Chiikawa Movie Review: Is Mermaid Island Worth Watching?

Chiikawa, Hachiware and Usagi had hit the big screen. Is Chiikawa the Movie: The Secret of the Mermaid Island worth watching? Let's find out in our review.

July 24, 2026, is an important date for Chiikawa and all of its fans, because on that day, Chiikawa the Movie: The Secret of the Mermaid Island officially premiered in Japan. It is definitely a historic moment for this IP. Starting from Japan, everyone began to see its potential, and it has reached a level that most anime never reach.

If you haven't given this title a try yet, it may be hard to believe, but The Secret of the Mermaid Island has achieved incredible results, and in August, other countries in Asia started to officially premiere the movie. The Chiikawa movie is not only for Japan and Japanese fans. Even in Malaysia, the movie officially premiered on August 20, 2026. As someone who loves Chiikawa, of course I enjoyed it, and I even watched it twice! I have a lot to share about the movie, so in this post, I will dive into it and hopefully help everyone decide whether it's worth watching.

Source: 「劇画ちいかわ 人魚の島のひみつ」公式 Official X account

Chiikawa and Chiikawa the Movie: Are They Related?

Before I dive deep into the movie, let me first answer a question that I think most people are curious about: are the movie and the anime related, and is it essential to watch the anime first? Although the official team and the author, Nagano, have stated that everyone can feel free to watch the movie without seeing the anime, and a lot of people have actually done so, I do think you need to watch the anime first.

The stories themselves aren't really connected. If we're only discussing the story, you actually don't need to watch the anime before The Secret of the Mermaid Island. However, if we're talking about the characters, their relationships, or even some of the settings in this unique world, that's where you need some "knowledge".

Unlike most anime we're familiar with, the characters in Chiikawa don't actually talk. Most of them just give us reactions, and only a few can speak human language. I think this is important information for everyone, because if you're expecting the characters to explain everything, this movie is going to let you down. The story isn't that difficult, and you'll eventually be able to understand all of it, but from the movie alone, you can't fully understand the characters' logic, actions, and emotions.

If you have time and want to enjoy the movie even more, I strongly suggest giving the anime a try first, getting to know the characters, and then enjoying the movie. But of course, if you don't have much time and want to catch the movie while it's still in cinemas, then I suggest watching it first. In the end, The Secret of the Mermaid Island is such a great anime movie that no matter what type of viewer you are, you'll be highly satisfied.

Source: 「劇画ちいかわ 人魚の島のひみつ」公式 Official X account

The Secret of the Mermaid Island Review: The great movie for everyone

Now that I've shared whether you need to watch the Chiikawa anime first, let's get into the review and see whether this movie is for you. First of all, as someone who loves Chiikawa and really enjoyed the anime, I think The Secret of the Mermaid Island is the best anime movie, and it's almost a 10 out of 10 for me.

Unlike other anime review posts, this post will be more of my subjective view of the movie, since I just love Chiikawa and enjoyed the movie so much. As its title suggests, this movie focuses heavily on the big secret of a mysterious island. Our adorable trio, Chiikawa, Usagi, and Hachiware, go on an amazing adventure there and run into all kinds of events.

This little trio is really cute. The way they act, play, and have fun is just so adorable, and from the beginning to the end of the movie, I loved every scene they were in. If you're someone who loves cute creatures as much as I do, The Secret of the Mermaid Island won't disappoint you.

Source: 「劇画ちいかわ 人魚の島のひみつ」公式 Official X account

However, let me be honest with everyone, the animation quality of this movie doesn't reach the level of the Demon Slayer movies, so if you're expecting that level, you may be disappointed. But the movie's animation quality is still unbelievably high, so I'm quite confident you'll be satisfied with it, just like I was.

Besides the high-quality animation, the story, pacing, and overall cute vibe of The Secret of the Mermaid Island are also top-notch. Almost every second of the movie is interesting, and it will really draw you in and keep you focused on the screen the whole time.

Personally, I think the scenes where the mermaid appears are incredibly well done. The BGM, vibe, character designs, and voice acting are fantastic, and I really enjoyed them. Even though I watched the movie twice, the mermaid scenes still captivated me and held my attention every time.

Source: 「劇画ちいかわ 人魚の島のひみつ」公式 Official X account

OshiFlash: An Epic and Unique FlashBack For You!

