Kimi Finster

Kimi Watanabe-Finster is the step-sister of Chuckie Finster on the hit Nickelodeon shows Rugrats and All Grown Up. She was introduced in the movie Rugrats in Paris: The Movie with her mother Kira.

Rugrats


Sporting three pig-tails, a yellow skirt, cowgirl boots, and a diaper, Kimi was the newest, (and apparently last), addition to the Rugrats cast, making her first appearance in the second Rugrats movie, Rugrats in Paris. When she was first on the show, most fans saw her as a "Tommy-clone" and, for the most part, she was. She was very brave, to the point of absolute fearlessness, (and somewhat a bit naive, to boot,) and always wanted to go on adventures, especially with her new brother, Chuckie Finster (much to his dismay.) When she was a baby, she cherished a doll named Superthing. It is unknown where she got this toy from, or what happened to it when she grew older (some fans speculate that she still sleeps with it at night, as she still watches the Dummi Bears TV Show). Also, during this series, we never know whatever happened to her biological father. One of the last episodes featured her birthday where she became two years old.

All Grown Up!


Now, at the age of 11 (some say 10, others say 12) Kimi has grown up into more of her own person. She is independent, witty, and overall a fun person to hang with. Unlike most of her peers, she sees the best in even the people in school with the worst reputations, such as the punk kid Z. Unfortunately, however, Kimi is also the type to hold a grudge, meaning that once she's mad at you, she won't be apt to 'forgive and forget' so easily (this has happened in episodes such as "Truth or Consequences", where she gives Tommy the cold shoulder for taping her watching the Dummi Bears, and "Bad Kimi", where she was dead set on never forgiving her brother Chuckie for not trusting her). All things aside, though, Kimi is also a very dependable friend that is always ready to lend a hand or shoulder to cry on to a friend in need (such as when she supported Susie in "Susie Sings the Blues" when nobody else would, or could).

Unlike when she was a baby, Kimi now sports many different outfits and hairdos from a ponytail, to a mohawk (thankfully, this has only occurred in one episode, namely, "Bad Kimi",) to currently pigtails (and once she had her hair down and another she had let-down-pigtails like Lila from Hey Arnold) and she has also has a great taste in fashion from fir-lined coats to skater-outfits, showing more variety in her style of dress that most of the other characters on the show.

It has been revealed in the "Big Score" that Kimi is (or at least, was) not seeing anyone, as she finds it hard to imagine falling in love with anyone their age.(It's quite possible that she only regards Z from "Bad Kimi" as a friend now, following his foolish behaviour in "It's Cupid, Stupid!"). As she puts it herself, "They're so immature." Although her brother Chuckie has hinted before (in "Fear of Falling") that she knows what a first kiss is like, for all he (and the audience) knows she's just pulling his leg. However, in an All Grown Up "Sneak Peek" featured in Cooltoons Newsletter #174, speculation surrounds the possibility of a romance between Kimi and fellow Rugrat Tommy Pickles, following the discovery of an etched heart in the Finster's basement with "TP + KF" etched in the middle by the rest of the gang. Though nothing substantial has truly been brought to surface as of yet, this development has stirred up many of the fans, who have their own theories about this turn of events. (See "Kimi Couplings", below.)



As seen in the episode "Memoirs of a Finster", Kimi gains a newfound appreciation for her Japanese heritage, while doing research for her family tree project. She has since then become very proud of her Japanese roots, and even tried to get the other Rugrats into it, by hosting a traditional Japanese tea party (which, unfortunately, doesn't go according to plan). She has also joined a Japanese club at school, where kids with roots like hers interact and do things.

She even put on a Kabuki dance featuring her and her family to spread her appreciation of the culture to the audience (unfortunately, one mishap after another takes place on stage). Nevertheless, it is another side of Kimi that has come to light- a person who takes pride in her heritage.

