Acclaimed
Studio 4°C has released a new trailer for its highly anticipated animated film,
ChaO, featuring the main theme song "ChaO!" performed by renowned
Japanese singer Kumi Koda. This song was composed especially for the film and
sets the eccentric and romantic tone of this original story.
Along with
the trailer, a new promotional poster was also released, giving us a closer
look at the protagonists and the futuristic marine world in which this unusual
romantic comedy unfolds.
A Love
Story Between Worlds
The film
will be released in Japanese theaters on August 15 (local time), but before
that, it will have its world premiere at the prestigious Annecy International
Animation Film Festival, which will take place in France from June 8 to 14.
ChaO will
also subsequently be screened at the Fantasia International Film Festival,
which will take place in Montreal from July 16 to August 3. The American
distributor GKIDS has already acquired the rights for its Western release.
An unusual
romance
The story
of ChaO revolves around Stephan, an ordinary office worker at a shipbuilding
company. His life takes an unexpected turn when he is proposed to by ChaO, a
princess from the mermaid kingdom. Without time to process what has happened,
Stephan ends up living with this unpredictable and passionate princess,
beginning a relationship that will challenge all his emotional barriers.
The film
combines comedy and romance with a strong visual component and is described as
a true "fish out of water" story set in a futuristic world where
humans and mermaids coexist.
Yasuhiro
Aoki (Kimagure Robot, Tweeny Witches) is directing, while Hirokazu Kojima is
leading the character design and animation direction. Hiroshi Takiguchi is the
art director, and the music is by Takatsugu Muramatsu (Mary and the Witch's
Flower).
Seven Years
of Work and Over 100,000 Drawings
According
to Oricon, the studio has been secretly working on this film for the past seven
years. Producer Eiko Tanaka revealed that the animation is entirely hand-drawn,
with over 100,000 illustrations used to bring this colorful and surreal
universe to life.
With its
combination of romance, humor, and unmistakable aesthetic, ChaO promises to
become one of the most memorable animated films of the year.
