Goodbye, Lara

Goodbye, Lara is an original anime television series produced by Kinema Citrus for the studio's 15th anniversary. It reimagines Hans Christian Andersen's The Little Mermaid with a modern reincarnation twist: instead of dissolving into sea foam, the mermaid princess is reborn 200 years later in Lake Biwa, Japan. The series blends fantasy and slice-of-life drama, following Lara as she navigates human society while carrying the emotional weight of her past failure.

The show features hand-drawn animation and a strong creative team, including director Takushi Koide (his series directorial debut), writer Anna Kawahara, and composer Yuma Yamaguchi. The opening theme is performed by Ikimonogakari, and the ending theme by Hana Hope. Premiering July 6, 2026 on Tokyo MX, the series will also stream worldwide on Crunchyroll. [edit]

Two centuries ago, a mermaid princess named Lara lived in an underwater kingdom ruled by her father, the Sea King. Unlike the traditional fairy tale, Lara's voice was not stolen but lost as part of a bargain with the Sea Witch, who is reimagined as Lara's exiled aunt—a figure who values freedom over the rigid hierarchy of the Sea King's domain. When Lara fell in love with a human prince, she consumed a witch's potion to become human. But the potion carried a devastating side effect: if she failed to find true love, she would dissolve into sea foam. Lara's quest ended in tragedy.

In present-day Japan, Lara is reborn in Lake Biwa, Shiga Prefecture. The mermaid kingdom has fallen into ruin following her original death, and a message left by the Witch reveals that Lara's continued search for True Love in the modern era may be the key to reviving it. Lara must now adapt to a world vastly different from both her underwater home and the historical era of her first human transformation. She is taken in by the Otsu family, including high school boxer Mari Otsu, who becomes her housemate and friend. Mari, a girl who lost her mother at a young age, possesses mysterious abilities that may connect to Lara's past.

The first episode functions as a condensed retelling of the original Andersen story, establishing Lara's past tragedy, before shifting to her modern reincarnation. The season follows Lara adjusting to human life, forming bonds with Mari and her family, and beginning her renewed search for true love. Director Takushi Koide has noted that the story explores how Lara's instincts, which were not valued in the underwater kingdom, might find purpose in the modern world. Themes of love, loss, rebirth, and the tension between order and freedom run through the narrative.[edit]