
Directed by	Shigetsugu Yoshida
Produced by	Yutaka Fujioka
Written by	Chifude Asakura Hiroshi Kaneko Masaaki Sakurai Yoshimi Shinozaki
Music by	Kouji Makaino Tetsuo Ueno
Studio	Tokyo Movie Shinsha
Released	March 13, 1982
Runtime	95 minutes