Chiikawa's first film, following a suspicious invitation to Mermaid Island

You may have first seen it on a doll hanging on a bag or on a sticker at a stationery store. Chiikawa is small and white, Hachiware has blue ears and the top of the head, and Usagi is yellow with long ears. These three friends are known for their cute faces, but they are originally cartoon characters who eat, work, and sometimes go through difficult times together.

What is Chiikawa’s story?

Chiikawa is a manga created by Japanese author Nagano. The name is an abbreviation of the Japanese word meaning ‘something small and cute.’ In Korea, it is also known as ‘Meonjakgwi’. It is not only the name of the work, but also the name of the little protagonist that appears in it.

In this world, there are days when we eat delicious food with friends and laugh, and there are days when we cry because of hard work. Cute looks don't take away all your worries. The official animation introduction also explains the joy, a little bit of affection, and the friends who are by your side in difficult times. That is why introducing Chiikawa means looking beyond the face to the everyday life behind it.

The friends who have continued their daily lives are now leaving for an island. Usagi turns up with a flyer stuck to the face. The paper that Chiikawa and Hachiware looked at contained an invitation to a special island. The friends decide to take a boat because of the attractive offer. Rakko doubts the invitation, but the group is welcomed on the island and has a great time.

The first theatrical version, which begins like this, 『Movie Chiikawa The Secret of Mermaid Island』, was released in Japan on July 24, 2026. Chiikawa and friends, usually encountered in brief everyday episodes, now share one extended adventure.

A troubling story on a welcoming island

A huge siren lives on the island. After hearing that residents are being taken away one after another, Chiikawa and the others become caught up in a plan to defeat the Siren. The warm invitation now gives way to a different question. What is happening on this island?

The movie is based on the manga’s extended ‘Siren’ arc. The starting point of a group of cute friends traveling to an unfamiliar place contains both danger and the secrets of the island. That is as far as the official synopsis goes. The rest unfolds in the film.

Nagano writes the first film’s screenplay

The original author, Nagano, wrote the screenplay for this film and supervised the entire production. The director is Kei Oikawa, and the animation production is Cypic. This is not only a work of putting familiar characters on the big screen, but also translating the long story of the original into the flow of a single movie.

For those who have read the original work, how the adventure they know moves and sounds may be of interest. For those who are only familiar with the character's face, it serves as an entrance into what kind of world Chiikawa lives in.

A story that stays in the hearts of adults who went to see it with a child

Chiikawa began as a manga on Twitter (now X) in 2020, then reached more people through merchandise, collaborations and a short TV anime that started in 2022. Fans could first meet the characters through a plush toy or short video, then discover their daily lives in the manga. If cuteness first attracted attention, the reason why that interest continues for a long time can be found within the story.

You have to work to buy what you want, and your test results may be different even if you study with a friend. Animation producer Naoto Shoji also explained in an interview with Fuji TV that the appeal of the work is that viewers see themselves in this realistic world and the characters struggling within it. Celebrating a friend’s success while feeling hurt by your own failure; working hard on a day when nothing goes as planned. What Chiikawa's small body experiences contains emotions that adults already know.

Even in the first movie, there is a distance between the cute face and the weight of the story. On July 28, Daily Shincho's viewing report reported the scene of a screening where many families with children were present. After watching the film, the writer described noticing the parents’ bewilderment more than the children’s, and feeling weighed down despite knowing the ending. This is not a survey that tells the reaction of all families, but it is an example of how a movie chosen with a child may have a heavier impact on the adult.

In this way, Chiikawa reads like a cruel fairy tale for adults. It's not just because a scary being appears. The feeling of wanting to believe an attractive offer and the feeling of wanting to protect someone in the face of danger are familiar even off screen. Watching these cute characters can lead us to consider how their choices connect with our own lives.

Even if you look at the same screen as your child, what sticks in your mind may be different. As children follow their friends' adventures, adults can recall failures or fears they have experienced. In a theater you enter because you like Chiikawa's face, you get to see the circumstances behind that face. From that distance, you can think about why the little friends remain in your heart even after the movie ends.

The story has a post-credits scene

If you stay seated until the end credits end, you can see a post-credits scene. Just when you think the story on the island is over, the last scene leaves you anxious again. This helps explain why the mood does not easily lighten even after watching the adventures of cute friends.