Chiikawa Movie: The Secret of the Mermaid Island Explained

The announcement of Chiikawa the Movie: The Secret of the Mermaid Island has been an exciting revelation to the anime community and collectors alike. Although the franchise has gained popularity due to its extremely lovable and cute mascot design, the movie version of the “Island / Siren Arc” written by Nagano shows yet again how there is always something sinister hiding under the cute exterior.
Here is an in-depth look at the important plot points of the movie. For background on the series’ tone, see our deep dive into Chiikawa’s dark and heartwarming story arcs, and for more on the franchise’s origins, check Chiikawa’s official background on Wikipedia.

1. Setting: The “Free Food” Scheme and the Island Invite

Once again, our story starts in classic Chiikawa style: with innocent joy prompted by food!

The Mysterious Flyer: As Chiikawa and Hachiware hang out in the plaza, Usagi shows up with a promotional flyer that is glued to their faces.

The Offer: The flyer offers visitors to join an exclusive training camp on the island where “100x rewards will be given for extermination missions” and there is “free ramen, sweets, and seafood” to enjoy.

The Journey: Drawn in by the offer, the main characters hop aboard the boat, along with Rakko (who is still dubious about the overly good flyer), Momonga, Kurimanju, Shisa, and Furuhonya.Upon their arrival, the islanders treat them to a festive welcome ceremony, putting them in flower wreaths and woven grass skirts.

2. Siren Legend and the Absent Mermaid

The idyllic feast turns out to be only the tip of the iceberg because the paradise is constantly terrorized by a frighteningly large Siren and her two smaller mermaid counterparts.

Facts of Legend:

The Symbiosis: The Siren once led a harmonious life in a sea cave where her magical singing made crops and fruits grow incredibly fast on the island. Islanders sacrificed food to her in thanks for that.

The Legend: As per “Legendary Living Creature Encyclopedia,” consuming the body of a mermaid gives eternal life.

The Murder: In the flashback, it becomes clear that one of the Siren’s three mermaid offspring was taken away by one of the islanders using some snacks, murdered, cooked, and consumed by him.

The Motive: The killer, One-Leaf, killed the mermaid child driven by the desperate desire to save the life of his best friend Two-Leaf and turn him into a creature living forever with the help of a special “battery-like” heart.

The Siren’s Vendetta: Enraged by the murder of her daughter, the Siren started terrorizing the island, seizing the islanders in her claws to find the murderer.

3. The Climax: Brawls, Music, and Curry Victory

This final battle is an intense combination of action and famous Chiikawa humor:

Attacks with Vine: When provoked, the Siren and mermaids use the powers of music and create huge vines to choke their enemies.

Rap Attack from Usagi: In the fight between the rocks, Usagi interferes in the harmonizing process of the mermaids with a chaotic rap rhythm and makes them and the vines confused and stop growing!

Curry Trick: Chiikawa, Hachiware, and their friends understand that they will not be able to destroy the huge Siren with brute force. They decide to feed the Siren with a very spicy island curry. The heat forces the Siren to lose her mind and ability to harmonize and run away desperately looking for some water.

Truth Uncovered: During the fight, the blow removes the battery of the immortal islanders revealing the truth about “One-Leaf” and “Two-Leaf” to the whole village.

4. The Aftermath: A Bittersweet and Mature Ending

Unlike the classic good against evil scenario, the ending has a lingering and emotional effect:

Endless exile: In order to save the rest of the village from any further attacks, the guilty ones move to a small and secluded rock in the ocean. The Siren and the other mermaids find them and thus condemn the two friends to a never-ending life of isolation and persecution.

Chiikawa’s Sacrifice: Chiikawa discovers the mermaid scale in the bag. Instead of using it or giving it away, Chiikawa throws it into the deep sea, thus keeping the secret forever in order to preserve peace for the rest of the islanders.

Theme of Maturity: While returning to their home, Chiikawa contemplates silently on the ship. The film ends up leaving a memorable message – growing up means to realize that life is not always fair, and there will be consequences for every choice, and real friendship consists of shared secrets.

Bring the Iconic Movie Moment Home!

The festive Flower Wreath & Grass Skirt outfits worn during the island festival are the definitive symbol of this legendary movie arc!Celebrate the movie with the Official Chiikawa Movie Series Plush Keychain:
🌺 Movie-Accurate Design: Features the exact flower crown and woven grass skirt from the island festival scenes.
🎒 10cm Compact Bag Charm: Includes a sturdy keyring to clip onto your backpack, purse, or ita-bag setup.