The heartbreaking tale of a lonely baby monkey at a Japanese zoo has seemingly taken a wholesome turn.
In January, Panchi-kun (or Punch, in English) had just one friend at the Ichikawa City Zoo in Japan: a small, orange orangutan plushie.
The Japanese macaque, who was born in July 2025, “was rescued from being abandoned and raised through hand-rearing,” the zoo wrote in an X post translated to English.
Within weeks, his love for his plushie — which he clutches around the zoo and cuddles with while he sleeps — made him a beloved figure online, with videos and photos of the two of them on social media racking up millions of views.
But his popularity online didn’t appear to translate to his real-life relationships. Videos circulating online showed other monkeys shoving Punch, leaving him only his emotional support toy as comfort.
On X, many Japanese fans of the monkey began using the hashtag がんばれパンチ, which loosely translates to “HangInTherePunch," to express their solidarity with the beloved creature.
"we, as a society, should create a panchi-kun protection squad" wrote one X user.
"stop showing me that little monkey being bullied by other monkeys i know he finally got a hug from one but i am not in a mental place to see it i will fly to japan and beat up the mean monkeys," another wrote.
By Thursday, another video had emerged that appeared to show Punch getting attacked by an older monkey in his troop. The uproar online prompted the zoo to issue a statement to X.
“The adult monkey that dragged Punch is probably the mother of the monkey with whom Punch tried to communicate," the statement, which was addressed from the zookeepers, read. "She probably felt that her baby was annoyed by Punch and got upset, expressing 'don't be mean.'”
The zoo had previously said others are warming up to Punch within the enclosure.
"Punch is gradually deepening his interactions with the troop of monkeys!" the zoo wrote in a post on X on Feb. 6. "He’s getting groomed, playfully poking at others, getting scolded, and having all sorts of experiences every day, steadily learning how to live as a monkey within the troop!"
The zoo later reported more progress, writing, "As the days go by, the number of individuals Punch interacts with has been increasing."
By Sunday, it seemed like many of Punch's human friends in Japan wanted to ensure his well-being. The zoo posted its "heartfelt gratitude" to the "the unprecedented and unexpected crowds" who came to see Punch.
Even some major brands have been rooting for Punch.
Ichikawa City Mayor Ko Tanaka wrote in a post on X on Tuesday that Petra Fare, president and chief sustainability officer of IKEA Japan, was donating multiple replacements of its $20 “DJUNGELSKOGSoft” orangutan toy, as well as new plushies for Punch.
A representative for Ichikawa City Zoo did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
In their Friday statement, the zookeepers reiterated that “no single monkey has shown serious aggression toward” Punch. They asked that the public “support Punch’s effort rather than feel sorry for him.”
“While Punch is scolded, he shows resilience and mental strength,” the statement said.
Whether Punch will need more plushes as his social life grows remains to be seen. But as one X user wrote, the baby monkey is "proof that even in the toughest starts, love (and a good cuddle buddy) wins."
