The
official website of STUDIO 4°C has released a heartwarming
two-minute-long clip featuring the inserted song "Anata no Tame
ni" ("For You"), performed by actress Anna
Yamada in the role of Chao, the mermaid princess
protagonist of the anime film ChaO.
With
phrases such as "I want to dance for you, I want to make dreams
come true with you," the song expresses Chao's deep and
sincere devotion to Stefen. In the video, the young mermaid—formerly a
fish—can be seen dancing and singing underwater, symbolizing her physical and
emotional transformation as she expresses her love.
Release
date and production team details
The
film ChaO will hit theaters in Japan on August 15,
2025, while its official soundtrack, which will include this
song inserted, will be available from August 13.
The
direction is in charge of Yasuhiro Aoki, with Hirokazu
Kojima in charge of character design and animation direction,
and Hiroshi Takiguchi as art director. Toei will
be the distributor of the film.
A love
story between opposite worlds
Winner of
the Jury Prize at the 2025 Annecy International Animated Film
Festival, ChaO places us in a near future where
humans and merfolk coexist. In this context, Stephen, a naval engineer in
Shanghai, develops a propeller called the Air Jet, designed not to
harm marine life. Everything changes when Chao, a mermaid princess,
proposes to her. The story explores the cultural and emotional
conflicts between the two, until a tragic accident puts their bond to
the test.
With
vibrant animation and a soundtrack that promises to strike a chord, ChaO is
shaping up to be one of the most prominent releases in Japanese animation in
2025.
