Medialink has announced that Chiikawa the Movie: The Secret of Mermaid Island will premiere in Malaysian cinemas on August 20. The film is the first theatrical anime adaptation of Nagano’s immensely popular Chiikawa manga.
The film adapts the manga’s fan-favorite “Siren Arc,” also known as the “Island Arc,” which was originally published on X in 2023. The story follows Chiikawa, Hachiware, and their friends as they receive a mysterious invitation to a special island promising generous rewards, but upon arriving on the island, they soon discover that not everything is as it seems.
Series creator Nagano is credited with the original story and also wrote the screenplay for the film. The movie is directed by Kei Oikawa (Umamusume: Pretty Derby, Hinamatsuri, My Teen Romantic Comedy SNAFU TOO) at Cygames Pictures, with production managed by QTORY Inc. and distribution handled by TOHO.
The movie premiered in Japan on July 24, where it debuted at No. 1 at the box office. On its opening day alone, the film earned approximately 990 million yen (around US$6.05 million). During its opening weekend, it sold more than 1.5 million tickets and grossed approximately 2.24 billion yen (around US$13.7 million).