It has become apparent, especially in the episode "Blindman's Bluff", that Kimi is capable of taking charge (tantamount to being a second-in-command of the group, of sorts,) able to take over things when Tommy is unable to do so. She can be a great leader when she puts her mind to it. Unfortunately, her venture ends up winding the gang in trouble, as the walkie-talkies she confiscated from a kid in the water park (to help the gang find Tommy's grandpa Boris) are reported stolen and they are caught with them. Only time will tell if Kimi's leadership skills will come into play again.

Kimi also seems to be a born opportunist, ready to nip any golden opportunity in the bud as it comes. A classic example can be found in the episode, "Chuckie in Love", where she sees a chance to attend a Sulky Boys record signing by letting Chuckie take over her shift (which, incidentally, falls at the same time as the signing) in exchange for a makeover. Also, in "Fear of Falling", Angelica earns some serious spa time in the trip to the ski resort, but later discards it in pursuit of a boy that she has developed a crush on, leaving Kimi to kick back and enjoy what would would have been Angelica's spa treatment. Also in "Dude Where's My Horse", Kimi eagerly snaps up kitchen duty when the offer is made to the gang in place of the hard 'outdoorsy stuff' that they were doing before (one of the tasks being shovelling horse poop, a chore Kimi was more than happy to relinquish.)

It's been revealed in the episode "Dude, Where's My Horse?" that Kimi can't cook...at least not egg rolls, which Lil described as 'prone to explode at any second' (much to Kimi's dismay). When the gang went to ranch she took up kitchen duty hoping it'd be an easier job...only to find out she had to get up 2 hours earlier than everyone else. When the gang arrived to eat...they were hesitant to say the least. However by the end of their stay at the ranch, her cooking had improved, her "secret ingredients" being 'tofu' and 'bar-be-que sauce'. A minor stab at Kimi's cooking was made in an earlier episode, 'Memoirs of a Finster', where she (unsuccessfully) tries to get the gang to enjoy green tea (which is promptly but discreetly dumped in a plant pot by Susie, Tommy and Phil) and octopus tentacles (which, needless to say, grossed out the gang in the cafeteria).

In an All Grown Up 'Sneak Peek' issued in Cooltoon's newletter #173, an episode called 'Trading Places' is previewed, which promises to reveal what happened to Kimi's biological father, Hiro Watanabe. Undoubtedly, this revalation will have a profound effect on Kimi, (as well as the audience), as no mention was really made of Kimi's father in "Rugrats", and scant references made in the AGU episode "Memoirs of a Finster", implying that Kimi has not seen her father since she was a baby (at least, before the events which took place in "Rugrats in Paris", where Kira was already depicted as a single mom.) Though not much information is divulged in the official newsletter, several rumours have already begun to spread regarding this turn of events (see Kimi Controversy, below.)



Kimi works part-time at the Java Lava, her family's coffee shop, with her brother, Chuckie, her father, Chaz (who is the owner of the Java Lava), and their neighbor Betty DeVille (the mother of Phil and Lil,) where, despite the numerous jabs at her cooking, makes one mean smoothie (she often teams up with Chuckie and entertains the crowd whenever an order for a "Double Finster Special" comes up.)

Kimi Couplings


Many fans have tried to pair up Kimi with others. There are T/K fans (Tommy/Kimi) who find that these two have quite a lot in common and would make a wonderful couple. There have been numerous hints of such a coupling happening in the show, the most prominent of which is the preview of an upcoming episode "TP + KF", which is the first definitive "All Grown Up" episode that features the possibility of matchmaking between two members of the Rugrats' inner circle. However, many fans have had mixed reactions to this turn of events. While some who have pushed for this couple concept to pull through see it as a dream come true, others (mainly supporters of the popular Tommy and Lil coupling) have expressed displeasure at it. Many, however, are somewhat skeptical, as they suspect that, despite numerous hints tossed in the preview as well as a screen shot showing Tommy with his arm around Kimi (see picture, right), that it may not be what it looks like (especially when it is noted in the preview that "Chuckie doesn't like it one bit."). Whatever the case, the answer may be revealed when "TP + KF" airs.

