Ichigo Momomiya
Ichigo Momomiya (桃宮いちご Momomiya Ichigo), known as Zoey Hanson in the English anime, is a 11 year old girl who is the main character of the manga and anime series Tokyo Mew Mew (Mew Mew Power). Her given name is Japanese for "strawberry".
Ichigo is just a normal 11-year-old girl until her DNA is mysteriously merged with that of an Iriomote wild cat. Now she is the leader of the band of girls whose DNA was also merged with the DNA of endangered species called Tokyo Mew Mew. When she is excited or nervous, she grows cat ears and a tail.
Later, as the story progresses, her cat DNA overtakes her human DNA - whenever she is nervous or excited, she turns into a cat. Luckily, Masaya Aoyama (Mark), her boyfriend, and Ryou Shirogane (as Alto) save her a lot of times. She was on a date with him when her DNA was altered. She is now the other Mew Mews' leader and she has to save the world from the evil aliens and their evil leader that was Ichigo's boyfriend Masaya. She works hard to be the Earth's number 1 hero.
Ichigo's father is named Shintaro Momomiya, and her mother is named Sakura Momomiya.
History
Manga
Ichigo is introduced to the reader while she is attending a Red Data Animal exhibit with Masaya, her love interest. At this exhibit she ends up accidentally kissing Masaya, this is when she first meets Mint who offers her a handkerchief and treats her rather rudely. She leaves the exhibit to get some air and briefly meets the future Mew Mews before she is injected with the DNA of an Iriomote Wildcat. Later she finds herself acting like a cat and, remembering the dream sequence of a cat jumping into her body when she was injected, realizes something has happened to her. When she and Masaya are attacked by a Chimera Anima made from a rat, Ryou appears and saves her only to push her out of a tree to encourage her to transform for the first time. She does, and then defeats the Chimera Anima.
Anime
The anime introduction of Ichigo is similar to the manga one, however there are some differences - for example the view first sees Ichigo asking Masaya to the exhibit, and Ichigo does not briefly meet the future Mew Mews outside the Museum in the anime. Also in the anime she--and presumably the other girls--are scanned for their DNA compatibility prior to being injected; in the manga, this doesn't happen. Ichigo goes outside after being scanned and there is a sudden earthquake. A bright light covers her and in a dream-like scene, a cat jumps into her(symbolizing the infusion). She wakes up next to Masaya who says she slept for three hours. Later at her school she starts acting off of her new "cat genes"(Sleeping too much, eating fish, and saying "nya!" meaning meow)
Personality
Ichigo has the typical mahō shōjo heroine personality: sweet, but clumsy and ditzy. Sometimes she will go crazy if she is mad or excited. She is got a head-over-heels typical middle school crush on her boyfriend, Masaya. She hates lizards...especially when an iguana owned by a boy kissed her and turned her into a cat. Ichigo cares very much about her friends, and cannot bear to see someone hurt.
Profile
Name Meaning: Strawberry Peach Shrine (Sometimes translated by fans as "Strawberry Pink Shrine")
Age: 13 years old (16 in the U.S. anime Dub)
Birthday: March 15th
Grade: 7th (1st year junior high by Japanese standards)
Zodiac sign: Pisces
Height: 152 cm (4'9")
Weight: 42 kg (92 lbs)
Likes: Buying cute clothes
Favorite Foods: Pastry with maple syrup, pizza, and fried tuna
Least Favorite Food: Carrots
Mew Mew Mark: The symbol on the Mew Mew's pendants--two sides of a big heart over a smaller heart, and underneath are two sets of two lines.
Battle cry: For the Earth's future, we will be of service ~nya! ("For your evil actions, I/we will make you pay!" in the English manga)
When she is excited or embarrassed, a cat tail and cat ears appear. Whenever she kisses someone, or is very excited or nervous, she turns temporarily into a black cat.
Henshin/transform: Mew Mew Strawberry Metamorphosis
Animal: Cat (wild) Iriomote Yamaneko
Form: Mew-Mew / Mew-Ichigo
Lover: Ichigo for a long time was Masaya's but in the end, she turned on him and Masaya left forever.
Mess Up Screech: How could I be so whack? We'll have to change that!~Nya!~
Mew Mew Power
In Mew Mew Power, 16-year-old Zoey Hanson has to save the world while juggling boyfriends and homework at the same time. Although some people believe she has a very preppy personality on the American dub.
Her quote (which is hip-hop styled): "Mew Mew Style, Mew Mew Grace, Mew Mew Power in your face!"
Weapons and attacks
Tokyo Mew Mew
Ichigo is the leader, with typical love-based powers. Her emotion-fueled power is transforming into a catgirl or cat when she is suddenly excited, and she also has the reflexes of a cat.
Her weapon is called the Strawberry Bell, but is also called Strawberry Bell Bell or Sutoro Bell Bell. In the manga, Ichigo can combine her weapon with Mint's, Lettuce's, Pudding's, and Zakuro's weapon to make the Strawberry Bell Bell Version Up. Later, when their weapons merge the Mewberry Rod is formed, which changes her Strawberry Bell into the Mew Strawberry Bell. Ichigo can also use the Mew Aqua Rod.
In the anime, Ichigo recieves the Mewberry Rod from Ryou and Keiichiro. She is also not the only Mew Mew who can use the Mew Aqua Rod in the anime or magna, but Zakuro can too.
Weapon: Strawberry Bell/Strawberry Bell Bell/Sutoro Bell Bell
Attack: Ribbon Strawberry Check
Weapon (manga only): Strawberry Bell+Mint Arrow+Lettuce Castanets+Pudding Ring+Zakuro Whip=Strawberry Bell Bell Version Up
Attack (manga only): Ribbon Strawberry Check Surprise/Ribbon Strawberry Check Healing
Weapon: Mewberry Rod + Strawberry Bell = Mew Strawberry Bell
Attack: Ribbon Strawberry Surprise
Weapon: Mew Aqua Rod
Attack: Ribbon Aqua Drops/Ribbon Aquae Vitae
Strawberry Bell otherwise known as Strawberry Ribon.
Mew Mew Power
Weapon: Strawberry Bell
Attack: Strawberry Bell, Full Power!
Weapon: Mewberry Rod + Strawberry Bell = Rose Bell
Attack: Rose Bell, Full Power!
Weapon: Strawberry Sceptre
Attack: Strawberry Sceptre! Blue Aqua Drops!
Voice Actor
- In the Japanese anime, her seiyū is Saki Nakajima.
- In the dub, her voice actor is Amanda Brown.