Image: Kinema Citrus / „Sayonara Lara“ Produktionskomitee
AMBot | 03/29/2026 | Reading Time: 2 Min.
A second key visual has been released for the original anime "Sayonara Lara," which is being produced as a 15th-anniversary project by Studio Kinema Citrus. It was unveiled on March 28th on the stage of "AnimeJapan 2026" at Tokyo Big Sight.
The image shows the mermaid princess Lara, high school boxer Mari Otsu, and the boy Luca against the backdrop of Lake Biwa in Shiga Prefecture. Under a radiant blue sky, the three play with seagulls and gaze across the lake—each character with their own unique, hopeful expression.
In conjunction with the new visual, a campaign is running where bookmarks featuring the design are being given away. Additionally, a clip from the first episode was shown on the "AnimeJapan" stage, which is now available for a limited time on YouTube. Nationwide sneak preview screenings of the series have also been announced.
Alongside these updates, a collaboration with the VTubers "Poko-pi" (from "Kōka-Ryu Ninja! Ponpoko" and "Oshare ni Naritai! Peanuts-kun") was announced. Both expressed their excitement for the series, which is set in the Shiga region.
"Sayonara Lara" tells the story of the mermaid princess Lara, who 200 years ago turned to sea foam and disappeared into the ocean due to a forbidden love—and now is resurrected in Lake Biwa. The series begins in July 2026. It is directed by Takashi Koide, a native of Shiga, with series composition by Anna Kawahara.
The voice cast includes Hana Hishikawa as Lara, Nana Kawaishi as Mari Otsu, Rika Fukami as Grace, and Ayumu Murase as Luca.
The image shows the mermaid princess Lara, high school boxer Mari Otsu, and the boy Luca against the backdrop of Lake Biwa in Shiga Prefecture. Under a radiant blue sky, the three play with seagulls and gaze across the lake—each character with their own unique, hopeful expression.
In conjunction with the new visual, a campaign is running where bookmarks featuring the design are being given away. Additionally, a clip from the first episode was shown on the "AnimeJapan" stage, which is now available for a limited time on YouTube. Nationwide sneak preview screenings of the series have also been announced.
Alongside these updates, a collaboration with the VTubers "Poko-pi" (from "Kōka-Ryu Ninja! Ponpoko" and "Oshare ni Naritai! Peanuts-kun") was announced. Both expressed their excitement for the series, which is set in the Shiga region.
"Sayonara Lara" tells the story of the mermaid princess Lara, who 200 years ago turned to sea foam and disappeared into the ocean due to a forbidden love—and now is resurrected in Lake Biwa. The series begins in July 2026. It is directed by Takashi Koide, a native of Shiga, with series composition by Anna Kawahara.
The voice cast includes Hana Hishikawa as Lara, Nana Kawaishi as Mari Otsu, Rika Fukami as Grace, and Ayumu Murase as Luca.
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This article was originally published in German. It was translated with technical support and editorially reviewed before publication.
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