The Secret of the Mermaid Island Movie Suggestion: Who Should Watch The Secret of the Mermaid Island?

Just like with the Demon Slayer movies, no matter how amazing a movie is, there will always be some people who aren't interested in it or who get bored watching it, and The Secret of the Mermaid Island is no different. So, now that I've shared my personal opinions and what I love about the movie, let's look at whether this movie suits you.

I would like to say this movie suits everyone, but if you're looking for something intense, full of battles, or with Demon Slayer-level animation, then this movie isn't for you. The movie is actually very well made, but in the end, it's still a Chiikawa work, so it's almost impossible to expect intense action or incredible battles from it.

Although the vibe of The Secret of the Mermaid Island is extremely good, and it even gets scary at times, Chiikawa is a very soft anime in the end, so it can't really offer much of a "mature" feel. If you're looking for an anime with that kind of mature feel, this movie isn't for you either.

The Secret of the Mermaid Island can't give you something it doesn't have, but if you're looking for a great anime, something that will really draw you in, then this is a movie you need to watch. I know it's a bold claim, but I truly think The Secret of the Mermaid Island is one of the best anime movies, and you should give it a try.

Here’s a great YouTube video worth checking out.

An Amazing Surprise from Chiikawa: Don't Forget to Collect Your Free Gift

Since this post is mainly about The Secret of the Mermaid Island, let me share a small piece of information with everyone. This information is region-limited, but starting with Japan, many countries screening the movie in cinemas have prepared gifts or even special tickets.

Everyone has a chance to get these gifts or special tickets, so when you buy your tickets at the cinema, remember to check whether the cinema still has any left. For example, in Malaysia, cinemas have prepared a movie poster for everyone as a free gift.

Besides that, cinemas have also prepared special tickets. These cost much more than normal tickets, but they come with a small figure or other movie-related merchandise, depending on the batch. So, if you're just looking for a normal cinema experience, remember to check so that you don't end up buying the wrong tickets. In Japan and Hong Kong, cinemas even offer a 4D version, so if you want to give 4D a try, you may want to check that out first.

It's not rare for movies to offer gifts or special tickets, but it's definitely rare for a young title. Compared to the Detective Conan, Crayon Shin-chan, or Doraemon movie series, Chiikawa is still a young title, yet The Secret of the Mermaid Island has so much merchandise, and it's actually selling well. Fans love it!

Here’s a great YouTube video worth checking out.

The Origin of the Movie: A Special Serialised Chapter from Nagano's X

The Secret of the Mermaid Island has a lot to talk about, so in this post, I'll also share its origin with everyone. Unlike most anime movies, this movie is actually based on a special chapter from Nagano's X. Nagano didn't serialise Chiikawa in any famous magazine, but on X instead, and along the way, Nagano actually posted a long special chapter there.

Since I was following Nagano's X at the time, I had already read the original story long before I watched The Secret of the Mermaid Island in cinemas. The whole special chapter is really amazing even without animation, and the funny thing is that back then, a lot of people actually commented that they wanted it to become a movie and wanted to watch it in cinemas. It really sparked a lot of discussion on X.

And it wasn't just in Japan. Chiikawa fans in other Asian countries were also discussing it, and everyone, including me, really hoped it would be shown in cinemas. When the movie was finally announced, every fan was so happy and excited, and couldn't wait to spend their money!

I'm not exaggerating when I say that The Secret of the Mermaid Island is truly a significant milestone for both the author, Nagano, and every fan. With the fans' support, Nagano achieved Chiikawa's first movie adaptation, helping it grow into a far stronger IP, and we fans really created a great miracle together with Nagano.

Here’s a great YouTube video worth checking out.

Conclusion:

It's very rare to grow alongside an amazing masterpiece, and I definitely feel very happy to be part of this incredible journey. Yes, it's true that The Secret of the Mermaid Island didn't surpass the Demon Slayer movies or One Piece Film: Red at the Japanese box office, but please don't forget that those two titles actually had a lot of resources behind them, and it wasn't their first time making a movie.

This is Chiikawa's first time making a movie, and it has already shown the world an amazing result. Once again, The Secret of the Mermaid Island is almost a perfect 10/10 anime movie, and I really hope everyone will give it a try. Thank you for reading this post!