ChaO

ChaO Review: High on something, yet adorably fun

Brighton Nelson

09 Apr 2026 — 5 min read

I didn't have this film on my radar until the day it hit theaters, and I was really excited to see we were getting a new anime film! I'm a big fan of Japanese animation, even though I don't have enough time to watch long TV shows, so I typically get my anime fix from the cinemas. I was heading to the cinema for the day, and I wanted to do my usual triple feature. It was really awesome to get two Japanese films in one week! I'm always all about that international cinema, even if we don't get much of them in theaters around these parts. This film follows a naval architect named Stefan as he is forced into an arranged marriage with the fishy merfolk by the name of ChaO. It's an insane premise, of course, as it always has been with mermaid tales. So, does this film innovate on the mermaid story, and did it live up to my excitement for a new animated release? That's what I, Brighton Nelson of The Reel Ranker, will discuss today. I hope you enjoy this article—let's get into it!

Just look at how much energy and uniqueness there is in this cast. It's wonderful!

Starting with the negatives, there are only two things that hold this film back from being more of a personal classic. Firstly, the film really makes you suspend your disbelief when it comes to the backstory of ChaO and Stefan's relationship, as well as what happens to Stefan's parents: the first involving a level of convenient forgetfulness and miscommunication that makes no logical sense; the second involving a degree of negligence that simply feels completely unrealistic for someone who's so nautical.

While the rest of the story is so bizarre and off the beaten path, it's obviously by design and works so well. So when writing oversights are the most jarring thing amidst the film's folly, it's a tad concerning. The only other thing is that, throughout the runtime, the film doesn't flesh out ChaO enough as a character beyond her superficial status as a merfolk princess and a trying-but-failing trad-wife. She's a super fun character, but she deserved more development and depth.

I get why Stefan doesn't want to marry a fish, obviously, but she's so adorable!

However, outside of those two major yet forgivable flaws, this film is an absolute blast to behold! So, let's break it down! First things first, the animation here is absolutely wonderful. It's surreal, obscene, absurd, and messy as sin, but it's absolutely gorgeous and executes its oddities in the best possible way. The film has so many unique sequences it brings to life through its animation, from mundane lunch scenes to a random robot battle to one of the most high-octane animated car chase sequences I've seen; from humans with insane proportions for no explainable reason, to a bombastic Sea of Thieves-esque Kraken battle and a transformative dance sequence, this film surprises throughout its runtime.

While the withholding of answers was asininely artificial, the plot reveals here are surprisingly great and memorable. The plot is preposterous, but it's magical and gripping in a way similar to Spirited Away, but more zany, less subdued, and more up my alley. The love story unfolds in an interesting way, and you can't help but root for its insanity. The film's conclusion brought me to tears... it was so cute! It paid off what was set up perfectly in just a few beats, something that, for some reason, Japanese animation excels at far more than most films that feel they can't balance a quick, powerful conclusion with one long enough to do justice to what came before.

By the time the credits roll and clips from the film are playing in the background, I just had to stay and rewatch all the clips because the sweet old lady behind me and I were just grinning from ear-to-ear, reflecting on what we just watched as the beautiful score kicks in, sounding like a melancholy version of the track "The Rebel Army" from Final Fantasy II in the best way imaginable.

ChaO's human form is really pretty in a very odd, interesting way. Amazing character design.

The Reel Ranker Verdict

Reel or Unreel? - Reel
The Reel Ranker Score: 77%
Letter Score: A
Star Ranking: 4 out of 5

ChaO may have some plot contrivances and underbaked character development. Yet, its incredibly unique and awe-striking animation, beautiful music, adorable romance story, and trippy narrative all come together to make a supreme splash in the anime space.

Interested in my reviews for other romance, animation, or Japanese films? Check them out below!