Nagano's viral manga phenomenon has achieved yet another historic milestone on the silver screen. Chiikawa Movie: Ningyo no Shima no Himitsu has officially dominated the 2026 box office, pulling in a staggering 15.84 billion yen ($100M+ equivalent) with 10.85 million admissions over its first 59 days in Japanese theaters through September 20, securing the #1 ranking for the year according to Kogyo Tsushinsha.
Since its launch on X (formerly Twitter) in 2020 by illustrator Nagano, the franchise chronicling the bittersweet, whimsical, and occasionally harsh daily lives of Chiikawa, Hachiware, and Usagi has captured global attention. Following a legendary run in merchandise and an ongoing television anime boasting over 500 million YouTube streams, the property made its eagerly awaited cinematic debut tackling the fan-favorite 'Siren Arc'.
Studio Production & Phenomenal Success
Animation production is handled by studio CygamesPictures (recognized for their breathtaking work on Umamusume: Pretty Derby – Beginning of a New Era), directed by Kei Oikawa under the complete creative supervision of Nagano. The cinematic expansion pairs sweeping musical compositions by Shugo Tokumaru and Riki Kamizuru with top-tier animation fidelity.
Audiences across Japan have praised the narrative's unexpected emotional depth and immersive sound design, driving massive viral engagement across social platforms alongside special 4DX and fan-screening formats. New cinematic additions such as Island Jiro and the Siren have rapidly cemented themselves into fan culture as the film continues its record-breaking theatrical run.
