“Goodbye, Lara é o novo anime original da Kinema Citrus, uma releitura melancólica de A Pequena Sereia com estreia marcada para 2026.”
Um novo teaser trailer acaba de ser revelado ao público.
The renowned animation studio Kinema Citrus — known for hits like Made in Abyss and My Happy Marriage — has announced its next original project: Goodbye, Lara, as part of the celebrations for its 15th anniversary. The anime is set to premiere in 2026, with a teaser trailer and poster revealed on June 30, 2025.
🌊 Plot of Goodbye, Lara: A New Take on The Little Mermaid
Loosely inspired by Hans Christian Andersen’s The Little Mermaid, Goodbye, Lara follows Lara, a young mermaid who dreams of experiencing human love. After taking a potion given by Grace, a sea witch, she transforms into a human — but fails to win her true love and ends up dissolving into foam.
Two hundred years later, Lara mysteriously reincarnates on the shores of Lake Biwa in contemporary Japan — a setting rich in symbolism and personally connected to director Takushi Koide. Coincidentally, Lake Biwa Day is celebrated in Japan on July 1st, one day after the teaser’s release, reinforcing the link between the story and Japanese natural and mystical elements.
🎬 Creative Team Behind Goodbye, Lara
The production features renowned industry professionals:
- Director: Takushi Koide (Revue Starlight, Made in Abyss)
- Series Composition/Screenplay: Anna Kawahara (My Life After Her)
- Character Design: Shiori Tani (Made in Abyss, My Happy Marriage)
- Music: Yuma Yamaguchi (Link Click, The Night Beyond the Tricornered Window)
- Voice Acting: Hana Hishikawa will voice the protagonist Lara, conveying sweetness and innocence, as already demonstrated in the teaser.
The promotional art highlights Lara with tears in her eyes, capturing the melancholic beauty that seems central to the work’s tone.
🎨 Visual Style of Goodbye, Lara: Between Retro and Contemporary
Since the teaser release, the anime has been widely praised for its distinctive visual style. Reddit users have described the aesthetic as “retro in a good way,” comparing it to titles like Princess Tutu and Ponyo.
The art direction blends elements from the 1980s and 1990s with modern animation techniques, resulting in a nostalgic yet fresh look — appealing to both veteran and new anime fans.
💔 Themes Explored in Goodbye, Lara
The story promises to delve into deep and emotionally complex themes:
- Unrequited love
- Sacrifice and rebirth
- Identity and adaptation
- Clash between past and modernity
The contemporary Japanese setting offers an interesting contrast to the classic tale’s origins, while providing rich internal conflicts for the protagonist — a mermaid trying to understand the present human world and her conflicting feelings.
📅 Goodbye, Lara Premiere and Future Expectations
The premiere of Goodbye, Lara is confirmed for 2026, though no exact date has been announced. Updates about episode count, full trailers, and international distribution are expected throughout 2025.
Given the strong initial interest, positive reception of the teaser, and comparisons to acclaimed works, Goodbye, Lara is already considered a promising candidate for one of the standout anime of 2026.
📝 Conclusion
Goodbye, Lara has all the elements to move and captivate audiences: a story of love and rebirth, poetic settings, breathtaking visuals, combined with the creative talent of Kinema Citrus’s team.
Reimagining The Little Mermaid through a more mature and Japanese lens, the anime positions itself as one of next year’s most anticipated premieres. Fans of fantasy, melancholic romance, and quality animation should keep an eye out for upcoming announcements.
The official preview of the anime Goodbye, Lara has been unveiled.
Kinema Citrus announces Goodbye, Lara, a new original anime inspired by The Little Mermaid. Set to premiere in 2026, the series explores themes of love, sacrifice, and rebirth with a unique Japanese twist and stunning retro-contemporary visuals.
