Japanese animated cinema continues to explore unusual genres. The latest offering from Studio4°C, directed by Yasuhiro Aoki, introduces Stephan, a gray office worker whose life changes when he meets Chao, a mermaid princess. Following a marriage proposal as sudden as it is inexplicable, the two begin a cohabitation that blends the mundane with the fantastic. The film, winner of the Jury Prize at Annecy 2025, arrives in French theaters on May 13. 🎬
The technical challenge of animating water and routine 🌊
Studio4°C has employed a combination of 2D and 3D animation to bring the aquatic sequences to life. Chao's tail movements required specific rigging to simulate the tension of scales underwater. The visual effects team developed their own particle system for bubbles and ocean currents, while the office backgrounds were hand-drawn to contrast with the digital fluidity of the sea. The result is a visual contrast that reinforces the clash between two worlds.
Marrying a mermaid: the new bureaucratic nightmare 📄
Stephan not only has to deal with visits to the civil registry of his aquatic kingdom, but also with the fact that his wife cannot use the elevator in his building. The film dedicates several minutes to showing how Chao tries to sign the rental contract with wet fins, causing the document to dissolve three times. If you thought making an appointment with the tax office was annoying, wait until you have to justify an interspecies marriage to social security.