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He's not really my pet... but since we're always together... we're friends.

Mayu, in Manga Chapter 11

Wanta is the small dog who stays by the side of Mayu. He is extremely loyal to her and those she chooses for his family.

Biography

Mayu first encounters Wanta on Yuigahama after fleeing her abusive parents. The dog's sudden appearance and affection for Mayu kept her from walking further into the ocean, a possibly suicidal action since she cannot swim.

Due to her being homeless after running away, Mayu could only feed herself, and Wanta bread crumbs most days. They're hiding out together on the beach where Lucy first confronts SAT agent Bando. Fleeing Kouta and Yuka because she no longer trusts people, Mayu briefly loses Wanta to a woman who claims to be his real owner. The woman refuses to let Mayu ever get near the puppy again because she is unkempt and dirty from living on the streets. Apparently, Wanta simply didn't like her very much, because he is soon scratching at the door of Maple House, just after Mayu agrees to stay there permanently. This person is not heard from again.

Mayu makes sure to take care of Wanta, aided by Nana, who feeds him (and sometimes overfeeds him). All at Maple House are fond of Wanta, and even when Lucy is dominant over Nyu, Lucy like most Diclonius does not harm animals. It is also possible Wanta reminds her of her puppy, killed by her bullies when she was just a child. Except in extreme weather, Wanta lives and stays in a small doghouse just inside the front gate of the house, by the front door. Wanta is fiercely defensive of Mayu and the other Maple House residents, though his small size ends up keeping him from being a real threat to intruders. It seems that Wanta is simply from a small breed of dog, as his size never seems to change throughout the series.

Trivia

  • It is through Wanta that the audience learns Lucy is not quite as ruthless and malicious as she seems, as she cuts his leash to free him from his post after a fakeout hinting she killed him.
  • The woman who claims Wanta is her dog calls him James.
  • The first puppy, the one that a much younger Lucy cared for before its death, in some instances appeared to be of the same breed as Wanta, but with a different coat pattern and color.
  • Wanta's name is made up of "wan" (the Japanese onomatopoeia for a dog's bark) and "ta" (a common suffix for a male name, such as Kouta, Yuuta, or Ryouta). Thus, his name is a reference to him being a male puppy.
  • The Japanese Chin (also known as the Japanese Spaniel) is a Japanese dog breed renowned for its small size. Although Wanta Is the correct size for this kind, he doesn't have the black and white coat of the typical Chin. However there are some lighter/different colored variants they aren't the exact same color as Wanta and he lacks many of their patterns.
  • A possible breed for Wanta and Lucy's Puppy by proxy is the Yorkipoo breed. Yorkipoos are small and come in coat patterns like those of both Wanta and the unnamed puppy, and their barks are similar.
  • In both anime and manga, the scene where Wanta comes back to Maple House after Mayu moves in is very brief and sometimes missed by fans.

Gallery

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