Starting Saturday, October 3, BS Yoshimoto will begin airing Funbarus, an anime based on the original characters born from the plush toy of the same name. The program also includes a segment in which Yoneda 2000, who take part as voice actors, perform short skits together with the Funbarus characters.
The Popular Funbarus Plush Comes to Life as an Anime
Funbarus is a plush toy that is tucked between the desk and the user's stomach to support them, so that people working at a desk do not slouch by accident. Since Dreams Co., Ltd. (株式会社ドリームズ) released it in 2023, the lineup has grown to include a sloth, a monkey, a duck, and a rabbit, building a unique world that has won many fans.
Now the Funbarus characters will move in a five-minute short program on BS Yoshimoto. Each episode consists of two 2-minute short anime, produced entirely with a "2D x AI hybrid" approach that uses AI technology.
Every episode begins with a daydream by Nossori (ノッソリー), an easygoing sloth (voiced by Wataru Komada). Together with fellow Funbarus characters such as Montan (モンタン) the monkey (voiced by Kotaro Nishiyama) and Hop (ホップ) the rabbit (voiced by Sayuri Hara), he plays out slightly strange but heartwarming animation.
Yoneda 2000 Make Their Voice Acting Debut and Perform Live-Action Skits With Funbarus
The other highlight of the program is a live-action skit segment in which Yoneda 2000, who also voice characters in the series, team up with the Funbarus characters.
Yoneda 2000 were finalists in the M-1 Grand Prix (TV Asahi network) twice, in 2022 and 2025. Their routines, built on movement and rhythm in their own distinctive style, are sometimes described as "surreal and offbeat." They are built on a free-spirited world that only the pair can create, and many fans find them addictive. The skits with the Funbarus characters are filled with that Yoneda 2000 world.
This series is also Yoneda 2000's first voice acting work. Ai plays Johnny (ジョニー) the duck, and Makoto plays the human.
Yoneda 2000's voice acting begins with the first episode, and the live-action skits begin in the third week. The program airs on Saturday nights.
Program Information
Anime Funbarus
- Channel: BS Yoshimoto (BS Channel 265)
- Broadcast: Episode 1 airs on Saturday, October 3, from 11:25 PM to 11:30 PM
- Cast: Wataru Komada, Kotaro Nishiyama, Sayuri Hara, Kenta Miyake, Ai (Yoneda 2000), Kento Shiraishi, Hiroaki Tajiri, Hayato Kimura, Koki Miyata, Mitsuhiro Sakamaki, Nanami Yamashita, Madoka Asahina, Makoto (Yoneda 2000), and others
- How to Watch: TV: BS Channel 265 (free broadcast); Smartphone/PC: https://video.bsy.co.jp/ (free streaming)
- Official Website: https://bsy.co.jp/programs/by0000030159
