A Studio Ghibli-Style Anime About ‘The Little Mermaid’ Just Dropped Its Trailer

The Little Mermaid is being adapted once again, and this time, it’s not by Disney. Anime studio Kinema Citrus has released its trailer for Goodbye, Lara, an upcoming series that reimagines the Hans Christian Andersen fairy tale The Little Mermaid, set in modern-day Japan. The project was first announced in 2024, and is scheduled for release in 2026.

The trailer features familiar scenes recognizable in any adaptation of The Little Mermaid. A mermaid named Lara saves someone in the ocean and takes them back to shore. Additionally, the trailer showcases the mermaid’s origins and what she was like when she was younger, offering glimpses of the human world and the deal she’s about to make with the sea witch.

According to the show’s official website: Goodbye, Lara tells the story of Lara, a mermaid who is the daughter of the King of the Sea, but falls in love with a human. Since it is forbidden for mermaids to fall in love with humans, she makes a deal that allows her to go to the human world, but this deal has a price. Directing the series is Takushi Koide, known for Made in Abyss and My Happy Marriage, and voicing Lara is Hana Hishikawa (Kaiju No. 8).

What Is ‘The Little Mermaid’ About?

The original story of The Little Mermaid by the Danish author follows a mermaid who lives in an underwater kingdom, fascinated by humans and the world they live in. During her first visit, she falls in love with a prince and saves him when his ship sinks during a storm. Hoping to be with the prince, she visits a Sea Witch, who offers her a potion that gives her legs in exchange for her voice. In addition, once turned into a human, she will be unable to return to the sea, and she will turn into sea foam if the prince falls in love with someone else.

This fairy tale has been adapted a handful of times, but the most famous adaptation was by Disney, which released an animated film of the same name in 1989. This adaptation received two Academy Awards, for Best Original Score and Best Original Song (“Under the Sea”). It also spawned a sequel, a prequel, a TV series, and a live-action adaptation.

Goodbye, Lara has yet to announce where it will be distributed globally. However, it’s scheduled to be released in 2026. Follow Collider to keep up to date with the latest updates.