[1] The titular protagonist, Norakuro, or Norakuro-kun, is an anthropomorphic black and white dog inspired by Felix the Cat.

Norakuro was gradually promoted from private to captain in the stories, which began as humorous episodes, but eventually developed into propaganda tales of military exploits against the "pigs army" on the "continent" - a thinly-veiled reference to the Second Sino-Japanese War.

[4] The series became a hit in Japan; Shonen Kurabu's circulation was of 750.000 in 1936,[5] and several Norakuro-themed merchandise (toys, stationery and other products - licensed or not) were sold.

After the war, due to the popularity of the strip, the character returned in various guises, including a sumo wrestler and a botanist.

There is an excerpt that appears in the sixth Kramer's Ergot comics anthology which is the only example of Tagawa's work published in English.