News
Studio 4°C's ChaO Anime Film Reveals Kumi Koda's Theme Song in Trailer
posted on by Crystalyn Hodgkins
Studio 4°C revealed a new trailer on Friday for its new anime feature film ChaO. The video previews Kumi Koda's theme song "ChaO!," written specifically for the film.
The staff also revealed a new poster visual for the film.

The film will open in Japanese theaters on August 15.
GKIDS has licensed the film. The film will premiere at the Annecy International Animation Film Festival in France, which will run from June 8 to June 14. The film will then screen at the 29th annual Fantasia International Film Festival, which runs from July 16 through August 3 in Montreal.
The company describes the story:
From acclaimed Japanese animation production house Studio 4°C comes a wild romantic comedy and true “fish out of water” story. In a futuristic world where humans and mermaids coexist, ChaO follows Stephan, a mild-mannered office worker at a shipbuilding company, whose life is upended when he is suddenly proposed to by Chao — a princess from the mermaid kingdom. With no time to make sense of what's happening, Stephan soon finds himself living with the unpredictable, wholehearted Chao. As her sincere love begins to break down his emotional barriers, an unexpected and touching romance begins to unfold.
Ōji Suzuka (Kimi ni Todoke, The Tunnel to Summer, the Exit of Goodbyes) plays Stefan, a salaryman at a ship-making company. Anna Yamada (live-action Golden Kamuy, Saki) plays ChaO, the pure princess of the mermaid kingdom.
The film also stars:
- Yūichirō Umehara as Roberta
- Nankai Candies comedy duo member Ryōta Yamasato as President Shi
- Kavka Shishido as Maibei
- Yasei Bakudan comedy duo member Cookie! as Ambassador Omede
- Kenta Miyake as the King Neptunus
- Octpath idol group member Shunsei Ōta as Juno
- Anna Tsuchiya as Editor-in-Chief
Yasuhiro Aoki (Kimagure Robot, Tweeny Witches) is directing the film at Studio 4°C, and Hirokazu Kojima (Deadman Wonderland, Coyote Ragtime Show) is the character designer and chief animation director. Hiroshi Takiguchi (Ajin, The Case of Hana & Alice, The Garden of Words) is the art director. Takatsugu Muramatsu (Mary and The Witch's Flower, Phoenix: Eden17) is composing the soundtrack. Toei will distribute the film.
Oricon reported that Studio 4°C had been secretly working on the film for the last seven years. Producer Eiko Tanaka stated in the film's January press conference that the film is hand drawn with more than 100,000 drawings.
Sources: ChaO! anime film's website, Comic Natalie