Kumiko | Ghibli+BreezeWiki

Kumiko (クミコ , Kumiko) is a supporting character and friend of Sōsuke and a student at Himawari Nursery School in the flim. Kumiko is voiced by Eimi Hiraoka in Japanese and Jenessa Rose in English by 2009.

Appearance

A slender, small 5-year-old, Kumiko has short brown wavy hair with matching eyes and a pink bow tie on the top of her head. She wears a sky blue dress with a small pink ribbon and white Capri-like pants or bloomers with a pink pair of shoes.

Personality

Kumiko is a sensitive and impulsive little girl who emphasizes her feelings for Sōsuke, showing him her new dress as well as requesting a ride on his boat. Generally, she's not the best role model among her classmates.

History

Kumiko greets Sōsuke at the nursery school where she shows him her new dress. Another classmate with her plush elephant comes up to him and asks him to play, however, he states that he is busy. Kumiko argues, stating he is too young to be busy, and walks away with the words, "You're so weird!."

Sōsuke then goes outside to check on Ponyo, who he is holding in a bucket. Kumiko shows up behind him and tells him he is not allowed to bring things to school, to which he replies that he is not taking it on school grounds and tries to hide Ponyo in the bushes. She then peeks over and sees Ponyo, telling Sōsuke to let her see. He reluctantly agrees after she has promised to not tell anyone about Ponyo. Upon seeing Kumiko, Ponyo snobbishly turns from her direction. Kumiko gets annoyed at this and begins to insult on Ponyo's unusual appearance, (calling her fat in the original version, and boring in the US dub) which offends Ponyo and she spits a stream of water at her, soaking her new dress. Kumiko then bursts into tears and Sōsuke sees this as a chance to escape.

She later appears among the people in boats following the tsunami and asks Sōsuke and Ponyo if she can come with them, only for Sōsuke to say again that he is busy.

Quotes

Kumiko: "Sōsuke!"
Sōsuke: "Kumiko!"
Kumiko: "Look at me! My mother made me a new dress! Isn't it pretty?!"
—Kumiko to Sōsuke

Etymology

The name Kumiko is written in katakana (クミコ), which has no special meaning. However, when written in kanji (久美子), it could possibly mean "long time" (久) (ku), "beautiful" (美) (mi) and "child" (子) (ko).

Gallery

Trivia

She bears a slight resemblance to a younger version of Kiki from Kiki's Delivery Service, including the bow on her head.
She mentions, only in the Japanese version, that she has her own goldfish.

Navigation

Ponyo
Characters
Main Cast	Ponyo \| Sōsuke
Ponyo's Family	Fujimoto \| Granmamare \| Ponyo's Sisters
Sōsuke's Family	Lisa \| Kōichi
Retirement Home	Toki \| Yoshie \| Kayo
Others	Karen \| Kumiko \| Junior \| Junior's Parents \| Bridge Guard \| Newscaster \| Sea Monster
Miscellaneous
Locations	Sōsuke's House \| Himawari Nursery School \| Koganei Maru \| Underwater Harbor
Objects	Green Bucket \| Jellyfish \| Sōsuke's Boat
Music	Soundtrack \| Gake no Ue no Ponyo

V • T • E

Studio Ghibli

Animated features

Feature films	Castle in the Sky (1986) • Grave of the Fireflies (1988) • My Neighbor Totoro (1988) • Kiki's Delivery Service (1989) • Only Yesterday (1991) • Porco Rosso (1992) • Ocean Waves (1993) • Pom Poko (1994) • Whisper of the Heart (1995) • Princess Mononoke (1997) • My Neighbors the Yamadas (1999) • Spirited Away (2001) • The Cat Returns (2002) • Howl's Moving Castle (2004) • Tales from Earthsea (2006) • Ponyo (2008) • The Secret World of Arrietty (2010) • From Up on Poppy Hill (2011) • The Wind Rises (2013) • The Tale of the Princess Kaguya (2013) • When Marnie Was There (2014) • Earwig and the Witch (2020) • The Boy and the Heron (2023)

