ChaO (movie)

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Alternative title:

チャオ (Japanese)

Genres: romance

Plot Summary: In a near-future world where humans and mermen coexist, Stephen, a shipping engineer in Shanghai, develops a propeller called Air Jet that is harmless for marine life to promote peace between the two races. When Chao, a mermaid princess, pushes Stephen to marry her, their two worlds collide. As they struggle with their cultural differences, a tragic accident creates a bigger strain on their relationship.

Vintage: 2025-05 (screened at Cannes Animation Festival Marché du Film)

Premiere date:

2025-08-15 (Japan)

Official website:

映画『ChaO』 (Japanese)

Review:

ChaO Anime Film Review (Jun 17, 2025)

News: Show: 10 +9 +1 unverified

ChaO Anime Film Earns US$112,000 in U.S. Box Office (Apr 20, 2026)

Exit 8 Live-Action Film Opens at #8 in U.S., Earns US$1,404,500 (Apr 15, 2026)

ChaO Anime Film's English-Subtitled Trailer Reveals April 10 Opening in N. America (Feb 12, 2026)

Anime Limited Announces Multiple Forthcoming UK Cinema Releases in 2026 (Updated) (Jan 28, 2026)

Demon Slayer, Scarlet, Chainsaw Man, ChaO, More Anime Films Confirmed Eligible for 2026 Oscars (Nov 22, 2025)

Asia Pacific Screen Awards Nominate ChaO Anime Film (Oct 15, 2025)

Tokyo Int'l Film Fest to Show Labyrinth, The Obsessed, Edge of Time, Angel's Egg 4K Remaster (Oct 1, 2025)

Animation is Film Festival Screens Scarlet, All You Need Is Kill, ChaO, Chainsaw Man: Reze Arc (Sep 17, 2025)

ChaO Anime Film to Screen in 16 Countries (Aug 15, 2025)

Yasuhiro Aoki, Studio 4°C's ChaO Anime Film Streams 1-Minute Clip (Aug 11, 2025)

Press Release:

'ChaO' Comes to Theaters in North America April 10th (Feb 12, 2026)

Other article:

The Best Anime Movies of 2025 (Dec 29, 2025)

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Japanese staff

Japanese cast

Director: Yasuhiro Aoki

Screenplay: Saku Konohana

Storyboard:
Shōgo Furuya
Yasuhiro Aoki

Unit Director: Shōgo Furuya

Music: Takatsugu Muramatsu

Character Design: Hirokazu Kojima

Art Director: Hiroshi Takiguchi

Chief Animation Director: Hirokazu Kojima

Animation Director:
Hidetsugu Itō
Kanchi Suzuki
Masahito Onoda
Shōgo Furuya
Yūko Sera

Sound Director: Kōji Kasamatsu

Director of Photography: Takanori Nakashima

Color design: Kumiko Naruke

Design Assistant:
Hidetsugu Itō
Shōgo Furuya
Yasuhiro Aoki
Yasuyuki Shimizu

Editing: Kengo Shigemura

In-Between Check: Yoshiko Arahata

Production manager: Kaoru Okutsu

Robot Design: Kōji Morimoto

Ship Design: Takuo Tominaga

Theme Song Performance: Kumi Kōda (ED)

Anna Yamada as ChaO

Ōji Suzuka as Stefan

Anna Tsuchiya as Editor-in-Chief

Cookie! as Ambassador Omede

Kavka Shishido as Maibei

Kenta Miyake as King Neptunus

Ryōta Yamasato as President Shi

Shunsei Ōta as Juno

Yūichirō Umehara as Roberta

Japanese companies

Animation Production: Studio 4°C

Background Art Assistance: Creative Freaks

Distributor: Toei Company, Ltd.

English staff

English companies

(none)

Licensed by:
Anime Limited (UK & Ireland)
GKIDS (North America)

English cast

(none)

French staff

French companies

Proofreading: Essia Mokdad (Subtitles)

Licensed by: Eurozoom

Production Subsidy: JLOX (Subtitles)

Subtitles: Le Joli Mai

French cast

(none)

Spanish staff

Spanish companies

(none)

Licensed by: Jonu Media (Spain)

Spanish cast

(none)

Italian staff

Italian cast

Dubbing Director: Luca Giacomozzi

Translation: Roberto Fedele

Dialogues: Anais Pain

Dubbing Assistant: Federica Di Lorenzo

Dubbing Engineer: Dario Castelli

Mixing: Mauro Lopez

Beatrice Maruffa as Chao

Federico Campaiola as Stephen

Danny Francucci as Juno

Davide Capone as Shi

Francesco Fabbri as Roberta

Gianluca Machelli as Re Nettuno

Sara Imbriani as Maibei

Marzio Mancuso as Stephen (bambino)

Italian companies

Distributor:
Adler Entertainment (cinema)
Dynit

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ChaO (movie)

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