P/K Fans (Phil/Kimi) who, while no evidence have been seen in the show, most fans look at this and believe that, since they are complete opposites, and opposites have been known to attract, that they would be cute together.

Z/K fans (Z/Kimi) the obvious ones that see Kimi and the boy she meets, Z, as being Boyfriend and Girlfriend since Kimi spends quality time with Z.

As stated in "The Big Score", Kimi is (or, at least was) single, and not interested in any boy her age, somewhat debunking any claims that Kimi feels any attraction towards the boys stated above. However, as the upcoming episode "TP + KF" suggests, this may or may not be true. Whatever the case, some fans continue to believe, and hope, that Kimi will find true love someday, evidenced in several pieces of fanfiction and artwork submitted by the fans.

The Fans' standpoint on Kimi
It can be easy to say that Kimi was once not a very popular character during her stint in Rugrats, the main claim being that she was a "Tommy clone". Now, in All Grown Up, where Kimi's personality has branched off to become more individual, it is very easy to say that Kimi has won the hearts of many fans and, based off of the ever-growing number of fan art and fan fiction featuring her, Kimi may as well have become the #1 favorite in many people's eyes.

Unfortunately, as of late, Kimi has been the target of detraction by several of the fans, many of which are sorely dissatisfied with Kimi's apparent inability to have a unique skill or trait that sets her apart from the rest of the gang on "All Grown Up". For example, the 'rebellious bad girl' Kimi that was seen in the episode "Bad Kimi" has completely disappeared, apparently along with Z, who was the main influence for Kimi's change of heart. Kimi's tomboy status within the gang (hinted by her non-girly, adventurous behaviour in "Rugrats", her somewhat boyish attire, as well as a background scene in "Izzy or Isn't He?" where she pummels a boy with a dodgeball) is seen by many as being threatened by Lil, who has taken a liking to soccer and a disliking to doing girly things such as shopping (as seen in "The Big Score"). Even worse is Kimi's development into becoming a successful cook in "Dude, Where's My Horse?", only to have another Rugrat, Phil Deville, apparently develop that skill in "Susie Goes Bad Lite". Many fans are appalled at what some of them describe as "a sore mistreatment of Kimi's character", and several base this as the reason for not liking Kimi Finster's character, as they view her as being somewhat "useless".

Some fans, however, have gone so far as to blame Chuckie for somewhat stifling Kimi's character, noting that many episodes that supposedly center around Kimi (such as "Bad Kimi" and "Memoirs of a Finster") instead feature an overly-worried Chuckie, leading many to criticize Kimi-centered episodes as more being Chuckie-centered episodes. Things apparently do not improve in yet another Kimi-focused episode, "TP + KF", as it features an obviously upset Chuckie Finster. Many fans have stated that Chuckie should step aside at least once in a while and allow Kimi to spread her wings as a stand-alone character.

Kimi Controversy
Unfortunately, just as Kimi grew to become one of the most popular characters on "All Grown Up", an aura of controversy has surrounded her. One of the biggest controversies in Season One was her lack of exposure in several episodes. She only made a non-speaking cameo appearance in 'Thief Encounter', and was only mentioned by Chuckie in 'The Old and the Restless', when, by all rights, she should have been included as a full character in those episodes. She is also absent from 'Coup Deville', 'River Rats' and 'Tommy Foolery', and even only had two speaking lines in the AGU pilot episode. Though she has been seen more as part of the group in Season Two (there was even an episode called 'Memoirs of a Finster' that centers around Kimi and her Japanese origins), she has been left out of a few episodes in Season Three, in particular, 'Rats Race', where Harold (a character who is regarded by a lot of the fans to be one of the most hated characters on the show) makes an appearance with the Rugrats' 'inner circle', leading many to believe and fear that Harold is going to replace Kimi. There may not be any basis on this fear, however.



