Chiikawa's first-ever theatrical anime, "Chiikawa: The Secret of Mermaid Island," hit the big screen on July 24, 2026, and its box office performance has been nothing short of spectacular. Even up against Hollywood's global blockbuster, "Spider-Man: Rebirth," it still snagged the top spot at the Japanese weekly box office.
Just 20 days into its run, the film has already raked in over 8.07 billion yen at the box office, with more than 5.63 million admissions. To celebrate this massive success, the official channels have dropped the highly praised, "subtitle-free version" of the opening sequence, personally conceptualized by original author Nagano.
Compared to this year's "Detective Conan: The Fallen Angel of the Highway" (currently at 13.68 billion yen and still playing in Japanese theaters), "Chiikawa: The Secret of Mermaid Island" is showing an equally astonishing growth rate. "The Fallen Angel of the Highway" hit 7.99 billion yen in its first 17 days, meaning "Chiikawa" is practically keeping pace with its box office momentum.
What's more, Japanese officials are continually luring fans with exclusive special viewer bonuses, and major Japanese cinemas are still packed to the brim, making it virtually unstoppable. Its upward trajectory has everyone buzzing with anticipation.
The content of this opening sequence was personally conceived by original author Nagano. It kicks off with Hachiware adorably waking up. After morning exercises, Hachiware rubs its sleepy eyes while walking, then takes a photo of Chiikawa, with Usagi joining in. Other characters also make appearances, filling the entire segment with a heartwarming atmosphere of deep affection between the characters.
Paired with the film's original opening theme song, "Kutsure," sung by Hachiware (CV: Makoto Tanaka), the entire video is infused with Chiikawa's uniquely adorable charm.
▼ Watch the "Chiikawa: The Secret of Mermaid Island" Opening Sequence Here:
With this kind of momentum and buzz, "Chiikawa: The Secret of Mermaid Island" is definitely on track to hit the 10 billion yen box office milestone. Now, let's see if it can keep up this incredible pace!