It has been announced that the music unit "Ikimonogakari" will be performing the opening theme for "Sayonara Lala," an original TV anime commemorating the 15th anniversary of Kinema Citrus. The song is titled "Sayonara Lala," the same as the anime, with lyrics and composition by Yoshiki Mizuno of "Ikimonogakari," and arrangement by Seiji Kameda. The second main promotional video has been released, and the song has been unveiled.
Ikimonogakari commented, "It is truly difficult to choose and live your own story. You jump into encounters, find your own words, confront fate, and even choose to say goodbye. It requires courage, determination, and the desire to pursue your own life. And eventually, everything returns to a quiet calm, as if nothing had happened. Through our encounter with the song 'Sayonara Lala,' we wrote what we can write now. Please listen to it along with the song."
The PV features Lala, the mermaid princess who has been resurrected in modern-day Shiga after 200 years. Scenes include her gazing at the prince underwater and longing for the human world, and a scene where she shows a sorrowful expression after being sternly warned by Rowan, the King of the Sea, "Never go near humans. This is a grave rule." The video then depicts Lala's daily life with high school boxer Mari Otsu and the people of Shiga, and with the sunset behind her, Lala tearfully confesses her feelings, saying, "I have fallen in love with humans, with you." The atmosphere changes dramatically in the latter half of the video, and it ends with a mysterious voice that conveys a sense of determination saying, "I will definitely find you, my beloved Lala," hinting at the turbulent events to come.
Additional cast members have also been announced, with Tomohiro Ono playing Mari's older brother, Shoya Otsu; Mitsuaki Madono playing her father, Makoto Otsu; Nanae Sumitomo playing her mother, Eman Otsu; and Masaki Terasoma playing Rowan, the King of the Sea.
A stage event for the series will be held at the Chapla Stage in the MBS headquarters (Kita-ku, Osaka) on June 20th as part of the "Chayamachi Oshi Festival 2026". The event will feature Hana Hishikawa, who plays Lala, Nana Kawaishi, who plays Mari Otsu, and Tomohiro Ono, who plays Shoya Otsu.
The anime is based on the fairy tale "The Little Mermaid," in which Princess Lala is resurrected 200 years later in modern-day Lake Biwa. Directed by Takashi Koide, a native of Shiga Prefecture, in his directorial debut, with Anna Kawahara handling series composition, Shiori Tani designing the characters, and Yuma Yamaguchi composing the music. It will begin airing in July.
◇Comment from Tomohiro Ono
I'm Tomoyuki Tomohiro Ono brother. He's an amazing older brother! So cool! At the recording studio, I did my best to portray the delicate atmosphere of the work with all my heart. I'm looking forward to seeing how Lala will be involved with the Otsu family! This is a truly wonderful work filled with the passion of the staff and the cast, including the two main characters. Please look forward to the broadcast!
◇Comment by Mitsuaki Madono
I'm Mitsuaki Madono, and I played the role of Makoto Otsu, Mari's father. He's a man of few words, but he talks to and interacts with his daughter and Lala kindly, and sometimes just watches over them quietly. I have a daughter myself, so I could really empathize with him, and there were many things I could understand emotionally, which made it easy to play the role. They also created a story that was unique to a photographer, and I really enjoyed playing that part as well. For all these reasons, I think it's a wonderful work that I would love for many people to see, so please check it out.
◇Comment from Nanae Sumitomo
This film made me deeply feel the director's love for Shiga. It's filled with so much "affection." I hope you'll watch it while reflecting on all sorts of "love"... Aside from boxing, she's the strongest and most loving person. I feel fortunate to have played the role of Ema!
◇Comment by Masaki Terasoma
I play Rowan, the King of the Sea. He is the father of the title character, Lara, and the king who despises humans, who are destroyers of the underwater world, in order to protect it. This is an original script, and I acted with the passionate feelings of the production team in my heart. Please watch it!
