Coming to cinemas on December 4th, ChaO is the 2025 Annecy Animation Festival Jury Award winning animation from STUDIO 4°C (Kill La Kill) and directed by Yasuhiro Aoki (The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim).
The film's distinctive and cutting-edge visuals tell the tale of everyday, sea-loving Stephen and a surprise marriage proposal from mermaid princess Chao. Cue shopping sprees, giant robots and romance. Sounds good to us.
Trailer:
Synopsis:
In a fantastical future, humans and mermaids share a troubled coexistence. Stephan, an anxious employee at a shipbuilding company, has big ideas to save the sea. But his life explodes into ecstatic chaos when bubbly mermaid princess Chao proposes marriage out of the blue. Between shopping sprees, giant robots, and actual fireworks, the unlikely pair flounder through their new romance and unlock their true feelings.
Crafted over 7 years by the acclaimed STUDIO 4°C and veteran animator Yasuhiro Aoki, ChaO is an inventive and genre-defying delight bursting with color and character. Equal parts hilarious and heartbreaking, ChaO’s singular narrative is an ode to boundless love.
