Neo Chupi (ねおちゅぴ) was a radio program started by SNK on October 10, 1997 and ended on April 2, 2000. The original show aired on three stations on different days (Radio Osaka, Radio Tokyo, Radio Tokai). Neo Chupi also released a single for their images songs Hoshizora no Melody and Neo Chupi No. 1. It eventually had a mini-crossover with Neo Geo DJ Station. Its successor, named Pokyuppa (ぽきゅっぱ), ran from April 9, 2000 through April 1, 2001. Pokyuppa was on Radio Osaka and later became an internet only drama.
Each show had its own quirky talkshows, guests, character corners, and announcements about SNK related products. Sometimes, the show broadcast drama CDs, image songs, or original radio dramas. Both shows used to have websites on V-Station. Neo Chupi has two CD releases of their "best talk collections"; each CD was offered to 100 lucky callers of the program.
Neo Geo Land in SNK vs. Capcom: Card Fighters Clash makes a reference to the radio program by featuring, on its second floor, a tournament based around Neo Chupi, which the player must win to get the Neo Geo Land coin. Keiko Kamitani and Harumi Ikoma themselves are playable opponents, as is Masahiro Nonaka, who is not a regular host though he was present for the debut broadcasts. Additionally, the song that plays when players approach the booth is the same song used to introduce listeners to the show. The show's characters, Takeshi and Mika, also make secret cameo appearances in The King of Fighters '98 and are also playable opponents in Card Fighters Clash (they can he found hanging out at the first floor).
Neo Chupi is also referred in SNK vs. Capcom: The Match of the Millennium. In Olympic Mode, if the player chooses to play SNK events and enter Talk Mode, Rimururu will randomly talk about her and Nakoruru having had a spot in a radio show in Kamui Kotan. This is a reference to the main hosts of the show, Harumi Ikoma (Nakoruru) and Keiko Kamitani (Rimururu) and perhaps the Daishizen no Oshioki segments (see "Events" below).
Radio Personalities[]
Neo Chupi[]
- Harumi Ikoma
- Radio personality of Neo Chupi (October 1997 ~ December 1999). Also stars as the show's original character, Mika. Nicknamed "Onee" (Older sis).
- Keiko Kamitani
- Radio personality of Neo Chupi (October 1997 ~ December 1999). Also stars as the show's original character, Takeshi. Nicknamed "Kei-chan".
Pokyuppa[]
- Yumi Kakazu
- Main host and former radio personality of Neo Chupi (October 1999 ~ April 2000). Also part of the Game Dora radio drama, "SNK Ichigeki! Neo La Geo". Nicknamed "Yumi-chan".
- Junko Takeuchi
- Second host and former radio personality of Neo Chupi (January 2000 ~ April 2000). Portrayed a little more serious than her other works. Nicknamed "Jun-chan".
- Midori Ichige
- Third host of the show until March 2001. Former radio personality of Neo Chupi (January 2000 ~ April 2000). Part of the musical unit, P－STYLE. One of the main showgirls who danced on stage for the company at the 2000 Tokyo Game Show. Nicknamed "Mido-chan". Often credited in other works as "midori".
Events[]
Neo Chupi frequently played with the idea of Ikoma and Kamitani being sisters, since their characters are related in the Samurai Shodown. Their corner "Daishizen no Oshoki" (lit: Mother Nature's Punishment) often focused on their personal thoughts about Nakoruru and Rimururu. During the show, Kamitani usually spoke with her native Osaka accent while Ikoma spoke general Japanese. The show also featured several parody skits with other SNK characters -such as a baseball tournament, Neo Geo Land tours, and others- and held live recordings at select events. Takeshi and Mika also had a section set aside for their fanclub. In their extra section, they accepted calls from listeners and fans; one of the callers was Kamitani's father asking if she was getting along with everyone.
Pokyuppa borrowed some elements from the former, mainly the character skits used by the three hosts at their time in Neo Chubi. Kakazu had her "anime" parody and her circus corner. Takeuchi starred in her class parody and her humorous singing events. Midori had her diary session and living room events where she talked to the listeners about her personal life. She also left the show at one point so she could report her findings around the world. Webepisodes used to be available on the show's website.
Guests[]
- Masahiro Nonaka - nicknamed "Kisho-ichi" in the first show
- Kunihiko Yasui
- Mayuko Omimura
- Mayumi Tanaka
- Hiroyuki Konou
- Jun Kajiwara
- Chizuko Yoshihiro
- Mami Kingetsu
- Kei Ishibashi - main actress for Athena drama
- Yuki Ishii - Sie Kensou for Athena drama
- Haruna Ikezawa
- Kōji Ishii
- Satomi Nakatani
- Monster Maezuka
- Hazuki Nishikawa
- Daiki Nakamura
- Mika Kanai - voiced Ran Po and Minto
- Kong Kuwata
- Naoki Oikawa