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A cultural fascination with mermaids isn’t confined to the West, and it isn’t something that Disney has a monopoly on. To celebrate their 15th anniversary, anime studio Kinema Citrus is working on a brand-new series titled Goodbye, Lara. Unlike most anime, this is a totally original work by the studio that brought us Rising of the Shield Hero, My Happy Marriage, and one of the best shorts in Star Wars: Visions.

Goodbye, Lara was recently announced by Kadokawa, who confirmed that the series is currently scheduled for a July 2026 release date. The latest from Kinema Citrus is about a mermaid named Lara who comes to the surface world for the first time in 200 years and encounters a high school student named Mari Otsu.

Kadokawa explains that the series mixes “lighthearted banter” between the pair with “a journey of self-discovery and friendship,” with Lara’s past from 200 years ago mixing with the modern world. The animation in the promotional video, which was released over the weekend, has a classic feel to it, which is appropriate for a story that takes place over 200 years. 

Kinema Citrus is probably best known for their work on The Rising of the Shield Hero and My Happy Marriage anime adaptation. Both were heavily focused on romance with beautiful animation. They also produced The Village Bride as part of Star Wars Visions Volume 1, which also featured plenty of action. Goodbye, Lara doesn’t seem to be as focused on action, but Kinema Citrus seems more interested in mixing the magical and the mundane to create a more emotional experience for anime fans.

Goodbye, Lara from Kinema Citrus is set to debut in July 2026.

Each week, Popverse's resident anime expert Trent Cannon runs down the latest and, dare we say "greatest," in anime and manga in Popverse Jump. Some recent columns have included... 

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