20 Years of Boku no Pico
On September 7, 2026, Boku no Pico celebrates 20 years since the release of its first OVA, originally released in Japan in 2006.
And very few works have a story on the internet quite as bizarre as this one. After all, Boku no Pico went from being known simply for its adult content to becoming a kind of classic “trap” for anime fans.
For years, it was common for someone to recommend the series to an unsuspecting friend as if it were a completely wholesome anime. They would say it was a “cute” series, a must-watch recommendation, or even a classic that every otaku needed to see.
There was just one small detail…
The recommendation came with a prank attached.
20 Years of Boku no Pico
The first OVA was officially released in Japan on September 7, 2006. The series later received additional releases, including Pico to Chico in 2007 and Pico × CoCo × Chico in 2008.
The first OVA also later received an edited version called Pico: My Little Summer Story, released in 2007.
The series became known as a highly controversial title in the history of Japanese adult animation, mainly because of its content involving young characters and its association with the shotacon genre.
We don’t know exactly who “created” the series, since there isn’t a single person responsible for it, but the staff behind Boku no Pico includes people you may have encountered in other anime.
First, there’s director Katsuyoshi Yatabe. Before directing this adult OVA, Katsuyoshi Yatabe had already built a fairly extensive career in the anime industry. Born in 1956, he worked as a director, writer, storyboard artist, and episode director on numerous productions.
He was even involved with works that are VERY far removed from the level of fame Boku no Pico eventually achieved.
Yatabe directed Yuusha Exkaiser, Taiyou no Yuusha Fighbird, and Densetsu no Yuusha da Garn, three productions from Sunrise’s famous Yuusha franchise.
He also worked on franchises such as Mobile Suit Gundam, Gundam SEED, Gundam ZZ, Strawberry Panic, Baki the Grappler, Gakuen Alice, and Dinosaur King, among many others.
Who Wrote Boku no Pico?
The screenplay for Boku no Pico was written by Katsuhiko Takayama, who has worked on scripts for many other anime, including Aldnoah.Zero, The World’s Finest Assassin Gets Reincarnated in Another World as an Aristocrat, Big Order, Future Diary, Baka and Test, Ga-Rei: Zero, and many others.
He continues to work in the industry, and according to MAL, his next anime writing project will be the second season of The World’s Finest Assassin Gets Reincarnated in Another World as an Aristocrat, which premieres in January 2027.
The production was handled by Natural High, the company responsible for the series, while animation was credited to the studios Sugar Boy and Blue Cat. DVD distribution was associated with Soft on Demand, a Japanese company known for its work in the adult entertainment industry.
The name Saigado appears in the credits as the creator of the original character designs. He was mainly known for his work as a doujinshi artist and had already been producing adult-oriented material before Boku no Pico.
The Internet Meme
Throughout the 2000s and 2010s, the name Boku no Pico began circulating more and more across forums, online communities, blogs, and later YouTube and social media.
And the title took on a completely new role.
Someone would recommend the anime to another person as if it were a wholesome series, an emotional story, or simply “a classic you have to watch.”
Honestly, I don’t know many people who actually fell for the prank and went on to watch Boku no Pico. I do remember a few cases where it really happened, but I have no idea how widespread the meme actually was.
But that’s how the anime became famous. Do you have any story involving Boku no Pico?