Ichimatsu Matsuno (松野一松 Matsuno Ichimatsu) is a major character in the 1960s comedy manga series Osomatsu-kun, as well as it's 2010s comedy anime sequel-spinoff Osomatsu-san. Alongside his five brothers, he is one of the focal characters of the series. His name derives from 市松 (ichimatsu, "checkered"), referring to a check pattern, but with the first kanji replaced with that for "one". He was voiced by Jun Fukuyama in the Japanese dub and Kyle McCarley in the American English dub.
Appearance[]
In Osomatsu-kun, Ichimatsu appears identically to all of his brothers, sporting the same yellow-buttoned, blue outfit and dull blue-gray pants with brown shoes. His irises are black and he has a recognizable bowl cut with two cowlicks, traits they also all share. Later in life, in Osomatsu-san, Ichimatsu becomes more distinct as an adult: though the brothers all sport identical outfits that match their original series designs rather accurately (the pants are more gray, and a dress shirt underneath is more distinct and dons a tie), each brother more typically wears a color-specific hoodie throughout much of the series. In Ichimatsu's case, his distinctive color is purple. His eyelids droop near-constantly, and his hair is usually portrayed as notably messier than that of his brother's neater bowl cuts. He also usually hunches over, making him appear shorter despite being the same height as his brothers. Ichimatsu also often wears a white surgical mask over his mouth- a semi-common thing to do in Japan to be courteous of the spread of germs, but presumably, it also aids Ichimatsu in his efforts to keep ostracized and asocial from others. In "The Ichimatsu Incident", he wears a black leather jacket with greyish-white tank top underneath, black sunglasses, and blue jeans with skull belt.
Personality[]
In Osomatsu-kun, Ichimatsu has a rather stock personality, interchangeable with that of his brothers at any given time. While occasionally given traits, they aren't overly consistent to him in particular, and often in appearances individual brothers aren't even named, making it hard to single him out from his siblings. Later in life, he comes to find his own personality: In Osomatsu-san, Ichimatsu, like his brothers, is not the most upstanding nor moral person. He often causes petty problems and has few real aspirations, being a shut-in NEET. He also has a very muted exterior, being a quiet, shut-in person that prefers not to talk to others. He bottles in his emotions and is, as a result, also prone to outbursts when provoked. Karamatsu is the most common recipient of these outbursts, though all the Matsunos and anyone else is also liable to provoke him. Ichimatsu is noted to have a soft spot, and even a preference to cats, whom he flocks towards, even keeping one after a character-centric episode in which it first appears to him for longer into the series. He also has a particularly close relationship to Jyushimatsu Matsuno, of his brothers. While he often berates his younger sibling, he also seems to be protective of him, and the two are often paired together as a duo in episodes for various tasks and happenings. His disdain for Karamatsu, whom he often derisively refers to as 'Shittymatsu' (lit. Kusomatsu), is suggested to come from feelings of jealously and bitterness, and the two can often get along once Ichimatsu lets his walls down. Overall, despite his rough exterior, Ichimatsu may be the most empathetic of all the Matsuno siblings.
Quotes[]
- "They escaped. Getting help I'm sure."
- "Twelve more minutes? We needed to be tail-lights in seven."
- "Yes? Why?"
- "You did not just say that." (Ichimatsu to Kenshiro Daimon)
- "Choromatsu, you need to see this!"