Film "Chiikawa": New Voice Actors for Shimajiro and Siren – Trailer and Opening Theme Released

The animated film "Chiikawa – The Secret of Mermaid Island" (original title: "Eiga Chiikawa: Ningyo no Shima no Himitsu") will be released in Japanese theaters on July 24, 2026. The production team has now revealed further details: Tsuguo Mogami voices the role of the mysterious shopkeeper Shimajiro, whom Chiikawa discovers deep in the forest. Minori Suzuki lends her voice to the Siren, a fearsome creature that attacks the island's inhabitants with its magical song. A 90-second trailer featuring all main characters has been released. It shows Chiikawa, Hachiware, and Usagi being invited to a paradise island, enjoying local specialties – until they learn they must defeat the Siren. The scene depicts Chiikawa holding a long staff, a determined Hachiware, and Usagi fighting the Siren and mermaids with her "Binyoyo" weapon. Shimajiro is also briefly seen eating curry. The opening theme is the new song "Kutsuzure," sung by Hachiware (voiced by Makoto Tanaka). The lyrics were written by manga author Nagano herself. The trailer also features the song "Shima no Uta" for the first time, whose lyrics already played a role in the original work. The film is based on the popular "Siren Arc," one of the longest story arcs of the webcomic "Chiikawa," which Nagano published on X from March to November 2023. The series has already won the Japan Character Award Grand Prix three times, and the short anime series that began airing in 2022 has garnered over four billion views on YouTube. CygamesPictures – the studio behind "Uma Musume: Pretty Derby" – is handling the animation. The director is Kei Oikawa, also known for the "Uma Musume" series. Nagano herself wrote the script and oversaw production. The film will be distributed by Toho. The new voice actors expressed their excitement: Mogami described Shimajiro as the "ultimate cool older brother" with cooking skills and a radiant backside. Suzuki emphasized that the Siren is a "straightforward girl who loves her friends." She sang and played the role with full dedication. The film promises to bring the unique blend of cuteness, action, and a heartfelt story to the big screen.