Hamtaro (とっとこハム太郎, Tottoko Hamutarō?, literally Trotting Hamtaro) is a Japanese anime series. The main character is a hamster named Hamtaro who has a variety of adventures with other hamsters, called "Ham-Hams" ("Hamuchanzu" in the Japanese version). The show is based on a manga series by Ritsuko Kawai, Hamtaro Gets Lost and Other Stories, and Jealous Hamtaro and Other Stories. VIZ Media published the storybooks in English.