The official website for STUDIO 4℃’s (Poupelle of Chimney Town, Fortune Favors Lady Nikuko) new original anime movie ChaO released a new video today introducing seven additional voice cast members and their characters.
The new cast includes:
Shi, president of the shipbuilding company where Stephen works, is voiced by Ryota Yamazato (comedy duo Nankai Candies member)
Maibei, a woman who supports Chao when she is unfamiliar with life on earth, is voiced by singer Kavka Shishido
Roberta, Stephen’s friend and inventor, is voiced by Yuichiro Umehara (Goblin Slayer in GOBLIN SLAYER)
King Neptunus, Chao’s father and leader of the mermaid kingdom, is voiced by Kenta Miyake (All Might in My Hero Academia)
Juno, a rookie reporter who is following the history of humans and mermaids, is voiced by OCTPATH member Shunsei Ota
The editor-in-chief of the newspaper Juno works, is voiced by actor Anna Tsuchiya
Ambassador Omede, a representative of the parliament that promotes talks between humans and mermaids and the establishment of diplomatic relations, is voiced by comedy duo Yasei Bakudan member Cookie! He will voice three characters in the film, with the two roles revealed at the theater.
The site also announced that the film is nominated for the feature film competition at the Annecy International Animated Film Festival 2025, a French international film festival to be held in June.
Director Yasuhiro Aoki (Psycho-Pass – The Movie character designer) posted an illustration message on the film’s official X (formerly Twitter), saying: “I am amazed and thrilled at the same time! I am really happy because the staff poured a lot of passion into this film. A miracle story about Stephen and Chao. Sending this film to Annecy may also be the result of a series of miracles.”
ChaO is set to release on August 15, 2025 in Japan. Ouji Suzuka is cast as the human protagonist, Stephen, while Anna Yamada as Chao, a princess from the mermaid kingdom.
The Annecy Film Festival’s official website describes the film as such:
In a near-future world where humans and mermen coexist, Stephen, a shipping engineer in Shanghai, develops a propeller called Air Jet that is harmless for marine life to promote peace between the two races. When Chao, a mermaid princess, pushes Stephen to marry her, their two worlds collide. As they struggle with their cultural differences, a tragic accident creates a bigger strain on their relationship.
Source: “ChaO” anime movie official website 1, 2 / X (formerly Twitter)
©2025 “ChaO” Production Committee