Short films	Nandarō • On Your Mark • Ghiblies • Film Guru Guru • Ghiblies Episode 2 • Imaginary Flying Machines • The Invention of Imaginary Machines of Destruction • The Whale Hunt • Koro's Big Day Out • Mei and the Kittenbus • Looking for a Home • The Day I Bought a Star • The Night of Taneyamagahara • Water Spider Monmon • Iblard Jikan • A Sumo Wrestler's Tail • Mr. Dough and the Egg Princess • Treasure Hunting • Giant God Warrior Appears in Tokyo • Boro the Caterpillar

Documentaries

The Story of Yanagawa's Canals (1987) • Miyazaki and Kurosawa Fireside Chat (1993) • Ghibli Was Born This Way: A Birth Story Spelled Out With Reproduced Images (1998) • World Journey of My Memory / Journey of the Heart (1998) • How Princess Mononoke Was Born (2001) • Lasseter-San, Arigato! (2003) • Hayao Miyazaki Produces a CD (2004) • Yasuo Otsuka's Joy of Motion (2004) • Hayao Miyazaki and the Ghibli Museum (2005) • Ghibli: The Miyazaki Temple (2005) • The Work of Toshio Suzuki (2006) • Scenery of Ghibli (2006) • A Ghibli Artisan – Kazuo Oga Exhibition – The Man Who Painted Totoro's Forest (2007) • How Ponyo Was Born (2009) • Poppy Hill - 300 Days of War Between Father and Son (2011) • Ghibli's Bookshelf (2011) • The Kingdom of Dreams and Madness (2013) • Until The End of The Creation of When Marnie Was There (2015) • Never-Ending Man: Hayao Miyazaki (2016) • NHK Image File: I Want To Meet This Person - Isao Takahata, Animation Film Director (2018) • 10 Years with Hayao Miyazaki (2019) • Hayao Miyazaki and the Heron (2023)

Television series

The Blue Seed (1992) • Ronja, the Robber's Daughter (2014)

Concerts

Joe Hisaishi in Budokan • Joe Hisaishi Symphonic Concert: The Music of Studio Ghibli

Video games

Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind (Video Game) • Jade Cocoon: Story of the Tamamayu • Jade Cocoon 2 • Magic Pengel: The Quest for Color • Ni no Kuni (Series) • Ni no Kuni: Dominion of the Dark Djinn • Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch • Ni no Kuni II: Revenant Kingdom

Printed works

Animage • Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind (manga) • Starting Point: 1979-1996 • Turning Point: 1997-2008 • Kaze no Kaerubasho • People of the Desert • The Age of the Flying Boat • Hayao Miyazaki's Daydream Data Notes • To My Sister • The Journey of Shuna • Studio Ghibli's Trajectory as Seen on Animage (1984-2011) • The Art of My Neighbor Totoro • The Art of Castle in the Sky • The Art of Kiki's Delivery Service • The Art of Porco Rosso • Princess Mononoke: The First Story • The Place Where Totoro Was Born • The Bountiful Food of Studio Ghibli • Children's Picture Book Ghibli's Dining Table Earwig and the Witch

Co-Productions

Flying City Plan • Shiki-Jitsu (Studio Kajino) • Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence • Nasu: Summer in Andalusia • Nasu: A Migratory Bird with Suitcase • Portable Airport • Red Crow and the Ghost Ship • Space Station No. 9 • The Red Turtle

Pre-Ghibli works

Hustle Punch (1965) • Horus, Prince of the Sun (1968) • Animal Treasure Island (1971) • Lupin the Third Part I (1971) • Panda! Go, Panda! (1972) • Heidi, Girl of the Alps (1974) • Dog of Flanders (1975) • Future Boy Conan (1978) • Anne of Green Gables (1979) • Lupin III: The Castle of Cagliostro (1979) • Chie the Brat (1981) • 3000 Leagues in Search of Mother (1981) • Gauche the Cellist (1982) • Sherlock Hound (1984) • Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind (1984)

Ghibli-related labels

Animage • Animage Home Video • Ghibli ga Ippai Collection • Ghibli Museum • Ghibli Museum Library • Ghibli Park • Totoro no Furusato Foundation • Totoro no Mori

Unproduced projects

Border 1939

Related productions

Like the Clouds, Like the Wind • Mary and the Witch's Flower • Modest Heroes • Natsuzora • World Masterpiece Theater