Yasuhiro Aoki’s debut feature film, ChaO, produced by the acclaimed Studio 4°C, has been officially selected to compete in the prestigious Ottawa International Animation Festival (OIAF) 2025. The announcement follows the film’s recent success at the Annecy International Animation Film Festival, where it secured the Jury Prize.
A Visionary Work from a Storied Studio
ChaO marks a significant milestone as the first feature film directed by Yasuhiro Aoki, known for his work as a character designer on Psycho-Pass and directing credits on Kimagure Robot and Tweeny Witches. The film emerges from Studio 4°C, a Japanese animation powerhouse founded in 1986 by Eiko Tanaka and Kōji Morimoto. The studio has garnered international acclaim for its distinctive and often experimental approach, evidenced in its diverse portfolio that includes iconic works such as Memories, Mind Game, and Tekkonkinkreet, as well as contributions to The Animatrix and Batman: Gotham Knight. The name “Studio 4°C” itself reflects a creative philosophy, referring to the temperature at which water is most dense, symbolizing a commitment to creating works “dense with substance and quality.”
The development of ChaO was an extensive seven-year undertaking, resulting in a visually rich film boasting over 100,000 frames of hand-drawn animation, seamlessly blending traditional hand-drawn techniques with 2D and 3D digital animation.
Plot and Themes: A Modern Fairytale
Described as a “wild romantic comedy” and a quintessential “fish out of water” story, ChaO is set in a near-future Shanghai where humans and mermaids coexist. The narrative centers on Stephan, a mild-mannered office worker at a shipbuilding company, whose ordinary life takes an extraordinary turn when he receives an unexpected marriage proposal from Chao, a princess of the mermaid kingdom.
The film explores the complexities of their unlikely romance as Stephan navigates living with the unpredictable yet wholeheartedly sincere mermaid princess. Beyond the comedic elements and cultural clashes, ChaO also subtly incorporates an ecological parable, touching upon themes of environmental protection, particularly Stephan’s efforts to develop marine-friendly propeller technology. The story is supported by a talented voice cast, featuring Ouji Suzuka as Stephan and Anna Yamada as ChaO.
Competing at the Ottawa International Animation Festival
The selection of ChaO for the OIAF’s Official Competition is a testament to its artistic merit and innovation. The Ottawa International Animation Festival, established in 1975, holds the distinction of being North America’s largest and oldest competitive animation festival, and is globally recognized as a leading forum for animated art. Attracting artists, producers, students, and animation enthusiasts from around the world, the OIAF provides a dynamic platform for showcasing world-class animated works.
ChaO is one of five feature films vying for the coveted Grand Prize for Feature Animation at the 2025 festival. The OIAF, which is a qualifying festival for the Academy Awards, will run from September 25 to September 29, 2025, with the Grand Prize winner announced at the awards ceremony on September 27. ChaO‘s inclusion among the festival’s selections further solidifies its position as a significant animated work of the year, following its Jury Prize win at the Annecy Festival in June 2025.
For North American audiences, GKIDS has secured the licensing rights for ChaO. The film is set for a Japanese theatrical release on August 15, 2025, and has also been screened at the JAPAN CUTS: Festival of New Japanese Film in New York and the Fantasia International Film Festival in Montreal, broadening its international reach.