Another controversy surrounded Kimi's attire. Many posters on the Nickelodeon forums felt that the way Kimi's Season 1 appearance (in the episodes after 'Bad Kimi', but before Season Two) was somewhat inappropriate for a 12 year old. This -could- explain why Kimi's attire has changed from Season 2 onwards to less revealing clothes such as a t-shirt and jeans combo or a roller skater outfit in the majority of the episodes, but, seeing as how Kimi makes appearances in her old outfit in 'Fools Rush In' (just of a different colour), it may not be.

Kimi's drastic change of hairstyle also stirred up some fans, who gave mixed reactions to her new look, which was a far cry from the simple black, six-pronged pigtail that most fans had become accustomed to. Kimi's hairstyle from "Interview With a Campfire" onwards became lilac in colour, and from Season Two onwards, her hair was put up in two bushels on her head, resembling pom-poms in appearance. Some people didn't like this new change in Kimi, while others grew towards it.

For reasons that cannot really be explained, conflicts sometimes arise between the fans of the characters Dil and Kimi, both of whom have become extremely popular characters. Despite the fact that these two are not really all that similar or truly interact in any major way on the show, conflicts would occur regarding Dil and Kimi, often leading to bitter flamewars on AGU forums. This even prompted a new rule regarding posts about Kimi and Dil on the forums of Luke's All Grown Up Website (a popular All Grown Up fansite).

A preview of an upcoming episode "Trading Places" has stirred some rumours about Kimi's parents, as the newsletter release promised that the episode would reveal what happened to Kimi's biological father, Hiro Watanabe. Some speculate that Kira and Hiro were married at one time, but divorced after Kimi's birth, while others speculate that Kira and Hiro were never married at all, and Kimi was born out of wedlock. Some even suspect that Hiro is actually dead. Though there may not be any basis behind these rumours, circumstances somewhat point to the first (the possibility that Kira and Hiro are divorced) being the most likely. Only time will tell, and when "Trading Places" premieres.

Voice Actress
Kimi is voiced by Dionne Quan who also provides the voice of Trixie Tang on The Fairly OddParents.

Kimi Trivia
- Kimi secretly loves the Dummi Bears TV Show. As a baby in Rugrats, the show had a somewhat hypnotic effect on her, which could explain why she is still a loyal fan to this day.

- Kimi is also a fan of the 'Sulky Boys', a fictional boy band from the show.

- Kimi might be ambidextrous, as she is seen in "Bad Aptitude" wearing her watch on her right hand (people who are right-handed usually wear it on the left), and scoops food with her right. However, it may be too soon to know for sure.

- Kimi's father's name is Hiro.

- Kimi, during her entire lifetime, was a legal citizen of three countries, namely Japan (through birthright), America (legal citizenship when her mother Kira was married to Chaz), and France (through birthright and when Kira earned her work permit to work at Euro Reptarland). It's possible that Kimi's citizen status in France is now null and void, as her mother Kira no longer works there or is a resident of that country.

- Kimi ALWAYS beats her brother Chuckie at Crazy Eights, as told in "Dude, Where's My Horse?"

- Kimi has an innie bellybutton. Though somewhat hard to see, it can be pointed out in episodes such as "Interview With a Campfire", "Dude, Where's My Horse?" and "Blindman's Bluff", in the scenes where Kimi is wearing a swimsuit.

- Although she did not go with Chuckie and the gang to the Human Body Museum in "The Old and the Restless", Kimi still managed to snag a souvenir- a kidney keychain from Chuckie, who successfully completed the tour.

Links

 * The Official Cooltoons website
 * Luke's All Grown Up Fansite
 * Super_Yo's All Grown Up Website
 * Staredcraft, a Kimi fan fic writer's site
 * The Outlaw's Hideout (The Gallery contains Kimi fanart)
 * Ricky Bennett's ALL GROWN UP PAGE