Product Info

Studio

Studio 4°C

Director

Yasuhiro Aoki

Genre

Animation, Comedy, Fantasy, Romance

Rated

NA

Theatrical Release Date (NA)

Apr 10, 2026

Film Length

1hr 30min

Purchase From

ChaO is a vibrant and stunning animated film that blends romance and comedy in a creative and fun way. However, it does stumble on the storytelling.

Love is in the Air

© 2025 “ChaO” Committee

In a futuristic world in Shanghai where humans and merpeople attempt to coexist, an anxious human named Stephan is proposed to by a bubbly mermaid princess named Chao, who also goes by other names. The sudden proposal shocks the world and puts pressure on Stephan from his employer at a shipbuilding company, as well as society, to marry the princess. ChaO‘s main focus is the relationship between these two lovebirds, but more specifically on Stephan’s personal journey.

ChaO on the surface is a comical love story between a human and a mermaid, but dives deeper towards real-world themes such as understanding different cultures. For example, Chao tries to fit into the human world as a mermaid in two different forms while Stephan coexists with a different species and maintains his goals at work. Despite the struggle to understand his own feelings, Stephan ends up marrying the princess due to the overwhelming pressure from society, the film gives a few comical dialogues on “what if” he runs away. Additionally, the film showcases moments of offbeat comedy with slapstick animation and humorous dialogues, such as Stephan and Chao’s quirky first date of eating ice cream and going through a haunted house, which adds lightheartedness to the story. Anime fans will appreciate these wacky moments. 

Chao’s energetic personality and unwavering commitment to Stephan brings warmth to the story, making it an inspiring story that you don’t want to see interrupted. The mermaid’s loving gestures, like learning to cook human-friendly food instead of live electric eels, showcase her dedication to their relationship and fitting into human society. As Stephan juggles between his feelings and the pressure from his company to marry Chao in order to save aquatic life with his invention, it becomes a rollercoaster of emotions. While going through the various emotions, Stephan slowly grows fond of Chao, you can’t help but notice if it was accelerated by seeing her in humanoid form, though admittedly is a more beautiful version of Chao. You wonder how much Stephan appreciates and accepts Chao’s feelings despite her appearance.

Stephan and Chao’s backstories are given little details. Understanding their history would have been helpful earlier but the film gradually reveals these details, allowing viewers to piece together the puzzle and appreciate the heartfelt moments that tie everything together with a satin bow. When it does give you the missing pieces, it does feel like a giant wave coming down on you.

ChaO’s fast pace and unique animation style capture viewer’s attention, while maintaining a steady and engaging momentum throughout but tends to pace quickly at the end to wrap up the story and could have paced itself out a little more. The romance formula does feel familiar, drawing inspiration from many classic stories such as Romeo & Juliet, Beauty and the Beast, and The Little Mermaid, although in a more chaotic manner when watching a fish and a human interact in a human city.

Visually Fun

© 2025 “ChaO” Committee

Animated by Studio 4°C, who also worked on All You Need Is Kill, brings a unique animation style that presents a colorful and detailed world with rich characters in a mix of 2D and 3D animation techniques. The wacky expression details add impact to catch viewers for laughs, while the background designs in the city are detailed from day to night as the sun rises and sets. 

The character designs for most of the characters have unique styles, with many background and secondary characters featuring a variety of proportions. For example, the CEO of the shipbuilding company is a round character resembling a ball, while other side characters have bizarrely shaped features like large heads. However, Stephan and Chao are illustrated waves in all the right ways and look more normal than the rest of the characters. Chao’s water-like hair is highly animated, with pieces of water flying off when she moves her head. Her fish design, resembling a giant koi, feels out of place but magically works well fitting into the human world as she walks around in a pair of sneakers. 

Composed by Takatsugu Muramatsu, the film’s soundtrack is orchestrated and gives off a soft, whimsical, and expressive feel during the relationship scenes between Stephan and Chao. When it comes to chaotic scenes, viewers can expect to be more focused on the animation than the music. The vocal theme song, “ChaO!” by Kumi Koda, is fun and energetic when used at the end and worth adding to your playlist.

The Final Date

ChaO is a visually dazzling and heartfelt romance that blends quirky humor with vibrant animation. While its story stumbles at times, it swims with charm, creativity, and an emotional core makes it a fun ride. Hooked, line, and sinker.

An early screening was provided for this film. ChaO arrives in theaters in North America on April 10, 2026. Viewers can visit the film’s official website for information and ticket purchasing.